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DESCRIPTION Of BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2022
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] |
DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | Note 1 — DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Description of Business We are a premier formulator of specialized and sustainable material solutions that transform customer challenges into opportunities, bringing new products to life for a better world. Our products include specialty engineered materials, performance fibers, advanced composites, and color and additive systems. We are also a highly specialized developer and manufacturer of performance enhancing additives, liquid colorants, and fluoropolymer and silicone colorants. Headquartered in Avon Lake, Ohio, we have employees at sales, and manufacturing across North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. We provide value to our customers through our ability to link our knowledge of polymers and formulation technology with our manufacturing and supply chain to provide value added solutions to designers, assemblers and processors of plastics. When used in these notes to the consolidated financial statements, the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” “Avient” and the “Company” mean Avient Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries. Our operations are reported in two reportable segments: Color, Additives and Inks and Specialty Engineered Materials. See Note 15, Segment Information, for more information. Accounting Standards Adopted On January 1, 2021, the Company adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Account Standards Update (ASU) 2019-12, Income Taxes (ASC 740) - Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (ASU 2019-12), which simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in FASB Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 740 and also clarifies and amends existing guidance to improve consistent application. The adoption of ASU 2019-12 did not result in any material impact. Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (ASU 2020-04), provides optional guidance for a limited period of time to ease potential accounting impacts associated with transitioning away from reference rates that are expected to be discontinued, such as LIBOR. The amendments in ASU 2020-04 apply only to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions that reference LIBOR or another reference rates expected to be discontinued. The amendments in ASU 2020-04 are effective through December 31, 2022; however, ASU 2022-06, Reference Rate Reform: Deferral of the Sunset Date of Topic 848 has extended the effective date through December 31, 2024. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this standard and does not expect any material impact to our consolidated financial statements and disclosures. ASU 2022-04, Liabilities - Supplier Finance Programs provides guidance that requires entities that use supplier finance programs in connection with the purchase of goods and services to disclose the key terms of the programs and information about their obligations outstanding at the end of the reporting period, including a rollforward of those obligations. The guidance is effective for all entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, except for the rollforward requirement, which is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023. The Company is currently evaluating and does not expect any material impact to our disclosures. Consolidation and Basis of Presentation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Avient and its subsidiaries. All majority-owned affiliates over which we have control are consolidated. Transactions with related parties, including joint ventures, are in the ordinary course of business. Historical information has been retrospectively adjusted to reflect the classification of discontinued operations. Discontinued operations are further discussed in Note 3, Discontinued Operations. Use of Estimates Preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions in certain circumstances that affect amounts reported in the accompanying consolidated financial statements and notes. Actual results could differ from these estimates. Cash and Cash Equivalents We consider all highly liquid investments purchased with a maturity of less than three months to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents are stated at cost, which approximates fair value. Allowance for Doubtful Accounts We evaluate the collectability of receivables based on a combination of factors, each of which are adjusted if specific circumstances change. We reserve for amounts determined to be uncollectible based on a specific customer’s inability to meet its financial obligation to us. We also record a general reserve based on the age of receivables past due, current conditions and forecasted information, the credit risk of specific customers, economic conditions and historical experience. In estimating the allowance, we take into consideration the existence of credit insurance. Inventories Raw materials and finished goods are carried at lower of cost or market using either the weighted average cost or the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. Inventory reserves totaled $17.4 million and $24.1 million at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Long-lived Assets Property, plant and equipment is carried at cost, net of depreciation and amortization that is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, which generally ranges from three to 15 years for machinery and equipment and up to 40 years for buildings. We depreciate certain assets associated with closing manufacturing locations over a shortened life (through the cease-use date). Software is amortized over periods not exceeding 10 years. Property, plant and equipment is generally depreciated on accelerated methods for income tax purposes. We expense repair and maintenance costs as incurred. We capitalize replacements and improvements that increase the estimated useful life of an asset. We retain fully depreciated assets in property and accumulated depreciation accounts until we remove them from service. In the case of sale, retirement or disposal, the asset cost and related accumulated depreciation balance is removed from the respective account, and the resulting net amount, less any proceeds, is included as a component of income from continuing operations in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Income. We account for operating and finance leases under the provisions of FASB ASC Topic 842. Finite-lived intangible assets, which consist primarily of customer relationships, patents and technology are amortized over their estimated useful lives. The useful lives range up to 20 years. We assess the recoverability of long-lived assets when events or changes in circumstances indicate that we may not be able to recover the assets’ carrying amount. We measure the recoverability of assets to be held and used by a comparison of the carrying amount of the asset to the expected future undiscounted cash flows associated with the asset. We measure the amount of impairment of long-lived assets as the amount by which the carrying value of the asset exceeds the fair value of the asset, which is generally determined based on projected discounted future cash flows or appraised values. No such impairments were recognized during 2022, 2021 or 2020. Goodwill and Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets In accordance with the provisions of FASB ASC Topic 350, Intangibles — Goodwill and Other, we assess the fair value of goodwill on an annual basis or at an interim date if potential impairment indicators are present. Goodwill is the excess of the purchase price paid over the fair value of the net assets of the acquired business. Goodwill is tested for impairment, quantitatively or qualitatively, at the reporting unit level. The Company's reporting units are at a level below the Company's reportable operating segments. Goodwill is allocated to the reporting units based on the estimated fair value at the date of acquisition. Our annual measurement date for testing impairment of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets is October 1. We test our goodwill either quantitatively or qualitatively for impairment. For our quantitative approach, we use an income approach to estimate the fair value of our reporting units. The income approach uses a reporting unit’s projection of estimated operating results and cash flows that is discounted using a weighted-average cost of capital that is determined based on current market conditions. The projection uses management’s best estimates of economic and market conditions over the projected period including growth rates in sales, costs, and estimates of future expected changes in operating margins and cash expenditures. Other significant estimates and assumptions include terminal value growth rates, terminal value margin rates, future capital expenditures and changes in future working capital requirements. We validate our estimates of fair value under the income approach by considering the implied control premium and conclude whether the implied control premium is reasonable based on other recent market transactions. A qualitative approach for both goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets is performed if the last quantitative test exceeded certain thresholds. During our qualitative approach, we assess whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If, after assessing the totality of events and circumstances, we determine it is more likely than not that the fair value is less than carrying value, a quantitative impairment test is performed for each asset, as described above. Indefinite-lived intangible assets primarily consist of the Dyneema, GLS, ColorMatrix, Gordon Composites, and Fiber-Line trade names. Indefinite-lived intangible assets are tested, quantitatively or qualitatively, for impairment annually at the same time we test goodwill for impairment. For our quantitative approach, the implied fair value of indefinite-lived intangible assets is determined based on significant unobservable inputs, as summarized below. The fair value of the trade names is calculated using a “relief from royalty” methodology. This approach involves two steps: (1) estimating reasonable royalty rates for the trade name and (2) applying this royalty rate to a net sales stream and discounting the resulting cash flows to determine fair value using a weighted-average cost of capital that is determined based on current market conditions. This fair value is then compared with the carrying value of the trade name. We completed our testing of impairment as of October 1, noting no impairment in 2022, 2021 or 2020. There are no reporting units or indefinite-lived intangible assets identified as at-risk of impairment. Litigation Reserves FASB ASC Topic 450, Contingencies, requires that we accrue for loss contingencies associated with outstanding litigation, claims and assessments for which management has determined it is probable that a loss contingency exists and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. We recognize expense associated with professional fees related to litigation claims and assessments as incurred. Refer to Note 12, Commitments and Contingencies, for further information. Derivative Financial Instruments FASB ASC Topic 815, Derivative and Hedging, requires that all derivative financial instruments, such as foreign exchange contracts, be recognized in the financial statements and measured at fair value, regardless of the purpose or intent in holding them. We are exposed to foreign currency changes and to changes in cash flows due to changes in our contractually specified interest rates (e.g., SOFR) in the normal course of business. We have established policies and procedures that manage this exposure through the use of financial instruments. By policy, we do not enter into these instruments for trading purposes or speculation. We formally assess, designate and document, as a hedge of an underlying exposure, the qualifying derivative instrument that will be accounted for as an accounting hedge at inception. Additionally, in accordance with ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities, we assess at inception whether the financial instruments used in the hedging transaction are highly effective at offsetting changes in either the fair values or cash flows of the underlying exposures. If highly effective, any subsequent test may be done qualitatively. The net interest payments accrued each month for effective instruments designated as a hedge are reflected in net income as adjustments of interest expense and the remaining change in the fair value of the derivatives is recorded as a component of A ccumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (AOCI). Instruments not designated as hedges are adjusted to fair value at each period end, with the resulting gains and losses recognized in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Income immediately. We entered into foreign currency derivatives associated with the APM Acquisition that were not initially designated as hedges. Refer to Note 16, Derivatives and Hedging, for more information. Pension and Other Post-retirement Plans We account for our pensions and other post-retirement benefits in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 715, Compensation — Retirement Benefits. We immediately recognize actuarial gains and losses in our operating results in the year in which the gains or losses occur. Refer to Note 11, Employee Benefit Plans, for more information. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Changes in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in 2022, 2021 and 2020 were as follows:
(In millions) |  | Cumulative Translation Adjustment and Related Hedging Instruments |  | Pension and other post-retirement benefits |  | Cash Flow Hedges |  |  |  | Total
Balance at January 1, 2020 |  | $ | (84.0) |  |  | $ | 5.2 |  |  | $ | (3.8) |  |  |  |  | $ | (82.6) |
Translation Adjustments |  | 152.3 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  |  |  | 152.3 |
Unrealized losses on derivatives |  | (41.7) |  |  | — |  |  | (1.6) |  |  |  |  | (43.3) |
Balance at December 31, 2020 |  | 26.6 |  |  | 5.2 |  |  | (5.4) |  |  |  |  | 26.4 |
Translation Adjustments |  | (127.7) |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  |  |  | (127.7) |
Unrealized gains on derivatives |  | 52.5 |  |  | — |  |  | 3.2 |  |  |  |  | 55.7 |
Balance at December 31, 2021 |  | (48.6) |  |  | 5.2 |  |  | (2.2) |  |  |  |  | (45.6) |
Translation Adjustments |  | (60.3) |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  |  |  | (60.3) |
Unrealized gains on derivatives |  | 21.6 |  |  | — |  |  | 2.3 |  |  |  |  | 23.9 |
Prior service credit |  | — |  |  | 6.2 |  |  | — |  |  |  |  | 6.2 |
Balance at December 31, 2022 |  | $ | (87.3) |  |  | $ | 11.4 |  |  | $ | 0.1 |  |  |  |  | $ | (75.8) |
Fair Value of Financial Instruments FASB ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, requires disclosures of the fair value of financial instruments. The estimated fair values of financial instruments were principally based on market prices where such prices were available and, where unavailable, fair values were estimated based on market prices of similar instruments. Foreign Currency Translation Revenues and expenses are translated at average currency exchange rates during the related period. Assets and liabilities of foreign subsidiaries are translated using the exchange rate at the end of the period. The resulting translation adjustments are recorded as accumulated other comprehensive income or loss. Gains and losses resulting from foreign currency transactions, including intercompany transactions that are not considered long-term investments, are included in Other (expense) income, net. Revenue Recognition We recognize revenue once control of the product is transferred to the customer, which typically occurs when products are shipped from our facilities. Shipping and Handling Costs Shipping and handling costs are included in cost of sales. Research and Development Expense Research and development costs of $84.9 million in 2022, $83.2 million in 2021 and $59.8 million in 2020 are charged to expense as incurred. Environmental Costs We expense costs that are associated with managing hazardous substances and pollution in ongoing operations on a current basis. Costs associated with environmental contamination are accrued when it becomes probable that a liability has been incurred and our proportionate share of the cost can be reasonably estimated. Any such provision is recognized using the Company's best estimate of the amount of loss incurred, or at the lower end of an estimated range, when a single best estimate is not determinable. In some cases, the Company may be able to recover a portion of the costs relating to these obligations from insurers or other third parties; however, the Company records such amounts only when they are collected. Share-Based Compensation We account for share-based compensation under the provisions of FASB ASC Topic 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation, which requires us to estimate the fair value of share-based awards on the date of grant. The value of the portion of the award that is ultimately expected to vest is recognized as expense over the requisite service periods in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Income. As of December 31, 2022, we had one active share-based employee compensation plan, which is described more fully in Note 14, Share-Based Compensation. Income Taxes Deferred income tax liabilities and assets are determined based upon the differences between the financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities and are measured using the tax rate and laws currently in effect. In accordance with FASB ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes, we evaluate our deferred income taxes to determine whether a valuation allowance should be established against the deferred tax assets or whether the valuation allowance should be reduced based on consideration of all available evidence, both positive and negative, using a “more likely than not” standard. See Note 13, Income Taxes, for additional detail.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the organization, consolidation and basis of presentation of financial statements disclosure, and significant accounting policies of the reporting entity. May be provided in more than one note to the financial statements, as long as users are provided with an understanding of (1) the significant judgments and assumptions made by an enterprise in determining whether it must consolidate a VIE and/or disclose information about its involvement with a VIE, (2) the nature of restrictions on a consolidated VIE's assets reported by an enterprise in its statement of financial position, including the carrying amounts of such assets, (3) the nature of, and changes in, the risks associated with an enterprise's involvement with the VIE, and (4) how an enterprise's involvement with the VIE affects the enterprise's financial position, financial performance, and cash flows. Describes procedure if disclosures are provided in more than one note to the financial statements. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122149 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2197479 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122369 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2134479 + Details
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