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Basis of Financial Statements
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Basis of Financial Statements

1. Basis of Financial Statements

The accompanying unaudited consolidated interim financial statements were prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for interim periods. Accordingly, certain information and footnotes required for complete financial statements under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States have not been included. These interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the December 31, 2011 financial statements and notes thereto of Westlake Chemical Corporation (the “Company”) included in the annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, filed with the SEC on February 23, 2012. These financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the accounting principles and practices as disclosed in the notes to the consolidated financial statements of the Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011.

In the opinion of the Company’s management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated interim financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) that are necessary for a fair statement of the Company’s financial position as of June 30, 2012, its results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011 and the changes in its cash position for the six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011.

Results of operations and changes in cash position for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results that will be realized for the year ending December 31, 2012 or any other interim period. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Fair Value Measurement

In May 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an accounting standards update changing some fair value measurement principles, such as by prohibiting the application of a blockage factor in fair value measurements and only requiring the application of the highest and best use concept when measuring nonfinancial assets. The accounting guidance requires, for recurring Level 3 fair value measurements, disclosure of quantitative information about unobservable inputs used, a description of the valuation processes used and a qualitative discussion about the sensitivity of the measurements. The accounting guidance further requires new disclosures about the use of a nonfinancial asset measured or disclosed at fair value if its use differs from its highest and best use. In addition, entities must report the fair value hierarchy level of assets and liabilities not recorded at fair value but where fair value is disclosed. The Company adopted the new fair value measurement guidance as of January 1, 2012, and the adoption did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.

Presentation of Other Comprehensive Income

In June 2011, the FASB issued an accounting standards update on the presentation of other comprehensive income. The new accounting guidance eliminates the option to report other comprehensive income and its components in the statement of changes in stockholders’ equity. The new standard allows companies to present net income and other comprehensive income either in one continuous statement or in two separate, but consecutive, statements. The FASB issued another accounting standards update on the presentation of other comprehensive income in December 2011, deferring the effective date for amendments to the presentation of reclassification adjustments of items out of accumulated other comprehensive income. In the interim, reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income should be presented consistent with the current presentation requirements. All other requirements of the June 2011 accounting standards update are not affected by the December 2011 update. With the exception of the presentation of reclassification adjustments of items out of accumulated other comprehensive income, the Company adopted the guidance pertaining to the presentation of other comprehensive income as of January 1, 2012, and the adoption did not have an impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.

Testing Goodwill for Impairment

In September 2011, the FASB issued an accounting standards update to simplify how entities test goodwill for impairment. The new accounting guidance provides an entity with an option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not 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 under current accounting guidance. If an entity determines it is not more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, then performing the two-step impairment test is unnecessary. However, if an entity concludes otherwise, then it is required to perform the first step of the two-step impairment test. Also under this new accounting guidance, an entity has the option to bypass the qualitative assessment for any reporting unit in any period and proceed directly to performing the first step of the two-step goodwill impairment test, but may resume performing the qualitative assessment in any subsequent period. The Company adopted the new goodwill impairment test guidance as of January 1, 2012, and the adoption did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.

Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities

In December 2011, the FASB issued an accounting standards update on disclosures for offsetting assets and liabilities. The new accounting guidance requires companies to disclose both gross and net information about (1) instruments and transactions eligible for offset in the statement of financial position, and (2) instruments and transactions subject to an agreement similar to a master netting arrangement. The accounting standards update will be effective for reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013 and is not expected to have an impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.