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GENERAL
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
General Disclosure [Abstract]  
Accounting Changes and Error Corrections [Text Block]

1.       BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

Description of Business

Owens Corning, a Delaware corporation, is a leading global producer of glass fiber reinforcements and other materials for composite systems and of residential and commercial building materials. The Company operates within two segments: Composites, which includes the Company's Reinforcements and Downstream businesses; and Building Materials, which includes the Company's Insulation and Roofing businesses. Through these lines of business, Owens Corning manufactures and sells products worldwide. The Company maintains leading market positions in all of its major product categories.

Basis of Presentation

Unless the context requires otherwise, the terms “Owens Corning,” “Company,” “we” and “our” in this report refer to Owens Corning and its subsidiaries.

The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.

Principles of Consolidation

The Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company include the accounts of majority-owned subsidiaries. Intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated.

Reclassifications

Certain reclassifications have been made to the 2012 and 2011 Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements to conform to the classifications used in 2013.

Use of Estimates and Assumptions

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue is recognized when title and risk of loss pass to the customer and collectability is reasonably assured. Provisions for discounts and rebates to customers, returns, warranties and other adjustments are provided in the same period that the related sales are recorded and are based on historical experience, current conditions and contractual obligations, as applicable.

Cost of Sales

Cost of sales includes material, labor, energy and manufacturing overhead costs, including depreciation and amortization expense associated with the manufacture and distribution of the Company's products. Distribution costs include inbound freight costs; purchasing and receiving costs; inspection costs; warehousing costs; shipping and handling costs, which include costs incurred relating to preparing, packaging, and shipping products to customers; and other costs of the Company's distribution network. All shipping and handling costs billed to the customer are included as net sales in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings (Loss).

 

 

Marketing and Administrative Expenses

Marketing and administrative expenses include selling and administrative costs, including depreciation and amortization expense, not directly associated with the manufacture and distribution of the Company's products.

Included in marketing and administrative expenses are marketing and advertising costs, which are expensed the first time the advertisement takes place. Marketing and advertising costs include advertising, and marketing communications. Marketing and advertising expenses for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012, and 2011 were $105 million, $109 million and $105 million, respectively.

Science and Technology Expenses

The Company incurs certain expenses related to science and technology. These expenses include salaries, building and equipment costs, utilities, administrative expenses, materials and supplies associated with the improvement and development of the Company's products and manufacturing processes. These costs are expensed as incurred.

Earnings (Loss) per Share

Basic earnings (loss) per share are computed using the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings (loss) per share reflect the dilutive effect of common equivalent shares and increased shares that would result from the conversion of equity securities. The effects of anti-dilution are not presented.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company defines cash and cash equivalents as cash and time deposits with original maturities of three months or less when purchased.

Accounts Receivable

Trade accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. The allowance for doubtful accounts is an estimate of the amount of probable credit losses in our existing accounts receivable. Account balances are charged off against the allowance when the Company believes it is probable the receivable will not be recovered.

Inventory Valuation

Inventory costs include material, labor, and manufacturing overhead costs, including depreciation and amortization expense associated with the manufacture and distribution of the Company's products. Inventories are stated at lower of cost or market value and expense estimates are made for excess and obsolete inventories. Cost is determined by the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method.

Investments in Affiliates

The Company accounts for investments in affiliates of 20% to 50% ownership when the Company does not have a controlling financial interest using the equity method under which the Company's share of earnings and losses of the affiliate is reflected in earnings and dividends are credited against the investment in affiliate when declared. Investments in affiliates are recorded in other non-current assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and as of December 31, 2013 and 2012 the total value of investments was $51 million.

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill assets are not amortized but are tested for impairment on at least an annual basis. In the current year, as part of the annual assessment, the Company used a quantitative approach to determine whether the fair value of a reporting unit was less than its carrying amount.

As part of our testing process for goodwill we estimated fair values using a discounted cash flow approach from the perspective of a market participant. Significant estimates in the discounted cash flow approach are cash flow forecasts of our reporting units, the discount rate, the terminal business value and the projected income tax rate. The cash flow forecasts of the reporting units are based upon management's long-term view of our markets and are the forecasts that are used by senior management and the Board of Directors to evaluate operating performance. The discount rate utilized is management's estimate of what the market's weighted average cost of capital is for a company with a similar debt rating and stock volatility, as measured by beta. The projected income tax rates utilized are the statutory tax rates for the countries where each reporting unit operates. The terminal business value is determined by applying a business growth factor to the latest year for which a forecast exists. As part of our goodwill quantitative testing process, we would evaluate whether there are reasonably likely changes to management's estimates that would have a material impact on the results of the goodwill impairment testing.

Other indefinite-lived intangible assets are not amortized but are tested for impairment on at least an annual basis or when determined to have a finite useful life. Substantially all of the indefinite-lived intangible assets are in trademarks and trade names. The Company uses the royalty relief approach to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of these assets is less than its carrying amount. This review is performed annually, or when circumstances arise which indicate there may be impairment. When applying the royalty relief approach, the Company performs a discounted cash flow analysis based on the value derived from owning these trademarks and trade names and being relieved from paying royalty to third parties. Significant assumptions used include projected cash flows, discount rate, projected income tax rate and terminal business value. These inputs are considered Level 3 inputs under the fair value hierarchy as they are the Company's own data, and are unobservable in the marketplace.

Identifiable intangible assets with a determinable useful life are amortized over that determinable life. Amortization expense for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 was $22 million, $21 million and $22 million, respectively. See Note 5 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion.

Properties and Depreciation

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost and depreciated over their estimated useful lives using the straight-line method. Property, plant and equipment accounts are relieved of the cost and related accumulated depreciation when assets are disposed of or otherwise retired.

Precious metals used in our production tooling are included in property, plant and equipment and are depleted as they are consumed during the production process. Depletion typically represents an annual expense of less than 3 percent of the outstanding value and is recorded in cost of sales on the Consolidated Statements of Earnings (Loss).

For the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 depreciation expense was $310 million, $328 million and $296 million, respectively. In 2013, depreciation expense included $20 million of accelerated depreciation related to the change in useful life of assets recorded as a result of our assessment of the future utility of an incomplete Insulation facility located in Cordele, Georgia.  In 2013 and 2012, depreciation expense also included $9 million and $55 million of accelerated depreciation related to cost reduction actions further explained in Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

The range of useful lives for the major components of the Company's plant and equipment is as follows:

Buildings and leasehold improvements       15 – 40 years

Machinery and equipment       

       Furnaces                      4 – 15 years

       Information systems               5 – 10 years

       Equipment               5 – 20 years

 

Expenditures for normal maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred.

Asset Impairments

The Company evaluates tangible and intangible long-lived assets for impairment when triggering events have occurred. This requires significant assumptions including projected cash flows, projected income tax rate and terminal business value. These inputs are considered Level 3 inputs under the fair value hierarchy as they are the Company's own data, and are unobservable in the marketplace. Changes in management intentions, market conditions or operating performance could indicate that impairment charges might be necessary that would be material to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements in any given period.

Income Taxes

The Company recognizes current tax liabilities and assets for the estimated taxes payable or refundable on the tax returns for the current year. Deferred tax balances reflect the impact of temporary differences between the carrying amount of assets and liabilities and their tax basis. Amounts are stated at enacted tax rates expected to be in effect when taxes are actually paid or recovered. In addition, realization of certain deferred tax assets is dependent upon our ability to generate future taxable income. The Company records a valuation allowance to reduce its deferred tax assets to the amount that it believes is more likely than not to be realized. In addition, the Company estimates tax reserves to cover potential taxing authority claims for income taxes and interest attributable to audits of open tax years.

Taxes Collected from Customers and Remitted to Government Authorities and Taxes Paid to Vendors

Taxes are assessed by various governmental authorities at different rates on many different types of transactions.  The Company charges sales tax or Value Added Tax (“VAT”) on sales to customers where applicable, as well as captures and claims back all available VAT that has been paid on purchases.  VAT is recorded in separate payable or receivable accounts and does not affect revenue or cost of sales line items in the income statement.  VAT receivable is recorded as a percentage of qualifying purchases at the time the vendor invoice is processed.  VAT payable is recorded as a percentage of qualifying sales at the time an Owens Corning sale to a customer subject to VAT occurs.  Amounts are paid to the taxing authority according to the method and collection prescribed by local regulations.  Where applicable, VAT payable is netted against VAT receivable. The Company also pays sales tax to vendors who include a tax, required by government regulations, to the purchase price charged to the Company.

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits

Accounting for pensions and other postretirement benefits involves estimating the cost of benefits to be provided well into the future and attributing that cost over the time period each employee works. To accomplish this, extensive use is made of assumptions about investment returns, discount rates, inflation, mortality, turnover and medical costs.

Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company recognizes all derivative instruments as either assets or liabilities at fair value on the balance sheet. To the extent that a derivative is effective as a cash flow hedge, the change in fair value of the derivative is deferred in accumulated other comprehensive income/deficit (“OCI”). Any portion considered to be ineffective is reported in earnings immediately. To the extent that a derivative is effective as a fair value hedge, the change in the fair value of the derivative is offset by the change in the fair value of the item being hedged in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings (Loss). See Note 4 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion.

Foreign Currency

The functional currency of the Company's subsidiaries is generally the applicable local currency. Assets and liabilities of foreign subsidiaries are translated into United States dollars at the period-end rate of exchange, and their Statements of Earnings (Loss) and Statements of Cash Flows are converted on an ongoing basis at the monthly average rate. The resulting translation adjustment is included in accumulated OCI in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity. Transaction gains and losses that arise from exchange rate fluctuations on transactions denominated in a currency other than the functional currency are included in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings (Loss) as incurred. The Company recorded a foreign currency transaction loss of $3 million, a loss of $3 million and a gain of $5 million during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012, and 2011, respectively.