v3.25.1
Business Segment Information
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2025
Business Segment Information  
Business Segment Information

3.     Business Segment Information

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

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

Beverage packaging, EMEA: Consists of operations in numerous countries throughout Europe, as well as Egypt and Turkey, that manufacture and sell aluminum beverage containers throughout those countries.

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

As presented in the tables below, Other consists of a non-reportable operating segment (beverage packaging, other) that manufactures and sells aluminum beverage containers in India, Saudi Arabia and Myanmar; a non-reportable operating segment that manufactures and sells extruded aluminum aerosol containers and recloseable aluminum bottles across multiple consumer categories as well as aluminum slugs (personal & home care or PHC) throughout North America, South America, and Europe; a non-reportable operating segment that manufactured and sold aluminum cups (aluminum cups); undistributed corporate expenses; and intercompany eliminations and other business activities. As of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, the assets and liabilities of the Saudi Arabian business were presented as current assets held for sale and current liabilities held for sale on the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets. On March 21, 2025, Ball closed on a transaction for the aluminum cups business, which resulted in Ball deconsolidating the business. The financial results of the aluminum cups business are presented in Other in the tables below through the date of the transaction and the assets and liabilities of the business were presented as current assets held for sale and current liabilities held for sale on the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2024. See Note 4 for further details on the Saudi Arabia and aluminum cups businesses.

The accounting policies of the segments are the same as those used in the consolidated financial statements, as discussed in Note 1. The company also has investments in operations in Guatemala, Panama, 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.

Dan Fisher, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, is the company’s chief operating decision maker (CODM). For each reportable segment, the CODM uses segment comparable operating earnings to analyze profitability compared to internal forecasts and comparative prior periods. These analyses allow the CODM to have constructive dialogue with other company leaders on how to improve company performance.

Summary of Business by Segment

Three Months Ended March 31,

($ in millions)

    

    

2025

    

2024

Net sales

Beverage packaging, North and Central America

$

1,463

$

1,403

Beverage packaging, EMEA

903

810

Beverage packaging, South America

544

482

Reportable segment sales

2,910

2,695

Other

187

179

Net sales

$

3,097

$

2,874

Comparable segment operating earnings (a)

Beverage packaging, North and Central America

$

195

$

192

Beverage packaging, EMEA

96

85

Beverage packaging, South America

69

55

Reportable segment comparable operating earnings

360

332

Reconciling items

Other (b)

(15)

(72)

Business consolidation and other activities

(13)

(26)

Amortization of acquired intangibles

(33)

(38)

Interest expense

(70)

(93)

Debt refinancing and other costs

(2)

Earnings before taxes

$

229

$

101

(a)The difference between reportable segment net sales and comparable operating earnings is comprised of other segment items. Other segment items includes cost of sales, depreciation and amortization, selling, general and administrative and interest income amounts. The CODM does not receive or use these amounts at the reportable segment level. However, the CODM is provided these amounts at a consolidated level to manage operations.
(b)Includes undistributed corporate expenses, net, of $43 million and $96 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. For the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively, undistributed corporate expenses, net, includes $1 million and $17 million of corporate interest income. For the three months ended March 31, 2024, undistributed corporate expenses, net, includes $79 million of incremental compensation cost from the successful sale of the aerospace business.

Three Months Ended March 31,

($ in millions)

    

2025

    

2024

Depreciation and amortization

Beverage packaging, North and Central America

$

56

$

54

Beverage packaging, EMEA

47

47

Beverage packaging, South America

36

41

Reportable segment depreciation and amortization

139

142

Other

11

16

Depreciation and amortization

$

150

$

158

The company does not disclose total assets by segment as it is not provided to the CODM.