Basis of Presentation	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Basis of Presentation
Basis of Presentation	Note 1. Basis of Presentation Principles of Consolidation The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions of Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, our financial statements reflect all adjustments, which are of a normal recurring nature, necessary for presentation of financial statements for interim periods in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The results of operations for the first quarter of 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results for the full year ending December 31, 2020. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2019, included in the Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. (“Reliance,” the “Company,” “we,” “our” or “us”) Annual Report on Form 10-K. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and the disclosure of contingent amounts in our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Our consolidated financial statements include the assets, liabilities and operating results of majority-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The ownership of the other interest holders of consolidated subsidiaries is reflected as noncontrolling interests. During the first quarter of 2020, we purchased the remaining 49% noncontrolling interest of Feralloy Processing Company, which increased our ownership from 51% to 100%. See Note 9—“Equity” for further discussion of our noncontrolling interest transaction. Our investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries are recorded under the equity method of accounting.

Basis of Presentation

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Note 1. Basis of Presentation

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions of Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, our financial statements reflect all adjustments, which are of a normal recurring nature, necessary for presentation of financial statements for interim periods in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The results of operations for the first quarter of 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results for the full year ending December 31, 2020. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2019, included in the Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. (“Reliance,” the “Company,” “we,” “our” or “us”) Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and the disclosure of contingent amounts in our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Our consolidated financial statements include the assets, liabilities and operating results of majority-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The ownership of the other interest holders of consolidated subsidiaries is reflected as noncontrolling interests. During the first quarter of 2020, we purchased the remaining 49% noncontrolling interest of Feralloy Processing Company, which increased our ownership from 51% to 100%. See Note 9—“Equity” for further discussion of our noncontrolling interest transaction. Our investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries are recorded under the equity method of accounting.