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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D. C. 20549

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FORM 10-K

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☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

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For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020

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☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

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For the transition period from                                  to                                 

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If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). YES ☐ NO ☒

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The aggregate market value of voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was $22.7 billion based upon the closing market price and common shares outstanding as of June 30, 2020.

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Number of shares and rights outstanding as of the latest practicable date.

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DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

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Ball Corporation

ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K

For the year ended December 31, 2020

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The cash generated by our businesses is used primarily: (1) to finance the company’s operations, (2) to fund growth capital investments, (3) to service the company’s debt and (4) to return value to our shareholders via stock buy-backs and dividend payments. From time to time, we have evaluated and expect to continue to evaluate possible transactions that we believe will benefit the company and our shareholders, which may include strategic acquisitions, divestitures of parts of our company or joint ventures. At any time we may be engaged in discussions or negotiations with respect to possible transactions or may have entered into non-binding letters of intent. There can be no assurance if or when we will enter into any such transactions or the terms of such transactions. The compensation of many of our employees is tied directly to the company’s performance through our EVA®-based incentive programs.

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Sustainability

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At Ball Corporation, we believe in our people, our culture and our ability to deliver value to our stakeholders. Like uncompromising integrity and customer focus, sustainability is part of our Drive for 10 vision and has been a part of who we are since our founding in 1880.

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Our triple bottom-line approach to sustainability – environmental, economic and social – has evolved over the years and is the lens through which we conduct business at every level of our organization today. Sustainability is a key part of our business strategy, and it influences how we manage and operate our businesses, serve our customers, care for the environment and our communities, secure profits and drive long-term prosperity.

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We focus our sustainability efforts on product stewardship, operational excellence, human capital management and community engagement. In our manufacturing operations around the world, we work on continuous improvement of employee safety and engagement, energy and water efficiency, reducing air emissions, and waste reduction and recycling. And our commitment extends beyond our walls.

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Today’s consumers are acutely aware of the plastic pollution crisis, and they are choosing brands based on their sustainability credentials. Customers understand this growing concern for the environment and their unique position in impacting the environment, especially through the packaging materials they use. Infinitely recyclable and economically valuable, aluminum unlocks the full potential of packaging to help customers convey values and purpose to consumers.

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Aluminum cans, bottles and now cups are an increasingly attractive option for sustainability-conscious brands and consumers who want to do the right thing for the environment. Unlike plastic, glass, cartons or compostable containers, aluminum can be recycled again and again without losing quality, and is in high demand across industries and applications, pushing its collection, sorting and recycling rates to the highest of any beverage packaging material. That’s why 75 percent of all aluminum ever produced is still in use today.

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In 2017, Resource Recycling Systems recognized aluminum beverage cans as the most recycled beverage package in the world, with a global average recycling rate of 69 percent. In comparison, only 43 percent of PET and 46 percent of glass bottles were collected, although not necessarily recycled. These findings solidify aluminum beverage packaging as the leader in real recycling, where the package is collected and then transformed into an item of equal value (product-to-product or material-to-material recycling). In the case of aluminum cans, bottles or cups which are monomaterial, the aluminum can be recycled and made back into the same product in as little as 60 days. In contrast, only nine percent of all plastic ever produced has been recycled and mostly, it’s only down-cycled. Down-cycled products, including but not limited to when plastic is converted to become part of a sneaker or fibers in a carpet, is not sustainable because eventually those products end up in landfills. Real recycling happens when the value of the product being recycled is maintained from one use to another.

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Because recycling aluminum saves resources and uses significantly less energy than primary aluminum production, we are innovating and collaborating with our customers, supply chain, and other public and private partners to establish and financially support initiatives to increase recycling rates around the world. For example, we work together to create effective collection and recycling systems and educate consumers about the sustainability benefits of aluminum packaging.

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Our aerospace business plays a role in sustainability as well. More and more, our systems are measuring key elements of the physical environment and supporting environmental monitoring and operational weather forecasting programs, as well as providing environmental intelligence on weather, the Earth's climate system, precipitation, drought, air pollution, vegetation and biodiversity measurements. The data captured through Ball-built instruments and satellites enable an enhanced understanding of the Earth’s ecosystem and the stratospheric ozone layer and severe storm tracking, and better enabling effective management of natural resources, including helping experts to make routine drought assessments and fire prevention plans.

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At Ball, our sustained long-term success depends not only on our products and our operations, but on an engaged workforce. We continue to invest in recruiting to ensure we have the right people with the right skills in the right roles, and in developing our employees at every level and providing them with opportunities to advance their careers. We also are committed to embracing diversity and providing an inclusive environment where employees can thrive. A focus on diversity among individuals and teams helps to unleash ideas and fuel innovation, which drives growth and economic value throughout our global organization.

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A healthy and sustainable business also depends on thriving communities. Ball’s commitment to the communities where we live and operate is an integral part of our corporate culture, as we continue to support organizations, programs and civic initiatives that advance sustainable livelihoods. Community engagement is how our company and our employees enrich the places where we live and work beyond providing jobs, benefits and paying local taxes. Through the Ball Foundation, corporate giving, employee giving and volunteerism, we invest in the future of the communities that sustain us. In 2019, Ball and its employees donated nearly $7.5 million and logged more than 38,500 hours of volunteer service to non-profit organizations centered on building sustainable communities through recycling, STEM education, and disaster preparedness and relief initiatives.

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Our Reportable Segments

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Ball Corporation reports its financial performance in four reportable segments: (1) beverage packaging, North and Central America; (2) beverage packaging, Europe, Middle East and Africa (beverage packaging, EMEA); (3) beverage packaging, South America and (4) aerospace. Ball also has investments in the U.S., Guatemala, Panama, South Korea and Vietnam that are accounted for using the equity method of accounting and, accordingly, those results are not included in segment sales or earnings. Financial information related to each of our segments is included in Note 3 to the consolidated financial statements within Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (annual report).

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Effective January 1, 2020, Ball implemented changes to its management and internal reporting structure for cost reduction and operational efficiency purposes. As a result of these changes, the company’s plants in Cairo, Egypt, and Manisa, Turkey, are now included in the beverage packaging, EMEA, segment. In addition, the company’s operations in India and Saudi Arabia are now combined with the former non-reportable beverage packaging, Asia Pacific, operating segment as a new non-reportable beverage packaging, other, operating segment. The company’s segment results and disclosures for historical, comparative periods have been retrospectively adjusted to conform to the current year presentation.

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Beverage Packaging, North and Central America, Segment

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Beverage packaging, North and Central America, is Ball’s largest segment, accounting for 43 percent of consolidated net sales in 2020. Aluminum beverage containers are primarily sold under multi-year supply contracts to fillers of carbonated soft drinks, beer, energy drinks and other beverages.

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Aluminum beverage containers and ends are produced at 18 manufacturing facilities in the U.S., one in Canada and two in Mexico. The beverage packaging, North and Central America, segment also includes interests in three joint ventures that are accounted for using the equity method. The company has announced plans to expand its network to Pittston, Pennsylvania, and Bowling Green, Kentucky.

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According to publicly available information and company estimates, the North American beverage container industry represents approximately 121 billion units. Five companies manufacture substantially all of the aluminum beverage containers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Ball shipped approximately 51 billion aluminum beverage containers in North America in 2020, which represented approximately 42 percent of the aggregate shipments in these countries. Historically, sales volumes of metal beverage containers in North America tend to be highest during the period from April through September. All of the beverage containers produced by Ball in the U.S., Canada and Mexico are made of aluminum. In North and Central America, a diverse base of no less than 10 global suppliers provides almost all of our aluminum can and end sheet requirements.

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Beverage containers are sold based on price, quality, service, innovation and sustainability in a highly competitive market, which is relatively capital intensive and characterized by facilities that run more or less continuously in order to operate profitably. In addition, the aluminum beverage container competes aggressively with other packaging materials which include meaningful industry positions by the glass bottle in the packaged beer industry and the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle in the carbonated soft drink and water industries.

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We limit our exposure to changes in the cost of aluminum as a result of the inclusion of provisions in most of our aluminum beverage container sales contracts to pass through aluminum price changes, as well as through the use of derivative instruments.

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Beverage Packaging, EMEA, Segment

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The beverage packaging, EMEA, segment accounted for 25 percent of Ball’s consolidated net sales in 2020. Our operations consist of 17 facilities throughout Europe, three facilities in Russia and one facility each in Cairo, Egypt, and Manisa, Turkey. For the countries in which we operate, the beverage container market is approximately 80 billion containers, and we are the largest producer with an estimated 43 percent of shipments in this region. The regions served by our beverage packaging, EMEA, segment, including Russia, Egypt and Turkey, are highly regional in terms of sales growth rates and packaging mix. Four companies manufacture substantially all of the metal beverage containers in EMEA. Our EMEA beverage facilities shipped 35 billion beverage containers in 2020, the vast majority of which were produced from aluminum. The company has announced plans to construct an additional plant in Pilsen, Czech Republic.

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Historically, sales volumes of metal beverage containers in EMEA tend to be highest during the period from May through August with a smaller increase in demand leading up to the winter holiday season in the U.K. offset by much lower demand in Russia. Much like in other parts of the world, the aluminum beverage container competes aggressively with other packaging materials used by the beer and carbonated soft drink industries. The glass bottle is heavily utilized in the packaged beer industry, while the PET container is utilized in the carbonated soft drink, beer, juice and water industries. These trends are evolving, however, as customers respond to consumer demand, and regulators and non-governmental organizations press for more sustainable packaging in the wake of the plastic pollution crisis. More and more brands are choosing aluminum beverage packaging because of its infinite recyclability and other sustainability credentials. The overall recycling rate for aluminum beverage cans in the European Union, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland increased to a new record level of approximately 75 percent in 2017.

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Raw material supply contracts in this region generally have longer term agreements. Five aluminum suppliers provide almost all of our aluminum can and end sheet requirements. Aluminum is traded primarily in U.S. dollars, while the functional currencies of our EMEA operations are various other currencies. The company minimizes its exchange rate risk using derivative and supply contracts in local currencies. Purchase and sales contracts generally include fixed-price, floating or pass-through aluminum ingot component pricing arrangements.

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Beverage Packaging, South America, Segment

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The beverage packaging, South America, segment accounted for 14 percent of Ball’s consolidated net sales in 2020. Our operations consist of 12 facilities, 9 in Brazil and one each in Argentina, Chile and Paraguay. For the countries where we operate, the South American beverage container market is approximately 39 billion containers, and we are the largest producer in this region with an estimated 50 percent of South American shipments in 2020. Four companies currently manufacture substantially all of the aluminum beverage containers in Brazil.

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The company’s South American beverage facilities shipped approximately 20 billion aluminum beverage containers in 2020. Historically, sales volumes of beverage containers in South America tend to be highest during the period from September through December. In South America, two suppliers provide virtually all our aluminum sheet requirements with certain requirements also being imported from Asia.

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In order to support contracted volumes for aluminum beverage packaging across Paraguay, Argentina and Bolivia, the company constructed a one-line beverage can and end manufacturing facility in Paraguay which began production in the fourth quarter of 2019, and increased capacity to its Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Santiago, Chile, facilities. The company has announced plans to construct an additional plant in Frutal, Brazil.

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We limit our exposure to changes in the cost of aluminum as a result of the inclusion of provisions in most of our aluminum beverage container sales contracts to pass through aluminum price changes, as well as through the use of derivative instruments.

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Aerospace Segment

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Ball’s aerospace segment, which accounted for 15 percent of consolidated net sales in 2020, includes national defense hardware, antenna and video tactical solutions, civil and operational space hardware and systems engineering services. The segment develops spacecraft, sensors and instruments, radio frequency systems and other advanced technologies for the civil, commercial and national security aerospace markets. The majority of the aerospace business involves work under contracts, generally from one to five years in duration, as a prime contractor or subcontractor for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and other U.S. government agencies. The company competes against both large and small prime contractors and subcontractors for these contracts. Contracts funded by the various agencies of the federal government represented 97 percent of segment sales in 2020.

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Intense competition and long operating cycles are key characteristics of both the company’s business and the aerospace and defense industry. It is common in the aerospace and defense industry for work on major programs to be shared among a number of companies. A company competing to be a prime contractor may, upon ultimate award of the contract to a competitor, become a subcontractor for the ultimate prime contracting company. It is not unusual to compete for a contract award with a peer company and, simultaneously, perform as a supplier to or a customer of that same competitor on other contracts, or vice versa.

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Geopolitical events and shifting executive and legislative branch priorities have resulted in an increase in opportunities over the past decade in areas matching our aerospace segment’s core capabilities in space hardware. The businesses include hardware and services sold primarily to U.S. customers, with emphasis on space science and exploration, climate monitoring, weather prediction, environmental and earth sciences, and defense and intelligence applications. Major activities frequently involve the design, manufacture and testing of satellites, remote sensors and ground station control hardware and software, as well as related services such as launch vehicle integration and satellite operations.

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Other hardware activities include target identification, warning and attitude control systems and components; cryogenic systems for reactant storage, and associated sensor cooling devices; star trackers, which are general-purpose stellar attitude sensors; and fast-steering mirrors.

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Contracted backlog in the aerospace segment was $2.4 billion and $2.5 billion at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and consisted of the aggregate contract value of firm orders, excluding amounts previously recognized as revenue. The 2020 contracted backlog includes $1.4 billion expected to be recognized in revenues during 2021, with the remainder expected to be recognized in revenues in the years thereafter. Amounts included in backlog for certain firm government orders, which are subject to annual funding, were $1.5 billion and $1.6 billion at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Year-over-year comparisons of backlog are not necessarily indicative of the trend of future operations, revenues and earnings due to the nature of varying delivery and milestone schedules on contracts, funding of programs and the uncertainty of timing of future contract awards. Uncertainties in the federal government budgeting process could delay the funding, or even result in cancellation of certain programs currently in our reported backlog.

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Other

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Other consists of a non-reportable operating segment (beverage packaging, other) that manufactures and sells aluminum beverage containers in India, Saudi Arabia and Myanmar; a non-reportable operating segment that manufactures and sells extruded aluminum aerosol containers and aluminum slugs (aerosol packaging); a non-reportable operating segment that manufactures and sells aluminum cups (aluminum cups); undistributed corporate expenses; intercompany eliminations and other business activities.

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Beverage Packaging, Other

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Our aluminum beverage packaging operations in the beverage packaging, other, segment consist of four aluminum container and end manufacturing facilities – two in India and one each in Saudi Arabia and Myanmar. Our aluminum can and end sheet requirements are provided by several suppliers. Our manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia, Ball United Arab Can Manufacturing Company, is a joint venture 51 percent owned by Ball and consolidated in our results. Additionally, Ball has ownership interests in equity method joint ventures in South Korea, Vietnam and Thailand.

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Aerosol Packaging

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Our aluminum aerosol packaging operations manufacture and sell extruded aluminum aerosol containers and aluminum slugs, which represented less than 5 percent of Ball’s consolidated net sales in 2020. In August 2020, Ball acquired an aluminum aerosol packaging business in Itupeva, Brazil, and in October 2019, Ball sold its steel aerosol packaging business in Argentina. There are 9 manufacturing facilities that manufacture these products – four in Europe and one each in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Mexico and India. The aerosol packaging market in these countries shipped approximately 5.6 billion aluminum aerosol units in 2020 and we are one of the major producers in this combined area with shipments of 1.2 billion aluminum aerosol packaging containers, representing approximately 21 percent of total shipments in these markets. Our aluminum aerosol requirements are provided by several suppliers.

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Aluminum Cups

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The Ball aluminum cups business was launched during 2019 to serve the growing demand for innovative, sustainable beverage packaging among customers and consumers. Aligned with our Drive for 10 vision, the cups business allows us to put our years of experience and specialized expertise to serve a currently unmet need with another environmentally friendly addition to our industry-leading portfolio of aluminum packages. Sturdy, durable and cool to the touch, the infinitely recyclable Ball aluminum cup is produced at a dedicated manufacturing facility in Rome, Georgia, which opened in late 2020. Ball plans to introduce additional offerings to round out its cups portfolio and intends to expand adoption of the cups to drinking establishments, parks and recreation, colleges and universities, hospitality, restaurants, retail, business and industry. Effective January 1, 2020, the aluminum cups business is a non-reportable operating segment.

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Patents

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In the opinion of the company’s management, none of our active patents or groups of patents is material to the successful operation of our business as a whole. We manage our intellectual property portfolio to obtain the durations necessary to achieve our business objectives.

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Research and Development

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Research and development (R&D) efforts in our packaging segments are primarily directed toward packaging innovation, specifically the development of new features, sizes, shapes and types of containers, as well as new uses for existing containers. Other R&D efforts in these segments seek to improve manufacturing efficiencies and the overall sustainability of our products. Our packaging R&D activities are primarily conducted in a technical center located in Westminster, Colorado.

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In our aerospace business, we continue to focus our R&D activities on the design, development and manufacture of innovative aerospace products and systems. This includes the production of spacecraft, instruments and sensors, radio frequency and system components, data exploitation solutions and a variety of advanced aerospace technologies and products that enable deep space missions. Our aerospace R&D activities are conducted at various locations in the U.S.

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Additional information regarding company R&D activity is contained in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements within Item 8 of this annual report, as well as in Item 2, “Properties.”

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Human Capital and Employees

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Ball Corporation’s people are its greatest asset and we are proud to set out the material aspects of our human capital program. At the end of 2020, the company and its subsidiaries employed approximately 21,500 employees, including approximately 10,700 employees in the U.S. Details of collective bargaining agreements are included within Item 1A, Risk Factors, of this annual report.

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Our Culture

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Embracing our rich 140-year history, we “know who we are”, a company that respects and values each of our employees and their collective desire to deliver value to all our stakeholders. We embrace our diversity and are “one Ball” in valuing:

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Diversity and Inclusion

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Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) is embedded in our Drive for 10 vision and is key to the sustained success of our business. We established a dedicated D&I function in 2015 to build on our longstanding commitment to D&I across the company. Over the past five years, we have made good progress on D&I, which has been recognized by external organizations, including Forbes, which ranked Ball as number one on its 2019 list of “America’s Best Employers for Diversity” and recognized us again in 2020. Our dedicated D&I function reports directly to our CEO, and we understand that the key to success is shared accountability rather than designating a single owner for this critical area. Our focus to date has been on providing unconscious bias training for our global workforce, expanding our Ball Resource Groups (BRGs) in terms of quantity and geography, and increasing awareness about the importance of D&I and each employee’s role in ensuring that we have a culture where people can bring their authentic selves to work and thrive. While we are proud of our progress, we know there is more work to do.

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As we move forward, we are accelerating our D&I efforts with a greater sense of urgency. In June 2020, we instituted a new global cloud-based human capital management platform that will – among many other talent-focused features – enable us to more fully understand employee demographics and identify how we can better enhance our diversity around the world. We continue to evolve our talent acquisition process and focus on diversity for internships, candidate slates, interview panels, talent reviews and succession planning. Each of our business segment leaders has committed to help drive further D&I progress during 2021 and beyond. Currently, 58 percent of our board of directors are either gender or ethnically diverse, including four female board members, and 30 percent of our company’s executive leadership team are either gender or ethnically diverse.

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Talent

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We seek to attract, develop and retain the best talent throughout the company. During the past decade, we established and expanded our talent management organization with dedicated talent acquisition and development functions that have implemented rigorous hiring and development processes, including standardized assessments for candidate selection, and an embedded “Inspire, Connect, Achieve” leadership framework, which details clear behaviors that we expect from our people leaders to ensure they align with our culture. We have also strengthened our succession planning through a holistic approach to developing key managers that includes challenging assignments, formal development plans and professional coaching.

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Training and Development

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Our new global human capital management platform will further enable rigorous identification, analysis and development of talent around the world. In conjunction with that platform, the company launched an updated approach to performance management focused on development and continuous improvement. This approach emphasizes ongoing performance conversations between managers and employees and a focus on mitigating bias in performance conversations, resulting in an enhanced employee developmental experience and data points for our talent discussions. In addition, all employees have access to create a personal development plan and we have implemented additional resources to support employees in their personal and professional development, including:

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Employee Engagement

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As part of our Drive for 10 vision, we seek to ensure that everyone at Ball is motivated to perform their best work every day. To further that objective, our engagement approach focuses on clear communication and recognition. We communicate through quarterly employee town hall meetings, at both the corporate and operating division levels, with business and market updates and information on production, safety, quality and other operating metrics. We also communicate company information through news releases, executive communications, internal management information bulletins, digital signage and our weekly Ball eNews through the new BallConnect intranet, which are available to all employees. We have many recognition-oriented awards throughout our company, including our corporate and divisional awards of excellence. We conduct regular company-wide engagement surveys, as well as periodic pulse surveys, which have generally indicated high levels of engagement and trust in Ball’s leadership, key strategies and initiatives.

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Total Rewards

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We have steadily upgraded our total rewards function over the past decade with the objective of acquiring, rewarding and retaining the best talent by providing total rewards that are competitive and performance based. Our compensation programs, including our long-standing EVA® based incentive plans, reflect our commitment to reward performance that drives shareholder value. Total direct compensation is positioned in a competitive range of the applicable market median in each jurisdiction, differentiated based on tenure, skills and performance, and designed to attract and retain the best talent.

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Health, Safety and Wellness

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The health, safety and wellness of each of our employees has been one of Ball’s top priorities for many years. Our environmental, health and safety function and our operations executives partner to consistently reinforce policies and procedures that are designed to reduce workplace risks and ensure safe methods of plant production, including through regular training and reporting on injuries and lost-time incidents. Over the past 15 years, we have sponsored a variety of health and wellness programs designed to enhance the physical and mental well-being of our employees around the world. During 2020, the company expanded access to its existing Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to our entire global workforce. The EAP provides employees and their families access to mental health, stress management and support resources during these difficult times.

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Since the onset of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, nearly all of our businesses have been deemed essential by the governments where we operate, and our production facilities have operated continuously. During this time, we have put employee health and well-being front and center, and we have adjusted our approach to how work gets done accordingly. Our guiding principles throughout the pandemic have been safety, flexibility and empathy. Ball has implemented rigorous safety protocols in all its locations, including face coverings, social distancing, contact tracing, employee testing and enhanced cleaning. Most office-based roles have transitioned to working from home, and our IT systems have been flexed to support more virtual meetings and remote collaboration. We are actively preparing for a more flexible approach to traditional office roles after the pandemic ends.

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Finally, despite the effects of the pandemic and in direct support of our growing businesses, Ball increased its net employee headcount by approximately 3,200 employees during 2020. Additional information on our human capital programs can be found in the Ball Corporation Sustainability Report, which is available at www.ball.com.

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Where to Find More Information

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Ball Corporation is subject to the reporting and other information requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (Exchange Act). Reports and other information filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) pursuant to the Exchange Act may be inspected and copied at the public reference facility maintained by the SEC in Washington, D.C. The SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov containing our reports, proxy materials and other items. The company also maintains a website at www.ball.com/investors on which it provides a link to access Ball’s SEC reports free of charge, under the link “Financials.”

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The company has established written Ball Corporation Corporate Governance Guidelines; a Ball Corporation Executive Officers and Board of Directors Business Ethics Statement; a Business Ethics Code of Conduct; and charters for its Audit Committee, Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee, Human Resources Committee and Finance Committee. These documents are on the company’s website at www.ball.com/investors, under the link “Corporate Governance.” A copy may also be obtained upon request from the company’s corporate secretary. The company’s sustainability report and updates on Ball’s progress are available at www.ball.com/sustainability.

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The company intends to post on its website the nature of any amendments to the company’s codes of ethics that apply to executive officers and directors, including the chief executive officer, chief financial officer and controller, and the nature of any waiver or implied waiver from any code of ethics granted by the company to any executive officer or director. These postings will appear on the company’s website at www.ball.com/investors, under the link “Corporate Governance.”

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Nothing on our website, including postings to the “Corporate Governance” and “Financials” pages, or the Ball Corporation Sustainability Report, or sections thereof, shall be deemed incorporated by reference into this annual report.

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General Risks

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If we do not effectively manage change and growth, our business could be adversely affected.

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Our future revenue and operating results will depend on our ability to effectively manage the anticipated growth of our business. We have experienced significant growth in demand for our products and services in recent years and are expanding our operations, increasing our headcount and expanding into new product offerings. This growth has increased and may continue to constrain our ability to fully supply our customers’ requirements. It has also placed significant demands on our management as well as our financial and operational resources, and continued growth presents several challenges, including:

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Our business, operating results and financial condition are subject to particular risks in certain regions of the world.

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We may experience an operating loss in one or more regions of the world for one or more periods, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results or financial condition. Moreover, overcapacity, which often leads to lower prices, may develop over time in certain regions in which we operate even if demand continues to grow. More generally, supply and demand fluctuations could make it difficult for us to forecast and meet certain customers’ needs. Our ability to manage such operational fluctuations and to maintain adequate long-term strategies in the face of such developments will be critical to our continued growth and profitability.

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The loss of a key customer, or a reduction in its requirements, could have a significant negative impact on our sales.

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We sell a majority of our packaging products to a relatively limited number of major beverage, personal care and household product companies, some of which operate in multiple geographical markets we serve.

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Although the majority of our customer contracts are long-term, these contracts, unless they are renewed, expire in accordance with their respective terms and are terminable under certain circumstances, such as our failure to meet quality, volume or market pricing requirements. Because we depend on a relatively limited number of major customers, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be adversely affected by the loss of any of these customers, a reduction in the purchasing levels of these customers, a strike or work stoppage by a significant number of these customers’ employees or an adverse change in the terms of the supply agreements with these customers.

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The primary customers for our aerospace segment are U.S. government agencies or their prime contractors. Our contracts with these customers are subject to several risks, including funding cuts and delays, technical uncertainties, budget changes, government shutdowns, competitive activity and changes in scope.

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We have a significant level of debt that could have important consequences for our business and any investment in our securities.

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The company had $7.8 billion of interest-bearing debt at December 31, 2020. Such indebtedness could have significant consequences for our business and any investment in our securities, including:

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We face competitive risks from many sources that may negatively impact our profitability.

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Competition within the packaging and aerospace industries is intense. Increases in productivity, combined with potential surplus capacity in the industry, have maintained competitive pricing pressures. The principal methods of competition in the general packaging industry are price, innovation, sustainability, service and quality. In the aerospace industry, they are technical capability, cost and schedule. Some of our competitors may have greater financial, technical and marketing resources, and some may currently have excess capacity. Our current or potential competitors may offer products at a lower price or products that are deemed superior to ours. The global economic environment has resulted in reductions in demand for our products in some instances, which, in turn, could increase these competitive pressures.

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We are subject to competition from alternative products, which could result in lower profits and reduced cash flows.

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Our aluminum packaging products are subject to significant competition from substitute products, particularly plastic carbonated soft drink bottles made from PET, single serve beer bottles and other beverage containers made of glass, cardboard or other materials. Competition from plastic carbonated soft drink bottles is particularly intense in the U.S. and Europe. Certain of our aerospace products are also subject to competition from alternative products and solutions. There can be no assurance that our products will successfully compete against alternative products, which could result in a reduction in our profits or cash flows.

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Our packaging businesses have a narrow product range, and our business would suffer if usage of our products decreased or if decreases occur in the demand for the beverages and other goods filled in our products.

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The majority of our consolidated net sales were from the sale of beverage containers, and we expect to derive a significant portion of our future revenues and cash flows from the sale of beverage containers. Our business would suffer if the use of beverage containers decreased. Accordingly, broad acceptance by consumers of aluminum containers for a wide variety of beverages is critical to our future success. If demand for glass and PET bottles increases relative to aluminum containers, or the demand for aluminum containers does not develop as expected, our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition could be materially adversely affected.

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Our business, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations are subject to risks resulting from broader geographic operations.

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We derived approximately 46 percent of our consolidated net sales from outside of the U.S. for the year ended December 31, 2020. The sizeable scope of operations inside and outside of the U.S. may lead to more volatile financial results and make it more difficult for us to manage our business. Reasons for this include, but are not limited to, the following:

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We are exposed to exchange rate fluctuations.

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The company’s financial results are exposed to currency exchange rate fluctuations and a significant proportion of assets, liabilities and earnings denominated in non-U.S. dollar currencies. The company presents its financial statements in U.S. dollars and has a significant proportion of its net assets, debt and income in non-U.S. dollar currencies, primarily the euro, as well as the Russian ruble and other emerging market currencies. The company’s financial results and capital ratios are therefore sensitive to movements in foreign exchange rates.

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We manage our exposure to currency fluctuations, particularly our exposure to fluctuations in the euro to U.S. dollar exchange rate to attempt to mitigate the effect of cash flow and earnings volatility associated with exchange rate changes. We primarily use forward contracts and options to manage our currency exposures and, as a result, we experience gains and losses on these derivative positions offset, in part, by the impact of currency fluctuations on existing assets and liabilities.

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We are vulnerable to fluctuations in the supply and price of raw materials.

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We purchase aluminum and other raw materials and packaging supplies from several sources. While all such materials are available from independent suppliers, raw materials are subject to fluctuations in price and availability attributable to a number of factors, including general economic conditions, commodity price fluctuations (particularly aluminum on the London Metal Exchange), the demand by other industries for the same raw materials and the availability of complementary and substitute materials. Although we enter into commodities purchase agreements from time to time and sometimes use derivative instruments to seek to manage our risk, we cannot ensure that our current suppliers of raw materials will be able to supply us with sufficient quantities at reasonable prices. Economic, financial, and operational factors, including strikes or labor shortages, as well as governmental action, could impact our suppliers, thereby causing supply shortages. Increases in raw material costs, including potential increases due to tariffs, sanctions, or other trade actions, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. In the Americas, Europe and Asia, some contracts do not allow us to pass along increased raw material costs and we generally use derivative agreements to seek to manage this risk. Our hedging procedures may be insufficient and our results could be materially impacted if costs of materials increase. Due to the fixed-price contracts and derivative activities, while increasing raw material costs may not impact our near-term profitability, increased prices could decrease our sales volume over time.

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We use estimates in accounting for many of our programs in our aerospace business, and changes in our estimates could adversely affect our future financial results.

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We account for sales and profits on a portion of long-term contracts in our aerospace business in accordance with the percentage-of-completion method of accounting, using the cost-to-cost method to account for updates in estimates. The percentage-of-completion method of accounting involves the use of various estimating techniques to project revenues and costs at completion and various assumptions and projections relative to the outcome of future events, including the quantity and timing of product deliveries, future labor performance and rates, and material and overhead costs. These assumptions involve various levels of expected performance improvements. Under the cost-to-cost method, the impact of updates in our estimates related to units shipped to date or progress made to date is recognized immediately.

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Given the significance of the judgments and estimates described above, it is likely that we could record materially different amounts if we used different assumptions or if the underlying circumstances or estimates were to change.

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Our backlog includes both cost-type and fixed-price contracts. Cost-type contracts generally have lower profit margins than fixed-price contracts. Our earnings and margins may vary depending on the types of government contracts undertaken, the nature of the work performed under those contracts, the costs incurred in performing the work, the achievement of other performance objectives and their impact on our ability to receive fees. The fixed-price contracts could subject us to losses if we have cost overruns or if increases in our costs exceed the applicable escalation rate.

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Net earnings and net assets could be materially affected by an impairment of goodwill.

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We have a significant amount of goodwill recorded on our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2020. We are required at least annually to test the recoverability of goodwill. The recoverability test of goodwill is based on the current fair value of our identified reporting units. Fair value measurement requires assumptions and estimates of many critical factors, including revenue and market growth, operating cash flows and discount rates. If general market conditions deteriorate in portions of our business, we could experience a significant decline in the fair value of our reporting units. This decline could lead to an impairment of all or a significant portion of the goodwill balance, which could materially affect our U.S. GAAP net earnings and net assets.

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If the investments in Ball’s pension plans, or in the multi-employer pension plans in which Ball participates, do not perform as expected, we may have to contribute additional amounts to the plans, which would otherwise be available for other general corporate purposes.

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Ball maintains defined benefit pension plans covering substantially all of its employees in the United States and a significant number of United Kingdom deferred and retired participants, which are funded based on certain actuarial assumptions. The plans’ assets consist primarily of common stocks, fixed-income securities and, in the U.S., alternative investments. Market declines, longevity increases or legislative changes, such as the Pension Protection Act in the U.S., could result in a prospective decrease in our available cash flow and net earnings over time, and the recognition of an increase in our pension obligations could result in a reduction to our shareholders’ equity. Additional risks exist related to the company’s participation in multi-employer pension plans. Assets contributed to a multi-employer pension plan by one employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers. If a participating employer in a multi-employer pension plan stops contributing to the plan, the unfunded obligations of the plan may be borne by the remaining participants. This could result in increases to our contributions to the plans as well as pension expense.

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Restricted access to capital markets could adversely affect our short-term liquidity and prevent us from fulfilling our obligations under the notes issued pursuant to our bond indentures.

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A reduction in global market liquidity could:

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If market interest rates increase, our variable-rate debt will create higher debt service requirements, which adversely affects our cash flows. While we sometimes enter into agreements limiting our exposure, any such agreements may not offer complete protection from this risk.

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The global credit, financial and economic environment could have a negative impact on our results of operations, financial position or cash flows.

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The overall credit, financial and economic environment could have significant negative effects on our operations, including:

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Changes in U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (U.S. GAAP) and SEC rules and regulations could materially impact our reported results.

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U.S. GAAP and SEC accounting and reporting changes are common and have become more frequent and significant over the past several years. These changes could have significant effects on our reported results when compared to prior periods and other companies and may even require us to retrospectively adjust prior periods. Additionally, material changes to the presentation of transactions in the consolidated financial statements could impact key ratios that analysts and credit rating agencies use to rate Ball and ultimately impact our ability to access the credit markets in an efficient manner.

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A material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting could, if not remediated, result in material misstatements in our financial statements.

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Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act. A material weakness is defined as a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. If a material weakness is identified, management could conclude that internal control over financial reporting is not effective based on criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organization of the Treadway Commission in “Internal Control—An Integrated Framework (2013).” If a material weakness is identified, a remediation plan would be designed to address the material weakness. If remedial measures are insufficient to address the material weakness, or if additional material weaknesses in internal control are discovered or occur in the future, our consolidated financial statements may contain material misstatements and we could be required to restate our financial results. As of December 31, 2020, the company had no material weaknesses.

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We face risks related to health epidemics, pandemics and other outbreaks, including the current COVID-19 pandemic, which could adversely affect our business.

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The circumstances of the current COVID-19 pandemic and responses thereto continue to evolve. The products produced and services provided by Ball have been deemed essential and, as a result, relevant governments around the world have allowed our operations to continue through this crisis. Additionally, overall demand for our aluminum beverage cans has remained high and has increased during the pandemic. However, COVID-19 could give rise to circumstances that cause one or more of the following risk factors to occur:

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Because the COVID-19 pandemic is far-reaching and its impacts cannot be completely anticipated, additional risks may arise that could materially impact the company’s financial results and liquidity.

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The company has or may implement actions to minimize the risks and associated negative effects from COVID-19, which do not guarantee the prevention or mitigation of material impacts on our business. Some of these actions may include, and are not limited to:

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Governmental and regulatory risks

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Changes in laws and governmental regulations may adversely affect our business and operations.

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We and our customers and suppliers are subject to various federal, state, provincial and local laws and regulations, which have been increasing in number and complexity. Each of our, and their, facilities is subject to federal, state, provincial and local licensing and regulation by health, environmental, workplace safety and other agencies in multiple jurisdictions. Requirements of worldwide governmental authorities with respect to manufacturing, manufacturing facility locations within the jurisdiction, product content and safety, climate change, workplace safety and health, environmental, expropriation of assets and other standards could adversely affect our ability to manufacture or sell our products, and the ability of our customers and suppliers to manufacture and sell their products. In addition, we face risks arising from compliance with and enforcement of numerous and complex federal, state, provincial and local laws and regulations.

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Enacted regulatory developments regarding the reporting and use of “conflict minerals” mined from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and adjoining countries could affect the sourcing, availability and price of minerals used in the manufacture of certain of our products. As a result, there may only be a limited pool of suppliers who provide conflict-free materials, and we cannot give assurance that we will be able to obtain such products in sufficient quantities or at competitive prices. Also, because our supply chains are complex, we may face reputational challenges with our customers and other stakeholders if we are unable to sufficiently verify the origins of all materials used in the products that we sell. The compliance and reporting aspects of these regulations may result in incremental costs to the company. While deposit systems and other container-related legislation have been adopted in some jurisdictions, similar legislation has been defeated in public referenda and legislative bodies in many others. We anticipate that continuing efforts will be made to consider and adopt such legislation in the future. The packages we produce are widely used and perform well in U.S. states, Canadian provinces and European countries that have deposit systems, as well as in other countries worldwide.

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Significant environmental, employment-related and other legislation and regulatory requirements exist and are also evolving. The compliance costs associated with current and proposed laws and potential regulations could be substantial, and any failure or alleged failure to comply with these laws or regulations could lead to litigation or governmental action, all of which could adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations.

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Our aerospace segment is subject to certain risks specific to that business.

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In our aerospace business, U.S. government contracts are subject to reduction or modification in the event of changes in requirements, and the government may also terminate contracts at its convenience pursuant to standard termination provisions. In such instances, Ball may be entitled to reimbursement for allowable costs and profits on authorized work that has been performed through the date of termination.

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In addition, budgetary constraints and government shutdowns may result in further reductions to projected spending levels by the U.S. government. In particular, government expenditures are subject to the potential for automatic reductions, generally referred to as “sequestration.” Sequestration may occur in any given year, resulting in significant additional reductions to spending by various U.S. government defense and aerospace agencies on both existing and new contracts, as well as the disruption of ongoing programs. Even if sequestration does not occur, we expect that budgetary constraints and ongoing concerns regarding the U.S. national debt will continue to place downward pressure on agency spending levels. Due to these and other factors, overall spending on various programs could decline, which could result in significant reductions to revenue, cash flows, net earnings and backlog primarily in our aerospace segment.

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As a U.S. government contractor, we could be adversely affected by changes in regulations or any negative findings from a U.S. government audit or investigation.

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Our aerospace business operates in a highly regulated environment and is routinely audited and reviewed by the U.S. government and its agencies, such as the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) and Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA). These agencies review performance under our contracts, our cost structure and our compliance with applicable laws, regulations and standards, as well as the adequacy of, and our compliance with, our internal control systems and policies. Business systems that are subject to review under the DoD Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) are purchasing, estimating, material management and accounting, as well as property and earned value management. Any costs ultimately found to be unallowable or improperly allocated to a specific contract will not be reimbursed or must be refunded if already reimbursed. If an audit uncovers improper or illegal activities, we may be subject to civil and criminal penalties, sanctions or suspension or debarment from doing business with the U.S. government. Whether or not illegal activities are alleged, the U.S. government also has the ability to decrease or withhold certain payments when it deems systems subject to its review to be inadequate. If such actions were to result in suspension or debarment, this could have a material adverse effect on our business.

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Our business faces the potential of increased regulation on some of the raw materials utilized in our packaging operations.

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Our operations are subject to federal, state, provincial and local laws and regulations in multiple jurisdictions relating to some of the raw materials, including epoxy-based coatings utilized in our container making process. Epoxy-based coatings may contain Bisphenol-A (BPA). Scientific evidence evaluated by regulatory agencies in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand has consistently shown these coatings to be safe for food contact at current levels, and these regulatory agencies have stated that human exposure to BPA from epoxy-based container coatings is well below safe exposure limits set by government bodies worldwide. A significant change in these regulatory agency statements, adverse information concerning BPA or other chemicals present in our coatings, or rulings made within certain federal, state, provincial and local jurisdictions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. Ball recognizes that significant interest exists in non-epoxy based coatings, and we have been proactively working with coatings suppliers and our customers to transition to alternative coatings.

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Earnings and cash flows can be impacted by changes in tax laws.

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As a U.S.-based multinational business, the company is subject to income tax in the U.S. and numerous jurisdictions outside the U.S. The relevant tax rules and regulations are complex, often changing and, in some cases, are interdependent. If these or other tax rules and regulations should change, the company’s earnings and cash flows could be impacted.

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In particular, the changes proposed by the new U.S. administration, including increasing the U.S. corporate income tax rate from 21 percent to 28 percent, doubling the rate of tax on certain earnings of non-U.S. subsidiaries and the imposition of a 15 percent minimum tax on worldwide book income, could materially affect the company’s financial results if enacted.

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The company’s worldwide provision for income taxes is determined, in part, through the use of significant estimates and judgments. Numerous transactions arise in the ordinary course of business where the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. The company undergoes tax examinations by various worldwide tax authorities on a regular basis. While the company believes its estimates of its tax obligations are reasonable, the final outcome after the conclusion of any tax examinations and any litigation could be materially different from what has been reflected in the company’s historical financial statements.

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Significant developments stemming from the U.K.’s withdrawal from the E.U. could have a material adverse effect on us.

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The United Kingdom formally withdrew from the European Union on January 31, 2020, and entered into the E.U.-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement on December 24, 2020. Our businesses could be affected in a number of ways, such as supply chain constraints including delays in importing and exporting products into and out of the U.K., increased material costs due to rising tariffs, effects on employee mobility and increased costs of doing business in the U.K.

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The withdrawal of the U.K. from the E.U., along with other events that could occur in the future, may cause significant volatility in global financial markets, including in global currency and debt markets. These developments could cause a slowdown in economic activity in the U.K., Europe or globally, which could adversely affect our operating results and growth prospects. These possible negative impacts, and others resulting from the U.K.’s withdrawal from the E.U., may adversely affect our operating results and growth prospects.

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Technological risks

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Decreases in our ability to develop or apply new technology and know-how may affect our competitiveness.

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Our success depends partially on our ability to improve production processes and services. We must also introduce new products and services to meet changing customer needs. If we are unable to implement better production processes or to develop new products through research and development or licensing of new technology, we may not be able to remain competitive with other manufacturers. As a result, our business, financial condition, cash flows or results of operations could be adversely affected.

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Increased information technology (IT) security threats and more sophisticated and targeted computer crime could pose a risk to our systems, networks, products, solutions and services.

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The company’s IT systems, or any third party’s system on which the company relies, could fail on their own accord or may be vulnerable to a variety of interruptions or shutdowns, including interruptions or shutdowns due to natural disasters, power outages or telecommunications failures, terrorist attacks or failures during the process of upgrading or replacing software or hardware. Increased global IT security threats and more sophisticated and targeted computer crime also pose a risk to the security of our systems and networks and the confidentiality, availability and integrity of our data. As a provider of products and services to government and commercial customers, our aerospace business in particular may be the target of cyber-attacks, including attempts to gain unauthorized access to classified or sensitive information and networks. The company has a number of shared service centers where many of the company’s IT systems are concentrated and any disruption at such a location could impact the company’s business within the operating zones served by the impacted service center.

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While we attempt to mitigate all of these risks by employing a number of measures, including employee training, comprehensive monitoring of our networks and systems, and maintenance of backup and protective systems, our systems, networks, products, solutions and services remain potentially vulnerable to advanced persistent threats or other IT disruptions. Depending on their nature and scope, such threats could potentially lead to the compromise of confidential information, improper use of our systems and networks, manipulation and destruction of data, defective products, harm to individuals or property, contractual or regulatory actions and fines, penalties and potential liabilities, production downtimes and operational disruptions, which in turn could adversely affect our reputation, competitiveness and results of operations. Data privacy and protection laws are evolving and present increasing compliance challenges, which may increase our costs, affect our competitiveness and could expose us to substantial fines or other penalties. In addition, a security breach that involves classified or other sensitive government information could subject us to civil or criminal penalties and could result in the loss of our secure facility clearance and other accreditation, loss of our government contracts, loss of access to classified information or debarment as a government contractor.

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Human capital risks

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If we fail to retain key management and personnel, we may be unable to implement our key objectives.

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We believe our future success depends, in part, on our experienced management team. Unforeseen losses of key members of our management team without appropriate succession and/or compensation planning could make it difficult for us to manage our business and meet our objectives.

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Prolonged work stoppages at facilities with union employees could jeopardize our financial position.

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As of December 31, 2020, 12 percent of our North American employees and 54 percent of our European employees were covered by collective bargaining agreements. These collective bargaining agreements have staggered expirations during the next several years. Although we consider our employee relations to be generally good, a prolonged work stoppage or strike at any facility with union employees could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows or results of operations. In addition, we cannot ensure that upon the expiration of existing collective bargaining agreements, new agreements will be reached without union action or that any such new agreements will be on terms satisfactory to us.

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Environmental risks

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Adverse weather and climate changes may result in lower sales.

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We manufacture packaging products primarily for beverages. Unseasonable weather can reduce demand for certain beverages packaged in our containers. Climate change and the increasing frequency of severe weather events could have various effects on the demand for our products, our supply chain and the costs of inputs to our production and delivery of products in different regions around the world. Our plants’ production may be prevented or curtailed due to severe or unanticipated weather and climate events.

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Our business is subject to substantial environmental remediation and compliance costs.

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Our operations are subject to federal, state, provincial and local laws and regulations in multiple jurisdictions relating to environmental hazards, such as emissions to air, discharges to water, the handling and disposal of hazardous and solid wastes and the clean-up of hazardous substances. We have been designated, along with numerous other companies, as a potentially responsible party for the clean-up of several hazardous waste sites. Additionally, there is increased focus on the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental issues worldwide. We strive to mitigate such risks related to environmental issues, including through the purchase of renewable energy, the adoption of sustainable practices, and by positioning ourselves as a sustainability leader in our industry.

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Beverage packaging, EMEA, locations:

Beverage packaging, South America, locations:

Beverage packaging, Other, locations:

Aerosol packaging locations:

Aluminum cups location:

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TOTAL RETURN TO STOCKHOLDERS

(Assumes $100 investment on 12/31/15)

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Source: Bloomberg L.P.® Charts

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Corporate Strategy

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Our Drive for 10 vision encompasses five strategic levers that are key to growing our business and achieving long-term success. Since launching Drive for 10 in 2011, we have made progress on each of the levers as follows:

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These ongoing business developments help us stay close to our customers while expanding and/or sustaining our industry positions and global reach with major beverage, personal care, household products and aerospace customers. In order to successfully execute our strategy and reach our goals, we realize the importance of excelling in the following areas: customer focus, operational excellence, innovation and business development, people and culture focus and sustainability.

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Selling, General and Administrative

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Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses were $525 million in 2020 compared to $417 million in 2019. These amounts represented 4 percent of consolidated net sales for both years. Personnel and other costs increased year over year to support growth investments.

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Business Consolidation Costs and Other Activities

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Business consolidation costs and other activities were $262 million in 2020 compared to $244 million in 2019. These amounts represented 2 percent of consolidated net sales for both years.

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Interest Expense

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Total interest expense was $316 million in 2020 compared to $324 million in 2019. Interest expense, excluding the effect of debt refinancing and other costs, as a percentage of average borrowings decreased by approximately 85 basis points from 4.4 percent in 2019 to 3.5 percent in 2020 due to the drop in global interest rates.

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Tax Provision

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The company’s effective tax rate is affected by recurring items such as income earned in foreign jurisdictions with tax rates that differ from the U.S. tax rate and by discrete items that may occur in any given year but are not consistent from year to year.

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The 2020 effective income tax rate was 14.4 percent compared to 11.7 percent for 2019. As compared with the statutory U.S. federal income tax rate of 21 percent, the 2020 effective rate was reduced by 6.8 percent for equity compensation benefits, by 5.7 percent for the impact of the U.S. R&D credit and by 2 percent for various uncertain tax positions. These reductions were partially offset by an increase of 3.4 percent for the impact of foreign exchange fluctuations on certain deferred tax assets. While these items are expected to recur, the potential magnitude of each item is uncertain.

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The 2020 effective income tax rate was also increased by 2.6 percent for enacted changes to tax rates in the UK and by 2.3 percent for the impact of non-deductible goodwill. These items are not expected to recur.

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Further details of taxes on income are included in Note 16 to the consolidated financial statements within Item 8 of this annual report.

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RESULTS OF BUSINESS SEGMENTS

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Segment Results

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Ball’s operations are organized and reviewed by management along its product lines and geographical areas, and its operating results are presented in the four reportable segments discussed below. Effective January 1, 2020, Ball implemented changes to its management and internal reporting structure for cost reduction and operational efficiency purposes. As a result of these changes, the company’s plants in Cairo, Egypt, and Manisa, Turkey, are now included in the beverage packaging, Europe, Middle East and Africa (beverage packaging, EMEA), segment. In addition, the company’s operations in India and Saudi Arabia are now combined with the former non-reportable beverage packaging, Asia Pacific, operating segment as a new non-reportable beverage packaging, other, operating segment. The company’s segment results and disclosures for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, have been retrospectively adjusted to conform to the current year presentation.

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Segment sales in 2020 were $318 million higher compared to 2019. The increase in 2020 was primarily due to higher volumes, higher specialty mix and improved customer contractual terms, partially offset by lower aluminum prices. We cannot predict the impact on sales that will result from future changes in aluminum input prices.

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Comparable operating earnings in 2020 were $128 million higher compared to 2019 primarily due to higher sales volumes, higher specialty mix, benefits from improved customer contractual terms and improved operating performance, partially offset by increased capacity expansion and labor costs.

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Segment sales in 2020 were $88 million higher compared to 2019. The increase in 2020 was primarily due to higher sales volumes and improved customer and specialty mix, partially offset by the pass through of lower aluminum prices.

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Comparable operating earnings in 2020 were $3 million higher compared to 2019 primarily due to higher sales volumes and improved customer and specialty mix, partially offset by higher labor and warehousing costs and intermittent production line downtime during the second quarter of 2020.

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Segment sales in 2020 were $25 million higher compared to 2019. The increase in 2020 was primarily related to higher volumes, partially offset by regional pricing and the pass through of lower aluminum prices.

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Comparable operating earnings in 2020 were $8 million lower compared to 2019 primarily related to adverse cost absorption due to intermittent production line downtime in the second quarter of 2020 and regional pricing, partially offset by increased sales volumes.

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Segment sales in 2020 were $262 million higher compared to 2019, and comparable operating earnings were $13 million higher. The increase in sales and operating earnings for 2020 was primarily the result of increases from significant U.S. national defense contracts.

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Sales to the U.S. government, either directly as a prime contractor or indirectly as a subcontractor, represented 97 percent of segment sales in 2020 compared to 98 percent of segment sales in 2019. The aerospace contract mix in 2020 consisted of 49 percent cost-type contracts, which are billed at our costs plus an agreed-upon and/or earned profit component, and 48 percent fixed-price contracts. The remaining sales were for time and materials contracts.

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Contracted backlog for the aerospace segment at December 31, 2020 and 2019, was $2.4 billion and $2.5 billion, respectively. The segment has numerous outstanding bids for future contract awards. The backlog at December 31, 2020, consisted of 42 percent cost-type contracts. Comparisons of backlog are not necessarily indicative of the trend of future operations due to the nature of varying delivery and milestone schedules on contracts, funding of programs and the uncertainty of timing of future contract awards.

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Management Performance Measures

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Management internally uses various measures to evaluate company performance, including comparable operating earnings (earnings before interest, taxes and business consolidation and other non-comparable costs); comparable net earnings (earnings before business consolidation costs and other non-comparable costs after tax); comparable diluted earnings per share (comparable net earnings divided by diluted weighted average shares outstanding); return on average invested capital (net operating earnings after tax over the relevant performance period divided by average invested capital over the same period); economic value added (EVA®) dollars (net operating earnings after tax less a capital charge on average invested capital employed); earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT); earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA); and diluted earnings per share. In addition, management uses free cash flow (generally defined by the company as cash flow from operating activities less capital expenditures) as a measure to evaluate the company’s liquidity. We believe this information is also useful to investors as it provides insight into the earnings and cash flow criteria that management uses to make strategic decisions. These financial measures may be adjusted at times for items that affect comparability between periods such as business consolidation costs and gains or losses on acquisitions and dispositions.

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Nonfinancial measures in the packaging businesses include production efficiency and spoilage rates; quality control figures; environmental, health and safety statistics; production and sales volumes; asset utilization rates; and measures of sustainability. Additional measures used to evaluate financial performance in the aerospace segment include contract revenue realization, award and incentive fees realized, proposal win rates and backlog (including awarded, contracted and funded backlog).

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Many of the above noted financial measurements are presented on a non-U.S. GAAP basis and should be considered in connection with the consolidated financial statements within Item 8 of this annual report. Non-U.S. GAAP measures should not be considered in isolation, nor should they not be considered superior to, or a substitute for, financial measures calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP. A presentation of earnings in accordance with U.S. GAAP is available in Item 8 of this annual report.

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Based on the above definitions, our calculations of comparable operating earnings, comparable net earnings, comparable diluted earnings per share and free cash flow are summarized as follows:

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CRITICAL AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

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For information regarding the company’s critical and significant accounting policies, as well as recent accounting pronouncements, see Notes 1 and 2 to the consolidated financial statements within Item 8 of this annual report.

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Cash outflows from financing activities increased by $556 million from $46 million in 2019 to $602 million in 2020, primarily related to total debt activity changing from net borrowings of $1.1 billion in 2019 to net repayments of $262 million in 2020, partially offset by a reduction in net share repurchases from $945 million in 2019 to $75 million in 2020.

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We have entered into several regional committed and uncommitted accounts receivable factoring programs with various financial institutions for certain of our accounts receivable. Programs accounted for as true sales of the receivables, without recourse to Ball, had combined limits of approximately $1.6 billion and $1.4 billion at December 31, 2020, and December 31, 2019, respectively. A total of $232 million and $230 million were available for sale under these programs at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

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As of December 31, 2020, approximately $684 million of our cash was held outside of the U.S. In the event we need to utilize any of the cash held outside of the U.S. for purposes within the U.S., there are no material legal or other economic restrictions regarding the repatriation of cash from any of the countries outside the U.S. where we have cash. The company believes its U.S. operating cash flows, cash on hand, as well as availability under its long-term, revolving credit facilities, uncommitted short-term credit facilities and committed and uncommitted accounts receivable factoring programs will be sufficient to meet the cash requirements of the U.S. portion of our ongoing operations, scheduled principal and interest payments on U.S. debt, dividend payments, capital expenditures and other U.S. cash requirements. If foreign funds are needed for our U.S. cash requirements and we are unable to provide the funds through intercompany financing arrangements, we would be required to repatriate funds from foreign locations where the company has previously asserted indefinite reinvestment of funds outside the U.S.

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Based on its indefinite reinvestment assertion, the company has not provided deferred taxes on earnings in certain non-U.S. subsidiaries because such earnings are intended to be indefinitely reinvested in its international operations. It is not practical to estimate the additional taxes that might become payable if these earnings were remitted to the U.S.

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Share Repurchases

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The company’s share repurchases, net of issuances, totaled $75 million in 2020 and $945 million in 2019. The repurchases were completed using cash on hand, cash provided by operating activities, proceeds from the sale of businesses and available borrowings.

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Debt Facilities and Refinancing

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Given our cash flow projections and unused credit facilities that are available until March 2024, our liquidity is strong and is expected to meet our ongoing cash and debt service requirements. Total interest-bearing debt was $7.8 billion at both December 31, 2020 and 2019.

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In the third quarter of 2020, Ball issued $1.3 billion of 2.875% senior notes due in 2030. In the first quarter of 2020, Ball redeemed the outstanding euro-denominated 3.50% senior notes due in 2020 in the amount of €400 million and the outstanding 4.375% senior notes due 2020 in the amount of $1 billion. We recorded debt refinancing and other costs of $41 million in 2020.

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In November 2019, Ball issued €1.3 billion in aggregate principal amount of 1.50% and 0.875% euro-denominated senior notes for general corporate purposes. In March 2019, the company refinanced its existing credit facilities with a U.S. dollar term loan facility, a U.S. dollar revolving facility and a multi-currency revolving facility that mature in March 2024. The revolving facilities provide the company with up to the U.S. dollar equivalent of $1.75 billion.

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At December 31, 2020, taking into account outstanding letters of credit, approximately $1.7 billion was available under the company’s long-term, multi-currency committed revolving credit facilities, which are available until March 2024. In addition to these facilities, the company had $1 billion of short-term uncommitted credit facilities available at December 31, 2020, of which $14 million was outstanding and due on demand.

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While ongoing financial and economic conditions in certain areas may raise concerns about credit risk with counterparties to derivative transactions, the company mitigates its exposure by allocating the risk among various counterparties and limiting exposure to any one party. We also monitor the credit ratings of our suppliers, customers, lenders and counterparties on a regular basis.

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We were in compliance with all loan agreements at December 31, 2020, and for all prior years presented, and we have met all debt payment obligations. The U.S. note agreements and bank credit agreement contain certain restrictions relating to dividends, investments, financial ratios, guarantees and the incurrence of additional indebtedness. In August 2020, we amended certain of our credit agreements, which among other things, modified the most restrictive of our debt covenants. This covenant requires us to maintain a leverage ratio (as defined) of no greater than 5.0 times, which will change to 4.5 times as of December 31, 2022. As of December 31, 2020, the company could borrow up to its limits available under the company’s long-term multi-currency committed revolving facilities and short-term uncommitted credit facilities without violating our existing debt covenants. Additional details about our debt are available in Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements within Item 8 of this annual report.

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Other Liquidity Measures

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Free Cash Flow

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Management internally uses a free cash flow measure to: (1) evaluate the company’s liquidity, (2) evaluate strategic investments, (3) plan share repurchase and dividend levels and (4) evaluate the company’s ability to incur and service debt. Free cash flow is not a defined term under U.S. GAAP, and it should not be inferred that the entire free cash flow amount is available for discretionary expenditures. The company defines free cash flow as cash flow from operating activities less capital expenditures. Free cash flow is typically derived directly from the company’s consolidated statement of cash flows; however, it may be adjusted for items that affect comparability between periods.

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Based on the above definition, our consolidated free cash flow is summarized as follows:

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Based on information currently available, we estimate that cash flows from operating activities for 2021 will exceed 2020 levels and capital expenditures will exceed $1.5 billion. In 2021, we intend to utilize our operating cash flow to fund our growth capital projects, dividend payments, share repurchases, debt service requirements and, to the extent available, acquisitions that meet our rate of return criteria. Approximately $1.1 billion of capital expenditures was contractually committed as of December 31, 2020.

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Commitments

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Cash payments required for long-term debt maturities and interest payments, rental payments under noncancellable operating leases and purchase obligations in effect at December 31, 2020, are summarized in the following table:

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The table above excludes $55 million of uncertain tax positions, as the ultimate timing of resolution for these matters is unknown at this time.

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Also excluded from the table above are contributions to the company’s defined benefit pension plans, which are expected to be approximately $185 million in 2021 of which $157 million was paid in January 2021. This estimate may change based on changes in the Pension Protection Act, actual plan asset performance and available company cash flow, among other factors. Benefit payments related to the plans are expected to be approximately $337 million, $336 million, $339 million, $344 million and $347 million for the years ending December 31, 2021 through 2025, respectively, and approximately $1.8 billion for the years ending December 31, 2026 through 2030.

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Based on changes in return on asset and discount rate assumptions, as well as revisions based on plan experience studies, total pension expense in 2021, is expected to be approximately $4 million higher than in 2020, excluding settlement charges. A reduction of the expected return on pension assets assumption by one quarter of a percentage point would result in an increase of approximately $14 million in total 2021 pension expense, while a quarter of a percentage point reduction in the discount rate applied to the pension liability would result in a negligible increase to pension expense in 2021. Additional details about our defined benefit pension plans are available in Note 17 to the consolidated financial statements within Item 8 of this annual report.

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CONTINGENCIES, INDEMNIFICATIONS AND GUARANTEES

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Details of the company’s contingencies, legal proceedings, indemnifications and guarantees are available in Notes 22 and 23 to the consolidated financial statements within Item 8 of this annual report. The company is routinely subject to litigation incident to operating its businesses and has been designated by various federal and state environmental agencies as a potentially responsible party, along with numerous other companies, for the clean-up of several hazardous waste sites, including in respect of sites related to alleged activities of certain former Rexam subsidiaries. The company believes the matters identified will not have a material adverse effect upon its liquidity, results of operations or financial condition.

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Guaranteed Securities

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The company’s senior notes are guaranteed on a full and unconditional, joint and several basis by the issuer of the company’s senior notes and the subsidiaries that guarantee the notes (the obligor group). The entities that comprise the obligor group are 100 percent owned by the company. As described in the supplemental indentures governing the company’s existing senior notes, the senior notes are guaranteed by any of the company’s domestic subsidiaries that guarantee any other indebtedness of the company.

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The following summarized financial information relates to the obligor group as of and for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019. Intercompany transactions, equity investments and other intercompany activity between obligor group subsidiaries have been eliminated from the summarized financial information. Investments in subsidiaries not forming part of the obligor group have also been eliminated.

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Included in the amounts disclosed in the tables above, at December 31, 2020 and 2019, the obligor group held receivables due from other subsidiary companies of $221 million and $299 million, respectively, long-term notes receivable due from other subsidiary companies of $9.2 billion and $9.3 billion, respectively, payables due to other subsidiary companies of $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion, respectively, and long-term notes payable due to other subsidiary companies of $1.5 billion and $2.2 billion, respectively.

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For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, the obligor group recorded the following transactions with other subsidiary companies: sales to them of $804 million and $792 million, respectively, net credits from them of $24 million and net charges to them of $21 million, respectively, and net interest income from them of $393 million and $127 million, respectively. During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, the obligor group received dividends from other subsidiary companies of $56 million and $775 million, respectively.

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A description of the terms and conditions of the company’s debt guarantees is located in Note 23 to the consolidated financial statements within Item 8 of this annual report.

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

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This report contains "forward-looking" statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "believes," "targets," "likely," "positions" and similar expressions typically identify forward-looking statements, which are generally any statements other than statements of historical fact. Such statements are based on current expectations or views of the future and are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied. You should therefore not place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements and any such statements should be read in conjunction with, and, qualified in their entirety by, the cautionary statements referenced below. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Key factors, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to be different are summarized in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Exhibit 99 in our Form 10-K, which are available on our website and at www.sec.gov. Additional factors that might affect: a) our packaging segments include product capacity, supply, and demand constraints and fluctuations, including due to virus and disease outbreaks and responses thereto; availability/cost of raw materials, equipment, and logistics; competitive packaging, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; footprint adjustments and other manufacturing changes, including the startup of new facilities and lines; failure to achieve synergies, productivity improvements or cost reductions; unfavorable mandatory deposit or packaging laws; customer and supplier consolidation; power and supply chain interruptions; potential delays and tariffs related to the U.K’s departure from the EU; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or a loss of a major customer or supplier; political instability and sanctions; currency controls; changes in foreign exchange or tax rates; and tariffs, trade actions, or other governmental actions, including business restrictions and shelter-in-place orders in any country or jurisdiction affecting goods produced by us or in our supply chain, including imported raw materials; b) our aerospace segment include funding, authorization, availability and returns of government and commercial contracts; and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts; c) the company as a whole include those listed above plus: the extent to which sustainability-related opportunities arise and can be capitalized upon; changes in senior management, succession, and the ability to attract and retain skilled labor; regulatory action or issues including tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including U.S. FDA and other actions or public concerns affecting products filled in our containers, or chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the manufacturing process; technological developments and innovations; the ability to manage cyber threats; litigation; strikes; disease; pandemic; labor cost changes; rates of return on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; pension changes; uncertainties surrounding geopolitical events and governmental policies both in the U.S. and in other countries, including policies, orders and actions related to COVID-19, the U.S. government elections, stimulus package(s), budget, sequestration and debt limit; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting our debt; and successful or unsuccessful joint ventures, acquisitions and divestitures, and their effects on our operating results and business generally.

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Commodity Price Risk

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Aluminum

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We manage commodity price risk in connection with market price fluctuations of aluminum ingot through two different methods. First, we enter into container sales contracts that include aluminum ingot-based pricing terms that generally reflect the same price fluctuations included in commercial purchase contracts for aluminum sheet. The terms include fixed, floating or pass-through aluminum ingot component pricing. Second, we use derivative instruments such as option and forward contracts as economic and cash flow hedges of commodity price risk where there are material differences between sales and purchase contracted pricing and volume.

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Considering the effects of derivative instruments, the company’s ability to pass through certain raw material costs through contractual provisions, the market’s ability to accept price increases and the company’s commodity price exposures under its contract terms, a hypothetical 10 percent adverse change in the company’s aluminum prices would result in an estimated $4 million after-tax reduction in net earnings over a one-year period. Additionally, the company has currency exposures on raw materials and the effect of a 10 percent adverse change is included in the total currency exposure discussed below. Actual results may vary based on actual changes in market prices and rates.

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Interest Rate Risk

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Our objective in managing exposure to interest rate changes is to minimize the impact of interest rate changes on earnings and cash flows and to minimize our overall borrowing costs. To achieve these objectives, we may use a variety of interest rate swaps, collars and options to manage our mix of floating and fixed-rate debt. Interest rate instruments held by the company at December 31, 2020, included pay-fixed interest rate swaps which effectively convert variable rate obligations to fixed-rate instruments.

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Based on our interest rate exposure at December 31, 2020, assumed floating rate debt levels throughout the next 12 months and the effects of our existing derivative instruments, a 100-basis point increase in interest rates would result in an estimated $2 million after-tax reduction in net earnings over a one-year period. Actual results may vary based on actual changes in market prices and rates and the timing of these changes.

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Currency Exchange Rate Risk

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Our objective in managing exposure to currency fluctuations is to limit the exposure of cash flows and earnings from changes associated with currency exchange rate changes through the use of various derivative contracts. In addition, at times Ball manages earnings translation volatility through the use of currency option strategies, and the change in the fair value of those options is recorded in the company’s net earnings. Our currency translation risk results from the currencies in which we transact business. The company faces currency exposures in our global operations as a result of various factors including intercompany currency denominated loans, selling our products in various currencies, purchasing raw materials and equipment in various currencies and tax exposures not denominated in the functional currency. Sales contracts are negotiated with customers to reflect cost changes and, where there is not an exchange pass-through arrangement, the company may use forward and option contracts to manage significant currency exposures.

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Considering the company’s derivative financial instruments outstanding at December 31, 2020, and the various currency exposures, a hypothetical 10 percent reduction (U.S. dollar strengthening, mainly against the Russian ruble) in currency exchange rates compared to the U.S. dollar would result in an estimated $12 million after-tax reduction in net earnings over a one-year period. This hypothetical adverse change in currency exchange rates would also reduce our forecasted average debt balance by $256 million. Actual changes in market prices or rates may differ from hypothetical changes.

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Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting

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A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

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Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

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Critical Audit Matters

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The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that (i) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (ii) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.

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Revenue Recognition - Estimated Costs at Completion for Aerospace Fixed-Price Contracts

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As described in Notes 1, 3 and 5 to the consolidated financial statements, sales for the aerospace segment were $1.7 billion for the year ended December 31, 2020, including sales under long-term fixed-price contracts, which are primarily recognized using percentage-of-completion accounting under the cost-to-cost method. The percentage-of-completion method of accounting involves the use of various estimating techniques to project revenues and costs at completion and various assumptions and projections relative to the outcome of future events, including the quantity and timing of product deliveries, future labor performance and rates, and material and overhead costs. Throughout the period of contract performance, management regularly evaluates and, if necessary, revises its estimates of total contract revenue, total contract cost, and extent of progress toward completion.

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The principal considerations for our determination that performing procedures relating to revenue recognition - estimated costs at completion for aerospace fixed-price contracts is a critical audit matter are the significant judgment by management when determining the estimated costs at completion for such contracts. This in turn led to a high degree of auditor judgment, subjectivity, and effort in performing procedures, and in evaluating the related audit evidence, over management’s assumptions of estimated costs at completion for fixed-price contracts, including the nature and technical complexity of the work to be performed, the availability and cost volatility of materials, subcontractor and vendor performance, and schedule and performance delays.

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Addressing the matter involved performing procedures and evaluating audit evidence in connection with forming our overall opinion on the consolidated financial statements. These procedures included testing the effectiveness of controls relating to the accuracy of estimated costs at completion for aerospace fixed-price contracts. These procedures also included, among others, evaluating and testing management’s process for determining the estimated revenue and cost at completion for aerospace fixed-price contracts, including the specific factors considered by management for each contract. Evaluating management’s assumptions for reasonableness involved assessing the nature and status of fixed-price contracts, performing retrospective reviews of fixed-price contract estimates and changes in estimates over time, obtaining evidence to support estimated costs to complete, and assessing the reasonableness of factors considered and significant assumptions made by management in determining the estimated revenue and costs at completion used to recognize revenue.

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/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Denver, Colorado

February 17, 2021

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We have served as the Company’s auditor since at least 1962. We have not been able to determine the specific year we began serving as auditor of the Company.

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