Fair Value Of Financial Instruments

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Fair Value Of Financial Instruments

Fair Value Of Financial Instruments

NOTE 11—Fair Value of Financial Instruments:

In assessing the fair value of financial instruments, we use methods and assumptions that are based on market conditions and other risk factors existing at the time of assessment. Fair value information for our financial instruments is as follows:

Cash and Cash Equivalents, Trade and Other Accounts Receivables and Accounts Payable—The carrying value approximates fair value due to their short-term nature.

Long-Term Debt—The carrying value of long-term debt reported in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets, with the exception of the 4.50% and 5.10% senior notes and the foreign currency denominated debt at Jordan Bromine Company Limited, approximates fair value as substantially all of the long-term debt bears interest based on prevailing variable market rates currently available in the countries in which we have borrowings.

	September 30, 2011				December 31, 2010
	Recorded Amount		Fair Value		Recorded Amount		Fair Value
	(In thousands)
Long-term debt	$	891,179	$	950,074	$	860,910	$	879,511

Foreign Currency Forward Contracts—We enter into foreign currency forward contracts in connection with our risk management strategies in an attempt to minimize the financial impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates. These derivative financial instruments are used to manage risk and are not used for trading or other speculative purposes. The fair values of our foreign currency forward contracts are estimated based on current settlement values. At September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, we had outstanding foreign currency forward contracts with notional values totaling $194.8 million and $375.4 million, respectively. At September 30, 2011, $0.1 million was included in Other accounts receivable and $0.9 million was included in Accrued expenses associated with the fair value of our foreign currency forward contracts. At December 31, 2010, we had balances of $0.5 million and $5.4 million in Other accounts receivable and Accrued expenses, respectively, associated with the fair value of our foreign currency forward contracts.

Gains and losses on foreign currency forward contracts are recognized currently in income; however, fluctuations in the value of these contracts are generally offset by the changes in the value of the underlying exposures being hedged. For the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2011, we recognized a loss of $1.6 million and a gain of $4.1 million, respectively, in Other income, net in our consolidated statements of income related to the change in the fair value of our foreign currency forward contracts. For the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2010, we recognized gains of $4.6 million and $2.2 million, respectively, in Other income, net in our consolidated statements of income related to the change in the fair value of our foreign currency forward contracts. These amounts are substantially offset by changes in the value of the underlying exposures being hedged which are also reported in Other income, net. Also, for the nine months ended September 30, 2011, we recorded $(4.1) million related to the change in the fair value of our foreign currency forward contracts and $0.1 million of cash settlements in Other, net in our consolidated statement of cash flows. For the nine months ended September 30, 2010, we recorded $(2.2) million related to the change in the fair value of our foreign currency forward contracts and $(1.3) million of cash settlements in Other, net in our consolidated statement of cash flows.