Basis of Presentation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2024

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

1.     Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements (consolidated financial statements) include the accounts of Ball Corporation and its controlled affiliates, including its consolidated variable interest entities (collectively Ball, the company, we or our), and have been prepared by the company. Certain information and footnote disclosures, including critical and significant accounting policies normally included in consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, have been condensed or omitted for this quarterly presentation.

Results of operations for the periods shown are not necessarily indicative of results for the year, particularly in view of the seasonality in the packaging segments. These consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the company’s 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 20, 2024, pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 (annual report).

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) requires Ball’s management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. These estimates are based on historical experience and various assumptions believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Ball’s management evaluates these estimates on an ongoing basis and adjusts or revises the estimates as circumstances change. As future events and their impacts cannot be determined with precision, actual results may differ from these estimates. In the opinion of management, the consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments that are of a normal recurring nature and are necessary to fairly state the results of the periods presented.

On February 16, 2024, the company completed the divestiture of its aerospace business. The transaction represents a strategic shift; therefore, the company’s consolidated financial statements reflect the aerospace business’ financial results as discontinued operations for all periods presented. The aerospace business was historically presented as a reportable segment. Effective as of the first quarter of 2024, the company will report its financial performance in three reportable segments: (1) beverage packaging, North and Central America; (2) beverage packaging, Europe, Middle East and Africa (beverage packaging, EMEA) and (3) beverage packaging, South America. See Note 3 for additional segment information.

Unless otherwise specified, these notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect continuing operations only.

Certain prior year amounts, including amounts related to discontinued operations, have been reclassified in order to conform to the current year presentation. See Note 4 for additional discontinued operations information.

Risks and Uncertainties

Global Economic Environment

Recent data has indicated continued high inflation in the regions where we operate. Current and future inflationary effects may continue to be impacted by, among other things, supply chain disruptions, governmental stimulus or fiscal and monetary policies, changes in interest rates, and changing demand for certain goods and services. We cannot predict with any certainty the impact that rising interest rates, a global or any regional recession, or higher inflation may have on our customers or suppliers. Additionally, we are unable to predict the potential effects that any future pandemic, or the continuation or escalation of global conflicts, including the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the rising instability in the Middle East, and related sanctions or market disruptions, may have on our business. It remains uncertain how long any of these conditions may last or how severe any of them may become.

Ball management has reviewed the estimates used in preparing the company’s consolidated financial statements and the following have a reasonably possible likelihood of being affected, to a material extent, by the direct and indirect impacts of the current global economic environment in the near term.

● Estimates regarding the future financial performance of the business used in the impairment tests for goodwill, long-lived assets, equity method investments, recoverability of deferred tax assets and estimates regarding cash needs and associated indefinite reinvestment assertions;

● Estimates of recoverability for customer receivables;

● Estimates of net realizable value for inventory; and

● Estimates regarding the likelihood of forecasted transactions associated with hedge accounting positions at March 31, 2024, which could impact the company’s ability to satisfy hedge accounting requirements and result in the recognition of income and/or expenses.

In addition to the above potential impacts on the estimates used in preparing the consolidated financial statements, the current global economic environment has the potential to increase Ball’s vulnerabilities to near-term severe impacts related to certain concentrations in its business. In line with other companies in the packaging industry, Ball makes the majority of its sales and significant purchases to or from a relatively small number of global, or large regional, customers and suppliers. Furthermore, Ball makes the majority of its sales from a small number of product lines. The potential of the current global economic environment to affect a significant customer or supplier, or to affect demand for certain products to a significant degree, heightens the vulnerability of Ball to these concentrations.

Argentina

Although Ball's functional currency in Argentina is the U.S. dollar, a portion of its transactions are denominated in pesos. During the fourth quarter of 2023, Argentina suddenly devalued its peso relative to the U.S. dollar as one of the economic policies implemented by the new government with the goal of stabilizing and growing the economy. The government has implemented additional policies with the same goal in mind including additional taxes on the importation of certain goods. The currency devaluation, economic conditions and policies in Argentina make it difficult to manage currency exchange rate risk and may lead to additional adverse effects on the company’s results of operations. Ball’s Argentinean business is presented in its beverage packaging, South America, reportable operating segment. Ball’s peso-denominated net monetary assets in Argentina were approximately $44 million at March 31, 2024. As of March 31, 2024, Ball’s Argentinean business had net asset exposure of $403 million, which consisted primarily of working capital and property, plant and equipment.