Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

Revenue Recognition and Accounts Receivable

Revenue Recognition and Accounts Receivable

Cabot recognizes revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred or services have been rendered, the sales price is fixed or determinable and collectibility is reasonably assured. Cabot generally is able to ensure that products meet customer specifications prior to shipment. If the Company is unable to determine that the product has met the specified objective criteria prior to shipment or if title has not transferred because of sales terms, the revenue is considered “unearned” and is deferred until the revenue recognition criteria are met.

Shipping and handling charges related to sales transactions are recorded as sales revenue when billed to customers or included in the sales price.

The following table shows the relative size of the revenue recognized in each of the Company’s reportable segments:

	Three months ended June 30						Nine months ended June 30
	2012			2011			2012			2011
Core Segment		63	%		65	%		65	%		65	%
Performance Segment		30	%		30	%		29	%		30	%
New Business Segment		4	%		4	%		3	%		4	%
Specialty Fluids Segment		3	%		1	%		3	%		1	%

Cabot derives substantially all of its revenues from the sale of products in the Core and Performance Segments. Revenue from these products is typically recognized when the product is shipped and title and risk of loss have passed to the customer. The Company offers certain of its customers cash discounts and volume rebates as sales incentives. The discounts and volume rebates are recorded as a reduction in sales at the time revenue is recognized and are estimated based on historical experience and contractual obligations. Cabot periodically reviews the assumptions underlying its estimates of discounts and volume rebates and adjusts its revenues accordingly.

Revenue in the New Business Segment is typically recognized when the product is shipped and title and risk of loss have passed to the customer. Depending on the nature of the contract with the customer, a portion of the segment’s revenue may be recognized using proportional performance.

A significant portion of the revenue in the Specialty Fluids Segment arises from the rental of cesium formate. This revenue is recognized throughout the rental period based on the contracted rental terms. Customers are also billed and revenue is recognized, typically at the end of the job, for cesium formate product that is not returned. The Company also generates revenues from the sale of cesium formate outside of a rental process and revenue is recognized upon delivery of the fluid.

Cabot maintains allowances for doubtful accounts based on an assessment of the collectibility of specific customer accounts, the aging of accounts receivable and other economic information on both a historical and prospective basis. Customer account balances are charged against the allowance when it is probable the receivable will not be recovered. Changes in the allowance during the first nine months of fiscal 2012 and 2011 were immaterial. There is no off-balance sheet credit exposure related to customer receivable balances.

Cost of Sales

Cost of Sales

Cost of sales consists of cost of raw and packaging materials, direct manufacturing costs, depreciation, internal transfer costs, inspection costs, inbound and outbound freight and shipping and handling costs, plant purchasing and receiving costs and other overhead expense necessary to manufacture the products.

Selling and Administrative Expenses

Selling and Administrative Expenses

Selling and administrative expenses consist of salaries and fringe benefits of sales and office personnel, general office expenses and other expenses not directly related to manufacturing operations.

Goodwill

Goodwill

Goodwill is comprised of the cost of business acquisitions in excess of the fair value assigned to the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired. Goodwill is not amortized but is reviewed for impairment annually, or when events or changes in the business environment indicate that the carrying value of the reporting unit may exceed its fair value.

Goodwill is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level annually, or more frequently when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the fair value of a reporting unit has more likely than not declined below its carrying value. The Company has three reporting units that carry goodwill balances: Rubber Blacks, Fumed Metal Oxides, and Security Materials. During fiscal 2012, the Company adopted the authoritative guidance that simplifies how entities test goodwill for impairment and permits an entity 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 value amount and as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the two-step goodwill impairment test. Alternatively, the Company may elect to proceed directly to the two-step goodwill impairment test. If an initial qualitative assessment identifies that it is more likely than not that the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value, additional quantitative evaluation is performed under the two-step impairment test. If based on the quantitative evaluation the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, the Company performs an analysis of the fair value of all assets and liabilities of the reporting unit. If the implied fair value of the reporting unit’s goodwill is determined to be less than its carrying amount, an impairment is recognized for the difference. The Company primarily utilizes a discounted cash flow methodology to calculate the fair value of its reporting units. See Note E for further information on goodwill.

Financial Instruments

Financial Instruments

Cabot’s financial instruments consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, accounts and notes receivable, investments, notes receivable from the sale of business, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, short-term and long-term debt, and derivative instruments. The carrying values of Cabot’s financial instruments approximate fair value with the exception of long-term debt that has not been designated as part of a fair value hedge. The non-hedged long-term debt is recorded at amortized cost. The fair values of the Company’s financial instruments are based on quoted market prices, if such prices are available. In situations where quoted market prices are not available, the Company relies on valuation models to derive fair value. Such valuation takes into account the ability of the financial counterparty to perform.

Cabot uses derivative financial instruments primarily for purposes of hedging exposures to fluctuations in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates, which exist as part of its on-going business operations. Cabot does not enter into derivative contracts for speculative purposes, nor does it hold or issue any derivative contracts for trading purposes. All derivatives are recognized on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair value. Where Cabot has a legal right to offset derivative settlements under a master netting agreement with a counterparty, derivatives with that counterparty are presented on a net basis. The changes in the fair value of derivatives are recorded in either earnings or Accumulated other comprehensive income, depending on whether or not the instrument is designated as part of a hedge transaction and, if designated as part of a hedge transaction, the type of hedge transaction. The gains or losses on derivative instruments reported in Accumulated other comprehensive income are reclassified to earnings in the period in which earnings are affected by the underlying hedged item. The ineffective portion of all hedges is recognized in earnings during the period in which the ineffectiveness occurs.

In accordance with Cabot’s risk management strategy, the Company may enter into certain derivative instruments that may not be designated as hedges for hedge accounting purposes. Although these derivatives are not designated as hedges, the Company believes that such instruments are closely correlated with the underlying exposure, thus managing the associated risk. The Company records in earnings the gains or losses from changes in the fair value of derivative instruments that are not designated as hedges. Cash movements associated with these instruments are presented in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows as Cash Flows from Operating Activities because the derivatives are designed to mitigate risk to the Company’s cash flow from operations.

Income Tax in Interim Periods

Income Tax in Interim Periods

The Company records its tax provision or benefit on an interim basis using an estimated annual effective tax rate. This rate is applied to the current period ordinary income or loss to determine the income tax provision or benefit allocated to the interim period. Losses from jurisdictions for which no benefit can be recognized and the income tax effects of unusual or infrequent items are excluded from the estimated annual effective tax rate and are recognized in the impacted interim period.

Valuation allowances are provided against the future tax benefits that arise from the deferred tax assets in jurisdictions for which no benefit can be recognized. The estimated annual effective tax rate may be significantly impacted by nondeductible expenses and the Company’s projected earnings mix by tax jurisdiction. Adjustments to the estimated annual effective income tax rate are recognized in the period when such estimates are revised.

Inventory Valuation

Inventory Valuation

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. The cost of all carbon black inventories in the U.S. is determined using the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method. Had the Company used the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method instead of the LIFO method for such inventories, the value of those inventories would have been $52 million and $53 million higher as of June 30, 2012 and September 30, 2011, respectively. The cost of Specialty Fluids inventories is determined using the average cost method. The cost of other U.S. and all non-U.S. inventories is determined using the FIFO method.

During the three and nine months ended June 30, 2012, inventory quantities were reduced at the Company’s U.S. Rubber Blacks and Performance Products sites. These reductions led to liquidations of LIFO inventory quantities and resulted in a decrease of cost of goods sold of $1 million and an increase in net income of $1 million ($0.01 per diluted common share). No such reductions occurred in either the three or nine months ended June 30, 2011.

Cabot reviews inventory for both potential obsolescence and potential declines in anticipated selling prices. In this review, the Company makes assumptions about the future demand for and market value of the inventory, and based on these assumptions estimates the amount of any obsolete, unmarketable, slow moving or overvalued inventory. Cabot writes down the value of these inventories by an amount equal to the difference between the cost of the inventory and its estimated market value. There were no significant write-downs in either the three or nine months ended June 30, 2012 or 2011.