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Accounting Changes (Policies)
 6 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies  
Change in Accounting Principles

Change in Accounting Principles

In May 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued amendments to clarify guidance relating to fair value measurements. The amendments also expand the disclosure requirements for entities’ fair value measurements, particularly those relating to measurements based upon significant unobservable inputs. The Company adopted the amended fair value measurement guidance, which did not have an impact on the consolidated financial statements, on January 1, 2012.

Change in Accounting Estimates

Change in Accounting Estimates

During the second quarter of fiscal year 2012, the Company changed the useful lives of certain machinery and equipment assets used in production processes from 10 years to 13 years, to better reflect the estimated period during which these assets will remain in service. This change resulted from continuous improvement project evaluations, which included a review of assumptions related to the expected utilization of machinery and equipment assets. The Company accounted for the change in useful lives as a change in estimate prospectively effective January 1, 2012 and this change in estimate is expected to result in an increase in operating income of approximately $19,900 for fiscal year 2012.

ASC 450-20 recognition guidelines

Given the uncertain nature of litigation generally, the Company is not able in all cases to estimate the amount or range of loss that could result from an unfavorable outcome of the litigation to which the Company is a party. In accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, the Company establishes accruals to the extent probable future losses are estimable (in the case of environmental matters, without considering possible third-party recoveries). In view of the uncertainties discussed below, the Company could incur charges in excess of any currently established accruals and, to the extent available, excess liability insurance. In the opinion of management, any such future charges, individually or in the aggregate, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated results of operations and consolidated cash flows.

Allocation of gain/loss of foreign currency translation hedges on a segment basis

The Company evaluates performance of its business segments and allocates resources to them primarily based upon operating income. Segment operating income represents revenues reduced by product costs and operating expenses. From time to time, the Company hedges against certain forecasted sales of U.S.-produced products sold outside the United States. Gains and losses associated with these foreign currency translation hedges are reported in segment revenues based upon their proportionate share of these international sales of U.S.-produced products.

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

Foreign Currency Risks and Related Strategies

The Company has foreign currency exposures throughout Europe, Asia Pacific, Canada, Japan and Latin America. From time to time, the Company may partially hedge forecasted export sales denominated in foreign currencies using forward and option contracts, generally with one-year terms. The Company’s hedging program has been designed to mitigate exposures resulting from movements of the U.S. dollar, from the beginning of a reporting period, against other foreign currencies. The Company’s strategy is to offset the changes in the present value of future foreign currency revenue resulting from these movements with either gains or losses in the fair value of foreign currency derivative contracts. The Company did not enter into contracts to hedge cash flows for fiscal year 2011 and as of March 31, 2012, the Company has not entered into contracts to hedge cash flows for fiscal year 2012.

The Company designates forward contracts used to hedge these certain forecasted sales denominated in foreign currencies as cash flow hedges. Changes in the effective portion of the fair value of the Company’s forward contracts that are designated and qualify as cash flow hedges (i.e., hedging the exposure to variability in expected future cash flows that is attributable to a particular risk) are included in Other comprehensive income (loss) until the hedged transactions are reclassified in earnings. These changes result from the maturity of derivative instruments as well as the commencement of new derivative instruments. The changes also reflect movements in the period-end foreign exchange rates against the forward rates at the time the Company enters into any given derivative instrument contract. Once the hedged revenue transaction occurs, the recognized gain or loss on the contract is reclassified from Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) to Revenues. The Company records the premium or discount of the forward contracts, which is included in the assessment of hedge effectiveness, to Revenues.

In the event that the revenue transactions underlying a derivative instrument are no longer probable of occurring, accounting for the instrument under hedge accounting is discontinued. Gains and losses previously recognized in Other comprehensive income (loss) are reclassified into Other income (expense). If only a portion of the revenue transaction underlying a derivative instrument is no longer probable of occurring, only the portion of the derivative relating to those revenues would no longer be eligible for hedge accounting.

Transactional currency exposures that arise from entering into transactions, generally on an intercompany basis, in non-hyperinflationary countries that are denominated in currencies other than the functional currency are mitigated primarily through the use of forward contracts and currency options. Hedges of the transactional foreign exchange exposures resulting primarily from intercompany payables and receivables are undesignated hedges. As such, the gains or losses on these instruments are recognized immediately in income. The offset of these gains or losses against the gains and losses on the underlying hedged items, as well as the hedging costs associated with the derivative instruments, is recognized in Other income (expense).

The total notional amounts of the Company’s outstanding foreign exchange contracts as of March 31, 2012 and September 30, 2011 were $1,705,388 and $2,209,780, respectively.

Interest Rate Risks and Related Strategies

The Company’s primary interest rate exposure results from changes in U.S. dollar interest rates. The Company’s policy is to manage interest cost using a mix of fixed and variable rate debt. The Company periodically uses interest rate swaps to manage such exposures. Under these interest rate swaps, the Company exchanges, at specified intervals, the difference between fixed and floating interest amounts calculated by reference to an agreed-upon notional principal amount. These swaps are designated as either fair value or cash flow hedges.

For interest rate swaps designated as fair value hedges (i.e., hedges against the exposure to changes in the fair value of an asset or a liability or an identified portion thereof that is attributable to a particular risk), changes in the fair value of the interest rate swaps offset changes in the fair value of the fixed rate debt due to changes in market interest rates.

Changes in the fair value of the interest rate swaps designated as cash flow hedges (i.e., hedging the exposure to variability in expected future cash flows that is attributable to a particular risk) are offset by amounts recorded in Other comprehensive income (loss). If interest rate derivatives designated as cash flow hedges are terminated, the balance in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) attributable to those derivatives is reclassified into earnings over the remaining life of the hedged debt. The amount, related to terminated interest rate swaps, expected to be reclassified and recorded in Interest expense within the next 12 months is $5,308, net of tax.

 

The total notional amounts of the Company’s outstanding interest rate swaps designated as fair value hedges were $200,000 at both March 31, 2012 and September 30, 2011. The outstanding swap represents a fixed-to-floating rate swap agreement that was entered into to convert the interest payments on $200,000 in 4.55% notes, due April 15, 2013, from the fixed rate to a floating interest rate based on LIBOR.

The Company had no outstanding interest rate swaps designated as cash flow hedges as of March 31, 2012. The total notional amount of the Company’s outstanding interest rate swaps designated as cash flow hedges as of September 30, 2011 was $900,000 and included forward starting fixed-to-floating rate swap agreements under which the Company agreed to pay a fixed interest rate and receive a floating interest rate based on LIBOR, subject to mandatory termination and cash settlement on the forward start date. These hedges were entered into during the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2011 in anticipation of issuing new long-term debt in the first quarter of fiscal year 2012. Their purpose was to partially hedge the risk of changes in interest payments attributable to changes in the benchmark interest rate (the U.S. Dollar LIBOR swap rate) against which the debt was issued. These swaps were terminated on November 3, 2011, concurrent with the issuance of the new long-term debt.

Risk Exposures Not Hedged

The Company purchases resins, which are oil-based components used in the manufacture of certain products. While the Company has been able to hedge certain purchases of polyethylene, the Company does not currently use any hedges to manage the risk exposures related to other resins. Significant increases in world oil prices that lead to increases in resin purchase costs could impact future operating results. From time to time, the Company has managed price risks associated with other commodity purchases. The Company had no commodity forward contracts outstanding as of March 31, 2012 or September 30, 2011.