Sigma Aldrich (SIAL) 10-Q 7 May 15 2015 Q1 Quarterly report Financial data

Document_And_Entity_Informatio

Document And Entity Information	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Document And Entity Information [Abstract]
Document Type	10-Q
Amendment Flag	FALSE
Document Period End Date	31-Mar-15
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2015
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
Entity Registrant Name	SIGMA ALDRICH CORP
Entity Central Index Key	90185
Current Fiscal Year End Date	-19
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	119,658,442

Consolidated_Statements_Of_Inc

Consolidated Statements Of Income (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Sales	$676	$689
Cost of products and services sold	318	338
Gross profit	358	351
Selling, general and administrative expenses	163	160
Research and development expenses	17	16
Other charges	3	1
Operating income	175	174
Interest, net	0	1
Income before income taxes	175	173
Provision for income taxes	49	47
Net income	$126	$126
Net income per share - Basic (in dollars per share)	$1.05	$1.06
Net income per share - Diluted (in dollars per share)	$1.04	$1.05
Weighted average number of shares outstanding - Basic (in shares)	120	119
Weighted average number of shares outstanding - Diluted (in shares)	121	120
Dividends per share (in dollars per share)	$0.23	$0.23

Consolidated_Statements_Of_Com

Consolidated Statements Of Comprehensive Income (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income	$126	$126
Other comprehensive income/(loss), net of tax:
Foreign currency translation gain/(loss), net	-74	6
Pension and post retirement, net	0	18
Unrealized gain/(loss) on forward exchange contracts, net	1	-2
Total other comprehensive income/(loss)	-73	22
Comprehensive income	$53	$148

Consolidated_Balance_Sheets

Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$887	$958
Accounts receivable	401	397
Inventories	717	699
Deferred taxes	47	46
Other	145	147
Total current assets	2,197	2,247
Property, plant and equipment:
Property, plant and equipment	2,103	2,108
Less - accumulated depreciation	-1,325	-1,322
Property, plant and equipment, net	778	786
Goodwill	739	756
Intangibles, net	285	292
Other	111	114
Total assets	4,110	4,195
Current liabilities:
Notes payable	0	145
Accounts payable	180	183
Payroll	63	81
Income taxes	32	0
Other	95	81
Total current liabilities	370	490
Long-term debt	300	300
Pension and post-retirement benefits	101	103
Deferred taxes	67	69
Other	105	103
Total liabilities	943	1,065
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock, $1.00 par value; 10 million shares authorized at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014; none issued or outstanding at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014	0	0
Common stock, $1.00 par value; 450 million shares authorized at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014; 202 million shares issued at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014; 120 million shares outstanding at March 31, 2015 and 119 million shares outstanding at December 31, 2014	202	202
Capital in excess of par value	400	383
Common stock in treasury, at cost, 82 million shares at March 31, 2015 and 83 million shares at December 31, 2014	-2,492	-2,486
Retained earnings	5,148	5,049
Accumulated other comprehensive income	-91	-18
Total stockholders' equity	3,167	3,130
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$4,110	$4,195

Consolidated_Balance_Sheets_Pa

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Preferred Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$1	$1
Preferred Stock, shares authorized	10,000,000	10,000,000
Preferred Stock, shares issued	0	0
Preferred Stock, shares outstanding	0	0
Common Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$1	$1
Common Stock, shares authorized	450,000,000	450,000,000
Common Stock, shares issued	202,000,000	202,000,000
Common Stock, shares outstanding	120,000,000	119,000,000
Common Stock in treasury, shares	82,000,000	83,000,000

Consolidated_Statements_Of_Cas

Consolidated Statements Of Cash Flows (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$126	$126
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	32	33
Deferred income taxes	-3	-4
Stock-based compensation expense	3	8
Other	-3	-1
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	-21	-32
Inventories	-27	-5
Accounts payable	2	15
Income taxes	35	34
Other	9	-2
Net cash provided by operating activities	153	172
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	-28	-29
Purchases of investments	-10	-2
Proceeds from sales of investments	5	3
Other	-4	-2
Net cash (used in) investing activities	-37	-30
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net issuance/(repayment) of short-term debt	-145	-33
Dividends	-27	-27
Share repurchases	0	-85
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	10	8
Other	-2	-1
Net cash (used in) financing activities	-164	-138
Effect of foreign currency exchange rate changes on cash	-23	1
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	-71	5
Cash and cash equivalents at January 1	958	722
Cash and cash equivalents at March 31	887	727
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Income taxes paid	9	13
Interest paid, net of capitalized interest	($1)	($1)

Basis_Of_Presentation

Basis Of Presentation	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation
	Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is a leading Life Science and Technology company whose biochemical and organic chemical products, kits and services are used in scientific research, including genomic and proteomic research, biotechnology, pharmaceutical development, the diagnosis of disease and as key components in pharmaceutical, diagnostics and high technology manufacturing.
	The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP for interim financial information, the SEC's instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X and, accordingly, do not include all information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. For further information, refer to the notes to the Company's consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of the Annual Report. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring accruals, considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included in these consolidated financial statements. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2015.

Proposed_Merger_with_Merck_KGa

Proposed Merger with Merck KGaA	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Proposed Merger with Merck KGaA	Proposed Merger with Merck KGaA
	On September 22, 2014, Sigma-Aldrich Corporation entered into a Merger Agreement with Merck KGaA. The Merger Agreement, among other things, provides for Merck KGaA to acquire the Company at a price of $140 per share in cash, without interest.  The acquisition will be accomplished through the merger of Merger Sub with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving corporation and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Merck KGaA. The Merger Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby were unanimously approved by the Board. A special meeting of stockholders of the Company was held on December 5, 2014, whereby stockholders voted upon and approved a proposal to adopt the Merger Agreement. The Merger Agreement remains subject to the satisfaction or waiver of specified closing conditions, including the receipt of certain antitrust and governmental approvals and other customary closing conditions. Other than the costs associated with this Merger Agreement discussed in Note 10 - Other Charges to the Company's consolidated financial statements contained in Part I, Item 1 of this Report, no other effects of the transaction have been recorded in the Company's consolidated financial statements. In certain circumstances, upon termination of the Merger Agreement termination fees would be payable.
	The Company is also subject to restrictions on the conduct of our business prior to the consummation of the merger as provided in the Merger Agreement, including, among other things, certain restrictions on capital spending levels, our ability to repurchase shares, increase our dividend, acquire other businesses, sell, transfer or license our assets, amend our organizational documents and incur indebtedness.
	For additional information related to the Merger Agreement, please refer to the Company's September 22, 2014 Form 8-K. The foregoing description of the Merger Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Merger Agreement attached as Exhibit 2.1 to the September 22, 2014 Form 8-K.

Inventories

Inventories	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Inventories	Inventories
	The principal categories of inventories are:
		March 31,		December 31, 2014
		2015
	Finished goods	$	576	$	568
	Work in process	33		28
	Raw materials	108		103
	Total	$	717	$	699

Intangible_Assets

Intangible Assets	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Intangible Assets	Intangible Assets
	The Company's amortizable and unamortizable intangible assets at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 were as follows:
		Cost					Accumulated Amortization
		March 31,			December 31, 2014		March 31,		December 31, 2014
		2015					2015
	Amortizable intangible assets:
	Patents	$	15		$	15	$	10	$	10
	Licenses	53			49		24		23
	Customer relationships	294			299		95		91
	Technical knowledge	56			57		22		22
	Other	29			29		23		23
	Total amortizable intangible assets	$	447		$	449	$	174	$	169
	Unamortizable intangible assets:
	Goodwill	$	764		$	781	$	25	$	25
	Trademarks and trade names	22			22		10		10
	Total unamortizable intangible assets	$	786		$	803	$	35	$	35
	On October 31, 2014, the Company acquired Cell Marque, an industry-leading provider of in vitro diagnostic antibody reagents and kits, for approximately $170 in cash. The preliminary purchase price allocation is subject to potential adjustment as the Company finalizes its fair value determination of net assets acquired, which will be completed within one year from the date of acquisition. Any adjustments to the preliminary purchase price allocation may impact the amounts of recognized intangible assets and goodwill. Cell Marque's operations were not material to the Company's consolidated statements of income for the 3 months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, either on a reported or pro forma basis.
	The Company recorded amortization expense related to amortizable intangible assets of $7 and $6 for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Amortizable intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives, which range from one to twenty years, using the straight-line method. The Company expects to record annual amortization expense for all existing intangible assets in a range from approximately $21 to $27 from 2015 through 2019.
	The change in net goodwill for the three months ended March 31, 2015 is as follows:
	Balance at December 31, 2014	$	756
	Impact of foreign currency exchange rates	(17		)
	Balance at March 31, 2015	$	739

Debt

Debt	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Debt	Debt
	Notes payable and long-term debt consisted of the following:
		March 31, 2015				December 31, 2014
		Outstanding		Weighted		Outstanding		Weighted
				Average				Average
				Rate				Rate
	Notes payable
	Commercial paper (1)	$	—	—	%	$	145	0.3	%
	Sigma-Aldrich Japan GK credit facilities (2)	—		—		—		—
	Other short-term credit facilities (3)	—		—		—		—
	Total notes payable	$	—	—	%	$	145	0.3	%
	Long-term debt
	Senior notes, due November 1, 2020 (4)	$	300	3.4	%	$	300	3.4	%
	Total long-term debt	$	300	3.4	%	$	300	3.4	%
	-1	The Company has a $600 five-year revolving credit facility with a syndicate of banks in the United States that supports the Company's commercial paper program. The facility matures on May 10, 2018. At March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the Company did not have any borrowings outstanding under this facility. The amount available under the facility is reduced by the amount of commercial paper outstanding. The carrying value of the commercial paper outstanding approximates its fair value. The facility contains financial covenants that require the maintenance of a ratio of consolidated debt to total capitalization of no more than 65.0 percent and an aggregate amount of subsidiary debt plus consolidated secured debt of no more than 25.0 percent of total net worth, as defined in the underlying credit agreement. The Company's total consolidated debt as a percentage of total capitalization and aggregate amount of subsidiary debt plus consolidated secured debt as a percentage of total net worth were 8.5 percent and 0.0 percent, respectively, at March 31, 2015.
	-2	Sigma-Aldrich Japan GK has two credit facilities having a total commitment of 2 billion Japanese Yen (approximately $17), with one facility expiring April 30, 2015 and the other representing a line of credit with no expiration. No borrowings were outstanding under these facilities at both March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014.
	-3	There were no borrowings under these facilities, which have total commitments in U.S. Dollar equivalents of approximately $3, at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014.
	-4	The Company has $300 of 3.375 percent Senior Notes due November 1, 2020. Interest on the notes is payable May 1 and November 1 of each year. The notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part at the Company’s option, (i) at any time at specific redemption prices plus accrued interest or (ii) three months prior to the maturity date at a redemption price equal to 100 percent of the principal amount plus accrued interest.
	The Company has provided a guarantee for any outstanding borrowings from one of the short-term credit facilities of the wholly-owned Japanese subsidiary. At March 31, 2015, there were no existing events of default that would require the Company to honor this guarantee.
	Total interest expense incurred on short-term and long-term debt, net of amounts capitalized, was $2 for each of the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014.
	The fair value of long-term debt was approximately $314 and $312 at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively. The fair value of long-term debt was based upon a discounted cash flow analysis that used the aggregate cash flows from principal and interest payments over the life of the debt and current market interest rates.

Financial_Derivatives_and_Risk

Financial Derivatives and Risk Management	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Financial Derivatives and Risk Management	Financial Derivatives and Risk Management
	The Company conducts business in many parts of the world and is subject to risks associated with changing foreign currency exchange rates. Accordingly, the Company uses derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges and net investment hedges, as well as derivative instruments that are not designated as hedging instruments to mitigate a portion of this risk. These derivative instruments are primarily comprised of foreign currency forward exchange contracts, and are classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy for which fair value is determined by using foreign currency market spot rates and forward points observable at commonly quoted intervals. The Company does not enter into foreign currency forward exchange contracts for speculative trading purposes.
	Cash Flow Hedges
	A significant portion of the Company's cost of products and services sold is denominated in the U.S. Dollar, while approximately 60 percent of the Company's sales are denominated in other currencies. Intercompany inventory purchases, which are sourced primarily from subsidiaries with U.S. Dollar functional currencies, are sold to customers by international subsidiaries in other local currencies. The Company uses foreign currency forward exchange contracts to mitigate a portion of the foreign currency risks associated with these forecasted intercompany inventory purchases.
	These foreign currency forward exchange contracts have been designated as hedges of the variability of cash flows related to forecasted inventory purchases due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Changes in fair value of these derivatives are deferred in AOCI within stockholders' equity until the underlying hedged items are recognized in net income. Accordingly, the Company records cash flow hedge gains or losses within cost of products and services sold when the related inventory is sold to a customer. To the extent any portion of the hedge contract is determined to be ineffective, the increase or decrease in value of the contract prior to maturity will be recognized in income immediately. The cash flow impact from these derivatives is classified in the operating activities section of the Company's consolidated statements of cash flows, which is the same category as the underlying items being hedged. Gains or losses related to the ineffective portion of these hedging instruments were not material for each of the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014. At March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the Company had outstanding notional principal amounts of $126 and $187, respectively, in foreign currency forward exchange contracts associated with cash flow hedging transactions.
	The following table summarizes the fair values of the foreign currency forward exchange contracts designated as cash flow hedges at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014:
	Item	Reporting Location	March 31, 2015		December 31, 2014
	Forward exchange contracts asset derivative	Other current assets	$	25	$	23
	Forward exchange contracts liability derivative	Other current liabilities	—		—
	Gain recognized in AOCI, net	AOCI	25		24
	The following table summarizes the effect of the foreign currency forward exchange contracts designated as cash flow hedges on the Company's consolidated statements of comprehensive income during the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, net of immaterial tax effects.
	Item	Reporting Location	Three Months Ended March 31, 2015		Three Months Ended March 31, 2014
	Gain/(loss) recognized in OCI, net	OCI	$	12	$	(1	)
	Gain reclassified from AOCI into net income	Costs of products and services sold	11		1
	As of March 31, 2015, the majority of these contracts are in established currencies including the Euro, Japanese Yen and British Pound. During the next twelve months the Company expects $24 of unrealized gains included in AOCI, based on the value of these contracts as of March 31, 2015, will be reclassified into income. The Company generally does not hedge its exposure to the exchange rate variability of future cash flows beyond the next ensuing twenty-four months.
	Net Investment Hedges
	The Company also holds investments in international subsidiaries that own net assets denominated in foreign currencies. The U.S. Dollar value of these foreign currency denominated net assets fluctuate as the exchange rate fluctuates. From time to time the Company will enter into net investment hedges to reduce the variability in the U.S. Dollar equivalent of net asset values due to changes in exchange rates. During 2014, the Company entered into foreign currency forward exchange contracts with third party banks to hedge certain net assets denominated in the Euro and Swiss Franc.
	These hedges have been designated as net investment hedges and qualify for hedge accounting treatment, whereby changes in fair value of the derivative are reported in OCI. To the extent any portion of the hedge contract is determined to be ineffective, the increase or decrease in value of the contract prior to maturity will be recognized in income immediately. The cash flow impact from these derivatives is classified in the investing activities section of the Company's consolidated statements of cash flows. Gains or losses related to the ineffective portion of these hedging instruments were not material for the three months ended March 31, 2014. At March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the Company did not have any outstanding foreign currency forward exchange contracts associated with net investment hedging transactions.
	Derivatives Not Designated As Hedges
	The Company also uses foreign currency forward exchange contracts, which are not designated as hedging instruments, primarily to hedge a portion of the value of certain intercompany receivables and payables denominated in foreign currencies. The Company's objective is to minimize the impact of foreign currency exchange rate changes during the period of time between the original transaction date and its cash settlement. Gains and losses on these contracts are recorded in SG&A, based on the difference in the contract rate and the fair value at the end of each month for all contracts still in force, and are typically offset either partially or completely by transaction gains and losses on the related intercompany receivables and payables. The duration of the contracts typically does not exceed six months. As of March 31, 2015, the majority of these contracts are in established currencies including the Euro, British Pound and the Taiwan Dollar. The impact of these contracts was not material to the consolidated statement of income for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014. The notional amount of open foreign currency forward exchange contracts for derivatives not designated as hedges at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 was $177 and $195, respectively.

Company_Operations_By_Business

Company Operations By Business Unit	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Company Operations by Business Unit	Company Operations by Business Unit
	The business unit structure is the Company's approach to serving customers and reporting sales rather than any internal division
	used to allocate resources. Net sales for the Company's business units are as follows:
		Three Months Ended March 31,
		2015		2014
	Research	$	335	$	359
	Applied	175		171
	SAFC Commercial	166		159
	Total	$	676	$	689
	The Company's Chief Operating Decision Maker is the CEO. The CEO and the Board review profit and loss information on a consolidated basis to assess performance and make overall operating decisions as well as resource allocations. The Company's business units are closely interrelated in their activities and share services such as order entry, billing, technical services, e-commerce, purchasing and inventory control, and also share production and distribution facilities. Additionally, these units are supported by centralized functional areas such as finance, human resources, quality, safety and compliance and information technology. Further, the Company's CEO, CFO and business unit Presidents participate in compensation programs in which a portion of their incentive compensation is based upon consolidated Company results for sales growth (and for the business unit Presidents, the sales growth in the business unit for which they are responsible), consolidated adjusted Company EBITDA and individual/business unit objectives which are funded based on achievement of consolidated adjusted Company EBITDA. Based on these factors, the Company has concluded that it operates in one segment.
	Sales are attributed to countries based upon the location from which the product was shipped or services were performed. Geographic financial information is as follows:
		Three Months Ended March 31,
		2015		2014
	Sales to unaffiliated customers:
	United States	$	276	$	257
	International	400		432
	Total	$	676	$	689
		March 31,		December 31,
		2015		2014
	Long-lived assets:
	United States	$	561	$	556
	International	305		320
	Total	$	866	$	876

Pension_And_PostRetirement_Ben

Pension And Post-Retirement Benefits	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]
Pension and Post-Retirement Benefits	Pension and Post-retirement Benefits
	The components of net periodic benefit cost for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 were as follows:
		Pension Plans												Post-Retirement
		United States						International						Medical  Benefit Plans
		2015			2014			2015			2014			2015			2014
	Service cost	$	—		$	—		$	2		$	2		$	—		$	—
	Interest cost	2			2			2			2			—			—
	Expected return on plan assets	(1		)	(3		)	(3		)	(3		)	—			—
	Amortization	—			—			1			—			(1		)	—
	Net periodic benefit cost	$	1		$	(1	)	$	2		$	1		$	(1	)	$	—
	Pension and post-retirement benefits liabilities consisted of the following as of the dates noted:
		March 31,			December 31, 2014
		2015
	Retiree medical liability	$	22		$	22
	Pension liability	81			83
	Subtotal	103			105
	Less: current portion (included in other current liabilities)	(2		)	(2		)
	Pension and post-retirement benefits liabilities	$	101		$	103
	The U.S. defined benefit pension plan was frozen in 2012 and as a result, future retirement service costs are no longer being recorded. Further, as a result of the freeze, the Company will amortize accumulated unrecognized losses over the remaining estimated life of participants. Effective January 1, 2013, the affected employees were eligible for additional Company contributions under the Company's 401(k) retirement savings plan.
	The Company made a decision to terminate its U.S. defined benefit pension plan effective December 31, 2014. The termination is pending Internal Revenue Service approval.
	The Company is not required to make a contribution to the U.S. defined benefit pension plan in 2015. The Company contributed $1 to its international pension plans in the three months ended March 31, 2015. In total, the Company expects to contribute approximately $5 to its defined benefit pension plans in 2015.
	The Company's 401(k) retirement savings plan provides retirement benefits to eligible U.S. employees in addition to those provided by the frozen defined benefit pension plan. The 401(k) plan permits participants to voluntarily defer a portion of their compensation, subject to Internal Revenue Code limitations. The Company also contributes a percentage of the employee's salary per year to the account of each eligible employee plus a percentage of the employee's salary deferral. The cost for this plan was $6 for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014.

Other_Assets_And_Liabilities

Other Assets And Liabilities	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Other Assets And Liabilities [Abstract]
Other Assets And Liabilities	Other Assets and Liabilities
	Other current assets
	Other current assets are summarized as follows:
		March 31,		December 31, 2014
		2015
	Other receivables	$	65	$	69
	Prepaid expenses	21		20
	Short-term investment securities	59		56
	Other current assets	—		2
	Total other current assets	$	145	$	147
	Other assets
	Other assets are summarized as follows:
		March 31,		December 31,
		2015		2014
	Other investments	$	14	$	14
	Cash value of life insurance policies	43		40
	Deferred taxes	12		13
	Pension and post-retirement asset	11		11
	Other non-current assets	31		36
	Total other assets	$	111	$	114
	Other current liabilities
	Other current liabilities are summarized as follows:
		March 31,		December 31, 2014
		2015
	Legal and professional	$	7	$	7
	Pension and post-retirement liability	2		2
	Freight	10		7
	Other accrued expenses	76		65
	Total other current liabilities	$	95	$	81
	Other liabilities
	Other liabilities are summarized as follows:
		March 31,		December 31, 2014
		2015
	Deferred compensation	$	40	$	36
	Non-current income taxes	50		52
	Other non-current liabilities	15		15
	Total other non-current liabilities	$	105	$	103

Other_Charges

Other Charges	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]
Other Charges	Other Charges
		Three Months Ended March 31,
		2015		2014
	Restructuring costs	$	—	$	1
	Costs related to mergers and acquisitions	3		—
	Total other charges	$	3	$	1
	Restructuring Costs
	In the third quarter of 2013, the Company committed to a restructuring plan to exit another manufacturing site in Europe. This exit activity impacted approximately 90 employees and further reduced the Company's fixed cost structure. Total restructuring costs were $12, comprised of $9 to reduce the value of the assets impacted by these restructuring activities and $3 of employee termination costs. During the three months ended March 31, 2014, $1 of these restructuring costs were recognized.
	Costs Related to Mergers and Acquisitions
	Third party costs of $3 associated with the pending Merck KGaA merger were incurred during the first quarter of 2015.

Earnings_Per_Share

Earnings Per Share	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Earnings Per Share	Earnings per Share
	Basic EPS is calculated using the weighted average number of shares outstanding during each period. The diluted EPS calculation includes the impact of dilutive equity compensation awards.
	EPS calculations have been made using the following share information (in millions):
		Three Months Ended March 31,
		2015	2014
	Weighted average shares
	Basic shares	120	119
	Effect of dilutive securities	1	1
	Diluted shares	121	120
	There were no potential common shares excluded from the calculation of diluted weighted average shares for the three months ended March 31, 2015. Potential common shares totaling 1 million were excluded from the calculation of diluted weighted average shares for the three months ended March 31, 2014 because their effects were antidilutive.

Share_Repurchases

Share Repurchases	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Disclosure of Repurchase Agreements [Abstract]
Share Repurchases	Share Repurchases
	As of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the Company had repurchased a total of 102 million shares of an authorized repurchase program of 110 million shares. The Company's authorization to repurchase shares expired in November 2014 and was not extended due to the pending Merck KGaA transaction.

Accumulated_Other_Comprehensiv

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Equity [Abstract]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
	The following table shows the components of AOCI for the three months ended March 31, 2015:
		Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment Income (Loss), Net			Pension and Post-Retirement Benefit Plans Income (Loss), Net			Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Cash Flow Hedges, Net			Total
	Beginning balance: December 31, 2014	$	21		$	(63	)	$	24		$	(18	)
	Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassification	(74		)	—			12			(62		)
	Less: Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income	—			—			11			11
	Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)	(74		)	—			1			(73		)
	Ending balance: March 31, 2015	$	(53	)	$	(63	)	$	25		$	(91	)
	The following table shows the components of AOCI for the three months ended March 31, 2014:
		Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment Income (Loss), Net			Pension and Post-Retirement Benefit Plans Income (Loss), Net			Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Cash Flow Hedges, Net			Total
	Beginning balance: December 31, 2013	$	141		$	(23	)	$	2		$	120
	Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassification	6			18			(1		)	23
	Less: Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income	—			—			1			1
	Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)	6			18			(2		)	22
	Ending balance: March 31, 2014	$	147		$	(5	)	$	—		$	142
	During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, amounts reclassified from AOCI included gains of $11 and $1, respectively, that were recognized in cost of products and services sold. These adjustments are net of immaterial tax effects.

Contingent_Liabilities_And_Com

Contingent Liabilities And Commitments	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Contingent Liabilities And Commitments	Contingent Liabilities and Commitments
	The Company is subject to potential liabilities arising out of present and future lawsuits and claims related to product liability, personal injury, contract, commercial, intellectual property, tax, environmental, employment, compliance and other matters that arise in the ordinary course of business, as well as putative state class action lawsuits arising out of the proposed merger transaction with Merck KGaA. The Company's operations and a number of its products are highly regulated by various governmental agencies around the world and the Company is periodically involved in reviews, investigations and proceedings by governmental agencies. Failure to meet the standards and licensing requirements of these agencies can lead to penalties which can include substantial fines and/or operating restrictions.
	The Company accrues for potential liabilities when it is probable that future costs (including legal fees and expenses) will be incurred and such costs can be reasonably estimated. Although the Company believes the amounts reserved are probable and appropriate based on available information, the process of estimating losses involves a considerable degree of judgment by management and the ultimate amounts could vary materially. The Company has self-insured retention limits and has obtained insurance to provide coverage above the self-insured limits for claims made against it, subject to certain limitations and exclusions. At March 31, 2015, (i) reserves have been provided to cover expected payments for these self-insured amounts, (ii) there were no contingent liabilities that management believes are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial condition, results of operations, cash flows or liquidity and (iii) there were no material commitments outside of the normal course of business. Material commitments in the normal course of business include notes payable, long-term debt, lease commitments and pension and other post-retirement benefit obligations which are disclosed in Note 7 - Notes Payable, Note 8 - Long-Term Debt, Note 10 - Lease Commitments and Note 16 - Pension and Post-retirement Benefit Plans, respectively, to the Company's consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of the Annual Report, as updated in Note 5 – Debt and Note 8 – Pension and Post-retirement Benefits to the Company's consolidated financial statements included in Part I, Item 1 of this Report.
	Effective April 1, 2015, the Company entered into an obligation to purchase a minimum of $390 of inventory over five years.

Inventories_Tables

Inventories (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Principal Categories Of Inventories	The principal categories of inventories are:
		March 31,		December 31, 2014
		2015
	Finished goods	$	576	$	568
	Work in process	33		28
	Raw materials	108		103
	Total	$	717	$	699

Intangible_Assets_Tables

Intangible Assets (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Intangible Assets and Goodwill	The Company's amortizable and unamortizable intangible assets at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 were as follows:
		Cost					Accumulated Amortization
		March 31,			December 31, 2014		March 31,		December 31, 2014
		2015					2015
	Amortizable intangible assets:
	Patents	$	15		$	15	$	10	$	10
	Licenses	53			49		24		23
	Customer relationships	294			299		95		91
	Technical knowledge	56			57		22		22
	Other	29			29		23		23
	Total amortizable intangible assets	$	447		$	449	$	174	$	169
	Unamortizable intangible assets:
	Goodwill	$	764		$	781	$	25	$	25
	Trademarks and trade names	22			22		10		10
	Total unamortizable intangible assets	$	786		$	803	$	35	$	35
Change In Net Goodwill	The change in net goodwill for the three months ended March 31, 2015 is as follows:
	Balance at December 31, 2014	$	756
	Impact of foreign currency exchange rates	(17		)
	Balance at March 31, 2015	$	739

Debt_Tables

Debt (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule Of Notes Payable And Long-Term Debt	Notes payable and long-term debt consisted of the following:
		March 31, 2015				December 31, 2014
		Outstanding		Weighted		Outstanding		Weighted
				Average				Average
				Rate				Rate
	Notes payable
	Commercial paper (1)	$	—	—	%	$	145	0.3	%
	Sigma-Aldrich Japan GK credit facilities (2)	—		—		—		—
	Other short-term credit facilities (3)	—		—		—		—
	Total notes payable	$	—	—	%	$	145	0.3	%
	Long-term debt
	Senior notes, due November 1, 2020 (4)	$	300	3.4	%	$	300	3.4	%
	Total long-term debt	$	300	3.4	%	$	300	3.4	%
	-1	The Company has a $600 five-year revolving credit facility with a syndicate of banks in the United States that supports the Company's commercial paper program. The facility matures on May 10, 2018. At March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the Company did not have any borrowings outstanding under this facility. The amount available under the facility is reduced by the amount of commercial paper outstanding. The carrying value of the commercial paper outstanding approximates its fair value. The facility contains financial covenants that require the maintenance of a ratio of consolidated debt to total capitalization of no more than 65.0 percent and an aggregate amount of subsidiary debt plus consolidated secured debt of no more than 25.0 percent of total net worth, as defined in the underlying credit agreement. The Company's total consolidated debt as a percentage of total capitalization and aggregate amount of subsidiary debt plus consolidated secured debt as a percentage of total net worth were 8.5 percent and 0.0 percent, respectively, at March 31, 2015.
	-2	Sigma-Aldrich Japan GK has two credit facilities having a total commitment of 2 billion Japanese Yen (approximately $17), with one facility expiring April 30, 2015 and the other representing a line of credit with no expiration. No borrowings were outstanding under these facilities at both March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014.
	-3	There were no borrowings under these facilities, which have total commitments in U.S. Dollar equivalents of approximately $3, at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014.
	-4	The Company has $300 of 3.375 percent Senior Notes due November 1, 2020. Interest on the notes is payable May 1 and November 1 of each year. The notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part at the Company’s option, (i) at any time at specific redemption prices plus accrued interest or (ii) three months prior to the maturity date at a redemption price equal to 100 percent of the principal amount plus accrued interest.

Financial_Derivatives_and_Risk1

Financial Derivatives and Risk Management (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Derivative Instruments in Statement of Financial Position, Fair Value	The following table summarizes the fair values of the foreign currency forward exchange contracts designated as cash flow hedges at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014:
	Item	Reporting Location	March 31, 2015		December 31, 2014
	Forward exchange contracts asset derivative	Other current assets	$	25	$	23
	Forward exchange contracts liability derivative	Other current liabilities	—		—
	Gain recognized in AOCI, net	AOCI	25		24
Schedule of Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) in Statement of Financial Performance	The following table summarizes the effect of the foreign currency forward exchange contracts designated as cash flow hedges on the Company's consolidated statements of comprehensive income during the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, net of immaterial tax effects.
	Item	Reporting Location	Three Months Ended March 31, 2015		Three Months Ended March 31, 2014
	Gain/(loss) recognized in OCI, net	OCI	$	12	$	(1	)
	Gain reclassified from AOCI into net income	Costs of products and services sold	11		1

Company_Operations_By_Business1

Company Operations By Business Unit (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Net Sales For The Company's Business Units	Net sales for the Company's business units are as follows:
		Three Months Ended March 31,
		2015		2014
	Research	$	335	$	359
	Applied	175		171
	SAFC Commercial	166		159
	Total	$	676	$	689
Geographic Financial Information - Net Sales To Unaffiliated Customers	Sales are attributed to countries based upon the location from which the product was shipped or services were performed. Geographic financial information is as follows:
		Three Months Ended March 31,
		2015		2014
	Sales to unaffiliated customers:
	United States	$	276	$	257
	International	400		432
	Total	$	676	$	689
Geographic Financial Information - Long-Lived Assets
		March 31,		December 31,
		2015		2014
	Long-lived assets:
	United States	$	561	$	556
	International	305		320
	Total	$	866	$	876

Pension_And_PostRetirement_Ben1

Pension And Post-Retirement Benefits (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]
Components Of The Net Periodic Benefit Costs	The components of net periodic benefit cost for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 were as follows:
		Pension Plans												Post-Retirement
		United States						International						Medical  Benefit Plans
		2015			2014			2015			2014			2015			2014
	Service cost	$	—		$	—		$	2		$	2		$	—		$	—
	Interest cost	2			2			2			2			—			—
	Expected return on plan assets	(1		)	(3		)	(3		)	(3		)	—			—
	Amortization	—			—			1			—			(1		)	—
	Net periodic benefit cost	$	1		$	(1	)	$	2		$	1		$	(1	)	$	—
Pension And Post-Retirement Benefits And Liabilities	Pension and post-retirement benefits liabilities consisted of the following as of the dates noted:
		March 31,			December 31, 2014
		2015
	Retiree medical liability	$	22		$	22
	Pension liability	81			83
	Subtotal	103			105
	Less: current portion (included in other current liabilities)	(2		)	(2		)
	Pension and post-retirement benefits liabilities	$	101		$	103

Other_Assets_And_Liabilities_T

Other Assets And Liabilities (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Other Assets And Liabilities [Abstract]
Other Current Assets	Other current assets are summarized as follows:
		March 31,		December 31, 2014
		2015
	Other receivables	$	65	$	69
	Prepaid expenses	21		20
	Short-term investment securities	59		56
	Other current assets	—		2
	Total other current assets	$	145	$	147
Other Assets	Other assets are summarized as follows:
		March 31,		December 31,
		2015		2014
	Other investments	$	14	$	14
	Cash value of life insurance policies	43		40
	Deferred taxes	12		13
	Pension and post-retirement asset	11		11
	Other non-current assets	31		36
	Total other assets	$	111	$	114
Other Current Liabilities	Other current liabilities are summarized as follows:
		March 31,		December 31, 2014
		2015
	Legal and professional	$	7	$	7
	Pension and post-retirement liability	2		2
	Freight	10		7
	Other accrued expenses	76		65
	Total other current liabilities	$	95	$	81
Other Liabilities	Other liabilities are summarized as follows:
		March 31,		December 31, 2014
		2015
	Deferred compensation	$	40	$	36
	Non-current income taxes	50		52
	Other non-current liabilities	15		15
	Total other non-current liabilities	$	105	$	103

Other_Charges_Tables

Other Charges (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]
Restructuring and Related Costs
		Three Months Ended March 31,
		2015		2014
	Restructuring costs	$	—	$	1
	Costs related to mergers and acquisitions	3		—
	Total other charges	$	3	$	1

Earnings_Per_Share_Tables

Earnings Per Share (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Shares Used In Calculation Of Earnings Per Share	EPS calculations have been made using the following share information (in millions):
		Three Months Ended March 31,
		2015	2014
	Weighted average shares
	Basic shares	120	119
	Effect of dilutive securities	1	1
	Diluted shares	121	120

Accumulated_Other_Comprehensiv1

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Equity [Abstract]
Changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income by Component	The following table shows the components of AOCI for the three months ended March 31, 2015:
		Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment Income (Loss), Net			Pension and Post-Retirement Benefit Plans Income (Loss), Net			Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Cash Flow Hedges, Net			Total
	Beginning balance: December 31, 2014	$	21		$	(63	)	$	24		$	(18	)
	Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassification	(74		)	—			12			(62		)
	Less: Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income	—			—			11			11
	Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)	(74		)	—			1			(73		)
	Ending balance: March 31, 2015	$	(53	)	$	(63	)	$	25		$	(91	)
	The following table shows the components of AOCI for the three months ended March 31, 2014:
		Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment Income (Loss), Net			Pension and Post-Retirement Benefit Plans Income (Loss), Net			Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Cash Flow Hedges, Net			Total
	Beginning balance: December 31, 2013	$	141		$	(23	)	$	2		$	120
	Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassification	6			18			(1		)	23
	Less: Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income	—			—			1			1
	Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)	6			18			(2		)	22
	Ending balance: March 31, 2014	$	147		$	(5	)	$	—		$	142

Proposed_Merger_with_Merck_KGa1

Proposed Merger with Merck KGaA (Details) (Merck KGaA [Member], Sigma-Aldrich Corporation [Member], USD $)	Sep. 22, 2014
Merck KGaA [Member] | Sigma-Aldrich Corporation [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Price per share offered	$140

Inventories_Principal_Categori

Inventories (Principal Categories Of Inventories) (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Finished goods	$576	$568
Work in process	33	28
Raw materials	108	103
Total	$717	$699

Intangible_Assets_Narrative_De

Intangible Assets (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		1 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Oct. 31, 2014
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Amortization expense	$7	$6
Finite-lived intangible assets, future amortization expense, four year estimate, minimum	21
Finite-lived intangible assets, future amortization expense, four year estimate, maximum	27
Minimum [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated useful lives	1 year
Maximum [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated useful lives	20 years
Cell Marque
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Cash consideration			$170

Intangible_Assets_Amortizable_

Intangible Assets (Amortizable And Unamortizable Intangible Assets) (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Amortizable intangible assets:
Total amortizable intangible assets, Cost	$447	$449
Total amortizable intangible assets, Accumulated Amortization	174	169
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets (Including Goodwill) [Abstract]
Goodwill, Gross	764	781
Goodwill, Accumulated Amortization	25	25
Total unamortizable intangible assets, Cost	786	803
Total unamortizable intangible assets, Accumulated Amortization	35	35
Trademarks and trade names
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets (Including Goodwill) [Abstract]
Trademarks and trade names, Cost	22	22
Trademarks and trade names, Accumulated Amortization	10	10
Patents
Amortizable intangible assets:
Total amortizable intangible assets, Cost	15	15
Total amortizable intangible assets, Accumulated Amortization	10	10
Licenses
Amortizable intangible assets:
Total amortizable intangible assets, Cost	53	49
Total amortizable intangible assets, Accumulated Amortization	24	23
Customer relationships
Amortizable intangible assets:
Total amortizable intangible assets, Cost	294	299
Total amortizable intangible assets, Accumulated Amortization	95	91
Technical knowledge
Amortizable intangible assets:
Total amortizable intangible assets, Cost	56	57
Total amortizable intangible assets, Accumulated Amortization	22	22
Other
Amortizable intangible assets:
Total amortizable intangible assets, Cost	29	29
Total amortizable intangible assets, Accumulated Amortization	$23	$23

Intangible_Assets_Change_In_Ne

Intangible Assets (Change In Net Goodwill) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance at December 31, 2014	$756
Impact of foreign currency exchange rates	-17
Balance at March 31, 2015	$739

Debt_Narrative_Details

Debt (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
	facility
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Number of guaranteed facilities	1
Interest expense, debt	$2	$2
Long-term debt, fair value	$314		$312

Debt_Schedule_Of_Notes_Payable

Debt (Schedule Of Notes Payable And Long-Term Debt) (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Notes payable
Outstanding	$0	$145
Weighted Average Rate	0.00%	0.30%
Long-term debt
Outstanding	300	300
Weighted Average Rate	3.40%	3.40%
Commercial Paper [Member]
Notes payable
Outstanding	0	145
Weighted Average Rate	0.00%	0.30%
Sigma-Aldrich Japan Credit Facility [Member]
Notes payable
Outstanding	0	0
Weighted Average Rate	0.00%	0.00%
Other Short-Term Credit Facilities [Member]
Notes payable
Outstanding	0	0
Weighted Average Rate	0.00%	0.00%
Senior Notes, Due November 1, 2020 [Member]
Long-term debt
Outstanding	$300	$300
Weighted Average Rate	3.40%	3.40%

Debt_Notes_Payable_And_LongTer

Debt (Notes Payable And Long-Term Debt - Additional Information) (Details)	3 Months Ended					3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015
	Five-Year Revolving Credit Facility Maturing May 10, 2018 [Member]	Sigma-Aldrich Japan Credit Facility [Member]	Sigma-Aldrich Japan Credit Facility [Member]	Other Short-Term Credit Facilities [Member]	Other Short-Term Credit Facilities [Member]	Senior Notes, Due November 1, 2020 [Member]
	USD ($)	USD ($)	JPY (¥)	USD ($)	USD ($)	USD ($)
		facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	$600,000,000	$17,000,000	¥ 2,000,000,000	$3,000,000	$3,000,000	$300,000,000
Line of credit facility, term	5 years
Debt instrument, maturity date	10-May-18	30-Apr-15	30-Apr-15			1-Nov-20
Debt instrument covenant ratio of consolidated debt to total capitalization, maximum	65.00%
Debt Instrument, covenant, ratio of consolidated debt to total net worth	25.00%
Consolidated debt as percentage of total capitalization	8.50%
Debt Instrument, covenant ratio, consolidated debt plus subsidiary debt as a percentage of total net worth	0.00%
Number of credit facilities		2	2
Stated interest rate						3.38%
Duration debt can be redeemed at 100 percent plus accrued interest						3 months
Debt redemption price, percentage						100.00%

Financial_Derivatives_and_Risk2

Financial Derivatives and Risk Management (Fair Value of Derivatives) - Balance Sheet (Details) (Cash Flow Hedging [Member], Foreign Exchange Forward [Member], Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member], USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Gain (loss) recognized in AOCI, net	$25	$24
Other Current Assets [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Forward exchange contracts asset derivative	25	23
Other Current Liabilities [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Forward exchange contracts liability derivative	$0	$0

Financial_Derivatives_and_Risk3

Financial Derivatives and Risk Management (Schedule Of Gain Loss) - Income Statement (Details) (Cash Flow Hedging [Member], Foreign Exchange Forward [Member], Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member], USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Cost of Sales [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain reclassified from AOCI into net income	$11	$1
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain/(loss) recognized in OCI, net	$12	($1)

Financial_Derivatives_and_Risk4

Financial Derivatives and Risk Management (General Cash Flow Hedge Information) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Derivative [Line Items]
Cash flow hedge gain (loss) to be reclassified within twelve months	$24
Cash Flow Hedging [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative, notional amount	126	187
Maximum length of time hedged in cash flow hedge	24 months
Cash Flow Hedging [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative, notional amount	$177	$195
Maximum length of time hedged in foreign currency cash flow hedge	6 months
Minimum [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Percent of net revenue denominated in Non-US currencies (over)	60.00%

Company_Operations_By_Business2

Company Operations By Business Unit (Net Sales For The Company's Business Units) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
	segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	$676	$689
Number of operating segments	1
Research Business Unit [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	335	359
Applied Business Unit [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	175	171
SAFC Commercial Business Unit [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	$166	$159

Company_Operations_By_Business3

Company Operations By Business Unit (Geographic Financial Information - Net Sales To Unaffiliated Customers) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	$676	$689
United States [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	276	257
International [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	$400	$432

Company_Operations_By_Business4

Company Operations By Business Unit (Geographic Financial Information - Long-Lived Assets) (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	$866	$876
United States [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	561	556
International [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	$305	$320

Pension_And_PostRetirement_Ben2

Pension And Post-Retirement Benefits (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015
United States Postretirement Benefit Plan of US Entity [Member]
Defined Contribution Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Cost of 401(k) retirement savings plan	$6	$6
Forecast [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Employer contributions to pension plans			5
International [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Employer contributions to pension plans	$1

Pension_And_PostRetirement_Ben3

Pension And Post-Retirement Benefits (Components Of The Net Periodic Benefit Costs) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
United States [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost	$0	$0
Interest cost	2	2
Expected return on plan assets	-1	-3
Amortization	0	0
Net periodic benefit cost	1	-1
International [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost	2	2
Interest cost	2	2
Expected return on plan assets	-3	-3
Amortization	1	0
Net periodic benefit cost	2	1
Post-Retirement Medical Benefit Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost	0	0
Interest cost	0	0
Expected return on plan assets	0	0
Amortization	-1	0
Net periodic benefit cost	($1)	$0

Pension_And_PostRetirement_Ben4

Pension And Post-Retirement Benefits (Pension And Post-Retirement Benefits And Liabilities) (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]
Retiree medical liability	$22	$22
Pension liability	81	83
Subtotal	103	105
Less: current portion (included in other current liabilities)	-2	-2
Pension and post-retirement benefits liabilities	$101	$103

Other_Assets_And_Liabilities_O

Other Assets And Liabilities (Other Current Assets) (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Other Assets And Liabilities [Abstract]
Other receivables	$65	$69
Prepaid expenses	21	20
Short-term investment securities	59	56
Other current assets	0	2
Total other current assets	$145	$147

Other_Assets_And_Liabilities_O1

Other Assets And Liabilities (Other Assets) (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Other Assets And Liabilities [Abstract]
Other investments	$14	$14
Cash value of life insurance policies	43	40
Deferred taxes	12	13
Pension and post-retirement asset	11	11
Other non-current assets	31	36
Total other assets	$111	$114

Other_Assets_And_Liabilities_O2

Other Assets And Liabilities (Other Current Liabilities) (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Other Assets And Liabilities [Abstract]
Legal and professional	$7	$7
Pension and post-retirement liability	2	2
Freight	10	7
Other accrued expenses	76	65
Total other current liabilities	$95	$81

Other_Assets_And_Liabilities_O3

Other Assets And Liabilities (Other Liabilities) (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Other Assets And Liabilities [Abstract]
Deferred compensation	$40	$36
Non-current income taxes	50	52
Other non-current liabilities	15	15
Total other non-current liabilities	$105	$103

Other_Charges_Details

Other Charges (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
			employee
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	$0	$1	$12
Costs related to mergers and acquisitions	3	0
Total other charges	3	1
Number of employees impacted by the restructuring			90
Merck KGaA [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Costs related to mergers and acquisitions	3
Reduction of Value of Assets Impacted by Restructuring [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs			9
Employee Severance [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs			$3

Earnings_Per_Share_Shares_Used

Earnings Per Share (Shares Used In Calculation Of Earnings Per Share) (Details)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Weighted average shares
Basic shares	120,000,000	119,000,000
Effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	1,000,000	1,000,000
Diluted shares	121,000,000	120,000,000
Number of potential common shares from the calculation of weighted average shares considered to be antidilutive	0	1,000,000

Share_Repurchases_Details

Share Repurchases (Details)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Disclosure of Repurchase Agreements [Abstract]
Cumulative shares repurchased (in shares)	102,000,000	102,000,000
Authorized shares repurchase (in shares)	110,000,000	110,000,000

Accumulated_Other_Comprehensiv2

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income by Component) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	($18)	$120
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassification	-62	23
Less: Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income	11	1
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)	-73	22
Ending Balance	-91	142
Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment Income (Loss), Net [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	21	141
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassification	-74	6
Less: Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income	0	0
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)	-74	6
Ending Balance	-53	147
Pension and Post-Retirement Benefit Plans Income (Loss), Net [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	-63	-23
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassification	0	18
Less: Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income	0	0
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)	0	18
Ending Balance	-63	-5
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Cash Flow Hedges, Net [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	24	2
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassification	12	-1
Less: Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income	11	1
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)	1	-2
Ending Balance	$25	$0

Accumulated_Other_Comprehensiv3

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Less: Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income	$11	$1
Cost of Sales [Member]
Less: Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income	$11	$1

Contingent_Liabilities_And_Com1

Contingent Liabilities And Commitments (Details) (Subsequent Event [Member], Inventories [Member], USD $)	0 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Apr. 01, 2015
Subsequent Event [Member] | Inventories [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Purchase commitment	$390
Purchase commitment, term	5 years