Summary of significant accounting policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Nature of our business

Nature of our business. Valhi, Inc. (NYSE: VHI) is primarily a holding company. We operate through our wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries, including NL Industries, Inc., Kronos Worldwide, Inc., CompX International Inc., Tremont LLC and Waste Control Specialists LLC (“WCS”). Kronos (NYSE: KRO), NL (NYSE: NL), and CompX (NYSE MKT: CIX) each file periodic reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

Organization

Organization. We are majority owned by Contran Corporation and one of its subsidiaries, which own approximately 93% of our outstanding common stock at December 31, 2012. Substantially all of Contran’s outstanding voting stock is held by trusts established for the benefit of certain children and grandchildren of Harold C. Simmons (for which Mr. Simmons is the sole trustee) or is held directly by Mr. Simmons or other persons or entities related to Mr. Simmons. Consequently, Mr. Simmons may be deemed to control Contran and us.

Unless otherwise indicated, references in this report to “we,” “us” or “our” refer to Valhi, Inc and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

Management's estimates

Management’s estimates. The preparation of our Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”), requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of our assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at each balance sheet date and the reported amounts of our revenues and expenses during each reporting period. Actual results may differ significantly from previously-estimated amounts under different assumptions or conditions

Principles of consolidation

Principles of consolidation. Our consolidated financial statements include the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of Valhi and our majority-owned and wholly-owned subsidiaries. We eliminate all material intercompany accounts and balances. Changes in ownership are accounted for as equity transactions with no gain or loss recognized on the transaction unless there is a change in control.

Foreign currency translation

Foreign currency translation. The financial statements of our foreign subsidiaries are translated to U.S. dollars. The functional currency of our foreign subsidiaries is generally the local currency of the country. Accordingly, we translate the assets and liabilities at year-end rates of exchange, while we translate their revenues and expenses at average exchange rates prevailing during the year. We accumulate the resulting translation adjustments in stockholders’ equity as part of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of related deferred income taxes and noncontrolling interest. We recognize currency transaction gains and losses in income.

Derivatives and hedging activities

Derivatives and hedging activities. We recognize derivatives as either an asset or liability measured at fair value in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging. We recognize the effect of changes in the fair value of derivatives either in net income or other comprehensive income, depending on the intended use of the derivative. See Note 19.

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents. We classify bank time deposits and government and commercial notes and bills with original maturities of three months or less as cash equivalents.

Restricted cash equivalents and restricted marketable debt securities

Restricted cash equivalents and restricted marketable debt securities. We classify cash equivalents and marketable debt securities that have been segregated or are otherwise limited in use as restricted. To the extent the restricted amount relates to a recognized liability, we classify the restricted amount as current or noncurrent according to the corresponding liability. To the extent the restricted amount does not relate to a recognized liability, we classify restricted cash as a current asset and we classify the restricted debt security as either a current or noncurrent asset depending upon the maturity date of the security.

Marketable securities and securities transactions

Marketable securities and securities transactions. We carry marketable debt and equity securities at fair value. ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, establishes a consistent framework for measuring fair value and (with certain exceptions) this framework is generally applied to all financial statements items required to be measured at fair value. The standard requires fair value measurements to be classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories:

• Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities;

• Level 2 – Quoted prices in markets that are not active, or inputs which are observable, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the assets or liability; and

• Level 3 – Prices or valuation techniques that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable.

See Notes 4, 11 and 19. We recognize unrealized and realized gains and losses on trading securities in income. We accumulate unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities as part of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of related deferred income taxes and noncontrolling interest. Realized gains and losses are based on specific identification of the securities sold.

Accounts receivable

Accounts receivable. We provide an allowance for doubtful accounts for known and estimated potential losses arising from our sales to customers based on a periodic review of these accounts.

Inventories and cost of sales

Inventories and cost of sales. We state inventories at the lower of cost or market, net of allowance for obsolete and slow-moving inventories. We generally base inventory costs on average cost that approximates the first-in, first-out method. Inventories include the costs for raw materials, the cost to manufacture the raw materials into finished goods and overhead. Depending on the inventory’s stage of completion, our manufacturing costs can include the costs of packing and finishing, utilities, maintenance and depreciation, shipping and handling, and salaries and benefits associated with our manufacturing process. We allocate fixed manufacturing overhead based on normal production capacity. Unallocated overhead costs resulting from periods with abnormally low production levels are charged to expense as incurred. As inventory is sold to third parties, we recognize the cost of sales in the same period the sale occurs. We periodically review our inventory for estimated obsolescence or instances when inventory is no longer marketable for its intended use, and we record any write-down equal to the difference between the cost of inventory and its estimated net realizable value based on assumptions about alternative uses, market conditions and other factors.

Investment in affiliates and joint ventures

Investment in affiliates and joint ventures. We account for investments in more than 20%-owned but less than majority-owned companies by the equity method. See Note 7. We allocate any differences between the cost of each investment and our pro-rata share of the entity’s separately-reported net assets among the assets and liabilities of the entity based upon estimated relative fair values. We amortize these differences, which were not material at December 31, 2012, to income as the entities depreciate, amortize or dispose of the related net assets.

Goodwill and other intangible assets; amortization expense

Goodwill and other intangible assets; amortization expense. Goodwill represents the excess of cost over fair value of individual net assets acquired in business combinations. Goodwill is not subject to periodic amortization. We amortize other intangible assets by the straight-line method over their estimated lives and state them net of accumulated amortization. We evaluate goodwill for impairment, annually, or when circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. We evaluate other intangible assets for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. See Note 8.

Capitalized operating permits

Capitalized operating permits. Our Waste Management Segment capitalizes direct costs related to the acquisition or renewal of operating permits and amortize such costs by the straight-line method over the term of the applicable permit. Our net capitalized operating permit costs include (i) costs to renew certain permits for which the renewal application is pending with the applicable regulatory agency and (ii) costs to apply for certain new permits which have not yet been issued by the applicable regulatory authority. We currently expect renewal of the permits for which application is still pending will occur in the ordinary course of business, and we are amortizing costs related to such renewals from the date the prior permit expired. All operating permits are generally subject to renewal at the option of the issuing governmental agency. We obtained our byproducts disposal license in 2008 and began amortizing such license when the byproduct disposal facility began operations in October 2009. We obtained our low-level radioactive waste (“LLRW”) license in September 2009. Our LLRW facilities commenced operations in 2012, at which time we began amortizing such license. Amortization of capitalized operating permit costs was $1.3 million for each of the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2011 and $4.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2012. Our estimated aggregate amortization expense for all our of capitalized permit costs as of December 31, 2012 is approximately $6.7 million in each of 2013 through 2017. The components of net capitalized permit costs are presented in the table below.

	December 31,
	2011		2012
	(In millions)
Net permit costs for:
Pending renewals of prior permits	$	.3	$	.2
Issued permits which are being amortized:
LLRW license (expires in 2024)		—		58.3
Byproduct license (expires in 2018)		6.6		5.6
Other (expires 2013 – 2024)		1.6		1.6
Total pending renewals and issued permits which are being amortized		8.5		65.7
Issued permits not yet subject to amortization		58.1		—
Total	$	66.6	$	65.7

Property and equipment; depreciation expense

Property and equipment; depreciation expense. We state property and equipment at acquisition cost, including capitalized interest on borrowings during the actual construction period of major capital projects. In 2010, 2011 and 2012 we capitalized $.9 million, $3.3 million and $1.7 million, respectively, of interest costs. We compute depreciation of property and equipment for financial reporting purposes (including mining equipment) principally by the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets as follows:

Asset	Useful lives
Buildings and improvements	10 to 40 years
Machinery and equipment	3 to 20 years
Mine development costs	Units-of-production
Landfill disposal costs	15 to 39 years

We expense expenditures for maintenance, repairs and minor renewals as incurred that do not improve or extend the life of the assets, including planned major maintenance.

We have a governmental concession with an unlimited term to operate our ilmenite mines in Norway. Mining properties consist of buildings and equipment used in our Norwegian ilmenite mining operations and costs associated with the development of a new mine area which commenced production prior to 2010. While we own the land and ilmenite reserves associated with the mining operations, such land and reserves were acquired for nominal value and we have no material asset recognized for the land and reserves related to our mining operations.

We operate waste disposal facilities. We capitalize preparation costs for landfill disposal cells, including costs relating to excavation and grading and the design and construction of liner and leachate collection system. We recognize closure and post closure costs as part of the carrying value disposal facilities.

We perform impairment tests when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. We consider all relevant factors. We perform the impairment test by comparing the estimated future undiscounted cash flows (exclusive of interest expense) associated with the asset to the asset’s net carrying value to determine if a write-down to fair value is required

Closure and post closure costs

Closure and post closure costs. The closure and post closure obligations related to our Waste Management Segment’s waste disposal sites are covered by the scope of ASC Topic 410, Asset Retirement and Environmental Obligations. We recognize the fair value of a liability for an asset retirement obligation in accordance with ASC Topic 410 in the period in which the liability is incurred, with an offsetting increase in the carrying amount of the related long-lived asset. Over time, we accrete the liability to its future value, and we depreciate the capitalized cost over the useful life of the related asset. The accretion and depreciation expenses are reported as a component of cost of sales in the accompanying income statement. We account for future revisions in the estimated fair value of the asset retirement obligation due to changes in the amount and/or timing of the expected future cash flows to settle the retirement obligation, prospectively as an adjustment to the previously-recognized asset retirement cost. Upon settlement of the liability, we will either settle the obligation for its recorded amount or incur a gain or loss upon settlement. See Note 10.

Long-term debt

Long-term debt. We state long-term debt net of any unamortized original issue premium or discount. We classify amortization of deferred financing costs and any premium or discount associated with the issuance of indebtedness as interest expense, and compute amortization by either the interest method or the straight-line method over the term of the applicable issue.

Employee benefit plans

Employee benefit plans. Accounting and funding policies for our retirement plans are described in Note 11.

Income taxes

Income taxes. We and our qualifying subsidiaries are members of Contran’s consolidated U.S federal income tax group (the “Contran Tax Group”). We and certain of our qualifying subsidiaries also file consolidated income tax returns with Contran in various U.S. state jurisdictions. As a member of the Contran Tax Group, we are jointly and severally liable for the federal income tax liability of Contran and the other companies included in the Contran Tax Group for all periods in which we are included in the Contran Tax Group. See Note 17. As a member of the Contran Tax Group, we are a party to a tax sharing agreement which provides that we compute our tax provision for U.S. income taxes on a separate-company basis using the tax elections made by Contran. Pursuant to the tax sharing agreement, we make payments to or receive payments from Contran in amounts we would have paid to or received from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service or the applicable state tax authority had we not been a member of the Contran Tax Group. Generally, subsidiaries make payments to or receive payments from us in the amounts they would have paid to or received from the Internal Revenue Service or the applicable state tax authority had they not been members of the Contran Tax Group. We made net cash payments for income taxes to Contran of $10.3 million in 2011 and $6.0 million in 2012 and we received net cash payments for income taxes from Contran of $16.1 million in 2010.

We recognize deferred income tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between amounts recorded in the Consolidated Financial Statements and the tax basis of our assets and liabilities, including investments in our subsidiaries and affiliates who are not members of the Contran Tax Group and undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries which are not deemed to be permanently reinvested. In addition, we recognize deferred income taxes with respect to the excess of the financial reporting carrying amount over the income tax basis of our direct investment in Kronos common stock because the exemption under GAAP to avoid recognition of such deferred income taxes is not available to us. The earnings of our foreign subsidiaries subject to permanent reinvestment plans aggregated $1.0 billion at December 31, 2012 (at December 31, 2011 the amount was $978 million). It is not practical for us to determine the amount of the unrecognized deferred income tax liability related to these earnings due to the complexities associated with the U.S. taxation on earnings of foreign subsidiaries repatriated to the U.S. We periodically evaluate our deferred tax assets in the various taxing jurisdictions in which we operate and adjust any related valuation allowance based on the estimate of the amount of such deferred tax assets we believe does not meet the more-likely-than-not recognition criteria.

We record a reserve for uncertain tax positions where we believe it is more-likely-than-not our position will not prevail with the applicable tax authorities. The amount of the benefit associated with our uncertain tax positions that we recognize is limited to the largest amount for which we believe the likelihood of realization is greater than 50%. We accrue penalties and interest on the difference between tax positions taken on our tax returns and the amount of benefit recognized for financial reporting purposes. We classify our reserves for uncertain tax positions in a separate current or noncurrent liability, depending on the nature of the tax position. See Note 12.

Environmental remediation and related costs

Environmental remediation and related costs. We record liabilities related to environmental remediation and related costs when estimated future expenditures are probable and reasonably estimable. We adjust these accruals as further information becomes available to us or as circumstances change. We generally do not discount estimated future expenditures to its present value due to the uncertainty of the timing of the ultimate payout. We recognize any recoveries of remediation costs from other parties when we deem their receipt to be probable. We expense any environmental remediation related legal costs as incurred. At December 31, 2011 and 2012, we had not recognized any receivables for recoveries. See Note 17.

Net sales

Net sales. We record sales when products are shipped and title and other risks and rewards of ownership have passed to the customer, or when we perform services. We include amounts charged to customers for shipping and handling costs in net sales. We state sales net of price, early payment and distributor discounts and volume rebates. We report taxes assessed by a governmental authority such as sales, use, value added, excise taxes and fees from the State of Texas and Andrews County, Texas on a net basis (i.e., we do not recognize these taxes in either our revenues or in our costs and expenses).

Selling, general and administrative expenses; shipping and handling costs; advertising costs; research and development costs

Selling, general and administrative expenses; shipping and handling costs; advertising costs; research and development costs. Selling, general and administrative expenses include costs related to marketing, sales, distribution, shipping and handling, research and development, legal, environmental remediation and administrative functions such as accounting, treasury and finance, and includes costs for salaries and benefits not associated with our manufacturing process, travel and entertainment, promotional materials and professional fees. Shipping and handling costs of our Chemicals Segment were approximately $83 million in 2010, $93 million in 2011 and $89 million in 2012. Shipping and handling costs of our Component Products and Waste Management Segments are not material. We expense advertising and research, development and sales technical support costs as incurred. Advertising costs attributable to continuing operations were approximately $1 million in 2010, $2 million in 2011 and $1 million in 2012. Research, development and certain sales technical support costs attributable to continuing operations were approximately $13 million in 2010, $20 million in 2011 and $19 million in 2012.