W. R. Grace & Co., through its subsidiaries, is engaged in specialty chemicals and specialty materials businesses on a global basis through two reportable segments: Grace Catalysts Technologies, which includes catalysts and related products and technologies used in refining, petrochemical and other chemical manufacturing applications; and Grace Materials Technologies, which includes specialty materials, including silica-based and silica-alumina-based materials, used in coatings, consumer, industrial, and pharmaceutical applications.

W. R. Grace & Co. conducts all of its business through a single wholly owned subsidiary, W. R. Grace & Co.–Conn. ("Grace–Conn."). Grace–Conn. owns all of the assets, properties and rights of W. R. Grace & Co. on a consolidated basis, either directly or through subsidiaries.

As used in these notes, the term "Company" refers to W. R. Grace & Co. The term "Grace" refers to the Company and/or one or more of its subsidiaries and, in certain cases, their respective predecessors.

Separation Transaction On February 5, 2015, Grace announced a plan to separate into two independent, publicly traded companies, intended to improve Grace's strategic focus, simplify its operating structure, and allow for more efficient capital allocation. On January 27, 2016, Grace entered into a separation agreement with GCP Applied Technologies Inc., then a wholly-owned subsidiary of Grace ("GCP"), pursuant to which Grace agreed to transfer its Grace Construction Products operating segment and the packaging technologies business of its Grace Materials Technologies operating segment to GCP (the "Separation"). The Separation occurred on February 3, 2016 (the "Distribution Date"), by means of a pro rata distribution to the Company's stockholders of all of the outstanding shares of GCP common stock (the "Distribution"). Under the Distribution, one share of GCP common stock was distributed for each share of Company common stock held as of the close of business on January 27, 2016. As a result of the Distribution, GCP is now an independent public company and its common stock is listed under the symbol “GCP” on the New York Stock Exchange. GCP’s historical financial results through the Distribution Date are reflected in Grace’s Consolidated Financial Statements as discontinued operations.

Basis of Presentation The interim Consolidated Financial Statements presented herein are unaudited and should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements presented in the Company's 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Such interim Consolidated Financial Statements reflect all adjustments that, in the opinion of management, are necessary for a fair statement of the results of the interim periods presented; all such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature except for the impacts of adopting new accounting standards as discussed below. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

The results of operations for the nine-month interim period ended September 30, 2016, are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations for the year ending December 31, 2016.

Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("U.S. GAAP") requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the Consolidated Financial Statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses for the periods presented. Actual amounts could differ from those estimates, and the differences could be material. Changes in estimates are recorded in the period identified. Grace's accounting measurements that are most affected by management's estimates of future events are:


•	Realization values of net deferred tax assets, which depend on projections of future taxable income (see Note 5);


•	Pension and postretirement liabilities that depend on assumptions regarding participant life spans, future inflation, discount rates and total returns on invested funds (see Note 6); and


•	Contingent liabilities, which depend on an assessment of the probability of loss and an estimate of ultimate obligation, such as litigation (see Note 8), income taxes (see Note 5), and environmental remediation (see Note 8).

Reclassifications Certain amounts in prior years' Consolidated Financial Statements have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. Such reclassifications have not materially affected previously reported amounts in the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09 "Revenue from Contracts with Customers." This update is intended to remove inconsistencies and weaknesses in revenue requirements; provide a more robust framework for addressing revenue issues; improve comparability of revenue recognition practices across entities, industries, jurisdictions and capital markets; provide more useful information to users of financial statements through improved disclosure requirements; and simplify the preparation of financial statements by reducing the number of requirements to which an entity must refer. The new requirements were to be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, and for interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption not permitted. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-14 "Revenue from Contracts with Customers—Deferral of the Effective Date," deferring the effective date by one year but permitting adoption as of the original effective date. The revised standard allows for two methods of adoption: (a) full retrospective adoption, meaning the standard is applied to all periods presented, or (b) modified retrospective adoption, meaning the cumulative effect of applying the new standard is recognized as an adjustment to the opening retained earnings balance. Grace does not intend to adopt the standard early and is in the process of determining the adoption method as well as the effects the adoption will have on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11 "Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory." This update is part of the FASB's Simplification Initiative and is also intended to enhance convergence with the International Accounting Standards Board's ("IASB") measurement of inventory. The update requires that inventory be measured at the lower of cost or net realizable value for entities using FIFO (first-in, first-out) or average cost methods. The new requirements are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, and for interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. Grace will adopt this standard when it becomes effective and does not expect it to have a material effect on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02 "Leases." This update is intended to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. The core principle of Topic 842 is that a lessee should recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from leases. A lessee should recognize in the statement of financial position a liability to make lease payments (the lease liability) and a right-of-use asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term, including optional payments where they are reasonably certain to occur. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. Grace is currently evaluating its effect on the financial statements and the timing of adoption.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15 "Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments." This update is intended to reduce diversity in practice in how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. It addresses eight specific issues. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted, including in an interim period, as of the beginning of the fiscal year. Grace is currently evaluating the timing of adoption and does not expect it to have a material effect on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards In April 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-08 "Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity." This update is intended to change the requirements for reporting discontinued operations and enhance convergence of the FASB’s and the IASB reporting requirements for discontinued operations. Grace adopted this standard in the 2016 first quarter.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03 "Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs." This update is part of the FASB's Simplification Initiative and is also intended to enhance convergence with the IASB's treatment of debt issuance costs. The update requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-15 "Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements." The update clarifies ASU 2015-03, allowing debt issuance costs related to line of credit arrangements to be deferred and presented as an asset and subsequently amortized ratably over the term of the line-of-credit arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the line-of-credit arrangement. Grace adopted this standard in the 2016 first quarter and reclassified $30.3 million of capitalized financing fees from other assets to debt payable after one year in the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2015.

In September 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-16 "Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments," which is part of the FASB's Simplification Initiative. The update requires that adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period following a business combination be recognized in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. Acquirers must also recognize, in the same period's financial statements, the effect on earnings of changes in depreciation, amortization, or other income effects resulting from the change to the provisional amounts, calculated as if the accounting had been completed at the acquisition date. Grace adopted this standard in the 2016 third quarter. See Note 16.

Accounting for Stock Compensation

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09 "Compensation—Stock Compensation," which is part of the FASB's Simplification Initiative. The update requires that excess tax benefits and deficiencies be recorded in the income statement when the awards vest or are settled. It also eliminates the requirement that excess tax benefits be realized (reduce cash taxes payable) before being recognized. Previously, an entity could not recognize excess tax benefits if the tax deduction increased a net operating loss ("NOL") or tax credit carryforward. The updated standard no longer requires cash flows related to excess tax benefits to be presented as a financing activity separate from other income tax cash flows. The update also allows Grace to repurchase more of an employee's shares for tax withholding purposes without triggering liability accounting, clarifies that all cash payments to taxing authorities made on an employee's behalf for withheld shares should be presented as a financing activity on the statement of cash flows, and provides for an accounting policy election to account for forfeitures as they occur.

Grace elected to early adopt this update in the 2016 second quarter, which requires any adjustments to be reflected as of January 1, 2016. This resulted in the recognition of excess tax benefits on the Consolidated Balance Sheet that were previously not recognized, as the benefits would have increased Grace's NOL or tax credit carryforwards. The recognition increased Grace's net deferred tax asset by $70.4 million ($90.9 million net of a $20.5 million valuation allowance) as of January 1, 2016. Previously reported amounts have been corrected for a $0.3 million increase in the gross amount of excess tax benefits and a $2.2 million increase in the valuation allowance on these excess tax benefits as of January 1, 2016, which Grace concluded were not material to the prior period.

In addition, Grace will recognize excess tax benefits in the provision for income taxes rather than paid-in capital for 2016 and future periods. Grace has elected to continue to estimate forfeitures expected to occur to determine the amount of compensation expense to be recognized each period.