Quarterly Financial Summary (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Quarterly Financial Summary [Abstract]

Schedule Of Quarterly Financial Information

	First Quarter		Second Quarter		Third Quarter		Fourth Quarter
	(In thousands, except per share amounts)
2011
Net sales	$	696,530	$	742,108	$	722,977	$	707,390
Gross profit	$	233,016	$	251,949	$	258,012	$	234,082
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	$	106,580	$	114,159	$	116,098	$	99,443
Basic earnings per share	$	1.16	$	1.24	$	1.29	$	1.12
Shares used to compute basic earnings per share		91,633		91,713		89,935		88,805
Diluted earnings per share	$	1.15	$	1.23	$	1.28	$	1.11
Shares used to compute diluted earnings per share		92,517		92,795		90,958		89,819
2010
Net sales	$	580,270	$	592,483	$	585,036	$	604,975
Gross profit	$	164,471	$	188,167	$	196,823	$	196,461
Restructuring and other charges(a)	$	6,958	$	—	$	—	$	—
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	$	63,308	$	81,751	$	93,689	$	84,972
Basic earnings per share	$	0.69	$	0.90	$	1.03	$	0.93
Shares used to compute basic earnings per share		91,386		91,308		91,312		91,567
Diluted earnings per share	$	0.69	$	0.89	$	1.02	$	0.92
Shares used to compute diluted earnings per share		92,193		92,111		92,082		92,350

(a) First quarter of 2010 results include $7.0 million in pre-tax charges ($4.6 million after income taxes) that related principally to reductions in force at our Bergheim, Germany site.