1.	Significant Accounting Policies

Description of Business

CARBO Ceramics Inc. (the “Company”) was formed in 1987 and is a manufacturer of ceramic proppants. During 2010, the Company began production of resin-coated ceramic and resin-coated sand proppants. The Company has six production plants in: New Iberia, Louisiana; Eufaula, Alabama; McIntyre, Georgia; Toomsboro, Georgia; Luoyang, China; and Kopeysk, Russia. The Company predominantly markets its proppant products through pumping service companies that perform hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas companies. Finished goods inventories are stored at the plant sites and various domestic and international remote distribution facilities. The Company also provides the industry’s most popular fracture simulation software FracPro^®, as well as fracture design and consulting services. In addition, the Company provides a broad range of technologies for spill prevention, containment and countermeasures, along with geotechnical monitoring.

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of CARBO Ceramics Inc. and its operating subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated.

Concentration of Credit Risk, Accounts Receivable and Other Receivables

The Company performs periodic credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition and generally does not require collateral. Receivables are generally due within 30 days. The majority of the Company’s receivables are from customers in the petroleum pressure pumping industry. The Company establishes an allowance for doubtful accounts based on its assessment of collectability risk and periodically evaluates the balance in the allowance based on a review of trade accounts receivable. Trade accounts receivable are periodically reviewed for collectability based on customers’ past credit history and current financial condition, and the allowance is adjusted if necessary. Credit losses historically have been insignificant. The allowance for doubtful accounts at December 31, 2011 and 2010 was $1,933 and $1,711, respectively. Other receivables were $1,968 and $1,946 as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively, of which 2011 related mainly to miscellaneous receivables in the United States and China and value added tax receivables in Russia and China. Other receivables for 2010 related mainly to miscellaneous receivables in China and value added tax receivables in Russia.

Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. The carrying amounts reported in the balance sheet for cash equivalents approximate fair value.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (weighted average) or market. Finished goods inventories include costs of materials, plant labor and overhead incurred in the production of the Company’s products and costs to transfer finished goods to distribution centers.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost. Repair and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred. Depreciation is computed on the straight-line method for financial reporting purposes using the following estimated useful lives:


Buildings and improvements			15 to 30 years
Machinery and equipment			3 to 30 years
Land-use rights			30 years

The Company holds approximately 4,000 acres of land and leasehold interests containing kaolin reserves near its plants in Georgia and Alabama. The Company also holds approximately 490 acres of land and leasehold interests near its resin-coating facility currently under construction in Marshfield, Wisconsin containing sand reserves for use as raw material in the production of its resin-coated sand products. The capitalized costs of land and mineral rights as well as costs incurred to develop such property are amortized using the units-of-production method based on estimated total tons of these reserves.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and Intangible Assets

Long-lived assets to be held and used and intangible assets that are subject to amortization are reviewed for impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate their carrying amounts might not be recoverable. Recoverability is assessed by comparing the undiscounted expected future cash flows from the assets with their carrying amount. If the carrying amount exceeds the sum of the undiscounted future cash flows an impairment loss is recorded. The impairment loss is measured by comparing the fair value of the assets with their carrying amounts. Intangible assets that are not subject to amortization are tested for impairment at least annually by comparing their fair value with the carrying amount and recording an impairment loss for any excess of carrying amount over fair value. Fair values are generally determined based on discounted expected future cash flows or appraised values, as appropriate. Long-lived assets that are held for disposal are reported at the lower of the assets’ carrying amount or fair value less costs related to the assets’ disposition. During 2011, 2010 and 2009, the Company recognized losses of $1,548, $1,449 and $156, respectively, on disposal or impairment of various assets. The loss in 2011 consisted of an impairment of goodwill related to the Company’s geotechnical monitoring business, a write-down of a 6% interest in an investment accounted for under the cost method as a result of the sale of the business by majority shareholders and certain equipment disposals. The loss in 2010 consisted of an impairment of goodwill related to the Company’s geotechnical monitoring business and equipment disposals, while the loss in 2009 is mainly related to equipment disposals.

Capitalized Software

The Company capitalizes certain software costs, after technological feasibility has been established, which are amortized utilizing the straight-line method over the economic lives of the related products, not to exceed five years.

Goodwill

Goodwill represents the excess of the cost of companies acquired over the fair value of their net assets at the date of acquisition. Realization of goodwill is assessed at least annually by management based on the fair value of the respective reporting unit. As a result of changes in business conditions in the geotechnical monitoring business during 2011 and 2010, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $889 and $470, respectively, on goodwill associated with that reporting unit. The latest impairment review indicated goodwill related to other reporting units was not impaired.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue from proppant sales is recognized when title passes to the customer, generally upon delivery. Revenue from consulting and geotechnical services is recognized at the time service is performed. Revenue from the sale of fracture simulation software is recognized when title passes to the customer at time of shipment. Revenue from the sale of spill prevention services is recognized at the time service is performed. Revenue from the sale of containment goods is recognized at the time goods are delivered.

Shipping and Handling Costs

Shipping and handling costs are classified as cost of sales. Shipping costs consist of transportation costs to deliver products to customers. Handling costs include labor and overhead to maintain finished goods inventory and operate distribution facilities.

Cost of Start-Up Activities

Start-up activities, including organization costs, are expensed as incurred. Start-up costs for 2011 primarily related to the start-up of the fourth production line at the Company’s Toomsboro, Georgia facility. Start-up costs for 2010 related to the start-up of the first resin-coating line within the Company’s New Iberia, Louisiana facility and the start-up of the third production line at the Company’s Toomsboro, Georgia facility. Start-up costs include organizational and administrative costs associated with the facilities as well as labor, materials, and utilities to bring installed equipment to operating condition.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs are charged to operations when incurred and are included in Selling, General and Administrative expenses. The amounts incurred in 2011, 2010 and 2009 were $7,335, $5,279 and $2,902, respectively.

Foreign Subsidiaries

Financial statements of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries are translated using current exchange rates for assets and liabilities; average exchange rates for the period for revenues, expenses, gains and losses; and historical exchange rates for equity accounts. Resulting translation adjustments are included in, and the only component of, accumulated other comprehensive loss as a separate component of shareholders’ equity.

New Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-05, “Comprehensive Income (ASC Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income,” (“ASU 2011-05”) which amends current comprehensive income guidance. This accounting update eliminates the option to present the components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of shareholders’ equity. Instead, the Company must report comprehensive income in either a single continuous statement of comprehensive income which contains two sections, net income and other comprehensive income, or in two separate but consecutive statements. ASU 2011-05 will be effective for public companies during the interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011 with early adoption permitted. The adoption of ASU 2011-05 will not have an impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows as it only requires a change in the format of the current presentation.

In September 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-08, “Intangibles — Goodwill and Other (ASC Topic 350),” (“ASU 2011-08”). This accounting update allows entities to perform a qualitative assessment on goodwill impairment to determine whether it is more likely than not (defined as having a likelihood of more than 50 percent) that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the two-step goodwill impairment test. This guidance is effective for goodwill impairment test performed in interim and annual periods for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.