Stockholders' Equity

12 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2016

Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]

Stockholders' Equity

Stockholders’ Equity

Each share of the Company’s outstanding common stock is permitted one vote on proposals presented to stockholders and is entitled to share equally in any dividends declared by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”).

In July 2015, the quarterly dividend was raised from $0.24 to $0.28 per common share for dividends declared after such date, until further action by the Board. Dividends were $1.08 per share in 2016, $0.96 per share in 2015 and $0.92 per share in 2014. The Company anticipates that it will continue to pay quarterly cash dividends in the future.  However, the payment and amount of future dividends remain within the discretion of the Board and will depend upon the Company’s future earnings, financial condition, capital requirements and other factors.

Share Repurchase Plans

Stock repurchases may be made from time-to-time in open market transactions, privately negotiated transactions, through accelerated share repurchase (“ASR”) programs, or by any combination of such methods. The timing of any repurchases and the actual number of shares repurchased will depend on a variety of factors, including our stock price, corporate and regulatory requirements, restrictions under our debt obligations and other market and economic conditions.

Information regarding the share repurchase activity over the last three years is as follows:

	Share Repurchases (1)
(In millions, except price per share data)		Total Number of Shares        Purchased (2) (3)	Average Price Paid Per Share		Approximate Dollar Value of Shares that May Yet Be Purchased Under the Programs
Balance, March 31, 2013					$	340
Shares repurchased		—	$	—	—
Balance, March 31, 2014					$	340
Shares repurchased		1.5	$	226.55	(340		)
Balance, March 31, 2015					$	—
Shares repurchase plans authorized
May 2015					500
October 2015					2,000
Shares repurchased		8.7	$	173.64	(1,504		)
Balance, March 31, 2016					$	996

(1) This table does not include shares tendered to satisfy the exercise price in connection with cashless exercises of employee stock options or shares tendered to satisfy tax withholding obligations in connection with employee equity awards.

(2) All of the shares purchased were part of the publicly announced programs.

(3) The number of shares purchased reflects rounding adjustments.

In 2016, our share repurchases were transacted through both open market transactions and an ASR program with a third party financial institution. In 2015, all of our share repurchases were conducted through open market transactions. All share repurchases were funded with cash on hand.

In 2016, we repurchased 4.5 million of the Company’s shares for $854 million through open market transactions at an average price per share of $192.27. In February 2016, we entered into an ASR program with a third party financial institution to repurchase $650 million of the Company’s common stock. The ASR program was completed during the fourth quarter and we repurchased 4.2 million shares at an average price per share of $154.04. During 2016, we completed the May 2015 share repurchase authorization. At March 31, 2016, $1.0 billion remained available for future authorized repurchases of the Company’s common stock under the October 2015 authorization.

In 2016, we retired 115.5 million or $7.8 billion by the Company’s treasury shares previously repurchased. Under the applicable state law, these shares resume the status of authorized and unissued shares upon retirement. In accordance with our accounting policy, we allocate any excess of share repurchase price over par value between additional paid-in capital and retained earnings. Accordingly, our retained earnings and additional paid-in capital were reduced by $6.35 billion and $1.5 billion during 2016.

Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Information regarding other comprehensive income (loss) including noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests, net of tax, by component is as follows:

	Years Ended March 31,
(In millions)	2016			2015			2014
Foreign currency translation adjustments(1)
Foreign currency translation adjustments arising during period, net of income tax expense (benefit) of ($23), nil and nil (2) (3)	$	113		$	(1,845	)	$	9
Reclassified to income statement, net of income tax expense of nil, nil and 24(4)	—			(10		)	44
	113			(1,855		)	53
Unrealized gains (losses) on cash flow hedges
Unrealized gains (losses) on cash flow hedges arising during period, net of income tax benefit of nil, nil and nil	6			(13		)	(6		)
Reclassified to income statement, net of income tax expense of nil, nil and nil	3			3			—
	9			(10		)	(6		)
Changes in retirement-related benefit plans
Net actuarial gain (loss) and prior service credit (cost) arising during period, net of income tax expense (benefit) of $13, ($66) and $16 (5)	23			(140		)	17
Amortization of actuarial loss, prior service cost and transition obligation, net of income tax expense of $18, $6 and $12 (6)	30			11			22
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other, net of income tax expense of nil, nil and nil	(3		)	4			(4		)
Reclassified to income statement, net of income tax expense of nil, nil, and $1	—			1			1
	50			(124		)	36
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), net of tax	$	172		$	(1,989	)	$	83

(1) Foreign currency translation adjustments result from the conversion of non-U.S. dollar financial statements of our foreign subsidiaries into the Company’s reporting currency, U.S. dollars, and were primarily related to our foreign subsidiary, Celesio, in 2016 and 2015.

(2) The 2016 net foreign currency translation gains of $113 million were primarily due to the recovery of the Euro against the U.S. dollar, partly offset by the weakening of the Canadian dollar and British pound sterling against the U.S. dollar during the period between April 1, 2015 and March 31, 2016. The 2015 foreign currency translation losses of $1,855 million were primarily due to the weakening of the Euro against U.S. dollar during the period between April 1, 2014 and March 31, 2015.

(3) 2016 includes net foreign currency translation gains of $16 million and 2015 includes net foreign currency translations losses of $267 million attributable to noncontrolling and redeemable noncontrolling interests.

(4) These net foreign currency losses were reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) to discontinued operations within our consolidated statement of operations due to the sale of certain businesses.

(5) The net gains of $4 million and net losses of $12 million attributable to noncontrolling and redeemable noncontrolling interests in 2016 and 2015.

(6) Pre-tax amount was reclassified into cost of sales and operating expenses in the consolidated statements of operations. The related tax expense was reclassified into income tax expense in the consolidated statements of operations.

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Information regarding changes in our accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) by component are as follows:

(In millions)	Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments, Net of Tax			Unrealized Losses on Cash Flow Hedges, Net of Tax			Unrealized Net Gains (Losses) and Other Components of Benefit Plans, Net of Tax			Total Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Balance at March 31, 2014	$	168		$	(11	)	$	(160	)	$	(3	)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications	(1,845		)	(13		)	(136		)	(1,994		)
Amounts reclassified to earnings	(10		)	3			12			5
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$	(1,855	)	$	(10	)	$	(124	)	$	(1,989	)
Less: amounts attributable to noncontrolling and redeemable interests	(267		)	—			(12		)	(279		)
Other comprehensive income (loss) attributable to McKesson	$	(1,588	)	$	(10	)	$	(112	)	$	(1,710	)
Balance at March 31, 2015	$	(1,420	)	$	(21	)	$	(272	)	$	(1,713	)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications	113			6			23			142
Amounts reclassified to earnings and other	—			3			27			30
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$	113		$	9		$	50		$	172
Less: amounts attributable to noncontrolling and redeemable interests	16			—			4			20
Other comprehensive income (loss) attributable to McKesson	$	97		$	9		$	46		$	152
Balance at March 31, 2016	$	(1,323	)	$	(12	)	$	(226	)	$	(1,561	)