Basis of Presentation (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2022

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

Loews Corporation is a holding company. Its consolidated operating subsidiaries are engaged in the following lines of business: commercial property and casualty insurance (CNA Financial Corporation (“CNA”), a 90% owned subsidiary); transportation and storage of natural gas and natural gas liquids (Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP (“Boardwalk Pipelines”), a wholly owned subsidiary) and the operation of a chain of hotels (Loews Hotels Holding Corporation (“Loews Hotels & Co”), a wholly owned subsidiary). Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Company” means Loews Corporation including its consolidated subsidiaries, the term “Parent Company” means Loews Corporation excluding its subsidiaries, the term “Net income (loss) attributable to Loews Corporation” means Net income (loss) attributable to Loews Corporation shareholders and the term “subsidiaries” means Loews Corporation’s consolidated subsidiaries.

On April 1, 2021, Loews Corporation sold 47% of Altium Packaging LLC (“Altium Packaging”), previously a 99% owned subsidiary, for $420 million in cash consideration, and following the transaction Loews Corporation deconsolidated Altium Packaging. Effective April 1, 2021, Loews Corporation’s investment in Altium Packaging is accounted for under the equity method of accounting, with the investment reported in Other assets on the Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets and equity income (loss) reported in Operating expenses and other on the Consolidated Condensed Statements of Operations. The transaction resulted in a gain of $555 million ($438 million after tax) for the nine months ended September 30, 2021, which was recorded in Investment gains (losses) on the Consolidated Condensed Statement of Operations. For additional information regarding the deconsolidation of Altium Packaging, see Note 2 of the Consolidated Financial Statements in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021.

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements reflect all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 and results of operations, comprehensive income (loss) and changes in shareholders’ equity for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021 and cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, in each case in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Net income for the third quarter and first nine months of each of the years is not necessarily indicative of net income for that entire year. These Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021.

The Company presents basic and diluted net income (loss) per share on the Consolidated Condensed Statements of Operations. Basic net income (loss) per share excludes dilution and is computed by dividing net income (loss) attributable to common stock by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted net income per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021 there were no shares attributable to employee stock-based compensation awards excluded from the diluted weighted average shares outstanding amounts because the effect would have been antidilutive.

Recently issued Accounting Standards Updates ("ASUs")

Recently issued Accounting Standards Updates (“ASUs”) – In August of 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2018-12, “Financial Services – Insurance (Topic 944): Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Contracts.” The updated accounting guidance requires changes to the measurement and disclosure of long-duration contracts. For the Company, this includes CNA’s long term care and fully-ceded single premium immediate annuity business. Entities will be required to review, and update if there is a change, cash flow assumptions (including morbidity and persistency) at least annually and to update quarterly discount rate assumptions using an upper-medium grade fixed-income instrument yield. The effect of changes in cash flow assumptions will be recorded in Net income and the effect of changes in discount rate assumptions will be recorded in Other comprehensive income (“OCI”). The guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2022, with early adoption permitted, and may be applied using either a modified retrospective transition method or a full retrospective transition method. Financial statements for prior periods presented will be adjusted to reflect the effects of applying the new accounting guidance.

The Company will adopt the new guidance effective January 1, 2023, using the modified retrospective method applied as of the transition date of January 1, 2021. A published spot rate curve constructed from A+, A and A- rated U.S. dollar denominated corporate bonds matched to the duration of the corresponding insurance liabilities will be used to calculate discount rates. Long-duration contracts will be grouped into calendar year cohorts based on the contract issue date and

product line. Long term care contracts will be grouped separately from the fully-ceded single premium immediate annuity contracts.

The most significant impact at the transition date will be the effect of updating the discount rate assumption to reflect an upper-medium grade fixed-income instrument yield, which will be partially offset by the de-recognition of Shadow Adjustments associated with long-duration contracts. The Company expects the net impact of these changes will be a decrease of approximately $2.1 billion (after tax and noncontrolling interests) in Accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) as of the transition date of January 1, 2021. There is a minimal transition impact expected to retained earnings.

The requirement to review, and update if there is a change, cash flow assumptions at least annually is expected to change the pattern of earnings being recognized. Adoption will also significantly expand the Company’s disclosures, and will impact systems, processes and controls. While the requirements of the new guidance represent a material change from existing accounting guidance, the new guidance will not impact capital and surplus under statutory accounting practices, cash flows, or the underlying economics of the business.

The Company continues to make progress in connection with these matters and is in the process of refining key accounting policy decisions, technology solutions and updates to internal controls associated with adoption of the new guidance. These in-progress activities include modifications of actuarial valuation systems, data sourcing, analytical procedures and reporting processes.