Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Significant Accounting Policies

2. Significant Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation

Our consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the parent company and the accounts of its subsidiaries. When we consolidate our financial statements, we eliminate intercompany transactions, accounts and profits. When we exert significant influence over an investee but do not control it, we account for the investment and the investment income using the equity method. These investments are reported in the other non-current assets section of our balance sheet. When we acquire a subsidiary, its financial results are included in our consolidated financial statements from the date of the acquisition. When we dispose of a subsidiary, its financial results are included in our consolidated financial statements until the date of the disposition.

Use of Estimates and Assumptions in the Preparation of Financial Statements

We prepare our consolidated financial statements in conformity with United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, which requires us to make estimates and to use judgments and assumptions that affect the timing and amount of assets, liabilities, equity, revenues and expenses recorded and disclosed. The more significant estimates and judgments relate to revenue recognition, restructuring and cost reduction programs, goodwill, income taxes, derivative financial instruments, pension and other postretirement benefits, inventories, and environmental liabilities. Actual outcomes could differ from our estimates, resulting in changes in revenues or costs that could have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations, financial position, or cash flows.

Foreign Currency Translation

The financial results of our operations outside of the U.S. are recorded in local currencies, which generally are also the functional currencies for financial reporting purposes. The results of operations outside of the U.S. are translated from these functional currencies into U.S. dollars using the average monthly currency exchange rates. We use the average currency exchange rate for these results of operations as a reasonable approximation of the results had specific currency exchange rates been used for each individual transaction. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are recorded as incurred as other expense (income) in the consolidated statements of operations. Assets and liabilities are translated into U.S. dollars using exchange rates at the balance sheet dates, and we record the resulting foreign currency translation adjustment as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive loss in shareholders’ equity.

Revenue Recognition

We typically recognize sales when we ship goods to our customers and when all of the following criteria are met:

• Persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists;

• The selling price is fixed and determinable;

• Collection is reasonably assured; and

• Title and risk of loss has passed to our customers.

In order to ensure the revenue recognition in the proper period, we review material sales contracts for proper cut-off based upon the business practices and legal requirements of each country. For sales of all products, including those containing precious metals, we report revenues gross along with their corresponding cost of sales to arrive at gross profit. We record revenues this way because we act as the principal in the transactions into which we enter.

The amount of shipping and handling fees invoiced to our customers at the time our product is shipped is included in net sales. Credit memos issued to customers for sales returns, discounts allowed and sales adjustments are recorded when they are incurred as a reduction of sales.

Additionally, we provide certain of our customers with incentive rebate programs to promote customer loyalty and encourage greater product sales. We accrue customer rebates over the rebate periods based upon estimated attainments of the provisions in the rebate agreements using available information and record these rebate accruals as reductions of sales.

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development expenses are expensed as incurred and are also included in selling, general and administrative expenses. Expenditures for company-sponsored research and development activities were approximately $30.4 million for 2011, $27.3 million for 2010, and $28.3 million for 2009.

Restructuring Programs

We expense costs associated with exit and disposal activities designed to restructure operations and reduce ongoing costs of operations when we incur the related liabilities or when other triggering events occur. After the appropriate level of management having the authority approves the detailed restructuring plan and the appropriate criteria for recognition are met, we establish accruals for employee termination costs. The accruals are estimates that are based upon factors including statutory and union requirements, affected employees’ lengths of service, contract provisions, salary level, and health care benefit choices. We also analyze the carrying value of the affected long-lived assets for impairment and reductions in their remaining estimated useful lives. In addition, we record the fair value of any new or remaining obligations when existing operating lease contracts are terminated or abandoned as a result of our exit and disposal activities.

Asset Impairment

The Company’s long-lived assets include property, plant and equipment, goodwill, and amortizable intangible assets. We review property, plant and equipment and amortizable intangible assets for impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate that their carrying values may not be recoverable. The following are examples of such events or changes in circumstances:

• An adverse change in the business climate or market price of a long-lived asset or asset group;

• An adverse change in the extent or manner in which a long-lived asset or asset group is used or in its physical condition;

• Current operating losses for a long-lived asset or asset group combined with a history of such losses or projected or forecasted losses that demonstrate that the losses will be continuing; or

• A current expectation that, more likely than not, a long-lived asset or asset group will be sold or otherwise disposed of significantly before the end of its previously estimated useful life.

The carrying amount of property, plant and equipment and amortizable intangible assets is not recoverable if the recorded value of the asset group exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of the asset group. In the event of impairment, we recognize a loss for the excess of the recorded value over fair value. The long-term nature of these assets requires the estimation of cash inflows and outflows several years into the future and only takes into consideration technological advances known at the time of review.

We review goodwill for impairment annually using a measurement date of October 31st, primarily due to the timing of our annual budgeting process, or more frequently in the event of an impairment indicator. The fair value of each reporting unit that has goodwill is estimated using the average of both the income approach and the market approach, which we believe provides a reasonable estimate of the reporting unit’s fair value, unless facts or circumstances exist which indicate a more representative fair value. The income approach is a discounted cash flow model, which uses projected cash flows attributable to the reporting unit, including an allocation of certain corporate expenses based primarily on a proportional sales method. We use historical results, trends and our projections of market growth, internal sales efforts and anticipated cost structure assumptions to estimate future cash flows. Using a risk-adjusted, weighted-average cost of capital, we discount the cash flow projections to the measurement date. The market approach estimates a price reasonably expected to be paid by a market participant in the purchse of the reporting units based on a comparison to similar businesses. If the fair value of any of the reporting units were determined to be less than its carrying value, we would obtain comparable market values or independent appraisals of its net assets.

Derivative Financial Instruments

As part of our risk management activities, we employ derivative financial instruments, primarily foreign currency forward contracts, to hedge certain anticipated transactions, firm commitments, or assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies. We also purchase portions of our energy and precious metal requirements under fixed price forward purchase contracts designated as normal purchase contracts.

We record derivatives on our balance sheet as either assets or liabilities that are measured at fair value. For derivative instruments that are designated and qualify as hedges, the gain or loss on the derivative is reported as a component of other comprehensive income and reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income into earnings when the hedged transaction affects earnings. The ineffective portion, if any, in the change in value of these derivatives is immediately recognized in earnings. For derivatives that are not designated as hedges, the gain or loss on the derivative is recognized in current earnings. We use derivatives only to manage well-defined risks and do not use derivatives for speculative purposes.

Postretirement and Other Employee Benefits

We recognize postretirement and other employee benefits as employees render the services necessary to earn those benefits. We determine defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit costs and obligations with the assistance of actuarial calculations performed by third parties. The calculations and the resulting amounts recorded in our consolidated financial statements are affected by assumptions including the discount rate, expected long-term rate of return on plan assets, the annual rate of change in compensation for plan-eligible employees, estimated changes in costs of healthcare benefits, and other factors. We evaluate the assumptions used on an annual basis.

Income Taxes

We account for income taxes under the asset and liability method, which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax effects of events that have been included in the financial statements. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the differences between the financial statements and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.

We record deferred tax assets to the extent we believe these assets will more likely than not be realized. In making such determination, we consider all available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future income, tax planning strategies, and recent financial operations.

We recognize a tax benefit from an uncertain tax position when it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained upon examination, including resolutions of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits.

We recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits within the income tax expense line in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

Cash Equivalents

We consider all highly liquid instruments with original maturities of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. These instruments are carried at cost.

Accounts Receivable and the Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

Ferro sells its products to customers in diversified industries throughout the world. No customer or related group of customers represents greater than 10% of net sales or accounts receivable. We perform ongoing credit evaluations of our customers and generally do not require collateral. We provide for uncollectible accounts based on historical experience and specific circumstances, as appropriate. Customer accounts we deem to be uncollectible or to require excessive collection costs are written off against the allowance for doubtful accounts. Historically, write-offs of uncollectible accounts have been within our expectations. Detailed information about the allowance for doubtful accounts is provided below:

	2011		2010		2009
	(Dollars in thousands)
Allowance for doubtful accounts	$	10,443	$	11,156	$	10,685
Bad debt expense		2,349		2,935		2,676

Inventories

We value inventory at the lower of cost or market, with cost determined utilizing the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. We periodically evaluate the net realizable value of inventories based primarily upon their age, but also upon assumptions of future usage in production, customer demand and market conditions. Inventories have been reduced to the lower of cost or realizable value by allowances for slow moving or obsolete goods.

We maintain raw material on our premises that we do not own, including precious metals consigned from financial institutions and customers, and raw materials consigned from vendors. Although we have physical possession of the goods, their value is not reflected on our balance sheet because we do not have title.

We obtain precious metals under consignment agreements with financial institutions for periods of one year or less. These precious metals are primarily silver, gold, platinum and palladium and are used in the production of certain products for our customers. Under these arrangements, the financial institutions own the precious metals, and accordingly, we do not report these precious metals as inventory on our consolidated balance sheet although they physically are in our possession. These agreements are cancelable by either party at the end of each consignment period, however, because we have access to a number of consignment arrangements with available capacity, our consignment needs can be shifted among the other participating institutions in order to ensure our supply. In certain cases, these financial institutions require cash deposits to provide additional collateral beyond the value of the underlying precious metals. The financial institutions charge us fees for these consignment arrangements, and these fees are recorded as cost of sales.

Property, Plant and Equipment

We record property, plant and equipment at historical cost. In addition to the original purchased cost, including transportation, installation and taxes, we capitalize expenditures that increase the utility or useful life of existing assets. For constructed assets, we capitalize interest costs incurred during the period of construction. We expense repair and maintenance costs, including the costs of major planned overhauls of equipment, as incurred. We depreciate property, plant and equipment on a straight-line basis, generally over the following estimated useful lives of the assets:

Buildings	20 to 40 years
Machinery and equipment	5 to 15 years

Other Capitalized Costs

We capitalize the costs of computer software developed or obtained for internal use after the preliminary project stage has been completed and management, with the relevant authority, authorizes and commits to funding a computer software project, and it is probable that the project will be completed and the software will be used to perform the function intended. External direct costs of materials and services consumed in developing or obtaining internal-use computer software, payroll and payroll-related costs for employees who are directly associated with the project, and interest costs incurred when developing computer software for internal use are capitalized within other non-current assets. Capitalization ceases when the project is substantially complete, generally after all substantial testing is completed. We expense training costs and data conversion costs as incurred. We amortize software on a straight-line basis over its estimated useful life, which has historically been in a range of 1 to 12 years.

Environmental Liabilities

As part of the production of some of our products, we handle, process, use and store hazardous materials. As part of these routine processes, we expense recurring costs associated with control and disposal of hazardous materials as they are incurred. Occasionally we are subject to ongoing, pending or threatened litigation related to the handling of these materials or other matters. If, based on available information, we believe that we have incurred a liability and we can reasonably estimate the amount, we accrue for environmental remediation and other contingent liabilities. We disclose material contingencies if the likelihood of the potential loss is reasonably possible but the amount is not reasonably estimable.

In estimating the amount to be accrued for environmental remediation, we use assumptions about:

• Remediation requirements at the contaminated site;

• The nature of the remedy;

• Existing technology;

• The outcome of discussions with regulatory agencies;

• Other potentially responsible parties at multi-party sites; and

• The number and financial viability of other potentially responsible parties.

We actively monitor the status of sites, and, as assessments and cleanups proceed, we update our assumptions and adjust our estimates as necessary. Because we are uncertain about the timing of related payments, we do not discount the estimated remediation costs.

Reclassifications

We made reclassifications in the prior year consolidated financial statements to conform the presentation to the current year. In the balance sheet, income taxes payable of $8.8 million at December 31, 2010, are included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities, and non-current deferred tax liabilities of $2.2 million at December 31, 2010, are included in other non-current liabilities.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

On January 1, 2010, we adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2009-16, Accounting for Transfers of Financial Assets, (“ASU 2009-16”), which is codified in FASB Accounting Standards Codification ^TM (“ASC”) Topic 860, Transfers and Servicing. This pronouncement provides guidance for derecognition of transferred financial assets. Adoption of ASU 2009-16 had no effect on our consolidated financial statements.

On January 1, 2010, we adopted ASU 2009-17, Improvements to Financial Reporting by Enterprises Involved with Variable Interest Entities, (“ASU 2009-17”), which is codified in ASC Topic 810, Consolidations. This pronouncement amends the consolidation guidance that applies to variable interest entities. Adoption of ASU 2009-17 did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

On January 1, 2010, we adopted most of the provisions of ASU 2010-06, Improving Disclosures About Fair Value Measurements, (“ASU 2010-06”), which is codified in ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements, and Topic 715, Compensation — Retirement Benefits. The remaining provisions will be effective for our fiscal year that begins January 1, 2011. This pronouncement expands disclosures about fair value measurements. Adoption of ASU 2010-06 did not and will not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

On December 31, 2010, we adopted ASU 2010-29, Disclosure of Supplementary Pro Forma Information for Business Combinations, (“ASU 2010-29”), which is codified in ASC Topic 805, Business Combinations. This pronouncement provides guidance on pro forma revenue and earnings disclosure requirements for business combinations. Adoption of ASU 2010-29 did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

On January 1, 2011, we prospectively adopted ASU 2009-13, Multiple Deliverable Revenue Arrangements, (“ASU 2009-13”) and ASU 2010-17, Revenue Recognition—Milestone Method, (“ASU 2010-17”). ASU 2009-13 applies to all deliverables in contractual arrangements in which a vendor will perform multiple revenue-generating activities. ASU 2010-17 defines a milestone and determines when it may be appropriate to apply the milestone method of revenue recognition for research or development transactions. These pronouncements are codified in ASC Topic 605, Revenue Recognition. Adoption of these pronouncements did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

New Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-04, Fair Value Measurement: Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs, (“ASU 2011-04”), which is codified in ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement. This pronouncement changes certain fair value measurement guidance and expands certain disclosure requirements. ASU 2011-04 will be effective for our fiscal year that begins January 1, 2012, and is to be applied prospectively. We do not expect that adoption of this pronouncement will have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

The FASB issued ASU 2011-05, Presentation of Comprehensive Income, (“ASU 2011-05”) in June 2011 and ASU 2011-12, Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05, (“ASU 2011-12”) in December 2011, which are codified in ASC Topic 220, Comprehensive Income. ASU 2011-05 requires companies to present items of net income, items of other comprehensive income and total comprehensive income in one continuous statement or two separate but consecutive statements. ASU 2011-12 indefinitely defers certain provision of ASU 2011-05 that required companies to present reclassification adjustments out of accumulated other comprehensive income by component in both the statement in which net income is presented and the statement in which other comprehensive income is presented. These pronouncements will be effective for our fiscal year that begins January 1, 2012, are to be applied retrospectively, and will not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

In September 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-08, Testing Goodwill for Impairment, (“ASU 2011-08”), which is codified in ASC Topic 350, Intangibles — Goodwill and Other. This pronouncement permits companies testing goodwill for impairment to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the two-step impairment test is required. ASU 2011-08 is effective for our fiscal year that begins January 1, 2012. We do not expect that adoption of this pronouncement will have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-11, Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities, (“ASU 2011-11”), which is codified in ASC Topic 210, Balance Sheet. This pronouncement contains new disclosure requirements about a company’s right of setoff and related arrangements associated with its financial and derivative instruments. ASU 2011-11 will be effective for our fiscal year that begins January 1, 2013, and is to be applied retrospectively. We do not expect that adoption of this pronouncement will have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.