Segment and Geographic Area Information (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Summarized Financial Information by Reportable Segments

	Year Ended December 31,
	2015			2014			2013
	(In thousands)
Net sales:
Performance Chemicals	$	1,610,319		$	1,121,645		$	1,141,890
Refining Solutions	729,261			852,139			775,207
Chemetall Surface Treatment	824,906			—			—
All Other	471,434			471,764			477,173
Corporate	15,415			—			—
Total net sales	$	3,651,335		$	2,445,548		$	2,394,270
Adjusted EBITDA:
Performance Chemicals	$	535,520		$	306,572		$	364,712
Refining Solutions	197,595			256,485			190,388
Chemetall Surface Treatment	202,028			—			—
All Other	53,993			73,973			71,691
Corporate	(29,814		)	(74,875		)	(69,240		)
Total adjusted EBITDA	$	959,322		$	562,155		$	557,551

See below for a reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA, the non-GAAP financial measure, to Net income (loss) attributable to Albemarle Corporation, the most directly comparable financial measure calculated and reported in accordance with GAAP, (in thousands):

	Performance Chemicals			Refining Solutions			Chemetall Surface Treatment			Reportable Segments Total			All Other			Corporate			Consolidated Total
2015
Adjusted EBITDA	$	535,520		$	197,595		$	202,028		$	935,143		$	53,993		$	(29,814	)	$	959,322
Depreciation and amortization	(120,248		)	(34,039		)	(78,903		)	(233,190		)	(18,183		)	(8,703		)	(260,076		)
Utilization of inventory markup(a)	(79,977		)	—			(20,030		)	(100,007		)	(3,029		)	—			(103,036		)
Restructuring and other, net(c)	—			—			—			—			—			6,804			6,804
Acquisition and integration related costs(b)	—			—			—			—			—			(146,096		)	(146,096		)
Interest and financing expenses	—			—			—			—			—			(132,722		)	(132,722		)
Income tax expense	—			—			—			—			—			(29,122		)	(29,122		)
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	—			—			—			—			—			46,244			46,244
Other(d)	—			(1,971		)	—			(1,971		)	—			(4,441		)	(6,412		)
Net income (loss) attributable to Albemarle Corporation	$	335,295		$	161,585		$	103,095		$	599,975		$	32,781		$	(297,850	)	$	334,906
2014
Adjusted EBITDA	$	306,572		$	256,485		$	—		$	563,057		$	73,973		$	(74,875	)	$	562,155
Depreciation and amortization(e)	(51,707		)	(32,670		)	—			(84,377		)	(13,478		)	(2,552		)	(100,407		)
Restructuring and other, net(c)	—			—			—			—			—			(25,947		)	(25,947		)
Acquisition and integration related costs(b)	—			—			—			—			—			(30,158		)	(30,158		)
Interest and financing expenses	—			—			—			—			—			(41,358		)	(41,358		)
Income tax expense	—			—			—			—			—			(18,484		)	(18,484		)
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (net of tax)	—			—			—			—			—			(69,531		)	(69,531		)
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	—			—			—			—			—			(125,462		)	(125,462		)
Other(d)	—			—			—			—			—			(17,492		)	(17,492		)
Net income (loss) attributable to Albemarle Corporation	$	254,865		$	223,815		$	—		$	478,680		$	60,495		$	(405,859	)	$	133,316
2013
Adjusted EBITDA	$	364,712		$	190,388		$	—		$	555,100		$	71,691		$	(69,240	)	$	557,551
Depreciation and amortization(e)	(46,225		)	(33,580		)	—			(79,805		)	(13,323		)	(2,188		)	(95,316		)
Restructuring and other, net(c)	—			—			—			—			—			(33,361		)	(33,361		)
Interest and financing expenses	—			—			—			—			—			(31,559		)	(31,559		)
Income tax expense	—			—			—			—			—			(134,445		)	(134,445		)
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (net of tax)	—			—			—			—			—			4,108			4,108
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	—			—			—			—			—			146,193			146,193
Net income (loss) attributable to Albemarle Corporation	$	318,487		$	156,808		$	—		$	475,295		$	58,368		$	(120,492	)	$	413,171

(a) In connection with the acquisition of Rockwood, the Company valued Rockwood’s existing inventory at fair value as of the Acquisition Closing Date, which resulted in a markup of the underlying net book value of the inventory totaling approximately $103 million. The inventory markup was expensed over the estimated remaining selling period. For the year ended December 31, 2015, $75.9 million was included in Cost of goods sold, and Equity in net income of unconsolidated investments was reduced by $27.1 million related to the utilization of the inventory markup.

(b) See Note 2, “Acquisitions.”

(c) See Note 21, “Restructuring and Other.”

(d) For the year ended December 31, 2015, Refining Solutions includes an impairment charge of approximately $2.0 million related to our unconsolidated investment in Fábrica Carioca de Catalisadores SA. For the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, Corporate includes approximately $4.4 million and $17.5 million, respectively, of financing-related fees expensed in connection with the acquisition of Rockwood.

(e) Excludes discontinued operations.

	As of December 31,
	2015		2014		2013
			(In thousands)
Identifiable assets:
Performance Chemicals	$	4,358,598	$	1,085,246	$	1,148,478
Refining Solutions	937,445		1,100,361		1,217,313
Chemetall Surface Treatment	3,207,621		—		—
All Other	517,695		268,555		468,147
Corporate(a)	593,655		2,768,941		750,859
Total identifiable assets	$	9,615,014	$	5,223,103	$	3,584,797
Goodwill:
Performance Chemicals	$	1,287,824	$	42,016	$	42,025
Refining Solutions	172,728		192,657		218,382
Chemetall Surface Treatment	1,433,259		—		—
All Other	—		8,589		23,796
Total goodwill	$	2,893,811	$	243,262	$	284,203

(a) As of December 31, 2014, Corporate included net proceeds received from the issuance of the 2014 Senior Notes, which, together with borrowings from our Commercial Paper Notes, August 2014 Term Loan Agreement and Cash Bridge Facility, were used to finance the cash portion of the Merger Consideration, pay related fees and expenses and repay our senior notes which matured on February 1, 2015. See Note 14, “Long-Term Debt” and Note 2, “Acquisitions” for additional details about these transactions.

	Year Ended December 31,
	2015		2014		2013
			(In thousands)
Depreciation and amortization:
Performance Chemicals	$	120,248	$	51,707	$	46,225
Refining Solutions	34,039		32,670		33,580
Chemetall Surface Treatment	78,903		—		—
Discontinued Operations	—		3,165		12,054
All Other	18,183		13,478		13,323
Corporate	8,703		2,552		2,188
Total depreciation and amortization	$	260,076	$	103,572	$	107,370
Capital expenditures:
Performance Chemicals	$	159,338	$	52,280	$	119,500
Refining Solutions	28,836		49,219		16,501
Chemetall Surface Treatment	23,738		—		—
All Other	13,054		9,053		18,831
Corporate	2,683		24		514
Total capital expenditures	$	227,649	$	110,576	$	155,346

Net Sales by Geographic Area

	Year Ended December 31,
	2015		2014		2013
			(In thousands)
Net Sales:
United States	$	1,118,847	$	884,373	$	933,182
Foreign(a)	2,532,488		1,561,175		1,461,088
Total	$	3,651,335	$	2,445,548	$	2,394,270

(a) No sales in a foreign country exceed 10% of total net sales. Also, net sales are attributed to countries based upon shipments to final destination.

Long-Lived Assets by Geographic Area

	As of December 31,
	2015		2014		2013
			(In thousands)
Long-Lived Assets:
United States	$	833,238	$	698,863	$	748,719
Chile	916,965		—		—
Netherlands	157,644		167,965		193,775
Jordan	230,460		227,805		227,818
Australia	282,552		—		—
Brazil	45,847		59,474		78,078
Germany	189,895		75,813		86,175
China	29,780		5,310		41,858
France	50,991		37,347		34,523
Korea	72,685		80,362		86,827
United Kingdom	5,320		3,665		3,665
Other foreign countries	103,977		48,819		47,139
Total	$	2,919,354	$	1,405,423	$	1,548,577

Net Sales to External Customers by Product Category

Net sales to external customers by product category in each of the segments consists of the following:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2015		2014		2013
			(In thousands)
Performance Chemicals:
Bromine	$	775,729	$	808,857	$	856,298
Lithium	508,844		—		—
Performance Catalyst Solutions	325,746		312,788		285,592
Total Performance Chemicals	$	1,610,319	$	1,121,645	$	1,141,890
Refining Solutions	$	729,261	$	852,139	$	775,207
Chemetall Surface Treatment	$	824,906	$	—	$	—