Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements

K. Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements

The FASB authoritative guidance on fair value measurements defines fair value, provides a framework for measuring fair value, and requires certain disclosures about fair value measurements. The required disclosures focus on the inputs used to measure fair value. The guidance establishes the following hierarchy for categorizing these inputs:

Level 1	—	Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities
Level 2	—	Significant other observable inputs (e.g., quoted prices for similar items in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar items in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable such as interest rate and yield curves, and market-corroborated inputs)
Level 3	—	Significant unobservable inputs

There were no transfers of financial assets or liabilities measured at fair value between Level 1 and Level 2 and there were no Level 3 investments during the first six months of either fiscal 2023 or 2022.

At March 31, 2023 and September 30, 2022, the fair values of cash and cash equivalents, accounts and notes receivable, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, and short-term borrowings and variable rate debt approximated their carrying values due to the short-term nature of these instruments. Each of these financial asset and liability categories is classified as Level 1 within the fair value hierarchy.

At March 31, 2023 and September 30, 2022, Cabot had derivatives relating to foreign currency risks, including a net investment hedge and forward foreign currency contracts, carried at fair value. At March 31, 2023, the fair value of these derivatives was a net asset of $11 million and was included in Prepaid expenses and other current assets, Accounts payable and accrued liabilities, and Other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. At September 30, 2022, the fair value of these derivatives was a net asset of $28 million and was included in Prepaid expenses and other current assets, Accounts payable and accrued liabilities, and Other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. These derivatives are classified as Level 2 instruments within the fair value hierarchy as the fair value determination was based on observable inputs.

At March 31, 2023 and September 30, 2022, the fair value of guaranteed investment contracts included in Other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets was $9 million and $8 million, respectively. Guaranteed investment contracts were classified as Level 2 instruments within the fair value hierarchy as the fair value determination was based on other observable inputs.

The carrying value and fair value of the long-term fixed rate debt were $1.08 billion and $1.09 billion, respectively, as of March 31, 2023 and $1.08 billion and $1.06 billion, respectively, as of September 30, 2022. The fair values of Cabot’s fixed rate long-term debt are estimated based on comparable quoted market prices at the respective period ends. The carrying amounts of Cabot’s floating rate long-term debt and finance and operating lease obligations approximate their fair values. All such measurements are based on observable inputs and are classified as Level 2 within the fair value hierarchy. The valuation technique used is the discounted cash flow model.