Business and Geographic Segments (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Holding Percentage of Subsidiaries

Business segment	Entity	% controlled at December 31, 2017
Chemicals	Kronos		80	%
Component products	CompX		87	%
Real estate management and development	BMI and LandWell		63% - 77	%

Segment Operating Performance

	Years ended December 31,
	2015			2016			2017
	(In millions)
Net sales:
Chemicals	$	1,348.8		$	1,364.3		$	1,729.0
Component products		109.0			108.9			112.0
Real estate management and development		30.1			46.2			38.4
Total net sales	$	1,487.9		$	1,519.4		$	1,879.4
Cost of sales:
Chemicals	$	1,158.5		$	1,109.2		$	1,172.1
Component products		75.6			73.8			77.2
Real estate management and development		25.4			36.2			28.1
Total cost of sales	$	1,259.5		$	1,219.2		$	1,277.4
Gross margin:
Chemicals	$	190.3		$	255.1		$	556.9
Component products		33.4			35.1			34.8
Real estate management and development		4.7			10.0			10.3
Total gross margin	$	228.4		$	300.2		$	602.0
Operating income:
Chemicals	$	7.1		$	91.0		$	341.1
Component products		14.0			15.6			15.2
Real estate management and development		—			.8			6.6
Total operating income		21.1			107.4			362.9
General corporate items:
Securities earnings		26.4			27.2			29.5
Insurance recoveries		3.7			.4			.4
General expenses, net		(39.5	)		(37.3	)		(35.0	)
Loss on prepayment of debt		—			—			(7.1	)
Interest expense		(53.6	)		(58.1	)		(58.9	)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	$	(41.9	)	$	39.6		$	291.8

	Years ended December 31,
	2015		2016		2017
	(In millions)
Depreciation and amortization:
Chemicals	$	44.3	$	42.6	$	43.4
Component products		3.5		3.7		3.7
Waste management (1)		19.3		18.3		8.9
Real estate management and development		2.8		2.9		3.0
Total	$	69.9	$	67.5	$	59.0
Capital expenditures:
Chemicals	$	47.5	$	53.0	$	64.3
Component products		4.2		3.2		2.8
Waste management(1)		1.7		.7		.9
Real estate management and development		1.2		2.0		3.3
Total	$	54.6	$	58.9	$	71.3

Total Assets Held by Business Segments

	December 31,
	2015		2016		2017
	(In millions)
Total assets:
Operating segments:
Chemicals	$	1,617.6	$	1,548.9	$	2,190.5
Component products		88.7		97.9		104.9
Waste management(1)		231.9		228.6		52.0
Real estate management and development		232.9		200.9		206.9
Corporate and eliminations		366.3		366.9		353.2
Total	$	2,537.4	$	2,443.2	$	2,907.5

 ⁽¹⁾Denotes discontinued operations

Net Sales by Point of Origin and Point of Destination

	Years ended December 31,
	2015			2016			2017
	(In millions)
Net sales—point of origin:
United States	$	796.9		$	819.3		$	992.3
Germany		690.0			699.8			918.6
Canada		216.9			257.7			309.2
Belgium		198.8			187.4			279.9
Norway		183.5			164.8			216.4
Eliminations		(598.2	)		(609.6	)		(837.0	)
Total	$	1,487.9		$	1,519.4		$	1,879.4
Net sales—point of destination:
North America	$	559.0		$	566.8		$	668.3
Europe		700.9			698.2			899.2
Asia and other		228.0			254.4			311.9
Total	$	1,487.9		$	1,519.4		$	1,879.4

Net Property and Equipment by Segment

	December 31,
	2015		2016		2017
	(In millions)
Net property and equipment:
United States	$	77.0	$	76.2	$	80.8
Germany		229.9		223.7		259.2
Canada		55.0		60.5		69.0
Norway		71.9		75.5		81.7
Belgium		81.8		80.1		98.0
Total	$	515.6	$	516.0	$	588.7