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Significant Accounting Policies | 12 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2024
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Significant Accounting Policies | Note A. Significant Accounting Policies The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). The significant accounting policies of Cabot Corporation (“Cabot” or “the Company”) are described below. Unless otherwise indicated, all disclosures and amounts in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements relate to the Company’s operations. Principles of Consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Cabot and its wholly-owned subsidiaries and majority-owned and controlled subsidiaries. Additionally, Cabot considers consolidation of entities over which control is achieved through means other than voting rights, of which there were none in the periods presented. Intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash equivalents include all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less at date of acquisition. Cabot continually assesses the liquidity of cash equivalents and, as of September 30, 2024, has determined that they are readily convertible to cash. Inventories Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. The cost of inventories is determined using the first-in, first-out method. Cabot periodically 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 net realizable value. Investments The Company has investments in equity affiliates and marketable securities. As circumstances warrant, all investments are subject to periodic impairment reviews. Unless consolidation is required, investments in equity affiliates, where Cabot generally owns between 20% and 50% of the affiliate, are accounted for using the equity method. Cabot records its share of the equity affiliate’s results of operations based on its percentage of ownership of the affiliate. Dividends declared from equity affiliates are a return on investment and are recorded as a reduction to the equity investment value. As of September 30, 2024 and 2023, Cabot had equity affiliate investments of $23 million and $20 million, respectively. Dividends declared and received from these investments were $2 million, $2 million and $1 million in fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Intangible Assets and Goodwill Impairment The Company records tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed in business combinations under the acquisition method of accounting. Amounts paid for an acquisition are allocated to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their fair values at the date of acquisition. The Company uses assumptions and estimates in determining the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination. The determination of the fair value of intangible assets requires the use of significant judgment with regard to assumptions used in the valuation model. The Company estimates the fair value of identifiable acquisition-related intangible assets principally based on projections of cash flows that will arise from these assets. The projected cash flows are discounted to determine the fair value of the assets at the dates of acquisition. Definite-lived intangible assets, which are comprised of trademarks, customer relationships and developed technologies, are amortized over their estimated useful lives and are reviewed for impairment when indication of potential impairment exists, such as a significant reduction in cash flows associated with the assets. Goodwill is comprised of the purchase price of business acquisitions in excess of the fair value assigned to the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired. Goodwill is not amortized and is subject to impairment testing annually, or when events or changes in the business environment indicate that the carrying value of the reporting unit may exceed its fair value. A reporting unit, for the purpose of the impairment test, is at or below the operating segment level, and constitutes a business for which discrete financial information is available and regularly reviewed by segment management. Reinforcement Materials, and the fumed metal oxides, specialty compounds, specialty carbons and battery materials product lines within Performance Chemicals, which are considered separate reporting units, carry the Company’s goodwill balances as of September 30, 2024. For the purpose of the goodwill impairment test, the Company first assesses 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. 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, an additional quantitative evaluation is performed. Alternatively, the Company may elect to proceed directly to the quantitative goodwill impairment test. If based on the quantitative evaluation the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, a goodwill impairment loss would result. The goodwill impairment loss would be the amount by which the carrying value of the reporting unit, including goodwill, exceeds its fair value, limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. The fair value of a reporting unit is based on discounted estimated future cash flows. The assumptions used to estimate fair value include management’s best estimates of future growth rates, operating cash flows, capital expenditures and discount rates over an estimate of the remaining operating period at the reporting unit level. The fair value is also benchmarked against the value calculated from a market approach using the guideline public company method. Based on the Company's most recent annual goodwill impairment test performed as of August 31, 2024, the fair values of the Reinforcement Materials, fumed metal oxides, specialty compounds, specialty carbons and battery materials reporting units were substantially in excess of their carrying values. Long-lived Assets Impairment Long-lived assets are grouped with other assets and liabilities at the lowest level for which independent identifiable cash flows are determinable. The carrying values of long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. To test for impairment of assets, the Company generally uses a probability-weighted estimate of the future undiscounted net cash flows of the assets over their remaining lives to determine if the value of the asset is recoverable. An asset impairment is recognized when the carrying value of the asset is not recoverable based on the analysis described above, in which case the asset is written down to its fair value. If the asset does not have a readily determinable market value, a discounted cash flow model may be used to determine the fair value of the asset. Property, Plant and Equipment Property, plant and equipment are recorded at cost. Depreciation of property, plant and equipment is calculated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the related assets. The depreciable lives for buildings, machinery and equipment, and other fixed assets are generally between twenty and twenty-five years, ten and twenty-five years, and three and twenty-five years, respectively. The cost and accumulated depreciation for property, plant and equipment sold, retired, or otherwise disposed of are removed from the Consolidated Balance Sheets and resulting gains or losses are included in earnings in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Expenditures for repairs and maintenance are charged to expenses as incurred. Expenditures for major renewals and betterments, which significantly extend the useful lives of existing plant and equipment, are capitalized and depreciated. Cabot capitalizes interest costs when they are part of the cost of acquiring and constructing certain assets that require a period of time to prepare for their intended use. During fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022, Cabot capitalized $9 million, $6 million and $3 million of interest costs, respectively. These amounts are amortized over the lives of the related assets when they are placed in service. Asset Retirement Obligations Cabot estimates incremental costs for special handling, removal and disposal of materials that may or will give rise to conditional asset retirement obligations (“ARO”) and then discounts the expected costs back to the current year using a credit adjusted risk-free rate. Cabot recognizes ARO liabilities and costs when they are probable and can be reasonably estimated. In certain instances, Cabot has not recorded a reserve for AROs because the timing of disposal of the underlying asset is unknown. The ARO reserves were $11 million as of both September 30, 2024 and 2023. The ARO balances are included in Accounts payable and accrued liabilities and Other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Foreign Currency Translation The functional currency of the majority of Cabot’s foreign subsidiaries is the local currency in which the subsidiary operates. Assets and liabilities of foreign subsidiaries are translated into U.S. dollars at exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet dates. Income and expense items are translated at average monthly exchange rates during the year. The functional currency of Cabot’s foreign subsidiaries that operate in a highly inflationary economy is the U.S. dollar. Refer below to Argentinian Government Actions for detail regarding foreign currency exchange losses recorded by Cabot’s wholly-owned Argentinian subsidiary which operates in a highly inflationary economy. Cabot’s operations in other highly inflationary economies are not material. Unrealized currency translation adjustments (“CTA”) are included as a separate component of Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (“AOCI”) within stockholders’ equity. Realized and unrealized foreign currency gains and losses arising from transactions denominated in currencies other than the subsidiary’s functional currency are reflected in earnings with the exception of (i) intercompany transactions considered to be of a long-term investment nature; (ii) income taxes upon future repatriation of unremitted earnings from non-U.S. subsidiaries that are not indefinitely reinvested; and (iii) foreign currency borrowings designated as net investment hedges. Gains or losses arising from these transactions are included within the CTA component of Other comprehensive income (loss). In fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022, net foreign currency transaction loss of $46 million, $35 million, and $13 million, respectively, is included in Other income (expense) in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Argentinian Government Actions The Company’s wholly-owned Argentinian subsidiary operates in a highly inflationary economy and, as a result, the functional currency of the subsidiary is Cabot’s reporting currency, the U.S. dollar. During fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022, the Company recorded foreign exchange losses of $43 million, $33 million and $15 million respectively, related to the revaluation of non-functional currency denominated monetary asset and liability balances. These total foreign exchange losses included foreign exchange losses related to a single devaluation action by the Argentine government of $33 million, $7 million and nil that occurred in fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The Company invested cash in money market funds and recorded investment income of $17 million, $16 million, and $5 million for fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The foreign exchange losses and investment gains are recorded in Other income (expense) in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. During the second quarter of fiscal 2024, the Company purchased $30 million in BOPREAL bonds (standing for “Bond for the Reconstruction of a Free Argentina” in Spanish), which are U.S. dollar-denominated securities issued by the Central Bank of Argentina, as part of an Argentine government program to settle foreign payables for importers with debts for goods with customs registration and/or services, incurred on or prior to December 12, 2023. The Company subsequently sold the bonds for $22 million and utilized the proceeds to partially repay its foreign payables in Argentina. The purchase and proceeds of BOPREAL bonds are included in the Changes in Prepaid expenses and other assets in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. The $8 million investment loss is included in Other non-cash (income) expense in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows and in Other income (expense) in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. In accordance with Argentine government regulations, the Company purchased an additional $8 million of U.S. dollars in the third quarter of fiscal 2024 at a foreign exchange loss of $2 million and utilized the funds to complete the settlement of outstanding foreign payables incurred on or prior to December 12, 2023. Share Repurchases Periodically, Cabot repurchases shares of the Company’s common stock under the authorization provided by the Board of Directors. The Company retires the repurchased shares and records the excess of the purchase price over par value to additional paid-in capital (“APIC”) until such amount is reduced to zero and then charges the remainder against retained earnings. Financial Instruments Cabot’s financial instruments consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, accounts and notes receivable, investments, 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 fixed rate long-term debt, which 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 valuations take into account the ability of the financial counterparty to perform and the Company’s own credit risk. Cabot uses derivative financial instruments primarily for purposes of hedging the exposures to fluctuations in 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 AOCI, 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 AOCI 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 Statements 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. Revenue Recognition Cabot recognizes revenue when its customers obtain control of promised goods or services. The revenue recognized is the amount of consideration which the Company expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. The Company’s contracts with customers are generally for products only and do not include other performance obligations. Generally, Cabot considers purchase orders, which in some cases are governed by master supply agreements, to be contracts with customers. The transaction price as specified on the purchase order or sales contract is considered the standalone selling price for each distinct product. To determine the transaction price at the time when revenue is recognized, the Company evaluates whether the price is subject to adjustments, such as for returns, discounts or volume rebates, which are stated in the customer contract, to determine the net consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled. Substantially all revenue from product sales is based on a point in time model and is recognized when control of the product is transferred to the customer, which typically occurs upon shipment or delivery of the product to the customer and title, risk and rewards of ownership have passed to the customer. For contracts where Cabot completes its performance obligation prior to its right to consideration or contracts where consideration is received prior to completing the Company’s performance obligation, the Company records a contract asset or a contract liability, respectively, on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Shipping and handling activities that occur after the transfer of control to the customer are billed to customers and are recorded as sales revenue, as the Company considers these to be fulfillment costs. These shipping and handling costs are expensed in the period incurred and included in Cost of sales within the Consolidated Statement of Operations. Taxes collected on sales to customers are excluded from the transaction price. The Company generally provides a warranty that its products will substantially conform to the identified specifications. The Company’s liability typically is limited to either a credit equal to the purchase price or replacement of the non-conforming product. Returns under warranty have historically been immaterial. Payment terms typically range from zero to ninety days. When the period of time between the transfer of control of the goods and the time the customer pays for the goods is one year or less, the Company does not consider there to be a significant financing component associated with the contract. Cost of Sales Cost of sales consists of the 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 expenses necessary to manufacture the products. Accounts and Notes Receivable Trade receivables are recorded at the invoiced amount and generally do not bear interest. Cabot maintains allowances for doubtful accounts based on an assessment of the collectability 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. There were no material changes in the allowance for any of the years presented. Share-based Compensation Cabot recognizes compensation expense for share-based awards granted to employees using the fair value method. Under the fair value recognition provisions, share-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award, and is recognized as expense over the service period, which generally represents the vesting period, and includes an estimate of what level of performance the Company will achieve for Cabot’s performance-based stock awards. Cabot calculates the fair value of its stock options using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The fair value of restricted stock units is determined using the closing price of Cabot stock on the day of the grant. The Company recognizes forfeitures as they occur. 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. Research and Technical Expenses Research and technical expenses include salaries, equipment and material expenditures, and contractor fees and are expensed as incurred. Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits The Company recognizes the funded status of defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit plans as an asset or liability. This amount is defined as the difference between the fair value of plan assets and the benefit obligation. Pension and post-retirement benefit costs other than service cost are included in Other income (expense) in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. Service cost is included with other employee compensation costs within Cost of sales, Selling and administrative expenses, or Research and technical expenses. The Company recognizes actuarial gains and losses and prior service costs and credits as a component of Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax, which are subsequently amortized into earnings as a component of net periodic benefit cost. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) AOCI, which is included as a component of stockholders’ equity, includes unrealized gains or losses on derivative instruments, currency translation adjustments in foreign subsidiaries and pension and post-retirement related adjustments. Income Taxes Deferred income taxes are determined based on the estimated future tax effects of differences between financial statement carrying amounts and the tax bases of existing assets and liabilities. Deferred tax assets are recognized to the extent that realization of those assets is considered to be more likely than not. A valuation allowance is established for deferred taxes when it is more likely than not that all or a portion of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Provisions are made for the U.S. income tax liability and additional non-U.S. taxes on the undistributed earnings of non-U.S. subsidiaries, except for amounts Cabot has designated to be indefinitely reinvested. Cabot records benefits for uncertain tax positions based on an assessment of whether the position is more likely than not to be sustained by the taxing authorities. If this threshold is not met, no tax benefit of the uncertain tax position is recognized. If the threshold is met, the tax benefit that is recognized is the largest amount that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. This analysis presumes the taxing authorities’ full knowledge of the positions taken and all relevant facts, but does not consider the time value of money. The Company also accrues for interest and penalties on its uncertain tax positions and includes such charges in its income tax provision in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Contingencies Cabot accrues costs related to contingencies when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount can be reasonably estimated. Contingencies could arise from litigation, environmental remediation or contractual arrangements. When a single liability amount cannot be reasonably estimated, but a range can be reasonably estimated, Cabot accrues the amount that reflects the best estimate within that range or the low end of the range if no estimate within the range would be considered more likely than any other estimate. The amount accrued is determined through the evaluation of various information, which could include claims, settlement offers, demands by government agencies, estimates performed by independent third parties, identification of other responsible parties and an assessment of their ability to contribute, and the Company’s prior experience. Cabot does not reduce its estimated liability for possible recoveries from insurance carriers. Proceeds from insurance carriers are recorded when realized by either the receipt of cash or a contractual agreement. Use of Estimates The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reported period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

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