3. Business Segment Information

Ball’s operations are organized and reviewed by management along its product lines and geographical areas and presented in the five reportable segments outlined below:

Beverage packaging, North and Central America: Consists of operations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico that manufacture and sell metal beverage containers throughout those countries.

Beverage packaging, South America: Consists of operations in Brazil, Argentina and Chile that manufacture and sell metal beverage containers throughout most of South America.

Beverage packaging, Europe: Consists of operations in numerous countries in Europe, including Russia, that manufacture and sell metal beverage containers throughout most of Europe.

Food and aerosol packaging: Consists of operations in the U.S., Europe, Canada, Mexico, Argentina and India that manufacture and sell steel food and aerosol containers, extruded aluminum aerosol containers and aluminum slugs.

Aerospace: Consists of operations that manufacture and sell aerospace and other related products and provide services used in the defense, civil space and commercial space industries.

As presented below, other consists of non-reportable segments in Africa, Middle East and Asia (AMEA) and Asia Pacific that manufacture and sell metal beverage containers, undistributed corporate expenses, intercompany eliminations and other business activities.

The accounting policies of the segments are the same as those in the consolidated financial statements and are discussed in Note 1. The company also has investments in operations in Guatemala, Panama, South Korea, the U.S. and Vietnam that are accounted for under the equity method of accounting and, accordingly, those results are not included in segment sales or earnings.

Summary of Business by Segment


	Three Months Ended March 31,
($ in millions)	2018		2017

Net sales
Beverage packaging, North and Central America	$	1,035	$	949
Beverage packaging, South America		459		371
Beverage packaging, Europe		609		508
Food and aerosol packaging		275		272
Aerospace		264		236
Reportable segment sales		2,642		2,336
Other		143		137
Net sales	$	2,785	$	2,473

Comparable operating earnings
Beverage packaging, North and Central America	$	113	$	123
Beverage packaging, South America		98		58
Beverage packaging, Europe		60		47
Food and aerosol packaging		23		21
Aerospace		25		21
Reportable segment comparable operating earnings		319		270
Reconciling items
Other (a)		(19)		(31)
Business consolidation and other activities		(30)		(55)
Amortization of acquired Rexam intangibles		(44)		(32)
Earnings before interest and taxes		226		152
Interest expense		(73)		(68)
Debt refinancing and other costs		(1)		—
Total interest expense		(74)		(68)
Earnings before taxes		152		84
Tax (provision) benefit		(34)		(22)
Equity in results of affiliates, net of tax		7		8
Net earnings		125		70
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests		—		(2)
Net earnings attributable to Ball Corporation	$	125	$	68

(a)

Includes undistributed corporate expenses, net, of $22 million and $45 million for the first quarters of 2018 and 2017, respectively.

The company does not disclose total assets by segment as it is not provided to the chief operating decision makers.