Nature of Business and Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Nature of Business and Significant Accounting Policies

1. Nature of Business and Significant Accounting Policies

Nature of Business

U. S. Steel produces and sells steel products, including flat-rolled and tubular products, in North America and Europe. Operations in the United States also include iron ore and coke production facilities and real estate operations. Operations in Europe also include coke production facilities.

Significant Accounting Policies

Principles applied in consolidation

These financial statements include the accounts of U. S. Steel and its majority-owned subsidiaries. Additionally, variable interest entities for which U. S. Steel is the primary beneficiary are included in the Consolidated Financial Statements, and their impacts are either partially or completely offset by noncontrolling interests. Intercompany accounts, transactions and profits have been eliminated in consolidation.

Investments in entities over which U. S. Steel has significant influence are accounted for using the equity method of accounting and are carried at U. S. Steel’s share of net assets plus loans, advances and our share of earnings less distributions.

Earnings or loss from investees includes U. S. Steel’s share of earnings or loss from equity method investments (and any amortization of basis differences), which are generally recorded a month in arrears.

Use of estimates

Generally accepted accounting principles require management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at year-end and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the year. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include the carrying value of property, plant and equipment; intangible assets; the fair value of assets or liabilities acquired in a business combination; valuation allowances for receivables, inventories and deferred income tax assets and liabilities; environmental liabilities; liabilities for potential tax deficiencies; potential litigation claims and settlements; assets and obligations related to employee benefits; put and call option and contingent forward purchase commitment assets and liabilities and restructuring and other charges. Actual results could differ materially from the estimates and assumptions used.

The preparation of the financial statements includes an assessment of certain accounting matters using all available information including consideration of forecasted financial information in context with other information reasonably available to us. However, our future assessment of current expectations, including consideration of the unknown future impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, could result in material impacts to our consolidated financial statements in future reporting periods. All such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature unless disclosed otherwise.

Sales recognition

Sales are recognized when U. S. Steel's performance obligations are satisfied. Generally, U. S. Steel’s performance obligations are satisfied, control of our products is transferred, and revenue is recognized at a single point in time, when title transfers to our customer for product shipped or when services are provided. Revenues are recorded net of any sales incentives. Shipping and other transportation costs charged to customers are treated as fulfillment activities and are recorded in both revenue and cost of sales at the time control is transferred to the customer. See Note 6 for further details on U. S. Steel’s revenue.

Inventories

Inventories are carried at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Fixed costs related to abnormal production capacity are expensed in the period incurred rather than capitalized into inventory.

LIFO (last-in, first-out) is the predominant method of inventory costing for inventories held by the Flat-Rolled and Tubular segments. The Mini Mill segment uses a moving average costing method to account for semi-finished and finished products and FIFO (first-in, first-out) to account for raw materials. FIFO is the predominant method used by the USSE segment. The LIFO method of inventory costing was used on 46 percent and 59 percent of consolidated inventories at December 31, 2021, and 2020, respectively.

Derivative instruments

From time to time, U. S. Steel may use fixed price forward physical purchase contracts to partially manage our exposure to price risk. Generally, forward physical purchase contracts qualify for the normal purchase normal sales exclusion in Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and are not subject to mark-to-market accounting. U. S. Steel also uses derivatives such as commodity-based financial swaps and foreign currency exchange forward contracts to manage its exposure to purchase and sale price fluctuations and foreign currency exchange rate risk. The USSE and Flat-Rolled segments elect hedge accounting for some of their derivatives. Under hedge accounting, fluctuations in the value of the derivative are recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (AOCI) until the

associated underlying is recognized in earnings. When the associated underlying is recognized in earnings, the value of the derivative is reclassified to earnings from AOCI. The Mini Mill segment has not elected hedge accounting. Therefore, the changes in fair value of the Mini Mill segment's foreign exchange forwards, as well as fair value changes for other derivatives where hedge accounting has not been elected, are recognized immediately in earnings. See Note 16 for further details on U. S. Steel’s derivatives.

Financial Instruments

U. S. Steel's purchase of a 49.9% equity ownership interest in Big River Steel on October 31, 2019, included certain call and put options. U. S. Steel marked those options to fair value each reporting period using a Monte Carlo simulation which is considered a Level 3 valuation technique. Level 3 valuation techniques include inputs to the valuation methodology that are considered unobservable and significant to the fair value measurement. On December 8, 2020, U. S. Steel exercised its call option to purchase the remaining interest in Big River Steel. When the U. S. Steel call option was exercised, the options were legally extinguished and a contingent forward purchase commitment was recorded for the value of the unsettled commitment to purchase the remaining interest in Big River Steel. The contingent forward purchase commitment was removed with the close of the Big River Steel purchase which occurred on January 15, 2021. See Note 5 for further details.

Property, plant and equipment

Property, plant and equipment is carried at cost less accumulated depreciation and is depreciated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets.

Depletion of mineral properties is based on rates which are expected to amortize cost over the estimated tonnage of minerals to be removed.

When property, plant and equipment is sold or otherwise disposed of, any gains or losses are reflected in income. If a loss on disposal is expected, such losses are recognized when the assets are reclassified as assets held for sale or when impaired as part of an asset group’s impairment.

Asset Impairment

U. S. Steel evaluates impairment of its property, plant and equipment whenever circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. We evaluate the impairment of long-lived assets at the asset group level. Our asset groups are Flat-Rolled, mini mill, welded tubular, seamless tubular and U. S. Steel Europe (USSE). Asset impairments are recognized when the carrying value of an asset group exceeds its recoverable amount as determined by the asset group's aggregate projected undiscounted cash flows.

In December 2021, the Company permanently idled the steel making process at Great Lakes Works, which had been idled on an indefinite basis during 2020. As a result of this decision, the Company recognized charges of approximately $128 million for the write-off of the BOP, steel casting and hot strip mill related fixed assets. In addition, in October 2021, equipment at Gary Works related to steel production intended for petroleum conveying pipe were written-off resulting in a charge of approximately $88 million.

In May 2019, U. S. Steel announced that it planned to construct a new endless casting and rolling facility at its Edgar Thomson Plant in Braddock, Pennsylvania, and a cogeneration facility at its Clairton Plant in Clairton, Pennsylvania, both part of the Company's Mon Valley Works. The Company purchased certain equipment for this project before delaying groundbreaking in March 2020 in response to COVID-19. In April 2021, the Company determined not to pursue this project, re-evaluated the use of the already purchased equipment, and subsequently transferred suitable equipment to the Mini Mill segment to be used on the planned, three-million-ton mini mill flat-rolled facility to be constructed. Total impairments of $56 million were recognized for this project in 2021.

For the period ended March 31, 2020, the steep decline in oil prices that resulted from market oversupply and declining demand was considered a triggering event for the welded tubular and seamless tubular asset groups. A quantitative analysis was completed for both asset groups and a $263 million impairment, consisting of an impairment of $196 million for property, plant and equipment and $67 million for intangible assets was recorded for the welded tubular asset group while no impairment was indicated for the seamless tubular asset group. There were no other triggering events that required an impairment evaluation of our long-lived asset groups during the years-ended December 31, 2020, and December 31, 2021.

During 2019, the challenging steel market environment in the U.S. that led to the idling of certain Flat-Rolled facilities, the challenging steel market in Europe that led to the temporary idling of a blast furnace and significant headcount reductions at USSE, and recent losses in the welded tubular asset group were considered triggering events for those asset groups, respectively. U. S. Steel completed a quantitative analysis of its long-lived assets for these asset groups and determined that the assets were not impaired. There were no triggering events for seamless tubular in 2019.

Goodwill and identifiable intangible assets

Goodwill represents the excess of the cost over the fair value of acquired identifiable tangible and intangible assets and liabilities assumed from businesses acquired. Goodwill and intangible assets deemed to have indefinite lives are not amortized, but are subject to impairment testing annually, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate the asset might be impaired. Goodwill is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level annually in the fourth quarter. The goodwill impairment test compares carrying values of the reporting units to their estimated fair values. If the carrying value exceeds the fair value then the carrying value is reduced to fair value. In developing our estimates for the fair value of our reporting units and unamortized intangible assets, significant judgment is required in the determination of the appropriateness of using a qualitative assessment or quantitative assessment. The qualitative assessment is an evaluation of factors, including reporting unit specific operating results as well as industry, market and general economic conditions, to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. For the quantitative assessments that are performed, fair value is primarily based on the income approach using a discounted cash flow method, which have significant assumptions including sales growth rates, projected earnings, terminal growth rates and discount rates. Such assumptions are subject to variability from year to year and are directly impacted by, among other things, global market conditions. Our Mini Mill reporting unit holds the goodwill recognized as a result of the Company's acquisition of Big River Steel, and is our only reporting unit that has a significant amount of goodwill. This goodwill is primarily attributable to Big River Steel's operational abilities, workforce and the anticipated benefits from their recent expansion. The Company performed its annual impairment test in the fourth quarter of 2021 by completing a qualitative assessment.

Finite-lived intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives and are tested for impairment when events occur that indicate that the net book value will not be recovered over future cash flows. Intangible assets with indefinite lives are also subject to at least annual impairment testing, which compares the fair value of the intangible assets with their carrying amounts. U. S. Steel has determined that certain of its acquired intangible assets have indefinite useful lives. These assets are also reviewed for impairment annually in the fourth quarter and whenever events or circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. U. S. Steel completed its evaluation of its indefinite lived water rights and other indefinite lived intangible assets during 2021 and determined there was no indication of impairment.

Environmental remediation

Environmental expenditures are capitalized if the costs mitigate or prevent future contamination or if the costs improve existing assets’ environmental safety or efficiency. U. S. Steel provides for remediation costs and penalties when the responsibility to remediate is probable and the amount of associated costs is reasonably estimable. The timing of remediation accruals typically coincides with completion of studies defining the scope of work to be undertaken or when it is probable that a formal plan of action will be approved by the oversight agency. Remediation liabilities are accrued based on estimates of believed environmental exposure and are discounted if the amount and timing of the cash disbursements are readily determinable.

Asset retirement obligations

Asset retirement obligations (AROs) are initially recorded at fair value and are capitalized as part of the cost of the related long-lived asset and depreciated in accordance with U. S. Steel’s depreciation policies for property, plant and equipment. The fair value of the obligation is determined as the discounted value of expected future cash flows. Accretion expense is recorded each month to increase this discounted obligation over time. Certain AROs related to disposal costs of the majority of assets at our integrated steel facilities are not recorded because they have an indeterminate settlement date. These AROs will be initially recognized in the period in which sufficient information exists to estimate their fair value. See Note 19 for further details on U. S. Steel's AROs.

Pensions and other post-employment benefits

U. S. Steel has defined contribution or multi-employer arrangements for pension benefits for more than three-quarters of its employees in the United States and defined benefit pension plans covering the remaining employees. For hires before January 1, 2016, U. S. Steel has defined benefit retiree health care and life insurance plans (Other Benefits) that cover its represented employees in North America upon their retirement. Government-sponsored programs into which U. S. Steel makes required contributions cover the majority of U. S. Steel’s European employees. For more details regarding pension and other post-employment benefits see Note 18 of the Consolidated Financial Statements.

The pension and Other Benefits obligations and the related net periodic benefit costs are based on, among other things, assumptions regarding the discount rate, estimated return on plan assets, salary increases, the projected mortality of participants and the current level and future escalation of health care costs. Additionally, U. S. Steel recognizes an obligation to provide post-employment benefits for disability-related claims covering indemnity and medical payments for certain employees in North America. The obligation for these claims and the related periodic costs are measured using actuarial techniques and assumptions. Actuarial gains and losses occur when actual experience differs from any of the many assumptions used to value the benefit plans, or when assumptions change. For pension and Other Benefits, the Company recognizes into income on an annual basis a portion of unrecognized actuarial net gains or losses that exceed 10 percent of the larger of projected benefit obligations or plan assets (the corridor). These unrecognized amounts in excess of the corridor are amortized over the plan participants' average life expectancy or average future service,

depending on the demographics of the plan. Unrecognized actuarial net gains and losses for disability-related claims are immediately recognized into income.

Deferred taxes

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis. The realization of deferred tax assets is assessed quarterly based on several interrelated factors. These factors include U. S. Steel’s expectation to generate sufficient future taxable income and the projected time period over which these deferred tax assets will be realized. U. S. Steel records a valuation allowance when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount that will more likely than not be realized. See Note 11 for further details of deferred taxes.