Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Business and Principles of Consolidation

Business and Principles of Consolidation. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Crown Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) and its consolidated subsidiary companies (where the context requires, the “Company” shall include reference to the Company and its consolidated subsidiary companies).

The Company manufactures and sells metal and glass packaging containers, metal closures, and canmaking equipment. These products are manufactured in the Company’s plants both within and outside the U.S. and are sold through the Company’s sales organization to the soft drink, food, citrus, brewing, household products, personal care and various other industries. The financial statements were prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and reflect management’s estimates and assumptions. Actual results could differ from those estimates, impacting reported results of operations and financial position. All intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation. In deciding which entities should be reported on a consolidated basis, the Company first determines whether the entity is a variable interest entity (“VIE”). If an entity is a VIE, the Company determines whether it is the primary beneficiary. If an entity is not a VIE, the Company consolidates those entities in which it has control, including certain subsidiaries that are not majority-owned. Certain of the Company’s agreements with noncontrolling interests contain provisions in which the Company would surrender certain decision-making rights upon a change in control of the Company. Accordingly, consolidation of these operations may no longer be appropriate subsequent to a change in control of the Company, as defined in the agreements. Investments in companies in which the Company does not have control, but has the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies, are accounted for by the equity method. Other investments are carried at cost.

Foreign Currency Translation

Foreign Currency Translation. For non-U.S. subsidiaries which operate in a local currency environment, assets and liabilities are translated into U.S. dollars at year-end exchange rates. Income, expense and cash flow items are translated at average exchange rates prevailing during the year. Translation adjustments for these subsidiaries are accumulated as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive income in equity. For non-U.S. subsidiaries that use a U.S. dollar functional currency, local currency inventories and property, plant and equipment are translated into U.S. dollars at approximate rates prevailing when acquired; all other assets and liabilities are translated at year-end exchange rates. Inventories charged to cost of sales and depreciation are remeasured at historical rates; all other income and expense items are translated at average exchange rates prevailing during the year. Gains and losses which result from remeasurement are included in earnings.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition. Revenue is recognized from product sales when the goods are shipped and the title and risk of loss pass to the customer. Provisions for discounts and rebates to customers, returns, and other adjustments are estimated and provided for in the period that the related sales are recorded. Taxes collected from customers and remitted to governmental authorities are excluded from net sales. Shipping and handling fees and costs from product sales are reported as cost of products sold.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation. Compensation expense is recognized over the vesting period on a straight-line basis using the grant date fair value of the award and the estimated number of awards that are expected to vest. The Company’s plans provide for stock awards which may include accelerated vesting upon retirement, disability, or death of eligible employees. The Company considers a stock-based award to be vested when the service period is no longer contingent on the employee providing future service. Accordingly, the related compensation cost is recognized immediately for awards granted to retirement-eligible individuals, or over the period from the grant date to the date that retirement eligibility is achieved if less than the stated vesting period.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents. Cash equivalents represent investments with maturities of three months or less from the time of purchase and are carried at cost, which approximates fair value because of the short maturity of those instruments. Outstanding checks in excess of funds on deposit are included in accounts payable.

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts. Trade accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. The allowance for doubtful accounts is the best estimate of the amount of probable credit losses in the existing accounts receivable. The allowance is determined based on a review of individual accounts for collectability, generally focusing on those accounts that are past due or experiencing financial difficulties. The current year expense to adjust the allowance for doubtful accounts is recorded within selling and administrative expense in the consolidated statements of operations.

Inventory Valuation

Inventory Valuation. Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market, with cost for U.S. inventories principally determined under the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method and for non-U.S. inventories under the FIFO or average cost method.

Property, Plant And Equipment

Property, Plant and Equipment. Property, plant and equipment (“PP&E”) is carried at cost less accumulated depreciation and includes expenditures for new facilities and equipment and those costs which substantially increase the useful lives or capacity of existing PP&E. Cost of constructed assets includes capitalized interest incurred during the construction and development period. Maintenance and repairs, including labor and material costs for planned major maintenance such as annual production line overhauls, are expensed as incurred. When PP&E is retired or otherwise disposed, the net carrying amount is eliminated with any gain or loss on disposition recognized in earnings at that time.

Depreciation and amortization are provided on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets described below (in years). The Company periodically reviews the estimated useful lives of its PP&E and, where appropriate, changes are made prospectively.

Land improvements	25
Buildings and Building Improvements	25 – 40
Machinery and Equipment	3 – 18

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Goodwill and Intangible Assets. Goodwill is carried at cost and reviewed for impairment in the fourth quarter of each year or when facts and circumstances indicate goodwill may be impaired. Goodwill was allocated to the reporting units at the time of the acquisition based on the relative fair values of the reporting units. In assessing goodwill for impairment, the Company may first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If the Company determines that an impairment is more likely than not, it will perform the two-step quantitative impairment test using a combination of market values for comparable businesses and discounted cash flow projections compared to the reporting unit's carrying value including goodwill. If the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, any impairment loss is measured by comparing the carrying value of the reporting unit’s goodwill to its implied fair value.

Definite-lived intangible assets are tested for impairment when facts and circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable from their undiscounted cash flows. If impaired, the assets are written down to fair value based on either discounted cash flows or appraised values.

Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets

Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets. In the event that facts and circumstances indicate that the carrying value of long-lived assets, primarily PP&E and certain identifiable intangible assets with finite lives, may be impaired, the Company performs a recoverability evaluation. If the evaluation indicates that the carrying value of an asset is not recoverable from its undiscounted cash flows, an impairment loss is measured by comparing the carrying value of the asset to its fair value, based on discounted cash flows. Long-lived assets classified as held for sale are presented in the balance sheet at the lower of their carrying value or fair value less cost to sell.

Taxes on Income

Taxes on Income. The provision for income taxes is determined using the asset and liability approach. Deferred taxes represent the future expected tax consequences of differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities based upon enacted tax rates and laws. Valuation allowances are recorded to reduce deferred tax assets when it is more likely than not that a tax benefit will not be realized. Investment tax credits are accounted for using the deferral method.

The with-and-without approach is used to account for utilization of windfall tax benefits arising from the Company’s stock-based compensation plans and only the direct impact of awards is considered when calculating the amount of windfalls or shortfalls. Income tax-related interest and penalties are reported as income tax expense.

Derivatives and Hedging

Derivatives and Hedging. All outstanding derivative financial instruments are recognized in the balance sheet at their fair values. The impact on earnings from recognizing the fair values of these instruments depends on their intended use, their hedge designation and their effectiveness in offsetting changes in the fair values of the exposures they are hedging. Changes in the fair values of instruments designated to reduce or eliminate adverse fluctuations in the fair values of recognized assets and liabilities are reported currently in earnings along with changes in the fair values of the hedged items. Changes in the effective portions of the fair values of instruments used to reduce or eliminate adverse fluctuations in cash flows of anticipated or forecasted transactions are reported in equity as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income. Amounts in accumulated other comprehensive income are reclassified to earnings when the related hedged items impact earnings or the anticipated transactions are no longer probable. Changes in the fair values of derivative instruments that are not designated as hedges or do not qualify for hedge accounting treatment are reported currently in earnings. Amounts reported in earnings are classified consistent with the item being hedged.

The effectiveness of derivative instruments in reducing risks associated with the hedged exposures is assessed at inception and on an ongoing basis. Any amounts excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness, and any ineffective portion of designated hedges, are reported currently in earnings. Time value, a component of an instrument’s fair value, is excluded in assessing effectiveness for fair value hedges, except hedges of firm commitments, and included for cash flow hedges.

Hedge accounting is discontinued prospectively when (i) the instrument is no longer effective in offsetting changes in fair value or cash flows of the underlying hedged item, (ii) the instrument expires, is sold, terminated or exercised, or (iii) designating the instrument as a hedge is no longer appropriate.

The Company formally documents all relationships between its hedging instruments and hedged items at inception, including its risk management objective and strategy for establishing various hedge relationships. Cash flows from hedging instruments are classified in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows consistent with the items being hedged.

Treasury Stock

Treasury Stock. Treasury stock is reported at par value. The excess of fair value over par value is first charged to paid-in capital, if any, and then to retained earnings.

Research and Development

Research and Development. Research, development and engineering costs of $39 in 2015 and 2014 and $36 in 2013were expensed as incurred and reported in selling and administrative expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Substantially all engineering and development costs are related to developing new products or designing significant improvements to existing products or processes. Costs primarily include employee salaries and benefits and facility costs.

Reclassifications

Reclassifications. Certain reclassifications of prior years’ data have been made to conform to the current year presentation.

Recent Accounting and Reporting Pronouncements

Recent Accounting and Reporting Pronouncements.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

In the first quarter of 2015, the Company adopted changes to the definition of discontinued operations to include only disposals that represent a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results. The change did not impact the Company's financial statements in 2015.

In September 2015, the FASB issued new guidance related to accounting for measurement-period adjustments. The new guidance requires that the cumulative impact of a measurement period adjustment, including the impact on prior periods, be recognized in the reporting period in which the adjustment is identified. The Company elected to early adopt this standard during the third quarter of 2015. The change did not materially impact the Company's financial statements in 2015.

In April 2015, the FASB issued new guidance related to the classification of debt issuance costs. The guidance requires the presentation of debt issuance costs in the balance sheet as a deduction from the carrying amount of the liability instead of a deferred charge. The Company elected to early adopt this standard. As of December 31, 2015, the Company reclassified debt issuance costs associated with long term debt from other assets to current maturities of long-term debt and long-term debt, excluding current maturities. Prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year classification resulting in adjustments of $2 to current maturities of long-term debt and of $63 to long-term debt, excluding current maturities. Debt issuance costs related to revolving credit arrangements remain classified in other non-current assets.

In December 2015, the FASB issued new guidance related to the classification of deferred tax assets and liabilities. The guidance requires that deferred tax assets and liabilities be classified as noncurrent in the balance sheet. In the fourth quarter of 2015, the Company elected to early adopt this standard. Prior period deferred tax asset and liability balances were not retrospectively adjusted.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In May 2014, the FASB issued new guidance related to how an entity should recognize revenue. The guidance specifies that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods and services. In addition, the guidance expands the required disclosures related to revenue and cash flows from contracts with customers. The guidance is effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of 2018 with early adoption permitted beginning in the first quarter of 2017. The Company will adopt this standard on a modified retrospective basis and is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance on its financial position and results of operations.

In July 2015, the FASB issued new guidance related to the subsequent measurement of inventory. Under existing guidance, inventory is measured at the lower of cost or market, where market is defined as replacement cost, with a ceiling of net realizable value and floor of net realizable value less a normal profit margin. The new guidance requires an entity to subsequently measure inventory at the lower of cost or net realizable value, which is defined as the estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal and transportation. The guidance will be effective for the Company on January 1, 2017 and early adoption is permitted. The guidance is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.