Recently Adopted and Recently Issued Accounting Guidance

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Recently Adopted and Recently Issued Accounting Guidance

Recently Adopted and Recently Issued Accounting Guidance

Recently Adopted Accounting Guidance.

On January 1, 2020, the Company adopted changes issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") related to the impairment model for expected credit losses. The new impairment model (known as the current expected credit loss ("CECL") model) is based on expected losses rather than incurred losses. The Company recognizes as an allowance its estimate of expected credit losses. The CECL model applies to most debt instruments, trade receivables, lease receivables, financial guarantee contracts, and other loan commitments and requires the measurement of expected credit losses on assets including those that have a low risk of loss. The adoption of this new guidance did not have a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued guidance that impacts disclosures for defined benefit pension plans and other postretirement benefit plans. These changes became effective for Howmet's annual report for the year ended December 31, 2020 which did not have a material impact on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued changes to the accounting and presentation of leases. These changes required lessees to recognize a right-of-use asset and lease liability on the balance sheet, initially measured at the present value of lease payments for all operating leases with a term greater than 12 months. These changes became effective for the Company on January 1, 2019 and have been applied using the modified retrospective approach as of the date of adoption, under which leases existing at, or entered into after, January 1, 2019 were required to be recognized and measured. Prior period amounts have not been adjusted and continue to be reflected in accordance with the Company’s historical accounting. The Company elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within the new standard, which among other things, allowed the Company to carry forward the historical lease classification. The Company also elected to separate lease components from non-lease components for all classes of assets.

The adoption of this new lease standard resulted in the Company recording operating lease right-of-use assets and lease liabilities of approximately $320 on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of January 1, 2019. The adoption of the new lease standard had no impact on the Statement of Consolidated Operations or Statement of Consolidated Cash Flows. The Company entered into a sale leaseback arrangement in October 2018 for a cast house that is now part of Arconic Corporation, and due to continuing involvement, the gain on sale was deferred. In connection with the adoption of the new lease accounting standard on January 1, 2019, the arrangement no longer required that the gain be deferred. As such, the associated $73 deferred gain, net of tax was recognized as a cumulative effect of an accounting change within Accumulated deficit in its Consolidated Balance Sheet and Statement of Changes in Consolidated Equity.

In August 2017, the FASB issued guidance that made more financial and nonfinancial hedging strategies eligible for hedge accounting. It also amended the presentation and disclosure requirements and changed how companies assess effectiveness. It is

intended to more closely align hedge accounting with companies’ risk management strategies, simplify the application of hedge accounting, and increase transparency as to the scope and results of hedging programs. These changes became effective for the Company on January 1, 2019. For cash flow hedges, Howmet recorded a cumulative effect adjustment of $2 related to eliminating the separate measurement of ineffectiveness by decreasing Accumulated other comprehensive loss and increasing Retained earnings on its Consolidated Balance Sheet and Statement of Changes in Consolidated Equity. The amendments to presentation and disclosure are required prospectively. Howmet has determined that under the new accounting guidance it is able to more broadly use cash flow hedge accounting for its variable priced inventory purchases and customer sales.

In February 2018, the FASB issued guidance that allows an optional reclassification from Accumulated other comprehensive loss to Accumulated deficit for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act enacted on December 22, 2017. Stranded tax effects were created when deferred taxes, originally established in Other comprehensive income at 35%, were revalued to 21% as a component of income tax expense from continuing operations. The Company elected to early adopt this provision in the fourth quarter of 2018 and reclassified $367 of beneficial stranded tax effects in Accumulated other comprehensive loss to Retained earnings in its Consolidated Balance Sheet and Statement of Changes in Consolidated Equity.

Recently Issued Accounting Guidance.

In December 2019, the FASB issued guidance that is intended to simplify various aspects related to the accounting for income taxes. These changes became effective for Howmet on January 1, 2021. The adoption of this new guidance will not have a material impact on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

In March 2020, the FASB issued amendments that provide optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform, if certain criteria are met. The amendments apply only to contracts and hedging relationships that reference London Inter-bank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") or another reference rate expected to be discontinued due to reference rate reform. These amendments are effective immediately and may be applied prospectively to contract modifications made and hedging relationships entered into or evaluated on or before December 31, 2022. Management is currently evaluating the potential impact of these changes on the Consolidated Financial Statements.