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DESCRIPTION Of BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Accounting Standards Adopted and Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted
Accounting Standards Adopted
In December 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, which requires disaggregated income tax disclosures on an annual basis, including information on the Company's effective tax rate reconciliation and income taxes paid. The Company adopted ASU 2023-09 on a prospective basis for the year ended December 31, 2025. The adoption of ASU 2023-09 impacted income tax disclosures within Note 11, Income Taxes.
Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted
In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU 2024-03, Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive Income – Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40): Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses (ASU 2024-03). This accounting standard requires disaggregated income statement expense disclosures on an annual and interim basis, including inventory purchases, employee compensation, depreciation, and intangible asset amortization for each income statement line item that contains these expenses. The standard also requires disclosure of total selling expenses on an annual and interim basis, and the definition of those expenses disclosed annually. ASU 2024-03 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2026, and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2027, and may be applied prospectively or retrospectively. The Company is evaluating the impact of ASU 2024-03. As the standard will only impact its disclosures, there will be no material impact to the consolidated financial statements.
In July 2025, the FASB issued ASU 2025-05, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses for Accounts Receivable and Contract Assets (ASU 2025-05). This accounting standard provides a practical expedient allowing entities to assume that current conditions as of the balance sheet date remain unchanged over the remaining life of the asset when estimating expected credit losses. ASU 2025-05 is effective for annual reporting periods, including interim reporting periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2025, with early adoption permitted and should be applied prospectively. The Company is evaluating the impact of ASU 2025-05 and expects the standard will not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
In September 2025, the FASB issued ASU 2025-06, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other – Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40) Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Internal-Use Software (ASU 2025-06). This accounting standard changes when software project costs should be capitalized by removing all references to development stages and requiring costs to be capitalized when (1) the Company authorizes and commits to funding the software project and (2) it is probable the software project will be completed. The standard also requires additional annual and interim disclosures, including the capitalized software balance and accumulated amortization. ASU 2025-06 is effective for annual reporting periods, including interim reporting periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2027, with early adoption permitted and may be applied prospectively, retrospectively, or using a modified prospective transition approach. The Company is evaluating the impact of ASU 2025-06 to the consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
Consolidation and Basis Of Presentation
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. Certain prior year amounts have been adjusted to conform to current year presentation.
Use of Estimates
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
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
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, resulting from an assessment of current conditions and forecasted information, the credit risk of specific customers, economic conditions and historical experience. We also record a general reserve based on the age of receivables past due. In estimating the allowance, we take into consideration the existence of credit insurance.
Inventories
Inventories
Raw materials and finished goods are carried at lower of cost or net realizable value using either the weighted average cost or the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. We record reserves for inventory that is damaged, obsolete, excess and slow-moving to Cost of sales.
Long-lived Assets
Long-lived Assets
Property, plant and equipment is carried at historical 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 3 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). 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.
Leases
We account for operating and finance leases under the provisions of FASB Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 842.
Finite-lived Intangible Assets
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 25 years.
Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets
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.
Internal-Use Software and Cloud Computing Arrangements
Internal-Use Software and Cloud Computing Arrangements
We capitalize costs related to computer software obtained or developed for internal use. Software obtained for internal use has generally been enterprise-level business software that the Company customizes to meet its specific operational needs. Costs incurred in the application development phase are capitalized as Property, Net in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets and are depreciated using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives.
We also enter into certain cloud-based software hosting arrangements. Capitalizable cloud computing arrangement costs are generally consistent with those incurred during the application development stage for internal-use software, however, these costs are capitalized as Other assets in the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, there was $5.8 million and $76.4 million capitalized within Other non-current assets, respectively. In the first quarter of 2025, the Company completed a review of its cloud-based enterprise resource planning system, S/4HANA, including updated project timelines, cost incurred to date, required internal resources and expected costs to complete the initial site implementations, and the evolution of options that could provide better returns for shareholders. As a result of this review, the Company determined it would cease the ongoing development of S/4HANA. As a result of this decision, in the first quarter of 2025, the Company recognized a non-cash, pre-tax impairment charge of $71.6 million associated with capitalized implementation costs. Refer to Note 3, Employee Separation and Restructuring Costs, for more information.
Goodwill and Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets
Goodwill and Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets
Goodwill is the excess of the purchase price paid over the fair value of the net assets of the acquired business. We assess goodwill for impairment on an annual basis or more frequently when events or changes in circumstance indicate that the asset may be impaired. Goodwill is tested for impairment 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 assets is October 1.
The Company may perform a qualitative test to determine whether it is more likely than not the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount in order to determine whether it is necessary to perform a quantitative goodwill impairment test. For our quantitative test, 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 sales growth rates, operating margins, capital expenditures, working capital, discount rates and terminal value growth rates. 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.
In 2025, the annual goodwill impairment test was performed using a qualitative analysis with the exception of certain reporting units where management elected to bypass the qualitative analysis and perform a quantitative analysis. Based on the analyses performed in 2025, the fair value of the Company's reporting units continue to exceed their respective carrying amounts, and accordingly, no impairment charges were recognized.
Indefinite-lived intangible assets primarily consist of certain trade names. Indefinite-lived intangible assets are tested qualitatively or quantitatively for impairment at least annually as of October 1 to determine whether their fair values exceed their respective carrying amounts, unless events or changes in circumstance indicate that the asset may be impaired prior to the annual test. For our quantitative test, the implied fair value of indefinite-lived intangible assets is determined based on significant unobservable inputs. 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.
The Company performed its annual impairment testing of indefinite-lived intangible assets using a qualitative approach. Management assessed relevant trends and factors, including projected market outlook and growth rates, forecasted and actual sales performance, discount rates, and other qualitative considerations. Based on these assessments, management concluded that no quantitative analysis is required and the fair values of the Company's indefinite-lived intangible assets exceeded their carrying values, and accordingly, no impairment charges were recognized.
Litigation Reserves
Litigation Reserves
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.
Derivative Financial Instruments
Derivative Financial Instruments
All derivative financial instruments, such as foreign exchange contracts, are recognized in the financial statements and measured at fair value, regardless of the purpose or intent in holding them.
In the normal course of business, we are exposed to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates as well as variability in cash flows resulting from changes in contractually specified interest rates (e.g., SOFR). 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, 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.
We have cross-currency swaps which are documented and designated as net investment hedges of our Euro denominated investment in foreign entities. We pay fixed-rate interest in Euros and receive fixed-rate interest in U.S. dollars related to our future obligations to exchange Euros for U.S. dollars. The interest receivable on the swaps is accrued each month for effective instruments designated as a hedge and is reflected within Interest expense, net within the Consolidated Statements of Income and the remaining change in the fair value of the derivatives is recorded as a component of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (AOCI). From time to time, we may enter into certain foreign currency exchange forward contracts, which are not designated as hedges and are adjusted to fair value at each period end, with the resulting gains and losses recognized in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Income immediately.
Pension and Other Post-retirement Plans
Pension and Other Post-retirement Plans
We immediately recognize actuarial gains and losses in our operating results in the year in which the gains or losses occur.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
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
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 reporting 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 income, net.
Revenue Recognition
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
Shipping and handling costs are included in Cost of sales.
Research and Development Expense
Research and Development Expense
Research and development costs of $96.7 million in 2025, $98.7 million in 2024 and $90.3 million in 2023 are charged to expense as incurred.
Environmental Remediation Costs
Environmental Remediation 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 recovers a portion of the costs relating to these obligations from insurers or other third parties, and the recovery is recognized when realization of the proceeds is deemed as probable.
Share-Based Compensation
Share-Based Compensation
In accounting for share-based compensation, we 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.
Income Taxes
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. 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.