v2.4.0.6
Income Taxes (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2010
Income Taxes  
Components of income from operations before income tax

 
  Year Ended December 31,  
(US$ in millions)
  2010   2009   2008  

United States

  $ 42   $ 184   $ 126  

Non-United States

    3,008     (39 )   1,411  
               

Total

  $ 3,050   $ 145   $ 1,537  
               
Components of income tax (expense) benefit

 
  Year Ended December 31,  
(US$ in millions)
  2010   2009   2008  

Current:

                   

United States

  $ (33 ) $ (58 ) $ (12 )

Non-United States

    (499 )   (39 )   (511 )
               

 

    (532 )   (97 )   (523 )
               

Deferred:

                   

United States

    (12 )   (13 )   (22 )

Non-United States

    (148 )   217     273  
               

 

    (160 )   204     251  
               

Uncertain:

                   

United States

    (1 )   (2 )   (1 )

Non-United States

    4     5     28  
               

 

    3     3     27  
               

Total

  $ (689 ) $ 110   $ (245 )
               
Reconciliation of income tax benefit (expense)

 
  Year Ended December 31,  
(US$ in millions)
  2010   2009   2008  

Income from operations before income tax

  $ 3,050   $ 145   $ 1,537  

Income tax rate

    35 %   35 %   35 %
               

Income tax expense at the U.S. Federal tax rate

    (1,068 )   (51 )   (538 )

Adjustments to derive effective tax rate:

                   
 

Foreign earnings taxed at different statutory rates

    515     163     166  
 

Changes in valuation allowances

    (129 )   (17 )   (47 )
 

Goodwill amortization

    44     31     23  
 

Benefit from interest on capital dividends paid by Brazilian companies

    2     1     14  
 

Investment tax credits

    27     22     45  
 

Foreign exchange on monetary items

    (9 )   (11 )   69  
 

Non-deductible expenses

    (68 )   (35 )   (35 )
 

Uncertain tax positions

    3     3     27  
 

Other

    (6 )   4     31  
               

Income tax (expense) benefit

  $ (689 ) $ 110   $ (245 )
               
Components of deferred tax assets and liabilities

 
  December 31,  
(US$ in millions)
  2010   2009  

Deferred income tax assets:

             

Net operating loss carryforwards

  $ 1,098   $ 1,072  

Excess of tax basis over financial statement basis of property, plant and equipment

    34     17  

Accrued retirement costs (pension and postretirement healthcare cost) and other accrued employee compensation

    115     136  

Tax credit carryforwards

    12     21  

Inventories

        3  

Other accruals and reserves not currently deductible for tax purposes

    625     499  
           

Total deferred tax assets

    1,884     1,748  

Less valuation allowances

    (245 )   (116 )
           

Deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance

    1,639     1,632  
           

Deferred tax liabilities:

             

Excess of financial statement basis over tax basis of long-lived assets

    179     255  

Undistributed earnings of affiliates not considered permanently reinvested

    30     31  

Inventories

    11     20  

Other temporary differences

    332     124  
           

Total deferred tax liabilities

    552     430  
           

Net deferred tax assets

  $ 1,087   $ 1,202  
           
Reconciliation of beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits

(US$ in millions)
  2010   2009   2008  

Balance at January 1

  $ 111   $ 138   $ 197  

Additions based on tax positions related to the current year

    1     1     3  

Additions based on tax positions related to prior years

    7     42     11  

Reductions for tax positions of prior years

            (40 )

Settlement or clarification from tax authorities

    (2 )   (81 )   (2 )

Expiration of statute of limitations

    (7 )   (3 )   (1 )

Sale of Brazilian fertilizer nutrients assets

    (6 )        

Foreign currency translation

    (2 )   14     (30 )
               

Balance at December 31

  $ 102   $ 111   $ 138  
               
Income tax examination by tax authorities

 
  Open Tax Years  

North America

    1998-2010  

South America

    2004-2010  

Europe

    2004-2010  

Asia

    2003-2010