Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions |
Jun. 30, 2016 |
Dec. 31, 2015 |
Jun. 30, 2015 |
Dec. 31, 2014 |
Assets, Current [Abstract] |
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ 1,567
|
$ 1,481
|
$ 1,720
|
$ 2,497
|
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts |
1,007
|
991
|
|
|
Intercompany receivable |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Deferred income taxes |
110
|
109
|
|
|
Prepaid and other current assets |
201
|
212
|
|
|
Assets of businesses held for sale |
574
|
503
|
|
|
Total current assets |
3,459
|
3,296
|
|
|
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation |
242
|
270
|
|
|
Goodwill |
2,882
|
2,882
|
|
|
Other intangible assets, net |
1,483
|
1,522
|
|
|
Investments in subsidiaries |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Intercompany loans receivable |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Other non-current assets |
225
|
213
|
|
|
Total assets |
8,291
|
8,183
|
|
|
Current liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable |
178
|
206
|
|
|
Intercompany payable |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans |
265
|
383
|
|
|
Short-term debt |
309
|
143
|
|
|
Unearned revenue |
1,460
|
1,421
|
|
|
Other current liabilities |
426
|
549
|
|
|
Liabilities of businesses held for sale |
207
|
206
|
|
|
Total current liabilities |
2,845
|
2,908
|
|
|
Long-term debt |
3,470
|
3,468
|
|
|
Intercompany loans payable |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Pension and other postretirement benefits |
260
|
276
|
|
|
Other non-current liabilities |
371
|
368
|
|
|
Total liabilities |
6,946
|
7,020
|
|
|
Redeemable noncontrolling interest (Note 8) |
920
|
920
|
|
|
Equity: |
|
|
|
|
Common stock |
412
|
412
|
|
|
Additional paid-in capital |
444
|
475
|
|
|
Retained income |
8,123
|
7,636
|
|
|
Accumulated other comprehensive loss |
(627)
|
(600)
|
|
|
Less: common stock in treasury |
(7,976)
|
(7,729)
|
|
|
Total equity — controlling interests |
376
|
194
|
|
|
Total equity - noncontrolling interests |
49
|
49
|
|
|
Total equity |
425
|
243
|
|
|
Total liabilities and equity |
8,291
|
8,183
|
|
|
Eliminations |
|
|
|
|
Assets, Current [Abstract] |
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Intercompany receivable |
(2,999)
|
(3,353)
|
|
|
Deferred income taxes |
(1)
|
0
|
|
|
Prepaid and other current assets |
0
|
(1)
|
|
|
Assets of businesses held for sale |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Total current assets |
(3,000)
|
(3,354)
|
|
|
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Goodwill |
(9)
|
9
|
|
|
Other intangible assets, net |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Investments in subsidiaries |
(13,303)
|
(12,626)
|
|
|
Intercompany loans receivable |
(2,225)
|
(2,117)
|
|
|
Other non-current assets |
|
0
|
|
|
Total assets |
(18,537)
|
(18,088)
|
|
|
Current liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Intercompany payable |
(2,999)
|
(3,354)
|
|
|
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Short-term debt |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Unearned revenue |
0
|
(1)
|
|
|
Other current liabilities |
|
0
|
|
|
Liabilities of businesses held for sale |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Total current liabilities |
(2,999)
|
(3,355)
|
|
|
Long-term debt |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Intercompany loans payable |
(2,225)
|
(2,117)
|
|
|
Pension and other postretirement benefits |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Other non-current liabilities |
(1)
|
0
|
|
|
Total liabilities |
(5,225)
|
(5,472)
|
|
|
Redeemable noncontrolling interest (Note 8) |
920
|
920
|
|
|
Equity: |
|
|
|
|
Common stock |
(2,336)
|
(2,337)
|
|
|
Additional paid-in capital |
(10,677)
|
(10,694)
|
|
|
Retained income |
(1,304)
|
(609)
|
|
|
Accumulated other comprehensive loss |
26
|
44
|
|
|
Less: common stock in treasury |
10
|
12
|
|
|
Total equity — controlling interests |
(14,281)
|
(13,584)
|
|
|
Total equity - noncontrolling interests |
49
|
48
|
|
|
Total equity |
(14,232)
|
(13,536)
|
|
|
Total liabilities and equity |
(18,537)
|
(18,088)
|
|
|
S&P Global Inc. |
|
|
|
|
Assets, Current [Abstract] |
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
62
|
167
|
531
|
1,402
|
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts |
117
|
116
|
|
|
Intercompany receivable |
41
|
208
|
|
|
Deferred income taxes |
75
|
75
|
|
|
Prepaid and other current assets |
107
|
120
|
|
|
Assets of businesses held for sale |
22
|
4
|
|
|
Total current assets |
424
|
690
|
|
|
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation |
123
|
141
|
|
|
Goodwill |
17
|
17
|
|
|
Other intangible assets, net |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Investments in subsidiaries |
5,376
|
4,651
|
|
|
Intercompany loans receivable |
17
|
16
|
|
|
Other non-current assets |
71
|
67
|
|
|
Total assets |
6,028
|
5,582
|
|
|
Current liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable |
70
|
71
|
|
|
Intercompany payable |
2,569
|
2,144
|
|
|
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans |
100
|
127
|
|
|
Short-term debt |
309
|
143
|
|
|
Unearned revenue |
272
|
254
|
|
|
Other current liabilities |
150
|
191
|
|
|
Liabilities of businesses held for sale |
83
|
80
|
|
|
Total current liabilities |
3,553
|
3,010
|
|
|
Long-term debt |
3,470
|
3,468
|
|
|
Intercompany loans payable |
10
|
21
|
|
|
Pension and other postretirement benefits |
209
|
230
|
|
|
Other non-current liabilities |
(12)
|
(25)
|
|
|
Total liabilities |
7,230
|
6,704
|
|
|
Redeemable noncontrolling interest (Note 8) |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Equity: |
|
|
|
|
Common stock |
412
|
412
|
|
|
Additional paid-in capital |
(233)
|
(184)
|
|
|
Retained income |
6,961
|
6,701
|
|
|
Accumulated other comprehensive loss |
(366)
|
(322)
|
|
|
Less: common stock in treasury |
(7,976)
|
(7,729)
|
|
|
Total equity — controlling interests |
(1,202)
|
(1,122)
|
|
|
Total equity - noncontrolling interests |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Total equity |
(1,202)
|
(1,122)
|
|
|
Total liabilities and equity |
6,028
|
5,582
|
|
|
Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC |
|
|
|
|
Assets, Current [Abstract] |
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts |
170
|
319
|
|
|
Intercompany receivable |
1,798
|
1,872
|
|
|
Deferred income taxes |
10
|
10
|
|
|
Prepaid and other current assets |
0
|
13
|
|
|
Assets of businesses held for sale |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Total current assets |
1,978
|
2,214
|
|
|
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation |
1
|
3
|
|
|
Goodwill |
0
|
40
|
|
|
Other intangible assets, net |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Investments in subsidiaries |
662
|
659
|
|
|
Intercompany loans receivable |
374
|
368
|
|
|
Other non-current assets |
21
|
19
|
|
|
Total assets |
3,036
|
3,303
|
|
|
Current liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable |
23
|
54
|
|
|
Intercompany payable |
282
|
675
|
|
|
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans |
23
|
89
|
|
|
Short-term debt |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Unearned revenue |
205
|
586
|
|
|
Other current liabilities |
(62)
|
65
|
|
|
Liabilities of businesses held for sale |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Total current liabilities |
471
|
1,469
|
|
|
Long-term debt |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Intercompany loans payable |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Pension and other postretirement benefits |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Other non-current liabilities |
84
|
98
|
|
|
Total liabilities |
555
|
1,567
|
|
|
Redeemable noncontrolling interest (Note 8) |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Equity: |
|
|
|
|
Common stock |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Additional paid-in capital |
130
|
1,179
|
|
|
Retained income |
2,345
|
557
|
|
|
Accumulated other comprehensive loss |
6
|
0
|
|
|
Less: common stock in treasury |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Total equity — controlling interests |
2,481
|
1,736
|
|
|
Total equity - noncontrolling interests |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Total equity |
2,481
|
1,736
|
|
|
Total liabilities and equity |
3,036
|
3,303
|
|
|
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries |
|
|
|
|
Assets, Current [Abstract] |
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
1,505
|
1,314
|
$ 1,189
|
$ 1,095
|
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts |
720
|
556
|
|
|
Intercompany receivable |
1,160
|
1,273
|
|
|
Deferred income taxes |
26
|
24
|
|
|
Prepaid and other current assets |
94
|
80
|
|
|
Assets of businesses held for sale |
552
|
499
|
|
|
Total current assets |
4,057
|
3,746
|
|
|
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation |
118
|
126
|
|
|
Goodwill |
2,874
|
2,816
|
|
|
Other intangible assets, net |
1,483
|
1,522
|
|
|
Investments in subsidiaries |
7,265
|
7,316
|
|
|
Intercompany loans receivable |
1,834
|
1,733
|
|
|
Other non-current assets |
133
|
127
|
|
|
Total assets |
17,764
|
17,386
|
|
|
Current liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable |
85
|
81
|
|
|
Intercompany payable |
148
|
535
|
|
|
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans |
142
|
167
|
|
|
Short-term debt |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Unearned revenue |
983
|
582
|
|
|
Other current liabilities |
338
|
293
|
|
|
Liabilities of businesses held for sale |
124
|
126
|
|
|
Total current liabilities |
1,820
|
1,784
|
|
|
Long-term debt |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Intercompany loans payable |
2,215
|
2,096
|
|
|
Pension and other postretirement benefits |
51
|
46
|
|
|
Other non-current liabilities |
300
|
295
|
|
|
Total liabilities |
4,386
|
4,221
|
|
|
Redeemable noncontrolling interest (Note 8) |
0
|
0
|
|
|
Equity: |
|
|
|
|
Common stock |
2,336
|
2,337
|
|
|
Additional paid-in capital |
11,224
|
10,174
|
|
|
Retained income |
121
|
987
|
|
|
Accumulated other comprehensive loss |
(293)
|
(322)
|
|
|
Less: common stock in treasury |
(10)
|
(12)
|
|
|
Total equity — controlling interests |
13,378
|
13,164
|
|
|
Total equity - noncontrolling interests |
0
|
1
|
|
|
Total equity |
13,378
|
13,165
|
|
|
Total liabilities and equity |
$ 17,764
|
$ 17,386
|
|
|