S&P Global (SPGI) 10-K 10 Feb 20 2019 FY Annual report Financial data

Cover Page

Cover Page - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Billions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Jan. 24, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Cover page.
Entity Central Index Key	0000064040
Amendment Flag	false
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2019
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Document Type	10-K
Document Annual Report	true
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2019
Document Transition Report	false
Entity File Number	1-1023
Entity Registrant Name	S&P Global Inc.
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	NY
Entity Tax Identification Number	13-1026995
Entity Address, Address Line One	55 Water Street
Entity Address, City or Town	New York
Entity Address, State or Province	NY
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	10041
City Area Code	212
Local Phone Number	438-1000
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock — $1 par value
Trading Symbol	SPGI
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Public Float			$ 56.1
Entity Common Stock, Share outstanding		243.8

Consolidated Statements of Inco

Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 1,735	$ 1,536	$ 6,699	$ 6,258	$ 6,063
Expenses:
Operating-related expenses			1,801	1,698	1,694
Selling and general expenses			1,517	1,564	1,606
Depreciation			82	84	82
Amortization of intangibles			122	122	98
Total expenses			3,522	3,468	3,480
Gain on dispositions			(49)	0	0
Operating profit	818	704	3,226	2,790	2,583
Other expense (income), net			98	(25)	(27)
Interest expense, net			198	134	149
Income before taxes on income			2,930	2,681	2,461
Provision for taxes on income			627	560	823
Net income	585	551	2,303	2,121	1,638
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests			(180)	(163)	(142)
Net income attributable to S&P Global Inc.	$ 541	$ 512	$ 2,123	$ 1,958	$ 1,496
Net income:
Basic (USD per share)	$ 2.22	$ 2.06	$ 8.65	$ 7.80	$ 5.84
Diluted (USD per share)	$ 2.20	$ 2.03	$ 8.60	$ 7.73	$ 5.78
Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic (shares)			245.4	250.9	256.3
Diluted (shares)			246.9	253.2	258.9
Actual shares outstanding at year end (shares)	244	248.4	244	248.4	253.7

Consolidated Statements of Comp

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income	$ 2,303	$ 2,121	$ 1,638
Other comprehensive income:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	10	(96)	93
Income tax effect	8	(4)	0
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of income tax effect	18	(100)	93
Pension and other postretirement benefit plans	141	(14)	52
Income tax effect	(39)	9	(11)
Pension and other postretirement benefit plans, net of income tax effect	102	(5)	41
Unrealized (loss) gain on investment and forward exchange contracts	(2)	2	(10)
Income tax effect	0	0	0
Unrealized loss on investment and forward exchange contracts, net of income tax effect	(2)	2	(10)
Comprehensive income	2,421	2,018	1,762
Less: comprehensive income attributable to nonredeemable noncontrolling interests	(10)	(12)	(13)
Less: comprehensive income attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interests	(170)	(151)	(129)
Comprehensive income attributable to S&P Global Inc.	$ 2,241	$ 1,855	$ 1,620

Consolidated Balance Sheets

Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 2,866	$ 1,917
Restricted cash	20	41
Short-term investments	28	18
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts: 2019- $34; 2018 - $34	1,577	1,449
Prepaid and other current assets	221	162
Total current assets	4,712	3,587
Property and equipment:
Buildings and leasehold improvements	420	372
Equipment and furniture	522	494
Total property and equipment	942	866
Less: accumulated depreciation	(622)	(596)
Property and equipment, net	320	270
Right of use assets	676	0
Goodwill	3,575	3,535
Other intangible assets, net	1,424	1,524
Other non-current assets	641	525
Total assets	11,348	9,441
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	190	211
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	446	354
Income taxes currently payable	68	73
Unearned revenue	1,928	1,641
Other current liabilities	461	351
Total current liabilities	3,093	2,630
Long-term debt	3,948	3,662
Lease liabilities – non-current	620	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	259	229
Other non-current liabilities	624	616
Total liabilities	8,544	7,137
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	2,268	1,620
Commitments and contingencies (Note 13)
Equity:
Common stock, $1 par value: authorized - 600 million shares; issued: 2019 - 294 million shares; 2018 - 294 million shares	294	294
Additional paid-in capital	903	833
Retained income	12,205	11,284
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(624)	(742)
Less: common stock in treasury - at cost: 2019 - 50 million shares; 2018 - 45 million shares	(12,299)	(11,041)
Total equity – controlling interests	479	628
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	57	56
Total equity	536	684
Total liabilities and equity	$ 11,348	$ 9,441

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Pa

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Allowance for doubtful accounts	$ 34	$ 34
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	294,000,000
Treasury stock (shares)	50,000,000	45,000,000

Consolidated Statements of Cash

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Operating Activities:
Net income	$ 2,303	$ 2,121	$ 1,638
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation	82	84	82
Amortization of intangibles	122	122	98
Provision for losses on accounts receivable	18	21	16
Deferred income taxes	46	81	0
Stock-based compensation	78	94	99
Gain on dispositions	(49)	0	0
Accrued legal settlements	0	1	55
Pension settlement charge, net of taxes	85	0	0
Other	93	52	96
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions:
Accounts receivable	(135)	(164)	(196)
Prepaid and other current assets	(81)	(1)	10
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	73	(106)	75
Unearned revenue	256	70	85
Accrued legal settlements	(1)	(108)	(4)
Other current liabilities	(56)	(67)	(85)
Net change in prepaid/accrued income taxes	(41)	(7)	32
Net change in other assets and liabilities	(17)	(129)	15
Cash provided by operating activities	2,776	2,064	2,016
Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures	(115)	(113)	(123)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(91)	(401)	(83)
Proceeds from dispositions	85	6	2
Changes in short-term investments	(10)	(5)	(5)
Cash used for investing activities	(131)	(513)	(209)
Financing Activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes, net	1,086	489	0
Payments on senior notes	(868)	(403)	0
Dividends paid to shareholders	(560)	(503)	(421)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders, net	(143)	(154)	(111)
Repurchase of treasury shares	(1,240)	(1,660)	(1,001)
Exercise of stock options	40	34	75
Purchase of additional CRISIL shares	0	(25)	0
Employee withholding tax on share-based payments and other	(66)	(66)	(49)
Cash used for financing activities	(1,751)	(2,288)	(1,507)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	34	(84)	87
Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash	928	(821)	387
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year	1,958	2,779	2,392
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year	2,886	1,958	2,779
Cash paid during the year for:
Interest	162	151	139
Income taxes	$ 659	$ 558	$ 709

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, 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 (Dividend declared per common share)		(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 (Dividend declared per common share)		(514)	(503)			(503)					(11)
Share repurchases		(1,660)	(1,660)		(75)					1,585
Retirement of common stock				(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		10			(4)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2018		684	628	294	833	11,284		(742)		(11,041)	56
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Comprehensive income	[1]	2,251	2,241			2,123		118			10
Dividends (Dividend declared per common share)		(570)	(560)			(560)					(10)
Share repurchases		(1,240)	(1,240)		75					1,315
Employee stock plans		52	52		(5)					(57)
Capital contribution from noncontrolling interest		(36)	(36)			(36)
Change in redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest		(608)	(608)			(608)
Other		3	2			2	[2]		[2]		1
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2019		$ 536	$ 479	$ 294	$ 903	$ 12,205		$ (624)		$ (12,299)	$ 57
[1]	Excludes $170 million, $151 million and $129 million in 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , 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.

Consolidated Statements of Eq_2

Consolidated Statements of Equity (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Statement of Stockholders' Equity [Abstract]
Dividends declared per share	$ 2.28	$ 2	$ 1.64
Comprehensive income attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interests	$ 170	$ 151	$ 129

Accounting Policies

Accounting Policies	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
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. • 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. Beginning in the first quarter of 2019, the contract obligations for revenue from Kensho's major customers were transferred to Market Intelligence for fulfillment. As a result of this transfer, from January 1, 2019, revenue from contracts with Kensho’s customers is reflected in Market Intelligence’s results. In 2018, the revenue from contracts with Kensho’s customers was reported in Corporate revenue. Restricted cash of $15 million and $32 million included in our consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 , respectively, 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. Adoption of ASC 842, “Leases” On January 1, 2019, we adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification ("FASB ASC") 842 that requires a lessee to recognize "right of use" assets with offsetting lease liabilities on the balance sheet, with expenses recognized similar to previously issued guidance. We adopted the new lease standard effective January 1, 2019 using the modified retrospective transition method. Under this transition method, the standard was adopted prospectively without restating prior period's financial statements. See Note 13 — Commitments and Contingencies for further details on our leases. Adoption of ASC 606, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” We adopted FASB 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. 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. 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 $128 million , $125 million and $110 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 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; as well as 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. 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, 2019 and 2018 , contract assets were $28 million and $26 million , respectively, and are included in accounts receivable in our consolidated balance sheets. Unearned Revenue We record unearned revenue when cash payments are received in advance of our performance. The increase in the unearned revenue balance for the year ended December 31, 2019 is primarily driven by cash payments received in advance of satisfying our performance obligations, offset by $1.7 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, 2019 , the aggregate amount of the transaction price allocated to remaining performance obligations was $1.9 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 $115 million and $101 million as of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 , respectively, 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. Other Expense (Income), net The components of other expense (income), net for the year ended December 31 are as follows: (in millions) 2019 2018 2017 Other components of net periodic benefit cost 1 $ 79 $ (30 ) $ (27 ) Net loss from investments 19 5 — Other expense (income), net $ 98 $ (25 ) $ (27 ) 1 During 2019, the Company purchased a group annuity contract under which an insurance company assumed a portion of the Company's obligation to pay pension benefits to the plan's beneficiaries. The purchase of this group annuity contract was funded by pension plan assets. The net periodic benefit cost for our retirement and post retirement plans for 2019 includes a non-cash pre-tax settlement charge of $113 million reflecting the accelerated recognition of a portion of unamortized actuarial losses in the plan. 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 operations 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 $2.9 billion and $1.9 billion as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 , 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 $212 million and $205 million as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 , respectively. Accumulated amortization of capitalized technology costs was $129 million and $105 million as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 , 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 and a cross currency swap 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 long-term debt borrowings were $3.9 billion and $3.8 billion as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 , 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. 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, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 . 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 $34 million in advertising costs for the year ended December 31, 2019 and $33 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 . 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 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 2019 and 2017. 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, 2020 . 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. As of December 31, 2019 , we have approximately $3.2 billion of undistributed earnings of our foreign subsidiaries, of which $776 million is reinvested indefinitely in our foreign operations. Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest The agreement with the minority partners of our S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC joint venture 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 generally be required to purchase the 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 both income and market valuation approaches. Our income and market valuation approaches incorporate Level 3 measures for instances when observable inputs are not available. The more significant judgmental assumptions used to estimate the value of the S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC joint venture include an estimated discount rate, a range of assumptions that form the basis of the expected future net cash flows (e.g., the revenue growth rates and operating margins), and a company specific beta. The significant judgmental assumptions used that incorporate m

Acquisitions and Divestitures

Acquisitions and Divestitures	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Acquisitions and Divestitures	Acquisitions and Divestitures Acquisitions 2020 In December of 2019, CRISIL, included within our Ratings segment, agreed to acquire Greenwich Associates LLC ("Greenwich"), a leading provider of proprietary benchmarking data, analytics and qualitative, actionable insights that helps financial services firms worldwide measure and improve business performance. The acquisition will complement CRISIL's existing portfolio of products and expand offerings to new segments across financial services including commercial banks and asset and wealth managers. We will account for the acquisition using the purchase method of accounting. The acquisition of Greenwich will not be material to our consolidated financial statements. The completion of this acquisition is subject to certain closing conditions. In January of 2020, we completed the acquisition of the ESG Ratings Business from RobecoSAM, which includes the widely followed SAM* Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices. The acquisition will bolster our position as the premier resource for essential environmental, social, and governance ("ESG") insights and product solutions for our customers. Through this acquisition, we will be able to offer our customers even more transparent, robust and comprehensive ESG solutions. We accounted for the acquisition using the purchase method of accounting. The acquisition of the ESG Ratings Business is not material to our consolidated financial statements. 2019 For the year ended December 31, 2019 , we paid cash for acquisitions of $91 million , net of cash acquired, funded with cash from operations. 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, 2019 included: • In December of 2019, Market Intelligence acquired 451 Research, LLC ("451 Research"), a privately-held research and advisory firm that provides intelligence, expertise and data covering high-growth emerging technology segments. This acquisition will expand and strengthen Market Intelligence's research coverage, adding differentiated expertise and intelligence with comprehensive offerings in technologies. We accounted for the acquisition using the purchase method of accounting. The acquisition of 451 Research is not material to our consolidated financial statements. • In September of 2019, Platts acquired Canadian Enerdata Ltd. ("Enerdata"), an independent provider of energy data and information in Canada, to further enhance Platts' North American natural gas offering. We accounted for the acquisition using the purchase method of accounting. The acquisition of Enerdata is not material to our consolidated financial statements. • In August of 2019, Platts acquired Live Rice Index ("LRI"), a global provider of information and benchmark price assessments for the rice industry. The purchase expands Platts portfolio of agricultural price assessments while extending its data and news coverage in key export regions for international grains. We accounted for the acquisition using the purchase method of accounting. The acquisition of LRI is not material to our consolidated financial statements. • In July of 2019, we completed the acquisition of the Orion technology center from Ness Technologies. Orion was developed to become our center of excellence for technology talent to focus on innovation by providing employees with access to the latest technologies and global communications infrastructure, as well as physical spaces that enable highly-collaborative teams. We accounted for the acquisition using the purchase method of accounting. The acquisition of Orion is not material to our consolidated financial statements. For acquisitions during 2019 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 451 Research and Orion is expected to be deductible for tax purposes. 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. All acquisitions were funded with cash flows from operations. 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 useful lives not exceeding 10 years . The goodwill for RateWatch will continue 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. Non-cash investing activities Liabilities assumed in conjunction with our acquisitions are as follows: (in millions) Year ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Fair value of assets acquired $ 110 $ 857 $ 83 Cash and stock consideration (net of cash acquired) 91 803 83 Liabilities assumed $ 19 $ 54 $ — Divestitures 2020 In January of 2020, Market Intelligence entered into a strategic alliance to transition S&P Global Market Intelligence's Investor Relations ("IR") webhosting business to Q4 Inc. ("Q4"). This alliance will integrate Market Intelligence's proprietary data into Q4's portfolio of solutions, enabling further opportunities for commercial collaboration. In connection with transitioning its IR webhosting business to Q4, Market Intelligence has made a minority investment in Q4. 2019 During the year ended December 31, 2019, we completed the following dispositions that resulted in a pre-tax gain of $49 million , which was included in Gain on dispositions in the consolidated statement of income: • On July 31, 2019, we completed the sale of RigData, a business within our Platts segment, to Drilling Info, Inc. RigData is a provider of daily information on rig activity for the natural gas and oil markets across North America. During the year ended December 31, 2019, we recorded a pre-tax gain of $27 million ( $26 million after-tax) in Gain on dispositions in the consolidated statement of income related to the sale of RigData. • In March of 2019, we entered into an agreement to sell Standard & Poor's Investment Advisory Services LLC ("SPIAS"), a business within our Market Intelligence segment, to Goldman Sachs Asset Management ("GSAM"). SPIAS provides non-discretionary investment advice across institutional sub-advisory and intermediary distribution channels globally. On July 1, 2019, we completed the sale of SPIAS to GSAM. During the year ended December 31, 2019, we recorded a pre-tax gain of $22 million ( $12 million after-tax) in Gain on dispositions in the consolidated statement of income related to the sale of SPIAS. 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, 2019 and 2018. 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. 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. The operating profit of our businesses that were disposed of for the years ending December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017 is as follows: (in millions) Year ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Operating profit 1 $ 5 $ 8 $ 6 1 The year ended December 31, 2019 excludes a pre-tax gain of $49 million on our dispositions.

Goodwill and Other Intangible A

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
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, 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 Acquisitions — 44 6 — — 50 Dispositions — (12 ) (3 ) — — (15 ) Reclassifications — 3 — (3 ) — — Other 1 2 (2 ) 2 — 3 5 Balance as of December 31, 2019 $ 115 $ 2,062 $ 521 $ 376 $ 501 $ 3,575 1 Primarily relates to the impact of foreign exchange and valuation adjustments for prior period acquisitions. 2018 includes adjustments related to Trucost. 2019 includes adjustments related to Panjiva, Rate Watch and Eclipse. Goodwill additions and dispositions 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 as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 . • 2019 and 2018 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. • 2019 and 2018 both include $185 million within our Market Intelligence segment for the SNL tradename. • 2019 and 2018 both include $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. • 2019 and 2018 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, 2017 $ 554 $ 139 $ 347 $ 50 $ 77 $ 1,167 Acquisitions 3 — — — 123 126 Other (primarily Fx) 1 4 — (1 ) — (6 ) (3 ) Balance as of December 31, 2018 561 139 346 50 194 1,290 Acquisitions — — — — 29 29 Reclassifications 78 — 10 5 (93 ) — Other 1 (10 ) — (1 ) (1 ) — (12 ) Balance as of December 31, 2019 $ 629 $ 139 $ 355 $ 54 $ 130 $ 1,307 Accumulated amortization 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 — — (1 ) — (2 ) (3 ) Balance as of December 31, 2018 240 115 126 45 86 612 Current year amortization 73 14 23 3 9 122 Reclassifications 22 — 4 1 (27 ) — Other 1 (4 ) — — (1 ) — (5 ) Balance as of December 31, 2019 $ 331 $ 129 $ 153 $ 48 $ 68 $ 729 Net definite-lived intangibles: December 31, 2018 $ 321 $ 24 $ 220 $ 5 $ 108 $ 678 December 31, 2019 $ 298 $ 10 $ 202 $ 6 $ 62 $ 578 1 Primarily relates to the impact of foreign exchange and valuation adjustments for prior period acquisitions. 2019 includes adjustments related to RigData. Definite-lived intangible assets are being amortized on a straight-line basis over periods of up to 21 years . The weighted-average life of the intangible assets as of December 31, 2019 is approximately 12 years . Amortization expense was $122 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 and $98 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 . 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) 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Amortization expense $ 117 $ 86 $ 78 $ 73 $ 70

Taxes on Income

Taxes on Income	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
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, 2019 2018 2017 Domestic operations $ 2,068 $ 1,857 $ 1,723 Foreign operations 862 824 738 Total income before taxes $ 2,930 $ 2,681 $ 2,461 The provision for taxes on income consists of the following: (in millions) Year Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Federal: Current $ 303 $ 198 $ 489 Deferred 13 53 63 Total federal 316 251 552 Foreign: Current 201 214 194 Deferred 14 (2 ) (3 ) Total foreign 215 212 191 State and local: Current 93 84 73 Deferred 3 13 7 Total state and local 96 97 80 Total provision for taxes $ 627 $ 560 $ 823 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, 2019 2018 2017 U.S. federal statutory income tax rate 21.0 % 21.0 % 35.0 % State and local income taxes 2.6 2.8 2.5 Foreign operations (0.3 ) 0.2 (3.9 ) TCJA Transition Tax — (0.3 ) 6.0 Stock-based compensation (1.4 ) (1.2 ) (2.7 ) S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC joint venture (1.2 ) (1.2 ) (1.8 ) Tax credits and incentives (1.7 ) (1.7 ) (2.1 ) Other, net 2.4 1.3 0.4 Effective income tax rate 21.4 % 20.9 % 33.4 % The increase in the effective income tax rate in 2019 was primarily due to an increase in accruals for potential tax liabilities for prior years in various jurisdictions. 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, 2019 2018 Deferred tax assets: Legal and regulatory settlements $ 2 $ 2 Employee compensation 58 57 Accrued expenses 30 36 Postretirement benefits 27 48 Unearned revenue 28 29 Allowance for doubtful accounts 9 8 Loss carryforwards 155 155 Other 24 24 Total deferred tax assets 333 359 Deferred tax liabilities: Goodwill and intangible assets (318 ) (295 ) Total deferred tax liabilities (318 ) (295 ) Net deferred income tax asset before valuation allowance 15 64 Valuation allowance (163 ) (156 ) Net deferred income tax (liability) asset $ (148 ) $ (92 ) Reported as: Non-current deferred tax assets $ 52 $ 52 Non-current deferred tax liabilities (200 ) (144 ) Net deferred income tax (liability) asset $ (148 ) $ (92 ) 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, 2019, we have approximately $3.2 billion of undistributed earnings of our foreign subsidiaries, of which $776 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 $659 million in 2019 , $558 million in 2018 , and $709 million in 2017 . As of December 31, 2019 , we had net operating loss carryforwards of $689 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, 2019 2018 2017 Balance at beginning of year $ 147 $ 212 $ 221 Additions based on tax positions related to the current year 21 19 23 Additions for tax positions of prior years 11 2 17 Reduction for tax positions of prior years (15 ) (21 ) (32 ) Reduction for settlements (33 ) (65 ) (5 ) Expiration of applicable statutes of limitations (7 ) — (12 ) Balance at end of year $ 124 $ 147 $ 212 The total amount of federal, state and local, and foreign unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 was $124 million , $147 million and $212 million , respectively, exclusive of interest and penalties. During the period ended December 31, 2019, the change in unrecognized tax benefits resulted in a net increase of tax expense of $10 million . 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 $10 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, 2019 and 2018 , we had $20 million and $35 million , respectively, of accrued interest and penalties associated with unrecognized tax benefits. The U.S. federal income tax audit for 2017 and 2018 is in process. During 2019, we completed 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 2013. The impact to tax expense in 2019 , 2018 and 2017 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, 2020

Debt

Debt	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Debt	Debt A summary of long-term debt outstanding is as follows: (in millions) December 31, 2019 2018 3.3% Senior Notes, due 2020 1 $ — $ 698 4.0% Senior Notes, due 2025 2 694 693 4.4% Senior Notes, due 2026 3 893 892 2.95% Senior Notes, due 2027 4 493 493 2.5% Senior Notes, due 2029 5 495 — 6.55% Senior Notes, due 2037 6 294 396 4.5% Senior Notes, due 2048 7 490 490 3.25% Senior Notes, due 2049 8 589 — Long-term debt $ 3,948 $ 3,662 1 We made a $700 million early repayment of our 3.3% senior note in the fourth quarter of 2019. 2 Interest payments are due semiannually on June 15 and December 15, and as of December 31, 2019 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $6 million . 3 Interest payments are due semiannually on February 15 and August 15, and as of December 31, 2019 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $7 million . 4 Interest payments are due semiannually on January 22 and July 22, and as of December 31, 2019 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $7 million . 5 Interest payments are due semiannually on June 1 and December 1, beginning on June 1, 2020, and as of December 31, 2019 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $5 million . 6 We made a $103 million early repayment of a portion of our 6.55% senior note in November of 2019. Interest payments are due semiannually on May 15 and November 15, and as of December 31, 2019 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $3 million . 7 Interest payments are due semiannually on May 15 and November 15, and as of December 31, 2019 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $10 million . 8 Interest payments are due semiannually on June 1 and December 1, beginning on June 1, 2020, and as of December 31, 2019 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $11 million . Annual debt maturities are scheduled as follows based on book values as of December 31, 2019 : no amounts due in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 and $3.9 billion due thereafter. On November 26, 2019, we issued $500 million of 2.5% senior notes due in 2029 and $600 million of 3.25% senior notes due in 2049. The notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by our wholly-owned subsidiary, Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC. In the fourth quarter of 2019, we used the net proceeds to fund the redemption of the $700 million outstanding principal amount of our 3.3% senior notes due in August of 2020 and a portion of the $400 million outstanding principal amount of our 6.55% senior notes due in October of 2037. On May 17, 2018, we issued $500 million of 4.5% senior 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. 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, 2019 and 2018 . 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, 2019
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, 2019 and December 31, 2018 , we have entered into foreign exchange forward contracts to mitigate or hedge the effect of adverse fluctuations in foreign exchange rates. As of December 31, 2019, we have entered into a cross currency swap contract to hedge a portion of our net investment in a foreign subsidiary against volatility in foreign exchange rates. These 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, 2019 , 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, 2019 and 2018, the aggregate notional value of these outstanding forward contracts was $116 million and $98 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, 2019 and 2018 related to these contracts was a net gain of $4 million and a net loss of $12 million , respectively. Net Investment Hedge During the twelve months ended December 31, 2019, we entered into a cross currency swap to hedge a portion of our net investment in a certain European subsidiary against volatility in the Euro/U.S. dollar exchange rate. This swap is designated and qualifies as a hedge of a net investment in a foreign subsidiary and is scheduled to mature in 2024. As of December 31, 2019, the notional value of our outstanding cross currency swap designated as a net investment hedge was $400 million. The changes in the fair value of this swap are recognized in foreign currency translation adjustments, a component of other comprehensive income (loss), and reported in accumulated other comprehensive loss in our consolidated balance sheet. The gain or loss will be subsequently reclassified into net earnings when the hedged net investment is either sold or substantially liquidated. We have elected to assess the effectiveness of our net investment hedge based on changes in spot exchange rates. Accordingly, amounts related to the cross currency swap recognized directly in net income during 2019 represent net periodic interest settlements and accruals, which are recognized in interest expense, net. We recognized net interest income of $1 million in 2019. Cash Flow Hedges During the twelve months ended December 31, 2019, 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 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. 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, 2019 , we estimate that $2 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. As of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 , the aggregate notional value of our outstanding foreign exchange forward contracts designated as cash flow hedges was $249 million and $289 million, respectively. The following table provides information on the location and fair value amounts of our cash flow hedges and net investment hedge as of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 : (in millions) December 31, December 31, Balance Sheet Location 2019 2018 Derivatives designated as cash flow hedges: Prepaid and other current assets Foreign exchange forward contracts $ 1 $ 3 Derivative designated as a net investment hedge: Other non-current liabilities Cross currency swap $ 10 $ — The following table provides information on the location and amounts of pre-tax gains (losses) on our cash flow hedges and net investment hedge 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) 2019 2018 2017 2019 2018 2017 Cash flow hedges - designated as hedging instruments Foreign exchange forward contracts $ (2 ) $ 2 $ — Revenue, Selling and general expenses $ 5 $ (4 ) $ 9 Net investment hedge - designated as hedging instrument Cross currency swap $ (10 ) $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — 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, 2019 2018 2017 Cash Flow Hedges Net unrealized gains (losses) on cash flow hedges, net of taxes, beginning of year $ 4 $ 2 $ 2 Change in fair value, net of tax 3 (2 ) 9 Reclassification into earnings, net of tax (5 ) 4 (9 ) Net unrealized gains (losses) on cash flow hedges, net of taxes, end of year $ 2 $ 4 $ 2 Net Investment Hedge Net unrealized gains (losses) on net investment hedge, net of taxes, beginning of year $ — $ — $ — Change in fair value, net of tax (10 ) — — Reclassification into earnings, net of tax — — — Net unrealized gains (losses) on net investment hedge, net of taxes, end of year $ (10 ) $ — $ —

Employee Benefits

Employee Benefits	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
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. Net periodic benefit cost for our retirement and postretirement plans other than the service cost component are included in other expense (income), net in our consolidated statements of income. 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, 2019 and 2018, 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 2019 2018 2019 2018 Net benefit obligation at beginning of year $ 2,076 $ 2,329 $ 40 $ 49 Service cost 3 3 — — Interest cost 64 71 1 1 Plan participants’ contributions — — 2 3 Actuarial loss (gain) 232 (199 ) 1 (4 ) Gross benefits paid (75 ) (103 ) (6 ) (8 ) Foreign currency effect 13 (26 ) — — Other adjustments 1 (368 ) 1 — (1 ) Net benefit obligation at end of year 1,945 2,076 38 40 Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year 1,987 2,219 16 20 Actual return on plan assets 354 (113 ) 1 — Employer contributions 46 9 — 1 Plan participants’ contributions — — 3 3 Gross benefits paid (75 ) (103 ) (7 ) (8 ) Foreign currency effect 16 (25 ) — — Other adjustments 1 (368 ) — — — Fair value of plan assets at end of year 1,960 1,987 13 16 Funded status $ 15 $ (89 ) $ (25 ) $ (24 ) Amounts recognized in consolidated balance sheets: Non-current assets $ 259 $ 125 $ — $ — Current liabilities (10 ) (9 ) — — Non-current liabilities (234 ) (205 ) (25 ) (24 ) $ 15 $ (89 ) $ (25 ) $ (24 ) Accumulated benefit obligation $ 1,932 $ 2,066 Plans with accumulated benefit obligation in excess of the fair value of plan assets: Projected benefit obligation $ 244 $ 214 Accumulated benefit obligation $ 231 $ 204 Fair value of plan assets $ — $ — Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax: Net actuarial loss (gain) $ 355 $ 460 $ (40 ) $ (41 ) Prior service credit 2 2 (13 ) (14 ) Total recognized $ 357 $ 462 $ (53 ) $ (55 ) 1 Relates to the impact of a retiree annuity purchase in 2019. The Company purchased a group annuity contract under which an insurance company assumed a portion of the Company's obligation to pay pension benefits to the plan's beneficiaries. The purchase of this group annuity contract was funded by pension plan assets. 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, 2020 is $15 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, 2020 . 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, 2020 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, 2020 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 2019 2018 2017 2019 2018 2017 Service cost $ 3 $ 3 $ 3 $ — $ — $ — Interest cost 64 71 74 1 1 2 Expected return on assets (108 ) (124 ) (126 ) — — — Amortization of: Actuarial loss (gain) 12 20 18 (2 ) (2 ) (2 ) Prior service credit — — — (1 ) (1 ) (2 ) Net periodic benefit cost (29 ) (30 ) (31 ) (2 ) (2 ) (2 ) Settlement charge 113 1 4 2 8 2 — — — Total net periodic benefit cost $ 84 $ (26 ) $ (23 ) $ (2 ) $ (2 ) $ (2 ) 1 Relates to the impact of a retiree annuity purchase in 2019. The Company purchased a group annuity contract under which an insurance company assumed a portion of the Company's obligation to pay pension benefits to the plan's beneficiaries. The purchase of this group annuity contract was funded by pension plan assets. The non-cash pretax settlement charge reflects the accelerated recognition of a portion of unamortized actuarial losses in the plan. 2 Represents a charge related to our U.K retirement plan. Our U.K. retirement plan accounted for a benefit of $14 million in 2019 , $10 million in 2018 and $6 million in 2017 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 2019 2018 2017 2019 2018 2017 Net actuarial (gain) loss $ (10 ) $ 28 $ (20 ) $ — $ (7 ) $ (3 ) Recognized actuarial (gain) loss (10 ) (15 ) (12 ) 1 1 1 Prior service (credit) cost — 1 — 1 1 1 Settlement charge (85 ) 1 (4 ) 2 (7 ) 2 — — — Total recognized $ (105 ) $ 10 $ (39 ) $ 2 $ (5 ) $ (1 ) 1 Relates to the impact of a retiree annuity purchase in 2019. The Company purchased a group annuity contract under which an insurance company assumed a portion of the Company's obligation to pay pension benefits to the plan's beneficiaries. The purchase of this group annuity contract was funded by pension plan assets. The non-cash after tax settlement charge reflects the accelerated recognition of a portion of unamortized actuarial losses in the plan. 2 Represents a charge related to our U.K retirement plan. The total cost for our retirement plans was $187 million for 2019 , $80 million for 2018 and $70 million for 2017 . The total cost for our retirement plans in 2019 includes the $113 million settlement charge related to the retiree annuity purchase in 2019. Included in the total retirement plans cost are defined contribution plans cost of $73 million for 2019 , $79 million for 2018 and $70 million for 2017 . Assumptions Retirement Plans Postretirement Plans 2019 2018 2017 2019 2018 2017 Benefit obligation: Discount rate 2 3.45 % 4.40 % 3.68 % 3.08 % 4.15 % 3.40 % Net periodic cost: Weighted-average healthcare cost rate 1 6.50 % 6.50 % 7.00 % Discount rate - U.S. plan 2 4.40 % 3.68 % 4.13 % 4.15 % 3.40 % 3.69 % Discount rate - U.K. plan 2 2.72 % 2.41 % 2.58 % Return on assets 3 6.00 % 6.00 % 6.25 % 1 The assumed weighted-average healthcare cost trend rate will decrease ratably from 6% in 2019 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, 2019, we changed our discount rate assumption on our U.S. retirement plans to 4.40% from 3.68% in 2018 and changed our discount rate assumption on our U.K. plan to 2.72% from 2.41% in 2018. 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, 2020, our return on assets assumption for the U.S. plan was reduced to 5.50% from 6.00% and the 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 2020 are $11 million and $5 million for our retirement and postretirement plans, respectively. In 2020 , 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 2020 $ 63 $ 7 $ (2 ) $ — $ 5 2021 66 6 (2 ) — 4 2022 69 6 (2 ) — 4 2023 72 5 (1 ) — 4 2024 75 5 (1 ) — 4 2025-2029 413 17 (6 ) — 11 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, 2019 and 2018 , by asset class is as follows: (in millions) December 31, 2019 Total Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Cash and short-term investments $ 3 $ 3 $ — $ — Equities: U.S. indexes 1 23 23 — — U.S. growth and value 56 56 — — Fixed income: Long duration strategy 2 1,078 — 1,078 — Intermediate duration securities 20 — 20 — Agency mortgage backed securities 3 — 3 — Asset backed securities 14 — 14 — Non-agency mortgage backed securities 3 11 — 11 — International, excluding U.K. 15 — 15 — Real Estate: U.K. 4 39 — — 39 Total $ 1,262 $ 82 $ 1,141 $ 39 Collective investment funds 5 $ 698 Total $ 1,960 (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 — — U.K. — — — — International, excluding U.K. — — — — 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 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 : (in millions) Level 3 Balance as of December 31, 2018 $ 39 Purchases — Distributions — Gain (loss) — Balance as of December 31, 2019 $ 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 $ 1,432 million and $1,572 million as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 respectively, and the target allocations in 2019 include 75% fixed income, 16% domestic equities and 9% international equities. • The U.K. pension trust had assets of $528 million and $415 million as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 , respectively, and the target allocations in 2019 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 165,286 shares and sold 333,030 shares of S&P Global Inc. common stock in 2019 and purchased 193,051 shares and sold 205,798 shares of S&P Global Inc. common stock in 2018 . The plan held approximately 1.3 million and 1.5 million shares of S&P Global Inc. common stock as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 , respectively, with market values of $355 million and $251 million , respectively. The plan received dividends on S&P Global Inc. common stock of $3 million during both the years ended December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 .

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]
Stock-Based Compensation	Stock-Based Compensation We issue stock-based incentive awards to our eligible employees under the 2019 Employee Stock Incentive Plan and to our eligible non-employee Directors under a Director Deferred Stock Ownership Plan. No further awards may be granted under the 2002 Employee Stock Incentive Plan (the “2002 Plan”), although awards granted under the 2002 Plan prior to the adoption of the new 2019 Plan in June of 2019 remain outstanding in accordance with their terms. The remaining outstanding options under the 2002 Plan will have fully met their maximum term and expire in the second quarter of 2028. • 2019 Employee Stock Incentive Plan (the “2019 Plan”) – The 2019 Plan permits the granting of incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, performance stock, restricted stock and other stock-based awards. • 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, 2019 2018 Shares available for granting 1 20.0 33.3 Options outstanding 0.7 1.7 Total shares reserved for issuance 2 20.7 35.0 1 Shares available for granting at December 31, 2019 and 2018 are under the 2019 Plan and 2002 Plan, respectively. 2 Shares reserved for issuance under the Director Deferred Stock Ownership Plan are not included in the total, but are less than 1.0 million at December 31 2019 and 2018, respectively. 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, 2019 2018 2017 Stock option expense $ 1 $ 5 $ 3 Restricted stock and unit awards expense 77 89 96 Total stock-based compensation expense $ 78 $ 94 $ 99 Tax benefit $ 13 $ 19 $ 38 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 2019 and 2017. 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, 2018 1.7 $ 47.92 Exercised (1.0 ) $ 163.99 Forfeited and expired 1 — $ 70.70 Options outstanding as of December 31, 2019 0.7 $ 55.73 3.1 $ 155 Options exercisable as of December 31, 2019 0.7 $ 55.12 3.0 $ 151 1 There are less than 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, 2018 0.1 $ 113.02 Vested 1 — $ 113.42 Forfeited (0.1 ) $ 113.17 Nonvested options outstanding as of December 31, 2019 2 — $ 112.68 Total unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested options $ 0.3 Weighted-average years to be recognized over 0.7 1 There are less than 0.1 million shares vested. 2 There are less than 0.1 million nonvested options outstanding as of December 31, 2019. The total fair value of our stock options that vested during the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 was $3 million , $5 million and $4 million , respectively. Information regarding our stock option exercises is as follows: (in millions) Year Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Net cash proceeds from the exercise of stock options $ 40 $ 34 $ 75 Total intrinsic value of stock option exercises $ 110 $ 77 $ 118 Income tax benefit realized from stock option exercises $ 33 $ 27 $ 64 Restricted Stock and Unit Awards Restricted stock and unit awards (performance and non-performance) have been granted under the 2002 Plan and 2019 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, 2018 0.8 $ 172.24 Granted 0.5 $ 187.40 Vested (0.6 ) $ 144.18 Forfeited (0.1 ) $ 179.76 Nonvested shares as of December 31, 2019 0.6 $ 199.93 Total unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested awards $ 72 Weighted-average years to be recognized over 1.8 Year Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Weighted-average grant-date fair value per award $ 187.40 $ 182.75 $ 147.12 Total fair value of restricted stock and unit awards vested $ 153 $ 154 $ 147 Tax benefit relating to restricted stock activity $ 29 $ 32 $ 36

Equity

Equity	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
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 29, 2020, the Board of Directors approved an increase in the dividends for 2020 to a quarterly rate of $0.67 per common share. Year Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Quarterly dividend rate $ 0.57 $ 0.50 $ 0.41 Annualized dividend rate $ 2.28 $ 2.00 $ 1.64 Dividends paid (in millions) $ 560 $ 503 $ 421 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. 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, 2019 , 4.7 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. We have entered into accelerated share repurchase (“ASR”) agreements with financial institutions to initiate share repurchases of our common stock. Under an ASR agreement, we pay a specified amount to the financial institution and receive an initial delivery of shares. This initial delivery of shares represents the minimum number of shares that we may receive under the agreement. Upon settlement of the ASR agreement, the financial institution delivers additional shares. The total number of shares ultimately delivered, and therefore the average price paid per share, is determined at the end of the applicable purchase period of each ASR agreement based on the volume weighted-average share price, less a discount. We account for our ASR agreements as two transactions: a stock purchase transaction and a forward stock purchase contract. The shares delivered under the ASR agreements resulted in a reduction of outstanding shares used to determine our weighted average common shares outstanding for purposes of calculating basic and diluted earnings per share. The repurchased shares are held in Treasury. The forward stock purchase contracts were classified as equity instruments. The ASR agreements were executed under the current share repurchase program, approved on December 4, 2013. The terms of each ASR agreement entered for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , structured as outlined above, are as follows: (in millions, except average price) ASR Agreement Initiation Date ASR Agreement Completion Date Initial Shares Delivered Additional Shares Delivered Total Number of Shares Purchased Average Price Paid Per Share Total Cash Utilized August 5, 2019 1 October 1, 2019 1.8 0.1 2.0 $ 253.36 $ 500 February 11, 2019 2 July 31, 2019 2.2 0.1 2.3 $ 214.65 $ 500 October 29, 2018 3 January 2, 2019 2.5 0.4 2.9 $ 173.80 $ 500 March 6, 2018 4 September 25, 2018 4.5 0.6 5.1 $ 197.49 $ 1,000 August 1, 2017 5 October 31, 2017 2.8 0.5 3.2 $ 154.46 $ 500 1 The ASR agreement was structured as a capped ASR agreement in which we paid $500 million and received an initial delivery of 1.8 million shares, representing the minimum number of shares of our common stock to be repurchased based on a calculation using a specified capped price per share. 2 The ASR agreement was structured as an uncapped ASR agreement in which we paid $500 million and received an initial delivery of 2.2 million shares, representing 85% of the $500 million at a price equal to the then market price of the Company. 3 The ASR agreement was structured as an uncapped ASR agreement in which we paid $500 million and received an initial delivery of 2.5 million shares, representing 85% of the $500 million at a price equal to the then market price of the Company. 4 The ASR agreement was structured as an uncapped ASR agreement in which we paid $ 1 billion and received an initial delivery of 4.5 million shares, representing 85% of the $ 1 billion at a price equal to the then market price of the Company. 5 The ASR agreement was structured as an uncapped ASR agreement in which we paid $500 million and received an initial delivery of 2.8 million shares, representing 85% of the $500 million at a price equal to the then market price of the Company. Additionally, we purchased shares of our common stock in the open market as follows (in millions, except average price) Year Ended Total number of shares purchased Average price paid per share Total cash utilized December 31, 2019 1.2 $ 208.83 $ 240 December 31, 2018 0.9 $ 182.93 $ 160 December 31, 2017 3.5 $ 141.60 $ 501 During the year ended December 31, 2019 , we received 5.9 million shares, including 0.4 million shares received in January of 2019 related to our October 29, 2018 ASR agreement, resulting in $1,240 million of cash used to repurchase shares. During the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 , we purchased a total of 8.4 million and 6.8 million shares for cash of $1,660 million and $1,001 million , respectively. 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, 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, using both income and market valuation approaches. Our income and market valuation approaches may incorporate Level 3 fair value measures for instances when observable inputs are not available. The more significant judgmental assumptions used to estimate the value of the S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC joint venture include an estimated discount rate, a range of assumptions that form the basis of the expected future net cash flows (e.g., the revenue growth rates and operating margins), and a company specific beta. The significant judgmental assumptions used that incorporate market data, including the relative weighting of market observable information and the comparability of that information in our valuation models, are forward-looking and could be affected by future economic and market conditions. 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, 2019 were as follows: (in millions) Balance as of December 31, 2018 $ 1,620 Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest 170 Capital contribution from noncontrolling interest 36 Distributions to noncontrolling interest (166 ) Redemption value adjustment 608 Balance as of December 31, 2019 $ 2,268 Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss The following table summarizes the changes in the components of accumulated other comprehensive loss for the year ended December 31, 2019 : (in millions) Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment 1 Pension and Postretirement Benefit Plans 2 Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Forward Exchange Contracts 1 Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Balance as of December 31, 2018 $ (339 ) $ (407 ) $ 4 $ (742 ) Other comprehensive gain (loss) before reclassifications 18 9 3 30 Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings — 93 (5 ) 88 Net other comprehensive gain (loss) income 18 102 (2 ) 118 Balance as of December 31, 2019 $ (321 ) $ (305 ) $ 2 $ (624 ) 1 See Note 6 — Derivative Instruments for additional details of gains (losses) included in accumulated other comprehensive loss and items reclassed from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings. 2 Reflects amortization of net actuarial losses and is net of a tax benefit of $39 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. See Note 7 — Employee Benefits for additional details of items reclassed from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings.

Earnings per Share

Earnings per Share	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
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, 2019 2018 2017 Amount attributable to S&P Global Inc. common shareholders: Net income $ 2,123 $ 1,958 $ 1,496 Basic weighted-average number of common shares outstanding 245.4 250.9 256.3 Effect of stock options and other dilutive securities 1.5 2.3 2.6 Diluted weighted-average number of common shares outstanding 246.9 253.2 258.9 Earnings per share attributable to S&P Global Inc. common shareholders: Net income: Basic $ 8.65 $ 7.80 $ 5.84 Diluted $ 8.60 $ 7.73 $ 5.78 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, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , there were no stock options excluded. Restricted performance shares outstanding of 0.4 million , 0.5 million and 0.6 million as of December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , respectively, were excluded.

Restructuring

Restructuring	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]
Restructuring	Restructuring During 2019 and 2018 , 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 2019 and 2018 restructuring plans consisted of a company-wide workforce reduction of approximately 300 and 160 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 $3 million of reserves from the 2018 restructuring plan that we have reversed in 2019 , which offset the initial charge of $25 million recorded for the 2018 restructuring plan. 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. The initial restructuring charge recorded and the ending reserve balance as of December 31, 2019 by segment is as follows: 2019 Restructuring Plan 2018 Restructuring Plan (in millions) Initial Charge Recorded Ending Reserve Balance Initial Charge Recorded Ending Reserve Balance Ratings $ 11 $ 7 $ 8 $ — Market Intelligence 6 5 7 1 Platts 1 — — — Corporate 7 6 10 1 Total $ 25 $ 18 $ 25 $ 2 For the year ended December 31, 2019 , we have reduced the reserve for the 2019 restructuring plan by $7 million and for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 , we have reduced the reserve for the 2018 restructuring plan by $22 million and $1 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, 2019
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 . Beginning in the first quarter of 2019, the contract obligations for revenue from Kensho's major customers were transferred to Market Intelligence for fulfillment. As a result of this transfer, from January 1, 2019 revenue from contracts with Kensho’s customers is reflected in Market Intelligence’s results. In 2018, the revenue from contracts with Kensho’s customers was reported in Corporate revenue. See Note 2 — Acquisitions and Divestitures for additional information. A summary of operating results for the years ended December 31 is as follows: Revenue (in millions) 2019 2018 2017 Ratings $ 3,106 $ 2,883 $ 2,988 Market Intelligence 1,959 1,833 1,683 Platts 844 815 774 Indices 918 837 728 Corporate — 15 — Intersegment elimination 1 (128 ) (125 ) (110 ) Total revenue $ 6,699 $ 6,258 $ 6,063 Operating Profit (in millions) 2019 2018 2017 Ratings 2 $ 1,763 $ 1,530 $ 1,517 Market Intelligence 3 607 545 457 Platts 4 438 383 326 Indices 5 630 563 478 Total reportable segments 3,438 3,021 2,778 Corporate Unallocated 6 (212 ) (231 ) (195 ) Total operating profit $ 3,226 $ 2,790 $ 2,583 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 or the year ended December 31, 2019 includes employee severance charges of $11 million . 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 . Additionally, operating profit includes amortization of intangibles from acquisitions of $2 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 and $4 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 . 3 As of July 1, 2019, we completed the sale of SPIAS and the results are included in Market Intelligence results through that date. Operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2019 includes a gain on the sale of SPIAS of $22 million , employee severance charges of $6 million and acquisition related costs of $4 million . 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 . Additionally, operating profit includes amortization of intangibles from acquisitions of $75 million , $73 million and $71 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , respectively. 4 As of July 31, 2019, we completed the sale of RigData and the results are included in Platts results through that date. Operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2019 includes a gain on the sale of RigData of $27 million and employee severance charges of $1 million . 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 . Additionally, Operating profit includes amortization of intangibles from acquisitions of $12 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 and $18 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017. 5 Operating profit includes amortization of intangibles from acquisitions of $6 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , respectively. 6 Corporate Unallocated operating loss for the year ended December 31, 2019 includes Kensho retention related expenses $21 million , lease impairments of $11 million and employee severance charges of $7 million . 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 . Additionally, Corporate Unallocated operating loss includes amortization of intangibles from acquisitions of $28 million and $23 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018. 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 2019 Subscription $ — $ 1,904 $ 774 $ 165 $ — $ — $ 2,843 Non-subscription / Transaction 1,577 45 10 — — — 1,632 Non-transaction 1,529 — — — — (128 ) 1,401 Asset-linked fees — 10 — 613 — — 623 Sales usage-based royalties — — 60 140 — — 200 Total revenue $ 3,106 $ 1,959 $ 844 $ 918 $ — $ (128 ) $ 6,699 Timing of revenue recognition Services transferred at a point in time 1,577 45 10 — — — $ 1,632 Services transferred over time 1,529 1,914 834 918 — (128 ) 5,067 Total revenue $ 3,106 $ 1,959 $ 844 $ 918 $ — $ (128 ) $ 6,699 (in millions) Ratings Market Intelligence Platts Indices Corporate Intersegment Elimination 1 Total 2018 2 Subscription $ — $ 1,773 $ 750 $ 144 $ 15 $ — $ 2,682 Non-subscription / Transaction 1,350 40 11 — — — 1,401 Non-transaction 1,533 — $ — — — (125 ) 1,408 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 $ 1,350 $ 40 $ 11 $ — $ — $ — $ 1,401 Services transferred over time 1,533 1,793 804 837 15 (125 ) 4,857 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 2,3 Subscription $ — $ 1,614 $ 704 $ 136 $ — $ — $ 2,454 Non-subscription / Transaction 1,515 46 13 — — — 1,574 Non-transaction 1,473 — — — — (110 ) 1,363 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 $ 1,515 $ 46 $ 13 $ — $ — $ — $ 1,574 Services transferred over time 1,473 1,637 761 728 — (110 ) 4,489 Total revenue $ 2,988 $ 1,683 $ 774 $ 728 $ — $ (110 ) $ 6,063 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 In 2019 , we reevaluated our transaction and non-transaction revenue presentation which resulted in a reclassification from transaction revenue to non-transaction revenue of $27 million and $25 million for 2018 and 2017 , respectively. 3 Amounts for the year ended December 31, 2017 were not adjusted under the modified retrospective transition method applied to our revenue contracts with customers as of January 1, 2018. Segment information for the years ended December 31 is as follows: (in millions) Depreciation & Amortization Capital Expenditures 2019 2018 2017 2019 2018 2017 Ratings $ 34 $ 32 $ 34 $ 41 $ 42 $ 45 Market Intelligence 99 99 104 44 30 37 Platts 21 27 25 13 9 15 Indices 8 9 8 5 3 3 Total reportable segments 162 167 171 103 84 100 Corporate 42 39 9 12 29 23 Total $ 204 $ 206 $ 180 $ 115 $ 113 $ 123 Segment information as of December 31 is as follows: (in millions) Total Assets 2019 2018 Ratings $ 963 $ 680 Market Intelligence 3,806 3,606 Platts 938 787 Indices 1,492 1,443 Total reportable segments 7,199 6,516 Corporate 1 4,140 2,911 Assets held for sale 2 9 14 Total $ 11,348 $ 9,441 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, 2019 and 2018, 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, 2019 2018 2017 2019 2018 U.S. $ 3,949 $ 3,750 $ 3,658 $ 4,946 $ 5,019 European region 1,681 1,543 1,473 323 317 Asia 715 647 594 93 51 Rest of the world 354 318 338 44 42 Total $ 6,699 $ 6,258 $ 6,063 $ 5,406 $ 5,429 Revenue Long-lived Assets Year ended December 31, December 31, 2019 2018 2017 2019 2018 U.S. 59 % 60 % 60 % 91 % 92 % European region 25 25 24 6 6 Asia 11 10 10 2 1 Rest of the world 5 5 6 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, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	Commitments and Contingencies Leases We determine whether an arrangement meets the criteria for an operating lease or a finance lease at the inception of the arrangement. We have operating leases for office space and equipment. Our leases have remaining lease terms of 1 year to 14 years , some of which include options to extend the leases for up to 12 years , and some of which include options to terminate the leases within 1 year . We consider these options in determining the lease term used to establish our right-of use ("ROU") assets and associated lease liabilities. We sublease certain real estate leases to third parties which mainly consist of operating leases for space within our offices. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the balance sheet; we recognize lease expenses for these leases on a straight line-basis over the lease term in operating-related expenses and selling and general expenses. Operating lease ROU assets and operating lease liabilities are recognized based on the present value of future minimum lease payments over the lease term at commencement date. Our future minimum based payments used to determine our lease liabilities include minimum based rent payments and escalations. As most of our leases do not provide an implicit rate, we use our estimated incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. The following table provides information on the location and amounts of our leases on our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2019 : (in millions) Balance Sheet Location 2019 Assets Right of use assets Lease right-of-use assets $ 676 Liabilities Other current liabilities Current lease liabilities 112 Lease liabilities — non-current Non-current lease liabilities 620 The components of lease expense for the year ended December 31 are as follows: (in millions) 2019 Operating lease cost $ 157 Sublease income (18 ) Total lease cost $ 139 Supplemental information related to leases for the year ended December 31 are as follows: (in millions) 2019 Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement for operating lease liabilities Operating cash flows from operating leases $ 146 Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations Operating leases 777 Weighted-average remaining lease term and discount rate for our operating leases as of December 31 are as follows: 2019 Weighted-average remaining lease term (years) 8.95 Weighted-average discount rate 3.93 % Maturities of lease liabilities for our operating leases are as follows: (in millions) 2020 $ 133 2021 113 2022 98 2023 82 2024 65 2025 and beyond 358 Total undiscounted lease payments $ 849 Less: Imputed interest 117 Present value of lease liabilities $ 732 Related Party Agreement In March of 2018, the Company made a $20 million contribution to the S&P Global Foundation included in selling and general expenses. 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, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC earned $114 million , $121 million and $74 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. 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. 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 seeks to promptly address any compliance issues that it detects or that the staff of the SEC or another regulator raises, there can be no assurance that the SEC or another regulator will not seek remedies against S&P Global 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.

Quarterly Financial Information

Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
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 2019 Revenue $ 1,571 $ 1,704 $ 1,689 $ 1,735 $ 6,699 Operating profit $ 705 $ 813 $ 891 $ 818 $ 3,226 Net income $ 453 $ 602 $ 662 $ 585 $ 2,303 Net income attributable to S&P Global common shareholders $ 410 $ 555 $ 617 $ 541 $ 2,123 Earnings per share attributable to S&P Global Inc. common shareholders: Net income: Basic $ 1.66 $ 2.25 $ 2.52 $ 2.22 $ 8.65 Diluted $ 1.65 $ 2.24 $ 2.50 $ 2.20 $ 8.60 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 Note - Totals presented may not sum due to rounding.

Condensed Consolidating Financi

Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Condensed Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements	Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements On November 26, 2019, we issued $500 million of 2.5% senior notes due in 2029 and $600 million of 3.25% senior notes due in 2049. In the fourth quarter of 2019, we used the net proceeds to fund the redemption of the $700 million outstanding principal amount of our 3.3% senior notes due in August of 2020 and a portion of the $400 million outstanding principal amount of our 6.55% senior notes due in October of 2037. 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 that were repaid 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, 2019 (in millions) S&P Global Inc. Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Eliminations S&P Global Inc. Consolidated Revenue $ 812 $ 1,898 $ 4,146 $ (157 ) $ 6,699 Expenses: Operating-related expenses 158 440 1,360 (157 ) 1,801 Selling and general expenses 133 329 1,055 — 1,517 Depreciation 44 12 26 — 82 Amortization of intangibles — — 122 — 122 Total expenses 335 781 2,563 (157 ) 3,522 Gain on dispositions (49 ) — — — (49 ) Operating profit 526 1,117 1,583 — 3,226 Other expense, net 91 — 7 — 98 Interest expense (income), net 213 — (15 ) — 198 Non-operating intercompany transactions 378 (48 ) (1,530 ) 1,200 — (Loss) income before taxes on income (156 ) 1,165 3,121 (1,200 ) 2,930 (Benefit) Provision for taxes on income (74 ) 285 416 — 627 Equity in net income of subsidiaries 3,405 — — (3,405 ) — Net income 3,323 880 2,705 (4,605 ) 2,303 Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests — — — (180 ) (180 ) Net income attributable to S&P Global Inc. $ 3,323 $ 880 $ 2,705 $ (4,785 ) $ 2,123 Comprehensive income $ 3,446 $ 880 $ 2,697 $ (4,602 ) $ 2,421 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 124 434 1,293 (153 ) 1,698 Selling and general expenses 177 292 1,095 — 1,564 Depreciation 46 7 31 — 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) expense, 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 89 482 1,261 (138 ) 1,694 Selling and general expenses 197 345 1,064 — 1,606 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 — 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 Balance Sheet December 31, 2019 (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 $ 1,130 $ — $ 1,736 $ — $ 2,866 Restricted cash — — 20 — 20 Short-term investments — — 28 — 28 Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts 229 148 1,200 — 1,577 Intercompany receivable 675 2,855 3,983 (7,513 ) — Prepaid and other current assets 102 2 117 — 221 Total current assets 2,136 3,005 7,084 (7,513 ) 4,712 Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation 204 — 116 — 320 Right of use assets 402 1 273 — 676 Goodwill 283 — 3,283 9 3,575 Other intangible assets, net — — 1,424 — 1,424 Investments in subsidiaries 12,134 6 8,088 (20,228 ) — Intercompany loans receivable 17 — 1,229 (1,246 ) — Other non-current assets 281 37 324 (1 ) 641 Total assets $ 15,457 $ 3,049 $ 21,821 $ (28,979 ) $ 11,348 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 80 $ 11 $ 99 $ — $ 190 Intercompany payable 6,288 27 1,198 (7,513 ) — Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans 148 61 237 — 446 Income taxes currently payable 7 — 61 — 68 Unearned revenue 297 243 1,388 — 1,928 Other current liabilities 187 18 256 — 461 Total current liabilities 7,007 360 3,239 (7,513 ) 3,093 Long-term debt 3,948 — — — 3,948 Lease liabilities – non-current 383 1 236 — 620 Intercompany loans payable — — 1,246 (1,246 ) — Pension and other postretirement benefits 178 — 81 — 259 Other non-current liabilities 171 81 373 (1 ) 624 Total liabilities 11,687 442 5,175 (8,760 ) 8,544 Redeemable noncontrolling interest — — — 2,268 2,268 Equity: Common stock 294 — 2,377 (2,377 ) 294 Additional paid-in capital 112 632 9,362 (9,203 ) 903 Retained income 15,836 1,975 5,404 (11,010 ) 12,205 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (175 ) — (497 ) 48 (624 ) Less: common stock in treasury (12,297 ) — (2 ) — (12,299 ) Total equity - controlling interests 3,770 2,607 16,644 (22,542 ) 479 Total equity - noncontrolling interests — — 2 55 57 Total equity 3,770 2,607 16,646 (22,487 ) 536 Total liabilities and equity $ 15,457 $ 3,049 $ 21,821 $ (28,979 ) $ 11,348 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 Short-term investments — — 18 — 18 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 41 3 118 — 162 Total current assets 1,448 2,250 5,450 (5,561 ) 3,587 Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation 192 — 78 — 270 Right of use assets — — — — — 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 $ 10,824 $ 2,301 $ 20,276 $ (23,960 ) $ 9,441 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 2 — 71 — 73 Unearned revenue 240 235 1,166 — 1,641 Other current liabilities 180 16 155 — 351 Total current liabilities 5,089 331 2,771 (5,561 ) 2,630 Long-term debt 3,662 — — — 3,662 Lease liabilities – non-current — — — — — Intercompany loans payable 114 — 1,659 (1,773 ) — Pension and other postretirement benefits 162 — 67 — 229 Other non-current liabilities 148 75 393 — 616 Total liabilities 9,175 406 4,890 (7,334 ) 7,137 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 $ 10,824 $ 2,301 $ 20,276 $ (23,960 ) $ 9,441 Statement of Cash Flows Year Ended December 31, 2019 (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 $ 3,323 $ 880 $ 2,705 $ (4,605 ) $ 2,303 Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation 44 12 26 — 82 Amortization of intangibles — — 122 — 122 Provision for losses on accounts receivable 5 4 9 — 18 Deferred income taxes 24 (10 ) 32 — 46 Stock-based compensation 27 14 37 — 78 Gain on dispositions (49 ) — — — (49 ) Pension settlement charge, net of taxes 85 — — — 85 Other 64 2 27 — 93 Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions: Accounts receivable (72 ) (49 ) (14 ) — (135 ) Prepaid and other current assets 17 (35 ) (63 ) — (81 ) Accounts payable and accrued expenses 14 32 27 — 73 Unearned revenue 56 28 172 — 256 Accrued legal settlements — (1 ) — — (1 ) Other current liabilities (61 ) 1 4 — (56 ) Net change in prepaid/accrued income taxes (33 ) (5 ) (3 ) — (41 ) Net change in other assets and liabilities (74 ) 34 23 — (17 ) Cash provided by operating activities 3,370 907 3,104 (4,605 ) 2,776 Investing Activities: Capital expenditures (46 ) (3 ) (66 ) — (115 ) Acquisitions, net of cash acquired — — (91 ) — (91 ) Proceeds from dispositions 85 — — — 85 Changes in short-term investments — — (10 ) — (10 ) Cash provided by (used for) investing activities 39 (3 ) (167 ) — (131 ) Financing Activities: Proceeds from issuance of senior notes, net 1,086 — — — 1,086 Payments on senior notes (868 ) — — — (868 ) Dividends paid to shareholders (560 ) — — — (560 ) Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders, net — — (143 ) — (143 ) Repurchase of treasury shares (1,240 ) — — — (1,240 ) Exercise of stock options 36 — 4 — 40 Employee withholding tax on share-based payments and other (64 ) — (2 ) — (66 ) Intercompany financing activities (1,368 ) (904 ) (2,333 ) 4,605 — Cash used for financing activities (2,978 ) (904 ) (2,474 ) 4,605 (1,751 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash 5 — 29 — 34 Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 436 — 492 — 928 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year 694 — 1,264 — 1,958 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year $ 1,130 $ — $ 1,756 $ — $ 2,886 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 46 7 31 — 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 3,455 832 2,936 (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, net — — (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 and other (66 ) — — — (66 ) Intercompany financing activities (1,190 ) (816 ) (3,153 ) 5,159 — Cash used for financing activities (3,307 ) (816 ) (3,324 ) 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, net — — (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

Schedule II - Valuation and Qua

Schedule II - Valuation and Qualifying Accounts	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
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, 2019 Allowance for doubtful accounts $ 34 $ 17 $ (17 ) $ 34 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 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, 2019
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. • 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 FASB 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. 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. 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 $128 million , $125 million and $110 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 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; as well as 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. 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, 2019 and 2018 , contract assets were $28 million and $26 million , respectively, and are included in accounts receivable in our consolidated balance sheets. Unearned Revenue We record unearned revenue when cash payments are received in advance of our performance. The increase in the unearned revenue balance for the year ended December 31, 2019 is primarily driven by cash payments received in advance of satisfying our performance obligations, offset by $1.7 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, 2019 , the aggregate amount of the transaction price allocated to remaining performance obligations was $1.9 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 $115 million and $101 million as of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 , respectively, 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.
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 operations 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 $2.9 billion and $1.9 billion as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 , 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
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 and a cross currency swap that are adjusted to fair value on a recurring basis.
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
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, 2020 . 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
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 January 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued a guidance intended to clarify the interaction of the accounting for equity securities under ASC 321, investments accounted for under the equity method of accounting under ASC 323, and the accounting for certain forward contracts and purchased options accounted for under ASC 815. This guidance could change how the Company accounts for an equity security under the measurement alternative. The guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2020; however early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on our consolidated financial statements. In December of 2019, the FASB issued guidance to simplify the accounting for income taxes. The guidance eliminates certain exceptions to the general principles of Topic 740. The guidance is effective for reporting periods after December 15, 2020; however, early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on our consolidated financial statements. In November of 2018, the FASB issued guidance that provides clarification on whether certain transactions between collaborative arrangement participants should be accounted for as revenue under Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 606. 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 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 do not expect this guidance to have a significant impact 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. The guidance was effective on January 1, 2019, and the adoption of this guidance did not have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements. 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 June of 2016, the FASB issued guidance that amends the measurement of credit losses on certain financial instruments by requiring the use of an expected loss methodology, which will result in more timely recognition of credit losses. The guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019. We have completed our evaluation of changes to our accounting policies, business processes, systems and internal controls to support the recognition and disclosure requirements under the new standard. The adoption of the new standard will impact our process around the assessment of the adequacy of our allowance for doubtful accounts on accounts receivable and contract assets to incorporate the impact of forecasts of future economic conditions, in addition to past events and current economic conditions. Based on our preliminary analysis, we anticipate that following the adoption of the new standard, the Company will recognize an immaterial adjustment to retained earnings as of the date of adoption. In February of 2016, the FASB issued guidance amending the accounting for leases that requires a lessee to recognize "right of use" assets with offsetting lease liabilities on the balance sheet, with expenses recognized similar to previously issued guidance. This guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018 with early adoption permitted. We adopted the new lease standard effective January 1, 2019 using the modified retrospective transition method. 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. This standard had a material impact on our consolidated balance sheet, but did not have an 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 leases that incorporates a third party software solution to report the financial statement impact of the new standard. See Note 12 — Commitments and Contingencies for further details on our leases.
Reclassification	Reclassification Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified for comparability purposes.

Accounting Policies (Tables)

Accounting Policies (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Schedule of Components of Other Income, Net	The components of other expense (income), net for the year ended December 31 are as follows: (in millions) 2019 2018 2017 Other components of net periodic benefit cost 1 $ 79 $ (30 ) $ (27 ) Net loss from investments 19 5 — Other expense (income), net $ 98 $ (25 ) $ (27 ) 1 During 2019, the Company purchased a group annuity contract under which an insurance company assumed a portion of the Company's obligation to pay pension benefits to the plan's beneficiaries. The purchase of this group annuity contract was funded by pension plan assets. The net periodic benefit cost for our retirement and post retirement plans for 2019 includes a non-cash pre-tax settlement charge of $113 million reflecting the accelerated recognition of a portion of unamortized actuarial losses in the plan.
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, 2019
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, 2019 2018 2017 Fair value of assets acquired $ 110 $ 857 $ 83 Cash and stock consideration (net of cash acquired) 91 803 83 Liabilities assumed $ 19 $ 54 $ —
Schedule of Key Components of Disposal Groups	The operating profit of our businesses that were disposed of for the years ending December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017 is as follows: (in millions) Year ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Operating profit 1 $ 5 $ 8 $ 6 1 The year ended December 31, 2019 excludes a pre-tax gain of $49 million on our dispositions.

Goodwill and Other Intangible_2

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
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, 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 Acquisitions — 44 6 — — 50 Dispositions — (12 ) (3 ) — — (15 ) Reclassifications — 3 — (3 ) — — Other 1 2 (2 ) 2 — 3 5 Balance as of December 31, 2019 $ 115 $ 2,062 $ 521 $ 376 $ 501 $ 3,575 1 Primarily relates to the impact of foreign exchange and valuation adjustments for prior period acquisitions. 2018 includes adjustments related to Trucost. 2019 includes adjustments related to Panjiva, Rate Watch and Eclipse.
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, 2017 $ 554 $ 139 $ 347 $ 50 $ 77 $ 1,167 Acquisitions 3 — — — 123 126 Other (primarily Fx) 1 4 — (1 ) — (6 ) (3 ) Balance as of December 31, 2018 561 139 346 50 194 1,290 Acquisitions — — — — 29 29 Reclassifications 78 — 10 5 (93 ) — Other 1 (10 ) — (1 ) (1 ) — (12 ) Balance as of December 31, 2019 $ 629 $ 139 $ 355 $ 54 $ 130 $ 1,307 Accumulated amortization 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 — — (1 ) — (2 ) (3 ) Balance as of December 31, 2018 240 115 126 45 86 612 Current year amortization 73 14 23 3 9 122 Reclassifications 22 — 4 1 (27 ) — Other 1 (4 ) — — (1 ) — (5 ) Balance as of December 31, 2019 $ 331 $ 129 $ 153 $ 48 $ 68 $ 729 Net definite-lived intangibles: December 31, 2018 $ 321 $ 24 $ 220 $ 5 $ 108 $ 678 December 31, 2019 $ 298 $ 10 $ 202 $ 6 $ 62 $ 578 1
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) 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Amortization expense $ 117 $ 86 $ 78 $ 73 $ 70

Taxes on Income (Tables)

Taxes on Income (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
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, 2019 2018 2017 Domestic operations $ 2,068 $ 1,857 $ 1,723 Foreign operations 862 824 738 Total income before taxes $ 2,930 $ 2,681 $ 2,461
Schedule of Provision for Taxes on Income	The provision for taxes on income consists of the following: (in millions) Year Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Federal: Current $ 303 $ 198 $ 489 Deferred 13 53 63 Total federal 316 251 552 Foreign: Current 201 214 194 Deferred 14 (2 ) (3 ) Total foreign 215 212 191 State and local: Current 93 84 73 Deferred 3 13 7 Total state and local 96 97 80 Total provision for taxes $ 627 $ 560 $ 823
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, 2019 2018 2017 U.S. federal statutory income tax rate 21.0 % 21.0 % 35.0 % State and local income taxes 2.6 2.8 2.5 Foreign operations (0.3 ) 0.2 (3.9 ) TCJA Transition Tax — (0.3 ) 6.0 Stock-based compensation (1.4 ) (1.2 ) (2.7 ) S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC joint venture (1.2 ) (1.2 ) (1.8 ) Tax credits and incentives (1.7 ) (1.7 ) (2.1 ) Other, net 2.4 1.3 0.4 Effective income tax rate 21.4 % 20.9 % 33.4 %
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, 2019 2018 Deferred tax assets: Legal and regulatory settlements $ 2 $ 2 Employee compensation 58 57 Accrued expenses 30 36 Postretirement benefits 27 48 Unearned revenue 28 29 Allowance for doubtful accounts 9 8 Loss carryforwards 155 155 Other 24 24 Total deferred tax assets 333 359 Deferred tax liabilities: Goodwill and intangible assets (318 ) (295 ) Total deferred tax liabilities (318 ) (295 ) Net deferred income tax asset before valuation allowance 15 64 Valuation allowance (163 ) (156 ) Net deferred income tax (liability) asset $ (148 ) $ (92 ) Reported as: Non-current deferred tax assets $ 52 $ 52 Non-current deferred tax liabilities (200 ) (144 ) Net deferred income tax (liability) asset $ (148 ) $ (92 )
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, 2019 2018 2017 Balance at beginning of year $ 147 $ 212 $ 221 Additions based on tax positions related to the current year 21 19 23 Additions for tax positions of prior years 11 2 17 Reduction for tax positions of prior years (15 ) (21 ) (32 ) Reduction for settlements (33 ) (65 ) (5 ) Expiration of applicable statutes of limitations (7 ) — (12 ) Balance at end of year $ 124 $ 147 $ 212

Debt (Tables)

Debt (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Summary of Short-term and Long-term Debt Outstanding	A summary of long-term debt outstanding is as follows: (in millions) December 31, 2019 2018 3.3% Senior Notes, due 2020 1 $ — $ 698 4.0% Senior Notes, due 2025 2 694 693 4.4% Senior Notes, due 2026 3 893 892 2.95% Senior Notes, due 2027 4 493 493 2.5% Senior Notes, due 2029 5 495 — 6.55% Senior Notes, due 2037 6 294 396 4.5% Senior Notes, due 2048 7 490 490 3.25% Senior Notes, due 2049 8 589 — Long-term debt $ 3,948 $ 3,662 1 We made a $700 million early repayment of our 3.3% senior note in the fourth quarter of 2019. 2 Interest payments are due semiannually on June 15 and December 15, and as of December 31, 2019 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $6 million . 3 Interest payments are due semiannually on February 15 and August 15, and as of December 31, 2019 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $7 million . 4 Interest payments are due semiannually on January 22 and July 22, and as of December 31, 2019 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $7 million . 5 Interest payments are due semiannually on June 1 and December 1, beginning on June 1, 2020, and as of December 31, 2019 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $5 million . 6 We made a $103 million early repayment of a portion of our 6.55% senior note in November of 2019. Interest payments are due semiannually on May 15 and November 15, and as of December 31, 2019 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $3 million . 7 Interest payments are due semiannually on May 15 and November 15, and as of December 31, 2019 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $10 million . 8 Interest payments are due semiannually on June 1 and December 1, beginning on June 1, 2020, and as of December 31, 2019 , the unamortized debt discount and issuance costs total $11 million .

Derivative Instruments (Tables)

Derivative Instruments (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
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 and net investment hedge as of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 : (in millions) December 31, December 31, Balance Sheet Location 2019 2018 Derivatives designated as cash flow hedges: Prepaid and other current assets Foreign exchange forward contracts $ 1 $ 3 Derivative designated as a net investment hedge: Other non-current liabilities Cross currency swap $ 10 $ —
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 and net investment hedge 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) 2019 2018 2017 2019 2018 2017 Cash flow hedges - designated as hedging instruments Foreign exchange forward contracts $ (2 ) $ 2 $ — Revenue, Selling and general expenses $ 5 $ (4 ) $ 9 Net investment hedge - designated as hedging instrument Cross currency swap $ (10 ) $ — $ — $ — $ — $ —
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, 2019 2018 2017 Cash Flow Hedges Net unrealized gains (losses) on cash flow hedges, net of taxes, beginning of year $ 4 $ 2 $ 2 Change in fair value, net of tax 3 (2 ) 9 Reclassification into earnings, net of tax (5 ) 4 (9 ) Net unrealized gains (losses) on cash flow hedges, net of taxes, end of year $ 2 $ 4 $ 2 Net Investment Hedge Net unrealized gains (losses) on net investment hedge, net of taxes, beginning of year $ — $ — $ — Change in fair value, net of tax (10 ) — — Reclassification into earnings, net of tax — — — Net unrealized gains (losses) on net investment hedge, net of taxes, end of year $ (10 ) $ — $ —

Employee Benefits (Tables)

Employee Benefits (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
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, 2019 and 2018, 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 2019 2018 2019 2018 Net benefit obligation at beginning of year $ 2,076 $ 2,329 $ 40 $ 49 Service cost 3 3 — — Interest cost 64 71 1 1 Plan participants’ contributions — — 2 3 Actuarial loss (gain) 232 (199 ) 1 (4 ) Gross benefits paid (75 ) (103 ) (6 ) (8 ) Foreign currency effect 13 (26 ) — — Other adjustments 1 (368 ) 1 — (1 ) Net benefit obligation at end of year 1,945 2,076 38 40 Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year 1,987 2,219 16 20 Actual return on plan assets 354 (113 ) 1 — Employer contributions 46 9 — 1 Plan participants’ contributions — — 3 3 Gross benefits paid (75 ) (103 ) (7 ) (8 ) Foreign currency effect 16 (25 ) — — Other adjustments 1 (368 ) — — — Fair value of plan assets at end of year 1,960 1,987 13 16 Funded status $ 15 $ (89 ) $ (25 ) $ (24 ) Amounts recognized in consolidated balance sheets: Non-current assets $ 259 $ 125 $ — $ — Current liabilities (10 ) (9 ) — — Non-current liabilities (234 ) (205 ) (25 ) (24 ) $ 15 $ (89 ) $ (25 ) $ (24 ) Accumulated benefit obligation $ 1,932 $ 2,066 Plans with accumulated benefit obligation in excess of the fair value of plan assets: Projected benefit obligation $ 244 $ 214 Accumulated benefit obligation $ 231 $ 204 Fair value of plan assets $ — $ — Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax: Net actuarial loss (gain) $ 355 $ 460 $ (40 ) $ (41 ) Prior service credit 2 2 (13 ) (14 ) Total recognized $ 357 $ 462 $ (53 ) $ (55 ) 1 Relates to the impact of a retiree annuity purchase in 2019. The Company purchased a group annuity contract under which an insurance company assumed a portion of the Company's obligation to pay pension benefits to the plan's beneficiaries. The purchase of this group annuity contract was funded by pension plan assets.
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 2019 2018 2017 2019 2018 2017 Service cost $ 3 $ 3 $ 3 $ — $ — $ — Interest cost 64 71 74 1 1 2 Expected return on assets (108 ) (124 ) (126 ) — — — Amortization of: Actuarial loss (gain) 12 20 18 (2 ) (2 ) (2 ) Prior service credit — — — (1 ) (1 ) (2 ) Net periodic benefit cost (29 ) (30 ) (31 ) (2 ) (2 ) (2 ) Settlement charge 113 1 4 2 8 2 — — — Total net periodic benefit cost $ 84 $ (26 ) $ (23 ) $ (2 ) $ (2 ) $ (2 ) 1 Relates to the impact of a retiree annuity purchase in 2019. The Company purchased a group annuity contract under which an insurance company assumed a portion of the Company's obligation to pay pension benefits to the plan's beneficiaries. The purchase of this group annuity contract was funded by pension plan assets. The non-cash pretax settlement charge reflects the accelerated recognition of a portion of unamortized actuarial losses in the plan. 2 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 2019 2018 2017 2019 2018 2017 Net actuarial (gain) loss $ (10 ) $ 28 $ (20 ) $ — $ (7 ) $ (3 ) Recognized actuarial (gain) loss (10 ) (15 ) (12 ) 1 1 1 Prior service (credit) cost — 1 — 1 1 1 Settlement charge (85 ) 1 (4 ) 2 (7 ) 2 — — — Total recognized $ (105 ) $ 10 $ (39 ) $ 2 $ (5 ) $ (1 ) 1 Relates to the impact of a retiree annuity purchase in 2019. The Company purchased a group annuity contract under which an insurance company assumed a portion of the Company's obligation to pay pension benefits to the plan's beneficiaries. The purchase of this group annuity contract was funded by pension plan assets. The non-cash after tax settlement charge reflects the accelerated recognition of a portion of unamortized actuarial losses in the plan. 2 Represents a charge related to our U.K retirement plan.
Schedule of Assumptions Used	Retirement Plans Postretirement Plans 2019 2018 2017 2019 2018 2017 Benefit obligation: Discount rate 2 3.45 % 4.40 % 3.68 % 3.08 % 4.15 % 3.40 % Net periodic cost: Weighted-average healthcare cost rate 1 6.50 % 6.50 % 7.00 % Discount rate - U.S. plan 2 4.40 % 3.68 % 4.13 % 4.15 % 3.40 % 3.69 % Discount rate - U.K. plan 2 2.72 % 2.41 % 2.58 % Return on assets 3 6.00 % 6.00 % 6.25 % 1 The assumed weighted-average healthcare cost trend rate will decrease ratably from 6% in 2019 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, 2019, we changed our discount rate assumption on our U.S. retirement plans to 4.40% from 3.68% in 2018 and changed our discount rate assumption on our U.K. plan to 2.72% from 2.41% in 2018. 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, 2020, our return on assets assumption for the U.S. plan was reduced to
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 2020 $ 63 $ 7 $ (2 ) $ — $ 5 2021 66 6 (2 ) — 4 2022 69 6 (2 ) — 4 2023 72 5 (1 ) — 4 2024 75 5 (1 ) — 4 2025-2029 413 17 (6 ) — 11 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, 2019 and 2018 , by asset class is as follows: (in millions) December 31, 2019 Total Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Cash and short-term investments $ 3 $ 3 $ — $ — Equities: U.S. indexes 1 23 23 — — U.S. growth and value 56 56 — — Fixed income: Long duration strategy 2 1,078 — 1,078 — Intermediate duration securities 20 — 20 — Agency mortgage backed securities 3 — 3 — Asset backed securities 14 — 14 — Non-agency mortgage backed securities 3 11 — 11 — International, excluding U.K. 15 — 15 — Real Estate: U.K. 4 39 — — 39 Total $ 1,262 $ 82 $ 1,141 $ 39 Collective investment funds 5 $ 698 Total $ 1,960 (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 — — U.K. — — — — International, excluding U.K. — — — — 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 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 : (in millions) Level 3 Balance as of December 31, 2018 $ 39 Purchases — Distributions — Gain (loss) — Balance as of December 31, 2019 $ 39

Stock-Based Compensation (Table

Stock-Based Compensation (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Share-based Payment Arrangement [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, 2019 2018 Shares available for granting 1 20.0 33.3 Options outstanding 0.7 1.7 Total shares reserved for issuance 2 20.7 35.0 1 Shares available for granting at December 31, 2019 and 2018 are under the 2019 Plan and 2002 Plan, respectively. 2 Shares reserved for issuance under the Director Deferred Stock Ownership Plan are not included in the total, but are less than 1.0 million at December 31 2019 and 2018, respectively.
Schedule of Stock-based Compensation Expense	Stock-based compensation expense and the corresponding tax benefit are as follows: (in millions) Year Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Stock option expense $ 1 $ 5 $ 3 Restricted stock and unit awards expense 77 89 96 Total stock-based compensation expense $ 78 $ 94 $ 99 Tax benefit $ 13 $ 19 $ 38
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, 2018 1.7 $ 47.92 Exercised (1.0 ) $ 163.99 Forfeited and expired 1 — $ 70.70 Options outstanding as of December 31, 2019 0.7 $ 55.73 3.1 $ 155 Options exercisable as of December 31, 2019 0.7 $ 55.12 3.0 $ 151 1 There are less than 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, 2018 0.1 $ 113.02 Vested 1 — $ 113.42 Forfeited (0.1 ) $ 113.17 Nonvested options outstanding as of December 31, 2019 2 — $ 112.68 Total unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested options $ 0.3 Weighted-average years to be recognized over 0.7 1 There are less than 0.1 million shares vested. 2 There are less than 0.1 million nonvested options outstanding as of December 31, 2019.
Schedule of Stock Option Exercises	Information regarding our stock option exercises is as follows: (in millions) Year Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Net cash proceeds from the exercise of stock options $ 40 $ 34 $ 75 Total intrinsic value of stock option exercises $ 110 $ 77 $ 118 Income tax benefit realized from stock option exercises $ 33 $ 27 $ 64
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, 2018 0.8 $ 172.24 Granted 0.5 $ 187.40 Vested (0.6 ) $ 144.18 Forfeited (0.1 ) $ 179.76 Nonvested shares as of December 31, 2019 0.6 $ 199.93 Total unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested awards $ 72 Weighted-average years to be recognized over 1.8 Year Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Weighted-average grant-date fair value per award $ 187.40 $ 182.75 $ 147.12 Total fair value of restricted stock and unit awards vested $ 153 $ 154 $ 147 Tax benefit relating to restricted stock activity $ 29 $ 32 $ 36

Equity (Tables)

Equity (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Equity [Abstract]
Schedule of Dividend History	Year Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Quarterly dividend rate $ 0.57 $ 0.50 $ 0.41 Annualized dividend rate $ 2.28 $ 2.00 $ 1.64 Dividends paid (in millions) $ 560 $ 503 $ 421
Schedule of Accelerated Share Repurchase Agreements	The terms of each ASR agreement entered for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , structured as outlined above, are as follows: (in millions, except average price) ASR Agreement Initiation Date ASR Agreement Completion Date Initial Shares Delivered Additional Shares Delivered Total Number of Shares Purchased Average Price Paid Per Share Total Cash Utilized August 5, 2019 1 October 1, 2019 1.8 0.1 2.0 $ 253.36 $ 500 February 11, 2019 2 July 31, 2019 2.2 0.1 2.3 $ 214.65 $ 500 October 29, 2018 3 January 2, 2019 2.5 0.4 2.9 $ 173.80 $ 500 March 6, 2018 4 September 25, 2018 4.5 0.6 5.1 $ 197.49 $ 1,000 August 1, 2017 5 October 31, 2017 2.8 0.5 3.2 $ 154.46 $ 500 1 The ASR agreement was structured as a capped ASR agreement in which we paid $500 million and received an initial delivery of 1.8 million shares, representing the minimum number of shares of our common stock to be repurchased based on a calculation using a specified capped price per share. 2 The ASR agreement was structured as an uncapped ASR agreement in which we paid $500 million and received an initial delivery of 2.2 million shares, representing 85% of the $500 million at a price equal to the then market price of the Company. 3 The ASR agreement was structured as an uncapped ASR agreement in which we paid $500 million and received an initial delivery of 2.5 million shares, representing 85% of the $500 million at a price equal to the then market price of the Company. 4 The ASR agreement was structured as an uncapped ASR agreement in which we paid $ 1 billion and received an initial delivery of 4.5 million shares, representing 85% of the $ 1 billion at a price equal to the then market price of the Company. 5 The ASR agreement was structured as an uncapped ASR agreement in which we paid $500 million and received an initial delivery of 2.8 million shares, representing 85% of the $500 million at a price equal to the then market price of the Company.
Schedule of Share Repurchases	Additionally, we purchased shares of our common stock in the open market as follows (in millions, except average price) Year Ended Total number of shares purchased Average price paid per share Total cash utilized December 31, 2019 1.2 $ 208.83 $ 240 December 31, 2018 0.9 $ 182.93 $ 160 December 31, 2017 3.5 $ 141.60 $ 501
Schedule of Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest Rollforward	Ch anges to redeemable noncontrolling interest during the year ended December 31, 2019 were as follows: (in millions) Balance as of December 31, 2018 $ 1,620 Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest 170 Capital contribution from noncontrolling interest 36 Distributions to noncontrolling interest (166 ) Redemption value adjustment 608 Balance as of December 31, 2019 $ 2,268
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, 2019 : (in millions) Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment 1 Pension and Postretirement Benefit Plans 2 Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Forward Exchange Contracts 1 Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Balance as of December 31, 2018 $ (339 ) $ (407 ) $ 4 $ (742 ) Other comprehensive gain (loss) before reclassifications 18 9 3 30 Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings — 93 (5 ) 88 Net other comprehensive gain (loss) income 18 102 (2 ) 118 Balance as of December 31, 2019 $ (321 ) $ (305 ) $ 2 $ (624 ) 1 See Note 6 — Derivative Instruments for additional details of gains (losses) included in accumulated other comprehensive loss and items reclassed from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings. 2 Reflects amortization of net actuarial losses and is net of a tax benefit of $39 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. See Note 7 — Employee Benefits for additional details of items reclassed from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings.

Earnings per Share (Tables)

Earnings per Share (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
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, 2019 2018 2017 Amount attributable to S&P Global Inc. common shareholders: Net income $ 2,123 $ 1,958 $ 1,496 Basic weighted-average number of common shares outstanding 245.4 250.9 256.3 Effect of stock options and other dilutive securities 1.5 2.3 2.6 Diluted weighted-average number of common shares outstanding 246.9 253.2 258.9 Earnings per share attributable to S&P Global Inc. common shareholders: Net income: Basic $ 8.65 $ 7.80 $ 5.84 Diluted $ 8.60 $ 7.73 $ 5.78

Restructuring (Tables)

Restructuring (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
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, 2019 by segment is as follows: 2019 Restructuring Plan 2018 Restructuring Plan (in millions) Initial Charge Recorded Ending Reserve Balance Initial Charge Recorded Ending Reserve Balance Ratings $ 11 $ 7 $ 8 $ — Market Intelligence 6 5 7 1 Platts 1 — — — Corporate 7 6 10 1 Total $ 25 $ 18 $ 25 $ 2

Segment and Geographic Inform_2

Segment and Geographic Information (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Schedule of Segment Information	A summary of operating results for the years ended December 31 is as follows: Revenue (in millions) 2019 2018 2017 Ratings $ 3,106 $ 2,883 $ 2,988 Market Intelligence 1,959 1,833 1,683 Platts 844 815 774 Indices 918 837 728 Corporate — 15 — Intersegment elimination 1 (128 ) (125 ) (110 ) Total revenue $ 6,699 $ 6,258 $ 6,063 Operating Profit (in millions) 2019 2018 2017 Ratings 2 $ 1,763 $ 1,530 $ 1,517 Market Intelligence 3 607 545 457 Platts 4 438 383 326 Indices 5 630 563 478 Total reportable segments 3,438 3,021 2,778 Corporate Unallocated 6 (212 ) (231 ) (195 ) Total operating profit $ 3,226 $ 2,790 $ 2,583 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 or the year ended December 31, 2019 includes employee severance charges of $11 million . 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 . Additionally, operating profit includes amortization of intangibles from acquisitions of $2 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 and $4 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 . 3 As of July 1, 2019, we completed the sale of SPIAS and the results are included in Market Intelligence results through that date. Operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2019 includes a gain on the sale of SPIAS of $22 million , employee severance charges of $6 million and acquisition related costs of $4 million . 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 . Additionally, operating profit includes amortization of intangibles from acquisitions of $75 million , $73 million and $71 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , respectively. 4 As of July 31, 2019, we completed the sale of RigData and the results are included in Platts results through that date. Operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2019 includes a gain on the sale of RigData of $27 million and employee severance charges of $1 million . 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 . Additionally, Operating profit includes amortization of intangibles from acquisitions of $12 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 and $18 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017. 5 Operating profit includes amortization of intangibles from acquisitions of $6 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , respectively. 6 Corporate Unallocated operating loss for the year ended December 31, 2019 includes Kensho retention related expenses $21 million , lease impairments of $11 million and employee severance charges of $7 million . 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 . Additionally, Corporate Unallocated operating loss includes amortization of intangibles from acquisitions of $28 million and $23 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018. 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 2019 Subscription $ — $ 1,904 $ 774 $ 165 $ — $ — $ 2,843 Non-subscription / Transaction 1,577 45 10 — — — 1,632 Non-transaction 1,529 — — — — (128 ) 1,401 Asset-linked fees — 10 — 613 — — 623 Sales usage-based royalties — — 60 140 — — 200 Total revenue $ 3,106 $ 1,959 $ 844 $ 918 $ — $ (128 ) $ 6,699 Timing of revenue recognition Services transferred at a point in time 1,577 45 10 — — — $ 1,632 Services transferred over time 1,529 1,914 834 918 — (128 ) 5,067 Total revenue $ 3,106 $ 1,959 $ 844 $ 918 $ — $ (128 ) $ 6,699 (in millions) Ratings Market Intelligence Platts Indices Corporate Intersegment Elimination 1 Total 2018 2 Subscription $ — $ 1,773 $ 750 $ 144 $ 15 $ — $ 2,682 Non-subscription / Transaction 1,350 40 11 — — — 1,401 Non-transaction 1,533 — $ — — — (125 ) 1,408 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 $ 1,350 $ 40 $ 11 $ — $ — $ — $ 1,401 Services transferred over time 1,533 1,793 804 837 15 (125 ) 4,857 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 2,3 Subscription $ — $ 1,614 $ 704 $ 136 $ — $ — $ 2,454 Non-subscription / Transaction 1,515 46 13 — — — 1,574 Non-transaction 1,473 — — — — (110 ) 1,363 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 $ 1,515 $ 46 $ 13 $ — $ — $ — $ 1,574 Services transferred over time 1,473 1,637 761 728 — (110 ) 4,489 Total revenue $ 2,988 $ 1,683 $ 774 $ 728 $ — $ (110 ) $ 6,063 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 In 2019 , we reevaluated our transaction and non-transaction revenue presentation which resulted in a reclassification from transaction revenue to non-transaction revenue of $27 million and $25 million for 2018 and 2017 , respectively. 3 Amounts for the year ended December 31, 2017 were not adjusted under the modified retrospective transition method applied to our revenue contracts with customers as of January 1, 2018. Segment information for the years ended December 31 is as follows: (in millions) Depreciation & Amortization Capital Expenditures 2019 2018 2017 2019 2018 2017 Ratings $ 34 $ 32 $ 34 $ 41 $ 42 $ 45 Market Intelligence 99 99 104 44 30 37 Platts 21 27 25 13 9 15 Indices 8 9 8 5 3 3 Total reportable segments 162 167 171 103 84 100 Corporate 42 39 9 12 29 23 Total $ 204 $ 206 $ 180 $ 115 $ 113 $ 123 Segment information as of December 31 is as follows: (in millions) Total Assets 2019 2018 Ratings $ 963 $ 680 Market Intelligence 3,806 3,606 Platts 938 787 Indices 1,492 1,443 Total reportable segments 7,199 6,516 Corporate 1 4,140 2,911 Assets held for sale 2 9 14 Total $ 11,348 $ 9,441 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, 2019 and 2018, 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, 2019 2018 2017 2019 2018 U.S. $ 3,949 $ 3,750 $ 3,658 $ 4,946 $ 5,019 European region 1,681 1,543 1,473 323 317 Asia 715 647 594 93 51 Rest of the world 354 318 338 44 42 Total $ 6,699 $ 6,258 $ 6,063 $ 5,406 $ 5,429 Revenue Long-lived Assets Year ended December 31, December 31, 2019 2018 2017 2019 2018 U.S. 59 % 60 % 60 % 91 % 92 % European region 25 25 24 6 6 Asia 11 10 10 2 1 Rest of the world 5 5 6 1 1 Total 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 %

Commitments and Contingencies (

Commitments and Contingencies (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Location and Amounts of Leases	The following table provides information on the location and amounts of our leases on our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2019 : (in millions) Balance Sheet Location 2019 Assets Right of use assets Lease right-of-use assets $ 676 Liabilities Other current liabilities Current lease liabilities 112 Lease liabilities — non-current Non-current lease liabilities 620
Schedule of Components of Lease Expense and Supplemental Cash Flow Information	The components of lease expense for the year ended December 31 are as follows: (in millions) 2019 Operating lease cost $ 157 Sublease income (18 ) Total lease cost $ 139 Supplemental information related to leases for the year ended December 31 are as follows: (in millions) 2019 Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement for operating lease liabilities Operating cash flows from operating leases $ 146 Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations Operating leases 777
Schedule of Lease Terms and Discount Rates	Weighted-average remaining lease term and discount rate for our operating leases as of December 31 are as follows: 2019 Weighted-average remaining lease term (years) 8.95 Weighted-average discount rate 3.93 %
Schedule of Maturities of Operating Lease Liabilities	Maturities of lease liabilities for our operating leases are as follows: (in millions) 2020 $ 133 2021 113 2022 98 2023 82 2024 65 2025 and beyond 358 Total undiscounted lease payments $ 849 Less: Imputed interest 117 Present value of lease liabilities $ 732

Quarterly Financial Informati_2

Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
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 2019 Revenue $ 1,571 $ 1,704 $ 1,689 $ 1,735 $ 6,699 Operating profit $ 705 $ 813 $ 891 $ 818 $ 3,226 Net income $ 453 $ 602 $ 662 $ 585 $ 2,303 Net income attributable to S&P Global common shareholders $ 410 $ 555 $ 617 $ 541 $ 2,123 Earnings per share attributable to S&P Global Inc. common shareholders: Net income: Basic $ 1.66 $ 2.25 $ 2.52 $ 2.22 $ 8.65 Diluted $ 1.65 $ 2.24 $ 2.50 $ 2.20 $ 8.60 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 Note - Totals presented may not sum due to rounding.

Condensed Consolidating Finan_2

Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Condensed Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Statement of Income	Statement of Income Year Ended December 31, 2019 (in millions) S&P Global Inc. Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Eliminations S&P Global Inc. Consolidated Revenue $ 812 $ 1,898 $ 4,146 $ (157 ) $ 6,699 Expenses: Operating-related expenses 158 440 1,360 (157 ) 1,801 Selling and general expenses 133 329 1,055 — 1,517 Depreciation 44 12 26 — 82 Amortization of intangibles — — 122 — 122 Total expenses 335 781 2,563 (157 ) 3,522 Gain on dispositions (49 ) — — — (49 ) Operating profit 526 1,117 1,583 — 3,226 Other expense, net 91 — 7 — 98 Interest expense (income), net 213 — (15 ) — 198 Non-operating intercompany transactions 378 (48 ) (1,530 ) 1,200 — (Loss) income before taxes on income (156 ) 1,165 3,121 (1,200 ) 2,930 (Benefit) Provision for taxes on income (74 ) 285 416 — 627 Equity in net income of subsidiaries 3,405 — — (3,405 ) — Net income 3,323 880 2,705 (4,605 ) 2,303 Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests — — — (180 ) (180 ) Net income attributable to S&P Global Inc. $ 3,323 $ 880 $ 2,705 $ (4,785 ) $ 2,123 Comprehensive income $ 3,446 $ 880 $ 2,697 $ (4,602 ) $ 2,421 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 124 434 1,293 (153 ) 1,698 Selling and general expenses 177 292 1,095 — 1,564 Depreciation 46 7 31 — 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) expense, 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 89 482 1,261 (138 ) 1,694 Selling and general expenses 197 345 1,064 — 1,606 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 — 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
Balance Sheet	Balance Sheet December 31, 2019 (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 $ 1,130 $ — $ 1,736 $ — $ 2,866 Restricted cash — — 20 — 20 Short-term investments — — 28 — 28 Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts 229 148 1,200 — 1,577 Intercompany receivable 675 2,855 3,983 (7,513 ) — Prepaid and other current assets 102 2 117 — 221 Total current assets 2,136 3,005 7,084 (7,513 ) 4,712 Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation 204 — 116 — 320 Right of use assets 402 1 273 — 676 Goodwill 283 — 3,283 9 3,575 Other intangible assets, net — — 1,424 — 1,424 Investments in subsidiaries 12,134 6 8,088 (20,228 ) — Intercompany loans receivable 17 — 1,229 (1,246 ) — Other non-current assets 281 37 324 (1 ) 641 Total assets $ 15,457 $ 3,049 $ 21,821 $ (28,979 ) $ 11,348 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 80 $ 11 $ 99 $ — $ 190 Intercompany payable 6,288 27 1,198 (7,513 ) — Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans 148 61 237 — 446 Income taxes currently payable 7 — 61 — 68 Unearned revenue 297 243 1,388 — 1,928 Other current liabilities 187 18 256 — 461 Total current liabilities 7,007 360 3,239 (7,513 ) 3,093 Long-term debt 3,948 — — — 3,948 Lease liabilities – non-current 383 1 236 — 620 Intercompany loans payable — — 1,246 (1,246 ) — Pension and other postretirement benefits 178 — 81 — 259 Other non-current liabilities 171 81 373 (1 ) 624 Total liabilities 11,687 442 5,175 (8,760 ) 8,544 Redeemable noncontrolling interest — — — 2,268 2,268 Equity: Common stock 294 — 2,377 (2,377 ) 294 Additional paid-in capital 112 632 9,362 (9,203 ) 903 Retained income 15,836 1,975 5,404 (11,010 ) 12,205 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (175 ) — (497 ) 48 (624 ) Less: common stock in treasury (12,297 ) — (2 ) — (12,299 ) Total equity - controlling interests 3,770 2,607 16,644 (22,542 ) 479 Total equity - noncontrolling interests — — 2 55 57 Total equity 3,770 2,607 16,646 (22,487 ) 536 Total liabilities and equity $ 15,457 $ 3,049 $ 21,821 $ (28,979 ) $ 11,348 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 Short-term investments — — 18 — 18 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 41 3 118 — 162 Total current assets 1,448 2,250 5,450 (5,561 ) 3,587 Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation 192 — 78 — 270 Right of use assets — — — — — 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 $ 10,824 $ 2,301 $ 20,276 $ (23,960 ) $ 9,441 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 2 — 71 — 73 Unearned revenue 240 235 1,166 — 1,641 Other current liabilities 180 16 155 — 351 Total current liabilities 5,089 331 2,771 (5,561 ) 2,630 Long-term debt 3,662 — — — 3,662 Lease liabilities – non-current — — — — — Intercompany loans payable 114 — 1,659 (1,773 ) — Pension and other postretirement benefits 162 — 67 — 229 Other non-current liabilities 148 75 393 — 616 Total liabilities 9,175 406 4,890 (7,334 ) 7,137 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 $ 10,824 $ 2,301 $ 20,276 $ (23,960 ) $ 9,441
Statement of Cash Flows	Statement of Cash Flows Year Ended December 31, 2019 (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 $ 3,323 $ 880 $ 2,705 $ (4,605 ) $ 2,303 Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation 44 12 26 — 82 Amortization of intangibles — — 122 — 122 Provision for losses on accounts receivable 5 4 9 — 18 Deferred income taxes 24 (10 ) 32 — 46 Stock-based compensation 27 14 37 — 78 Gain on dispositions (49 ) — — — (49 ) Pension settlement charge, net of taxes 85 — — — 85 Other 64 2 27 — 93 Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions: Accounts receivable (72 ) (49 ) (14 ) — (135 ) Prepaid and other current assets 17 (35 ) (63 ) — (81 ) Accounts payable and accrued expenses 14 32 27 — 73 Unearned revenue 56 28 172 — 256 Accrued legal settlements — (1 ) — — (1 ) Other current liabilities (61 ) 1 4 — (56 ) Net change in prepaid/accrued income taxes (33 ) (5 ) (3 ) — (41 ) Net change in other assets and liabilities (74 ) 34 23 — (17 ) Cash provided by operating activities 3,370 907 3,104 (4,605 ) 2,776 Investing Activities: Capital expenditures (46 ) (3 ) (66 ) — (115 ) Acquisitions, net of cash acquired — — (91 ) — (91 ) Proceeds from dispositions 85 — — — 85 Changes in short-term investments — — (10 ) — (10 ) Cash provided by (used for) investing activities 39 (3 ) (167 ) — (131 ) Financing Activities: Proceeds from issuance of senior notes, net 1,086 — — — 1,086 Payments on senior notes (868 ) — — — (868 ) Dividends paid to shareholders (560 ) — — — (560 ) Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders, net — — (143 ) — (143 ) Repurchase of treasury shares (1,240 ) — — — (1,240 ) Exercise of stock options 36 — 4 — 40 Employee withholding tax on share-based payments and other (64 ) — (2 ) — (66 ) Intercompany financing activities (1,368 ) (904 ) (2,333 ) 4,605 — Cash used for financing activities (2,978 ) (904 ) (2,474 ) 4,605 (1,751 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash 5 — 29 — 34 Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 436 — 492 — 928 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year 694 — 1,264 — 1,958 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year $ 1,130 $ — $ 1,756 $ — $ 2,886 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 46 7 31 — 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 3,455 832 2,936 (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, net — — (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 and other (66 ) — — — (66 ) Intercompany financing activities (1,190 ) (816 ) (3,153 ) 5,159 — Cash used for financing activities (3,307 ) (816 ) (3,324 ) 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, net — — (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

Accounting Policies - Narrative

Accounting Policies - Narrative (Details)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2018USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2019USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2019USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2018USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2018USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)unitsSegment	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2018USD ($)
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments | Segment										4
Consideration paid for acquisition, net of cash acquired										$ 91,000,000	$ 401,000,000
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)		$ 12,205,000,000				$ 11,284,000,000				12,205,000,000	11,284,000,000
Total revenue		(1,735,000,000)	$ (1,689,000,000)	$ (1,704,000,000)	$ (1,571,000,000)	(1,536,000,000)	$ (1,546,000,000)	$ (1,609,000,000)	$ (1,567,000,000)	(6,699,000,000)	(6,258,000,000)	$ (6,063,000,000)
Contract assets		28,000,000				26,000,000				28,000,000	26,000,000
Remaining performance obligations		1,900,000,000								$ 1,900,000,000
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		2,866,000,000				1,917,000,000				$ 2,866,000,000	1,917,000,000
Gross deferred technology costs		212,000,000				205,000,000				212,000,000	205,000,000
Accumulated amortization of deferred technology costs		129,000,000				105,000,000				129,000,000	105,000,000
Fair value of our long-term debt borrowings		3,900,000,000				3,800,000,000				$ 3,900,000,000	3,800,000,000
Number of reporting units | units										4
Cost of advertisement										$ 34,000,000	33,000,000	33,000,000
Undistributed accumulated earnings of foreign subsidiary		3,200,000,000								3,200,000,000
Undistributed accumulated earnings of foreign subsidiary to be indefinitely reinvested		776,000,000								776,000,000
Goodwill impairment										0	0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment										$ 0	0	0
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		15,000,000				32,000,000				$ 15,000,000	32,000,000
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
Unearned revenue recognized										1,700,000,000
Capitalized contract costs		$ 115,000,000				$ 101,000,000				115,000,000	101,000,000
Non-transaction
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total revenue										(1,401,000,000)	(1,408,000,000)	(1,363,000,000)
Intersegment Elimination
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total revenue										128,000,000	125,000,000	110,000,000
Intersegment Elimination | Non-transaction
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total revenue										$ 128,000,000	$ 125,000,000	$ 110,000,000

Accounting Policies - Component

Accounting Policies - Components of Other Income, Net (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Non-Cash Settlement Charge of Unamortized Actuarial Loss, before Tax	$ 113
Other income, net	98	$ (25)	$ (27)
Accounting Standards Update 2017-07
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Other components of net periodic benefit cost 1	79	(30)	(27)
Net loss from investments	19	5	0
Other income, net	$ 98	$ (25)	$ (27)

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, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Aug. 31, 2018	Jan. 31, 2018	Aug. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Consideration paid for acquisition, net of cash acquired		$ 91	$ 401
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired				$ 83
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
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%
Series of Individually Immaterial Business Acquisitions | Minimum
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Amortization period of acquired intangible assets (in years)		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, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Fair value of assets acquired	$ 110	$ 857	$ 83
Cash and stock consideration (net of cash acquired)	91	803	83
Liabilities assumed	$ 19	$ 54	$ 0

Acquisitions and Divestitures_3

Acquisitions and Divestitures - Divestitures Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019	Apr. 30, 2017
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Pre-tax gain (loss) on dispositions		$ 49
Assets held-for-sale			$ 5
Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations | RigData
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Pre-tax gain (loss) on dispositions	$ 27
After-tax gain (loss) on disposition	26
Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Standard & Poor's Investment Advisory Services LLC
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Pre-tax gain (loss) on dispositions	22
After-tax gain (loss) on disposition	$ 12

Acquisitions and Divestitures_4

Acquisitions and Divestitures - Components of Income from Discontinued Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Operating profit	$ 5	$ 8	$ 6
Pre-tax gain (loss) on dispositions	$ 49

Goodwill and Other Intangible_3

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets by Major Class [Line Items]
Other intangible assets	$ 846	$ 846
Weighted-average life of the intangible assets	12 years
Amortization of intangibles	$ 122	122	$ 98
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	21 years
Market Intelligence
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets by Major Class [Line Items]
Amortization of intangibles	$ 75	73	71
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	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, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	$ 3,535	$ 2,989
Acquisitions	50	565
Dispositions	(15)
Reclassifications	0
Other	5	(19)
Goodwill, ending balance	3,575	3,535
Operating Segments
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Reclassifications	0
Operating Segments | Ratings
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	113	114
Acquisitions	0	5
Dispositions	0
Reclassifications	0
Other	2	(6)
Goodwill, ending balance	115	113
Operating Segments | Market Intelligence
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	2,029	1,961
Acquisitions	44	62
Dispositions	(12)
Reclassifications	3
Other	(2)	6
Goodwill, ending balance	2,062	2,029
Operating Segments | Platts
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	516	523
Acquisitions	6	0
Dispositions	(3)
Other	2	(7)
Goodwill, ending balance	521	516
Operating Segments | Indices
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	379	391
Acquisitions	0	0
Dispositions	0
Reclassifications	(3)
Other	0	(12)
Goodwill, ending balance	376	379
Corporate
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	498	0
Acquisitions	0	498
Dispositions	0
Reclassifications	0
Other	3	0
Goodwill, ending balance	$ 501	$ 498

Goodwill and Other Intangible_5

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Other Intangible Assets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Finite-lived Intangible Assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 1,290	$ 1,167
Acquisitions	29	126
Reclassifications	0
Other	(12)	(3)
Ending balance	1,307	1,290	$ 1,167
Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization [Roll Forward]
Accumulated amortization, beginning balance	612	493
Current year amortization	122	122	98
Reclassifications	0	0
Other (primarily Fx)	(5)	(3)
Accumulated amortization, ending balance	729	612	493
Net definite-lived intangibles	578	678
Databases and software
Finite-lived Intangible Assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	561	554
Acquisitions	0	3
Reclassifications	78
Other	(10)	4
Ending balance	629	561	554
Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization [Roll Forward]
Accumulated amortization, beginning balance	240	187
Current year amortization	73	52
Reclassifications	22	1
Other (primarily Fx)	(4)	0
Accumulated amortization, ending balance	331	240	187
Net definite-lived intangibles	298	321
Content
Finite-lived Intangible Assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	139	139
Acquisitions	0	0
Reclassifications	0
Other	0	0
Ending balance	139	139	139
Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization [Roll Forward]
Accumulated amortization, beginning balance	115	101
Current year amortization	14	14
Reclassifications	0	0
Other (primarily Fx)	0	0
Accumulated amortization, ending balance	129	115	101
Net definite-lived intangibles	10	24
Customer relationships
Finite-lived Intangible Assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	346	347
Acquisitions	0	0
Reclassifications	10
Other	(1)	(1)
Ending balance	355	346	347
Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization [Roll Forward]
Accumulated amortization, beginning balance	126	106
Current year amortization	23	21
Reclassifications	4	0
Other (primarily Fx)	0	(1)
Accumulated amortization, ending balance	153	126	106
Net definite-lived intangibles	202	220
Tradenames
Finite-lived Intangible Assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	50	50
Acquisitions	0	0
Reclassifications	5
Other	(1)	0
Ending balance	54	50	50
Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization [Roll Forward]
Accumulated amortization, beginning balance	45	42
Current year amortization	3	3
Reclassifications	1	0
Other (primarily Fx)	(1)	0
Accumulated amortization, ending balance	48	45	42
Net definite-lived intangibles	6	5
Other intangibles
Finite-lived Intangible Assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	194	77
Acquisitions	29	123
Reclassifications	(93)
Other	0	(6)
Ending balance	130	194	77
Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization [Roll Forward]
Accumulated amortization, beginning balance	86	57
Current year amortization	9	32
Reclassifications	(27)	(1)
Other (primarily Fx)	0	(2)
Accumulated amortization, ending balance	68	86	$ 57
Net definite-lived intangibles	$ 62	$ 108

Goodwill and Other Intangible_6

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Projected Amortization Expense (Details) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)
Projected amortization expense for intangible assets
2020	$ 117
2021	86
2022	78
2023	73
2024	$ 70

Taxes on Income - Narrative (De

Taxes on Income - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
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	$ 3,200
Undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries reinvested indefinitely	776
Net income tax payments	659	558	$ 709
Operating loss carryforwards	689
Total amount of federal, state and local, and foreign unrecognized tax benefits excluding interest and penalties	124	147	$ 212	$ 221
Net increase (decrease) in tax expense from change in unrecognized tax benefits	10
Decrease in unrecognized tax benefits reasonably possible	10
Accrued interest and penalties associated with uncertain tax positions	$ 20	$ 35

Taxes on Income - Domestic and

Taxes on Income - Domestic and Foreign Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Income before taxes domestic and foreign operations
Domestic operations	$ 2,068	$ 1,857	$ 1,723
Foreign operations	862	824	738
Income before taxes on income	2,930	2,681	2,461
Federal:
Current	303	198	489
Deferred	13	53	63
Total federal	316	251	552
Foreign:
Current	201	214	194
Deferred	14	(2)	(3)
Total foreign	215	212	191
State and local:
Current	93	84	73
Deferred	3	13	7
Total state and local	96	97	80
Total provision for taxes	$ 627	$ 560	$ 823
Reconciliation of federal statutory income tax rate
U.S. federal statutory income tax rate (as a percent)	21.00%	21.00%	35.00%
State and local income taxes (as a percent)	2.60%	2.80%	2.50%
Foreign operations (as a percent)	(0.30%)	0.20%	(3.90%)
Impact of TCJA (as a percent)	0.00%	(0.30%)	6.00%
Stock-based compensation (as a percent)	(1.40%)	(1.20%)	(2.70%)
S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC joint venture (as a percent)	(1.20%)	(1.20%)	(1.80%)
Tax credits and incentives (as a percent)	(1.70%)	(1.70%)	(2.10%)
Other, net (as a percent)	2.40%	1.30%	0.40%
Effective income tax rate (as a percent)	21.40%	20.90%	33.40%

Taxes on Income - Temporary Dif

Taxes on Income - Temporary Differences (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Deferred tax assets:
Legal and regulatory settlements	$ 2	$ 2
Employee compensation	58	57
Accrued expenses	30	36
Postretirement benefits	27	48
Unearned revenue	28	29
Allowance for doubtful accounts	9	8
Loss carryforwards	155	155
Other	24	24
Total deferred tax assets	333	359
Deferred tax liabilities:
Goodwill and intangible assets	(318)	(295)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(318)	(295)
Net deferred income tax asset before valuation allowance	15	64
Valuation allowance	(163)	(156)
Net deferred income tax (liability) asset	(148)	(92)
Reported as:
Non-current deferred tax assets	52	52
Non-current deferred tax liabilities	(200)	(144)
Net deferred income tax (liability) asset	$ (148)	$ (92)

Taxes on Income - Unrecognized

Taxes on Income - Unrecognized Tax Benefits (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Reconciliation of beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits
Balance at beginning of year	$ 147	$ 212	$ 221
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year	21	19	23
Additions for tax positions of prior years	11	2	17
Reduction for tax positions of prior years	(15)	(21)	(32)
Reduction for settlements	(33)	(65)	(5)
Expiration of applicable statutes of limitations	(7)	0	(12)
Balance at end of year	$ 124	$ 147	$ 212

Debt - Summary (Details)

Debt - Summary (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019	Nov. 26, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	May 17, 2018	Sep. 22, 2016	Aug. 18, 2015	May 26, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt		$ 3,948		$ 3,662
Senior Notes | 3.3% Senior Notes, due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes		$ 0		698
Interest rate (as a percent)		3.30%					3.30%
Early repayment of debt		$ 700
Senior Notes | 4.0% Senior Notes, due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes		$ 694		693
Interest rate (as a percent)		4.00%						4.00%
Unamortized debt discount and issuance costs		$ 6
Senior Notes | 4.4% Senior Notes, due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes		$ 893		892
Interest rate (as a percent)		4.40%					4.40%
Unamortized debt discount and issuance costs		$ 7
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 | 2.5% Senior Notes, due 2029
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes		$ 495		0
Interest rate (as a percent)		2.50%	2.50%
Unamortized debt discount and issuance costs		$ 5
Senior Notes | 6.55% Senior Notes, due 2037
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes		$ 294		396
Interest rate (as a percent)		6.55%
Early repayment of debt	$ 103
Unamortized debt discount and issuance costs		$ 3
Senior Notes | 4.5% Senior Notes, due 2048
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes		$ 490		490
Interest rate (as a percent)		4.50%			4.50%
Unamortized debt discount and issuance costs		$ 10
Senior Notes | 3.25% Senior Notes, due 2049
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes		$ 589		$ 0
Interest rate (as a percent)		3.25%	3.25%
Unamortized debt discount and issuance costs		$ 11

Debt - Narrative (Details)

Debt - Narrative (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Nov. 26, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	May 17, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Aug. 18, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Annual long term debt maturity year 2020	$ 0
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 year 2024	0
Annual long term debt maturity thereafter	3,900,000,000
Commercial paper borrowings outstanding	$ 0		$ 0
Indebtedness to cash flow (not greater than)	4
Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount							$ 2,000,000,000
2.5% Senior Notes, due 2029 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount		$ 500,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	2.50%	2.50%
3.3% Senior Notes, due 2020 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount	$ 700,000,000						$ 700,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	3.30%						3.30%
3.25% Senior Notes, due 2049 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount		$ 600,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	3.25%	3.25%
6.55% Senior Notes, due 2037 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount	$ 400,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	6.55%
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%				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%
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) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Foreign exchange forward contracts | Not designated as hedging instrument
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Notional amount of derivative	$ 116	$ 98
Foreign exchange forward contracts | Designated as hedging instrument
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Cash flow hedge gain (loss) be be reclassified within 12 months	2
Foreign exchange forward contracts | Designated as hedging instrument | Cash Flow Hedging
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Notional amount of derivative	249	289
Cross currency swap | Net Investment Hedging
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Interest income, net	1
Cross currency swap | Designated as hedging instrument
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Notional amount of derivative	400
Revenue, Selling and general expenses | Foreign exchange forward contracts
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Loss on derivatives not designated as hedging instruments	$ 12
Gain on derivatives not designated as hedging instruments		$ 4

Derivative Instruments - Fair V

Derivative Instruments - Fair Value Amounts of Cash Flow Hedges (Details) - Designated as hedging instrument - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Foreign exchange forward contracts | Prepaid and other current assets | Cash Flow Hedging
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Derivative, fair value, net	$ 1	$ 3
Cross currency swap | Other non-current liabilities | Net Investment Hedging
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Derivative, fair value, net	$ 10	$ 0

Derivative Instruments - Pre-ta

Derivative Instruments - Pre-tax Gains (Losses) on Cash Flow Hedges (Details) - Designated as hedging instrument - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Foreign exchange forward contracts | Cash Flow Hedging
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) Recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (effective portion)	$ (2)	$ 2	$ 0
Foreign exchange forward contracts | Revenue, Selling and general expenses | Cash Flow Hedging
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss into Income (effective portion)	5	(4)	9
Cross currency swap | Net Investment Hedging
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) Recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (effective portion)	(10)	0	0
Cross currency swap | Revenue, Selling and general expenses | Net Investment Hedging
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss into Income (effective portion)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0

Derivative Instruments - Change

Derivative Instruments - Change in Unrealized Gains (Losses) in AOCI (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
AOCI Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	$ 684	$ 766	$ 701
Ending Balance	536	684	766
Cash Flow Hedging
AOCI Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	4	2	2
Other comprehensive gain (loss) before reclassifications	3	(2)	9
Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings	(5)	4	(9)
Ending Balance	2	4	2
Net Investment Hedging
AOCI Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	0	0	0
Other comprehensive gain (loss) before reclassifications	(10)	0	0
Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings	0	0	0
Ending Balance	$ (10)	$ 0	$ 0

Employee Benefits - Benefit Obl

Employee Benefits - Benefit Obligation (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Roll Forward]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	$ 1,987
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	1,960	$ 1,987
Amounts recognized in consolidated balance sheets:
Non-current liabilities	(259)	(229)
Retirement Plans
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Benefit Obligation [Roll Forward]
Net benefit obligation at beginning of year	2,076	2,329
Service cost	3	3	$ 3
Interest cost	64	71	74
Plan participants’ contributions	0	0
Actuarial loss (gain)	232	(199)
Gross benefits paid	(75)	(103)
Foreign currency effect	13	(26)
Other adjustments	(368)	1
Net benefit obligation at end of year	1,945	2,076	2,329
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Roll Forward]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	1,987	2,219
Actual return on plan assets	354	(113)
Employer contributions	46	9
Plan participants’ contributions	0	0
Gross benefits paid	(75)	(103)
Foreign currency effect	16	(25)
Other adjustments	(368)	0
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	1,960	1,987	2,219
Funded status	15	(89)
Amounts recognized in consolidated balance sheets:
Non-current assets	259	125
Current liabilities	(10)	(9)
Non-current liabilities	(234)	(205)
Total amounts recognized in consolidated balance sheets	15	(89)
Accumulated benefit obligation	1,932	2,066
Plans with accumulated benefit obligation in excess of the fair value of plan assets:
Projected benefit obligation	244	214
Accumulated benefit obligation	231	204
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax:
Net actuarial loss (gain)	355	460
Prior service credit	2	2
Total recognized	357	462
Postretirement Plans
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Benefit Obligation [Roll Forward]
Net benefit obligation at beginning of year	40	49
Service cost	0	0	0
Interest cost	1	1	2
Plan participants’ contributions	2	3
Actuarial loss (gain)	1	(4)
Gross benefits paid	(6)	(8)
Foreign currency effect	0	0
Other adjustments	0	(1)
Net benefit obligation at end of year	38	40	49
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Roll Forward]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	16	20
Actual return on plan assets	1	0
Employer contributions	0	1
Plan participants’ contributions	3	3
Gross benefits paid	(7)	(8)
Foreign currency effect	0	0
Other adjustments	0	0
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	13	16	$ 20
Funded status	(25)	(24)
Amounts recognized in consolidated balance sheets:
Non-current assets	0	0
Current liabilities	0	0
Non-current liabilities	(25)	(24)
Total amounts recognized in consolidated balance sheets	(25)	(24)
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax:
Net actuarial loss (gain)	(40)	(41)
Prior service credit	(13)	(14)
Total recognized	$ (53)	$ (55)

Employee Benefits - Narrative (

Employee Benefits - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)trustshares	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)shares	Dec. 31, 2017USD ($)
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Total cost for retirement plans	$ 187	$ 80	$ 70
Settlement charge	113
Defined contribution plan cost	73	79	70
Pension trust assets	$ 1,960	$ 1,987
Stock purchased by US plan under defined contribution plan (shares) | shares	165,286	193,051
Stock sold by US plan under defined contribution plan (shares) | shares	333,030	205,798
Stock held by the US plan under defined contribution plan (shares) | shares	1,300,000	1,500,000
Market value of stock held by the US plan under defined contribution plan	$ 355	$ 251
Dividend received by the plan	$ 3	3
United States Retirement Plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of pension trust accounts | trust	1
Pension trust assets	$ 1,432	1,572
United Kingdom Retirement Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of pension trust accounts | trust	1
Pension trust assets	$ 528	415
Retirement Plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Actuarial gain (loss) to be recognized in net periodic pension cost	(15)
Other components of net periodic benefit cost	(29)	(30)	(31)
Settlement charge	(85)	(4)	(7)
Expected required employer contribution	$ 11
Number of pension trust accounts | trust	2
Pension trust assets	$ 1,960	1,987	2,219
Retirement Plans | United Kingdom Retirement Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Other components of net periodic benefit cost	(14)	(10)	(6)
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)	(2)
Settlement charge	0	0	0
Expected required employer contribution	5
Pension trust assets	$ 13	$ 16	$ 20
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 Benefit Cost (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income, net of tax
Settlement charge	$ 113
Total recognized	(102)	$ 5	$ (41)
Retirement Plans
Components of net periodic cost for retirement plans and post-retirement plans
Service cost	3	3	3
Interest cost	64	71	74
Expected return on assets	(108)	(124)	(126)
Actuarial loss (gain)	12	20	18
Prior service credit	0	0	0
Total net periodic benefit cost	(29)	(30)	(31)
Settlement charge	113	4	8
Total net periodic benefit cost	84	(26)	(23)
Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income, net of tax
Net actuarial (gain) loss	(10)	28	(20)
Recognized actuarial (gain) loss	(10)	(15)	(12)
Prior service (credit) cost	0	1	0
Settlement charge	(85)	(4)	(7)
Total recognized	(105)	10	(39)
Postretirement Plans
Components of net periodic cost for retirement plans and post-retirement plans
Service cost	0	0	0
Interest cost	1	1	2
Expected return on assets	0	0	0
Actuarial loss (gain)	(2)	(2)	(2)
Prior service credit	(1)	(1)	(2)
Total net periodic benefit cost	(2)	(2)	(2)
Settlement charge	0	0	0
Total net periodic benefit cost	(2)	(2)	(2)
Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income, net of tax
Net actuarial (gain) loss	0	(7)	(3)
Recognized actuarial (gain) loss	1	1	1
Prior service (credit) cost	1	1	1
Settlement charge	0	0	0
Total recognized	$ 2	$ (5)	$ (1)

Employee Benefits - Assumptions

Employee Benefits - Assumptions (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jan. 01, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Net periodic cost
Weighted-average healthcare cost rate (as a percent)		6.50%	6.50%	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)		3.45%	4.40%	3.68%
Net periodic cost
Discount rate (as a percent)		2.72%	2.41%
Return on assets (as a percent)		6.00%	6.00%	6.25%
Retirement Plans | United States Retirement Plans
Net periodic cost
Discount rate (as a percent)		4.40%	3.68%	4.13%
Retirement Plans | United States Retirement Plans | Subsequent Event
Net periodic cost
Return on assets (as a percent)	5.50%
Retirement Plans | United Kingdom Retirement Plan
Net periodic cost
Discount rate (as a percent)				2.58%
Postretirement Plans
Benefit obligation
Discount rate (as a percent)		3.08%	4.15%	3.40%
Net periodic cost
Weighted-average healthcare cost rate (as a percent)		5.00%
Discount rate (as a percent)		4.15%	3.40%	3.69%

Employee Benefits - Cash Flows

Employee Benefits - Cash Flows (Details) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)
Retirement Plans
Information about the expected cash flows for retirement and post-retirement plans and impact of the Medicare subsidy
2020, Net payments	$ 63
2021, Net payments	66
2022, Net payments	69
2023, Net payments	72
2024, Net payments	75
2025-2029, Net payments	413
Postretirement Plans
Information about the expected cash flows for retirement and post-retirement plans and impact of the Medicare subsidy
2020, Gross payments	7
2021, Gross payments	6
2022, Gross payments	6
2023, Gross payments	5
2024, Gross payments	5
2025-2029, Gross payments	17
2020, Retiree Contributions	(2)
2021, Retiree Contributions	(2)
2022, Retiree Contributions	(2)
2023, Retiree Contributions	(1)
2024, Retiree Contributions	(1)
2025-2029, Retiree Contributions	(6)
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, Medicare subsidy (less than $1 million)	0
2025-2029, Medicare subsidy (less than $1 million)	0
2020, Net payments	5
2021, Net payments	4
2022, Net payments	4
2023, Net payments	4
2024, Net payments	4
2025-2029, Net payments	11
Medicare subsidy, expected payments for all years (less than)	$ 1

Employee Benefits - Fair Value

Employee Benefits - Fair Value of Plan Assets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	$ 1,960	$ 1,987
Total
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	1,262	1,291
Level 1
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	82	94
Level 2
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	1,141	1,158
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	698	696
Cash and short-term investments | Total
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	3	4
Cash and short-term investments | Level 1
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	3	4
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	23	21
U.S. indexes | Level 1
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	23	21
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	56	69
U.S. growth and value | Level 1
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets	56	69
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		0
U.K. | Level 1
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets		0
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		0
International, excluding U.K. | Level 1
Fair value of defined benefit plans assets by asset class
Fair value of plan assets		0
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	1,078	1,070
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	1,078	1,070
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	20	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	20	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	3	4
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	3	4
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	14	18
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	14	18
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	11	13
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	11	13
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	15	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	15	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, 2019USD ($)
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets, Level 3 Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	$ 1,987
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	1,960
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	0
Gain (loss)	0
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, 2019	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018
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	$ 3	$ 4	$ 5
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
Employee Stock Option | Ratable Vest Two
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award cost recognition period	24 months
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, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Number of common shares reserved for issuance
Shares available for granting under the 2019 plan (in shares)	20	33.3
Options outstanding (shares)	0.7	1.7
Total shares reserved for issuance (in shares)	20.7	35
Director Deferred Stock Ownership Plan
Number of common shares reserved for issuance
Total shares reserved for issuance (in shares)		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, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Stock-Based Compensation
Stock option expense	$ 1	$ 5	$ 3
Restricted stock and unit awards expense	77	89	96
Total stock-based compensation expense	78	94	99
Tax benefit	$ 13	$ 19	$ 38
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, 2019USD ($)$ / sharesshares
Options, Outstanding, Shares
Options, Beginning balance (shares) | shares	1.7
Shares, exercised (shares) | shares	(1)
Shares, forfeited and expired (shares) | shares	0
Options, Ending balance (shares) | shares	0.7
Shares, options exercisable (shares) | shares	0.7
Weighted average exercise price
Weighted-average exercise price, Beginning balance (USD per share) | $ / shares	$ 47.92
Weighted-average exercise price, exercised (USD per share) | $ / shares	163.99
Weighted-average exercise price, forfeited and expired (USD per share) | $ / shares	70.70
Weighted-average exercise price, Ending balance (USD per share) | $ / shares	55.73
Weighted-average exercise price, options exercisable (USD per share) | $ / shares	$ 55.12
Weighted-average remaining years of contractual term, Options outstanding	3 years 1 month 6 days
Weighted-average remaining years of contractual term, Options exercisable	3 years
Aggregate intrinsic value, options outstanding | $	$ 155
Aggregate intrinsic value, options exercisable | $	$ 151
Non Vested Options
Nonvested Options Outstanding
Options, Beginning balance (shares) | shares	0.1
Shares, vested (shares) | shares	0
Shares, forfeited (shares) | shares	(0.1)
Options, Ending balance (shares) | shares	0
Weighted-average grant-date fair value
Weighted-average grant-date fair value, Beginning balance (USD per share) | $ / shares	$ 113.02
Weighted-average grant-date fair value, vested (USD per share) | $ / shares	113.42
Weighted-average exercise price, forfeited (USD per share) | $ / shares	113.17
Weighted-average grant-date fair value, Beginning balance (USD per share) | $ / shares	$ 112.68
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Total unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested options | $	$ 0.3
Weighted-average years to be recognized over	21 days

Stock-Based Compensation - St_3

Stock-Based Compensation - Stock Option Exercises (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]
Net cash proceeds from the exercise of stock options	$ 40	$ 34	$ 75
Total intrinsic value of stock option exercises	110	77	118
Income tax benefit realized from stock option exercises	$ 33	$ 27	$ 64

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, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Tax benefit relating to restricted stock activity	$ 13	$ 19	$ 38
Restricted Stock Activity
Restricted stock and unit activity
Nonvested shares, Beginning Balance (in shares)	0.8
Shares, Granted (in shares)	0.5
Shares, Vested (in shares)	(0.6)
Shares, Forfeited (in shares)	(0.1)
Nonvested shares, Ending Balance (in shares)	0.6	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)	$ 172.24
Weighted-average grant-date fair value, Granted (in dollars per share)	187.40	$ 182.75	$ 147.12
Weighted-average grant-date fair value, Vested (in dollars per share)	144.18
Weighted-average grant-date fair value, Forfeited (in dollars per share)	179.76
Weighted-average grant-date fair value, Ending balance (in dollars per share)	$ 199.93	$ 172.24
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	$ 72
Weighted-average years to be recognized over	1 year 9 months 18 days
Total fair value of restricted stock and unit awards vested	$ 153	$ 154	$ 147
Tax benefit relating to restricted stock activity	$ 29	$ 32	$ 36

Equity - Capital Stock (Details

Equity - Capital Stock (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	Jan. 29, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred stock authorized (shares)		2,000,000,000,000
Par value of preferred stock (USD per share)		$ 1
Preferred stock issued (shares)		0
Dividend history
Quarterly dividend rate (USD per share)		$ 0.57	$ 0.50	$ 0.41
Annualized dividend rate (USD per share)		$ 2.28	$ 2	$ 1.64
Dividends paid		$ 560	$ 503	$ 421
Subsequent Event
Dividend history
Quarterly dividend rate (USD per share)	$ 0.67

Equity - Stock Repurchases (Det

Equity - Stock Repurchases (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 04, 2013
Share repurchases
Total cash utilized		$ 1,240	$ 1,660	$ 1,001
Stock repurchased during period (shares)	400,000	5,900,000	8,400,000	6,800,000
2013 Stock 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%
Remaining shares available under repurchase program (shares)		4,700,000
Stock Repurchases
Share repurchases
Total number of shares purchased (shares)		1,200,000	900,000	3,500,000
Average price paid per share (USD per share)		$ 208.83	$ 182.93	$ 141.60
Total cash utilized		$ 240	$ 160	$ 501

Equity - Accelerated Share Repu

Equity - Accelerated Share Repurchase Program (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	2 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	7 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 02, 2019	Oct. 31, 2017	Jul. 31, 2019	Sep. 25, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Total cash utilized					$ 1,240	$ 1,660	$ 1,001
Accelerated Share Repurchases, August 2019
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Average price paid per share (USD per share)					$ 253.36
Total cash utilized					$ 500
Accelerated Share Repurchases, August 2019 | Initial Award
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Total number of shares purchased (shares)					1.8
Accelerated Share Repurchases, August 2019 | Additional Award
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Total number of shares purchased (shares)					0.1
Accelerated Share Repurchases, August 2019 | Completed Award
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Total number of shares purchased (shares)					2
Accelerated Share Repurchases, February 2019
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Average price paid per share (USD per share)					$ 214.65
Total cash utilized					$ 500
Authorized amount repurchased (as a percent)			85.00%
Accelerated Share Repurchases, February 2019 | Initial Award
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Total number of shares purchased (shares)					2.2
Accelerated Share Repurchases, February 2019 | Additional Award
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Total number of shares purchased (shares)					0.1
Accelerated Share Repurchases, February 2019 | Completed Award
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Total number of shares purchased (shares)					2.3
Accelerated Share Repurchases, October 2018
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Average price paid per share (USD per share)						$ 173.80
Total cash utilized						$ 500
Authorized amount repurchased (as a percent)	85.00%
Accelerated Share Repurchases, October 2018 | Initial Award
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Total number of shares purchased (shares)						2.5
Accelerated Share Repurchases, October 2018 | Additional Award
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Total number of shares purchased (shares)						0.4
Accelerated Share Repurchases, October 2018 | Completed Award
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Total number of shares purchased (shares)						2.9
Accelerated Share Repurchases, March 2018
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Average price paid per share (USD per share)						$ 197.49
Total cash utilized						$ 1,000
Authorized amount repurchased (as a percent)				85.00%
Accelerated Share Repurchases, March 2018 | Initial Award
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Total number of shares purchased (shares)						4.5
Accelerated Share Repurchases, March 2018 | Additional Award
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Total number of shares purchased (shares)						0.6
Accelerated Share Repurchases, March 2018 | Completed Award
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Total number of shares purchased (shares)						5.1
Accelerated Share Repurchases, August 2017
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Average price paid per share (USD per share)							$ 154.46
Total cash utilized							$ 500
Authorized amount repurchased (as a percent)		85.00%
Accelerated Share Repurchases, August 2017 | Initial Award
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Total number of shares purchased (shares)							2.8
Accelerated Share Repurchases, August 2017 | Additional Award
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Total number of shares purchased (shares)							0.5
Accelerated Share Repurchases, August 2017 | Completed Award
Accelerated Share Repurchases [Line Items]
Total number of shares purchased (shares)							3.2

Equity - Redeemable Noncontroll

Equity - Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)
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, 2018	$ 1,620
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	170
Capital contribution from noncontrolling interest	36
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(166)
Redemption value adjustment	608
Balance as of December 31, 2019	$ 2,268
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, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	$ 684	$ 766	$ 701
Ending Balance	536	684	766
Pension and other postretirement benefit plans, tax	39	(9)	11
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	(742)	(649)	(773)
Other comprehensive gain (loss) before reclassifications	30
Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings	88
Net other comprehensive gain (loss) income	118
Ending Balance	(624)	(742)	$ (649)
Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	(339)
Other comprehensive gain (loss) before reclassifications	18
Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings	0
Net other comprehensive gain (loss) income	18
Ending Balance	(321)	(339)
Pension and Postretirement Benefit Plans
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	(407)
Other comprehensive gain (loss) before reclassifications	9
Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings	93
Net other comprehensive gain (loss) income	102
Ending Balance	(305)	(407)
Pension and other postretirement benefit plans, tax	(39)
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Forward Exchange Contracts
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	4
Other comprehensive gain (loss) before reclassifications	3
Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings	(5)
Net other comprehensive gain (loss) income	(2)
Ending Balance	$ 2	$ 4

Earnings per Share - Summary (D

Earnings per Share - Summary (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Amount attributable to S&P Global Inc. common shareholders:
Net income	$ 541	$ 617	$ 555	$ 410	$ 512	$ 495	$ 461	$ 491	$ 2,123	$ 1,958	$ 1,496
Basic weighted-average number of common shares outstanding (shares)									245,400,000	250,900,000	256,300,000
Effect of stock options and other dilutive securities (shares)									1,500,000	2,300,000	2,600,000
Diluted weighted-average number of common shares outstanding (shares)									246,900,000	253,200,000	258,900,000
Net income:
Basic (USD per share)	$ 2.22	$ 2.52	$ 2.25	$ 1.66	$ 2.06	$ 1.97	$ 1.83	$ 1.94	$ 8.65	$ 7.80	$ 5.84
Diluted (USD per share)	$ 2.20	$ 2.50	$ 2.24	$ 1.65	$ 2.03	$ 1.95	$ 1.82	$ 1.93	$ 8.60	$ 7.73	$ 5.78
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)									400,000	500,000	600,000

Restructuring - Narrative (Deta

Restructuring - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)Positions	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)Positions	Dec. 31, 2017USD ($)
Restructuring Plan, 2019
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Workforce reduction, positions | Positions		300
Restructuring charges paid		$ 7
Restructuring Plan, 2018
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Workforce reduction, positions | Positions			160
Restructuring reserves	$ 3		$ 3
Restructuring charges paid	$ 25	22	$ 1
Restructuring Plan, 2017
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring reserves				$ 6
Restructuring charges paid		$ 44

Restructuring - Summary (Detail

Restructuring - Summary (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Restructuring Plan, 2019
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded	$ 25
Ending Reserve Balance	18
Restructuring Plan, 2018
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded		$ 25
Ending Reserve Balance	2
Ratings
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded	11	8	$ 25
Market Intelligence
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded	6		7
Platts
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded	1		2
Operating segments | Ratings | Restructuring Plan, 2019
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded	11
Ending Reserve Balance	7
Operating segments | Ratings | Restructuring Plan, 2018
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded		8
Ending Reserve Balance	0
Operating segments | Market Intelligence | Restructuring Plan, 2019
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded	6
Ending Reserve Balance	5
Operating segments | Market Intelligence | Restructuring Plan, 2018
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded		7
Ending Reserve Balance	1
Operating segments | Platts | Restructuring Plan, 2019
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded	1
Ending Reserve Balance	0
Operating segments | Platts | Restructuring Plan, 2018
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded		0
Ending Reserve Balance	0
Corporate
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded	7	10	$ 10
Corporate | Restructuring Plan, 2019
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded	7
Ending Reserve Balance	6
Corporate | Restructuring Plan, 2018
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Initial Charge Recorded		$ 10
Ending Reserve Balance	$ 1

Segment and Geographic Inform_3

Segment and Geographic Information - Narrative (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019Segment
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments	4
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%

Segment and Geographic Inform_4

Segment and Geographic Information - Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Segment information
Revenue	$ 1,735	$ 1,689	$ 1,704	$ 1,571	$ 1,536	$ 1,546	$ 1,609	$ 1,567	$ 6,699	$ 6,258	$ 6,063
Operating Profit	818	$ 891	$ 813	$ 705	704	$ 704	$ 672	$ 711	3,226	2,790	2,583
Amortization of intangibles									122	122	98
Pre-tax gain (loss) on dispositions									49
Depreciation & Amortization									204	206	180
Capital Expenditures									115	113	123
Total Assets	11,348				9,441				11,348	9,441
Assets held for sale	9				14				9	14
Operating segments
Segment information
Operating Profit									3,438	3,021	2,778
Depreciation & Amortization									162	167	171
Capital Expenditures									103	84	100
Total Assets	7,199				6,516				7,199	6,516
Corporate
Segment information
Revenue									0	15	0
Operating Profit									(212)	(231)	(195)
Employee severance charges									7	10	10
Amortization of intangibles									28	23
Non-cash acquisition and disposition-related costs/adjustments									21	31
Lease exit costs											19
Lease impairments									11	11
Depreciation & Amortization									42	39	9
Capital Expenditures									12	29	23
Total Assets	4,140				2,911				4,140	2,911
Intersegment Elimination
Segment information
Revenue									(128)	(125)	(110)
Ratings
Segment information
Employee severance charges									11	8	25
Legal settlement expenses										74	55
Amortization of intangibles									2	2	4
Ratings | Operating segments
Segment information
Revenue									3,106	2,883	2,988
Operating Profit									1,763	1,530	1,517
Depreciation & Amortization									34	32	34
Capital Expenditures									41	42	45
Total Assets	963				680				963	680
Market Intelligence
Segment information
Employee severance charges									6		7
Amortization of intangibles									75	73	71
Pre-tax gain (loss) on dispositions									22
Business disposition and employee severance charges										7
Acquisition-related costs									4
Non-cash acquisition and disposition-related costs/adjustments											4
Market Intelligence | Operating segments
Segment information
Revenue									1,959	1,833	1,683
Operating Profit									607	545	457
Depreciation & Amortization									99	99	104
Capital Expenditures									44	30	37
Total Assets	3,806				3,606				3,806	3,606
Platts
Segment information
Employee severance charges									1		2
Amortization of intangibles									12	18	18
Pre-tax gain (loss) on dispositions									27
Non-cash acquisition and disposition-related costs/adjustments											11
Lease exit costs											6
Asset write-off											2
Platts | Operating segments
Segment information
Revenue									844	815	774
Operating Profit									438	383	326
Depreciation & Amortization									21	27	25
Capital Expenditures									13	9	15
Total Assets	938				787				938	787
Indices
Segment information
Amortization of intangibles									6	6	6
Indices | Operating segments
Segment information
Revenue									918	837	728
Operating Profit									630	563	478
Depreciation & Amortization									8	9	8
Capital Expenditures									5	3	$ 3
Total Assets	$ 1,492				$ 1,443				$ 1,492	$ 1,443

Segment and Geographic Inform_5

Segment and Geographic Information - Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Reclassification from transaction revenue to non-transaction revenue										$ 27	$ 25
Total revenue	$ 1,735	$ 1,689	$ 1,704	$ 1,571	$ 1,536	$ 1,546	$ 1,609	$ 1,567	$ 6,699	6,258	6,063
Corporate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	15	0
Intersegment Elimination
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									(128)	(125)	(110)
Ratings | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									3,106	2,883	2,988
Market Intelligence | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									1,959	1,833	1,683
Platts | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									844	815	774
Indices | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									918	837	728
Subscription
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									2,843	2,682	2,454
Subscription | Corporate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	15	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									1,904	1,773	1,614
Subscription | Platts | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									774	750	704
Subscription | Indices | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									165	144	136
Non-subscription / Transaction
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									1,632	1,401	1,574
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									1,577	1,350	1,515
Non-subscription / Transaction | Market Intelligence | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									45	40	46
Non-subscription / Transaction | Platts | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									10	11	13
Non-subscription / Transaction | Indices | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Non-transaction
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									1,401	1,408	1,363
Non-transaction | Corporate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Non-transaction | Intersegment Elimination
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									(128)	(125)	(110)
Non-transaction | Ratings | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									1,529	1,533	1,473
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
Asset-linked fees
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									623	542	484
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									10	20	23
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									613	522	461
Sales usage-based royalties
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									200	225	188
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									60	54	57
Sales usage-based royalties | Indices | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									140	171	131
Services transferred at a point in time
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									1,632	1,401	1,574
Services transferred at a point in time | Corporate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Services transferred at a point in time | Intersegment Elimination
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Services transferred at a point in time | Ratings | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									1,577	1,350	1,515
Services transferred at a point in time | Market Intelligence | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									45	40	46
Services transferred at a point in time | Platts | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									10	11	13
Services transferred at a point in time | Indices | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Services transferred over time
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									5,067	4,857	4,489
Services transferred over time | Corporate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									0	15	0
Services transferred over time | Intersegment Elimination
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									(128)	(125)	(110)
Services transferred over time | Ratings | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									1,529	1,533	1,473
Services transferred over time | Market Intelligence | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									1,914	1,793	1,637
Services transferred over time | Platts | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									834	804	761
Services transferred over time | Indices | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue									$ 918	$ 837	$ 728

Segment and Geographic Inform_6

Segment and Geographic Information - Geographic Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 1,735	$ 1,689	$ 1,704	$ 1,571	$ 1,536	$ 1,546	$ 1,609	$ 1,567	$ 6,699	$ 6,258	$ 6,063
Long-lived Assets	5,406				5,429				5,406	5,429
U.S.
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue									3,949	3,750	3,658
Long-lived Assets	4,946				5,019				4,946	5,019
European region
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue									1,681	1,543	1,473
Long-lived Assets	323				317				323	317
Asia
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue									715	647	594
Long-lived Assets	93				51				93	51
Rest of the world
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue									354	318	$ 338
Long-lived Assets	$ 44				$ 42				$ 44	$ 42
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)									59.00%	60.00%	60.00%
Geographic Concentration Risk | Revenue | European region
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Concentration risk (as a percent)									25.00%	25.00%	24.00%
Geographic Concentration Risk | Revenue | Asia
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Concentration risk (as a percent)									11.00%	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%	5.00%	6.00%
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)									91.00%	92.00%
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%	6.00%
Geographic Concentration Risk | Long-lived Assets | Asia
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Concentration risk (as a percent)									2.00%	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	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Period of lease extension options		12 years
Period of options to terminate lease		1 year
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			$ 114	$ 121	$ 74
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%
Minimum
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Remaining lease terms		1 year
Maximum
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Remaining lease terms		14 years

Commitments and Contingencies_2

Commitments and Contingencies - Location and Amounts of Leases (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Assets
Right of use assets	$ 676	$ 0
Liabilities
Other current liabilities	112
Lease liabilities – non-current	$ 620	$ 0

Commitments and Contingencies_3

Commitments and Contingencies - Components of Lease Expense (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Operating lease cost	$ 157
Sublease income	(18)
Total lease cost	$ 139

Commitments and Contingencies_4

Commitments and Contingencies - Supplemental Cash Flow Information (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement for operating lease liabilities [Abstract]
Operating cash flows from operating leases	$ 146
Right-of-Use Assets Obtained in Exchange for Lease Obligations
Operating leases	$ 777

Commitments and Contingencies_5

Commitments and Contingencies - Lease Term and Discount Rate (Details)	Dec. 31, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Weighted-average remaining lease term (years)	8 years 11 months 12 days
Weighted-average discount rate (as a percent)	3.93%

Commitments and Contingencies_6

Commitments and Contingencies - Maturities of Lease Liabilities (Details) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
2020	$ 133
2021	113
2022	98
2023	82
2024	65
2025 and beyond	358
Total undiscounted lease payments	849
Less: Imputed interest	117
Present value of lease liabilities	$ 732

Quarterly Financial Informati_3

Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) - Summary (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 1,735	$ 1,689	$ 1,704	$ 1,571	$ 1,536	$ 1,546	$ 1,609	$ 1,567	$ 6,699	$ 6,258	$ 6,063
Operating profit	818	891	813	705	704	704	672	711	3,226	2,790	2,583
Net income	585	662	602	453	551	535	501	534	2,303	2,121	1,638
Net income attributable to S&P Global common shareholders	$ 541	$ 617	$ 555	$ 410	$ 512	$ 495	$ 461	$ 491	$ 2,123	$ 1,958	$ 1,496
Net income:
Basic (USD per share)	$ 2.22	$ 2.52	$ 2.25	$ 1.66	$ 2.06	$ 1.97	$ 1.83	$ 1.94	$ 8.65	$ 7.80	$ 5.84
Diluted (USD per share)	$ 2.20	$ 2.50	$ 2.24	$ 1.65	$ 2.03	$ 1.95	$ 1.82	$ 1.93	$ 8.60	$ 7.73	$ 5.78

Condensed Consolidating Finan_3

Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Narrative (Details) - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019	Nov. 26, 2019	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 | 2.5% Senior Notes, due 2029
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount		$ 500,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	2.50%	2.50%
Senior Notes | 3.25% Senior Notes, due 2049
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount		$ 600,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	3.25%	3.25%
Senior Notes | 3.3% Senior Notes, due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount	$ 700,000,000					$ 700,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	3.30%					3.30%
Senior Notes | 6.55% Senior Notes, due 2037
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount	$ 400,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	6.55%
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%			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 | 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, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 1,735	$ 1,689	$ 1,704	$ 1,571	$ 1,536	$ 1,546	$ 1,609	$ 1,567	$ 6,699	$ 6,258	$ 6,063
Expenses:
Operating-related expenses									1,801	1,698	1,694
Selling and general expenses									1,517	1,564	1,606
Depreciation									82	84	82
Amortization of intangibles									122	122	98
Total expenses									3,522	3,468	3,480
Gain on dispositions									(49)	0	0
Operating profit	818	891	813	705	704	704	672	711	3,226	2,790	2,583
Other expense (income), net									98	(25)	(27)
Interest expense (income), net									198	134	149
Non-operating intercompany transactions									0	0	0
Income before taxes on income									2,930	2,681	2,461
(Benefit) Provision for taxes on income									627	560	823
Equity in net income of subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net income	585	662	602	453	551	535	501	534	2,303	2,121	1,638
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									(180)	(163)	(142)
Net income attributable to S&P Global Inc.	$ 541	$ 617	$ 555	$ 410	$ 512	$ 495	$ 461	$ 491	2,123	1,958	1,496
Comprehensive income									2,421	2,018	1,762
Eliminations
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue									(157)	(153)	(138)
Expenses:
Operating-related expenses									(157)	(153)	(138)
Selling and general expenses									0	0	0
Depreciation									0	0	0
Amortization of intangibles									0	0	0
Total expenses									(157)	(153)	(138)
Gain on dispositions									0
Operating profit									0	0	0
Other expense (income), net									0	0	0
Interest expense (income), net									0	0	0
Non-operating intercompany transactions									1,200	1,584	2,175
Income before taxes on income									(1,200)	(1,584)	(2,175)
(Benefit) Provision for taxes on income									0	0	0
Equity in net income of subsidiaries									(3,405)	(3,575)	(3,808)
Net income									(4,605)	(5,159)	(5,983)
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									(180)	(163)	(142)
Net income attributable to S&P Global Inc.									(4,785)	(5,322)	(6,125)
Comprehensive income									(4,602)	(5,159)	(5,982)
S&P Global Inc. | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue									812	776	717
Expenses:
Operating-related expenses									158	124	89
Selling and general expenses									133	177	197
Depreciation									44	46	31
Amortization of intangibles									0	0	0
Total expenses									335	347	317
Gain on dispositions									(49)
Operating profit									526	429	400
Other expense (income), net									91	(27)	(16)
Interest expense (income), net									213	143	163
Non-operating intercompany transactions									378	363	365
Income before taxes on income									(156)	(50)	(112)
(Benefit) Provision for taxes on income									(74)	(14)	26
Equity in net income of subsidiaries									3,405	3,576	3,808
Net income									3,323	3,540	3,670
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to S&P Global Inc.									3,323	3,540	3,670
Comprehensive income									3,446	3,510	3,694
Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue									1,898	1,695	1,780
Expenses:
Operating-related expenses									440	434	482
Selling and general expenses									329	292	345
Depreciation									12	7	11
Amortization of intangibles									0	0	0
Total expenses									781	733	838
Gain on dispositions									0
Operating profit									1,117	962	942
Other expense (income), net									0	0	0
Interest expense (income), net									0	2	0
Non-operating intercompany transactions									(48)	(75)	(77)
Income before taxes on income									1,165	1,035	1,019
(Benefit) Provision for taxes on income									285	250	370
Equity in net income of subsidiaries									0	(1)	0
Net income									880	784	649
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to S&P Global Inc.									880	784	649
Comprehensive income									880	783	649
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue									4,146	3,940	3,704
Expenses:
Operating-related expenses									1,360	1,293	1,261
Selling and general expenses									1,055	1,095	1,064
Depreciation									26	31	40
Amortization of intangibles									122	122	98
Total expenses									2,563	2,541	2,463
Gain on dispositions									0
Operating profit									1,583	1,399	1,241
Other expense (income), net									7	2	(11)
Interest expense (income), net									(15)	(11)	(14)
Non-operating intercompany transactions									(1,530)	(1,872)	(2,463)
Income before taxes on income									3,121	3,280	3,729
(Benefit) Provision for taxes on income									416	324	427
Equity in net income of subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net income									2,705	2,956	3,302
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to S&P Global Inc.									2,705	2,956	3,302
Comprehensive income									$ 2,697	$ 2,884	$ 3,401

Condensed Consolidating Finan_5

Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 2,866	$ 1,917
Restricted cash	20	41
Short-term investments	28	18
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	1,577	1,449
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	221	162
Total current assets	4,712	3,587
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	320	270
Right of use assets	676	0
Goodwill	3,575	3,535	$ 2,989
Other intangible assets, net	1,424	1,524
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany loans receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	641	525
Total assets	11,348	9,441
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	190	211
Intercompany payable	0	0
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	446	354
Income taxes currently payable	68	73
Unearned revenue	1,928	1,641
Other current liabilities	461	351
Total current liabilities	3,093	2,630
Long-term debt	3,948	3,662
Lease liabilities – non-current	620	0
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	259	229
Other non-current liabilities	624	616
Total liabilities	8,544	7,137
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	2,268	1,620
Equity:
Common stock	294	294
Additional paid-in capital	903	833
Retained income	12,205	11,284
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(624)	(742)
Less: common stock in treasury	(12,299)	(11,041)
Total equity – controlling interests	479	628
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	57	56
Total equity	536	684	$ 766	$ 701
Total liabilities and equity	11,348	9,441
Eliminations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Short-term investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Intercompany receivable	(7,513)	(5,561)
Prepaid and other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	(7,513)	(5,561)
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	0	0
Right of use assets	0	0
Goodwill	9	9
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	(20,228)	(16,635)
Intercompany loans receivable	(1,246)	(1,773)
Other non-current assets	(1)	0
Total assets	(28,979)	(23,960)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	0	0
Intercompany payable	(7,513)	(5,561)
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	0	0
Income taxes currently payable	0	0
Unearned revenue	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	(7,513)	(5,561)
Long-term debt	0	0
Lease liabilities – non-current	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	(1,246)	(1,773)
Pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	(1)	0
Total liabilities	(8,760)	(7,334)
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	2,268	1,620
Equity:
Common stock	(2,377)	(2,279)
Additional paid-in capital	(9,203)	(9,641)
Retained income	(11,010)	(6,439)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	48	46
Less: common stock in treasury	0	12
Total equity – controlling interests	(22,542)	(18,301)
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	55	55
Total equity	(22,487)	(18,246)
Total liabilities and equity	(28,979)	(23,960)
S&P Global Inc. | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1,130	694
Restricted cash	0	0
Short-term investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	229	163
Intercompany receivable	675	550
Prepaid and other current assets	102	41
Total current assets	2,136	1,448
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	204	192
Right of use assets	402	0
Goodwill	283	261
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	12,134	8,599
Intercompany loans receivable	17	130
Other non-current assets	281	194
Total assets	15,457	10,824
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	80	89
Intercompany payable	6,288	4,453
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	148	125
Income taxes currently payable	7	2
Unearned revenue	297	240
Other current liabilities	187	180
Total current liabilities	7,007	5,089
Long-term debt	3,948	3,662
Lease liabilities – non-current	383	0
Intercompany loans payable	0	114
Pension and other postretirement benefits	178	162
Other non-current liabilities	171	148
Total liabilities	11,687	9,175
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	294	294
Additional paid-in capital	112	72
Retained income	15,836	12,622
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(175)	(299)
Less: common stock in treasury	(12,297)	(11,040)
Total equity – controlling interests	3,770	1,649
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	3,770	1,649
Total liabilities and equity	15,457	10,824
Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Short-term investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	148	109
Intercompany receivable	2,855	2,138
Prepaid and other current assets	2	3
Total current assets	3,005	2,250
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	0	0
Right of use assets	1	0
Goodwill	0	0
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	6	6
Intercompany loans receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	37	45
Total assets	3,049	2,301
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	11	15
Intercompany payable	27	32
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	61	33
Income taxes currently payable	0	0
Unearned revenue	243	235
Other current liabilities	18	16
Total current liabilities	360	331
Long-term debt	0	0
Lease liabilities – non-current	1	0
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	81	75
Total liabilities	442	406
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	632	618
Retained income	1,975	1,277
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	0	0
Less: common stock in treasury	0	0
Total equity – controlling interests	2,607	1,895
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	2,607	1,895
Total liabilities and equity	3,049	2,301
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1,736	1,223
Restricted cash	20	41
Short-term investments	28	18
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	1,200	1,177
Intercompany receivable	3,983	2,873
Prepaid and other current assets	117	118
Total current assets	7,084	5,450
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	116	78
Right of use assets	273	0
Goodwill	3,283	3,265
Other intangible assets, net	1,424	1,524
Investments in subsidiaries	8,088	8,030
Intercompany loans receivable	1,229	1,643
Other non-current assets	324	286
Total assets	21,821	20,276
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	99	107
Intercompany payable	1,198	1,076
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	237	196
Income taxes currently payable	61	71
Unearned revenue	1,388	1,166
Other current liabilities	256	155
Total current liabilities	3,239	2,771
Long-term debt	0	0
Lease liabilities – non-current	236	0
Intercompany loans payable	1,246	1,659
Pension and other postretirement benefits	81	67
Other non-current liabilities	373	393
Total liabilities	5,175	4,890
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	2,377	2,279
Additional paid-in capital	9,362	9,784
Retained income	5,404	3,824
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(497)	(489)
Less: common stock in treasury	(2)	(13)
Total equity – controlling interests	16,644	15,385
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	2	1
Total equity	16,646	15,386
Total liabilities and equity	$ 21,821	$ 20,276

Condensed Consolidating Finan_6

Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Operating Activities:
Net income	$ 585	$ 662	$ 602	$ 453	$ 551	$ 535	$ 501	$ 534	$ 2,303	$ 2,121	$ 1,638
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation									82	84	82
Amortization of intangibles									122	122	98
Provision for losses on accounts receivable									18	21	16
Deferred income taxes									46	81	0
Stock-based compensation									78	94	99
Gain on dispositions									(49)	0	0
Accrued legal settlements									0	1	55
Pension settlement charge, net of taxes									85	0	0
Other									93	52	96
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions:
Accounts receivable									(135)	(164)	(196)
Prepaid and other current assets									(81)	(1)	10
Accounts payable and accrued expenses									73	(106)	75
Unearned revenue									256	70	85
Accrued legal settlements									(1)	(108)	(4)
Other current liabilities									(56)	(67)	(85)
Net change in prepaid/accrued income taxes									(41)	(7)	32
Net change in other assets and liabilities									(17)	(129)	15
Cash provided by operating activities									2,776	2,064	2,016
Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures									(115)	(113)	(123)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired									(91)	(401)	(83)
Proceeds from dispositions									85	6	2
Changes in short-term investments									(10)	(5)	(5)
Cash used for investing activities									(131)	(513)	(209)
Financing Activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes, net									1,086	489	0
Payments on senior notes									(868)	(403)	0
Dividends paid to shareholders									(560)	(503)	(421)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders, net									(143)	(154)	(111)
Repurchase of treasury shares									(1,240)	(1,660)	(1,001)
Exercise of stock options									40	34	75
Contingent consideration payment										(25)
Employee withholding tax on share-based payments and other									(66)	(66)	(49)
Intercompany financing activities									0	0	0
Cash used for financing activities									(1,751)	(2,288)	(1,507)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash									34	(84)	87
Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash									928	(821)	387
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year				1,958				2,779	1,958	2,779	2,392
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year	2,886				1,958				2,886	1,958	2,779
Eliminations
Operating Activities:
Net income									(4,605)	(5,159)	(5,983)
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 dispositions									0
Accrued legal settlements										0	0
Pension settlement charge, net of taxes									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									(4,605)	(5,159)	(5,983)
Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures									0	0	0
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired									0	0	0
Proceeds from dispositions									0	0	0
Changes in short-term investments									0	0	0
Cash used for investing activities									0	0	0
Financing Activities:
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, net									0	0	0
Repurchase of treasury shares									0	0	0
Exercise of stock options									0	0	0
Contingent consideration payment										0
Employee withholding tax on share-based payments and other									0	0	0
Intercompany financing activities									4,605	5,159	5,983
Cash used for financing activities									4,605	5,159	5,983
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									3,323	3,540	3,670
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation									44	46	31
Amortization of intangibles									0	0	0
Provision for losses on accounts receivable									5	3	2
Deferred income taxes									24	33	108
Stock-based compensation									27	28	35
Gain on dispositions									(49)
Accrued legal settlements										0	0
Pension settlement charge, net of taxes									85
Other									64	46	34
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions:
Accounts receivable									(72)	(27)	(2)
Prepaid and other current assets									17	(2)	(5)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses									14	(11)	22
Unearned revenue									56	(53)	19
Accrued legal settlements									0	0	0
Other current liabilities									(61)	(22)	(42)
Net change in prepaid/accrued income taxes									(33)	2	41
Net change in other assets and liabilities									(74)	(128)	7
Cash provided by operating activities									3,370	3,455	3,920
Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures									(46)	(81)	(55)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired									0	0	0
Proceeds from dispositions									85	0	0
Changes in short-term investments									0	0	0
Cash used for investing activities									39	(81)	(55)
Financing Activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes, net									1,086	489
Payments on senior notes									(868)	(403)
Dividends paid to shareholders									(560)	(503)	(421)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders, net									0	0	0
Repurchase of treasury shares									(1,240)	(1,660)	(1,001)
Exercise of stock options									36	26	68
Contingent consideration payment										0
Employee withholding tax on share-based payments and other									(64)	(66)	(49)
Intercompany financing activities									(1,368)	(1,190)	(2,546)
Cash used for financing activities									(2,978)	(3,307)	(3,949)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash									5	(5)	5
Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash									436	62	(79)
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year				694				632	694	632	711
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year	1,130				694				1,130	694	632
Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC | Reportable Legal Entities
Operating Activities:
Net income									880	784	649
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation									12	7	11
Amortization of intangibles									0	0	0
Provision for losses on accounts receivable									4	4	3
Deferred income taxes									(10)	10	(10)
Stock-based compensation									14	16	22
Gain on dispositions									0
Accrued legal settlements										1	0
Pension settlement charge, net of taxes									0
Other									2	5	19
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions:
Accounts receivable									(49)	39	(23)
Prepaid and other current assets									(35)	(4)	3
Accounts payable and accrued expenses									32	(64)	97
Unearned revenue									28	13	2
Accrued legal settlements									(1)	0	(1)
Other current liabilities									1	(11)	(12)
Net change in prepaid/accrued income taxes									(5)	0	(18)
Net change in other assets and liabilities									34	32	(6)
Cash provided by operating activities									907	832	736
Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures									(3)	(16)	(32)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired									0	0	0
Proceeds from dispositions									0	0	0
Changes in short-term investments									0	0	0
Cash used for investing activities									(3)	(16)	(32)
Financing Activities:
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, net									0	0	0
Repurchase of treasury shares									0	0	0
Exercise of stock options									0	0	0
Contingent consideration payment										0
Employee withholding tax on share-based payments and other									0	0	0
Intercompany financing activities									(904)	(816)	(704)
Cash used for financing activities									(904)	(816)	(704)
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
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Operating Activities:
Net income									2,705	2,956	3,302
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation									26	31	40
Amortization of intangibles									122	122	98
Provision for losses on accounts receivable									9	14	11
Deferred income taxes									32	38	(98)
Stock-based compensation									37	50	42
Gain on dispositions									0
Accrued legal settlements										0	55
Pension settlement charge, net of taxes									0
Other									27	1	43
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions:
Accounts receivable									(14)	(176)	(171)
Prepaid and other current assets									(63)	5	12
Accounts payable and accrued expenses									27	(31)	(44)
Unearned revenue									172	110	64
Accrued legal settlements									0	(108)	(3)
Other current liabilities									4	(34)	(31)
Net change in prepaid/accrued income taxes									(3)	(9)	9
Net change in other assets and liabilities									23	(33)	14
Cash provided by operating activities									3,104	2,936	3,343
Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures									(66)	(16)	(36)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired									(91)	(401)	(83)
Proceeds from dispositions									0	6	2
Changes in short-term investments									(10)	(5)	(5)
Cash used for investing activities									(167)	(416)	(122)
Financing Activities:
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, net									(143)	(154)	(111)
Repurchase of treasury shares									0	0	0
Exercise of stock options									4	8	7
Contingent consideration payment										(25)
Employee withholding tax on share-based payments and other									(2)	0	0
Intercompany financing activities									(2,333)	(3,153)	(2,733)
Cash used for financing activities									(2,474)	(3,324)	(2,837)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash									29	(79)	82
Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash									492	(883)	466
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year				$ 1,264				$ 2,147	1,264	2,147	1,681
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year	$ 1,756				$ 1,264				$ 1,756	$ 1,264	$ 2,147

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, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Valuation Allowances [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of year	$ 34	$ 33	$ 28
Net charges to income	17	21	15
Deductions and other	(17)	(20)	(11)
Balance at end of year	$ 34	$ 34	$ 33