Business and Geographic Segments (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Holding Percentage of Subsidiaries

Business segment	Entity	% controlled at December 31, 2018
Chemicals	Kronos		80	%
Component products	CompX		87	%
Real estate management and development	BMI and LandWell		63% - 77	%

Segment Operating Performance

	Years ended December 31,
	2016			2017			2018
	(In millions)
Net sales:
Chemicals	$	1,364.3		$	1,729.0		$	1,661.9
Component products		108.9			112.0			118.2
Real estate management and development		46.2			38.4			40.0
Total net sales	$	1,519.4		$	1,879.4		$	1,820.1
Cost of sales:
Chemicals	$	1,101.5		$	1,161.2		$	1,101.7
Component products		73.8			77.2			79.9
Real estate management and development		36.2			28.1			29.3
Total cost of sales	$	1,211.5		$	1,266.5		$	1,210.9
Gross margin:
Chemicals	$	262.8		$	567.8		$	560.2
Component products		35.1			34.8			38.3
Real estate management and development		10.0			10.3			10.7
Total gross margin	$	307.9		$	612.9		$	609.2
Operating income:
Chemicals	$	102.8		$	358.5		$	342.9
Component products		15.6			15.2			17.8
Real estate management and development		.8			6.6			10.0
Total operating income		119.2			380.3			370.7
General corporate items:
Securities earnings		27.2			29.5			38.5
Insurance recoveries		.4			.4			1.3
Gain on land sales		—			—			12.5
Other components of net periodic pension expense		(11.5	)		(17.7	)		(14.5	)
Litigation settlement expense, net		—			—			(62.0	)
Changes in market value of Valhi common stock held by subsidiaries		—			—			(12.2	)
General expenses, net		(37.6	)		(34.7	)		(42.4	)
Loss on prepayment of debt		—			(7.1	)		—
Interest expense		(58.1	)		(58.9	)		(55.7	)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	$	39.6		$	291.8		$	236.2

	Years ended December 31,
	2016		2017		2018
	(In millions)
Depreciation and amortization:
Chemicals	$	42.6	$	43.4	$	52.0
Component products		3.7		3.7		3.5
Waste management (1)		18.3		8.9		—
Real estate management and development		2.9		3.0		2.9
Total	$	67.5	$	59.0	$	58.4
Capital expenditures:
Chemicals	$	53.0	$	64.3	$	56.3
Component products		3.2		2.8		3.1
Waste management(1)		.7		.9		.1
Real estate management and development		2.0		3.3		1.9
Total	$	58.9	$	71.3	$	61.4

Total Assets Held by Business Segments

	December 31,
	2016		2017		2018
	(In millions)
Total assets:
Operating segments:
Chemicals	$	1,548.9	$	2,190.5	$	2,266.6
Component products		97.9		104.9		120.4
Waste management(1)		228.6		52.0		—
Real estate management and development		200.9		206.9		218.5
Corporate and eliminations		366.9		353.2		104.1
Total	$	2,443.2	$	2,907.5	$	2,709.6

 ⁽¹⁾Denotes discontinued operations

Net Sales by Point of Origin and Point of Destination

	Years ended December 31,
	2016			2017			2018
	(In millions)
Net sales—point of origin:
United States	$	819.3		$	992.3		$	997.6
Germany		699.8			918.6			886.1
Canada		257.7			309.2			307.2
Belgium		187.4			279.9			272.2
Norway		164.8			216.4			209.6
Eliminations		(609.6	)		(837.0	)		(852.6	)
Total	$	1,519.4		$	1,879.4		$	1,820.1
Net sales—point of destination:
North America	$	566.8		$	668.3		$	698.7
Europe		698.2			899.2			817.6
Asia and other		254.4			311.9			303.8
Total	$	1,519.4		$	1,879.4		$	1,820.1

Net Property and Equipment by Segment

	December 31,
	2016		2017		2018
	(In millions)
Net property and equipment:
United States	$	76.2	$	80.8	$	74.5
Germany		223.7		259.2		245.8
Canada		60.5		69.0		66.1
Norway		75.5		81.7		81.0
Belgium		80.1		98.0		96.1
Total	$	516.0	$	588.7	$	563.5