Background and Basis of Presentation (Policies) |
9 Months Ended |
|---|---|
Sep. 30, 2021 | |
| Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] | |
| Basis of Presentation | Basis of PresentationThe condensed consolidated financial statements included herein are unaudited. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations for interim reporting. In the opinion of management, all adjustments of a normal and recurring nature necessary to state fairly the financial position and results of operations have been included. The results of operations are not necessarily indicative of the expected results for the full year. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020. |
| Recently Issued Accounting Standards |
Recently Adopted Accounting Standards
In December 2019, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued new guidance to reduce the complexity in accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles and simplifying areas such as franchise taxes, step-up in tax basis goodwill, separate entity financial statements and interim recognition of enactment of tax laws or rate changes. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company adopted the new guidance effective January 1, 2021, with no material impact to the Company’s condensed consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted
In March 2020, the FASB issued guidance to address certain accounting consequences from the anticipated transition from the use of the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) and other interbank offered rates to alternative reference rates. The new guidance contains practical expedients for reference rate reform related activities that impact debt, leases, derivatives and other contracts. The guidance is optional and may be elected over time as reference rate reform activities occur. The Company elected to apply the hedge accounting expedients related to probability and the assessments of effectiveness for future LIBOR-indexed cash flows to assume that the index upon which future hedged transactions will be based matches the index of the corresponding derivatives. Application of these expedients preserves the presentation of derivatives consistent with past presentation. The Company continues to evaluate the impact of the guidance and may apply other elections as applicable as additional changes in the market occur.
|
| Fair Value Measurement |
Derivative contracts
Derivative assets and liabilities can be exchange-traded or traded over-the-counter (“OTC”). The Company generally values exchange-traded derivatives using models that calibrate to market transactions and eliminate timing differences between the closing price of the exchange-traded derivatives and their underlying instruments. OTC derivatives are valued using market transactions and other market evidence whenever possible, including market-based inputs to models, model calibration to market transactions, broker or dealer quotations or alternative pricing sources with reasonable levels of price transparency. When models are used, the selection of a particular model to value an OTC derivative depends on the contractual terms of, and specific risks inherent in, the instrument as well as the availability of pricing information in the market. The Company generally uses similar models to value similar instruments. Valuation models require a variety of inputs, including contractual terms, market prices and rates, forward curves, measures of volatility, and correlations of such inputs. For OTC derivatives that trade in liquid markets, such as forward contracts, swaps and options, model inputs can generally be corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means, and model selection does not involve significant management judgment.
As of September 30, 2021, the Company had interest rate caps that were fair valued using Level 2 inputs. In March 2021, the Company settled its cross-currency swaps, which were used as a hedging instrument of its net investment in foreign assets in its Performance Chemicals segment. Refer to Note 14 of these condensed consolidated financial statements for additional information. In addition, the Company applies a credit valuation adjustment to reflect credit risk which is calculated based on credit default swaps. To the extent that the Company’s net exposure under a specific master agreement is an asset, the Company utilizes the counterparty’s default swap rate. If the net exposure under a specific master agreement is a liability, the Company utilizes a default swap rate comparable to Ecovyst. The credit valuation adjustment is added to the discounted fair value to reflect the exit price that a market participant would be willing to receive to assume the Company’s liabilities or that a market participant would be willing to pay for the Company’s assets.
|