S&P Global (SPGI) 10-K 13 Feb 19 2018 FY Annual report Financial data

Document and Entity Information

Document and Entity Information - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Billions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Jan. 25, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Document And Entity Information
Entity Registrant Name	S&P Global Inc.
Entity Central Index Key	64,040
Document Type	10-K
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2018
Amendment Flag	false
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2,018
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Public Float			$ 51.3
Entity Common Stock, Share outstanding		248.6

Consolidated Statements of Inco

Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 1,536	$ 1,589	$ 6,258	$ 6,063	$ 5,661
Expenses:
Operating-related expenses			1,701	1,695	1,773
Selling and general expenses			1,561	1,605	1,467
Depreciation			84	82	85
Amortization of intangibles			122	98	96
Total expenses			3,468	3,480	3,421
Gain on dispositions			0	0	(1,101)
Operating profit	704	627	2,790	2,583	3,341
Other income, net			(25)	(27)	(28)
Interest expense, net			134	149	181
Income before taxes on income			2,681	2,461	3,188
Provision for taxes on income			560	823	960
Net income	551	299	2,121	1,638	2,228
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests			(163)	(142)	(122)
Net income attributable to S&P Global Inc.	$ 512	$ 263	$ 1,958	$ 1,496	$ 2,106
Net income:
Basic (USD per share)	$ 2.06	$ 1.03	$ 7.80	$ 5.84	$ 8.02
Diluted (USD per share)	$ 2.03	$ 1.02	$ 7.73	$ 5.78	$ 7.94
Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic (shares)			250.9	256.3	262.8
Diluted (shares)			253.2	258.9	265.2
Actual shares outstanding at year end (shares)	248.4	253.7	248.4	253.7	258.3
Dividend declared per common share (USD per share)			$ 2	$ 1.64	$ 1.44

Consolidated Statements of Comp

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income	$ 2,121	$ 1,638	$ 2,228
Other comprehensive income:
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(96)	93	(132)
Income tax effect	(4)	0	(7)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of income tax effect	(100)	93	(139)
Pension and other postretirement benefit plans	(14)	52	(27)
Income tax effect	9	(11)	(10)
Pension and other postretirement benefit plans, net of income tax effect	(5)	41	(37)
Unrealized gain (loss) on investment and forward exchange contracts	2	(10)	4
Income tax effect	0	0	(1)
Unrealized loss on investment and forward exchange contracts, net of income tax effect	2	(10)	3
Comprehensive income	2,018	1,762	2,055
Less: comprehensive income attributable to nonredeemable noncontrolling interests	(12)	(13)	(13)
Less: comprehensive income attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interests	(151)	(129)	(109)
Comprehensive income attributable to S&P Global Inc.	$ 1,855	$ 1,620	$ 1,933

Consolidated Balance Sheets

Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,917	$ 2,777
Restricted cash	41	2
Short-term investments	18	12
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts: 2018- $34 ; 2017 - $33	1,449	1,319
Prepaid and other current assets	179	214
Total current assets	3,604	4,324
Property and equipment:
Buildings and leasehold improvements	372	354
Equipment and furniture	494	475
Total property and equipment	866	829
Less: accumulated depreciation	(596)	(554)
Property and equipment, net	270	275
Goodwill	3,535	2,989
Other intangible assets, net	1,524	1,388
Other non-current assets	525	449
Total assets	9,458	9,425
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	211	195
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	354	472
Short-term debt	0	399
Income taxes currently payable	72	77
Unearned revenue	1,641	1,613
Accrued legal and regulatory settlements	1	107
Other current liabilities	350	351
Total current liabilities	2,629	3,214
Long-term debt	3,662	3,170
Pension and other postretirement benefits	229	244
Other non-current liabilities	634	679
Total liabilities	7,154	7,307
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	1,620	1,352
Commitments and contingencies (Note 13)
Equity:
Common stock, $1 par value: authorized - 600 million shares; issued: 2018 - 294 million shares; 2017 - 412 million shares	294	412
Additional paid-in capital	833	525
Retained income	11,284	10,023
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(742)	(649)
Less: common stock in treasury - at cost: 2018 - 45 million shares; 2017 - 158 million shares	(11,041)	(9,602)
Total equity – controlling interests	628	709
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	56	57
Total equity	684	766
Total liabilities and equity	$ 9,458	$ 9,425

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Pa

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Allowance for doubtful accounts	$ 34	$ 33
Common stock, par value (USD per share)	$ 1	$ 1
Common stock authorized (shares)	600,000,000	600,000,000
Common stock issued (shares)	294,000,000	412,000,000
Treasury stock (shares)	45,000,000	158,000,000

Consolidated Statements of Cash

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Operating Activities:
Net income	$ 2,121	$ 1,638	$ 2,228
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation	84	82	85
Amortization of intangibles	122	98	96
Provision for losses on accounts receivable	21	16	9
Deferred income taxes	81	0	79
Stock-based compensation	94	99	76
Gain on disposition	0	0	(1,101)
Accrued legal settlements	1	55	54
Other	52	96	30
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions:
Accounts receivable	(164)	(196)	(177)
Prepaid and other current assets	(1)	10	5
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	(106)	75	19
Unearned revenue	70	85	107
Accrued legal settlements	(108)	(4)	(150)
Other current liabilities	(67)	(85)	(19)
Net change in prepaid/accrued income taxes	(7)	32	174
Net change in other assets and liabilities	(129)	15	45
Cash provided by operating activities	2,064	2,016	1,560
Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures	(113)	(123)	(115)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(401)	(83)	(177)
Contingent consideration payment	0	0	(34)
Proceeds from dispositions	6	2	1,498
Changes in short-term investments	(5)	(5)	(1)
Cash (used for) provided by investing activities	(513)	(209)	1,171
Financing Activities:
Payments on short-term debt, net	0	0	(143)
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes, net	489	0	493
Payments on senior notes	(403)	0	(421)
Dividends paid to shareholders	(503)	(421)	(380)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders	(154)	(111)	(116)
Repurchase of treasury shares	(1,660)	(1,001)	(1,123)
Exercise of stock options	34	75	88
Contingent consideration payment	0	0	(5)
Purchase of additional CRISIL shares	(25)	0	0
Employee withholding tax on share-based payments	(66)	(49)	(55)
Cash used for financing activities	(2,288)	(1,507)	(1,662)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(84)	87	(158)
Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash	(821)	387	911
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year	2,779	2,392	1,481
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year	1,958	2,779	2,392
Cash paid during the year for:
Interest	151	139	150
Income taxes	$ 558	$ 709	$ 683

Consolidated Statements of Equi

Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Millions		Total	Total SPGI Equity	Common Stock $1 par	Additional Paid-in Capital	Retained Income		Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss		Less: Treasury Stock	Noncontrolling Interests
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2015		$ 243	$ 194	$ 412	$ 475	$ 7,636		$ (600)		$ (7,729)	$ 49
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Comprehensive income	[1]	1,946	1,933			2,106		(173)			13
Dividends		(390)	(380)			(380)					(10)
Share repurchases		(1,097)	(1,097)							1,097
Employee stock plans		152	152		27					(125)
Change in redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest		(153)	(153)			(153)
Other		0	1			1					(1)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2016		701	650	412	502	9,210		(773)		(8,701)	51
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Comprehensive income	[1]	1,635	1,620			1,496		124			15
Dividends		(431)	(421)			(421)					(10)
Share repurchases		(1,006)	(1,001)							1,001	(5)
Employee stock plans		131	123		23					(100)	8
Change in redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest		(260)	(260)			(260)
Other		(4)	(2)			(2)					(2)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2017		766	709	412	525	10,023		(649)		(9,602)	57
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Comprehensive income	[1]	1,867	1,855			1,958		(103)			12
Dividends		(514)	(503)			(503)					(11)
Share repurchases		(1,660)	(1,660)		(75)					1,585
Retirement of common stock		0		(118)						(118)
Employee stock plans		84	84		56					(28)
Change in redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest		(228)	(228)			(228)
Increase in CRISIL ownership		(23)	(25)		(25)						2
Stock consideration for Kensho		352	352		352
Other		40	44			34	[2]	10	[2]		(4)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2018		$ 684	$ 628	$ 294	$ 833	$ 11,284		$ (742)		$ (11,041)	$ 56
[1]	Excludes $151 million, $129 million and $109 million in 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively, attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest.
[2]	Includes opening balance sheet adjustments related to the adoption of the new revenue recognition standard and the reclassification of the unrealized loss on investments from Accumulated other comprehensive loss to Retained income. See Note 1 — Accounting Policies for additional details.

Consolidated Statements of Eq_2

Consolidated Statements of Equity (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Statement of Stockholders' Equity [Abstract]
Comprehensive income attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interests	$ 151	$ 129	$ 109

Accounting Policies

Accounting Policies	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Accounting Policies	Accounting Policies Nature of operations S&P Global Inc. (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, the “Company,” the “Registrant,” “we,” “us” or “our”) is a leading provider of transparent and independent ratings, benchmarks, analytics and data to the capital and commodity markets worldwide. The capital markets include asset managers, investment banks, commercial banks, insurance companies, exchanges, trading firms and issuers; and the commodity markets include producers, traders and intermediaries within energy, metals, petrochemicals and agriculture. Our operations consist of four reportable segments: S&P Global Ratings ("Ratings"), S&P Global Market Intelligence ("Market Intelligence"), S&P Global Platts ("Platts") and S&P Dow Jones Indices ("Indices"). • Ratings is an independent provider of credit ratings, research and analytics, offering investors and other market participants information, ratings and benchmarks. • Market Intelligence is a global provider of multi-asset-class data, research and analytical capabilities, which integrate cross-asset analytics and desktop services. • Platts is the leading independent provider of information and benchmark prices for the commodity and energy markets. We completed the sale of J.D. Power on September 7, 2016, with the results included in Platts results through that date. • Indices is a global index provider that maintains a wide variety of valuation and index benchmarks for investment advisors, wealth managers and institutional investors. In April of 2018, we acquired Kensho Technologies Inc. ("Kensho") for approximately $550 million , net of cash acquired, in a mix of cash and stock. The results of Kensho, an operating segment of the Company, are included in Corporate revenue and Corporate Unallocated for financial reporting purposes. Restricted cash of $32 million included in our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2018 includes amounts held in escrow accounts in connection with our acquisition of Kensho. See Note 2 — Acquisitions and Divestitures for additional information and Note 12 – Segment and Geographic Information for further discussion on our reportable segments. In January of 2018, we adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 606 as discussed below. Adoption of ASC 606, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” We adopted ASC 606 "Revenue from Contracts with Customers" using the modified retrospective transition method applied to our revenue contracts with customers as of January 1, 2018. Results for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2018 are presented under ASC 606, while prior year amounts are not adjusted and continue to be reported in accordance with our historic accounting under ASC 605 "Revenue Recognition". We recorded a net increase to opening retained earnings of $35 million as of January 1, 2018 due to the cumulative effect of adopting ASC 606, with the impact primarily related to our treatment of costs to obtain a contract and to a lesser extent, changes to the timing of the recognition of our subscription and non-transaction revenues. We recognized incremental revenue of $6 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 as a result of the adoption of this standard. Under ASC 606, revenue is recognized when a customer obtains control of promised goods or services in an amount that reflects the consideration the entity expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. Under ASC 605, revenue was recognized as it was earned and when services were rendered. The following table presents our revenue disaggregated by revenue type for the years ended December 31 : (in millions) Ratings Market Intelligence Platts Indices Corporate Intersegment Elimination 1 Total 2018 Subscription $ — $ 1,773 $ 750 $ 144 $ 15 $ — $ 2,682 Non-transaction 1,506 — — — — (125 ) 1,381 Non-subscription / Transaction 1,377 40 11 — — — 1,428 Asset-linked fees — 20 — 522 — — 542 Sales usage-based royalties — — 54 171 — — 225 Total revenue $ 2,883 $ 1,833 $ 815 $ 837 $ 15 $ (125 ) $ 6,258 Timing of revenue recognition Services transferred at a point in time $ 1,377 $ 40 $ 11 $ — $ — $ — $ 1,428 Services transferred over time 1,506 1,793 804 837 15 (125 ) 4,830 Total revenue $ 2,883 $ 1,833 $ 815 $ 837 $ 15 $ (125 ) $ 6,258 (in millions) Ratings Market Intelligence Platts Indices Corporate Intersegment Elimination 1 Total 2017 2 Subscription $ — $ 1,614 $ 704 $ 136 $ — $ — $ 2,454 Non-transaction 1,448 — — — — (110 ) 1,338 Non-subscription / Transaction 1,540 46 $ 13 — — — 1,599 Asset-linked fees — 23 — 461 — — 484 Sales usage-based royalties — — 57 131 — — 188 Total revenue $ 2,988 $ 1,683 $ 774 $ 728 $ — $ (110 ) $ 6,063 Timing of revenue recognition Services transferred at a point in time $ 1,540 $ 46 $ 13 $ — $ — $ — $ 1,599 Services transferred over time 1,448 1,637 761 728 — (110 ) 4,464 Total revenue $ 2,988 $ 1,683 $ 774 $ 728 $ — $ (110 ) $ 6,063 (in millions) Ratings Market Intelligence Platts Indices Corporate Intersegment Elimination 1 Total 2016 2 Subscription $ — $ 1,543 $ 689 $ 132 $ — $ — $ 2,364 Non-transaction 1,357 — — — — (98 ) 1,259 Non-subscription / Transaction 1,178 99 183 — — — 1,460 Asset-linked fees — 19 — 381 — — 400 Sales usage-based royalties — — 53 125 — — 178 Total revenue $ 2,535 $ 1,661 $ 925 $ 638 $ — $ (98 ) $ 5,661 Timing of revenue recognition Services transferred at a point in time $ 1,178 $ 99 $ 183 $ — $ — $ — $ 1,460 Services transferred over time 1,357 1,562 742 638 — (98 ) 4,201 Total revenue $ 2,535 $ 1,661 $ 925 $ 638 $ — $ (98 ) $ 5,661 1 Intersegment eliminations mainly consists of a royalty charged to Market Intelligence for the rights to use and distribute content and data developed by Ratings. 2 As noted above, amounts for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 were not adjusted under the modified retrospective transition method applied to our revenue contracts with customers as of January 1, 2018. Subscription revenue Subscription revenue at Market Intelligence is primarily derived from distribution of data, analytics, third party research, and credit ratings-related information primarily through web-based channels including Market Intelligence Desktop, RatingsDirect®, RatingsXpress®, and Credit Analytics. Subscription revenue at Platts is generated by providing customers access to commodity and energy-related price assessments, market data, and real-time news, along with other information services. Subscription revenue at Indices is derived from the contracts for underlying data of our indexes to support our customers' management of index funds, portfolio analytics, and research. For subscription products and services, we generally provide continuous access to dynamic data sets and analytics for a defined period, with revenue recognized ratably as our performance obligation to provide access to our data and analytics is progressively fulfilled over the stated term of the contract. Non-transaction revenue Non-transaction revenue at Ratings is primarily related to surveillance of a credit rating, annual fees for customer relationship-based pricing programs, fees for entity credit ratings and global research and analytics. Non-transaction revenue also includes an intersegment revenue elimination of $125 million , $110 million and $98 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 , 2017 , and 2016 respectively, mainly consisting of the royalty charged to Market Intelligence for the rights to use and distribute content and data developed by Ratings. For non-transaction revenue related to Rating’s surveillance services, we continuously monitor factors that impact the creditworthiness of an issuer over the contractual term with revenue recognized to the extent that our performance obligation is progressively fulfilled over the term contract. Because surveillance services are continuously provided throughout the term of the contract, our measure of progress towards fulfillment of our obligation to monitor a rating is a time-based output measure with revenue recognized ratably over the term of the contract. Non-subscription / Transaction revenue Transaction revenue at our Ratings segment primarily includes fees associated with: • ratings related to new issuance of corporate and government debt instruments; and structured finance instruments; • bank loan ratings; and • corporate credit estimates, which are intended, based on an abbreviated analysis, to provide an indication of our opinion regarding creditworthiness of a company which does not currently have a Ratings credit rating. Transaction revenue is recognized at the point in time when our performance obligation is satisfied by issuing a rating on our customer's instruments, our customer's creditworthiness, or a counter-party's creditworthiness and when we have a right to payment and the customer can benefit from the significant risks and rewards of ownership. Non-subscription revenue at Market Intelligence is primarily related to certain advisory, pricing and analytical services. Non-subscription revenue at Platts is primarily related to conference sponsorship, consulting engagements and events. Asset-linked fees Asset-linked fees at Indices and Market Intelligence are primarily related to royalties payments based on the value of assets under management in our customers exchange-traded funds and mutual funds. For asset-linked products and services, we provide licenses conveying continuous access to our index and benchmark-related intellectual property during a specified contract term. Revenue is recognized when the extent that our customers have used our licensed intellectual property can be quantified. Recognition of revenue for our asset-linked fee arrangements is subject to the "recognition constraint" for usage-based royalty payments because we cannot reasonably predict the value of the assets that will be invested in index funds structured using our intellectual property until it is either publicly available or when we are notified by our customers. Revenue derived from an asset-linked fee arrangement is measured and recognized when the certainty of the extent of its utilization of our index products by our customers is known. Sales usage-based royalties Sales usage-based royalty revenue at our Indices segment is primarily related to trading based fees from exchange-traded derivatives. Sales and usage-based royalty revenue at our Platts segment is primarily related to licensing of its proprietary market price data and price assessments to commodity exchanges. For sales usage-based royalty products and services, we provide licenses conveying the right to continuous access to our intellectual property over the contract term, with revenue recognized when the extent of our license’s utilization can be quantified, or more specifically, when trading volumes are known and publicly available to us or when we are notified by our customers. Recognition of revenue of fees tied to trading volumes is subject to the recognition constraint for a usage-based royalty promised by our customers in exchange for the license of our intellectual property, with revenue recognized when trading volumes are known. Arrangements with Multiple Performance Obligations Our contracts with customers may include multiple performance obligations. Revenue relating to agreements that provide for more than one performance obligation is recognized based upon the relative fair value to the customer of each service component as each component is earned. The fair value of the service components are determined using an analysis that considers cash consideration that would be received for instances when the service components are sold separately. If the fair value to the customer for each service is not objectively determinable, we make our best estimate of the services’ stand-alone selling price and record revenue as it is earned over the service period. Receivables We record a receivable when a customer is billed or when revenue is recognized prior to billing a customer. For multi-year agreements, we generally invoice customers annually at the beginning of each annual period. The opening balance of accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts, was $1,319 million as of January 1, 2018. Contract Assets Contract assets include unbilled amounts from when the Company transfers service to a customer before a customer pays consideration or before payment is due. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017 , contract assets were $26 million and $17 million , respectively, and are included in accounts receivable in our consolidated balance sheets. Unearned Revenue We record unearned revenue when cash payments are received or due in advance of our performance. The increase in the unearned revenue balance for the year ended December 31, 2018 is primarily driven by cash payments received or due in advance of satisfying our performance obligations, offset by $1.5 billion of revenues recognized that were included in the unearned revenue balance at the beginning of the period. Remaining Performance Obligations Remaining performance obligations represent the transaction price of contracts for work that has not yet been performed. As of December 31, 2018 , the aggregate amount of the transaction price allocated to remaining performance obligations was $1.4 billion . We expect to recognize revenue on approximately half and three-quarters of the remaining performance obligations over the next 12 and 24 months, respectively, with the remainder recognized thereafter. We do not disclose the value of unfulfilled performance obligations for (i) contracts with an original expected length of one year or less and (ii) contracts where revenue is a usage-based royalty promised in exchange for a license of intellectual property. Costs to Obtain a Contract We recognize an asset for the incremental costs of obtaining a contract with a customer if we expect the benefit of those costs to be longer than one year. We have determined that certain sales commission programs meet the requirements to be capitalized. Total capitalized costs to obtain a contract were $101 million as of December 31, 2018 , and are included in prepaid and other current assets and other non-current assets on our consolidated balance sheets. The asset will be amortized over a period consistent with the transfer to the customer of the goods or services to which the asset relates, calculated based on the customer term and the average life of the products and services underlying the contracts. The expense is recorded within selling and general expenses. We expense sales commissions when incurred if the amortization period would have been one year or less. These costs are recorded within selling and general expenses. Presentation of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost During the first quarter of 2018, we adopted new accounting guidance requiring that net periodic benefit cost for our retirement and postretirement plans other than the service cost component be included outside of operating profit; these costs are included in other income, net in our consolidated statements of income. The components of other income, net for the year ended December 31 are as follows: (in millions) 2018 2017 2016 Other components of net periodic benefit cost $ (30 ) $ (27 ) $ (28 ) Net loss from investments 5 — — Other income, net $ (25 ) $ (27 ) $ (28 ) Assets and Liabilities Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations Assets and Liabilities Held for Sale We classify a disposal group to be sold as held for sale in the period in which all of the following criteria are met: management, having the authority to approve the action, commits to a plan to sell the disposal group; the disposal group is available for immediate sale in its present condition subject only to terms that are usual and customary for sales of such disposal group; an active program to locate a buyer and other actions required to complete the plan to sell the disposal group have been initiated; the sale of the disposal group is probable, and transfer of the disposal group is expected to qualify for recognition as a completed sale within one year, except if events or circumstances beyond our control extend the period of time required to sell the disposal group beyond one year; the disposal group is being actively marketed for sale at a price that is reasonable in relation to its current fair value; and actions required to complete the plan indicate that it is unlikely that significant changes to the plan will be made or that the plan will be withdrawn. A disposal group that is classified as held for sale is initially measured at the lower of its carrying value or fair value less any costs to sell. Any loss resulting from this measurement is recognized in the period in which the held for sale criteria are met. Conversely, gains are not recognized on the sale of a disposal group until the date of sale. The fair value of a disposal group less any costs to sell is assessed each reporting period it remains classified as held for sale and any subsequent changes are reported as an adjustment to the carrying value of the disposal group, as long as the new carrying value does not exceed the carrying value of the disposal group at the time it was initially classified as held for sale. Upon determining that a disposal group meets the criteria to be classified as held for sale, the Company reports the assets and liabilities of the disposal group as held for sale in the current period in our consolidated balance sheets. Discontinued Operations In determining whether a disposal of a component of an entity or a group of components of an entity is required to be presented as a discontinued operation, we make a determination whether the disposal represents a strategic shift that had, or will have, a major effect on our operations and financial results. A component of an entity comprises o perations and cash flows that can be clearly distinguished both operationally and for financial reporting purposes. If we conclude that the disposal represents a strategic shift, then the results of operations of the group of assets being disposed of (as well as any gain or loss on the disposal transaction) are aggregated for separate presentation apart from our continuing operating results in the consolidated financial statements. Principles of consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of all subsidiaries and our share of earnings or losses of joint ventures and affiliated companies under the equity method of accounting. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Use of estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents include ordinary bank deposits and highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less that consist primarily of money market funds with unrestricted daily liquidity and fixed term time deposits. Such investments and bank deposits are stated at cost, which approximates market value, and were $1.9 billion and $2.8 billion as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 , respectively. These investments are not subject to significant market risk. Restricted cash Cash that is subject to legal restrictions or is unavailable for general operating purposes is classified as restricted cash. Short-term investments Short-term investments are securities with original maturities greater than 90 days that are available for use in our operations in the next twelve months. The short-term investments, primarily consisting of certificates of deposit and mutual funds, are classified as held-to-maturity and therefore are carried at cost. Interest and dividends are recorded in income when earned. Accounts receivable Credit is extended to customers based upon an evaluation of the customer’s financial condition. Accounts receivable, which include billings consistent with terms of contractual arrangements, are recorded at net realizable value. Allowance for doubtful accounts The allowance for doubtful accounts reserve methodology is based on historical analysis, a review of outstanding balances and current conditions. In determining these reserves, we consider, amongst other factors, the financial condition and risk profile of our customers, areas of specific or concentrated risk as well as applicable industry trends or market indicators. Capitalized technology costs We capitalize certain software development and website implementation costs. Capitalized costs only include incremental, direct costs of materials and services incurred to develop the software after the preliminary project stage is completed, funding has been committed and it is probable that the project will be completed and used to perform the function intended. Incremental costs are expenditures that are out-of-pocket to us and are not part of an allocation or existing expense base. Software development and website implementation costs are expensed as incurred during the preliminary project stage. Capitalized costs are amortized from the year the software is ready for its intended use over its estimated useful life, three to seven years, using the straight-line method. Periodically, we evaluate the amortization methods, remaining lives and recoverability of such costs. Capitalized software development and website implementation costs are included in other non-current assets and are presented net of accumulated amortization. Gross capitalized technology costs were $205 million and $186 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 , respectively. Accumulated amortization of capitalized technology costs was $105 million and $104 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 , respectively. Fair Value Certain assets and liabilities are required to be recorded at fair value and classified within a fair value hierarchy based on inputs used when measuring fair value. We have forward exchange contracts that are adjusted to fair value on a recurring basis. Other financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments, are recorded at cost, which approximates fair value because of the short-term maturity and highly liquid nature of these instruments. The fair value of our total debt borrowings were $3.8 billion as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, and was estimated based on quoted market prices. Accounting for the impairment of long-lived assets (including other intangible assets) We evaluate long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Upon such an occurrence, recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by comparing the carrying amount of an asset to current forecasts of undiscounted future net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the carrying amount of the asset exceeds its estimated future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized equal to the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds the fair value of the asset. For long-lived assets held for sale, assets are written down to fair value, less cost to sell. Fair value is determined based on market evidence, discounted cash flows, appraised values or management’s estimates, depending upon the nature of the assets. For the year ended December 31, 2016, we recorded a non-cash impairment charge of $24 million related to a technology project at our Market Intelligence segment in selling and general expenses in our consolidated statement of income. Goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets Goodwill represents the excess of purchase price and related costs over the value assigned to the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets of businesses acquired. Goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite lives are not amortized, but instead are tested for impairment annually during the fourth quarter each year, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired. We have four reporting units with goodwill that are evaluated for impairment. We initially perform a qualitative analysis evaluating whether any events and circumstances occurred or exist that provide evidence that it is more likely than not that the fair value of any of our reporting units is less than its carrying amount. If, based on our evaluation we do not believe that it is more likely than not that the fair value of any of our reporting units is less than its carrying amount, no quantitative impairment test is performed. Conversely, if the results of our qualitative assessment determine that it is more likely than not that the fair value of any of our reporting units is less than their respective carrying amounts we perform a two-step quantitative impairment test. When conducting the first step of our two step impairment test to evaluate the recoverability of goodwill at the reporting unit level, the estimated fair value of the reporting unit is compared to its carrying value including goodwill. Fair value of the reporting units are estimated using the income approach, which incorporates the use of the discounted free cash flow (“DCF”) analyses and are corroborated using the market approach, which incorporates the use of revenue and earnings multiples based on market data. The DCF analyses are based on the current operating budgets and estimated long-term growth projections for each reporting unit. Future cash flows are discounted based on a market comparable weighted average cost of capital rate for each reporting unit, adjusted for market and other risks where appropriate. In addition, we analyze any difference between the sum of the fair values of the reporting units and our total market capitalization for reasonableness, taking into account certain factors including control premiums. If the fair value of the reporting unit is less than the carrying value, a second step is performed which compares the implied fair value of the reporting unit’s goodwill to the carrying value of the goodwill. The fair value of the goodwill is determined based on the difference between the fair value of the reporting unit and the net fair value of the identifiable assets and liabilities of the reporting unit. If the implied fair value of the goodwill is less than the carrying value, the difference is recognized as an impairment charge. We evaluate the recoverability of indefinite-lived intangible assets by first performing a qualitative analysis evaluating whether any events and circumstances occurred that provide evidence that it is more likely than not that the indefinite-lived asset is impaired. If, based on our evaluation of the events and circumstances that occurred during the year we do not believe that it is more likely than not that the indefinite-lived asset is impaired, no quantitative impairment test is performed. Conversely, if the results of our qualitative assessment determine that it is more likely than not that the indefinite-lived asset is impaired, a quantitative impairment test is performed. If necessary, the impairment test is performed by comparing the estimated fair value of the intangible asset to its carrying value. If the indefinite-lived intangible asset carrying value exceeds its fair value, an impairment analysis is performed using the income approach. An impairment charge is recognized in an amount equal to that excess. Significant judgments inherent in these analyses include estimating the amount and timing of future cash flows and the selection of appropriate discount rates, royalty rates and long-term growth rate assumptions. Changes in these estimates and assumptions could materially affect the determination of fair value for each reporting unit and indefinite-lived intangible asset and could result in an impairment charge, which could be material to our financial position and results of operations. We performed our impairment assessment of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets and concluded that no impairment existed for the years ended December 31, 2018 , 2017 and 2016 . Foreign currency translation We have operations in many foreign countries. For most international operations, the local currency is the functional currency. For international operations that are determined to be extensions of the parent company, the United States ("U.S.") dollar is the functional currency. For local currency operations, assets and liabilities are translated into U.S. dollars using end of period exchange rates, and revenue and expenses are translated into U.S. dollars using weighted-average exchange rates. Foreign currency translation adjustments are accumulated in a separate component of equity. Depreciation The costs of property and equipment are depreciated using the straight-line method based upon the following estimated useful lives: buildings and improvements from 15 to 40 years and equipment and furniture from 2 to 10 years . The costs of leasehold improvements are amortized over the lesser of the useful lives or the terms of the respective leases. Advertising expense The cost of advertising is expensed as incurred. We incurred $33 million , $33 million and $35 million in advertising costs for the years ended December 31, 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively. Stock-based compensation Stock-based compensation expense is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is recognized over the requisite service period, which typically is the vesting period. Stock-based compensation is classified as both operating-related expense and selling and general expense in the consolidated statements of income. We use a lattice-based option-pricing model to estimate the fair value of options granted. The following assumptions were used in valuing the options granted: Year Ended December 31, 2018 Risk-free average interest rate 2.6 - 2.7% Dividend yield 1.1 % Volatility 21.8 - 22.0% Expected life (years) 5.67 - 6.07 Weighted-average grant-date fair value per option $ 112.98 Because lattice-based option-pricing models incorporate ranges of assumptions, those ranges are disclosed. These assumptions are based on multiple factors, including historical exercise patterns, post-vesting termination rates, expected future exercise patterns and the expected volatility of our stock price. The risk-free interest rate is the imputed forward rate based on the U.S. Treasury yield at the date of grant. We use the historical volatility of our stock price over the expected term of the options to estimate the expected volatility. The expected term of options granted is derived from the output of the lattice model and represents the period of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding. In 2018, we made a one-time issuance of incentive stock options in connection with our acquisition of Kensho in April of 2018. There were no stock options granted in 2017 and 2016. Income taxes Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to be applied to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. We recognize liabilities for uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in income tax returns. Accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are recognized in interest expense and operating expense, respectively. Judgment is required in determining our provision for income taxes, deferred tax assets and liabilities and unrecognized tax benefits. In determining the need for a valuation allowance, the historical and projected financial performance of the operation that is recording a net deferred tax asset is considered along with any other pertinent information. We file income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, various states, and foreign jurisdictions, and we are routinely under audit by many different tax authorities. We believe that our accrual for tax liabilities is adequate for all open audit years based on our assessment of many factors including past experience and interpretations of tax law. This assessment relies on

Acquisitions and Divestitures

Acquisitions and Divestitures	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Acquisitions and Divestitures	Acquisitions and Divestitures Acquisitions 2018 For the year ended December 31, 2018 , we paid for acquisitions in a mix of cash and stock. We paid cash for acquisitions of $ 401 million, net of cash acquired, funded with cash flows from operations. Additionally, stock consideration was given for our acquisition of Kensho. None of our acquisitions were material either individually or in the aggregate, including the pro forma impact on earnings. Acquisitions completed during the year ended December 31, 2018 included: • In December of 2018, Indices purchased the balance of the intellectual property ("IP") rights in a family of indices derived from the S&P 500, solidifying its IP in and to the S&P 500 index family. We accounted for the acquisition on a cost basis. The transaction is not material to our consolidated financial statements. • In August of 2018, we acquired a 5.03% investment in FiscalNote, a technology innovator at the intersection of global business and government that provides advanced, data-driven Issues Management solutions. We measured the investment in FiscalNote at cost, less any impairment, and changes resulting from observable price changes will be recorded in the consolidated statements of income. The investment in FiscalNote is not material to our consolidated financial statements. • In June of 2018, Market Intelligence acquired the RateWatch business ("RateWatch") from TheStreet, Inc., a B2B data business that offers subscription and custom reports on bank deposits, loans, fees and other product data to the financial services industry. The acquisition will complement and strengthen Market Intelligence's core capabilities of providing differentiated data and analytics solutions for the banking sector. We accounted for the acquisition of RateWatch using the purchase method of accounting. The acquisition of RateWatch is not material to our consolidated financial statements. • In April of 2018, we acquired Kensho for approximately $550 million , net of cash acquired, in a mix of cash and stock. Kensho is a leading-edge provider of next-generation analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data visualization systems to Wall Street's premier global banks and investment institutions, as well as the National Security community. The acquisition will strengthen S&P Global's emerging technology capabilities, enhance our ability to deliver essential, actionable insights that will transform the user experience for our clients, and accelerate efforts to improve efficiency and effectiveness of our core internal operations. We accounted for the acquisition of Kensho using the purchase method of accounting. The acquisition of Kensho is not material to our consolidated financial statements. • In February of 2018, Market Intelligence acquired Panjiva, Inc. ("Panjiva"), a privately-held company that provides deep, differentiated, sector-relevant insights on global supply chains, leveraging data science and technology to make sense of large, unstructured datasets. The acquisition will help strengthen the insights, products and data that we provide to our clients throughout the world. We accounted for the acquisition of Panjiva using the purchase method of accounting. The acquisition of Panjiva is not material to our consolidated financial statements. • In January of 2018, CRISIL, included within our Ratings segment, acquired a 100% stake in Pragmatix Services Private Limited ("Pragmatix"), a data analytics company focused on delivering cutting edge solutions in the "data to intelligence" life cycle to the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance vertical. The acquisition will strengthen CRISIL's position as an agile, innovative and global analytics company. We accounted for the acquisition of Pragmatix using the purchase method of accounting. The acquisition of Pragmatix is not material to our consolidated financial statements. For acquisitions during 2018 that were accounted for using the purchase method, the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net assets acquired is allocated to goodwill and other intangibles. The goodwill recognized on our acquisitions is largely attributable to anticipated operational synergies and growth opportunities as a result of the acquisition. The intangible assets, excluding goodwill and indefinite-lived intangibles, will be amortized over their anticipated useful lives between 1 and 10 years which will be determined when we finalize our purchase price allocations. The goodwill for RateWatch is expected to be deductible for tax purposes. 2017 For the year ended December 31, 2017, we paid cash for acquisitions, net of cash acquired, totaling $ 83 million . None of our acquisitions were material either individually or in the aggregate, including the pro forma impact on earnings. All acquisitions were funded with cash flows from operations. Acquisitions completed during the year ended December 31, 2017 included: • In August of 2017, we acquired a 6.02% investment in Algomi Limited ("Algomi"), an innovative fintech company focused on providing software-enabled liquidity solutions to both buy-side and sell-side firms within the credit markets. Our investment in Algomi will help facilitate product collaboration and enable future business expansion. We accounted for the investment in Algomi using the cost method of accounting. The investment with Algomi is not material to our consolidated financial statements. • In June of 2017, CRISIL, included within our Ratings segment, acquired 8.9% of the outstanding shares of CARE Ratings Limited ("CARE") from Canara Bank. CARE is a Securities and Exchange Board of India registered credit rating agency providing various rating and grading services in India whose shares are publicly traded on both the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India. We accounted for the investment in CARE as available-for-sale using the fair value method of accounting. The investment in CARE is not material to our consolidated financial statements. 2016 For the year ended December 31, 2016, we paid cash for acquisitions, net of cash acquired, totaling $ 177 million . None of our acquisitions were material either individually or in the aggregate, including the pro forma impact on earnings. All acquisitions were funded with cash flows from operations. Acquisitions completed during the year ended December 31, 2016 included: • In December of 2016, Market Intelligence acquired a 2.54% equity investment in Kensho, a financial technology startup in market data analytics. We accounted for the acquisition of Kensho on a cost basis. Our investment in Kensho is not material to our consolidated financial statements. • In October of 2016, Indices acquired Trucost plc, a leader in carbon and environmental data and risk analysis through its subsidiary S&P Global Indices UK Limited. The purchase will build on Indices' current portfolio of Environmental, Social and Governance solutions. The acquisition of Trucost plc is not material to our consolidated financial statements. In 2018, Trucost was integrated from Indices into Market Intelligence and historical reporting was retroactively revised to reflect the change. • In September of 2016, Platts acquired PIRA Energy Group ("PIRA"), a global provider of energy research and forecasting products and services. The purchase enhances Platts' energy analytical capabilities by expanding its oil offering and strengthening its position in the natural gas and power markets. We accounted for the acquisition of PIRA using the purchase method of accounting. The acquisition of PIRA is not material to our consolidated financial statements. • In June of 2016, Platts acquired RigData, a provider of daily information on rig activity for the natural gas and oil markets across North America. The purchase enhances Platts' energy analytical capabilities by strengthening its position in natural gas and enhancing its oil offering. We accounted for the acquisition of RigData using the purchase method of accounting. The acquisition of RigData is not material to our consolidated financial statements. • In June of 2016, Ratings acquired a 49% equity investment in Thailand's TRIS Rating Company Limited from its parent company, TRIS Corporation Limited. The transaction extends an existing association between Ratings and TRIS Rating and deepens their commitment to capital markets in Thailand. We accounted for the acquisition of TRIS Rating Company using the equity method of accounting. The equity investment in TRIS Rating is not material to our consolidated financial statements. • In March of 2016, Platts acquired Commodity Flow, a specialist technology and business intelligence service for the global waterborne commodity and energy markets. The purchase helps extend Platts' trade flow analytical capabilities and complements its existing shipping services. We accounted for the acquisition of Commodity Flow using the purchase method of accounting. The acquisition of Commodity Flow is not material to our consolidated financial statements. Following our acquisition of PIRA, we made a contingent purchase price payment in 2016 for $34 million that has been reflected in the consolidated statement of cash flows as an investing activity. Following our acquisition of National Automobile Dealers Association's Used Car Guide ("UCG") at J.D. Power in July of 2015, we made a contingent purchase price payment in 2016 for $5 million that has been reflected in the consolidated statement of cash flows as a financing activity. For acquisitions during 2016 that were accounted for using the purchase method, the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net assets acquired is allocated to goodwill and other intangibles. The goodwill recognized on our acquisitions is largely attributable to anticipated operational synergies and growth opportunities as a result of the acquisition. The intangible assets, excluding goodwill and indefinite-lived intangibles, will be amortized over their anticipated useful lives between 3 and 10 years which will be determined when we finalize our purchase price allocations. The goodwill for PIRA and RigData is expected to be deductible for tax purposes. Non-cash investing activities Liabilities assumed in conjunction with our acquisitions are as follows: (in millions) Year ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Fair value of assets acquired $ 857 $ 83 $ 253 Cash and stock consideration (net of cash acquired) 803 83 211 Liabilities assumed $ 54 $ — $ 42 Divestitures 2018 During the year ended December 31, 2018, we did not complete any material dispositions. 2017 In April of 2017, we signed a letter of intent to sell our facility at East Windsor, New Jersey. The fixed assets of the facility of $5 million have been classified as held for sale, which is included in prepaid and other current assets in our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2018 and 2017. In January of 2017, we completed the sale of Quant House SAS ("QuantHouse"), included in our Market Intelligence segment, to QH Holdco, an independent third party. In November of 2016, we entered into a put option agreement that gave the Company the right, but not the obligation, to put the entire share capital of QuantHouse to QH Holdco. As a result, we classified the assets and liabilities of QuantHouse, net of our costs to sell, as held for sale, which were included in prepaid and other current assets and other current liabilities, respectively, in our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2016 resulting in an aggregate loss of $31 million . On January 4, 2017, we exercised the put option, thereby entering into a definitive agreement to sell QuantHouse to QH Holdco. On January 9, 2017, we completed the sale of QuantHouse to QH Holdco. 2016 During the year ended December 31, 2016, we completed the following dispositions that resulted in a net pre-tax gain of $1.1 billion , which was included in gain on dispositions in the consolidated statement of income: • In October of 2016, we completed the sale of Standard & Poor's Securities Evaluations, Inc. ("SPSE") and Credit Market Analysis ("CMA"), two businesses within our Market Intelligence segment, for $425 million in cash to Intercontinental Exchange, an operator of global exchanges, clearing houses and data services. During the year ended December 31, 2016, we recorded a pre-tax gain of $364 million ( $297 million after-tax) in gain on dispositions in the consolidated statement of income related to the sale of SPSE and CMA. Additionally, in October of 2016, we completed the sale of Equity and Fund Research ("Equity Research") to CFRA, a leading independent provider of forensic accounting research, analytics and advisory services. During the year ended December 31, 2016, we recorded a pre-tax gain of $9 million ( $5 million after-tax) in gain on dispositions in the consolidated statement of income related to the sale of Equity Research. • In September of 2016, we completed the sale of J.D. Power, included within our Platts segment, for $1.1 billion to XIO Group, a global alternative investments firm headquartered in London. During the year ended December 31, 2016, we recorded a pre-tax gain of $728 million ( $516 million after-tax) in gain on dispositions in the consolidated statement of income related to the sale of J.D. Power. The operating profit of our businesses that were disposed of or held for sale for the years ending December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016 is as follows: (in millions) Year ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Operating profit 1 $ — $ — $ 62 1 The year ended December 31, 2016 excludes a pre-tax gain of $1.1 billion on our dispositions.

Goodwill and Other Intangible A

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets	Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Goodwill Goodwill represents the excess of purchase price and related costs over the value assigned to the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets of businesses acquired. The change in the carrying amount of goodwill by segment is shown below: (in millions) Ratings Market Intelligence Platts Indices Corporate Total Balance as of December 31, 2016 $ 109 $ 1,960 $ 497 $ 383 $ — $ 2,949 Other 1 5 1 26 8 — 40 Balance as of December 31, 2017 114 1,961 523 391 — 2,989 Acquisitions 5 62 — — 498 565 Other 1 (6 ) 6 (7 ) (12 ) — (19 ) Balance as of December 31, 2018 $ 113 $ 2,029 $ 516 $ 379 $ 498 $ 3,535 1 Primarily relates to the impact of foreign exchange and valuation adjustments for prior period acquisitions. 2017 includes adjustments related to PIRA, Trucost, RigData and Commodity Flow. 2018 includes adjustments related to Trucost. Goodwill additions in the table above relate to transactions discussed in Note 2 – Acquisitions and Divestitures . Other Intangible Assets Other intangible assets include both indefinite-lived assets not subject to amortization and definite-lived assets subject to amortization. We have indefinite-lived assets with a carrying value of $846 million and $714 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 , respectively. • 2018 and 2017 both include $380 million and $90 million for Dow Jones Indices intellectual property and the Dow Jones tradename, respectively, that we recorded as part of the transaction to form S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC in 2012. • 2018 and 2017 both include $185 million within our Market Intelligence segment for the SNL tradename. • 2018 includes $132 million within our Indices segment for the balance of the IP rights in a family of indices derived from the S&P 500, solidifying Indices IP in and to the S&P 500 index family. • 2018 and 2017 both include $59 million within our Indices segment for the Goldman Sachs Commodity Index intellectual property and the Broad Market Indices intellectual property. The following table summarizes our definite-lived intangible assets: (in millions) Cost Databases and software Content Customer relationships Tradenames Other intangibles Total Balance as of December 31, 2016 $ 506 $ 139 $ 330 $ 45 $ 163 $ 1,183 Dispositions (4 ) — (2 ) — — (6 ) Other 1 52 — 19 5 (86 ) (10 ) Balance as of December 31, 2017 554 139 347 50 77 1,167 Acquisitions 3 — — — 123 126 Other (primarily Fx) 4 — (1 ) — (6 ) (3 ) Balance as of December 31, 2018 $ 561 $ 139 $ 346 $ 50 $ 194 $ 1,290 Accumulated amortization Balance as of December 31, 2016 $ 132 $ 87 $ 84 $ 36 $ 52 $ 391 Current year amortization 52 14 22 4 6 98 Dispositions (3 ) — (2 ) — (1 ) (6 ) Reclassifications 2 — 1 1 (4 ) — Other (primarily Fx) 4 — 1 1 4 10 Balance as of December 31, 2017 187 101 106 42 57 493 Current year amortization 52 14 21 3 32 122 Reclassifications 1 — — (1 ) — Other (primarily Fx) — — (1 ) — (2 ) (3 ) Balance as of December 31, 2018 $ 240 $ 115 $ 126 $ 45 $ 86 $ 612 Net definite-lived intangibles: December 31, 2017 $ 367 $ 38 $ 241 $ 8 $ 20 $ 674 December 31, 2018 $ 321 $ 24 $ 220 $ 5 $ 108 $ 678 1 Primarily relates to the impact of foreign exchange and valuation adjustments for prior period acquisitions. 2017 includes adjustments related to PIRA, Trucost, RigData and Commodity Flow. Definite-lived intangible assets are being amortized on a straight-line basis over periods of up to 20 years. The weighted-average life of the intangible assets as of December 31, 2018 is approximately 11 years. Amortization expense for the years ended December 31, 2018 , 2017 and 2016 was $122 million , $98 million , and $96 million , respectively. Expected amortization expense for intangible assets over the next five years for the years ended December 31, assuming no further acquisitions or dispositions, is as follows: (in millions) 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Amortization expense $ 122 $ 114 $ 83 $ 74 $ 70

Taxes on Income

Taxes on Income	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Taxes on Income	Taxes on Income Income before taxes on income resulting from domestic and foreign operations is as follows: (in millions) Year Ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Domestic operations $ 1,857 $ 1,723 $ 2,585 Foreign operations 824 738 603 Total income before taxes $ 2,681 $ 2,461 $ 3,188 The provision for taxes on income consists of the following: (in millions) Year Ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Federal: Current $ 183 $ 489 $ 641 Deferred 68 63 79 Total federal 251 552 720 Foreign: Current 214 194 133 Deferred (2 ) (3 ) (4 ) Total foreign 212 191 129 State and local: Current 81 73 99 Deferred 16 7 12 Total state and local 97 80 111 Total provision for taxes $ 560 $ 823 $ 960 A reconciliation of the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate to our effective income tax rate for financial reporting purposes is as follows: Year Ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 U.S. federal statutory income tax rate 21.0 % 35.0 % 35.0 % State and local income taxes 2.8 2.5 2.7 Divestitures — — (4.3 ) Foreign operations 0.2 (3.9 ) (2.0 ) TCJA Transition Tax (0.3 ) 6.0 — Stock-based compensation (1.2 ) (2.7 ) — S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC joint venture (1.2 ) (1.8 ) (1.2 ) Tax credits and incentives (1.7 ) (2.1 ) (1.6 ) Other, net 1.3 0.4 1.5 Effective income tax rate 20.9 % 33.4 % 30.1 % The decrease in the effective income tax rate in 2018 was primarily due to the reduction of the U.S. federal corporate tax rate as a result of the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”). Additionally, a one-time transition tax charge of $149 million due to the TCJA was recorded in 2017, which included tax expense of approximately $173 million on the deemed repatriation of foreign earnings and a tax benefit of approximately $24 million in respect of the re-valuation of the net U.S. deferred tax liabilities at the reduced corporate income tax rate. We have elected to recognize the tax on Global Intangible Low Taxed Income (“GILTI”) as a period expense in the year the tax is incurred. GILTI expense is included in Other, net above. The principal temporary differences between the accounting for income and expenses for financial reporting and income tax purposes are as follows: (in millions) December 31, 2018 2017 Deferred tax assets: Legal and regulatory settlements $ 2 $ 27 Employee compensation 57 50 Accrued expenses 36 47 Postretirement benefits 48 34 Unearned revenue 11 26 Allowance for doubtful accounts 8 8 Loss carryforwards 155 135 Other 24 45 Total deferred tax assets 341 372 Deferred tax liabilities: Goodwill and intangible assets (295 ) (249 ) Fixed assets — (4 ) Total deferred tax liabilities (295 ) (253 ) Net deferred income tax asset before valuation allowance 46 119 Valuation allowance (156 ) (127 ) Net deferred income tax (liability) asset $ (110 ) $ (8 ) Reported as: Non-current deferred tax assets $ 52 $ 59 Non-current deferred tax liabilities (162 ) (67 ) Net deferred income tax (liability) asset $ (110 ) $ (8 ) We record valuation allowances against deferred income tax assets when we determine that it is more likely than not that such deferred income tax assets will not be realized based upon all the available evidence. The valuation allowance is primarily related to operating losses. As of December 31, 2018, we have approximately $2.3 billion of undistributed earnings of our foreign subsidiaries, of which $784 million is reinvested indefinitely in our foreign operations. We have not recorded deferred income taxes applicable to undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries that are indefinitely reinvested in foreign operations. Quantification of the deferred tax liability, if any, associated with indefinitely reinvested earnings is not practicable. We made net income tax payments totaling $558 million in 2018 , $709 million in 2017 , and $683 million in 2016 . As of December 31, 2018 , we had net operating loss carryforwards of $691 million , of which a significant portion has an unlimited carryover period under current law. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows: (in millions) Year ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Balance at beginning of year $ 212 $ 221 $ 162 Additions based on tax positions related to the current year 19 23 48 Additions for tax positions of prior years 2 17 20 Reduction for tax positions of prior years (21 ) (32 ) (3 ) Reduction for settlements (65 ) (5 ) (6 ) Expiration of applicable statutes of limitations — (12 ) — Balance at end of year $ 147 $ 212 $ 221 The total amount of federal, state and local, and foreign unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31, 2018 , 2017 and 2016 was $147 million , $212 million and $221 million , respectively, exclusive of interest and penalties. During the period ending December 31, 2018, there was no net tax impact to tax expense from the change in unrecognized tax benefits. We recognize accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in interest expense and operating-related expense, respectively. Based on the current status of income tax audits, we believe that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits on the balance sheet may be reduced by up to approximately $40 million in the next twelve months as a result of the resolution of local tax examinations. In addition to the unrecognized tax benefits, as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 , we had $35 million and $59 million , respectively, of accrued interest and penalties associated with unrecognized tax benefits. The U.S. federal income tax audit for 2017 is in process. During 2018, we completed federal, state and foreign tax audits and, with few exceptions, we are no longer subject to federal, state, or foreign income tax examinations by tax authorities for the years before 2011. The impact to tax expense in 2018 , 2017 and 2016 was not material. We file income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and various state and foreign jurisdictions, and we are routinely under audit by many different tax authorities. We believe that our accrual for tax liabilities is adequate for all open audit years based on an assessment of many factors including past experience and interpretations of tax law. This assessment relies on estimates and assumptions and may involve a series of complex judgments about future events. It is possible that tax examinations will be settled prior to December 31, 2019 . If any of these tax audit settlements do occur within that period, we would make any necessary adjustments to the accrual for unrecognized tax benefits.

Debt

Debt	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Debt	Debt A summary of short-term and long-term debt outstanding is as follows: (in millions) December 31, 2018 2017 2.5% Senior Notes, due 2018 1 $ — $ 399 3.3% Senior Notes, due 2020 2 698 697 4.0% Senior Notes, due 2025 3 693 692 4.4% Senior Notes, due 2026 4 892 892 2.95% Senior Notes, due 2027 5 493 493 6.55% Senior Notes, due 2037 6 396 396 4.5% Senior Notes, due 2048 7 490 — Total debt 3,662 3,569 Less: short-term debt including current maturities — 399 Long-term debt $ 3,662 $ 3,170 1 We made a $400 million early repayment of our 2.5% senior note in June of 2018. 2 Interest payments are due semiannually on February 14 and August 14, and as of December 31, 2018 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $2 million . 3 Interest payments are due semiannually on June 15 and December 15, and as of December 31, 2018 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $7 million . 4 Interest payments are due semiannually on February 15 and August 15, and as of December 31, 2018 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $8 million . 5 Interest payments are due semiannually on January 22 and July 22, and as of December 31, 2018 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $7 million . 6 Interest payments are due semiannually on May 15 and November 15, and as of December 31, 2018 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $4 million . 7 Interest payments are due semiannually on May 15 and November 15, and as of December 31, 2018 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $10 million . Annual debt maturities are scheduled as follows based on book values as of December 31, 2018 : no amounts due in 2019, $698 million due in 2020, no amounts due in 2021, 2022, and 2023 and $3.0 billion due thereafter. On May 17, 2018, we issued $500 million of 4.5% notes due in 2048. The notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by our wholly-owned subsidiary, Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC. In June of 2018, we used the net proceeds to fund the redemption price of the $400 million outstanding principal amount of our 2.5% senior notes due in August of 2018, and the balance for general corporate purposes. On September 22, 2016, we issued $500 million of 2.95% senior notes due in 2027. The notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by our wholly-owned subsidiary, Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC. We used the net proceeds to fund the $400 million early repayment of our 5.9% senior notes due in 2017 on October 20, 2016, and the balance for general corporate purposes. We have the ability to borrow a total of $1.2 billion through our commercial paper program, which is supported by our revolving $1.2 billion five -year credit agreement (our "credit facility") that we entered into on June 30, 2017. This credit facility will terminate on June 30, 2022. There were no commercial paper borrowings outstanding as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 . Depending on our corporate credit rating, we pay a commitment fee of 8 to 17.5 basis points for our credit facility, whether or not amounts have been borrowed. We currently pay a commitment fee of 10 basis points. The interest rate on borrowings under our credit facility is, at our option, calculated using rates that are primarily based on either the prevailing London Inter-Bank Offer Rate, the prime rate determined by the administrative agent or the Federal Funds Rate. For certain borrowings under this credit facility, there is also a spread based on our corporate credit rating. Our credit facility contains certain covenants. The only financial covenant requires that our indebtedness to cash flow ratio, as defined in our credit facility, is not greater than 4 to 1 , and this covenant level has never been exceeded.

Derivative Instruments

Derivative Instruments	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Derivative Instruments	Derivative Instruments Our exposure to market risk includes changes in foreign exchange rates. We have operations in foreign countries where the functional currency is primarily the local currency. For international operations that are determined to be extensions of the parent company, the U.S. dollar is the functional currency. We typically have naturally hedged positions in most countries from a local currency perspective with offsetting assets and liabilities. As of December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 , we have entered into foreign exchange forward contracts to mitigate or hedge the effect of adverse fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. Foreign exchange forward contracts are recorded at fair value that is based on foreign currency exchange rates in active markets; therefore, we classify these derivative contracts within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. We do not enter into any derivative financial instruments for speculative purposes. Undesignated Derivative Instruments During the twelve months ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, we entered into foreign exchange forward contracts in order to mitigate the change in fair value of specific assets and liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet. These forward contracts do not qualify for hedge accounting. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the aggregate notional value of these outstanding forward contracts was $98 million and $130 million , respectively. The changes in fair value of these forward contracts are recorded in prepaid and other assets in the consolidated balance sheet with their corresponding change in fair value recognized into selling and general expenses in the consolidated statement of income. The amount recorded in selling and general expense for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 related to these contracts was a net loss of $12 million and a net gain of $3 million , respectively. Cash Flow Hedges During the twelve months ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, we entered into a series of foreign exchange forward contracts to hedge a portion of the Indian rupee, British pound, and Euro exposures through the fourth quarter of 2019 and 2018, respectively. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2016, we entered into a series of foreign exchange forward contracts to hedge a portion of the Indian Rupee exposure through the fourth quarter of 2016. These contracts are intended to offset the impact of movement of exchange rates on future revenue and operating costs and are scheduled to mature within twelve months . The changes in the fair value of these contracts are initially reported in accumulated other comprehensive loss in our consolidated balance sheet and are subsequently reclassified into revenue and selling and general expenses in the same period that the hedged transaction affects earnings. As of December 31, 2018 , we estimate that $4 million of the net gains related to derivatives designated as cash flow hedges recorded in other comprehensive income is expected to be reclassified into earnings within the next twelve months. There was no material hedge ineffectiveness for the year ended December 31, 2018 . As of December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 , the aggregate notional value of our outstanding foreign exchange forward contracts designated as cash flow hedges was $289 million and $307 million , respectively. The following table provides information on the location and fair value amounts of our cash flow hedges as of December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 : (in millions) December 31, December 31, Balance Sheet Location 2018 2017 Derivatives designated as cash flow hedges: Prepaid and other current assets Foreign exchange forward contracts $ 3 $ 3 The following table provides information on the location and amounts of pre-tax gains (losses) on our cash flow hedges for the years ended December 31 : (in millions) Gain (Loss) Recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (effective portion) Location of Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss into Income (effective portion) Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss into Income (effective portion) Cash flow hedges - designated as hedging instruments 2018 2017 2016 2018 2017 2016 Foreign exchange forward contracts $ 2 $ — $ 3 Revenue, Selling and general expenses $ (4 ) $ 9 $ 4 The activity related to the change in unrealized gains (losses) in accumulated other comprehensive loss was as follows for the years ended December 31 : (in millions) Year ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Net unrealized gains (losses) on cash flow hedges, net of taxes, beginning of year $ 2 $ 2 $ (1 ) Change in fair value, net of tax (2 ) 9 7 Reclassification into earnings, net of tax 4 (9 ) (4 ) Net unrealized gains on cash flow hedges, net of taxes, end of year $ 4 $ 2 $ 2

Employee Benefits

Employee Benefits	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]
Employee Benefits	Employee Benefits We maintain a number of active defined contribution retirement plans for our employees. The majority of our defined benefit plans are frozen. As a result, no new employees will be permitted to enter these plans and no additional benefits for current participants in the frozen plans will be accrued. We also have supplemental benefit plans that provide senior management with supplemental retirement, disability and death benefits. Certain supplemental retirement benefits are based on final monthly earnings. In addition, we sponsor a voluntary 401(k) plan under which we may match employee contributions up to certain levels of compensation as well as profit-sharing plans under which we contribute a percentage of eligible employees' compensation to the employees' accounts. We also provide certain medical, dental and life insurance benefits for active and retired employees and eligible dependents. The medical and dental plans and supplemental life insurance plan are contributory, while the basic life insurance plan is noncontributory. We currently do not prefund any of these plans. We recognize the funded status of our retirement and postretirement plans in the consolidated balance sheets, with a corresponding adjustment to accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of taxes. The amounts in accumulated other comprehensive loss represent net unrecognized actuarial losses and unrecognized prior service costs. These amounts will be subsequently recognized as net periodic pension cost pursuant to our accounting policy for amortizing such amounts. Benefit Obligation A summary of the benefit obligation and the fair value of plan assets, as well as the funded status for the retirement and postretirement plans as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, is as follows (benefits paid in the table below include only those amounts contributed directly to or paid directly from plan assets): (in millions) Retirement Plans Postretirement Plans 2018 2017 2018 2017 Net benefit obligation at beginning of year $ 2,329 $ 2,260 $ 49 $ 57 Service cost 3 3 — — Interest cost 71 74 1 2 Plan participants’ contributions — — 3 3 Actuarial loss (gain) (199 ) 107 (4 ) (5 ) Gross benefits paid (103 ) (110 ) (8 ) (8 ) Foreign currency effect (26 ) 38 — — Other adjustments 1 1 (43 ) (1 ) — Net benefit obligation at end of year 2,076 2,329 40 49 Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year 2,219 2,073 20 — Actual return on plan assets (113 ) 263 — — Employer contributions 9 8 1 25 Plan participants’ contributions — — 3 3 Gross benefits paid (103 ) (110 ) (8 ) (8 ) Foreign currency effect (25 ) 31 — — Other adjustments 1 — (46 ) — — Fair value of plan assets at end of year 1,987 2,219 16 20 Funded status $ (89 ) $ (110 ) $ (24 ) $ (29 ) Amounts recognized in consolidated balance sheets: Non-current assets $ 125 $ 114 $ — $ — Current liabilities (9 ) (9 ) — — Non-current liabilities (205 ) (215 ) (24 ) (29 ) $ (89 ) $ (110 ) $ (24 ) $ (29 ) Accumulated benefit obligation $ 2,066 $ 2,319 Plans with accumulated benefit obligation in excess of the fair value of plan assets: Projected benefit obligation $ 214 $ 224 Accumulated benefit obligation $ 204 $ 214 Fair value of plan assets $ — $ — Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax: Net actuarial loss (gain) $ 460 $ 451 $ (41 ) $ (37 ) Prior service credit 2 1 (14 ) (12 ) Total recognized $ 462 $ 452 $ (55 ) $ (49 ) 1 Relates to the impact of retiree annuity purchases in 2017. The actuarial loss included in accumulated other comprehensive loss for our retirement plans and expected to be recognized in net periodic benefit cost during the year ending December 31, 2019 is $13 million . There is an immaterial amount of prior service credit included in accumulated other comprehensive loss for our retirement plans expected to be recognized in net periodic benefit cost during the year ending December 31, 2019 . The actuarial gain included in accumulated other comprehensive loss for our postretirement plans and expected to be recognized in net periodic benefit cost during the year ending December 31, 2019 is $2 million . The prior year service credit included in accumulated other comprehensive loss for our postretirement plans and expected to be recognized in net periodic benefit cost during the year ending December 31, 2019 is $1 million . Net Periodic Benefit Cost For purposes of determining annual pension cost, prior service costs are being amortized straight-line over the average expected remaining lifetime of plan participants expected to receive benefits. A summary of net periodic benefit cost for our retirement and postretirement plans for the years ended December 31, is as follows: (in millions) Retirement Plans Postretirement Plans 2018 2017 2016 2018 2017 2016 Service cost $ 3 $ 3 $ 3 $ — $ — $ — Interest cost 71 74 78 1 2 2 Expected return on assets (124 ) (126 ) (122 ) — — — Amortization of: Actuarial loss (gain) 20 18 16 (2 ) (2 ) (1 ) Prior service credit — — — (1 ) (2 ) — Other 1 4 8 — — — Net periodic benefit cost $ (26 ) $ (23 ) $ (25 ) $ (2 ) $ (2 ) $ 1 1 Represents a charge related to our U.K retirement plan. Our U.K. retirement plan accounted for a benefit of $10 million in 2018 , $6 million in 2017 , and $10 million in 2016 of the net periodic benefit cost attributable to the funded plans. Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income, net of tax for the years ended December 31, are as follows: (in millions) Retirement Plans Postretirement Plans 2018 2017 2016 2018 2017 2016 Net actuarial (gain) loss $ 28 $ (20 ) $ 60 $ (7 ) $ (3 ) $ (12 ) Recognized actuarial (gain) loss (15 ) (12 ) (10 ) 1 1 1 Prior service (credit) cost 1 — — 1 1 (8 ) Other 1 (4 ) (7 ) — — — — Total recognized $ 10 $ (39 ) $ 50 $ (5 ) $ (1 ) $ (19 ) 1 Represents a charge related to our U.K retirement plan. The total cost for our retirement plans was $80 million for 2018 , $70 million for 2017 and $69 million for 2016 . Included in the total retirement plans cost are defined contribution plans cost of $79 million for 2018 , $70 million for 2017 and $65 million for 2016 . Assumptions Retirement Plans Postretirement Plans 2018 2017 2016 2018 2017 2016 Benefit obligation: Discount rate 2 4.40 % 3.68 % 4.14 % 4.15 % 3.40 % 3.69 % Net periodic cost: Weighted-average healthcare cost rate 1 6.50 % 7.00 % 7.00 % Discount rate - U.S. plan 2 3.68 % 4.13 % 4.47 % 3.40 % 3.69 % 3.94 % Discount rate - U.K. plan 2 2.41 % 2.58 % 3.84 % Return on assets 3 6.00 % 6.25 % 6.25 % 1 The assumed weighted-average healthcare cost trend rate will decrease ratably from 6.5% in 2018 to 5% in 2024 and remain at that level thereafter. Assumed healthcare cost trends have an effect on the amounts reported for the healthcare plans. A one percentage point change in assumed healthcare cost trend creates the following effects: (in millions) 1% point increase 1% point decrease Effect on postretirement obligation $ — $ — 2 Effective January 1, 2018, we changed our discount rate assumption on our U.S. retirement plans to 3.68% from 4.13% in 2017 and changed our discount rate assumption on our U.K. plan to 2.41% from 2.58% in 2017 . 3 The expected return on assets assumption is calculated based on the plan’s asset allocation strategy and projected market returns over the long-term. Effective January 1, 2019, our return on assets assumption for the U.S. plan and U.K. plan remained unchanged at 6.00% . Cash Flows In December of 2003, the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (the “Act”) was enacted. The Act established a prescription drug benefit under Medicare, known as “Medicare Part D”, and a federal subsidy to sponsors of retiree healthcare benefit plans that provide a benefit that is at least actuarially equivalent to Medicare Part D. Our benefits provided to certain participants are at least actuarially equivalent to Medicare Part D, and, accordingly, we are entitled to a subsidy. Expected employer contributions in 2019 are $46 million and $6 million for our retirement and postretirement plans respectively. In 2019 , we may elect to make additional non-required contributions depending on investment performance and the pension plan status. Information about the expected cash flows for our retirement and postretirement plans and the impact of the Medicare subsidy is as follows: (in millions) Postretirement Plans 2 Retirement 1 Plans Gross payments Retiree contributions Medicare subsidy 3 Net payments 2019 $ 91 $ 8 $ (2 ) $ — $ 6 2020 94 7 (2 ) — 5 2021 96 6 (2 ) — 4 2022 99 6 (2 ) — 4 2023 101 5 1 — 6 2024-2028 534 19 (7 ) — 12 1 Reflects the total benefits expected to be paid from the plans or from our assets including both our share of the benefit cost and the participants’ share of the cost. 2 Reflects the total benefits expected to be paid from our assets. 3 Expected medicare subsidy amounts, for the years presented, are less than $1 million . Fair Value of Plan Assets In accordance with authoritative guidance for fair value measurements certain assets and liabilities are required to be recorded at fair value. Fair value is defined as the amount that would be received for selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. A fair value hierarchy has been established which requires us to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. The three levels of inputs used to measure fair value are as follows: • Level 1 - Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. • Level 2 - Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities. • Level 3 - Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities. The fair value of our defined benefit plans assets as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 , by asset class is as follows: (in millions) December 31, 2018 Total Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Cash and short-term investments $ 4 $ 4 $ — $ — Equities: U.S. indexes 1 21 21 — — U.S. growth and value 69 69 — — Fixed income: Long duration strategy 2 1,070 — 1,070 — Intermediate duration securities 35 — 35 — Agency mortgage backed securities 4 — 4 — Asset backed securities 18 — 18 — Non-agency mortgage backed securities 3 13 — 13 — International, excluding U.K. 18 — 18 — Real Estate: U.K. 4 39 — — 39 Total $ 1,291 $ 94 $ 1,158 $ 39 Collective investment funds 5 $ 696 Total $ 1,987 (in millions) December 31, 2017 Total Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Cash, short-term investments, and other $ 10 $ 10 $ — $ — Equities: U.S. indexes 1 50 50 — — U.S. growth and value 109 109 — — U.K. 5 5 — — International, excluding U.K. 45 45 — — Fixed income: Long duration strategy 2 1,076 — 1,076 — Intermediate duration securities 35 — 35 — Agency mortgage backed securities 5 — 5 — Asset backed securities 19 — 19 — Non-agency mortgage backed securities 3 15 — 15 — International, excluding U.K. 18 — 18 — Real Estate: U.K. 4 39 — — 39 Total $ 1,426 $ 219 $ 1,168 $ 39 Collective investment funds 5 $ 793 Total $ 2,219 1 Includes securities that are tracked in the S&P Smallcap 600 index. 2 Includes securities that are mainly investment grade obligations of issuers in the U.S. 3 Includes U.S. mortgage-backed securities that are not backed by the U.S. government. 4 Includes a fund which holds real estate properties in the U.K. 5 Includes the Standard & Poor's 500 Composite Stock Index, the Standard & Poor's MidCap 400 Composite Stock Index, a short-term investment fund which is a common collective trust vehicle, and other various asset classes. For securities that are quoted in active markets, the trustee/custodian determines fair value by applying securities’ prices obtained from its pricing vendors. For commingled funds that are not actively traded, the trustee applies pricing information provided by investment management firms to the unit quantities of such funds. Investment management firms employ their own pricing vendors to value the securities underlying each commingled fund. Underlying securities that are not actively traded derive their prices from investment managers, which in turn, employ vendors that use pricing models (e.g., discounted cash flow, comparables). The domestic defined benefit plans have no investment in our stock, except through the S&P 500 commingled trust index fund. The trustee obtains estimated prices from vendors for securities that are not easily quotable and they are categorized accordingly as Level 3. The following table details further information on our plan assets where we have used significant unobservable inputs (Level 3): (in millions) Level 3 Balance as of December 31, 2017 $ 39 Purchases — Distributions (2 ) Gain (loss) 2 Balance as of December 31, 2018 $ 39 Pension Trusts’ Asset Allocations There are two pension trusts, one in the U.S. and one in the U.K. • The U.S. pension trust had assets of $ 1,572 million and $1,739 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 respectively, and the target allocations in 2018 include 75% fixed income, 16% domestic equities and 9% international equities. • The U.K. pension trust had assets of $415 million and $480 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 , respectively, and the target allocations in 2018 include 40% fixed income, 30% diversified growth funds, 20% equities and 10% real estate. The pension assets are invested with the goal of producing a combination of capital growth, income and a liability hedge. The mix of assets is established after consideration of the long-term performance and risk characteristics of asset classes. Investments are selected based on their potential to enhance returns, preserve capital and reduce overall volatility. Holdings are diversified within each asset class. The portfolios employ a mix of index and actively managed equity strategies by market capitalization, style, geographic regions and economic sectors. The fixed income strategies include U.S. long duration securities, opportunistic fixed income securities and U.K. debt instruments. The short-term portfolio, whose primary goal is capital preservation for liquidity purposes, is composed of government and government-agency securities, uninvested cash, receivables and payables. The portfolios do not employ any financial leverage. U.S. Defined Contribution Plan Assets of the defined contribution plan in the U.S. consist primarily of investment options, which include actively managed equity, indexed equity, actively managed equity/bond funds, target date funds, S&P Global Inc. common stock, stable value and money market strategies. There is also a self-directed mutual fund investment option. The plan purchased 193,051 shares and sold 205,798 shares of S&P Global Inc. common stock in 2018 and purchased 228,248 shares and sold 297,750 shares of S&P Global Inc. common stock in 2017 . The plan held approximately 1.5 million shares of S&P Global Inc. common stock as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 , with market values of $251 million and $255 million , respectively. The plan received dividends on S&P Global Inc. common stock of $3 million during both the years ended December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 .

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Stock-Based Compensation	Stock-Based Compensation We issue stock-based incentive awards to our eligible employees and Directors under the 2002 Employee Stock Incentive Plan and a Director Deferred Stock Ownership Plan. • 2002 Employee Stock Incentive Plan (the “2002 Plan”) – The 2002 Plan permits the granting of nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, performance stock, restricted stock and other stock-based awards. In 2018, we made a one-time issuance of incentive stock options under the 2002 Plan to replace Kensho employees' stock options that were assumed in connection with our acquisition of Kensho in April of 2018. • Director Deferred Stock Ownership Plan – Under this plan, common stock reserved may be credited to deferred stock accounts for eligible Directors. In general, the plan requires that 50% of eligible Directors’ annual compensation plus dividend equivalents be credited to deferred stock accounts. Each Director may also elect to defer all or a portion of the remaining compensation and have an equivalent number of shares credited to the deferred stock account. Recipients under this plan are not required to provide consideration to us other than rendering service. Shares will be delivered as of the date a recipient ceases to be a member of the Board of Directors or within five years thereafter, if so elected. The plan will remain in effect until terminated by the Board of Directors or until no shares of stock remain available under the plan. The number of common shares reserved for issuance are as follows: (in millions) December 31, 2018 2017 Shares available for granting under the 2002 Plan 33.3 33.8 Options outstanding 1.7 2.1 Total shares reserved for issuance 1 35.0 35.9 1 Shares reserved for issuance under the Director Deferred Stock Ownership Plan are not included in the total, but are less than 0.1 million . We issue treasury shares upon exercise of stock options and the issuance of restricted stock and unit awards. To offset the dilutive effect of the exercise of employee stock options, we periodically repurchase shares. See Note 9 – Equity for further discussion. Stock-based compensation expense and the corresponding tax benefit are as follows: (in millions) Year Ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Stock option expense $ 5 $ 3 $ 7 Restricted stock and unit awards expense 89 96 69 Total stock-based compensation expense $ 94 $ 99 $ 76 Tax benefit $ 19 $ 38 $ 29 Stock Options Stock options may not be granted at a price less than the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant. Stock options granted vest over a four year service period and have a maximum term of 10 years . Stock option compensation costs are recognized from the date of grant, utilizing a four -year graded vesting method. Under this method, more than half of the costs are recognized over the first twelve months , approximately one-quarter of the costs are recognized over a twenty-four month period starting from the date of grant, approximately one-tenth of the costs are recognized over a thirty-six month period starting from the date of grant, and the remaining costs recognized over a forty-eight month period starting from the date of grant. We use a lattice-based option-pricing model to estimate the fair value of options granted. The following assumptions were used in valuing the options granted: Year Ended December 31, 2018 Risk-free average interest rate 2.6 - 2.7% Dividend yield 1.1 % Volatility 21.8 - 22.0% Expected life (years) 5.67 - 6.07 Weighted-average grant-date fair value per option $ 112.98 Because lattice-based option-pricing models incorporate ranges of assumptions, those ranges are disclosed. These assumptions are based on multiple factors, including historical exercise patterns, post-vesting termination rates, expected future exercise patterns and the expected volatility of our stock price. The risk-free interest rate is the imputed forward rate based on the U.S. Treasury yield at the date of grant. We use the historical volatility of our stock price over the expected term of the options to estimate the expected volatility. The expected term of options granted is derived from the output of the lattice model and represents the period of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding. In 2018, we made a one-time issuance of incentive stock options under the 2002 Plan to replace Kensho employees' stock options that were assumed in connection with our acquisition of Kensho in April of 2018. There were no stock options granted in 2017 and 2016. Stock option activity is as follows: (in millions, except per award amounts) Shares Weighted average exercise price Weighted-average remaining years of contractual term Aggregate intrinsic value Options outstanding as of December 31, 2017 2.1 $ 44.09 Granted 0.2 $ 74.11 Exercised (0.6 ) $ 161.14 Forfeited and expired 1 — $ 71.68 Options outstanding as of December 31, 2018 1.7 $ 47.92 3.3 $ 202 Options exercisable as of December 31, 2018 1.6 $ 46.69 3.1 $ 195 1 There are less 0.1 million shares forfeited and expired. (in millions, except per award amounts) Shares Weighted-average grant-date fair value Nonvested options outstanding as of December 31, 2017 — $ 27.52 Granted 0.2 $ 112.98 Vested (0.1 ) $ 112.36 Forfeited 1 — $ 112.14 Nonvested options outstanding as of December 31, 2018 0.1 $ 113.02 Total unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested options $ 2 Weighted-average years to be recognized over 2.0 1 There are less than 0.1 million shares forfeited. The total fair value of our stock options that vested during the years ended December 31, 2018 , 2017 and 2016 was $5 million , $4 million and $7 million , respectively. Information regarding our stock option exercises is as follows: (in millions) Year Ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Net cash proceeds from the exercise of stock options $ 34 $ 75 $ 88 Total intrinsic value of stock option exercises $ 77 $ 118 $ 95 Income tax benefit realized from stock option exercises $ 27 $ 64 $ 41 Restricted Stock and Unit Awards Restricted stock and unit awards (performance and non-performance) have been granted under the 2002 Plan. Performance unit awards will vest only if we achieve certain financial goals over the performance period. Restricted stock non-performance awards have various vesting periods (generally three years ), with vesting beginning on the first anniversary of the awards. Recipients of restricted stock and unit awards are not required to provide consideration to us other than rendering service. The stock-based compensation expense for restricted stock and unit awards is determined based on the market price of our stock at the grant date of the award applied to the total number of awards that are anticipated to fully vest. For performance unit awards, adjustments are made to expense dependent upon financial goals achieved. Restricted stock and unit activity for performance and non-performance awards is as follows: (in millions, except per award amounts) Shares Weighted-average grant-date fair value Nonvested shares as of December 31, 2017 0.8 $ 124.91 Granted 1.0 $ 182.75 Vested (0.9 ) $ 167.13 Forfeited (0.1 ) $ 149.03 Nonvested shares as of December 31, 2018 0.8 $ 172.24 Total unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested awards $ 76 Weighted-average years to be recognized over 1.9 Year Ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Weighted-average grant-date fair value per award $ 182.75 $ 147.12 $ 93.01 Total fair value of restricted stock and unit awards vested $ 154 $ 147 $ 99 Tax benefit relating to restricted stock activity $ 32 $ 36 $ 26

Equity

Equity	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Equity [Abstract]
Equity	Equity Capital Stock Two million shares of preferred stock, par value $1 per share, are authorized; none have been issued. On January 30, 2019 , the Board of Directors approved an increase in the dividends for 2019 to a quarterly rate of $0.57 per common share. Year Ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Quarterly dividend rate $ 0.50 $ 0.41 $ 0.36 Annualized dividend rate $ 2.00 $ 1.64 $ 1.44 Dividends paid (in millions) $ 503 $ 421 $ 380 Stock Repurchases On December 4, 2013, the Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program authorizing the purchase of 50 million shares, which was approximately 18% of the total shares of our outstanding common stock at that time. Share repurchases were as follows: (in millions, except average price) Year Ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Total number of shares purchased 1 $ 8.4 $ 6.8 $ 9.7 Average price paid per share 2 $ 197.21 $ 147.74 $ 113.36 Total cash utilized 2 $ 1,660 $ 1,001 $ 1,097 1 2018, 2017 and 2016 includes shares received as part of our accelerated share repurchase agreements as described in more detail below. 2 In December of 2015, 0.3 million shares were repurchased for approximately $26 million , which settled in January of 2016. Cash used for financing activities only reflects those shares which settled during the year ended December 31, 2018 , 2017 and 2016 resulting in $1,660 million , $1,001 million and $1,123 million of cash used to repurchase shares, respectively. Our purchased shares may be used for general corporate purposes, including the issuance of shares for stock compensation plans and to offset the dilutive effect of the exercise of employee stock options. As of December 31, 2018 , 10.6 million shares remained available under our current share repurchase program. Our current share repurchase program has no expiration date and purchases under this program may be made from time to time on the open market and in private transactions, depending on market conditions. Accelerated Share Repurchase Agreements 2018 We entered into an accelerated share repurchase ("ASR") agreement with a financial institution on October 29, 2018 to initiate share repurchases aggregating $500 million . The ASR agreement was structured as an uncapped ASR agreement in which we paid $500 million and received an initial delivery of approximately 2.5 million shares, representing 85% of the $500 million at a price equal to the then market price of the Company. We completed the ASR agreement on January 2, 2019 and received an additional 0.4 million shares. We repurchased a total of 2.9 million shares under the ASR agreement for an average purchase price of $173.80 per share. The total number of shares repurchased under the ASR agreement is equal to $500 million divided by the volume weighted-average share price, less a discount. The repurchased shares are held in Treasury. The ASR agreement was executed under the current share repurchase program, approved on December 4, 2013. We entered into an ASR agreement with a financial institution on March 6, 2018 to initiate share repurchases aggregating $1 billion . The ASR agreement was structured as an uncapped ASR agreement in which we paid $1 billion and received an initial delivery of approximately 4.5 million shares, representing 85% of the $1 billion at a price equal to the then market price of the Company. We completed the ASR agreement on September 25, 2018, and received an additional 0.6 million shares. We repurchased a total of 5.1 million shares under the ASR agreement for an average purchase price of $197.49 per share. The total number of shares repurchased under the ASR agreement is equal to $1 billion divided by the volume weighted-average share price, less a discount. The repurchased shares are held in Treasury. The ASR agreement was executed under the current share repurchase program, approved on December 4, 2013. 2017 We entered into an ASR agreement with a financial institution on August 1, 2017 to initiate share repurchases aggregating $500 million . The ASR agreement was structured as an uncapped ASR agreement in which we paid $500 million and received an initial delivery of approximately 2.8 million shares, representing 85% of the $500 million at a price equal to the then market price of the Company. We completed the ASR agreement on October 31, 2017 and received an additional 0.5 million shares. We repurchased a total of 3.2 million shares under the ASR agreement for an average purchase price of $154.46 per share. The total number of shares repurchased under the ASR agreement is equal to $500 million divided by the volume weighted-average share price, less a discount. The repurchased shares are held in Treasury. The ASR agreement was executed under the current share repurchase program, approved on December 4, 2013. 2016 Using a portion of the proceeds received from the sale of J.D. Power, we entered into an ASR agreement with a financial institution on September 7, 2016 to initiate share repurchases aggregating $750 million . The ASR agreement was structured as a capped ASR agreement in which we paid $750 million and received an initial delivery of approximately 4.4 million shares and an additional amount of 0.9 million shares during the month of September 2016, representing the minimum number of shares of our common stock to be repurchased based on a calculation using a specified capped price per share. We completed the ASR agreement on December 7, 2016 and received an additional 0.9 million shares, which settled on December 12, 2016. We repurchased a total of 6.1 million shares under the ASR agreement for an average purchase price of $122.18 per share. The total number of shares repurchased under the ASR agreement was based on the volume weighted-average share price, minus a discount, of our common stock over the term of the ASR agreement. The repurchased shares are held in Treasury. The ASR agreement was executed under the current share repurchase program, approved on December 4, 2013. The ASR agreements discussed above were each accounted for as two transactions: a stock purchase transaction and a forward stock purchase contract. The shares delivered under the ASR agreement resulted in a reduction of our outstanding shares used to determine our weighted average common shares outstanding for purposes of calculating basic and diluted earnings per share. The forward stock purchase contract was classified as an equity instrument. We entered into an ASR agreement with a financial institution on February 11, 2019 to initiate share repurchases aggregating $500 million . Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests The agreement with the minority partners that own 27% of our S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC joint venture contains redemption features whereby interests held by minority partners are redeemable either (i) at the option of the holder or (ii) upon the occurrence of an event that is not solely within our control. Specifically, under the terms of the operating agreement of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, after December 31, 2017, CME Group and CME Group Index Services LLC ("CGIS") has the right at any time to sell, and we are obligated to buy, at least 20% of their share in S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. In addition, in the event there is a change of control of the Company, for the 15 days following a change in control, CME Group and CGIS will have the right to put their interest to us at the then fair value of CME Group's and CGIS' minority interest. If interests were to be redeemed under this agreement, we would generally be required to purchase the interest at fair value on the date of redemption. This interest is presented on the consolidated balance sheets outside of equity under the caption “Redeemable noncontrolling interest” with an initial value based on fair value for the portion attributable to the net assets we acquired, and based on our historical cost for the portion attributable to our S&P Index business. We adjust the redeemable noncontrolling interest each reporting period to its estimated redemption value, but never less than its initial fair value, considering a combination of an income and market valuation approach. Our income and market valuation approaches may incorporate Level 3 fair value measures for instances when observable inputs are not available, including assumptions related to expected future net cash flows, long-term growth rates, the timing and nature of tax attributes, and the redemption features. Any adjustments to the redemption value will impact retained income. Noncontrolling interests that do not contain such redemption features are presented in equity. Ch anges to redeemable noncontrolling interest during the year ended December 31, 2018 were as follows: (in millions) Balance as of December 31, 2017 $ 1,352 Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest 151 Distributions to noncontrolling interest (111 ) Redemption value adjustment 228 Balance as of December 31, 2018 $ 1,620 Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss The following table summarizes the changes in the components of accumulated other comprehensive loss for the year ended December 31, 2018 : (in millions) Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment Pension and Postretirement Benefit Plans 1 Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Forward Exchange Contracts 2 Unrealized Loss on Investment 3 Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Balance as of December 31, 2017 $ (239 ) $ (402 ) $ 2 (10 ) $ (649 ) Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications (100 ) (19 ) (2 ) — (121 ) Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings — 14 4 — 18 Net other comprehensive (loss) income (100 ) (5 ) 2 — (103 ) Amounts reclassified to retained income — — — 10 10 Balance as of December 31, 2018 $ (339 ) $ (407 ) $ 4 $ — $ (742 ) 1 See Note 7 — Employee Benefits for additional details of items reclassed from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings. 2 See Note 6 — Derivative Instruments for additional details of items reclassed from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings. 3 On January 1, 2018, the unrealized loss on investments was reclassified to retained income. See Note 1 - Accounting Policies for additional details. The net actuarial loss and prior service cost related to pension and other postretirement benefit plans included in other comprehensive income is net of a tax provision of $9 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 .

Earnings per Share

Earnings per Share	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Earnings per Share	Earnings per Share Basic earnings per common share ("EPS") is computed by dividing net income attributable to the common shareholders of the Company by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted EPS is computed in the same manner as basic EPS, except the number of shares is increased to include additional common shares that would have been outstanding if potential common shares with a dilutive effect had been issued. Potential common shares consist primarily of stock options and restricted performance shares calculated using the treasury stock method. The calculation for basic and diluted EPS is as follows: (in millions, except per share data) Year Ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Amount attributable to S&P Global Inc. common shareholders: Net income $ 1,958 $ 1,496 $ 2,106 Basic weighted-average number of common shares outstanding 250.9 256.3 262.8 Effect of stock options and other dilutive securities 2.3 2.6 2.4 Diluted weighted-average number of common shares outstanding 253.2 258.9 265.2 Earnings per share attributable to S&P Global Inc. common shareholders: Net income: Basic $ 7.80 $ 5.84 $ 8.02 Diluted $ 7.73 $ 5.78 $ 7.94 Each period we have certain stock options and restricted performance shares that are potentially excluded from the computation of diluted EPS. The effect of the potential exercise of stock options is excluded when the average market price of our common stock is lower than the exercise price of the related option during the period or when a net loss exists because the effect would have been antidilutive. Additionally, restricted performance shares are excluded because the necessary vesting conditions had not been met or when a net loss exists. As of December 31, 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , there were no stock options excluded. Restricted performance shares outstanding of 0.5 million , 0.6 million and 0.7 million as of December 31, 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively, were excluded.

Restructuring

Restructuring	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]
Restructuring	Restructuring During 2018 and 2017 , we continued to evaluate our cost structure and further identified cost savings associated with streamlining our management structure and our decision to exit non-strategic businesses. Our 2018 and 2017 restructuring plans consisted of a company-wide workforce reduction of approximately 160 and 520 positions, respectively, and are further detailed below. The charges for each restructuring plan are classified as selling and general expenses within the consolidated statements of income and the reserves are included in other current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets. In certain circumstances, reserves are no longer needed because of efficiencies in carrying out the plans or because employees previously identified for separation resigned from the Company and did not receive severance or were reassigned due to circumstances not foreseen when the original plans were initiated. In these cases, we reverse reserves through the consolidated statements of income during the period when it is determined they are no longer needed. There were approximately $6 million of reserves from the 2017 restructuring plan that we have reversed in 2018, which offset the initial charge of $44 million recorded for the 2017 restructuring plan. There were approximately $7 million of reserves from the 2016 restructuring plan that we have reversed in 2017, which offset the initial charge of $30 million recorded for the 2016 restructuring plan. The initial restructuring charge recorded and the ending reserve balance as of December 31, 2018 by segment is as follows: 2018 Restructuring Plan 2017 Restructuring Plan (in millions) Initial Charge Recorded Ending Reserve Balance Initial Charge Recorded Ending Reserve Balance Ratings $ 8 $ 8 $ 25 $ 7 Market Intelligence 7 7 8 1 Platts — — 1 — Indices — — — — Corporate 10 9 10 2 Total $ 25 $ 24 $ 44 $ 10 For the year ended December 31, 2018 , we have reduced the reserve for the 2018 restructuring plan by $1 million and for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 , we have reduced the reserve for the 2017 restructuring plan by $29 million and $5 million , respectively. The reductions primarily related to cash payments for employee severance charges.

Segment and Geographic Informat

Segment and Geographic Information	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Segment and Geographic Information	Segment and Geographic Information As discussed in Note 1 – Accounting Policies , we have four reportable segments: Ratings, Market Intelligence, Platts and Indices. Our Chief Executive Officer is our chief operating decision-maker and evaluates performance of our segments and allocates resources based primarily on operating profit. Segment operating profit does not include Corporate Unallocated, other income, net, or interest expense, net, as these are costs that do not affect the operating results of our reportable segments. We use the same accounting policies for our segments as those described in Note 1 – Accounting Policies . In April of 2018, we acquired Kensho for approximately $550 million , net of cash acquired, in a mix of cash and stock. The results of Kensho, an operating segment of the Company, are included in Corporate revenue and Corporate Unallocated for financial reporting purposes. See Note 2 — Acquisitions and Divestitures for additional information. Effective beginning with the first quarter of 2018, we began reporting the financial results of Market Intelligence and Platts as separate reportable segments consistent with the changes to our organizational structure and how our Chief Executive Officer evaluates the performance of these segments. Our historical segment reporting has been retroactively revised to reflect the current organizational structure. A summary of operating results for the years ended December 31 is as follows: Revenue (in millions) 2018 2017 2016 Ratings $ 2,883 $ 2,988 $ 2,535 Market Intelligence 1,833 1,683 1,661 Platts 815 774 925 Indices 837 728 638 Corporate 15 — — Intersegment elimination 1 (125 ) (110 ) (98 ) Total revenue $ 6,258 $ 6,063 $ 5,661 Operating Profit (in millions) 2018 2017 2016 Ratings 2 $ 1,530 $ 1,517 $ 1,256 Market Intelligence 3 545 457 729 Platts 4 383 326 1,090 Indices 5 563 478 413 Total reportable segments 3,021 2,778 3,488 Corporate Unallocated 6 (231 ) (195 ) (147 ) Total operating profit $ 2,790 $ 2,583 $ 3,341 1 Revenue for Ratings and expenses for Market Intelligence include an intersegment royalty charged to Market Intelligence for the rights to use and distribute content and data developed by Ratings. 2 Operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2018 includes legal settlement expenses of $74 million and employee severance charges of $8 million . Operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2017 includes legal settlement expenses of $55 million and employee severance charges of $25 million . Operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2016 primarily includes a benefit related to net legal settlement insurance recoveries of $10 million and employee severance charges of $6 million . Additionally, operating profit includes amortization of intangibles from acquisitions of $2 million , $4 million $5 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively. 3 Operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2018 includes restructuring charges related to a business disposition and employee severance charges of $7 million . Operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2017 includes employee severance charges of $7 million , and non-cash disposition-related adjustments of $4 million . Operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2016 includes a $373 million gain from our dispositions, disposition-related costs of $43 million , a technology-related impairment charge of $24 million and an acquisition-related cost of $1 million . Additionally, operating profit includes amortization of intangibles from acquisitions of $73 million , $71 million and $72 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively. 4 Operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2017 includes non-cash acquisition-related adjustment of $11 million , a charge to exit a leased facility of $6 million , an asset write-off of $2 million , and employee severance charges of $2 million . Operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2016 includes a $728 million gain from our dispositions and disposition-related costs of $5 million . Additionally, Operating profit includes amortization of intangibles from acquisitions of $18 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 and $14 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. 5 Operating profit includes amortization of intangibles from acquisitions of $6 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively. 6 Corporate Unallocated operating loss for the year ended December 31, 2018 includes Kensho retention related expense of $31 million , lease impairments of $11 million and employee severance charges of $10 million . Corporate Unallocated operating loss for the year ended December 31, 2017 includes a charge to exit leased facilities of $19 million and employee severance charges of $10 million . The year ended December 31, 2016 includes $3 million from a disposition-related reserve release. Additionally, Corporate Unallocated operating loss includes amortization of intangibles from acquisitions of $23 million for the year December 31, 2018. (in millions) Depreciation & Amortization Capital Expenditures 2018 2017 2016 2018 2017 2016 Ratings $ 32 $ 34 $ 34 $ 42 $ 45 $ 42 Market Intelligence 99 104 105 30 37 40 Platts 27 25 26 9 15 17 Indices 9 8 8 3 3 3 Total reportable segments 167 171 173 84 100 102 Corporate 39 9 8 29 23 13 Total $ 206 $ 180 $ 181 $ 113 $ 123 $ 115 Segment information as of December 31 is as follows: (in millions) Total Assets 2018 2017 Ratings $ 680 $ 788 Market Intelligence 3,606 3,381 Platts 787 791 Indices 1,443 1,270 Total reportable segments 6,516 6,230 Corporate 1 2,928 3,190 Assets held for sale 2 14 5 Total $ 9,458 $ 9,425 1 Corporate assets consist principally of cash and cash equivalents, goodwill and other intangible assets, assets for pension benefits, deferred income taxes and leasehold improvements related to subleased areas. 2 Includes East Windsor and New Jersey facility as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. We do not have operations in any foreign country that represent more than 8% of our consolidated revenue. Transfers between geographic areas are recorded at agreed upon prices and intercompany revenue and profit are eliminated. No single customer accounted for more than 10% of our consolidated revenue. The following provides revenue and long-lived assets by geographic region: (in millions) Revenue Long-lived Assets Year ended December 31, December 31, 2018 2017 2016 2018 2017 U.S. $ 3,750 $ 3,658 $ 3,461 $ 5,019 $ 4,285 European region 1,543 1,473 1,330 317 346 Asia 647 594 575 51 54 Rest of the world 318 338 295 42 49 Total $ 6,258 $ 6,063 $ 5,661 $ 5,429 $ 4,734 Revenue Long-lived Assets Year ended December 31, December 31, 2018 2017 2016 2018 2017 U.S. 60 % 60 % 61 % 92 % 91 % European region 25 24 24 6 7 Asia 10 10 10 1 1 Rest of the world 5 6 5 1 1 Total 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 % See Note 2 – Acquisitions and Divestitures and Note 11 – Restructuring , for actions that impacted the segment operating results.

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	Commitments and Contingencies Related Party Agreement In March of 2018, the Company made a $20 million contribution to the S&P Global Foundation. In June of 2012, we entered into a license agreement (the "License Agreement") with the holder of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC noncontrolling interest, CME Group, which replaced the 2005 license agreement between Indices and CME Group. Under the terms of the License Agreement, S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC receives a share of the profits from the trading and clearing of CME Group's equity index products. During the years ended December 31, 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC earned $121 million , $74 million and $76 million of revenue under the terms of the License Agreement, respectively. The entire amount of this revenue is included in our consolidated statement of income and the portion related to the 27% noncontrolling interest is removed in net income attributable to noncontrolling interests. Rental Expense and Lease Obligations We are committed under lease arrangements covering property, computer systems and office equipment. Leasehold improvements are amortized on a straight-line basis over the shorter of their economic lives or their lease term. Certain lease arrangements contain escalation clauses covering increased costs for various defined real estate taxes and operating services and the associated fees are recognized on a straight-line basis over the minimum lease period. Rental expense for property and equipment under all operating lease agreements is as follows: (in millions) Year ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Gross rental expense $ 172 $ 177 $ 179 Less: sublease revenue (17 ) (17 ) (16 ) Net rental expense $ 155 $ 160 $ 163 Cash amounts for future minimum rental commitments under existing non-cancelable leases with a remaining term of more than one year, along with minimum sublease rental income to be received under non-cancelable subleases are shown in the following table. (in millions) Rent commitment Sublease income Net rent 2019 $ 130 $ (17 ) $ 113 2020 102 (3 ) 99 2021 85 — 85 2022 75 — 75 2023 67 — 67 2024 and beyond 400 — 400 Total $ 859 $ (20 ) $ 839 Legal & Regulatory Matters In the normal course of business both in the United States and abroad, the Company and its subsidiaries are defendants in a number of legal proceedings and are often the subject of government and regulatory proceedings, investigations and inquiries. Many of these proceedings, investigations and inquiries relate to the ratings activity of S&P Global Ratings brought by issuers and alleged purchasers of rated securities. In addition, various government and self-regulatory agencies frequently make inquiries and conduct investigations into our compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including those related to ratings activities and antitrust matters. For example, as a nationally recognized statistical rating organization registered with the SEC under Section 15E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, S&P Global Ratings is in ongoing communication with the staff of the SEC regarding compliance with its extensive obligations under the federal securities laws. Although S&P Global Ratings seeks to promptly address any compliance issues that it detects or that the staff of the SEC raises, there can be no assurance that the SEC will not seek remedies against S&P Global Ratings for one or more compliance deficiencies. Any of these proceedings, investigations or inquiries could ultimately result in adverse judgments, damages, fines, penalties or activity restrictions, which could adversely impact our consolidated financial condition, cash flows, business or competitive position. In view of the uncertainty inherent in litigation and government and regulatory enforcement matters, we cannot predict the eventual outcome of such matters or the timing of their resolution, or in most cases reasonably estimate what the eventual judgments, damages, fines, penalties or impact of activity (if any) restrictions may be. As a result, we cannot provide assurance that such outcomes will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial condition, cash flows, business or competitive position. As litigation or the process to resolve pending matters progresses, as the case may be, we will continue to review the latest information available and assess our ability to predict the outcome of such matters and the effects, if any, on our consolidated financial condition, cash flows, business or competitive position, which may require that we record liabilities in the consolidated financial statements in future periods. S&P Global Ratings In the second quarter the Company entered into an agreement to settle certain civil cases in Australia against the Company and certain of its subsidiaries relating to alleged investment losses in collateralized debt obligations rated by S&P Global Ratings. The settlement was approved by the court in August 2018.

Quarterly Financial Information

Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited)	Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) (in millions, except per share data) First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Total year 2018 Revenue $ 1,567 $ 1,609 $ 1,546 $ 1,536 $ 6,258 Operating profit $ 711 $ 672 $ 704 $ 704 $ 2,790 Net income $ 534 $ 501 $ 535 $ 551 $ 2,121 Net income attributable to S&P Global common shareholders $ 491 $ 461 $ 495 $ 512 $ 1,958 Earnings per share attributable to S&P Global Inc. common shareholders: Net income: Basic $ 1.94 $ 1.83 $ 1.97 $ 2.06 $ 7.80 Diluted $ 1.93 $ 1.82 $ 1.95 $ 2.03 $ 7.73 2017 Revenue $ 1,453 $ 1,509 $ 1,513 $ 1,589 $ 6,063 Operating profit $ 639 $ 668 $ 649 $ 627 $ 2,583 Net income $ 430 $ 457 $ 452 $ 299 $ 1,638 Net income attributable to S&P Global common shareholders $ 399 $ 421 $ 414 $ 263 $ 1,496 Earnings per share attributable to S&P Global Inc. common shareholders: Net income: Basic $ 1.54 $ 1.63 $ 1.62 1.03 5.84 Diluted $ 1.53 $ 1.62 $ 1.61 1.02 5.78 Note - Totals presented may not sum due to rounding.

Condensed Consolidating Financi

Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Condensed Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements	Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements On May 17, 2018, we issued $500 million of 4.5% notes due in 2048. On September 22, 2016, we issued $500 million of 2.95% senior notes due in 2027. On May 26, 2015, we issued $700 million of 4.0% senior notes due in 2025. On August 18, 2015, we issued $2.0 billion of senior notes, consisting of $400 million of 2.5% senior notes due in 2018, $700 million of 3.3% senior notes due in 2020 and $900 million of 4.4% senior notes due in 2026. See Note 5 — Debt for additional information. The senior notes described above are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC, a 100% owned subsidiary of the Company. The following condensed consolidating financial statements present the results of operations, financial position and cash flows of S&P Global Inc., Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC, and the Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries of S&P Global Inc. and Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC, and the eliminations necessary to arrive at the information for the Company on a consolidated basis. Statement of Income Year Ended December 31, 2018 (in millions) S&P Global Inc. Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Eliminations S&P Global Inc. Consolidated Revenue $ 776 $ 1,695 $ 3,940 $ (153 ) $ 6,258 Expenses: Operating-related expenses 127 434 1,293 (153 ) 1,701 Selling and general expenses 183 292 1,086 — 1,561 Depreciation 37 7 40 — 84 Amortization of intangibles — — 122 — 122 Total expenses 347 733 2,541 (153 ) 3,468 Operating profit 429 962 1,399 — 2,790 Other income, net (27 ) — 2 — (25 ) Interest expense (income), net 143 2 (11 ) — 134 Non-operating intercompany transactions 363 (75 ) (1,872 ) 1,584 — (Loss) income before taxes on income (50 ) 1,035 3,280 (1,584 ) 2,681 (Benefit) Provision for taxes on income (14 ) 250 324 — 560 Equity in net income of subsidiaries 3,576 (1 ) — (3,575 ) — Net income 3,540 784 2,956 (5,159 ) 2,121 Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests — — — (163 ) (163 ) Net income attributable to S&P Global Inc. $ 3,540 $ 784 $ 2,956 $ (5,322 ) $ 1,958 Comprehensive income $ 3,510 $ 783 $ 2,884 $ (5,159 ) $ 2,018 Statement of Income Year Ended December 31, 2017 (in millions) S&P Global Inc. Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Eliminations S&P Global Inc. Consolidated Revenue $ 717 $ 1,780 $ 3,704 $ (138 ) $ 6,063 Expenses: Operating-related expenses 90 482 1,261 (138 ) 1,695 Selling and general expenses 196 345 1,064 — 1,605 Depreciation 31 11 40 — 82 Amortization of intangibles — — 98 — 98 Total expenses 317 838 2,463 (138 ) 3,480 Operating profit 400 942 1,241 — 2,583 Other income, net (16 ) — (11 ) — (27 ) Interest expense (income), net 163 — (14 ) — 149 Non-operating intercompany transactions 365 (77 ) (2,463 ) 2,175 — (Loss) income before taxes on income (112 ) 1,019 3,729 (2,175 ) 2,461 Provision for taxes on income 26 370 427 — 823 Equity in net income of subsidiaries 3,808 — — (3,808 ) — Net income 3,670 649 3,302 (5,983 ) 1,638 Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests — — — (142 ) (142 ) Net income attributable to S&P Global Inc. $ 3,670 $ 649 $ 3,302 $ (6,125 ) $ 1,496 Comprehensive income $ 3,694 $ 649 $ 3,401 $ (5,982 ) $ 1,762 Statement of Income Year Ended December 31, 2016 (in millions) S&P Global Inc. Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Eliminations S&P Global Inc. Consolidated Revenue $ 667 $ 1,513 $ 3,607 $ (126 ) $ 5,661 Expenses: Operating-related expenses 114 451 1,334 (126 ) 1,773 Selling and general expenses 128 243 1,096 — 1,467 Depreciation 38 9 38 — 85 Amortization of intangibles — — 96 — 96 Total expenses 280 703 2,564 (126 ) 3,421 Gain on disposition (1,072 ) — (29 ) — (1,101 ) Operating profit 1,459 810 1,072 — 3,341 Other income, net (20 ) — (8 ) — (28 ) Interest expense (income), net 191 — (10 ) — 181 Non-operating intercompany transactions 356 (83 ) (941 ) 668 — Income before taxes on income 932 893 2,031 (668 ) 3,188 Provision for taxes on income 275 420 265 — 960 Equity in net income of subsidiaries 2,412 294 — (2,706 ) — Net income 3,069 767 1,766 (3,374 ) 2,228 Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests — — — (122 ) (122 ) Net income attributable to S&P Global Inc. $ 3,069 $ 767 $ 1,766 $ (3,496 ) $ 2,106 Comprehensive income $ 3,099 $ 767 $ 1,563 $ (3,374 ) $ 2,055 Balance Sheet December 31, 2018 (in millions) S&P Global Inc. Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Eliminations S&P Global Inc. Consolidated ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 694 $ — $ 1,223 $ — $ 1,917 Restricted cash — — 41 — 41 Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts 163 109 1,177 — 1,449 Intercompany receivable 550 2,138 2,873 (5,561 ) — Prepaid and other current assets 58 3 136 — 197 Total current assets 1,465 2,250 5,450 (5,561 ) 3,604 Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation 192 — 78 — 270 Goodwill 261 — 3,265 9 3,535 Other intangible assets, net — — 1,524 — 1,524 Investments in subsidiaries 8,599 6 8,030 (16,635 ) — Intercompany loans receivable 130 — 1,643 (1,773 ) — Other non-current assets 194 45 286 — 525 Total assets $ 10,841 $ 2,301 $ 20,276 $ (23,960 ) $ 9,458 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 89 $ 15 $ 107 $ — $ 211 Intercompany payable 4,453 32 1,076 (5,561 ) — Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans 125 33 196 — 354 Income taxes currently payable 1 — 71 — 72 Unearned revenue 240 235 1,166 — 1,641 Accrued legal settlements — — 1 — 1 Other current liabilities 180 16 154 — 350 Total current liabilities 5,088 331 2,771 (5,561 ) 2,629 Long-term debt 3,662 — — — 3,662 Intercompany loans payable 114 — 1,659 (1,773 ) — Pension and other postretirement benefits 162 — 67 — 229 Other non-current liabilities 166 75 393 — 634 Total liabilities 9,192 406 4,890 (7,334 ) 7,154 Redeemable noncontrolling interest — — — 1,620 1,620 Equity: Common stock 294 — 2,279 (2,279 ) 294 Additional paid-in capital 72 618 9,784 (9,641 ) 833 Retained income 12,622 1,277 3,824 (6,439 ) 11,284 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (299 ) — (489 ) 46 (742 ) Less: common stock in treasury (11,040 ) — (13 ) 12 (11,041 ) Total equity - controlling interests 1,649 1,895 15,385 (18,301 ) 628 Total equity - noncontrolling interests — — 1 55 56 Total equity 1,649 1,895 15,386 (18,246 ) 684 Total liabilities and equity $ 10,841 $ 2,301 $ 20,276 $ (23,960 ) $ 9,458 Balance Sheet December 31, 2017 (in millions) S&P Global Inc. Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Eliminations S&P Global Inc. Consolidated ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 632 $ — $ 2,145 $ — $ 2,777 Restricted cash — — 2 — 2 Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts 138 152 1,029 — 1,319 Intercompany receivable 768 1,784 2,527 (5,079 ) — Prepaid and other current assets 143 (3 ) 86 — 226 Total current assets 1,681 1,933 5,789 (5,079 ) 4,324 Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation 158 10 107 — 275 Goodwill 261 — 2,719 9 2,989 Other intangible assets, net — — 1,388 — 1,388 Investments in subsidiaries 8,364 5 8,028 (16,397 ) — Intercompany loans receivable 116 — 1,699 (1,815 ) — Other non-current assets 215 61 174 (1 ) 449 Total assets $ 10,795 $ 2,009 $ 19,904 $ (23,283 ) $ 9,425 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 79 $ 23 $ 93 $ — $ 195 Intercompany payable 3,433 492 1,154 (5,079 ) — Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans 145 86 241 — 472 Short-term debt 399 — — — 399 Income taxes currently payable 2 — 75 — 77 Unearned revenue 293 193 1,127 — 1,613 Accrued legal settlements — 2 105 — 107 Other current liabilities 136 21 194 — 351 Total current liabilities 4,487 817 2,989 (5,079 ) 3,214 Long-term debt 3,170 — — — 3,170 Intercompany loans payable 101 — 1,715 (1,816 ) — Pension and other postretirement benefits 180 — 64 — 244 Other non-current liabilities 376 74 229 — 679 Total liabilities 8,314 891 4,997 (6,895 ) 7,307 Redeemable noncontrolling interest — — — 1,352 1,352 Equity: Common stock 412 — 2,318 (2,318 ) 412 Additional paid-in capital (216 ) 602 9,256 (9,117 ) 525 Retained income 12,156 516 3,782 (6,431 ) 10,023 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (269 ) — (426 ) 46 (649 ) Less: common stock in treasury (9,602 ) — (23 ) 23 (9,602 ) Total equity - controlling interests 2,481 1,118 14,907 (17,797 ) 709 Total equity - noncontrolling interests — — — 57 57 Total equity 2,481 1,118 14,907 (17,740 ) 766 Total liabilities and equity $ 10,795 $ 2,009 $ 19,904 $ (23,283 ) $ 9,425 Statement of Cash Flows Year Ended December 31, 2018 (in millions) S&P Global Inc. Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Eliminations S&P Global Inc. Consolidated Operating Activities: Net income $ 3,540 $ 784 $ 2,956 $ (5,159 ) $ 2,121 Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation 37 7 40 — 84 Amortization of intangibles — — 122 — 122 Provision for losses on accounts receivable 3 4 14 — 21 Deferred income taxes 33 10 38 — 81 Stock-based compensation 28 16 50 — 94 Accrued legal settlements — 1 — — 1 Other 46 5 1 — 52 Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions: Accounts receivable (27 ) 39 (176 ) — (164 ) Prepaid and other current assets (2 ) (4 ) 5 — (1 ) Accounts payable and accrued expenses (11 ) (64 ) (31 ) — (106 ) Unearned revenue (53 ) 13 110 — 70 Accrued legal settlements — — (108 ) — (108 ) Other current liabilities (22 ) (11 ) (34 ) — (67 ) Net change in prepaid/accrued income taxes 2 — (9 ) — (7 ) Net change in other assets and liabilities (128 ) 32 (33 ) — (129 ) Cash provided by operating activities 3,446 832 2,945 (5,159 ) 2,064 Investing Activities: Capital expenditures (81 ) (16 ) (16 ) — (113 ) Acquisitions, net of cash acquired — — (401 ) — (401 ) Proceeds from dispositions — — 6 — 6 Changes in short-term investments — — (5 ) — (5 ) Cash used for investing activities (81 ) (16 ) (416 ) — (513 ) Financing Activities: Proceeds from issuance of senior notes, net 489 — — — 489 Payments on senior notes (403 ) — — — (403 ) Dividends paid to shareholders (503 ) — — — (503 ) Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders — — (154 ) — (154 ) Repurchase of treasury shares (1,660 ) — — — (1,660 ) Exercise of stock options 26 — 8 — 34 Purchase of additional CRISIL shares — (25 ) — (25 ) Employee withholding tax on share-based payments (66 ) — — — (66 ) Intercompany financing activities (1,181 ) (816 ) (3,162 ) 5,159 — Cash used for financing activities (3,298 ) (816 ) (3,333 ) 5,159 (2,288 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash (5 ) — (79 ) — (84 ) Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 62 — (883 ) — (821 ) Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year 632 — 2,147 — 2,779 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year $ 694 $ — $ 1,264 $ — $ 1,958 Statement of Cash Flows Year Ended December 31, 2017 (in millions) S&P Global Inc. Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Eliminations S&P Global Inc. Consolidated Operating Activities: Net income $ 3,670 $ 649 $ 3,302 $ (5,983 ) $ 1,638 Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation 31 11 40 — 82 Amortization of intangibles — — 98 — 98 Provision for losses on accounts receivable 2 3 11 — 16 Deferred income taxes 108 (10 ) (98 ) — — Stock-based compensation 35 22 42 — 99 Accrued legal settlements — — 55 — 55 Other 34 19 43 — 96 Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions: Accounts receivable (2 ) (23 ) (171 ) — (196 ) Prepaid and other current assets (5 ) 3 12 — 10 Accounts payable and accrued expenses 22 97 (44 ) — 75 Unearned revenue 19 2 64 — 85 Accrued legal settlements — (1 ) (3 ) — (4 ) Other current liabilities (42 ) (12 ) (31 ) — (85 ) Net change in prepaid/accrued income taxes 41 (18 ) 9 — 32 Net change in other assets and liabilities 7 (6 ) 14 — 15 Cash provided by operating activities 3,920 736 3,343 (5,983 ) 2,016 Investing Activities: Capital expenditures (55 ) (32 ) (36 ) — (123 ) Acquisitions, net of cash acquired — — (83 ) — (83 ) Proceeds from dispositions — — 2 — 2 Changes in short-term investments — — (5 ) — (5 ) Cash used for investing activities (55 ) (32 ) (122 ) — (209 ) Financing Activities: Dividends paid to shareholders (421 ) — — — (421 ) Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders — — (111 ) — (111 ) Repurchase of treasury shares (1,001 ) — — — (1,001 ) Exercise of stock options 68 — 7 — 75 Employee withholding tax on share-based payments (49 ) — — — (49 ) Intercompany financing activities (2,546 ) (704 ) (2,733 ) 5,983 — Cash used for financing activities (3,949 ) (704 ) (2,837 ) 5,983 (1,507 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash 5 — 82 — 87 Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash (79 ) — 466 — 387 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year 711 — 1,681 — 2,392 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year $ 632 $ — $ 2,147 $ — $ 2,779 Statement of Cash Flows Year Ended December 31, 2016 (in millions) S&P Global Inc. Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Eliminations S&P Global Inc. Consolidated Operating Activities: Net income $ 3,069 $ 767 $ 1,766 $ (3,374 ) $ 2,228 Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities Depreciation 38 9 38 — 85 Amortization of intangibles — — 96 — 96 Provision for losses on accounts receivable 1 — 8 — 9 Deferred income taxes 16 (9 ) 72 — 79 Stock-based compensation 22 17 37 — 76 Gain on disposition (1,072 ) — (29 ) — (1,101 ) Accrued legal settlements 3 1 50 — 54 Other 48 5 (23 ) — 30 Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions: Accounts receivable (24 ) 187 (340 ) — (177 ) Prepaid and other current assets (2 ) 10 (3 ) — 5 Accounts payable and accrued expenses (8 ) (39 ) 66 — 19 Unearned revenue 19 (395 ) 483 — 107 Accrued legal settlements — (108 ) (42 ) — (150 ) Other current liabilities (27 ) (27 ) 35 — (19 ) Net change in prepaid/accrued income taxes 141 — 33 — 174 Net change in other assets and liabilities (9 ) 38 16 — 45 Cash provided by operating activities 2,215 456 2,263 (3,374 ) 1,560 Investing Activities: Capital expenditures (68 ) (15 ) (32 ) — (115 ) Acquisitions, net of cash acquired (144 ) — (33 ) — (177 ) Contingent consideration payment — — (34 ) — (34 ) Proceeds from dispositions 1,422 — 76 — 1,498 Changes in short-term investments — — (1 ) — (1 ) Cash provided by (used for) investing activities 1,210 (15 ) (24 ) — 1,171 Financing Activities: Additions to short-term debt (143 ) — — — (143 ) Proceeds from issuance of senior notes, net 493 — — — 493 Payments on senior notes (421 ) — — — (421 ) Dividends paid to shareholders (380 ) — — — (380 ) Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders — — (116 ) — (116 ) Repurchase of treasury shares (1,123 ) — — — (1,123 ) Exercise of stock options 86 — 2 — 88 Contingent consideration payment (5 ) — — — (5 ) Employee withholding tax on share-based payments (55 ) — — — (55 ) Intercompany financing activities (1,333 ) (441 ) (1,600 ) 3,374 — Cash used for financing activities (2,881 ) (441 ) (1,714 ) 3,374 (1,662 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash — — (158 ) — (158 ) Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 544 — 367 — 911 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year 167 — 1,314 — 1,481 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year $ 711 $ — $ 1,681 $ — $ 2,392

Schedule II - Valuation and Qua

Schedule II - Valuation and Qualifying Accounts	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
SEC Schedule, 12-09, Valuation and Qualifying Accounts [Abstract]
Schedule II - Valuation and Qualifying Accounts	Schedule II – Valuation and Qualifying Accounts (in millions) Additions/(deductions) Balance at beginning of year Net charges to income Deductions and other 1 Balance at end of year Year ended December 31, 2018 Allowance for doubtful accounts $ 33 $ 21 $ (20 ) $ 34 Year ended December 31, 2017 Allowance for doubtful accounts $ 28 $ 15 $ (11 ) $ 33 Year ended December 31, 2016 Allowance for doubtful accounts $ 37 $ 8 $ (17 ) $ 28 1 Primarily includes uncollectible accounts written off, net of recoveries, impact of acquisitions and divestitures and adjustments for foreign currency translation.

Accounting Policies (Policies)

Accounting Policies (Policies)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Nature of operations	Nature of operations S&P Global Inc. (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, the “Company,” the “Registrant,” “we,” “us” or “our”) is a leading provider of transparent and independent ratings, benchmarks, analytics and data to the capital and commodity markets worldwide. The capital markets include asset managers, investment banks, commercial banks, insurance companies, exchanges, trading firms and issuers; and the commodity markets include producers, traders and intermediaries within energy, metals, petrochemicals and agriculture. Our operations consist of four reportable segments: S&P Global Ratings ("Ratings"), S&P Global Market Intelligence ("Market Intelligence"), S&P Global Platts ("Platts") and S&P Dow Jones Indices ("Indices"). • Ratings is an independent provider of credit ratings, research and analytics, offering investors and other market participants information, ratings and benchmarks. • Market Intelligence is a global provider of multi-asset-class data, research and analytical capabilities, which integrate cross-asset analytics and desktop services. • Platts is the leading independent provider of information and benchmark prices for the commodity and energy markets. We completed the sale of J.D. Power on September 7, 2016, with the results included in Platts results through that date. • Indices is a global index provider that maintains a wide variety of valuation and index benchmarks for investment advisors, wealth managers and institutional investors.
Adoption of ASC 606, 'Revenue from Contracts with Customers'	Adoption of ASC 606, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” We adopted ASC 606 "Revenue from Contracts with Customers" using the modified retrospective transition method applied to our revenue contracts with customers as of January 1, 2018. Results for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2018 are presented under ASC 606, while prior year amounts are not adjusted and continue to be reported in accordance with our historic accounting under ASC 605 "Revenue Recognition". We recorded a net increase to opening retained earnings of $35 million as of January 1, 2018 due to the cumulative effect of adopting ASC 606, with the impact primarily related to our treatment of costs to obtain a contract and to a lesser extent, changes to the timing of the recognition of our subscription and non-transaction revenues. We recognized incremental revenue of $6 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 as a result of the adoption of this standard. Under ASC 606, revenue is recognized when a customer obtains control of promised goods or services in an amount that reflects the consideration the entity expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. Under ASC 605, revenue was recognized as it was earned and when services were rendered. The following table presents our revenue disaggregated by revenue type for the years ended December 31 : (in millions) Ratings Market Intelligence Platts Indices Corporate Intersegment Elimination 1 Total 2018 Subscription $ — $ 1,773 $ 750 $ 144 $ 15 $ — $ 2,682 Non-transaction 1,506 — — — — (125 ) 1,381 Non-subscription / Transaction 1,377 40 11 — — — 1,428 Asset-linked fees — 20 — 522 — — 542 Sales usage-based royalties — — 54 171 — — 225 Total revenue $ 2,883 $ 1,833 $ 815 $ 837 $ 15 $ (125 ) $ 6,258 Timing of revenue recognition Services transferred at a point in time $ 1,377 $ 40 $ 11 $ — $ — $ — $ 1,428 Services transferred over time 1,506 1,793 804 837 15 (125 ) 4,830 Total revenue $ 2,883 $ 1,833 $ 815 $ 837 $ 15 $ (125 ) $ 6,258 (in millions) Ratings Market Intelligence Platts Indices Corporate Intersegment Elimination 1 Total 2017 2 Subscription $ — $ 1,614 $ 704 $ 136 $ — $ — $ 2,454 Non-transaction 1,448 — — — — (110 ) 1,338 Non-subscription / Transaction 1,540 46 $ 13 — — — 1,599 Asset-linked fees — 23 — 461 — — 484 Sales usage-based royalties — — 57 131 — — 188 Total revenue $ 2,988 $ 1,683 $ 774 $ 728 $ — $ (110 ) $ 6,063 Timing of revenue recognition Services transferred at a point in time $ 1,540 $ 46 $ 13 $ — $ — $ — $ 1,599 Services transferred over time 1,448 1,637 761 728 — (110 ) 4,464 Total revenue $ 2,988 $ 1,683 $ 774 $ 728 $ — $ (110 ) $ 6,063 (in millions) Ratings Market Intelligence Platts Indices Corporate Intersegment Elimination 1 Total 2016 2 Subscription $ — $ 1,543 $ 689 $ 132 $ — $ — $ 2,364 Non-transaction 1,357 — — — — (98 ) 1,259 Non-subscription / Transaction 1,178 99 183 — — — 1,460 Asset-linked fees — 19 — 381 — — 400 Sales usage-based royalties — — 53 125 — — 178 Total revenue $ 2,535 $ 1,661 $ 925 $ 638 $ — $ (98 ) $ 5,661 Timing of revenue recognition Services transferred at a point in time $ 1,178 $ 99 $ 183 $ — $ — $ — $ 1,460 Services transferred over time 1,357 1,562 742 638 — (98 ) 4,201 Total revenue $ 2,535 $ 1,661 $ 925 $ 638 $ — $ (98 ) $ 5,661 1 Intersegment eliminations mainly consists of a royalty charged to Market Intelligence for the rights to use and distribute content and data developed by Ratings. 2 As noted above, amounts for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 were not adjusted under the modified retrospective transition method applied to our revenue contracts with customers as of January 1, 2018. Subscription revenue Subscription revenue at Market Intelligence is primarily derived from distribution of data, analytics, third party research, and credit ratings-related information primarily through web-based channels including Market Intelligence Desktop, RatingsDirect®, RatingsXpress®, and Credit Analytics. Subscription revenue at Platts is generated by providing customers access to commodity and energy-related price assessments, market data, and real-time news, along with other information services. Subscription revenue at Indices is derived from the contracts for underlying data of our indexes to support our customers' management of index funds, portfolio analytics, and research. For subscription products and services, we generally provide continuous access to dynamic data sets and analytics for a defined period, with revenue recognized ratably as our performance obligation to provide access to our data and analytics is progressively fulfilled over the stated term of the contract. Non-transaction revenue Non-transaction revenue at Ratings is primarily related to surveillance of a credit rating, annual fees for customer relationship-based pricing programs, fees for entity credit ratings and global research and analytics. Non-transaction revenue also includes an intersegment revenue elimination of $125 million , $110 million and $98 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 , 2017 , and 2016 respectively, mainly consisting of the royalty charged to Market Intelligence for the rights to use and distribute content and data developed by Ratings. For non-transaction revenue related to Rating’s surveillance services, we continuously monitor factors that impact the creditworthiness of an issuer over the contractual term with revenue recognized to the extent that our performance obligation is progressively fulfilled over the term contract. Because surveillance services are continuously provided throughout the term of the contract, our measure of progress towards fulfillment of our obligation to monitor a rating is a time-based output measure with revenue recognized ratably over the term of the contract. Non-subscription / Transaction revenue Transaction revenue at our Ratings segment primarily includes fees associated with: • ratings related to new issuance of corporate and government debt instruments; and structured finance instruments; • bank loan ratings; and • corporate credit estimates, which are intended, based on an abbreviated analysis, to provide an indication of our opinion regarding creditworthiness of a company which does not currently have a Ratings credit rating. Transaction revenue is recognized at the point in time when our performance obligation is satisfied by issuing a rating on our customer's instruments, our customer's creditworthiness, or a counter-party's creditworthiness and when we have a right to payment and the customer can benefit from the significant risks and rewards of ownership. Non-subscription revenue at Market Intelligence is primarily related to certain advisory, pricing and analytical services. Non-subscription revenue at Platts is primarily related to conference sponsorship, consulting engagements and events. Asset-linked fees Asset-linked fees at Indices and Market Intelligence are primarily related to royalties payments based on the value of assets under management in our customers exchange-traded funds and mutual funds. For asset-linked products and services, we provide licenses conveying continuous access to our index and benchmark-related intellectual property during a specified contract term. Revenue is recognized when the extent that our customers have used our licensed intellectual property can be quantified. Recognition of revenue for our asset-linked fee arrangements is subject to the "recognition constraint" for usage-based royalty payments because we cannot reasonably predict the value of the assets that will be invested in index funds structured using our intellectual property until it is either publicly available or when we are notified by our customers. Revenue derived from an asset-linked fee arrangement is measured and recognized when the certainty of the extent of its utilization of our index products by our customers is known. Sales usage-based royalties Sales usage-based royalty revenue at our Indices segment is primarily related to trading based fees from exchange-traded derivatives. Sales and usage-based royalty revenue at our Platts segment is primarily related to licensing of its proprietary market price data and price assessments to commodity exchanges. For sales usage-based royalty products and services, we provide licenses conveying the right to continuous access to our intellectual property over the contract term, with revenue recognized when the extent of our license’s utilization can be quantified, or more specifically, when trading volumes are known and publicly available to us or when we are notified by our customers. Recognition of revenue of fees tied to trading volumes is subject to the recognition constraint for a usage-based royalty promised by our customers in exchange for the license of our intellectual property, with revenue recognized when trading volumes are known. Arrangements with Multiple Performance Obligations Our contracts with customers may include multiple performance obligations. Revenue relating to agreements that provide for more than one performance obligation is recognized based upon the relative fair value to the customer of each service component as each component is earned. The fair value of the service components are determined using an analysis that considers cash consideration that would be received for instances when the service components are sold separately. If the fair value to the customer for each service is not objectively determinable, we make our best estimate of the services’ stand-alone selling price and record revenue as it is earned over the service period. Receivables We record a receivable when a customer is billed or when revenue is recognized prior to billing a customer. For multi-year agreements, we generally invoice customers annually at the beginning of each annual period. The opening balance of accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts, was $1,319 million as of January 1, 2018. Contract Assets Contract assets include unbilled amounts from when the Company transfers service to a customer before a customer pays consideration or before payment is due. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017 , contract assets were $26 million and $17 million , respectively, and are included in accounts receivable in our consolidated balance sheets. Unearned Revenue We record unearned revenue when cash payments are received or due in advance of our performance. The increase in the unearned revenue balance for the year ended December 31, 2018 is primarily driven by cash payments received or due in advance of satisfying our performance obligations, offset by $1.5 billion of revenues recognized that were included in the unearned revenue balance at the beginning of the period. Remaining Performance Obligations Remaining performance obligations represent the transaction price of contracts for work that has not yet been performed. As of December 31, 2018 , the aggregate amount of the transaction price allocated to remaining performance obligations was $1.4 billion . We expect to recognize revenue on approximately half and three-quarters of the remaining performance obligations over the next 12 and 24 months, respectively, with the remainder recognized thereafter. We do not disclose the value of unfulfilled performance obligations for (i) contracts with an original expected length of one year or less and (ii) contracts where revenue is a usage-based royalty promised in exchange for a license of intellectual property. Costs to Obtain a Contract We recognize an asset for the incremental costs of obtaining a contract with a customer if we expect the benefit of those costs to be longer than one year. We have determined that certain sales commission programs meet the requirements to be capitalized. Total capitalized costs to obtain a contract were $101 million as of December 31, 2018 , and are included in prepaid and other current assets and other non-current assets on our consolidated balance sheets. The asset will be amortized over a period consistent with the transfer to the customer of the goods or services to which the asset relates, calculated based on the customer term and the average life of the products and services underlying the contracts. The expense is recorded within selling and general expenses. We expense sales commissions when incurred if the amortization period would have been one year or less. These costs are recorded within selling and general expenses. Presentation of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost During the first quarter of 2018, we adopted new accounting guidance requiring that net periodic benefit cost for our retirement and postretirement plans other than the service cost component be included outside of operating profit; these costs are included in other income, net in our consolidated statements of income.
Assets and Liabilities Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations	Assets and Liabilities Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations Assets and Liabilities Held for Sale We classify a disposal group to be sold as held for sale in the period in which all of the following criteria are met: management, having the authority to approve the action, commits to a plan to sell the disposal group; the disposal group is available for immediate sale in its present condition subject only to terms that are usual and customary for sales of such disposal group; an active program to locate a buyer and other actions required to complete the plan to sell the disposal group have been initiated; the sale of the disposal group is probable, and transfer of the disposal group is expected to qualify for recognition as a completed sale within one year, except if events or circumstances beyond our control extend the period of time required to sell the disposal group beyond one year; the disposal group is being actively marketed for sale at a price that is reasonable in relation to its current fair value; and actions required to complete the plan indicate that it is unlikely that significant changes to the plan will be made or that the plan will be withdrawn. A disposal group that is classified as held for sale is initially measured at the lower of its carrying value or fair value less any costs to sell. Any loss resulting from this measurement is recognized in the period in which the held for sale criteria are met. Conversely, gains are not recognized on the sale of a disposal group until the date of sale. The fair value of a disposal group less any costs to sell is assessed each reporting period it remains classified as held for sale and any subsequent changes are reported as an adjustment to the carrying value of the disposal group, as long as the new carrying value does not exceed the carrying value of the disposal group at the time it was initially classified as held for sale. Upon determining that a disposal group meets the criteria to be classified as held for sale, the Company reports the assets and liabilities of the disposal group as held for sale in the current period in our consolidated balance sheets. Discontinued Operations In determining whether a disposal of a component of an entity or a group of components of an entity is required to be presented as a discontinued operation, we make a determination whether the disposal represents a strategic shift that had, or will have, a major effect on our operations and financial results. A component of an entity comprises o perations and cash flows that can be clearly distinguished both operationally and for financial reporting purposes. If we conclude that the disposal represents a strategic shift, then the results of operations of the group of assets being disposed of (as well as any gain or loss on the disposal transaction) are aggregated for separate presentation apart from our continuing operating results in the consolidated financial statements.
Principles of consolidation	Principles of consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of all subsidiaries and our share of earnings or losses of joint ventures and affiliated companies under the equity method of accounting. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.
Use of estimates	Use of estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Cash and cash equivalents	Cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents include ordinary bank deposits and highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less that consist primarily of money market funds with unrestricted daily liquidity and fixed term time deposits. Such investments and bank deposits are stated at cost, which approximates market value, and were $1.9 billion and $2.8 billion as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 , respectively. These investments are not subject to significant market risk.
Restricted cash	Restricted cash Cash that is subject to legal restrictions or is unavailable for general operating purposes is classified as restricted cash.
Short-term investments	Short-term investments Short-term investments are securities with original maturities greater than 90 days that are available for use in our operations in the next twelve months. The short-term investments, primarily consisting of certificates of deposit and mutual funds, are classified as held-to-maturity and therefore are carried at cost. Interest and dividends are recorded in income when earned.
Accounts receivable	Accounts receivable Credit is extended to customers based upon an evaluation of the customer’s financial condition. Accounts receivable, which include billings consistent with terms of contractual arrangements, are recorded at net realizable value.
Allowance for doubtful accounts	Allowance for doubtful accounts The allowance for doubtful accounts reserve methodology is based on historical analysis, a review of outstanding balances and current conditions. In determining these reserves, we consider, amongst other factors, the financial condition and risk profile of our customers, areas of specific or concentrated risk as well as applicable industry trends or market indicators.
Capitalized technology costs	Capitalized technology costs We capitalize certain software development and website implementation costs. Capitalized costs only include incremental, direct costs of materials and services incurred to develop the software after the preliminary project stage is completed, funding has been committed and it is probable that the project will be completed and used to perform the function intended. Incremental costs are expenditures that are out-of-pocket to us and are not part of an allocation or existing expense base. Software development and website implementation costs are expensed as incurred during the preliminary project stage. Capitalized costs are amortized from the year the software is ready for its intended use over its estimated useful life, three to seven years, using the straight-line method. Periodically, we evaluate the amortization methods, remaining lives and recoverability of such costs. Capitalized software development and website implementation costs are included in other non-current assets and are presented net of accumulated amortization.
Fair Value	Fair Value Certain assets and liabilities are required to be recorded at fair value and classified within a fair value hierarchy based on inputs used when measuring fair value. We have forward exchange contracts that are adjusted to fair value on a recurring basis. Other financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments, are recorded at cost, which approximates fair value because of the short-term maturity and highly liquid nature of these instruments.
Accounting for the impairment of long-lived assets (including other intangible assets)	Accounting for the impairment of long-lived assets (including other intangible assets) We evaluate long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Upon such an occurrence, recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by comparing the carrying amount of an asset to current forecasts of undiscounted future net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the carrying amount of the asset exceeds its estimated future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized equal to the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds the fair value of the asset. For long-lived assets held for sale, assets are written down to fair value, less cost to sell. Fair value is determined based on market evidence, discounted cash flows, appraised values or management’s estimates, depending upon the nature of the assets.
Goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets	Goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets Goodwill represents the excess of purchase price and related costs over the value assigned to the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets of businesses acquired. Goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite lives are not amortized, but instead are tested for impairment annually during the fourth quarter each year, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired. We have four reporting units with goodwill that are evaluated for impairment. We initially perform a qualitative analysis evaluating whether any events and circumstances occurred or exist that provide evidence that it is more likely than not that the fair value of any of our reporting units is less than its carrying amount. If, based on our evaluation we do not believe that it is more likely than not that the fair value of any of our reporting units is less than its carrying amount, no quantitative impairment test is performed. Conversely, if the results of our qualitative assessment determine that it is more likely than not that the fair value of any of our reporting units is less than their respective carrying amounts we perform a two-step quantitative impairment test. When conducting the first step of our two step impairment test to evaluate the recoverability of goodwill at the reporting unit level, the estimated fair value of the reporting unit is compared to its carrying value including goodwill. Fair value of the reporting units are estimated using the income approach, which incorporates the use of the discounted free cash flow (“DCF”) analyses and are corroborated using the market approach, which incorporates the use of revenue and earnings multiples based on market data. The DCF analyses are based on the current operating budgets and estimated long-term growth projections for each reporting unit. Future cash flows are discounted based on a market comparable weighted average cost of capital rate for each reporting unit, adjusted for market and other risks where appropriate. In addition, we analyze any difference between the sum of the fair values of the reporting units and our total market capitalization for reasonableness, taking into account certain factors including control premiums. If the fair value of the reporting unit is less than the carrying value, a second step is performed which compares the implied fair value of the reporting unit’s goodwill to the carrying value of the goodwill. The fair value of the goodwill is determined based on the difference between the fair value of the reporting unit and the net fair value of the identifiable assets and liabilities of the reporting unit. If the implied fair value of the goodwill is less than the carrying value, the difference is recognized as an impairment charge. We evaluate the recoverability of indefinite-lived intangible assets by first performing a qualitative analysis evaluating whether any events and circumstances occurred that provide evidence that it is more likely than not that the indefinite-lived asset is impaired. If, based on our evaluation of the events and circumstances that occurred during the year we do not believe that it is more likely than not that the indefinite-lived asset is impaired, no quantitative impairment test is performed. Conversely, if the results of our qualitative assessment determine that it is more likely than not that the indefinite-lived asset is impaired, a quantitative impairment test is performed. If necessary, the impairment test is performed by comparing the estimated fair value of the intangible asset to its carrying value. If the indefinite-lived intangible asset carrying value exceeds its fair value, an impairment analysis is performed using the income approach. An impairment charge is recognized in an amount equal to that excess. Significant judgments inherent in these analyses include estimating the amount and timing of future cash flows and the selection of appropriate discount rates, royalty rates and long-term growth rate assumptions. Changes in these estimates and assumptions could materially affect the determination of fair value for each reporting unit and indefinite-lived intangible asset and could result in an impairment charge, which could be material to our financial position and results of operations.
Foreign currency translation	Foreign currency translation We have operations in many foreign countries. For most international operations, the local currency is the functional currency. For international operations that are determined to be extensions of the parent company, the United States ("U.S.") dollar is the functional currency. For local currency operations, assets and liabilities are translated into U.S. dollars using end of period exchange rates, and revenue and expenses are translated into U.S. dollars using weighted-average exchange rates. Foreign currency translation adjustments are accumulated in a separate component of equity.
Depreciation	Depreciation The costs of property and equipment are depreciated using the straight-line method based upon the following estimated useful lives: buildings and improvements from 15 to 40 years and equipment and furniture from 2 to 10 years . The costs of leasehold improvements are amortized over the lesser of the useful lives or the terms of the respective leases.
Advertising expense	Advertising expense The cost of advertising is expensed as incurred.
Stock-based compensation	Stock-based compensation Stock-based compensation expense is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is recognized over the requisite service period, which typically is the vesting period. Stock-based compensation is classified as both operating-related expense and selling and general expense in the consolidated statements of income.
Income taxes	Income taxes Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to be applied to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. We recognize liabilities for uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in income tax returns. Accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are recognized in interest expense and operating expense, respectively. Judgment is required in determining our provision for income taxes, deferred tax assets and liabilities and unrecognized tax benefits. In determining the need for a valuation allowance, the historical and projected financial performance of the operation that is recording a net deferred tax asset is considered along with any other pertinent information. We file income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, various states, and foreign jurisdictions, and we are routinely under audit by many different tax authorities. We believe that our accrual for tax liabilities is adequate for all open audit years based on our assessment of many factors including past experience and interpretations of tax law. This assessment relies on estimates and assumptions and may involve a series of complex judgments about future events. It is possible that examinations will be settled prior to December 31, 2019 . If any of these tax audit settlements do occur within that period we would make any necessary adjustments to the accrual for unrecognized tax benefits.
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest	Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest The agreement with the minority partners of our S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC joint venture established in June of 2012 contains redemption features whereby interests held by our minority partners are redeemable either (i) at the option of the holder or (ii) upon the occurrence of an event that is not solely within our control. Since redemption of the noncontrolling interest is outside of our control, this interest is presented on our consolidated balance sheets under the caption “Redeemable noncontrolling interest.” If the interest were to be redeemed, we would be required to purchase all of such interest at fair value on the date of redemption. We adjust the redeemable noncontrolling interest each reporting period to its estimated redemption value, but never less than its initial fair value, using a combination of an income and market valuation approach. Our income and market valuation approaches may incorporate Level 3 measures for instances when observable inputs are not available, including assumptions related to expected future net cash flows, long-term growth rates, the timing and nature of tax attributes, and the redemption features. Any adjustments to the redemption value will impact retained income.
Contingencies	Contingencies We accrue for loss contingencies when both (a) information available prior to issuance of the consolidated financial statements indicates that it is probable that a liability had been incurred at the date of the financial statements and (b) the amount of loss can reasonably be estimated. We continually assess the likelihood of any adverse judgments or outcomes to our contingencies, as well as potential amounts or ranges of probable losses, and recognize a liability, if any, for these contingencies based on an analysis of each matter with the assistance of outside legal counsel and, if applicable, other experts. Because many of these matters are resolved over long periods of time, our estimate of liabilities may change due to new developments, changes in assumptions or changes in our strategy related to the matter. When we accrue for loss contingencies and the reasonable estimate of the loss is within a range, we record our best estimate within the range. We disclose an estimated possible loss or a range of loss when it is at least reasonably possible that a loss may be incurred.
Recent accounting standards	Recent Accounting Standards In November of 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued guidance that provides clarification on whether certain transactions between collaborative arrangement participants should be accounted for revenue with ASC 606. The guidance is effective for reporting periods after December 15, 2019; however early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on our consolidated financial statements. In August of 2018, the FASB issued guidance to align the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. The guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019; however, early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of this guidance on our consolidated financial statements. In February of 2018, the FASB issued guidance which allows companies to reclassify certain stranded income tax effects resulting from the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings. The guidance is effective for reporting periods after December 15, 2018; however early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on our consolidated financial statements. In August of 2017, the FASB issued guidance to enhance the hedge accounting model for both nonfinancial and financial risk components, which includes amendments to address certain aspects of recognition and presentation disclosure. In October of 2018, the FASB issued a subsequent update that permits the inclusion of the Secured Overnight Financing Rate Overnight Index Swap rate as a benchmark interest rate for hedge accounting purposes. The guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018. We do not expect this guidance to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements. In May of 2017, the FASB issued guidance that provides clarification on when modification accounting should be used for changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award. This guidance does not change the accounting for modifications but clarifies when modification accounting guidance should be applied. Under the new guidance, an entity should apply modification accounting in response to a change in the terms and conditions of an entity's share-based payment awards unless three newly specified criteria are met. The guidance was effective on January 1, 2018, and the adoption of this guidance did not have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements. In March of 2017, the FASB issued guidance to enhance the presentation of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost. The guidance requires employers to report the service cost component in the same line item or items as other compensation costs arising from services rendered by the pertinent employees during the period, and requires the other components of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost to be presented in the income statement separately from the service cost component outside a subtotal of income from operations. Additionally, only the service cost component is eligible for capitalization. We adopted the guidance on January 1, 2018. The change in capitalization requirement did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. As a result of the adoption of the guidance, net periodic benefit cost for our retirement and post retirement plans other than the service cost component are included in other income, net in our consolidated statements of income. See Note 7 – Employee Benefits for additional information related to our retirement and postretirement plans. In January of 2017, the FASB issued guidance that simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill and eliminates Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Under the new guidance, an entity should perform its annual, or interim, goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. An entity should recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit's fair value; however, the loss recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. Additionally, an entity should consider income tax effects from any tax deductible goodwill on the carrying amount of the reporting unit when measuring the goodwill impairment loss, if applicable. The guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019; however, early adoption is permitted. We do not expect this guidance to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements. In January of 2017, the FASB issued guidance that clarifies the definition of a business with the objective of adding guidance to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. The guidance was effective on January 1, 2018, and the adoption of this guidance did not have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements. In November of 2016, the FASB issued guidance requiring that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. We adopted this guidance on January 1, 2018. The adoption of this guidance did not have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements. In August of 2016, the FASB issued guidance providing amendments to eight specific statement of cash flows classification issues. The guidance was effective on January 1, 2018, and the adoption of this guidance did not have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements. In February of 2016, the FASB issued guidance that amends accounting for leases. Under the new guidance, a lessee will recognize a "right of use" asset with an offsetting lease liability, with expenses recognized similar to current lease accounting. The guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. In July of 2018, the FASB issued a subsequent update providing entities an additional transition method to adopt the new lease standard, allowing entities to adopt the standard prospectively without restating prior period's financial statements. We have elected this transition method upon adoption on January 1, 2019. We have also elected to apply the "package" of practical expedients permitting entities to forgo reassessment of (1) the lease classification of expired or existing leases, (2) whether any expired or existing contracts contain leases, and (3) the accounting for initial direct costs of existing leases. Based on our preliminary analysis, we anticipate that following the adoption of the new standard, the Company will recognize a lease liability of approximately $700 million with an offsetting right of use asset with no impact on our consolidated statements of income or cash flows. As part of our implementation process, we have refined our processes, procedures, and controls to capture the complete population of our leases that incorporates a third party software solution that will report both the initial and ongoing financial statement impact of the new standard. In January of 2016, the FASB issued guidance to enhance the reporting model for financial instruments, which includes amendments to address certain aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure. We adopted this guidance on January 1, 2018. We recorded a reduction to opening retained earnings and an increase to accumulated other comprehensive income of $10 million as of January 1, 2018 due to the adoption of this guidance. The adoption of this guidance did not have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements. In May of 2014, the FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”) issued jointly a converged standard on the recognition of revenue from contracts with customers, which is intended to improve the financial reporting of revenue and comparability of the top line in financial statements globally. The core principle of the new standard is for the recognition of revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in amounts that reflect the payment to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The new standard also results in enhanced revenue disclosures, provides guidance for transactions that were not previously addressed comprehensively and improve guidance for multiple-element arrangements. We adopted the new revenue standard effective January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective transition method.
Reclassification	Reclassification Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified for comparability purposes.

Accounting Policies (Tables)

Accounting Policies (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Schedule of Disaggregation of Revenue	The following table presents our revenue disaggregated by revenue type for the years ended December 31 : (in millions) Ratings Market Intelligence Platts Indices Corporate Intersegment Elimination 1 Total 2018 Subscription $ — $ 1,773 $ 750 $ 144 $ 15 $ — $ 2,682 Non-transaction 1,506 — — — — (125 ) 1,381 Non-subscription / Transaction 1,377 40 11 — — — 1,428 Asset-linked fees — 20 — 522 — — 542 Sales usage-based royalties — — 54 171 — — 225 Total revenue $ 2,883 $ 1,833 $ 815 $ 837 $ 15 $ (125 ) $ 6,258 Timing of revenue recognition Services transferred at a point in time $ 1,377 $ 40 $ 11 $ — $ — $ — $ 1,428 Services transferred over time 1,506 1,793 804 837 15 (125 ) 4,830 Total revenue $ 2,883 $ 1,833 $ 815 $ 837 $ 15 $ (125 ) $ 6,258 (in millions) Ratings Market Intelligence Platts Indices Corporate Intersegment Elimination 1 Total 2017 2 Subscription $ — $ 1,614 $ 704 $ 136 $ — $ — $ 2,454 Non-transaction 1,448 — — — — (110 ) 1,338 Non-subscription / Transaction 1,540 46 $ 13 — — — 1,599 Asset-linked fees — 23 — 461 — — 484 Sales usage-based royalties — — 57 131 — — 188 Total revenue $ 2,988 $ 1,683 $ 774 $ 728 $ — $ (110 ) $ 6,063 Timing of revenue recognition Services transferred at a point in time $ 1,540 $ 46 $ 13 $ — $ — $ — $ 1,599 Services transferred over time 1,448 1,637 761 728 — (110 ) 4,464 Total revenue $ 2,988 $ 1,683 $ 774 $ 728 $ — $ (110 ) $ 6,063 (in millions) Ratings Market Intelligence Platts Indices Corporate Intersegment Elimination 1 Total 2016 2 Subscription $ — $ 1,543 $ 689 $ 132 $ — $ — $ 2,364 Non-transaction 1,357 — — — — (98 ) 1,259 Non-subscription / Transaction 1,178 99 183 — — — 1,460 Asset-linked fees — 19 — 381 — — 400 Sales usage-based royalties — — 53 125 — — 178 Total revenue $ 2,535 $ 1,661 $ 925 $ 638 $ — $ (98 ) $ 5,661 Timing of revenue recognition Services transferred at a point in time $ 1,178 $ 99 $ 183 $ — $ — $ — $ 1,460 Services transferred over time 1,357 1,562 742 638 — (98 ) 4,201 Total revenue $ 2,535 $ 1,661 $ 925 $ 638 $ — $ (98 ) $ 5,661 1 Intersegment eliminations mainly consists of a royalty charged to Market Intelligence for the rights to use and distribute content and data developed by Ratings. 2 As noted above, amounts for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 were not adjusted under the modified retrospective transition method applied to our revenue contracts with customers as of January 1, 2018.
Schedule of Components of Other Income, Net	The components of other income, net for the year ended December 31 are as follows: (in millions) 2018 2017 2016 Other components of net periodic benefit cost $ (30 ) $ (27 ) $ (28 ) Net loss from investments 5 — — Other income, net $ (25 ) $ (27 ) $ (28 )
Schedule of Assumptions Used in Valuing the Options Granted	We use a lattice-based option-pricing model to estimate the fair value of options granted. The following assumptions were used in valuing the options granted: Year Ended December 31, 2018 Risk-free average interest rate 2.6 - 2.7% Dividend yield 1.1 % Volatility 21.8 - 22.0% Expected life (years) 5.67 - 6.07 Weighted-average grant-date fair value per option $ 112.98 We use a lattice-based option-pricing model to estimate the fair value of options granted. The following assumptions were used in valuing the options granted: Year Ended December 31, 2018 Risk-free average interest rate 2.6 - 2.7% Dividend yield 1.1 % Volatility 21.8 - 22.0% Expected life (years) 5.67 - 6.07 Weighted-average grant-date fair value per option $ 112.98

Acquisitions and Divestitures (

Acquisitions and Divestitures (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Schedule of Liabilities Assumed in Conjunction with Acquisition of Businesses	Liabilities assumed in conjunction with our acquisitions are as follows: (in millions) Year ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Fair value of assets acquired $ 857 $ 83 $ 253 Cash and stock consideration (net of cash acquired) 803 83 211 Liabilities assumed $ 54 $ — $ 42
Schedule of Key Components of Disposal Groups	The operating profit of our businesses that were disposed of or held for sale for the years ending December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016 is as follows: (in millions) Year ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Operating profit 1 $ — $ — $ 62 1 The year ended December 31, 2016 excludes a pre-tax gain of $1.1 billion on our dispositions.

Goodwill and Other Intangible_2

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Change in Carrying Amount of Goodwill	The change in the carrying amount of goodwill by segment is shown below: (in millions) Ratings Market Intelligence Platts Indices Corporate Total Balance as of December 31, 2016 $ 109 $ 1,960 $ 497 $ 383 $ — $ 2,949 Other 1 5 1 26 8 — 40 Balance as of December 31, 2017 114 1,961 523 391 — 2,989 Acquisitions 5 62 — — 498 565 Other 1 (6 ) 6 (7 ) (12 ) — (19 ) Balance as of December 31, 2018 $ 113 $ 2,029 $ 516 $ 379 $ 498 $ 3,535 1 Primarily relates to the impact of foreign exchange and valuation adjustments for prior period acquisitions. 2017 includes adjustments related to PIRA, Trucost, RigData and Commodity Flow. 2018 includes adjustments related to Trucost.
Schedule of Other Intangible Assets	The following table summarizes our definite-lived intangible assets: (in millions) Cost Databases and software Content Customer relationships Tradenames Other intangibles Total Balance as of December 31, 2016 $ 506 $ 139 $ 330 $ 45 $ 163 $ 1,183 Dispositions (4 ) — (2 ) — — (6 ) Other 1 52 — 19 5 (86 ) (10 ) Balance as of December 31, 2017 554 139 347 50 77 1,167 Acquisitions 3 — — — 123 126 Other (primarily Fx) 4 — (1 ) — (6 ) (3 ) Balance as of December 31, 2018 $ 561 $ 139 $ 346 $ 50 $ 194 $ 1,290 Accumulated amortization Balance as of December 31, 2016 $ 132 $ 87 $ 84 $ 36 $ 52 $ 391 Current year amortization 52 14 22 4 6 98 Dispositions (3 ) — (2 ) — (1 ) (6 ) Reclassifications 2 — 1 1 (4 ) — Other (primarily Fx) 4 — 1 1 4 10 Balance as of December 31, 2017 187 101 106 42 57 493 Current year amortization 52 14 21 3 32 122 Reclassifications 1 — — (1 ) — Other (primarily Fx) — — (1 ) — (2 ) (3 ) Balance as of December 31, 2018 $ 240 $ 115 $ 126 $ 45 $ 86 $ 612 Net definite-lived intangibles: December 31, 2017 $ 367 $ 38 $ 241 $ 8 $ 20 $ 674 December 31, 2018 $ 321 $ 24 $ 220 $ 5 $ 108 $ 678 1 Primarily relates to the impact of foreign exchange and valuation adjustments for prior period acquisitions. 2017 includes adjustments related to PIRA, Trucost, RigData and Commodity Flow.
Schedule of Projected Amortization Expense for Intangible Assets	Expected amortization expense for intangible assets over the next five years for the years ended December 31, assuming no further acquisitions or dispositions, is as follows: (in millions) 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Amortization expense $ 122 $ 114 $ 83 $ 74 $ 70

Taxes on Income (Tables)

Taxes on Income (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Income Before Taxes from Domestic and Foreign Operations	Income before taxes on income resulting from domestic and foreign operations is as follows: (in millions) Year Ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Domestic operations $ 1,857 $ 1,723 $ 2,585 Foreign operations 824 738 603 Total income before taxes $ 2,681 $ 2,461 $ 3,188
Schedule of Provision for Taxes on Income	The provision for taxes on income consists of the following: (in millions) Year Ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Federal: Current $ 183 $ 489 $ 641 Deferred 68 63 79 Total federal 251 552 720 Foreign: Current 214 194 133 Deferred (2 ) (3 ) (4 ) Total foreign 212 191 129 State and local: Current 81 73 99 Deferred 16 7 12 Total state and local 97 80 111 Total provision for taxes $ 560 $ 823 $ 960
Schedule of Reconciliation of Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate to Effective Income Tax Rate	A reconciliation of the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate to our effective income tax rate for financial reporting purposes is as follows: Year Ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 U.S. federal statutory income tax rate 21.0 % 35.0 % 35.0 % State and local income taxes 2.8 2.5 2.7 Divestitures — — (4.3 ) Foreign operations 0.2 (3.9 ) (2.0 ) TCJA Transition Tax (0.3 ) 6.0 — Stock-based compensation (1.2 ) (2.7 ) — S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC joint venture (1.2 ) (1.8 ) (1.2 ) Tax credits and incentives (1.7 ) (2.1 ) (1.6 ) Other, net 1.3 0.4 1.5 Effective income tax rate 20.9 % 33.4 % 30.1 %
Schedule of Differences Between the Accounting for Income and Expenses for Financial Reporting and Income Tax	The principal temporary differences between the accounting for income and expenses for financial reporting and income tax purposes are as follows: (in millions) December 31, 2018 2017 Deferred tax assets: Legal and regulatory settlements $ 2 $ 27 Employee compensation 57 50 Accrued expenses 36 47 Postretirement benefits 48 34 Unearned revenue 11 26 Allowance for doubtful accounts 8 8 Loss carryforwards 155 135 Other 24 45 Total deferred tax assets 341 372 Deferred tax liabilities: Goodwill and intangible assets (295 ) (249 ) Fixed assets — (4 ) Total deferred tax liabilities (295 ) (253 ) Net deferred income tax asset before valuation allowance 46 119 Valuation allowance (156 ) (127 ) Net deferred income tax (liability) asset $ (110 ) $ (8 ) Reported as: Non-current deferred tax assets $ 52 $ 59 Non-current deferred tax liabilities (162 ) (67 ) Net deferred income tax (liability) asset $ (110 ) $ (8 )
Schedule of Reconciliation of Beginning and Ending Amount of Unrecognized Tax Benefits	A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows: (in millions) Year ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Balance at beginning of year $ 212 $ 221 $ 162 Additions based on tax positions related to the current year 19 23 48 Additions for tax positions of prior years 2 17 20 Reduction for tax positions of prior years (21 ) (32 ) (3 ) Reduction for settlements (65 ) (5 ) (6 ) Expiration of applicable statutes of limitations — (12 ) — Balance at end of year $ 147 $ 212 $ 221

Debt (Tables)

Debt (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Summary of Short-term and Long-term Debt Outstanding	A summary of short-term and long-term debt outstanding is as follows: (in millions) December 31, 2018 2017 2.5% Senior Notes, due 2018 1 $ — $ 399 3.3% Senior Notes, due 2020 2 698 697 4.0% Senior Notes, due 2025 3 693 692 4.4% Senior Notes, due 2026 4 892 892 2.95% Senior Notes, due 2027 5 493 493 6.55% Senior Notes, due 2037 6 396 396 4.5% Senior Notes, due 2048 7 490 — Total debt 3,662 3,569 Less: short-term debt including current maturities — 399 Long-term debt $ 3,662 $ 3,170 1 We made a $400 million early repayment of our 2.5% senior note in June of 2018. 2 Interest payments are due semiannually on February 14 and August 14, and as of December 31, 2018 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $2 million . 3 Interest payments are due semiannually on June 15 and December 15, and as of December 31, 2018 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $7 million . 4 Interest payments are due semiannually on February 15 and August 15, and as of December 31, 2018 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $8 million . 5 Interest payments are due semiannually on January 22 and July 22, and as of December 31, 2018 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $7 million . 6 Interest payments are due semiannually on May 15 and November 15, and as of December 31, 2018 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $4 million . 7 Interest payments are due semiannually on May 15 and November 15, and as of December 31, 2018 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $10 million .

Derivative Instruments (Tables)

Derivative Instruments (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Location and Fair Value Amounts of Cash Flow Hedges	The following table provides information on the location and fair value amounts of our cash flow hedges as of December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 : (in millions) December 31, December 31, Balance Sheet Location 2018 2017 Derivatives designated as cash flow hedges: Prepaid and other current assets Foreign exchange forward contracts $ 3 $ 3
Schedule of Pre-tax Gains (Losses) on Cash Flow Hedges	The following table provides information on the location and amounts of pre-tax gains (losses) on our cash flow hedges for the years ended December 31 : (in millions) Gain (Loss) Recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (effective portion) Location of Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss into Income (effective portion) Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss into Income (effective portion) Cash flow hedges - designated as hedging instruments 2018 2017 2016 2018 2017 2016 Foreign exchange forward contracts $ 2 $ — $ 3 Revenue, Selling and general expenses $ (4 ) $ 9 $ 4
Schedule of Cash Flow Hedges included in AOCI	The activity related to the change in unrealized gains (losses) in accumulated other comprehensive loss was as follows for the years ended December 31 : (in millions) Year ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Net unrealized gains (losses) on cash flow hedges, net of taxes, beginning of year $ 2 $ 2 $ (1 ) Change in fair value, net of tax (2 ) 9 7 Reclassification into earnings, net of tax 4 (9 ) (4 ) Net unrealized gains on cash flow hedges, net of taxes, end of year $ 4 $ 2 $ 2

Employee Benefits (Tables)

Employee Benefits (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]
Schedule of the Benefit Obligation, the Fair Value of Plan Assets, and the Funded Status	A summary of the benefit obligation and the fair value of plan assets, as well as the funded status for the retirement and postretirement plans as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, is as follows (benefits paid in the table below include only those amounts contributed directly to or paid directly from plan assets): (in millions) Retirement Plans Postretirement Plans 2018 2017 2018 2017 Net benefit obligation at beginning of year $ 2,329 $ 2,260 $ 49 $ 57 Service cost 3 3 — — Interest cost 71 74 1 2 Plan participants’ contributions — — 3 3 Actuarial loss (gain) (199 ) 107 (4 ) (5 ) Gross benefits paid (103 ) (110 ) (8 ) (8 ) Foreign currency effect (26 ) 38 — — Other adjustments 1 1 (43 ) (1 ) — Net benefit obligation at end of year 2,076 2,329 40 49 Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year 2,219 2,073 20 — Actual return on plan assets (113 ) 263 — — Employer contributions 9 8 1 25 Plan participants’ contributions — — 3 3 Gross benefits paid (103 ) (110 ) (8 ) (8 ) Foreign currency effect (25 ) 31 — — Other adjustments 1 — (46 ) — — Fair value of plan assets at end of year 1,987 2,219 16 20 Funded status $ (89 ) $ (110 ) $ (24 ) $ (29 ) Amounts recognized in consolidated balance sheets: Non-current assets $ 125 $ 114 $ — $ — Current liabilities (9 ) (9 ) — — Non-current liabilities (205 ) (215 ) (24 ) (29 ) $ (89 ) $ (110 ) $ (24 ) $ (29 ) Accumulated benefit obligation $ 2,066 $ 2,319 Plans with accumulated benefit obligation in excess of the fair value of plan assets: Projected benefit obligation $ 214 $ 224 Accumulated benefit obligation $ 204 $ 214 Fair value of plan assets $ — $ — Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax: Net actuarial loss (gain) $ 460 $ 451 $ (41 ) $ (37 ) Prior service credit 2 1 (14 ) (12 ) Total recognized $ 462 $ 452 $ (55 ) $ (49 ) 1 Relates to the impact of retiree annuity purchases in 2017.
Schedule of Net Periodic Benefit Cost	A summary of net periodic benefit cost for our retirement and postretirement plans for the years ended December 31, is as follows: (in millions) Retirement Plans Postretirement Plans 2018 2017 2016 2018 2017 2016 Service cost $ 3 $ 3 $ 3 $ — $ — $ — Interest cost 71 74 78 1 2 2 Expected return on assets (124 ) (126 ) (122 ) — — — Amortization of: Actuarial loss (gain) 20 18 16 (2 ) (2 ) (1 ) Prior service credit — — — (1 ) (2 ) — Other 1 4 8 — — — Net periodic benefit cost $ (26 ) $ (23 ) $ (25 ) $ (2 ) $ (2 ) $ 1 1 Represents a charge related to our U.K retirement plan.
Schedule of Other Changes in Plan Assets and Benefit Obligations Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax	Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income, net of tax for the years ended December 31, are as follows: (in millions) Retirement Plans Postretirement Plans 2018 2017 2016 2018 2017 2016 Net actuarial (gain) loss $ 28 $ (20 ) $ 60 $ (7 ) $ (3 ) $ (12 ) Recognized actuarial (gain) loss (15 ) (12 ) (10 ) 1 1 1 Prior service (credit) cost 1 — — 1 1 (8 ) Other 1 (4 ) (7 ) — — — — Total recognized $ 10 $ (39 ) $ 50 $ (5 ) $ (1 ) $ (19 ) 1 Represents a charge related to our U.K retirement plan.
Schedule of Assumptions Used	Retirement Plans Postretirement Plans 2018 2017 2016 2018 2017 2016 Benefit obligation: Discount rate 2 4.40 % 3.68 % 4.14 % 4.15 % 3.40 % 3.69 % Net periodic cost: Weighted-average healthcare cost rate 1 6.50 % 7.00 % 7.00 % Discount rate - U.S. plan 2 3.68 % 4.13 % 4.47 % 3.40 % 3.69 % 3.94 % Discount rate - U.K. plan 2 2.41 % 2.58 % 3.84 % Return on assets 3 6.00 % 6.25 % 6.25 % 1 The assumed weighted-average healthcare cost trend rate will decrease ratably from 6.5% in 2018 to 5% in 2024 and remain at that level thereafter. Assumed healthcare cost trends have an effect on the amounts reported for the healthcare plans. A one percentage point change in assumed healthcare cost trend creates the following effects: (in millions) 1% point increase 1% point decrease Effect on postretirement obligation $ — $ — 2 Effective January 1, 2018, we changed our discount rate assumption on our U.S. retirement plans to 3.68% from 4.13% in 2017 and changed our discount rate assumption on our U.K. plan to 2.41% from 2.58% in 2017 . 3 The expected return on assets assumption is calculated based on the plan’s asset allocation strategy and projected market returns over the long-term. Effective January 1, 2019, our return on assets assumption for the U.S. plan and U.K. plan remained unchanged at 6.00% .
Schedule of Information about the Expected Cash Flows for Retirement and Post-Retirement Plans and Impact of the Medicare Subsidy	Information about the expected cash flows for our retirement and postretirement plans and the impact of the Medicare subsidy is as follows: (in millions) Postretirement Plans 2 Retirement 1 Plans Gross payments Retiree contributions Medicare subsidy 3 Net payments 2019 $ 91 $ 8 $ (2 ) $ — $ 6 2020 94 7 (2 ) — 5 2021 96 6 (2 ) — 4 2022 99 6 (2 ) — 4 2023 101 5 1 — 6 2024-2028 534 19 (7 ) — 12 1 Reflects the total benefits expected to be paid from the plans or from our assets including both our share of the benefit cost and the participants’ share of the cost. 2 Reflects the total benefits expected to be paid from our assets. 3 Expected medicare subsidy amounts, for the years presented, are less than $1 million .
Schedule of Fair Value of Defined Benefit Plan Assets by Asset Class	The fair value of our defined benefit plans assets as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 , by asset class is as follows: (in millions) December 31, 2018 Total Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Cash and short-term investments $ 4 $ 4 $ — $ — Equities: U.S. indexes 1 21 21 — — U.S. growth and value 69 69 — — Fixed income: Long duration strategy 2 1,070 — 1,070 — Intermediate duration securities 35 — 35 — Agency mortgage backed securities 4 — 4 — Asset backed securities 18 — 18 — Non-agency mortgage backed securities 3 13 — 13 — International, excluding U.K. 18 — 18 — Real Estate: U.K. 4 39 — — 39 Total $ 1,291 $ 94 $ 1,158 $ 39 Collective investment funds 5 $ 696 Total $ 1,987 (in millions) December 31, 2017 Total Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Cash, short-term investments, and other $ 10 $ 10 $ — $ — Equities: U.S. indexes 1 50 50 — — U.S. growth and value 109 109 — — U.K. 5 5 — — International, excluding U.K. 45 45 — — Fixed income: Long duration strategy 2 1,076 — 1,076 — Intermediate duration securities 35 — 35 — Agency mortgage backed securities 5 — 5 — Asset backed securities 19 — 19 — Non-agency mortgage backed securities 3 15 — 15 — International, excluding U.K. 18 — 18 — Real Estate: U.K. 4 39 — — 39 Total $ 1,426 $ 219 $ 1,168 $ 39 Collective investment funds 5 $ 793 Total $ 2,219 1 Includes securities that are tracked in the S&P Smallcap 600 index. 2 Includes securities that are mainly investment grade obligations of issuers in the U.S. 3 Includes U.S. mortgage-backed securities that are not backed by the U.S. government. 4 Includes a fund which holds real estate properties in the U.K. 5 Includes the Standard & Poor's 500 Composite Stock Index, the Standard & Poor's MidCap 400 Composite Stock Index, a short-term investment fund which is a common collective trust vehicle, and other various asset classes.
Schedule of Effect of Significant Unobservable Inputs, Changes in Plan Assets	The following table details further information on our plan assets where we have used significant unobservable inputs (Level 3): (in millions) Level 3 Balance as of December 31, 2017 $ 39 Purchases — Distributions (2 ) Gain (loss) 2 Balance as of December 31, 2018 $ 39

Stock-Based Compensation (Table

Stock-Based Compensation (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Schedule of Number of Common Shares Reserved for Issuance	The number of common shares reserved for issuance are as follows: (in millions) December 31, 2018 2017 Shares available for granting under the 2002 Plan 33.3 33.8 Options outstanding 1.7 2.1 Total shares reserved for issuance 1 35.0 35.9 1 Shares reserved for issuance under the Director Deferred Stock Ownership Plan are not included in the total, but are less than 0.1 million .
Schedule of Stock-based Compensation Expense	Stock-based compensation expense and the corresponding tax benefit are as follows: (in millions) Year Ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Stock option expense $ 5 $ 3 $ 7 Restricted stock and unit awards expense 89 96 69 Total stock-based compensation expense $ 94 $ 99 $ 76 Tax benefit $ 19 $ 38 $ 29
Schedule of Assumptions Used in Valuing the Options Granted	We use a lattice-based option-pricing model to estimate the fair value of options granted. The following assumptions were used in valuing the options granted: Year Ended December 31, 2018 Risk-free average interest rate 2.6 - 2.7% Dividend yield 1.1 % Volatility 21.8 - 22.0% Expected life (years) 5.67 - 6.07 Weighted-average grant-date fair value per option $ 112.98 We use a lattice-based option-pricing model to estimate the fair value of options granted. The following assumptions were used in valuing the options granted: Year Ended December 31, 2018 Risk-free average interest rate 2.6 - 2.7% Dividend yield 1.1 % Volatility 21.8 - 22.0% Expected life (years) 5.67 - 6.07 Weighted-average grant-date fair value per option $ 112.98
Schedule of Stock Option Activity	Stock option activity is as follows: (in millions, except per award amounts) Shares Weighted average exercise price Weighted-average remaining years of contractual term Aggregate intrinsic value Options outstanding as of December 31, 2017 2.1 $ 44.09 Granted 0.2 $ 74.11 Exercised (0.6 ) $ 161.14 Forfeited and expired 1 — $ 71.68 Options outstanding as of December 31, 2018 1.7 $ 47.92 3.3 $ 202 Options exercisable as of December 31, 2018 1.6 $ 46.69 3.1 $ 195 1 There are less 0.1 million shares forfeited and expired. (in millions, except per award amounts) Shares Weighted-average grant-date fair value Nonvested options outstanding as of December 31, 2017 — $ 27.52 Granted 0.2 $ 112.98 Vested (0.1 ) $ 112.36 Forfeited 1 — $ 112.14 Nonvested options outstanding as of December 31, 2018 0.1 $ 113.02 Total unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested options $ 2 Weighted-average years to be recognized over 2.0 1 There are less than 0.1 million shares forfeited.
Schedule of Stock Option Exercises	Information regarding our stock option exercises is as follows: (in millions) Year Ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Net cash proceeds from the exercise of stock options $ 34 $ 75 $ 88 Total intrinsic value of stock option exercises $ 77 $ 118 $ 95 Income tax benefit realized from stock option exercises $ 27 $ 64 $ 41
Schedule of Restricted Stock and Unit Activity	Restricted stock and unit activity for performance and non-performance awards is as follows: (in millions, except per award amounts) Shares Weighted-average grant-date fair value Nonvested shares as of December 31, 2017 0.8 $ 124.91 Granted 1.0 $ 182.75 Vested (0.9 ) $ 167.13 Forfeited (0.1 ) $ 149.03 Nonvested shares as of December 31, 2018 0.8 $ 172.24 Total unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested awards $ 76 Weighted-average years to be recognized over 1.9 Year Ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Weighted-average grant-date fair value per award $ 182.75 $ 147.12 $ 93.01 Total fair value of restricted stock and unit awards vested $ 154 $ 147 $ 99 Tax benefit relating to restricted stock activity $ 32 $ 36 $ 26

Equity (Tables)

Equity (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Equity [Abstract]
Schedule of Dividend History	Year Ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Quarterly dividend rate $ 0.50 $ 0.41 $ 0.36 Annualized dividend rate $ 2.00 $ 1.64 $ 1.44 Dividends paid (in millions) $ 503 $ 421 $ 380
Schedule of Share Repurchases	Share repurchases were as follows: (in millions, except average price) Year Ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Total number of shares purchased 1 $ 8.4 $ 6.8 $ 9.7 Average price paid per share 2 $ 197.21 $ 147.74 $ 113.36 Total cash utilized 2 $ 1,660 $ 1,001 $ 1,097 1 2018, 2017 and 2016 includes shares received as part of our accelerated share repurchase agreements as described in more detail below. 2 In December of 2015, 0.3 million shares were repurchased for approximately $26 million , which settled in January of 2016. Cash used for financing activities only reflects those shares which settled during the year ended December 31, 2018 , 2017 and 2016 resulting in $1,660 million , $1,001 million and $1,123 million of cash used to repurchase shares, respectively.
Schedule of Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest Rollforward	Ch anges to redeemable noncontrolling interest during the year ended December 31, 2018 were as follows: (in millions) Balance as of December 31, 2017 $ 1,352 Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest 151 Distributions to noncontrolling interest (111 ) Redemption value adjustment 228 Balance as of December 31, 2018 $ 1,620
Schedule of Changes in the Components of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	The following table summarizes the changes in the components of accumulated other comprehensive loss for the year ended December 31, 2018 : (in millions) Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment Pension and Postretirement Benefit Plans 1 Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Forward Exchange Contracts 2 Unrealized Loss on Investment 3 Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Balance as of December 31, 2017 $ (239 ) $ (402 ) $ 2 (10 ) $ (649 ) Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications (100 ) (19 ) (2 ) — (121 ) Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings — 14 4 — 18 Net other comprehensive (loss) income (100 ) (5 ) 2 — (103 ) Amounts reclassified to retained income — — — 10 10 Balance as of December 31, 2018 $ (339 ) $ (407 ) $ 4 $ — $ (742 ) 1 See Note 7 — Employee Benefits for additional details of items reclassed from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings. 2 See Note 6 — Derivative Instruments for additional details of items reclassed from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings. 3 On January 1, 2018, the unrealized loss on investments was reclassified to retained income. See Note 1 - Accounting Policies for additional details.

Earnings per Share (Tables)

Earnings per Share (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Schedule of Calculation for Basic and Diluted Earnings per Share	The calculation for basic and diluted EPS is as follows: (in millions, except per share data) Year Ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Amount attributable to S&P Global Inc. common shareholders: Net income $ 1,958 $ 1,496 $ 2,106 Basic weighted-average number of common shares outstanding 250.9 256.3 262.8 Effect of stock options and other dilutive securities 2.3 2.6 2.4 Diluted weighted-average number of common shares outstanding 253.2 258.9 265.2 Earnings per share attributable to S&P Global Inc. common shareholders: Net income: Basic $ 7.80 $ 5.84 $ 8.02 Diluted $ 7.73 $ 5.78 $ 7.94

Restructuring (Tables)

Restructuring (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]
Schedule of Initial Restructuring Charge Recorded and the Ending Reserve Balance	The initial restructuring charge recorded and the ending reserve balance as of December 31, 2018 by segment is as follows: 2018 Restructuring Plan 2017 Restructuring Plan (in millions) Initial Charge Recorded Ending Reserve Balance Initial Charge Recorded Ending Reserve Balance Ratings $ 8 $ 8 $ 25 $ 7 Market Intelligence 7 7 8 1 Platts — — 1 — Indices — — — — Corporate 10 9 10 2 Total $ 25 $ 24 $ 44 $ 10

Segment and Geographic Inform_2

Segment and Geographic Information (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Schedule of Segment Information	A summary of operating results for the years ended December 31 is as follows: Revenue (in millions) 2018 2017 2016 Ratings $ 2,883 $ 2,988 $ 2,535 Market Intelligence 1,833 1,683 1,661 Platts 815 774 925 Indices 837 728 638 Corporate 15 — — Intersegment elimination 1 (125 ) (110 ) (98 ) Total revenue $ 6,258 $ 6,063 $ 5,661 Operating Profit (in millions) 2018 2017 2016 Ratings 2 $ 1,530 $ 1,517 $ 1,256 Market Intelligence 3 545 457 729 Platts 4 383 326 1,090 Indices 5 563 478 413 Total reportable segments 3,021 2,778 3,488 Corporate Unallocated 6 (231 ) (195 ) (147 ) Total operating profit $ 2,790 $ 2,583 $ 3,341 1 Revenue for Ratings and expenses for Market Intelligence include an intersegment royalty charged to Market Intelligence for the rights to use and distribute content and data developed by Ratings. 2 Operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2018 includes legal settlement expenses of $74 million and employee severance charges of $8 million . Operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2017 includes legal settlement expenses of $55 million and employee severance charges of $25 million . Operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2016 primarily includes a benefit related to net legal settlement insurance recoveries of $10 million and employee severance charges of $6 million . Additionally, operating profit includes amortization of intangibles from acquisitions of $2 million , $4 million $5 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively. 3 Operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2018 includes restructuring charges related to a business disposition and employee severance charges of $7 million . Operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2017 includes employee severance charges of $7 million , and non-cash disposition-related adjustments of $4 million . Operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2016 includes a $373 million gain from our dispositions, disposition-related costs of $43 million , a technology-related impairment charge of $24 million and an acquisition-related cost of $1 million . Additionally, operating profit includes amortization of intangibles from acquisitions of $73 million , $71 million and $72 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively. 4 Operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2017 includes non-cash acquisition-related adjustment of $11 million , a charge to exit a leased facility of $6 million , an asset write-off of $2 million , and employee severance charges of $2 million . Operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2016 includes a $728 million gain from our dispositions and disposition-related costs of $5 million . Additionally, Operating profit includes amortization of intangibles from acquisitions of $18 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 and $14 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. 5 Operating profit includes amortization of intangibles from acquisitions of $6 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively. 6 Corporate Unallocated operating loss for the year ended December 31, 2018 includes Kensho retention related expense of $31 million , lease impairments of $11 million and employee severance charges of $10 million . Corporate Unallocated operating loss for the year ended December 31, 2017 includes a charge to exit leased facilities of $19 million and employee severance charges of $10 million . The year ended December 31, 2016 includes $3 million from a disposition-related reserve release. Additionally, Corporate Unallocated operating loss includes amortization of intangibles from acquisitions of $23 million for the year December 31, 2018. (in millions) Depreciation & Amortization Capital Expenditures 2018 2017 2016 2018 2017 2016 Ratings $ 32 $ 34 $ 34 $ 42 $ 45 $ 42 Market Intelligence 99 104 105 30 37 40 Platts 27 25 26 9 15 17 Indices 9 8 8 3 3 3 Total reportable segments 167 171 173 84 100 102 Corporate 39 9 8 29 23 13 Total $ 206 $ 180 $ 181 $ 113 $ 123 $ 115 Segment information as of December 31 is as follows: (in millions) Total Assets 2018 2017 Ratings $ 680 $ 788 Market Intelligence 3,606 3,381 Platts 787 791 Indices 1,443 1,270 Total reportable segments 6,516 6,230 Corporate 1 2,928 3,190 Assets held for sale 2 14 5 Total $ 9,458 $ 9,425 1 Corporate assets consist principally of cash and cash equivalents, goodwill and other intangible assets, assets for pension benefits, deferred income taxes and leasehold improvements related to subleased areas. 2 Includes East Windsor and New Jersey facility as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.
Schedule of Revenue and Long-lived Assets by Geographic Region	The following provides revenue and long-lived assets by geographic region: (in millions) Revenue Long-lived Assets Year ended December 31, December 31, 2018 2017 2016 2018 2017 U.S. $ 3,750 $ 3,658 $ 3,461 $ 5,019 $ 4,285 European region 1,543 1,473 1,330 317 346 Asia 647 594 575 51 54 Rest of the world 318 338 295 42 49 Total $ 6,258 $ 6,063 $ 5,661 $ 5,429 $ 4,734 Revenue Long-lived Assets Year ended December 31, December 31, 2018 2017 2016 2018 2017 U.S. 60 % 60 % 61 % 92 % 91 % European region 25 24 24 6 7 Asia 10 10 10 1 1 Rest of the world 5 6 5 1 1 Total 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 %

Commitments and Contingencies (

Commitments and Contingencies (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Rental Expense for Property and Equipment Under Operating Lease Agreements	Rental expense for property and equipment under all operating lease agreements is as follows: (in millions) Year ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Gross rental expense $ 172 $ 177 $ 179 Less: sublease revenue (17 ) (17 ) (16 ) Net rental expense $ 155 $ 160 $ 163
Schedule of Future Minimum Rental Commitments	Cash amounts for future minimum rental commitments under existing non-cancelable leases with a remaining term of more than one year, along with minimum sublease rental income to be received under non-cancelable subleases are shown in the following table. (in millions) Rent commitment Sublease income Net rent 2019 $ 130 $ (17 ) $ 113 2020 102 (3 ) 99 2021 85 — 85 2022 75 — 75 2023 67 — 67 2024 and beyond 400 — 400 Total $ 859 $ (20 ) $ 839

Quarterly Financial Informati_2

Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited)	(in millions, except per share data) First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Total year 2018 Revenue $ 1,567 $ 1,609 $ 1,546 $ 1,536 $ 6,258 Operating profit $ 711 $ 672 $ 704 $ 704 $ 2,790 Net income $ 534 $ 501 $ 535 $ 551 $ 2,121 Net income attributable to S&P Global common shareholders $ 491 $ 461 $ 495 $ 512 $ 1,958 Earnings per share attributable to S&P Global Inc. common shareholders: Net income: Basic $ 1.94 $ 1.83 $ 1.97 $ 2.06 $ 7.80 Diluted $ 1.93 $ 1.82 $ 1.95 $ 2.03 $ 7.73 2017 Revenue $ 1,453 $ 1,509 $ 1,513 $ 1,589 $ 6,063 Operating profit $ 639 $ 668 $ 649 $ 627 $ 2,583 Net income $ 430 $ 457 $ 452 $ 299 $ 1,638 Net income attributable to S&P Global common shareholders $ 399 $ 421 $ 414 $ 263 $ 1,496 Earnings per share attributable to S&P Global Inc. common shareholders: Net income: Basic $ 1.54 $ 1.63 $ 1.62 1.03 5.84 Diluted $ 1.53 $ 1.62 $ 1.61 1.02 5.78 Note - Totals presented may not sum due to rounding.

Condensed Consolidating Finan_2

Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018
Condensed Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Statement of Income	Statement of Income Year Ended December 31, 2018 (in millions) S&P Global Inc. Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Eliminations S&P Global Inc. Consolidated Revenue $ 776 $ 1,695 $ 3,940 $ (153 ) $ 6,258 Expenses: Operating-related expenses 127 434 1,293 (153 ) 1,701 Selling and general expenses 183 292 1,086 — 1,561 Depreciation 37 7 40 — 84 Amortization of intangibles — — 122 — 122 Total expenses 347 733 2,541 (153 ) 3,468 Operating profit 429 962 1,399 — 2,790 Other income, net (27 ) — 2 — (25 ) Interest expense (income), net 143 2 (11 ) — 134 Non-operating intercompany transactions 363 (75 ) (1,872 ) 1,584 — (Loss) income before taxes on income (50 ) 1,035 3,280 (1,584 ) 2,681 (Benefit) Provision for taxes on income (14 ) 250 324 — 560 Equity in net income of subsidiaries 3,576 (1 ) — (3,575 ) — Net income 3,540 784 2,956 (5,159 ) 2,121 Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests — — — (163 ) (163 ) Net income attributable to S&P Global Inc. $ 3,540 $ 784 $ 2,956 $ (5,322 ) $ 1,958 Comprehensive income $ 3,510 $ 783 $ 2,884 $ (5,159 ) $ 2,018 Statement of Income Year Ended December 31, 2017 (in millions) S&P Global Inc. Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Eliminations S&P Global Inc. Consolidated Revenue $ 717 $ 1,780 $ 3,704 $ (138 ) $ 6,063 Expenses: Operating-related expenses 90 482 1,261 (138 ) 1,695 Selling and general expenses 196 345 1,064 — 1,605 Depreciation 31 11 40 — 82 Amortization of intangibles — — 98 — 98 Total expenses 317 838 2,463 (138 ) 3,480 Operating profit 400 942 1,241 — 2,583 Other income, net (16 ) — (11 ) — (27 ) Interest expense (income), net 163 — (14 ) — 149 Non-operating intercompany transactions 365 (77 ) (2,463 ) 2,175 — (Loss) income before taxes on income (112 ) 1,019 3,729 (2,175 ) 2,461 Provision for taxes on income 26 370 427 — 823 Equity in net income of subsidiaries 3,808 — — (3,808 ) — Net income 3,670 649 3,302 (5,983 ) 1,638 Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests — — — (142 ) (142 ) Net income attributable to S&P Global Inc. $ 3,670 $ 649 $ 3,302 $ (6,125 ) $ 1,496 Comprehensive income $ 3,694 $ 649 $ 3,401 $ (5,982 ) $ 1,762 Statement of Income Year Ended December 31, 2016 (in millions) S&P Global Inc. Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Eliminations S&P Global Inc. Consolidated Revenue $ 667 $ 1,513 $ 3,607 $ (126 ) $ 5,661 Expenses: Operating-related expenses 114 451 1,334 (126 ) 1,773 Selling and general expenses 128 243 1,096 — 1,467 Depreciation 38 9 38 — 85 Amortization of intangibles — — 96 — 96 Total expenses 280 703 2,564 (126 ) 3,421 Gain on disposition (1,072 ) — (29 ) — (1,101 ) Operating profit 1,459 810 1,072 — 3,341 Other income, net (20 ) — (8 ) — (28 ) Interest expense (income), net 191 — (10 ) — 181 Non-operating intercompany transactions 356 (83 ) (941 ) 668 — Income before taxes on income 932 893 2,031 (668 ) 3,188 Provision for taxes on income 275 420 265 — 960 Equity in net income of subsidiaries 2,412 294 — (2,706 ) — Net income 3,069 767 1,766 (3,374 ) 2,228 Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests — — — (122 ) (122 ) Net income attributable to S&P Global Inc. $ 3,069 $ 767 $ 1,766 $ (3,496 ) $ 2,106 Comprehensive income $ 3,099 $ 767 $ 1,563 $ (3,374 ) $ 2,055
Balance Sheet	Balance Sheet December 31, 2018 (in millions) S&P Global Inc. Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Eliminations S&P Global Inc. Consolidated ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 694 $ — $ 1,223 $ — $ 1,917 Restricted cash — — 41 — 41 Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts 163 109 1,177 — 1,449 Intercompany receivable 550 2,138 2,873 (5,561 ) — Prepaid and other current assets 58 3 136 — 197 Total current assets 1,465 2,250 5,450 (5,561 ) 3,604 Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation 192 — 78 — 270 Goodwill 261 — 3,265 9 3,535 Other intangible assets, net — — 1,524 — 1,524 Investments in subsidiaries 8,599 6 8,030 (16,635 ) — Intercompany loans receivable 130 — 1,643 (1,773 ) — Other non-current assets 194 45 286 — 525 Total assets $ 10,841 $ 2,301 $ 20,276 $ (23,960 ) $ 9,458 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 89 $ 15 $ 107 $ — $ 211 Intercompany payable 4,453 32 1,076 (5,561 ) — Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans 125 33 196 — 354 Income taxes currently payable 1 — 71 — 72 Unearned revenue 240 235 1,166 — 1,641 Accrued legal settlements — — 1 — 1 Other current liabilities 180 16 154 — 350 Total current liabilities 5,088 331 2,771 (5,561 ) 2,629 Long-term debt 3,662 — — — 3,662 Intercompany loans payable 114 — 1,659 (1,773 ) — Pension and other postretirement benefits 162 — 67 — 229 Other non-current liabilities 166 75 393 — 634 Total liabilities 9,192 406 4,890 (7,334 ) 7,154 Redeemable noncontrolling interest — — — 1,620 1,620 Equity: Common stock 294 — 2,279 (2,279 ) 294 Additional paid-in capital 72 618 9,784 (9,641 ) 833 Retained income 12,622 1,277 3,824 (6,439 ) 11,284 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (299 ) — (489 ) 46 (742 ) Less: common stock in treasury (11,040 ) — (13 ) 12 (11,041 ) Total equity - controlling interests 1,649 1,895 15,385 (18,301 ) 628 Total equity - noncontrolling interests — — 1 55 56 Total equity 1,649 1,895 15,386 (18,246 ) 684 Total liabilities and equity $ 10,841 $ 2,301 $ 20,276 $ (23,960 ) $ 9,458 Balance Sheet December 31, 2017 (in millions) S&P Global Inc. Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Eliminations S&P Global Inc. Consolidated ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 632 $ — $ 2,145 $ — $ 2,777 Restricted cash — — 2 — 2 Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts 138 152 1,029 — 1,319 Intercompany receivable 768 1,784 2,527 (5,079 ) — Prepaid and other current assets 143 (3 ) 86 — 226 Total current assets 1,681 1,933 5,789 (5,079 ) 4,324 Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation 158 10 107 — 275 Goodwill 261 — 2,719 9 2,989 Other intangible assets, net — — 1,388 — 1,388 Investments in subsidiaries 8,364 5 8,028 (16,397 ) — Intercompany loans receivable 116 — 1,699 (1,815 ) — Other non-current assets 215 61 174 (1 ) 449 Total assets $ 10,795 $ 2,009 $ 19,904 $ (23,283 ) $ 9,425 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 79 $ 23 $ 93 $ — $ 195 Intercompany payable 3,433 492 1,154 (5,079 ) — Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans 145 86 241 — 472 Short-term debt 399 — — — 399 Income taxes currently payable 2 — 75 — 77 Unearned revenue 293 193 1,127 — 1,613 Accrued legal settlements — 2 105 — 107 Other current liabilities 136 21 194 — 351 Total current liabilities 4,487 817 2,989 (5,079 ) 3,214 Long-term debt 3,170 — — — 3,170 Intercompany loans payable 101 — 1,715 (1,816 ) — Pension and other postretirement benefits 180 — 64 — 244 Other non-current liabilities 376 74 229 — 679 Total liabilities 8,314 891 4,997 (6,895 ) 7,307 Redeemable noncontrolling interest — — — 1,352 1,352 Equity: Common stock 412 — 2,318 (2,318 ) 412 Additional paid-in capital (216 ) 602 9,256 (9,117 ) 525 Retained income 12,156 516 3,782 (6,431 ) 10,023 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (269 ) — (426 ) 46 (649 ) Less: common stock in treasury (9,602 ) — (23 ) 23 (9,602 ) Total equity - controlling interests 2,481 1,118 14,907 (17,797 ) 709 Total equity - noncontrolling interests — — — 57 57 Total equity 2,481 1,118 14,907 (17,740 ) 766 Total liabilities and equity $ 10,795 $ 2,009 $ 19,904 $ (23,283 ) $ 9,425
Statement of Cash Flows	Statement of Cash Flows Year Ended December 31, 2018 (in millions) S&P Global Inc. Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Eliminations S&P Global Inc. Consolidated Operating Activities: Net income $ 3,540 $ 784 $ 2,956 $ (5,159 ) $ 2,121 Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation 37 7 40 — 84 Amortization of intangibles — — 122 — 122 Provision for losses on accounts receivable 3 4 14 — 21 Deferred income taxes 33 10 38 — 81 Stock-based compensation 28 16 50 — 94 Accrued legal settlements — 1 — — 1 Other 46 5 1 — 52 Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions: Accounts receivable (27 ) 39 (176 ) — (164 ) Prepaid and other current assets (2 ) (4 ) 5 — (1 ) Accounts payable and accrued expenses (11 ) (64 ) (31 ) — (106 ) Unearned revenue (53 ) 13 110 — 70 Accrued legal settlements — — (108 ) — (108 ) Other current liabilities (22 ) (11 ) (34 ) — (67 ) Net change in prepaid/accrued income taxes 2 — (9 ) — (7 ) Net change in other assets and liabilities (128 ) 32 (33 ) — (129 ) Cash provided by operating activities 3,446 832 2,945 (5,159 ) 2,064 Investing Activities: Capital expenditures (81 ) (16 ) (16 ) — (113 ) Acquisitions, net of cash acquired — — (401 ) — (401 ) Proceeds from dispositions — — 6 — 6 Changes in short-term investments — — (5 ) — (5 ) Cash used for investing activities (81 ) (16 ) (416 ) — (513 ) Financing Activities: Proceeds from issuance of senior notes, net 489 — — — 489 Payments on senior notes (403 ) — — — (403 ) Dividends paid to shareholders (503 ) — — — (503 ) Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders — — (154 ) — (154 ) Repurchase of treasury shares (1,660 ) — — — (1,660 ) Exercise of stock options 26 — 8 — 34 Purchase of additional CRISIL shares — (25 ) — (25 ) Employee withholding tax on share-based payments (66 ) — — — (66 ) Intercompany financing activities (1,181 ) (816 ) (3,162 ) 5,159 — Cash used for financing activities (3,298 ) (816 ) (3,333 ) 5,159 (2,288 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash (5 ) — (79 ) — (84 ) Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 62 — (883 ) — (821 ) Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year 632 — 2,147 — 2,779 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year $ 694 $ — $ 1,264 $ — $ 1,958 Statement of Cash Flows Year Ended December 31, 2017 (in millions) S&P Global Inc. Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Eliminations S&P Global Inc. Consolidated Operating Activities: Net income $ 3,670 $ 649 $ 3,302 $ (5,983 ) $ 1,638 Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation 31 11 40 — 82 Amortization of intangibles — — 98 — 98 Provision for losses on accounts receivable 2 3 11 — 16 Deferred income taxes 108 (10 ) (98 ) — — Stock-based compensation 35 22 42 — 99 Accrued legal settlements — — 55 — 55 Other 34 19 43 — 96 Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions: Accounts receivable (2 ) (23 ) (171 ) — (196 ) Prepaid and other current assets (5 ) 3 12 — 10 Accounts payable and accrued expenses 22 97 (44 ) — 75 Unearned revenue 19 2 64 — 85 Accrued legal settlements — (1 ) (3 ) — (4 ) Other current liabilities (42 ) (12 ) (31 ) — (85 ) Net change in prepaid/accrued income taxes 41 (18 ) 9 — 32 Net change in other assets and liabilities 7 (6 ) 14 — 15 Cash provided by operating activities 3,920 736 3,343 (5,983 ) 2,016 Investing Activities: Capital expenditures (55 ) (32 ) (36 ) — (123 ) Acquisitions, net of cash acquired — — (83 ) — (83 ) Proceeds from dispositions — — 2 — 2 Changes in short-term investments — — (5 ) — (5 ) Cash used for investing activities (55 ) (32 ) (122 ) — (209 ) Financing Activities: Dividends paid to shareholders (421 ) — — — (421 ) Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders — — (111 ) — (111 ) Repurchase of treasury shares (1,001 ) — — — (1,001 ) Exercise of stock options 68 — 7 — 75 Employee withholding tax on share-based payments (49 ) — — — (49 ) Intercompany financing activities (2,546 ) (704 ) (2,733 ) 5,983 — Cash used for financing activities (3,949 ) (704 ) (2,837 ) 5,983 (1,507 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash 5 — 82 — 87 Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash (79 ) — 466 — 387 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year 711 — 1,681 — 2,392 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year $ 632 $ — $ 2,147 $ — $ 2,779 Statement of Cash Flows Year Ended December 31, 2016 (in millions) S&P Global Inc. Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Eliminations S&P Global Inc. Consolidated Operating Activities: Net income $ 3,069 $ 767 $ 1,766 $ (3,374 ) $ 2,228 Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities Depreciation 38 9 38 — 85 Amortization of intangibles — — 96 — 96 Provision for losses on accounts receivable 1 — 8 — 9 Deferred income taxes 16 (9 ) 72 — 79 Stock-based compensation 22 17 37 — 76 Gain on disposition (1,072 ) — (29 ) — (1,101 ) Accrued legal settlements 3 1 50 — 54 Other 48 5 (23 ) — 30 Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions: Accounts receivable (24 ) 187 (340 ) — (177 ) Prepaid and other current assets (2 ) 10 (3 ) — 5 Accounts payable and accrued expenses (8 ) (39 ) 66 — 19 Unearned revenue 19 (395 ) 483 — 107 Accrued legal settlements — (108 ) (42 ) — (150 ) Other current liabilities (27 ) (27 ) 35 — (19 ) Net change in prepaid/accrued income taxes 141 — 33 — 174 Net change in other assets and liabilities (9 ) 38 16 — 45 Cash provided by operating activities 2,215 456 2,263 (3,374 ) 1,560 Investing Activities: Capital expenditures (68 ) (15 ) (32 ) — (115 ) Acquisitions, net of cash acquired (144 ) — (33 ) — (177 ) Contingent consideration payment — — (34 ) — (34 ) Proceeds from dispositions 1,422 — 76 — 1,498 Changes in short-term investments — — (1 ) — (1 ) Cash provided by (used for) investing activities 1,210 (15 ) (24 ) — 1,171 Financing Activities: Additions to short-term debt (143 ) — — — (143 ) Proceeds from issuance of senior notes, net 493 — — — 493 Payments on senior notes (421 ) — — — (421 ) Dividends paid to shareholders (380 ) — — — (380 ) Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders — — (116 ) — (116 ) Repurchase of treasury shares (1,123 ) — — — (1,123 ) Exercise of stock options 86 — 2 — 88 Contingent consideration payment (5 ) — — — (5 ) Employee withholding tax on share-based payments (55 ) — — — (55 ) Intercompany financing activities (1,333 ) (441 ) (1,600 ) 3,374 — Cash used for financing activities (2,881 ) (441 ) (1,714 ) 3,374 (1,662 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash — — (158 ) — (158 ) Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 544 — 367 — 911 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year 167 — 1,314 — 1,481 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year $ 711 $ — $ 1,681 $ — $ 2,392

Accounting Policies - Narrative

Accounting Policies - Narrative (Details)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2018USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2018USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2018USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2017USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)unitsSegment	Dec. 31, 2017USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2019USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2018USD ($)
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments | Segment										4
Consideration paid for acquisition, net of cash acquired										$ 0
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)		$ 11,284,000,000				$ 10,023,000,000				11,284,000,000	$ 10,023,000,000
Total revenue		1,536,000,000	$ 1,546,000,000	$ 1,609,000,000	$ 1,567,000,000	1,589,000,000	$ 1,513,000,000	$ 1,509,000,000	$ 1,453,000,000	6,258,000,000	6,063,000,000	$ 5,661,000,000
Contract assets		26,000,000				17,000,000				26,000,000	17,000,000
Remaining performance obligations		1,400,000,000								$ 1,400,000,000
Revenue recognized next year (as a percent)										50.00%
Revenue recognized within two years (as a percent)										75.00%
Market value of cash and cash equivalents		1,917,000,000				2,777,000,000				$ 1,917,000,000	2,777,000,000
Gross deferred technology costs		205,000,000				186,000,000				205,000,000	186,000,000
Accumulated amortization of deferred technology costs		105,000,000				104,000,000				105,000,000	104,000,000
Fair value of our long-term debt borrowings		3,800,000,000				3,800,000,000				$ 3,800,000,000	3,800,000,000
Non-cash impairment charge associated with finite-lived intangible assets												24,000,000
Number of reporting units | units										4
Cost of advertisement										$ 33,000,000	33,000,000	35,000,000
Undistributed accumulated earnings of foreign subsidiary		2,300,000,000								2,300,000,000
Undistributed accumulated earnings of foreign subsidiary to be indefinitely reinvested		784,000,000								784,000,000
Goodwill impairment										0	0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment										0	0	0
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)		(742,000,000)				$ (649,000,000)				$ (742,000,000)	(649,000,000)
Minimum | Software and Software Development Costs
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment useful life										3 years
Minimum | Building Improvements
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment useful life										15 years
Minimum | Equipment
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment useful life										2 years
Maximum | Software and Software Development Costs
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment useful life										7 years
Maximum | Building Improvements
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment useful life										40 years
Maximum | Equipment
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment useful life										10 years
Kensho Technologies
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Consideration paid for acquisition, net of cash acquired	$ 550,000,000
Restricted cash		32,000,000								$ 32,000,000
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total revenue										6,000,000
Accounting Standards Update 2016-01
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)														$ (10,000,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)														10,000,000
Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)														35,000,000
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts														$ 1,319,000,000
Unearned revenue recognized										1,500,000,000
Capitalized contract costs		$ 101,000,000								101,000,000
Non-transaction
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total revenue										1,381,000,000	1,338,000,000	1,259,000,000
Intersegment Elimination
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total revenue										(125,000,000)	(110,000,000)	(98,000,000)
Intersegment Elimination | Non-transaction
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total revenue										$ 125,000,000	$ 110,000,000	$ 98,000,000
Forecast | Accounting Standards Update 2016-02
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Lease liability													$ 700,000,000
Right-of-use asset													$ 700,000,000

Accounting Policies - Disaggreg

Accounting Policies - Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue	$ 1,536	$ 1,546	$ 1,609	$ 1,567	$ 1,589	$ 1,513	$ 1,509	$ 1,453	$ 6,258	$ 6,063	$ 5,661
Corporate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									15	0	0
Intersegment Elimination
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									(125)	(110)	(98)
Ratings | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									2,883	2,988	2,535
Market Intelligence | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									1,833	1,683	1,661
Platts | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									815	774	925
Indices | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									837	728	638
Subscription
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									2,682	2,454	2,364
Subscription | Corporate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue										0	0
Subscription | Intersegment Elimination
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Subscription | Ratings | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Subscription | Market Intelligence | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									1,773	1,614	1,543
Subscription | Platts | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									750	704	689
Subscription | Indices | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									144	136	132
Non-transaction
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									1,381	1,338	1,259
Non-transaction | Corporate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Non-transaction | Intersegment Elimination
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									125	110	98
Non-transaction | Ratings | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									1,506	1,448	1,357
Non-transaction | Market Intelligence | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Non-transaction | Platts | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Non-transaction | Indices | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Non-subscription / Transaction
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									1,428	1,599	1,460
Non-subscription / Transaction | Corporate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Non-subscription / Transaction | Intersegment Elimination
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Non-subscription / Transaction | Ratings | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									1,377	1,540	1,178
Non-subscription / Transaction | Market Intelligence | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									40	46	99
Non-subscription / Transaction | Platts | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									11	13	183
Non-subscription / Transaction | Indices | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Asset-linked fees
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									542	484	400
Asset-linked fees | Corporate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Asset-linked fees | Intersegment Elimination
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Asset-linked fees | Ratings | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Asset-linked fees | Market Intelligence | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									20	23	19
Asset-linked fees | Platts | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Asset-linked fees | Indices | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									522	461	381
Sales usage-based royalties
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									225	188	178
Sales usage-based royalties | Corporate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Sales usage-based royalties | Intersegment Elimination
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Sales usage-based royalties | Ratings | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Sales usage-based royalties | Market Intelligence | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Sales usage-based royalties | Platts | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									54	57	53
Sales usage-based royalties | Indices | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									171	131	125
Transferred at Point in Time
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									1,428	1,599	1,460
Transferred at Point in Time | Corporate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Transferred at Point in Time | Intersegment Elimination
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Transferred at Point in Time | Ratings | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									1,377	1,540	1,178
Transferred at Point in Time | Market Intelligence | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									40	46	99
Transferred at Point in Time | Platts | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									11	13	183
Transferred at Point in Time | Indices | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Transferred over Time
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									4,830	4,464	4,201
Transferred over Time | Corporate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									15	0	0
Transferred over Time | Intersegment Elimination
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									(125)	(110)	(98)
Transferred over Time | Ratings | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									1,506	1,448	1,357
Transferred over Time | Market Intelligence | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									1,793	1,637	1,562
Transferred over Time | Platts | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									804	761	742
Transferred over Time | Indices | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									$ 837	$ 728	$ 638

Accounting Policies - Component

Accounting Policies - Components of Other Income, Net (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Other income, net	$ (25)	$ (27)	$ (28)
Accounting Standards Update 2017-07
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Other components of net periodic benefit cost	(30)	(27)	(28)
Net loss from investments	5	0	0
Other income, net	$ (25)	$ (27)	$ (28)

Accounting Policies - Fair Valu

Accounting Policies - Fair Value Assumptions (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018$ / shares
Fair Value Measurement Inputs and Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Dividend yield (as a percent)	1.10%
Volatility (as a percent)	21.80%
Volatility (as a percent)	22.00%
Weighted-average grant-date fair value per option (USD per share)	$ 112.98
Minimum
Fair Value Measurement Inputs and Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Risk-free average interest rate (as a percent)	2.60%
Expected life (years)	5 years 8 months 1 day
Maximum
Fair Value Measurement Inputs and Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Risk-free average interest rate (as a percent)	2.70%
Expected life (years)	6 years 26 days

Acquisitions and Divestitures -

Acquisitions and Divestitures - Acquisitions Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Aug. 31, 2018	Jan. 31, 2018	Aug. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Consideration paid for acquisition, net of cash acquired		$ 0
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired			$ 83	$ 177
Payments for previous acquisition		$ 0	$ 0	$ 5
FiscalNote
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cost method investment ownership interest (as a percent)					5.03%
Kensho Technologies
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Consideration paid for acquisition, net of cash acquired	$ 550
Cost method investment ownership interest (as a percent)				2.54%
Pragmatix Services Private Limited
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership in equity method investment (as a percent)						100.00%
Algomi Limited
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cost method investment ownership interest (as a percent)							6.02%
CARE Ratings Limited
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cost method investment ownership interest (as a percent)								8.90%
TRIS Rating Company Limited
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cost method investment ownership interest (as a percent)									49.00%
PIRA Energy Group
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments for previous acquisition				$ 34
UCG
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments for previous acquisition				$ 5
Series of Individually Immaterial Business Acquisitions | Minimum
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Amortization period of acquired intangible assets (in years)		1 year		3 years
Series of Individually Immaterial Business Acquisitions | Maximum
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Amortization period of acquired intangible assets (in years)		10 years		10 years

Acquisitions and Divestitures_2

Acquisitions and Divestitures - Liabilities Assumed from Acquisition of Businesses (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Fair value of assets acquired	$ 857	$ 83	$ 253
Cash and stock consideration (net of cash acquired)	803	83	211
Liabilities assumed	$ 54	$ 0	$ 42

Acquisitions and Divestitures_3

Acquisitions and Divestitures - Divestitures Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2017USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2016USD ($)business	Sep. 30, 2016USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2017USD ($)
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Assets held-for-sale					$ 5
Pre-tax gain (loss) on dispositions				$ 1,100
Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Pre-tax gain (loss) on dispositions				1,100
Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Quant House SAS
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Pre-tax gain (loss) on dispositions	$ (31)
Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations | SPSE and CMA
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Pre-tax gain (loss) on dispositions				364
Number of businesses disposed | business		2
Cash proceeds from sale of business		$ 425
Gain (loss) on disposition of business, net of tax				297
Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Equity Research
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Pre-tax gain (loss) on dispositions				9
Gain (loss) on disposition of business, net of tax				5
Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations | J.D. Power
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Pre-tax gain (loss) on dispositions				728
Cash proceeds from sale of business			$ 1,100
Gain (loss) on disposition of business, net of tax				$ 516

Acquisitions and Divestitures_4

Acquisitions and Divestitures - Components of Income from Discontinued Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Operating profit	$ 0	$ 0	$ 62
Pre-tax gain (loss) on dispositions			$ 1,100

Goodwill and Other Intangible_3

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets by Major Class [Line Items]
Other intangible assets	$ 846	$ 714
Weighted-average life of the intangible assets	11 years
Amortization of intangibles	$ 122	98	$ 96
Intellectual Property
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets by Major Class [Line Items]
Carrying value of trade name and licenses	380	380
Tradenames
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets by Major Class [Line Items]
Carrying value of trade name and licenses	$ 90	90
Maximum
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets by Major Class [Line Items]
Weighted-average life of the intangible assets	20 years
Market Intelligence
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets by Major Class [Line Items]
Amortization of intangibles	$ 73	71	72
Market Intelligence | Tradenames
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets by Major Class [Line Items]
Carrying value of trade name and licenses	185	185
Indices
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets by Major Class [Line Items]
Amortization of intangibles	6	6	$ 6
Indices | Intellectual Property
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets by Major Class [Line Items]
Carrying value of trade name and licenses	132
Indices | Goldman Sachs Commodity and Broad Market Intellectual Property
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets by Major Class [Line Items]
Carrying value of trade name and licenses	$ 59	$ 59

Goodwill and Other Intangible_4

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Goodwill (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	$ 2,989	$ 2,949
Acquisitions	565
Other	(19)	40
Goodwill, ending balance	3,535	2,989
Operating Segments | Ratings
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	114	109
Acquisitions	5
Other	(6)	5
Goodwill, ending balance	113	114
Operating Segments | Market Intelligence
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	1,961	1,960
Acquisitions	62
Other	6	1
Goodwill, ending balance	2,029	1,961
Operating Segments | Platts
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	523	497
Acquisitions	0
Other	(7)	26
Goodwill, ending balance	516	523
Operating Segments | Indices
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	391	383
Acquisitions	0
Other	(12)	8
Goodwill, ending balance	379	391
Corporate
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	0	0
Acquisitions	498
Other	0	0
Goodwill, ending balance	$ 498	$ 0

Goodwill and Other Intangible_5

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Other Intangible Assets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Finite-lived Intangible Assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 1,167	$ 1,183
Dispositions		(6)
Acquisitions	126
Other	(3)	(10)
Ending balance	1,290	1,167	$ 1,183
Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization [Roll Forward]
Accumulated amortization, beginning balance	493	391
Current year amortization	122	98	96
Dispositions		(6)
Reclassifications	0	0
Other (primarily Fx)	(3)	10
Accumulated amortization, ending balance	612	493	391
Net definite-lived intangibles	678	674
Databases and software
Finite-lived Intangible Assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	554	506
Dispositions		(4)
Acquisitions	3
Other	4	52
Ending balance	561	554	506
Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization [Roll Forward]
Accumulated amortization, beginning balance	187	132
Current year amortization	52	52
Dispositions		(3)
Reclassifications	1	2
Other (primarily Fx)	0	4
Accumulated amortization, ending balance	240	187	132
Net definite-lived intangibles	321	367
Content
Finite-lived Intangible Assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	139	139
Dispositions		0
Acquisitions	0
Other	0	0
Ending balance	139	139	139
Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization [Roll Forward]
Accumulated amortization, beginning balance	101	87
Current year amortization	14	14
Dispositions		0
Reclassifications	0	0
Other (primarily Fx)	0	0
Accumulated amortization, ending balance	115	101	87
Net definite-lived intangibles	24	38
Customer relationships
Finite-lived Intangible Assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	347	330
Dispositions		(2)
Acquisitions	0
Other	(1)	19
Ending balance	346	347	330
Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization [Roll Forward]
Accumulated amortization, beginning balance	106	84
Current year amortization	21	22
Dispositions		(2)
Reclassifications		1
Other (primarily Fx)	(1)	1
Accumulated amortization, ending balance	126	106	84
Net definite-lived intangibles	220	241
Tradenames
Finite-lived Intangible Assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	50	45
Dispositions		0
Acquisitions	0
Other	0	5
Ending balance	50	50	45
Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization [Roll Forward]
Accumulated amortization, beginning balance	42	36
Current year amortization	3	4
Dispositions		0
Reclassifications	0	1
Other (primarily Fx)	0	1
Accumulated amortization, ending balance	45	42	36
Net definite-lived intangibles	5	8
Other intangibles
Finite-lived Intangible Assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	77	163
Dispositions		0
Acquisitions	123
Other	(6)	(86)
Ending balance	194	77	163
Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization [Roll Forward]
Accumulated amortization, beginning balance	57	52
Current year amortization	32	6
Dispositions		(1)
Reclassifications	(1)	(4)
Other (primarily Fx)	(2)	4
Accumulated amortization, ending balance	86	57	$ 52
Net definite-lived intangibles	$ 108	$ 20

Goodwill and Other Intangible_6

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Projected Amortization Expense (Details) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)
Projected amortization expense for intangible assets
2,019	$ 122
2,020	114
2,021	83
2,022	74
2,023	$ 70

Taxes on Income - Narrative (De

Taxes on Income - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income tax expense (benefit) related to the TCJA		$ 149
Income tax expense (benefit) from repatriation of foreign earnings related to the TCJA		173
Income tax expense (benefit) from change in tax rate related to the TCJA		(24)
Undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries for income tax purposes	$ 2,300
Undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries reinvested indefinitely	784
Net income tax payments	558	709	$ 683
Operating loss carryforwards	691
Total amount of federal, state and local, and foreign unrecognized tax benefits excluding interest and penalties	147	212	$ 221	$ 162
Decrease in unrecognized tax benefits reasonably possible	40
Accrued interest and penalties associated with uncertain tax positions	$ 35	$ 59

Taxes on Income - Domestic and

Taxes on Income - Domestic and Foreign Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Income before taxes domestic and foreign operations
Domestic operations	$ 1,857	$ 1,723	$ 2,585
Foreign operations	824	738	603
Income before taxes on income	2,681	2,461	3,188
Federal:
Current	183	489	641
Deferred	68	63	79
Total federal	251	552	720
Foreign:
Current	214	194	133
Deferred	(2)	(3)	(4)
Total foreign	212	191	129
State and local:
Current	81	73	99
Deferred	16	7	12
Total state and local	97	80	111
Total provision for taxes	$ 560	$ 823	$ 960
Reconciliation of federal statutory income tax rate
U.S. federal statutory income tax rate (as a percent)	21.00%	35.00%	35.00%
State and local income taxes (as a percent)	2.80%	2.50%	2.70%
Divestitures (as a percent)	0.00%	0.00%	(4.30%)
Foreign operations (as a percent)	0.20%	(3.90%)	(2.00%)
Impact of TCJA (as a percent)	(0.30%)	6.00%	0.00%
Stock-based compensation (as a percent)	(1.20%)	(2.70%)	0.00%
S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC joint venture (as a percent)	(1.20%)	(1.80%)	(1.20%)
Tax credits and incentives (as a percent)	(1.70%)	(2.10%)	(1.60%)
Other, net (as a percent)	1.30%	0.40%	1.50%
Effective income tax rate (as a percent)	20.90%	33.40%	30.10%

Taxes on Income - Temporary Dif

Taxes on Income - Temporary Differences (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Deferred tax assets:
Legal and regulatory settlements	$ 2	$ 27
Employee compensation	57	50
Accrued expenses	36	47
Postretirement benefits	48	34
Unearned revenue	11	26
Allowance for doubtful accounts	8	8
Loss carryforwards	155	135
Other	24	45
Total deferred tax assets	341	372
Deferred tax liabilities:
Goodwill and intangible assets	(295)	(249)
Fixed assets	0	(4)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(295)	(253)
Net deferred income tax asset before valuation allowance	46	119
Valuation allowance	(156)	(127)
Net deferred income tax (liability) asset	(110)	(8)
Reported as:
Non-current deferred tax assets	52	59
Non-current deferred tax liabilities	(162)	(67)
Net deferred income tax (liability) asset	$ (110)	$ (8)

Taxes on Income - Unrecognized

Taxes on Income - Unrecognized Tax Benefits (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Reconciliation of beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits
Balance at beginning of year	$ 212	$ 221	$ 162
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year	19	23	48
Additions for tax positions of prior years	2	17	20
Reduction for tax positions of prior years	(21)	(32)	(3)
Reduction for settlements	(65)	(5)	(6)
Expiration of applicable statutes of limitations	0	(12)	0
Balance at end of year	$ 147	$ 212	$ 221

Debt - Summary (Details)

Debt - Summary (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 22, 2016	Aug. 18, 2015	May 26, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt		$ 3,662	$ 3,569
Less: short-term debt including current maturities		0	399
Long-term debt		3,662	3,170
Senior Notes | 2.5% Senior Notes, due 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes		$ 0	399
Interest rate (as a percent)		2.50%			2.50%
Early repayment of debt	$ 400
Senior Notes | 3.3% Senior Notes, due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes		$ 698	697
Interest rate (as a percent)		3.30%			3.30%
Unamortized debt discount and issuance costs		$ 2
Senior Notes | 4.0% Senior Notes, due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes		$ 693	692
Interest rate (as a percent)		4.00%				4.00%
Unamortized debt discount and issuance costs		$ 7
Senior Notes | 4.4% Senior Notes, due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes		$ 892	892
Interest rate (as a percent)		4.40%			4.40%
Unamortized debt discount and issuance costs		$ 8
Senior Notes | 2.95% Senior Notes, due 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes		$ 493	493
Interest rate (as a percent)		2.95%		2.95%
Unamortized debt discount and issuance costs		$ 7
Senior Notes | 6.55% Senior Notes, due 2037
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes		$ 396	396
Interest rate (as a percent)		6.55%
Unamortized debt discount and issuance costs		$ 4
Senior Notes | 4.5% Senior Notes, due 2048
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes		$ 490	$ 0
Interest rate (as a percent)		4.50%
Unamortized debt discount and issuance costs		$ 10

Debt - Narrative (Details)

Debt - Narrative (Details)	Oct. 20, 2016USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2018USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)	May 17, 2018USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017USD ($)	Sep. 22, 2016USD ($)	Aug. 18, 2015USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Annual long term debt maturity year 2019			$ 0
Annual long term debt maturity year 2020			698,000,000
Annual long term debt maturity year 2021			0
Annual long term debt maturity year 2022			0
Annual long term debt maturity year 2023			0
Annual long term debt maturity thereafter			$ 3,000,000,000
Indebtedness to cash flow (not greater than)			4
Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount							$ 2,000,000,000
4.5% Senior Notes, due 2048 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount				$ 500,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)			4.50%
2.5% Senior Notes, due 2018 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount		$ 400,000,000					$ 400,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)			2.50%				2.50%
Early repayment of debt		$ 400,000,000
2.95% Senior Notes, due 2027 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount						$ 500,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)			2.95%			2.95%
5.9% Senior Notes, due 2017 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.90%
Early repayment of debt	$ 400,000,000
Five-year Revolving Credit Facility | Revolving Credit Facility Due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity					$ 1,200,000,000
Term of debt instrument					5 years
Commitment fee ratio			0.10%
Minimum | Five-year Revolving Credit Facility | Revolving Credit Facility Due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Commitment fee ratio			0.08%
Maximum | Five-year Revolving Credit Facility | Revolving Credit Facility Due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Commitment fee ratio			0.175%

Derivative Instruments - Narrat

Derivative Instruments - Narrative (Details) - Foreign exchange forward contracts - USD ($)	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Not designated as hedging instrument
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Derivative notional amount		$ 98,000,000	$ 130,000,000
Designated as hedging instrument
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Cash flow hedge gain (loss) be be reclassified within 12 months		4,000,000
Gain (loss) on cash flow hedge ineffectiveness		0
Designated as hedging instrument | Cash flow hedging
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Derivative notional amount		289,000,000	307,000,000
Remaining maturity of derivative	12 months
Revenue, Selling and general expenses
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Loss on derivatives not designated as hedging instruments		$ 12,000,000
Gain on derivatives not designated as hedging instruments			$ 3,000,000

Derivative Instruments - Fair V

Derivative Instruments - Fair Value Amounts of Cash Flow Hedges (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Foreign exchange forward contracts | Prepaid and other current assets | Designated as hedging instrument | Cash flow hedging
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Derivative, fair value, net	$ 3	$ 3

Derivative Instruments - Pre-ta

Derivative Instruments - Pre-tax Gains (Losses) on Cash Flow Hedges (Details) - Foreign exchange forward contracts - Designated as hedging instrument - Cash flow hedging - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) Recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (effective portion)	$ 2	$ 0	$ 3
Revenue, Selling and general expenses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss into Income (effective portion)	$ (4)	$ 9	$ 4

Derivative Instruments - Change

Derivative Instruments - Change in Unrealized Gains (Losses) in AOCI (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
AOCI Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	$ 766	$ 701	$ 243
Ending Balance	684	766	701
Accumulated net gain (loss) from cash flow hedges attributable to parent
AOCI Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	2	2	(1)
Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications	(2)	9	7
Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings	4	(9)	(4)
Ending Balance	$ 4	$ 2	$ 2

Employee Benefits - Benefit Obl

Employee Benefits - Benefit Obligation (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Roll Forward]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	$ 2,219
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	1,987	$ 2,219
Amounts recognized in consolidated balance sheets:
Non-current liabilities	(229)	(244)
Retirement Plans
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Benefit Obligation [Roll Forward]
Net benefit obligation at beginning of year	2,329	2,260
Service cost	3	3	$ 3
Interest cost	71	74	78
Plan participants’ contributions	0	0
Actuarial loss (gain)	(199)	107
Gross benefits paid	(103)	(110)
Foreign currency effect	(26)	38
Other adjustments	1	(43)
Net benefit obligation at end of year	2,076	2,329	2,260
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Roll Forward]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	2,219	2,073
Actual return on plan assets	(113)	263
Employer contributions	9	8
Plan participants’ contributions	0	0
Gross benefits paid	(103)	(110)
Foreign currency effect	(25)	31
Other adjustments	0	(46)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	1,987	2,219	2,073
Funded status	(89)	(110)
Amounts recognized in consolidated balance sheets:
Non-current assets	125	114
Current liabilities	(9)	(9)
Non-current liabilities	(205)	(215)
Total amounts recognized in consolidated balance sheets	(89)	(110)
Accumulated benefit obligation	2,066	2,319
Plans with accumulated benefit obligation in excess of the fair value of plan assets:
Projected benefit obligation	214	224
Accumulated benefit obligation	204	214
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax:
Net actuarial loss (gain)	460	451
Prior service credit	2	1
Total recognized	462	452
Postretirement Plans
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Benefit Obligation [Roll Forward]
Net benefit obligation at beginning of year	49	57
Service cost	0	0	0
Interest cost	1	2	2
Plan participants’ contributions	3	3
Actuarial loss (gain)	(4)	(5)
Gross benefits paid	(8)	(8)
Foreign currency effect	0	0
Other adjustments	(1)	0
Net benefit obligation at end of year	40	49	57
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Roll Forward]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	20	0
Actual return on plan assets	0	0
Employer contributions	1	25
Plan participants’ contributions	3	3
Gross benefits paid	(8)	(8)
Foreign currency effect	0	0
Other adjustments	0	0
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	16	20	$ 0
Funded status	(24)	(29)
Amounts recognized in consolidated balance sheets:
Non-current assets	0	0
Current liabilities	0	0
Non-current liabilities	(24)	(29)
Total amounts recognized in consolidated balance sheets	(24)	(29)
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax:
Net actuarial loss (gain)	(41)	(37)
Prior service credit	(14)	(12)
Total recognized	$ (55)	$ (49)

Employee Benefits - Narrative (

Employee Benefits - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)trustshares	Dec. 31, 2017USD ($)shares	Dec. 31, 2016USD ($)
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Total cost for retirement plans	$ 80	$ 70	$ 69
Defined contribution plan cost	79	70	65
Pension trust assets	$ 1,987	$ 2,219
Stock purchased by US plan under defined contribution plan (shares) | shares	193,051	228,248
Stock sold by US plan under defined contribution plan (shares) | shares	205,798	297,750
Stock held by the US plan under defined contribution plan (shares) | shares	1,500,000
Market value of stock held by the US plan under defined contribution plan	$ 251	$ 255
Dividend received by the plan	$ 3
United States Retirement Plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of pension trust accounts | trust	1
Pension trust assets	$ 1,572	1,739
United Kingdom Retirement Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of pension trust accounts | trust	1
Pension trust assets	$ 415	480
Retirement Plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Actuarial gain (loss) to be recognized in net periodic pension cost	(13)
Other components of net periodic benefit cost	(26)	(23)	(25)
Expected required employer contribution	$ 46
Number of pension trust accounts | trust	2
Pension trust assets	$ 1,987	2,219	2,073
Retirement Plans | United Kingdom Retirement Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Other components of net periodic benefit cost	(10)	(6)	(10)
Postretirement Plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Actuarial gain (loss) to be recognized in net periodic pension cost	2
Prior service cost to be recognized in net periodic benefit cost	1
Other components of net periodic benefit cost	(2)	(2)	1
Expected required employer contribution	6
Pension trust assets	$ 16	$ 20	$ 0
Equity Securities, Domestic | United States Retirement Plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target plan asset allocations	16.00%
Equity Securities, International | United States Retirement Plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target plan asset allocations	9.00%
Debt Securities and Short-Term Investments | United States Retirement Plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target plan asset allocations	75.00%
Equity Securities | United Kingdom Retirement Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target plan asset allocations	20.00%
Diversified Growth Funds | United Kingdom Retirement Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target plan asset allocations	30.00%
Fixed Income Funds | United Kingdom Retirement Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target plan asset allocations	40.00%
Real estate funds | United Kingdom Retirement Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target plan asset allocations	10.00%

Employee Benefits - Net Periodi

Employee Benefits - Net Periodic Cost (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income, net of tax
Total recognized	$ 5	$ (41)	$ 37
Retirement Plans
Components of net periodic cost for retirement plans and post-retirement plans
Service cost	3	3	3
Interest cost	71	74	78
Expected return on assets	(124)	(126)	(122)
Actuarial loss (gain)	20	18	16
Prior service credit	0	0	0
Other	4	8	0
Net periodic benefit cost	(26)	(23)	(25)
Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income, net of tax
Net actuarial (gain) loss	28	(20)	60
Recognized actuarial (gain) loss	(15)	(12)	(10)
Prior service (credit) cost	1	0	0
Other	(4)	(7)	0
Total recognized	10	(39)	50
Postretirement Plans
Components of net periodic cost for retirement plans and post-retirement plans
Service cost	0	0	0
Interest cost	1	2	2
Expected return on assets	0	0	0
Actuarial loss (gain)	(2)	(2)	(1)
Prior service credit	(1)	(2)	0
Other		0	0
Net periodic benefit cost	(2)	(2)	1
Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income, net of tax
Net actuarial (gain) loss	(7)	(3)	(12)
Recognized actuarial (gain) loss	1	1	1
Prior service (credit) cost	1	1	(8)
Other	0	0	0
Total recognized	$ (5)	$ (1)	$ (19)

Employee Benefits - Assumptions

Employee Benefits - Assumptions (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Net periodic cost
Weighted-average healthcare cost rate (as a percent)	6.50%	7.00%	7.00%
Effects created by one percentage point change in assumed healthcare cost trend
Effect of 1% point increase on postretirement obligation	$ 0
Effect of 1% point decrease on postretirement obligation	$ 0
Retirement Plans
Benefit obligation
Discount rate (as a percent)	4.40%	3.68%	4.14%
Net periodic cost
Return on assets (as a percent)	6.00%	6.25%	6.25%
Retirement Plans | United States Retirement Plans
Net periodic cost
Discount rate (as a percent)	3.68%	4.13%	4.47%
Retirement Plans | United Kingdom Retirement Plan
Net periodic cost
Discount rate (as a percent)	2.41%	2.58%	3.84%
Postretirement Plans
Benefit obligation
Discount rate (as a percent)	4.15%	3.40%	3.69%
Net periodic cost
Weighted-average healthcare cost rate (as a percent)	5.00%
Discount rate (as a percent)	3.40%	3.69%	3.94%

Employee Benefits - Cash Flows

Employee Benefits - Cash Flows (Details) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)
Retirement Plans
Information about the expected cash flows for retirement and post-retirement plans and impact of the Medicare subsidy
2019, Net payments	$ 91
2020, Net payments	94
2021, Net payments	96
2022, Net payments	99
2023, Net payments	101
2024-2028, Net payments	534
Postretirement Plans
Information about the expected cash flows for retirement and post-retirement plans and impact of the Medicare subsidy
2019, Gross payments	8
2020, Gross payments	7
2021, Gross payments	6
2022, Gross payments	6
2023, Gross payments	5
2024-2028, Gross payments	19
2019, Retiree Contributions	(2)
2020, Retiree Contributions	(2)
2021, Retiree Contributions	(2)
2022, Retiree Contributions	(2)
2023, Retiree Contributions	1
2024-2028, Retiree Contributions	(7)
2019, Medicare subsidy (less than $1 million)	0
2020, Medicare subsidy (less than $1 million)	0
2021, Medicare subsidy (less than $1 million)	0
2022, Medicare subsidy (less than $1 million)	0
2023, Medicare subsidy (less than $1 million)	0
2024-2028, Medicare subsidy (less than $1 million)	0
2019, Net payments	6
2020, Net payments	5
2021, Net payments	4
2022, Net payments	4
2023, Net payments	6
2024-2028, Net payments	$ 12

Employee Benefits - Fair Value

Employee Benefits - Fair Value of Plan Assets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	$ 1,987	$ 2,219
Total
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	1,291	1,426
Level 1
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	94	219
Level 2
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	1,158	1,168
Level 3
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	39	39
Fair Value Measured at Net Asset Value Per Share
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	696	793
Cash and short-term investments | Total
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	4	10
Cash and short-term investments | Level 1
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	4	10
Cash and short-term investments | Level 2
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
Cash and short-term investments | Level 3
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
U.S. indexes | Total
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	21	50
U.S. indexes | Level 1
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	21	50
U.S. indexes | Level 2
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
U.S. indexes | Level 3
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
U.S. growth and value | Total
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	69	109
U.S. growth and value | Level 1
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	69	109
U.S. growth and value | Level 2
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
U.S. growth and value | Level 3
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
U.K. | Total
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets		5
U.K. | Level 1
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets		5
U.K. | Level 2
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets		0
U.K. | Level 3
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets		0
International, excluding U.K. | Total
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets		45
International, excluding U.K. | Level 1
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets		45
International, excluding U.K. | Level 2
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets		0
International, excluding U.K. | Level 3
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets		0
Long duration strategy | Total
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	1,070	1,076
Long duration strategy | Level 1
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
Long duration strategy | Level 2
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	1,070	1,076
Long duration strategy | Level 3
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
Intermediate duration securities | Total
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	35	35
Intermediate duration securities | Level 1
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
Intermediate duration securities | Level 2
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	35	35
Intermediate duration securities | Level 3
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
Agency mortgage backed securities | Total
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	4	5
Agency mortgage backed securities | Level 1
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
Agency mortgage backed securities | Level 2
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	4	5
Agency mortgage backed securities | Level 3
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
Asset backed securities | Total
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	18	19
Asset backed securities | Level 1
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
Asset backed securities | Level 2
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	18	19
Asset backed securities | Level 3
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
Non-agency mortgage backed securities | Total
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	13	15
Non-agency mortgage backed securities | Level 1
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
Non-agency mortgage backed securities | Level 2
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	13	15
Non-agency mortgage backed securities | Level 3
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
International, excluding U.K. | Total
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	18	18
International, excluding U.K. | Level 1
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
International, excluding U.K. | Level 2
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	18	18
International, excluding U.K. | Level 3
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
U.K. | Total
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	39	39
U.K. | Level 1
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
U.K. | Level 2
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
U.K. | Level 3
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	$ 39	$ 39

Employee Benefits - Level 3 Rol

Employee Benefits - Level 3 Roll Forward of Fair Value of Plan Assets (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets, Level 3 Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	$ 2,219
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	1,987
Level 3
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets, Level 3 Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	39
Purchases	0
Distributions	(2)
Gain (loss)	2
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	$ 39

Stock-Based Compensation - Narr

Stock-Based Compensation - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Director deferred stock ownership plan amount to be credited to deferred stock accounts (as a percent)	50.00%
Share delivery term if elected	5 years
Award vesting period	3 years
Stock options granted (shares)		0	0
Total fair value of stock options, vested	$ 5	$ 4	$ 7
Employee Stock Option
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting period	4 years
Award expiration period	10 years
Employee Stock Option | Graded Vesting Method
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting period	4 years
Employee Stock Option | Ratable Vest One
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award cost recognition period	12 months
Compensation costs recognized (as a percent)	33.33%
Employee Stock Option | Ratable Vest Two
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award cost recognition period	24 months
Compensation costs recognized (as a percent)	33.33%
Employee Stock Option | Ratable Vest Three
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award cost recognition period	36 months
Employee Stock Option | Ratable Vest Four
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award cost recognition period	48 months

Stock-Based Compensation - Comm

Stock-Based Compensation - Common Shares Reserved for Issuance (Details) - shares shares in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Number of common shares reserved for issuance
Shares available for granting under the 2002 plan (in shares)	33.3	33.8
Options outstanding (shares)	1.7	2.1
Total shares reserved for issuance (in shares)	35	35.9
Director Deferred Stock Ownership Plan
Number of common shares reserved for issuance
Total shares reserved for issuance (in shares)	0.1

Stock-Based Compensation - Stoc

Stock-Based Compensation - Stock-Based Compensation Expense and Stock Option Fair Value Assumptions (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Stock-Based Compensation
Stock option expense	$ 5	$ 3	$ 7
Restricted stock and unit awards expense	89	96	69
Total stock-based compensation expense	94	99	76
Tax benefit	$ 19	$ 38	$ 29
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Dividend yield	1.10%
Weighted-average grant-date fair value per option (USD per share)	$ 112.98
Minimum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Risk-free average interest rate	2.60%
Volatility	21.80%
Expected life (years)	5 years 8 months 1 day
Maximum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Risk-free average interest rate	2.70%
Volatility	22.00%
Expected life (years)	6 years 26 days

Stock-Based Compensation - St_2

Stock-Based Compensation - Stock Option Activity (Details) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)$ / sharesshares
Options, Outstanding, Shares
Options, Beginning balance (shares) | shares	2.1
Shares, granted (shares) | shares	0.2
Shares, exercised (shares) | shares	(0.6)
Shares, forfeited and expired (shares) | shares	0
Options, Ending balance (shares) | shares	1.7
Weighted average exercise price
Weighted-average exercise price, Beginning balance (USD per share) | $ / shares	$ 44.09
Weighted-average exercise price, granted (USD per share) | $ / shares	74.11
Weighted-average exercise price, exercised (USD per share) | $ / shares	161.14
Weighted-average exercise price, forfeited and expired (USD per share) | $ / shares	71.68
Weighted-average exercise price, Ending balance (USD per share) | $ / shares	$ 47.92
Shares, options exercisable (shares) | shares	1.6
Weighted-average exercise price, options exercisable (USD per share) | $ / shares	$ 46.69
Weighted-average remaining years of contractual term, Options outstanding	3 years 3 months 18 days
Weighted-average remaining years of contractual term, Options exercisable	3 years 1 month 6 days
Aggregate intrinsic value, options outstanding | $	$ 202
Aggregate intrinsic value, options exercisable | $	$ 195
Nonvested Options Outstanding
Shares, granted (shares) | shares	0.2
Weighted-average grant-date fair value
Weighted-average exercise price, granted (USD per share) | $ / shares	$ 74.11
Non Vested Options
Options, Outstanding, Shares
Shares, granted (shares) | shares	0.2
Weighted average exercise price
Weighted-average exercise price, granted (USD per share) | $ / shares	$ 112.98
Nonvested Options Outstanding
Options, Beginning balance (shares) | shares	0
Shares, granted (shares) | shares	0.2
Shares, vested (shares) | shares	(0.1)
Shares, forfeited (shares) | shares	0
Options, Ending balance (shares) | shares	0.1
Weighted-average grant-date fair value
Weighted-average grant-date fair value, Beginning balance (USD per share) | $ / shares	$ 27.52
Weighted-average exercise price, granted (USD per share) | $ / shares	112.98
Weighted-average grant-date fair value, vested (USD per share) | $ / shares	112.36
Weighted-average exercise price, forfeited (USD per share) | $ / shares	112.14
Weighted-average grant-date fair value, Beginning balance (USD per share) | $ / shares	$ 113.02
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Total unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested options | $	$ 2
Weighted-average years to be recognized over	2 years

Stock-Based Compensation - St_3

Stock-Based Compensation - Stock Option Exercises (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Net cash proceeds from the exercise of stock options	$ 34	$ 75	$ 88
Total intrinsic value of stock option exercises	77	118	95
Income tax benefit realized from stock option exercises	$ 27	$ 64	$ 41

Stock-Based Compensation - Rest

Stock-Based Compensation - Restricted Stock and Unit Activity (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Tax benefit relating to restricted stock activity	$ 19	$ 38	$ 29
Restricted Stock Activity
Restricted stock and unit activity
Nonvested shares, Beginning Balance (in shares)	0.8
Shares, Granted (in shares)	1
Shares, Vested (in shares)	(0.9)
Shares, Forfeited (in shares)	(0.1)
Nonvested shares, Ending Balance (in shares)	0.8	0.8
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value [Roll Forward]
Weighted-average grant-date fair value, Beginning balance (in dollars per share)	$ 124.91
Weighted-average grant-date fair value, Granted (in dollars per share)	182.75	$ 147.12	$ 93.01
Weighted-average grant-date fair value, Vested (in dollars per share)	167.13
Weighted-average grant-date fair value, Forfeited (in dollars per share)	149.03
Weighted-average grant-date fair value, Ending balance (in dollars per share)	$ 172.24	$ 124.91
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Total unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested options	$ 76
Weighted-average years to be recognized over	1 year 10 months 24 days
Total fair value of restricted stock and unit awards vested	$ 154	$ 147	$ 99
Tax benefit relating to restricted stock activity	$ 32	$ 36	$ 26

Equity - Capital Stock (Details

Equity - Capital Stock (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	Jan. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred stock authorized (shares)		2,000,000
Par value of preferred stock (USD per share)		$ 1
Preferred stock issued (shares)		0
Dividend history
Quarterly dividend rate (USD per share)		$ 0.50	$ 0.41	$ 0.36
Annualized dividend rate (USD per share)		$ 2	$ 1.64	$ 1.44
Dividends paid		$ 503	$ 421	$ 380
Subsequent Event
Dividend history
Quarterly dividend rate (USD per share)	$ 0.57

Equity - Stock Repurchases (Det

Equity - Stock Repurchases (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 04, 2013
Share repurchases
Average price paid per share (USD per share)		$ 197.21	$ 147.74	$ 113.36
Total cash utilized		$ 1,660	$ 1,006	$ 1,097
Stock repurchased during period (shares)	300,000
Stock repurchased during period	$ 26
Cash used to repurchase treasury shares		$ 1,660	$ 1,001	$ 1,123
2013 Repurchase Program
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock [Line Items]
Stock repurchase program number of shares authorized to be repurchased (shares)					50,000,000
Maximum number of shares authorized for repurchase under stock repurchase plan as percentage of outstanding common stock (as a percent)					18.00%
Share repurchases
Total number of shares purchased (shares)		8,400,000	6,800,000	9,700,000
Remaining shares available under repurchase program (shares)		10,600,000
Stock Repurchases
Share repurchases
Total cash utilized		$ 1,660	$ 1,001	$ 1,097

Equity - Accelerated Share Repu

Equity - Accelerated Share Repurchase Program (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions

Jan. 02, 2019

Oct. 29, 2018

Sep. 25, 2018

Mar. 06, 2018

Oct. 31, 2017

Aug. 01, 2017

Dec. 07, 2016

Sep. 07, 2016

Jan. 02, 2019

Oct. 31, 2017

Dec. 07, 2016

Sep. 25, 2018

Dec. 31, 2018

Dec. 31, 2017

Dec. 31, 2016

Feb. 11, 2019

Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]

Average price paid per share (USD per share)

$ 197.21

$ 147.74

$ 113.36

Accelerated Share Repurchases, October 2018

Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]

Authorized amount

$ 500,000,000

Accelerated share repurchase, settlement (payment) or receipt

$ (500,000,000)

Accelerated Share Repurchases, October 2018 | Initial Award

Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]

Total number of shares purchased (shares)

2.5

Authorized amount repurchased (as a percent)

85.00%

Accelerated Share Repurchases, March 2018

Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]

Authorized amount

$ 1,000,000,000

Accelerated share repurchase, settlement (payment) or receipt

$ (1,000,000,000)

Total number of shares purchased (shares)

5.1

Average price paid per share (USD per share)

$ 197.49

Accelerated Share Repurchases, March 2018 | Initial Award

Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]

Total number of shares purchased (shares)

4.5

Authorized amount repurchased (as a percent)

85.00%

Accelerated Share Repurchases, March 2018 | Additional Award

Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]

Total number of shares purchased (shares)

0.6

Accelerated Share Repurchases, August 2017

Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]

Authorized amount

$ 500,000,000

Accelerated share repurchase, settlement (payment) or receipt

$ (500,000,000)

Total number of shares purchased (shares)

3.2

Average price paid per share (USD per share)

$ 154.46

Accelerated Share Repurchases, August 2017 | Initial Award

Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]

Total number of shares purchased (shares)

2.8

Authorized amount repurchased (as a percent)

85.00%

Accelerated Share Repurchases, August 2017 | Additional Award

Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]

Total number of shares purchased (shares)

0.5

Accelerated Share Repurchases, September 2016

Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]

Authorized amount

$ 750,000,000

Accelerated share repurchase, settlement (payment) or receipt

$ (750,000,000)

Total number of shares purchased (shares)

0.9

6.1

Average price paid per share (USD per share)

$ 122.18

Accelerated Share Repurchases, September 2016 | Initial Award

Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]

Total number of shares purchased (shares)

4.4

Accelerated Share Repurchases, September 2016 | Additional Award

Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]

Total number of shares purchased (shares)

0.9

Subsequent Event | Accelerated Share Repurchases, October 2018

Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]

Total number of shares purchased (shares)

2.9

Average price paid per share (USD per share)

$ 173.80

Subsequent Event | Accelerated Share Repurchases, October 2018 | Additional Award

Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]

Total number of shares purchased (shares)

0.4

Subsequent Event | Accelerated Share Repurchases, February 2019

Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]

Authorized amount

$ 500,000,000

Equity - Redeemable Noncontroll

Equity - Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Interest in joint venture minimum (as a percent)	20.00%
Change in control period	15 days
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Roll Forward]
Balance as of December 31, 2017	$ 1,352
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	151
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(111)
Redemption value adjustment	228
Balance as of December 31, 2018	$ 1,620
CME Group
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Noncontrolling interest ownership by noncontrolling owners (as a percent)	27.00%

Equity - Accumulated Other Comp

Equity - Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Jan. 01, 2018
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	$ 766	$ 701	$ 243
Ending Balance	684	766	701
Pension and other postretirement benefit plans, tax	(9)	11	10
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	(649)	(773)	(600)
Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications	(121)
Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings	18
Net other comprehensive (loss) income	(103)
Ending Balance	(742)	(649)	(773)
Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	(239)
Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications	(100)
Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings	0
Net other comprehensive (loss) income	(100)
Ending Balance	(339)	(239)
Pension and Postretirement Benefit Plans
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	(402)
Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications	(19)
Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings	14
Net other comprehensive (loss) income	(5)
Ending Balance	(407)	(402)
Pension and other postretirement benefit plans, tax	9
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Forward Exchange Contracts
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	2	2	(1)
Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications	(2)	9	7
Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings	4	(9)	(4)
Net other comprehensive (loss) income	2
Ending Balance	4	2	$ 2
Unrealized Loss on Investment
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	(10)
Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications	0
Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings	0
Net other comprehensive (loss) income	0
Ending Balance	$ 0	$ (10)
Accounting Standards Update 2016-01 | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Amounts reclassified to retained income				$ 10
Accounting Standards Update 2016-01 | Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Amounts reclassified to retained income				0
Accounting Standards Update 2016-01 | Pension and Postretirement Benefit Plans
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Amounts reclassified to retained income				0
Accounting Standards Update 2016-01 | Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Forward Exchange Contracts
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Amounts reclassified to retained income				0
Accounting Standards Update 2016-01 | Unrealized Loss on Investment
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Amounts reclassified to retained income				$ 10

Earnings per Share - Summary (D

Earnings per Share - Summary (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Amount attributable to S&P Global Inc. common shareholders:
Net income	$ 512	$ 495	$ 461	$ 491	$ 263	$ 414	$ 421	$ 399	$ 1,958	$ 1,496	$ 2,106
Basic weighted-average number of common shares outstanding (shares)									250,900,000	256,300,000	262,800,000
Effect of stock options and other dilutive securities (shares)									2,300,000	2,600,000	2,400,000
Diluted weighted-average number of common shares outstanding (shares)									253,200,000	258,900,000	265,200,000
Net income:
Basic (USD per share)	$ 2.06	$ 1.97	$ 1.83	$ 1.94	$ 1.03	$ 1.62	$ 1.63	$ 1.54	$ 7.80	$ 5.84	$ 8.02
Diluted (USD per share)	$ 2.03	$ 1.95	$ 1.82	$ 1.93	$ 1.02	$ 1.61	$ 1.62	$ 1.53	$ 7.73	$ 5.78	$ 7.94
Employee Stock Option
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Outstanding shares not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share for both restricted stock and stock options (shares)									0	0	0
Restricted Stock
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Outstanding shares not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share for both restricted stock and stock options (shares)									500,000	600,000	700,000

Restructuring - Narrative (Deta

Restructuring - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2017USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)Positions	Dec. 31, 2017USD ($)Positions	Dec. 31, 2016USD ($)
Restructuring Plan, 2018
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Workforce reduction, positions | Positions		160
Restructuring charges paid		$ 1
Restructuring Plan, 2017
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Workforce reduction, positions | Positions			520
Restructuring reserves	$ 6		$ 6
Restructuring charges paid	$ 44	29	$ 5
Restructuring Plan, 2016
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring reserves				$ 7
Restructuring charges paid		$ 30

Restructuring - Summary (Detail

Restructuring - Summary (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Restructuring Plan, 2018
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded	$ 25
Ending Reserve Balance	24
Restructuring Plan, 2017
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded		$ 44
Ending Reserve Balance	10
Ratings
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded	8	25	$ 6
Market Intelligence
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded		7
Platts
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded		2
Operating segments | Ratings | Restructuring Plan, 2018
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded	8
Ending Reserve Balance	8
Operating segments | Ratings | Restructuring Plan, 2017
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded		25
Ending Reserve Balance	7
Operating segments | Market Intelligence | Restructuring Plan, 2018
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded	7
Ending Reserve Balance	7
Operating segments | Market Intelligence | Restructuring Plan, 2017
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded		8
Ending Reserve Balance	1
Operating segments | Platts | Restructuring Plan, 2018
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded	0
Ending Reserve Balance	0
Operating segments | Platts | Restructuring Plan, 2017
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded		1
Ending Reserve Balance	0
Operating segments | Indices | Restructuring Plan, 2018
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded	0
Ending Reserve Balance	0
Operating segments | Indices | Restructuring Plan, 2017
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded		0
Ending Reserve Balance	0
Corporate
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded	10	10
Corporate | Restructuring Plan, 2018
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded	10
Ending Reserve Balance	9
Corporate | Restructuring Plan, 2017
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded		$ 10
Ending Reserve Balance	$ 2

Segment and Geographic Inform_3

Segment and Geographic Information - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2018USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)Segment
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments | Segment		4
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Consideration paid for acquisition, net of cash acquired		$ 0
Maximum percentage of consolidated revenue represented by foreign countries (more than)		8.00%
Maximum percentage of consolidated revenue represented by single customer (more than)		10.00%
Kensho Technologies
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Consideration paid for acquisition, net of cash acquired	$ 550

Segment and Geographic Inform_4

Segment and Geographic Information - Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment information
Revenue	$ 1,536	$ 1,546	$ 1,609	$ 1,567	$ 1,589	$ 1,513	$ 1,509	$ 1,453	$ 6,258	$ 6,063	$ 5,661
Operating Profit	704	$ 704	$ 672	$ 711	627	$ 649	$ 668	$ 639	2,790	2,583	3,341
Amortization of intangibles									122	98	96
Pre-tax gain (loss) on dispositions											1,100
Depreciation & Amortization									206	180	181
Capital Expenditures									113	123	115
Total Assets	9,458				9,425				9,458	9,425
Assets held for sale	14				5				14	5
Operating segments
Segment information
Operating Profit									3,021	2,778	3,488
Depreciation & Amortization									167	171	173
Capital Expenditures									84	100	102
Total Assets	6,516				6,230				6,516	6,230
Corporate
Segment information
Revenue									15	0	0
Operating Profit									(231)	(195)	(147)
Employee severance charges									10	10
Amortization of intangibles									23
Non-cash acquisition and disposition-related costs/adjustments									31
Pre-tax gain (loss) on dispositions											3
Lease exit costs										19
Asset write-off									11
Depreciation & Amortization									39	9	8
Capital Expenditures									29	23	13
Total Assets	2,928				3,190				2,928	3,190
Intersegment elimination
Segment information
Revenue									(125)	(110)	(98)
Ratings
Segment information
Legal fees									74
Employee severance charges									8	25	6
Legal settlement insurance recoveries										55	10
Amortization of intangibles									2	4	5
Total Assets	680				788				680	788
Ratings | Operating segments
Segment information
Revenue									2,883	2,988	2,535
Operating Profit									1,530	1,517	1,256
Depreciation & Amortization									32	34	34
Capital Expenditures									42	45	42
Market Intelligence
Segment information
Employee severance charges										7
Amortization of intangibles									73	71	72
Business disposition and employee severance charges									7
Non-cash acquisition and disposition-related costs/adjustments										4	43
Pre-tax gain (loss) on dispositions											373
Impairment of intangible assets											24
Acquisition-related costs											1
Total Assets	3,606				3,381				3,606	3,381
Market Intelligence | Operating segments
Segment information
Revenue									1,833	1,683	1,661
Operating Profit									545	457	729
Depreciation & Amortization									99	104	105
Capital Expenditures									30	37	40
Platts
Segment information
Employee severance charges										2
Amortization of intangibles									18	18	14
Non-cash acquisition and disposition-related costs/adjustments										11	5
Pre-tax gain (loss) on dispositions											728
Lease exit costs										6
Asset write-off										2
Total Assets	787				791				787	791
Platts | Operating segments
Segment information
Revenue									815	774	925
Operating Profit									383	326	1,090
Depreciation & Amortization									27	25	26
Capital Expenditures									9	15	17
Indices
Segment information
Amortization of intangibles									6	6	6
Total Assets	$ 1,443				$ 1,270				1,443	1,270
Indices | Operating segments
Segment information
Revenue									837	728	638
Operating Profit									563	478	413
Depreciation & Amortization									9	8	8
Capital Expenditures									$ 3	$ 3	$ 3

Segment and Geographic Inform_5

Segment and Geographic Information - Geographic Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 1,536	$ 1,546	$ 1,609	$ 1,567	$ 1,589	$ 1,513	$ 1,509	$ 1,453	$ 6,258	$ 6,063	$ 5,661
Long-lived Assets	5,429				4,734				5,429	4,734
U.S.
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue									3,750	3,658	3,461
Long-lived Assets	5,019				4,285				5,019	4,285
European region
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue									1,543	1,473	1,330
Long-lived Assets	317				346				317	346
Asia
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue									647	594	575
Long-lived Assets	51				54				51	54
Rest of the world
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue									318	338	$ 295
Long-lived Assets	$ 42				$ 49				$ 42	$ 49
Geographic Concentration Risk | Revenue
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Concentration risk (as a percent)									100.00%	100.00%	100.00%
Geographic Concentration Risk | Revenue | U.S.
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Concentration risk (as a percent)									60.00%	60.00%	61.00%
Geographic Concentration Risk | Revenue | European region
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Concentration risk (as a percent)									25.00%	24.00%	24.00%
Geographic Concentration Risk | Revenue | Asia
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Concentration risk (as a percent)									10.00%	10.00%	10.00%
Geographic Concentration Risk | Revenue | Rest of the world
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Concentration risk (as a percent)									5.00%	6.00%	5.00%
Geographic Concentration Risk | Long-lived Assets
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Concentration risk (as a percent)									100.00%	100.00%
Geographic Concentration Risk | Long-lived Assets | U.S.
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Concentration risk (as a percent)									92.00%	91.00%
Geographic Concentration Risk | Long-lived Assets | European region
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Concentration risk (as a percent)									6.00%	7.00%
Geographic Concentration Risk | Long-lived Assets | Asia
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Concentration risk (as a percent)									1.00%	1.00%
Geographic Concentration Risk | Long-lived Assets | Rest of the world
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Concentration risk (as a percent)									1.00%	1.00%

Commitments and Contingencies -

Commitments and Contingencies - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Affiliated Entity
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Contribution to noncontrolling interest	$ 20
CME Group | S&P/DJ Indices
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Revenues earned under license agreement		$ 121	$ 74	$ 76
CME Group
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Noncontrolling interest ownership by noncontrolling owners (as a percent)		27.00%
CME Group | S&P/DJ Indices
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Noncontrolling interest ownership by noncontrolling owners (as a percent)		27.00%

Commitments and Contingencies_2

Commitments and Contingencies - Rental Expense for Operating Leases (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Gross rental expense	$ 172	$ 177	$ 179
Less: sublease revenue	(17)	(17)	(16)
Net rental expense	$ 155	$ 160	$ 163

Commitments and Contingencies_3

Commitments and Contingencies - Future Minimum Rental Commitments (Details) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)
Future minimum rental commitments
Rent commitment, 2019	$ 130
Rent commitment, 2020	102
Rent commitment, 2021	85
Rent commitment, 2022	75
Rent commitment, 2023	67
Rent commitment, 2024 and beyond	400
Rent commitment, Total	859
Sublease income, 2019	(17)
Sublease income, 2020	(3)
Sublease income, 2021	0
Sublease income, 2022	0
Sublease income, 2023	0
Sublease income, 2024 and beyond	0
Sublease income, Total	(20)
Net rent, 2019	113
Net rent, 2020	99
Net rent, 2021	85
Net rent, 2022	75
Net rent, 2023	67
Net rent, 2024 and beyond	400
Net rent, Total	$ 839

Quarterly Financial Informati_3

Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) - Summary (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 1,536	$ 1,546	$ 1,609	$ 1,567	$ 1,589	$ 1,513	$ 1,509	$ 1,453	$ 6,258	$ 6,063	$ 5,661
Operating profit	704	704	672	711	627	649	668	639	2,790	2,583	3,341
Net income	551	535	501	534	299	452	457	430	2,121	1,638	2,228
Net income attributable to S&P Global common shareholders	$ 512	$ 495	$ 461	$ 491	$ 263	$ 414	$ 421	$ 399	$ 1,958	$ 1,496	$ 2,106
Net income:
Basic (USD per share)	$ 2.06	$ 1.97	$ 1.83	$ 1.94	$ 1.03	$ 1.62	$ 1.63	$ 1.54	$ 7.80	$ 5.84	$ 8.02
Diluted (USD per share)	$ 2.03	$ 1.95	$ 1.82	$ 1.93	$ 1.02	$ 1.61	$ 1.62	$ 1.53	$ 7.73	$ 5.78	$ 7.94

Condensed Consolidating Finan_3

Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Narrative (Details) - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	May 17, 2018	Sep. 22, 2016	Aug. 18, 2015	May 26, 2015
Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount					$ 2,000,000,000
Senior Notes | 4.5% Senior Notes, due 2048
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount			$ 500,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	4.50%
Senior Notes | 2.95% Senior Notes, due 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount				$ 500,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	2.95%			2.95%
Senior Notes | 4.0% Senior Notes, due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount						$ 700,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	4.00%					4.00%
Senior Notes | 2.5% Senior Notes, due 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount		$ 400,000,000			$ 400,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	2.50%				2.50%
Senior Notes | 3.3% Senior Notes, due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount					$ 700,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	3.30%				3.30%
Senior Notes | 4.4% Senior Notes, due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount					$ 900,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	4.40%				4.40%
S&P Financial Services LLC
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Ownership interest of subsidiary (as a percent)	100.00%

Condensed Consolidating Finan_4

Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Statement of Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 1,536	$ 1,546	$ 1,609	$ 1,567	$ 1,589	$ 1,513	$ 1,509	$ 1,453	$ 6,258	$ 6,063	$ 5,661
Expenses:
Operating-related expenses									1,701	1,695	1,773
Selling and general expenses									1,561	1,605	1,467
Depreciation									84	82	85
Amortization of intangibles									122	98	96
Total expenses									3,468	3,480	3,421
Gain on disposition									0	0	(1,101)
Operating profit	704	704	672	711	627	649	668	639	2,790	2,583	3,341
Other income, net									(25)	(27)	(28)
Interest expense (income), net									134	149	181
Non-operating intercompany transactions									0	0	0
Income before taxes on income									2,681	2,461	3,188
(Benefit) Provision for taxes on income									560	823	960
Equity in net income of subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net income	551	535	501	534	299	452	457	430	2,121	1,638	2,228
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									(163)	(142)	(122)
Net income attributable to S&P Global Inc.	$ 512	$ 495	$ 461	$ 491	$ 263	$ 414	$ 421	$ 399	1,958	1,496	2,106
Comprehensive income									2,018	1,762	2,055
Eliminations
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue									(153)	(138)	(126)
Expenses:
Operating-related expenses									(153)	(138)	(126)
Selling and general expenses									0	0	0
Depreciation									0	0	0
Amortization of intangibles									0	0	0
Total expenses									(153)	(138)	(126)
Gain on disposition											0
Operating profit									0	0	0
Other income, net									0	0	0
Interest expense (income), net									0	0	0
Non-operating intercompany transactions									1,584	2,175	668
Income before taxes on income									(1,584)	(2,175)	(668)
(Benefit) Provision for taxes on income									0	0	0
Equity in net income of subsidiaries									(3,575)	(3,808)	(2,706)
Net income									(5,159)	(5,983)	(3,374)
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									(163)	(142)	(122)
Net income attributable to S&P Global Inc.									(5,322)	(6,125)	(3,496)
Comprehensive income									(5,159)	(5,982)	(3,374)
S&P Global Inc. | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue									776	717	667
Expenses:
Operating-related expenses									127	90	114
Selling and general expenses									183	196	128
Depreciation									37	31	38
Amortization of intangibles									0	0	0
Total expenses									347	317	280
Gain on disposition											(1,072)
Operating profit									429	400	1,459
Other income, net									(27)	(16)	(20)
Interest expense (income), net									143	163	191
Non-operating intercompany transactions									363	365	356
Income before taxes on income									(50)	(112)	932
(Benefit) Provision for taxes on income									(14)	26	275
Equity in net income of subsidiaries									3,576	3,808	2,412
Net income									3,540	3,670	3,069
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to S&P Global Inc.									3,540	3,670	3,069
Comprehensive income									3,510	3,694	3,099
Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue									1,695	1,780	1,513
Expenses:
Operating-related expenses									434	482	451
Selling and general expenses									292	345	243
Depreciation									7	11	9
Amortization of intangibles									0	0	0
Total expenses									733	838	703
Gain on disposition											0
Operating profit									962	942	810
Other income, net									0	0	0
Interest expense (income), net									2	0	0
Non-operating intercompany transactions									(75)	(77)	(83)
Income before taxes on income									1,035	1,019	893
(Benefit) Provision for taxes on income									250	370	420
Equity in net income of subsidiaries									(1)	0	294
Net income									784	649	767
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to S&P Global Inc.									784	649	767
Comprehensive income									783	649	767
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue									3,940	3,704	3,607
Expenses:
Operating-related expenses									1,293	1,261	1,334
Selling and general expenses									1,086	1,064	1,096
Depreciation									40	40	38
Amortization of intangibles									122	98	96
Total expenses									2,541	2,463	2,564
Gain on disposition											(29)
Operating profit									1,399	1,241	1,072
Other income, net									2	(11)	(8)
Interest expense (income), net									(11)	(14)	(10)
Non-operating intercompany transactions									(1,872)	(2,463)	(941)
Income before taxes on income									3,280	3,729	2,031
(Benefit) Provision for taxes on income									324	427	265
Equity in net income of subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net income									2,956	3,302	1,766
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to S&P Global Inc.									2,956	3,302	1,766
Comprehensive income									$ 2,884	$ 3,401	$ 1,563

Condensed Consolidating Finan_5

Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,917	$ 2,777
Restricted cash	41	2
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	1,449	1,319
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	197	226
Total current assets	3,604	4,324
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	270	275
Goodwill	3,535	2,989	$ 2,949
Other intangible assets, net	1,524	1,388
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany loans receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	525	449
Total assets	9,458	9,425
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	211	195
Intercompany payable	0	0
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	354	472
Short-term debt	0	399
Income taxes currently payable	72	77
Unearned revenue	1,641	1,613
Accrued legal and regulatory settlements	1	107
Other current liabilities	350	351
Total current liabilities	2,629	3,214
Long-term debt	3,662	3,170
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	229	244
Other non-current liabilities	634	679
Total liabilities	7,154	7,307
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	1,620	1,352
Equity:
Common stock	294	412
Additional paid-in capital	833	525
Retained income	11,284	10,023
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(742)	(649)
Less: common stock in treasury	(11,041)	(9,602)
Total equity – controlling interests	628	709
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	56	57
Total equity	684	766	$ 701	$ 243
Total liabilities and equity	9,458	9,425
Eliminations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Intercompany receivable	(5,561)	(5,079)
Prepaid and other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	(5,561)	(5,079)
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	0	0
Goodwill	9	9
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	(16,635)	(16,397)
Intercompany loans receivable	(1,773)	(1,815)
Other non-current assets	0	(1)
Total assets	(23,960)	(23,283)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	0	0
Intercompany payable	(5,561)	(5,079)
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	0	0
Short-term debt		0
Income taxes currently payable	0	0
Unearned revenue	0	0
Accrued legal and regulatory settlements	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	(5,561)	(5,079)
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	(1,773)	(1,816)
Pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	(7,334)	(6,895)
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	1,620	1,352
Equity:
Common stock	(2,279)	(2,318)
Additional paid-in capital	(9,641)	(9,117)
Retained income	(6,439)	(6,431)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	46	46
Less: common stock in treasury	12	23
Total equity – controlling interests	(18,301)	(17,797)
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	55	57
Total equity	(18,246)	(17,740)
Total liabilities and equity	(23,960)	(23,283)
S&P Global Inc. | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	694	632
Restricted cash	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	163	138
Intercompany receivable	550	768
Prepaid and other current assets	58	143
Total current assets	1,465	1,681
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	192	158
Goodwill	261	261
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	8,599	8,364
Intercompany loans receivable	130	116
Other non-current assets	194	215
Total assets	10,841	10,795
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	89	79
Intercompany payable	4,453	3,433
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	125	145
Short-term debt		399
Income taxes currently payable	1	2
Unearned revenue	240	293
Accrued legal and regulatory settlements	0	0
Other current liabilities	180	136
Total current liabilities	5,088	4,487
Long-term debt	3,662	3,170
Intercompany loans payable	114	101
Pension and other postretirement benefits	162	180
Other non-current liabilities	166	376
Total liabilities	9,192	8,314
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	294	412
Additional paid-in capital	72	(216)
Retained income	12,622	12,156
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(299)	(269)
Less: common stock in treasury	(11,040)	(9,602)
Total equity – controlling interests	1,649	2,481
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	1,649	2,481
Total liabilities and equity	10,841	10,795
Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	109	152
Intercompany receivable	2,138	1,784
Prepaid and other current assets	3	(3)
Total current assets	2,250	1,933
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	0	10
Goodwill	0	0
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	6	5
Intercompany loans receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	45	61
Total assets	2,301	2,009
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	15	23
Intercompany payable	32	492
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	33	86
Short-term debt		0
Income taxes currently payable	0	0
Unearned revenue	235	193
Accrued legal and regulatory settlements	0	2
Other current liabilities	16	21
Total current liabilities	331	817
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	75	74
Total liabilities	406	891
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	618	602
Retained income	1,277	516
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	0	0
Less: common stock in treasury	0	0
Total equity – controlling interests	1,895	1,118
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	1,895	1,118
Total liabilities and equity	2,301	2,009
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1,223	2,145
Restricted cash	41	2
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	1,177	1,029
Intercompany receivable	2,873	2,527
Prepaid and other current assets	136	86
Total current assets	5,450	5,789
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	78	107
Goodwill	3,265	2,719
Other intangible assets, net	1,524	1,388
Investments in subsidiaries	8,030	8,028
Intercompany loans receivable	1,643	1,699
Other non-current assets	286	174
Total assets	20,276	19,904
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	107	93
Intercompany payable	1,076	1,154
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	196	241
Short-term debt		0
Income taxes currently payable	71	75
Unearned revenue	1,166	1,127
Accrued legal and regulatory settlements	1	105
Other current liabilities	154	194
Total current liabilities	2,771	2,989
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	1,659	1,715
Pension and other postretirement benefits	67	64
Other non-current liabilities	393	229
Total liabilities	4,890	4,997
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	2,279	2,318
Additional paid-in capital	9,784	9,256
Retained income	3,824	3,782
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(489)	(426)
Less: common stock in treasury	(13)	(23)
Total equity – controlling interests	15,385	14,907
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	1	0
Total equity	15,386	14,907
Total liabilities and equity	$ 20,276	$ 19,904

Condensed Consolidating Finan_6

Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Operating Activities:
Net income	$ 551	$ 535	$ 501	$ 534	$ 299	$ 452	$ 457	$ 430	$ 2,121	$ 1,638	$ 2,228
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation									84	82	85
Amortization of intangibles									122	98	96
Provision for losses on accounts receivable									21	16	9
Deferred income taxes									81	0	79
Stock-based compensation									94	99	76
Gain on disposition									0	0	(1,101)
Accrued legal settlements									1	55	54
Other									52	96	30
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions:
Accounts receivable									(164)	(196)	(177)
Prepaid and other current assets									(1)	10	5
Accounts payable and accrued expenses									(106)	75	19
Unearned revenue									70	85	107
Accrued legal settlements									(108)	(4)	(150)
Other current liabilities									(67)	(85)	(19)
Net change in prepaid/accrued income taxes									(7)	32	174
Net change in other assets and liabilities									(129)	15	45
Cash provided by operating activities									2,064	2,016	1,560
Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures									(113)	(123)	(115)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired									(401)	(83)	(177)
Contingent consideration payment									0	0	(34)
Proceeds from dispositions									6	2	1,498
Changes in short-term investments									(5)	(5)	(1)
Cash (used for) provided by investing activities									(513)	(209)	1,171
Financing Activities:
(Payments on) / additions to short-term debt, net									0	0	(143)
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes, net									489	0	493
Payments on senior notes									(403)	0	(421)
Dividends paid to shareholders									(503)	(421)	(380)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders									(154)	(111)	(116)
Repurchase of treasury shares									(1,660)	(1,001)	(1,123)
Exercise of stock options									34	75	88
Contingent consideration payment									0	0	(5)
Purchase of additional CRISIL shares									(25)	0	0
Employee withholding tax on share-based payments									(66)	(49)	(55)
Intercompany financing activities									0	0	0
Cash used for financing activities									(2,288)	(1,507)	(1,662)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash									(84)	87	(158)
Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash									(821)	387	911
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year				2,779				2,392	2,779	2,392	1,481
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year	1,958				2,779				1,958	2,779	2,392
Eliminations
Operating Activities:
Net income									(5,159)	(5,983)	(3,374)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation									0	0	0
Amortization of intangibles									0	0	0
Provision for losses on accounts receivable									0	0	0
Deferred income taxes									0	0	0
Stock-based compensation									0	0	0
Gain on disposition											0
Accrued legal settlements									0	0	0
Other									0	0	0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions:
Accounts receivable									0	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets									0	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued expenses									0	0	0
Unearned revenue									0	0	0
Accrued legal settlements									0	0	0
Other current liabilities									0	0	0
Net change in prepaid/accrued income taxes									0	0	0
Net change in other assets and liabilities									0	0	0
Cash provided by operating activities									(5,159)	(5,983)	(3,374)
Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures									0	0	0
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired									0	0	0
Contingent consideration payment											0
Proceeds from dispositions									0	0	0
Changes in short-term investments									0	0	0
Cash (used for) provided by investing activities									0	0	0
Financing Activities:
(Payments on) / additions to short-term debt, net											0
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes, net									0		0
Payments on senior notes									0		0
Dividends paid to shareholders									0	0	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders									0	0	0
Repurchase of treasury shares									0	0	0
Exercise of stock options									0	0	0
Contingent consideration payment											0
Purchase of additional CRISIL shares									0
Employee withholding tax on share-based payments									0	0	0
Intercompany financing activities									5,159	5,983	3,374
Cash used for financing activities									5,159	5,983	3,374
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash									0	0	0
Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash									0	0	0
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year				0				0	0	0	0
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year	0				0				0	0	0
S&P Global Inc. | Reportable Legal Entities
Operating Activities:
Net income									3,540	3,670	3,069
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation									37	31	38
Amortization of intangibles									0	0	0
Provision for losses on accounts receivable									3	2	1
Deferred income taxes									33	108	16
Stock-based compensation									28	35	22
Gain on disposition											(1,072)
Accrued legal settlements									0	0	3
Other									46	34	48
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions:
Accounts receivable									(27)	(2)	(24)
Prepaid and other current assets									(2)	(5)	(2)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses									(11)	22	(8)
Unearned revenue									(53)	19	19
Accrued legal settlements									0	0	0
Other current liabilities									(22)	(42)	(27)
Net change in prepaid/accrued income taxes									2	41	141
Net change in other assets and liabilities									(128)	7	(9)
Cash provided by operating activities									3,446	3,920	2,215
Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures									(81)	(55)	(68)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired									0	0	(144)
Contingent consideration payment											0
Proceeds from dispositions									0	0	1,422
Changes in short-term investments									0	0	0
Cash (used for) provided by investing activities									(81)	(55)	1,210
Financing Activities:
(Payments on) / additions to short-term debt, net											(143)
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes, net									489		493
Payments on senior notes									(403)		(421)
Dividends paid to shareholders									(503)	(421)	(380)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders									0	0	0
Repurchase of treasury shares									(1,660)	(1,001)	(1,123)
Exercise of stock options									26	68	86
Contingent consideration payment											(5)
Purchase of additional CRISIL shares
Employee withholding tax on share-based payments									(66)	(49)	(55)
Intercompany financing activities									(1,181)	(2,546)	(1,333)
Cash used for financing activities									(3,298)	(3,949)	(2,881)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash									(5)	5	0
Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash									62	(79)	544
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year				632				711	632	711	167
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year	694				632				694	632	711
Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC | Reportable Legal Entities
Operating Activities:
Net income									784	649	767
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation									7	11	9
Amortization of intangibles									0	0	0
Provision for losses on accounts receivable									4	3	0
Deferred income taxes									10	(10)	(9)
Stock-based compensation									16	22	17
Gain on disposition											0
Accrued legal settlements									1	0	1
Other									5	19	5
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions:
Accounts receivable									39	(23)	187
Prepaid and other current assets									(4)	3	10
Accounts payable and accrued expenses									(64)	97	(39)
Unearned revenue									13	2	(395)
Accrued legal settlements									0	(1)	(108)
Other current liabilities									(11)	(12)	(27)
Net change in prepaid/accrued income taxes									0	(18)	0
Net change in other assets and liabilities									32	(6)	38
Cash provided by operating activities									832	736	456
Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures									(16)	(32)	(15)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired									0	0	0
Contingent consideration payment											0
Proceeds from dispositions									0	0	0
Changes in short-term investments									0	0	0
Cash (used for) provided by investing activities									(16)	(32)	(15)
Financing Activities:
(Payments on) / additions to short-term debt, net											0
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes, net									0		0
Payments on senior notes									0		0
Dividends paid to shareholders									0	0	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders									0	0	0
Repurchase of treasury shares									0	0	0
Exercise of stock options									0	0	0
Contingent consideration payment											0
Purchase of additional CRISIL shares									0
Employee withholding tax on share-based payments									0	0	0
Intercompany financing activities									(816)	(704)	(441)
Cash used for financing activities									(816)	(704)	(441)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash									0	0	0
Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash									0	0	0
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year				$ 0				$ 0	0	0	0
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year	$ 0				$ 0				$ 0	$ 0	$ 0

Schedule II - Valuation and Q_2

Schedule II - Valuation and Qualifying Accounts (Details) - Allowance for doubtful accounts - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Valuation Allowances [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of year	$ 33	$ 28	$ 37
Net charges to income	21	15	8
Deductions and other	(20)	(11)	(17)
Balance at end of year	$ 34	$ 33	$ 28

Uncategorized Items - spgi-2018

Label	Element	Value
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	$ 72,000,000
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(98,000,000)
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	38,000,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt	us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfSeniorLongTermDebt	0
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt	us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfSeniorLongTermDebt	0
Other Noncash Income (Expense)	us-gaap_OtherNoncashIncomeExpense	23,000,000
Other Noncash Income (Expense)	us-gaap_OtherNoncashIncomeExpense	(43,000,000)
Other Noncash Income (Expense)	us-gaap_OtherNoncashIncomeExpense	(1,000,000)
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Noncontrolling Interest	us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsMinorityInterest	116,000,000
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Noncontrolling Interest	us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsMinorityInterest	111,000,000
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Noncontrolling Interest	us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsMinorityInterest	154,000,000
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities	(1,714,000,000)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities	(2,837,000,000)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities	(3,333,000,000)
Increase (Decrease) in Other Current Liabilities	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOtherCurrentLiabilities	35,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Other Current Liabilities	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOtherCurrentLiabilities	(31,000,000)
Increase (Decrease) in Other Current Liabilities	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOtherCurrentLiabilities	(34,000,000)
Payments to Acquire Productive Assets	us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets	32,000,000
Payments to Acquire Productive Assets	us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets	36,000,000
Payments to Acquire Productive Assets	us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets	16,000,000
Payments for (Proceeds from) Short-term Investments	us-gaap_PaymentsForProceedsFromShortTermInvestments	1,000,000
Payments for (Proceeds from) Short-term Investments	us-gaap_PaymentsForProceedsFromShortTermInvestments	5,000,000
Payments for (Proceeds from) Short-term Investments	us-gaap_PaymentsForProceedsFromShortTermInvestments	5,000,000
Payments to Acquire Businesses Including Contingent Payments, Net of Cash Acquired	spgi_PaymentstoAcquireBusinessesIncludingContingentPaymentsNetofCashAcquired	33,000,000
Payments to Acquire Businesses Including Contingent Payments, Net of Cash Acquired	spgi_PaymentstoAcquireBusinessesIncludingContingentPaymentsNetofCashAcquired	83,000,000
Payments to Acquire Businesses Including Contingent Payments, Net of Cash Acquired	spgi_PaymentstoAcquireBusinessesIncludingContingentPaymentsNetofCashAcquired	401,000,000
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities	2,263,000,000
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities	3,343,000,000
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities	2,945,000,000
Payments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation	us-gaap_PaymentsRelatedToTaxWithholdingForShareBasedCompensation	0
Payments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation	us-gaap_PaymentsRelatedToTaxWithholdingForShareBasedCompensation	0
Payments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation	us-gaap_PaymentsRelatedToTaxWithholdingForShareBasedCompensation	0
Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayableAndAccruedLiabilities	66,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayableAndAccruedLiabilities	(44,000,000)
Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayableAndAccruedLiabilities	(31,000,000)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities	us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities	(24,000,000)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities	us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities	(122,000,000)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities	us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities	(416,000,000)
Increase (Decrease) in Other Current Assets	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOtherCurrentAssets	3,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Other Current Assets	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOtherCurrentAssets	(12,000,000)
Increase (Decrease) in Other Current Assets	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOtherCurrentAssets	(5,000,000)
Share-based Compensation	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation	37,000,000
Share-based Compensation	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation	42,000,000
Share-based Compensation	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation	50,000,000
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock	0
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock	0
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock	0
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Common Stock	us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock	0
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Common Stock	us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock	0
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Common Stock	us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock	0
Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Receivable	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivable	340,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Receivable	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivable	171,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Receivable	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivable	176,000,000
Payment for Contingent Consideration Liability, Investing Activities	us-gaap_PaymentForContingentConsiderationLiabilityInvestingActivities	34,000,000
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Short-term Debt	us-gaap_ProceedsFromRepaymentsOfShortTermDebt	0
Payments to Acquire Interest in Subsidiaries and Affiliates	us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireInterestInSubsidiariesAndAffiliates	25,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Accrued Liabilities	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedLiabilities	50,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Accrued Liabilities	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedLiabilities	55,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Accrued Liabilities	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedLiabilities	0
Increase (Decrease) in Other Noncurrent Assets and Liabilities, Net	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentAssetsAndLiabilitiesNet	(16,000,000)
Increase (Decrease) in Other Noncurrent Assets and Liabilities, Net	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentAssetsAndLiabilitiesNet	(14,000,000)
Increase (Decrease) in Other Noncurrent Assets and Liabilities, Net	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentAssetsAndLiabilitiesNet	33,000,000
Repayments of Senior Debt	us-gaap_RepaymentsOfSeniorDebt	0
Repayments of Senior Debt	us-gaap_RepaymentsOfSeniorDebt	0
Proceeds from Stock Options Exercised	us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised	2,000,000
Proceeds from Stock Options Exercised	us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised	7,000,000
Proceeds from Stock Options Exercised	us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised	8,000,000
Payments for Legal Settlements	us-gaap_PaymentsForLegalSettlements	42,000,000
Payments for Legal Settlements	us-gaap_PaymentsForLegalSettlements	3,000,000
Payments for Legal Settlements	us-gaap_PaymentsForLegalSettlements	108,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Contract with Customer, Liability	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInContractWithCustomerLiability	483,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Contract with Customer, Liability	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInContractWithCustomerLiability	64,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Contract with Customer, Liability	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInContractWithCustomerLiability	110,000,000
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment	us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment	76,000,000
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment	us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment	2,000,000
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment	us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment	6,000,000
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	1,314,000,000
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	1,681,000,000
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	2,147,000,000
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	1,264,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Income Taxes Payable	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedIncomeTaxesPayable	33,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Income Taxes Payable	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedIncomeTaxesPayable	9,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Income Taxes Payable	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedIncomeTaxesPayable	(9,000,000)
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Including Exchange Rate Effect	us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecreaseIncludingExchangeRateEffect	367,000,000
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Including Exchange Rate Effect	us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecreaseIncludingExchangeRateEffect	466,000,000
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Including Exchange Rate Effect	us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecreaseIncludingExchangeRateEffect	(883,000,000)
Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	us-gaap_EffectOfExchangeRateOnCashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	(158,000,000)
Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	us-gaap_EffectOfExchangeRateOnCashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	82,000,000
Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	us-gaap_EffectOfExchangeRateOnCashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	(79,000,000)
Provision for Doubtful Accounts	us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts	8,000,000
Provision for Doubtful Accounts	us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts	11,000,000
Provision for Doubtful Accounts	us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts	14,000,000
Intercompany Financing Transactions	spgi_IntercompanyFinancingTransactions	(1,600,000,000)
Intercompany Financing Transactions	spgi_IntercompanyFinancingTransactions	(2,733,000,000)
Intercompany Financing Transactions	spgi_IntercompanyFinancingTransactions	(3,162,000,000)
Payments for Previous Acquisition	us-gaap_PaymentsForPreviousAcquisition	$ 0