Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis Of Accounting

Note 1. Accounting Policies

       The interim consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Allegheny Technologies Incorporated and its subsidiaries. Unless the context requires otherwise, “Allegheny Technologies”, “ATI” and “the Company” refer to Allegheny Technologies Incorporated and its subsidiaries.

These unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions for Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and note disclosures required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In management's opinion, all adjustments (which include only normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. These unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's 2012 Annual Report on Form 10-K. The results of operations for these interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for any future period. The December 31, 2012 financial information has been derived from the Company's audited financial statements.

Inventory Policy Text Block

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (last-in, first-out (“LIFO”), first-in, first-out (“FIFO”), and average cost methods) or market, less progress payments. Most of the Company's inventory is valued utilizing the LIFO costing methodology. Inventory of the Company's non-U.S. operations is valued using average cost or FIFO methods.

Derivatives Policy Text Block

Note 5. Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging

As part of its risk management strategy, the Company, from time-to-time, utilizes derivative financial instruments to manage its exposure to changes in raw material prices, energy costs, foreign currencies, and interest rates. In accordance with applicable accounting standards, the Company accounts for most of these contracts as hedges. In general, hedge effectiveness is determined by examining the relationship between offsetting changes in fair value or cash flows attributable to the item being hedged, and the financial instrument being used for the hedge. Effectiveness is measured utilizing regression analysis and other techniques to determine whether the change in the fair market value or cash flows of the derivative exceeds the change in fair value or cash flow of the hedged item. Calculated ineffectiveness, if any, is immediately recognized in the consolidated statements of income.

The Company sometimes uses futures and swap contracts to manage exposure to changes in prices for forecasted purchases of raw materials, such as nickel, and natural gas. Under these contracts, which are generally accounted for as cash flow hedges, the price of the item being hedged is fixed at the time that the contract is entered into and the Company is obligated to make or receive a payment equal to the net change between this fixed price and the market price at the date the contract matures.

The majority of ATI's products are sold utilizing raw material surcharges and index mechanisms. However, as of March 31, 2013, the Company had entered into financial hedging arrangements primarily at the request of its customers, related to firm orders, for an aggregate notional amount of approximately 10% of its estimated annual nickel requirements. These nickel hedges extend to 2016.

At March 31, 2013, the outstanding financial derivatives used to hedge the Company's exposure to energy cost volatility included natural gas cost hedges for approximately 70% of itsannual forecasted domestic requirements for 2013,approximately 40% for 2014,and approximately 5% for 2015, and electricity hedges for Western Pennsylvania operations of approximately 10% of its forecasted on-peak and off-peak requirements for 2014.

While the majority of the Company's direct export sales are transacted in U.S. dollars, foreign currency exchange contracts are used, from time-to-time, to limit transactional exposure to changes in currency exchange rates for those transactions denominated in a non-U.S. currency. The Company sometimes purchases foreign currency forward contracts that permit it to sell specified amounts of foreign currencies expected to be received from its export sales for pre-established U.S. dollar amounts at specified dates. The forward contracts are denominated in the same foreign currencies in which export sales are denominated. These contracts are designated as hedges of the variability in cash flows of a portion of the forecasted future export sales transactions which otherwise would expose the Company to foreign currency risk. The Company may also enter into foreign currency forward contracts that are not designated as hedges, which are denominated in the same foreign currency in which export sales are denominated. At March 31, 2013, the outstanding financial derivatives, including both hedges and undesignated derivatives, that are used to manage the Company's exposure to foreign currency, primarily euros, represented approximately 10% ofits forecasted total international sales through 2015. In addition, the Company may also designate cash balances held in foreign currencies as hedges of forecasted foreign currency transactions.

The Company may enter into derivative interest rate contracts to maintain a reasonable balance between fixed- and floating-rate debt. There were no unsettled derivative financial instruments related to debt balances for the periods presented.

There are no credit risk-related contingent features in the Company's derivative contracts, and the contracts contained no provisions under which the Company has posted, or would be required to post, collateral. The counterparties to the Company's derivative contracts are substantial and creditworthy commercial banks that are recognized market makers. The Company controls its credit exposure by diversifying across multiple counterparties and by monitoring credit ratings and credit default swap spreads of its counterparties. The Company also enters into master netting agreements with counterparties when possible.

The fair values of the Company's derivative financial instruments are presented below, representing the gross amounts recognized which are not offset by counterparty or by type of item hedged.All fair values for these derivatives were measured using Level 2 information as defined by the accounting standard hierarchy, which includes quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, and inputs derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data.

For derivative financial instruments that are designated as cash flow hedges, the effective portion of the gain or loss on the derivative is reported as a component of other comprehensive income (OCI) and reclassified into earnings in the same period or periods during which the hedged item affects earnings. Gains and losses on the derivative representing either hedge ineffectiveness or hedge components excluded from the assessment of effectiveness are recognized in current period results. The Company did not use fair value or net investment hedges for the periods presented. The effects of derivative instruments in the tables below are presented net of related income taxes.

Pension And Other Postretirement Plans Policy

The Company has defined benefit pension plans and defined contribution plans covering substantially all employees. Benefits under the defined benefit pension plans are generally based on years of service and/or final average pay. The Company funds the U.S. pension plans in accordance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the Internal Revenue Code.

The Company also sponsors several postretirement plans covering certain salaried and hourly employees. The plans provide health care and life insurance benefits for eligible retirees. In most plans, Company contributions towards premiums are capped based on the cost as of a certain date, thereby creating a defined contribution. For the non-collectively bargained plans, the Company maintains the right to amend or terminate the plans at its discretion.

Commitments And Contingencies Policy Text Block

Environmental liabilities are recorded when the Company's liability is probable and the costs are reasonably estimable. In many cases, however, the Company is not able to determine whether it is liable or, if liability is probable, to reasonably estimate the loss or range of loss. Estimates of the Company's liability remain subject to additional uncertainties, including the nature and extent of site contamination, available remediation alternatives, the extent of corrective actions that may be required, and the number, participation, and financial condition of other potentially responsible parties (“PRPs”). The Company adjusts its accruals to reflect new information as appropriate. Future adjustments could have a material adverse effect on the Company's results of operations in a given period, but the Company cannot reliably predict the amounts of such future adjustments.