| Equity and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Earnings (Loss) |
18. Equity and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Earnings (Loss) The following tables provide additional details of the company’s equity activity, inclusive of activity related to the aerospace business impacting the company’s equity: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Common Stock | | Treasury Stock | | | | | Accumulated Other | | | | | | | | | Number of | | | | Number of | | | | Retained | | Comprehensive | | Noncontrolling | | Total | ($ in millions; share amounts in thousands) | | Shares | | Amount | | Shares | | Amount | | Earnings | | Earnings (Loss) | | Interest | | Equity | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Balance at December 31, 2024 | | 684,168 | | $ | 1,395 | | (394,790) | | $ | (6,057) | | $ | 11,527 | | $ | (1,003) | | $ | 68 | | $ | 5,930 | Net earnings | | — | | | — | | — | | | — | | | 179 | | | — | | | — | | | 179 | Other comprehensive earnings (loss), net of tax | | — | | | — | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 61 | | | — | | | 61 | Common dividends | | — | | | — | | — | | | — | | | (57) | | | — | | | — | | | (57) | Treasury stock purchases | | — | | | — | | (10,494) | | | (560) | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | (560) | Treasury shares reissued | | — | | | — | | 71 | | | 3 | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 3 | Shares issued and stock compensation for stock options and other stock plans, net of shares exchanged | | 505 | | | 6 | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 6 | Distributions from deferred compensation plans and other activity | | — | | | — | | — | | | 7 | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 7 | Balance at March 31, 2025 | | 684,673 | | $ | 1,401 | | (405,213) | | $ | (6,607) | | $ | 11,649 | | $ | (942) | | $ | 68 | | $ | 5,569 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Common Stock | | Treasury Stock | | | | | Accumulated Other | | | | | | | | | Number of | | | | Number of | | | | Retained | | Comprehensive | | Noncontrolling | | Total | ($ in millions; share amounts in thousands) | | Shares | | Amount | | Shares | | Amount | | Earnings | | Earnings (Loss) | | Interest | | Equity | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Balance at December 31, 2023 | | 683,241 | | $ | 1,312 | | (367,551) | | $ | (4,390) | | $ | 7,763 | | $ | (916) | | $ | 68 | | $ | 3,837 | Net earnings | | — | | | — | | — | | | — | | | 3,685 | | | — | | | 1 | | | 3,686 | Other comprehensive earnings (loss), net of tax | | — | | | — | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 23 | | | — | | | 23 | Common dividends | | — | | | — | | — | | | — | | | (63) | | | — | | | — | | | (63) | Treasury stock purchases | | — | | | — | | (3,065) | | | (196) | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | (196) | Treasury shares reissued | | — | | | — | | 72 | | | 7 | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 7 | Shares issued and stock compensation for stock options and other stock plans, net of shares exchanged | | 319 | | | 40 | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 40 | Distributions from deferred compensation plans and other activity | | — | | | — | | — | | | 42 | | | 1 | | | — | | | — | | | 43 | Balance at March 31, 2024 | | 683,560 | | $ | 1,352 | | (370,544) | | $ | (4,537) | | $ | 11,386 | | $ | (893) | | $ | 69 | | $ | 7,377 |
On January 29, 2025, the Board of Directors approved the repurchase by the company of up to $4.00 billion in shares of its common stock. This repurchase authorization replaced all previous authorizations. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Earnings (Loss) The activity related to accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss) was as follows: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ($ in millions) | |
Currency
Translation
(Net of Tax) | | | Pension and
Other Postretirement
Benefits
(Net of Tax) | | Derivatives Designated as Hedges
(Net of Tax) | | Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Earnings (Loss) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Balance at December 31, 2024 | | $ | (618) | | | $ | (402) | | $ | 17 | | $ | (1,003) | Other comprehensive earnings (loss) before reclassifications | | | 68 | | | | (14) | | | (25) | | | 29 | Amounts reclassified into earnings | | | 6 | (a) | | | 3 | | | 23 | | | 32 | Balance at March 31, 2025 | | $ | (544) | | | $ | (413) | | $ | 15 | | $ | (942) |
| (a) | Currency translation recorded in business consolidation and other activities from business disposal. |
The following table provides additional details of the amounts reclassified into net earnings from accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss): | | | | | | | | | Three Months Ended March 31, | ($ in millions) | | 2025 | | 2024 | | | | | | | | Gains (losses) on cash flow hedges: | | | | | | | Commodity contracts recorded in net sales | | $ | (5) | | $ | 13 | Commodity contracts recorded in cost of sales | | | 3 | | | (14) | Currency exchange contracts recorded in selling, general and administrative | | | (28) | | | 32 | Interest rate contracts recorded in interest expense | | | — | | | 3 | Total before tax effect | | | (30) | | | 34 | Tax benefit (expense) on amounts reclassified into earnings | | | 7 | | | (8) | Recognized gain (loss), net of tax | | $ | (23) | | $ | 26 | | | | | | | | Amortization and disposal of pension and other postretirement benefits: (a) | | | | | | | Actuarial gains (losses) (b) | | $ | (4) | | $ | (3) | Prior service income (expense) (b) | | | — | | | (1) | Aerospace disposal | | | — | | | (127) | Total before tax effect | | | (4) | | | (131) | Tax benefit (expense) on amounts reclassified into earnings | | | 1 | | | 34 | Recognized gain (loss), net of tax | | $ | (3) | | $ | (97) |
| (a) | 2024 includes amounts associated with the Salaried Employees of Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. Pension Plan |
| (b) | These components are included in the computation of net periodic benefit cost detailed in Note 17. |
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