due to internal or external factors could affect the Company’s access to, and the availability or cost of, financing on acceptable terms and conditions. There can be no assurance that Arconic will have access to the global capital market on terms the Company finds acceptable. Limitations on Arconic’s ability to access the global capital markets, a reduction in the Company’s liquidity or an increase in borrowing costs could materially and adversely affect Arconic’s ability to maintain or grow its business, which in turn may adversely affect its financial condition and results of operations.

# A downgrade of Arconic’s credit ratings could limit Arconic’s ability to obtain future financing, increase its borrowing costs, increase the pricing of its credit facilities, adversely affect the market price of its securities, trigger letter of credit or other collateral postings, or otherwise impair its business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Arconic’s credit ratings are important to the Company’s cost of capital. The major rating agencies routinely evaluate Arconic’s credit profile and assign debt ratings to the Company. This evaluation is based on a number of factors, which include financial strength, business and financial risk, as well as transparency with rating agencies and timeliness of financial reporting. On May 1, 2017, Standard and Poor’s Ratings Services affirmed Arconic’s long­term debt at BBB­, an investment grade rating, with a stable outlook, and its short-term debt at A­3. On November 1, 2016, Moody’s Investor Service (Moody’s) downgraded Arconic’s long­term debt rating from Ba1, a non­investment grade, to Ba2 and its short­term debt rating from Speculative Grade Liquidity­1 to Speculative Grade Liquidity­2. Additionally, Moody’s changed the outlook from negative to stable (ratings and outlook were affirmed on November 2, 2017). On April 21, 2016, Fitch affirmed Arconic’s long­term debt rating at BB+, a non­investment grade, and short­term debt at B. Additionally, Fitch changed the current outlook from positive to evolving. On July 7, 2016, Fitch changed the current outlook from evolving to stable (ratings and outlook were affirmed on July 3, 2017).

There can be no assurance that one or more of these or other rating agencies will not take negative actions with respect to Arconic’s ratings. Increased debt levels, macroeconomic conditions, a deterioration in the Company’s debt protection metrics, a contraction in the Company’s liquidity, or other factors could potentially trigger such actions. A rating agency may lower, suspend or withdraw entirely a rating or place it on negative outlook or watch if, in that rating agency’s judgment, circumstances so warrant.

A downgrade of Arconic’s credit ratings by one or more rating agencies could adversely impact the market price of Arconic’s securities;adversely affect existing financing (for example, a downgrade by Standard and Poor’s or a further downgrade by Moody’s would subject Arconic to higher costs under Arconic’s Five­Year Revolving Credit Agreement and certain of its other revolving credit facilities); limit access to the capital (including commercial paper) or credit markets or otherwise adversely affect the availability of other new financing on favorable terms, if at all; result in more restrictive covenants in agreements governing the terms of any future indebtedness that the Company incurs; increase the cost of borrowing or fees on undrawn credit facilities; result in vendors or counterparties seeking collateral or letters of credit from Arconic; or otherwise impair Arconic’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

# Arconic’s business and growth prospects may be negatively impacted by limits in its capital expenditures.

Arconic requires substantial capital to invest in growth opportunities and to maintain and prolong the life and capacity of its existing facilities. Insufficient cash generation or capital project overruns may negatively impact Arconic’s ability to fund as planned its sustaining and return­seeking capital projects. Over the long term, Arconic’s ability to take advantage of improved market conditions or growth opportunities in its businesses may be constrained by earlier capital expenditure restrictions, which could adversely affect the long­term value of its business and the Company’s position in relation to its competitors.

# An adverse decline in the liability discount rate, lower­than­expected investment return on pension assets and other factors could affect Arconic’s results of operations or amount of pension funding contributions in future periods.

Arconic’s results of operations may be negatively affected by the amount of expense Arconic records for its pension and other postretirement benefit plans, reductions in the fair value of plan assets and other factors. Arconic calculates income or expense for its plans using actuarial valuations in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP).

These valuations reflect assumptions about financial market and other economic conditions, which may change based on changes in key economic indicators. The most significant year­end assumptions used by Arconic to estimate pension or other postretirement benefit income or expense for the following year are the discount rate applied to plan liabilities and the expected long­term rate of return on plan assets. In addition, Arconic is required to make an annual measurement of plan assets and liabilities, which may result in a significant charge to shareholders’ equity. For a discussion regarding how Arconic’s financial statements can be affected by pension and other postretirement benefits accounting policies, see “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates­Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits” in Part II, Item 7. (Management’s Discussion