Accounting Policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation: The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements of CA, Inc. (Company) have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), as defined in Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 270, for interim financial information and with the instructions to Rule 10-01 of Securities and Exchange Commission Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. For further information, refer to the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2013 (2013 Form 10-K).

In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. All such adjustments are of a normal, recurring nature.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Although these estimates are based on management’s knowledge of current events and actions it may undertake in the future, these estimates may ultimately differ from actual results.

Operating results for the three and six months ended September 30, 2013 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents: The Company’s cash and cash equivalents are held in numerous locations throughout the world, with approximately 59% being held by the Company’s foreign subsidiaries outside the United States at September 30, 2013.

Investments

Investments: Short-term investments consisted of time deposits held by foreign subsidiaries that are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. These investments have maturities greater than three months, but less than one year.

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Measurements: Fair value is the price that would be received for an asset or the amount paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. The Company is required to classify certain assets and liabilities based on the following fair value hierarchy:

• Level 1: Quoted prices in active markets that are unadjusted and accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities;

• Level 2: Quoted prices for identical assets and liabilities in markets that are not active, or quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets or financial instruments for which significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly; and

• Level 3: Prices or valuations that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable.

See Note I, “Fair Value Measurements,” for additional information.

Deferred Revenue (Billed or Collected)

Deferred Revenue (Billed or Collected): The Company accounts for unearned revenue on billed amounts due from customers on a gross basis. Unearned revenue on billed installments (collected or uncollected) is reported as deferred revenue in the liability section of the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Deferred revenue (billed or collected) excludes unbilled contractual commitments executed under license and maintenance agreements that will be billed in future periods. See Note F, “Deferred Revenue,” for additional information.

Other Matters

Other Matters: As part of the Company’s efforts to more fully utilize its intellectual property assets, in the first quarter of fiscal 2013, the Company closed a transaction that assigned the rights to certain of these assets to a large technology company for approximately $35 million. The entire contract amount is included in the “Other (gains) expenses, net” line of the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations for the six months ended September 30, 2012. The Company will continue to have the ability to use these intellectual property assets in current and future product offerings.

New Accounting Pronouncements

New Accounting Pronouncements: In February 2013, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2013-02, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) —Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (ASU 2013-02), requiring an entity to present information about reclassification adjustments from accumulated other comprehensive income in their financial statements or footnotes. The Company adopted ASU 2013-02 in the first quarter of fiscal year 2014 and the current and prior periods have been presented in accordance with ASU 2013-02.