Accounts Receivable

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Accounts Receivable

Accounts Receivable

Note 3—Accounts Receivable

We review all outstanding accounts receivable balances on a monthly basis and record a reserve for amounts that we expect will not be fully recovered.  We do not apply actual balances against the reserve until we have exhausted substantially all collection efforts.  At September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, substantially all of our accounts receivable (net of allowance for doubtful accounts) were less than 30 days past their scheduled invoice date.  Our allowance for doubtful accounts receivable totaled approximately $4 million and $5 million at September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively.  Although we consider our allowance for doubtful accounts receivable to be adequate, actual amounts could vary significantly from estimated amounts.

To mitigate credit risks related to our accounts receivable, we have in place a rigorous credit review process.  We closely monitor market conditions in order to make a determination with respect to the amount, if any, of credit to be extended to any given customer and the form and amount of financial performance assurances we require.  Such financial assurances are commonly provided to us in the form of standby letters of credit, parental guarantees or advance cash payments.  At September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, we had received approximately $216 million and $186 million, respectively, of advance cash payments from third parties to mitigate credit risk.  In addition, we enter into netting arrangements (contractual agreements that allow us and the counterparty to offset receivables and payables against each other) that cover a significant portion of our transactions and also serve to mitigate credit risk.