Business and Geographic Segments (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Holding Percentage of Subsidiaries

Business segment	Entity	% controlled at December 31, 2016
Chemicals	Kronos		80	%
Component products	CompX		87	%
Waste management	WCS		100	%
Real estate management and development	BMI and LandWell		63% - 77	%

Segment Operating Performance

	Years ended December 31,
	2014			2015			2016
	(In millions)
Net sales:
Chemicals	$	1,651.9		$	1,348.8		$	1,364.3
Component products		103.9			109.0			108.9
Waste management		66.5			45.0			47.4
Real estate management and development		40.3			30.1			46.2
Total net sales	$	1,862.6		$	1,532.9		$	1,566.8
Cost of sales:
Chemicals	$	1,304.6		$	1,158.5		$	1,109.2
Component products		71.6			75.6			73.8
Waste management		49.7			50.5			55.5
Real estate management and development		33.9			25.4			36.2
Total cost of sales	$	1,459.8		$	1,310.0		$	1,274.7
Gross margin:
Chemicals	$	347.3		$	190.3		$	255.1
Component products		32.3			33.4			35.1
Waste management		16.8			(5.5	)		(8.1	)
Real estate management and development		6.4			4.7			10.0
Total gross margin	$	402.8		$	222.9		$	292.1
Operating income (loss):
Chemicals	$	156.8		$	7.1		$	91.0
Component products		13.6			14.0			15.6
Waste management		(2.2	)		(26.5	)		(26.2	)
Real estate management and development		2.0			—			.8
Total operating income (loss)		170.2			(5.4	)		81.2
Equity in earnings of investee		—			—			—
General corporate items:
Securities earnings		26.9			26.5			27.7
Insurance recoveries		10.4			3.7			.4
General expenses, net		(38.8	)		(39.6	)		(43.1	)
Interest expense		(56.7	)		(59.0	)		(63.2	)
Income (loss) before income taxes	$	112.0		$	(73.8	)	$	3.0

	Years ended December 31,
	2014		2015		2016
	(In millions)
Depreciation and amortization:
Chemicals	$	51.9	$	44.3	$	42.6
Component products		3.5		3.5		3.7
Waste management		20.3		19.3		18.3
Real estate management and development		2.7		2.8		2.9
Total	$	78.4	$	69.9	$	67.5
Capital expenditures:
Chemicals	$	61.3	$	47.5	$	53.0
Component products		2.8		4.2		3.2
Waste management		4.5		1.7		.7
Real estate management and development		4.0		1.2		2.0
Corporate		.1		—		—
Total	$	72.7	$	54.6	$	58.9

Total Assets Held by Business Segments

	December 31,
	2014		2015		2016
	(In millions)
Total assets:
Operating segments:
Chemicals	$	2,001.2	$	1,617.6	$	1,548.9
Component products		83.1		88.7		97.9
Waste management		257.7		231.9		228.6
Real estate management and development		246.1		232.9		200.9
Corporate and eliminations		357.1		366.3		366.9
Total	$	2,945.2	$	2,537.4	$	2,443.2

Net Sales by Point of Origin and Point of Destination

	Years ended December 31,
	2014			2015			2016
	(In millions)
Net sales—point of origin:
United States	$	993.7		$	841.9		$	866.7
Germany		844.1			690.0			699.8
Canada		252.3			216.9			257.7
Belgium		249.3			198.8			187.4
Norway		256.8			183.5			164.8
Eliminations		(733.6	)		(598.2	)		(609.6	)
Total	$	1,862.6		$	1,532.9		$	1,566.8
Net sales—point of destination:
North America	$	753.2		$	604.0		$	614.2
Europe		883.6			700.9			698.2
Asia and other		225.8			228.0			254.4
Total	$	1,862.6		$	1,532.9		$	1,566.8

Net Property and Equipment by Segment

	December 31,
	2014		2015		2016
	(In millions)
Net property and equipment:
United States	$	234.4	$	227.1	$	214.7
Germany		259.5		229.9		223.7
Canada		63.4		55.0		60.5
Norway		85.5		71.9		75.5
Belgium		90.8		81.8		80.1
Total	$	733.6	$	665.7	$	654.5