Quarterly Financial Summary (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands |
3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dec. 31, 2020 |
Sep. 30, 2020 |
Jun. 30, 2020 |
Mar. 31, 2020 |
Dec. 31, 2019 |
Sep. 30, 2019 |
Jun. 30, 2019 |
Mar. 31, 2019 |
Dec. 31, 2020 |
Dec. 31, 2019 |
Dec. 31, 2018 |
|
| Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract] | |||||||||||
| Sales | $ 281,505 | $ 275,149 | $ 254,896 | $ 295,813 | $ 283,535 | $ 307,271 | $ 311,641 | $ 297,468 | $ 1,107,363 | $ 1,199,914 | $ 1,228,926 |
| Gross profit | 67,227 | 70,172 | 63,662 | 72,295 | 65,898 | 82,913 | 81,863 | 67,728 | 273,356 | 298,402 | 303,392 |
| Operating income | (245,623) | 33,310 | 20,175 | 29,214 | 28,482 | 41,191 | 48,840 | 28,995 | (162,924) | 147,508 | 155,563 |
| Net (loss) income from continuing operations | (186,702) | (6,956) | 7,896 | 6,299 | 28,406 | 11,888 | 19,404 | 6,055 | (179,463) | 65,753 | 50,379 |
| Net (loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax | (116,194) | 11,392 | 8,351 | (5,790) | (1,007) | 6,863 | 11,315 | (2,614) | (102,241) | 14,557 | 9,242 |
| Net income | (302,896) | 4,436 | 16,247 | 509 | 27,399 | 18,751 | 30,719 | 3,441 | (281,704) | 80,310 | 59,621 |
| Less: Net (loss) income attributable to the noncontrolling interest - continuing operations | (3,883) | 201 | 250 | 234 | 203 | 82 | 101 | 231 | (3,198) | 617 | 1,108 |
| Net income attributable to PQ Group Holdings Inc. | $ (299,059) | $ 4,138 | $ 15,926 | $ 224 | $ 27,169 | $ 18,645 | $ 30,574 | $ 3,151 | $ (278,771) | $ 79,539 | $ 58,300 |
| Earnings (loss) per common share - basic | |||||||||||
| Basic (loss) income per share - continuing operations | $ (1.35) | $ (0.05) | $ 0.06 | $ 0.04 | $ 0.21 | $ 0.09 | $ 0.14 | $ 0.04 | $ (1.30) | $ 0.48 | $ 0.37 |
| Basic (loss) income per share - discontinued operations | (0.86) | 0.08 | 0.06 | (0.04) | (0.01) | 0.05 | 0.08 | (0.02) | (0.76) | 0.11 | 0.07 |
| Basic (loss) income per share | (2.21) | 0.03 | 0.12 | 0 | 0.20 | 0.14 | 0.23 | 0.02 | (2.06) | 0.59 | 0.44 |
| Earnings (loss) per common share - diluted: | |||||||||||
| Diluted (loss) income per share - continuing operations | (1.35) | (0.05) | 0.06 | 0.04 | 0.21 | 0.09 | 0.14 | 0.04 | (1.30) | 0.48 | 0.37 |
| Diluted (loss) income per share - discontinued operations | (0.86) | 0.08 | 0.06 | (0.04) | (0.01) | 0.05 | 0.08 | (0.02) | (0.76) | 0.11 | 0.07 |
| Diluted (loss) income per share | $ (2.21) | $ 0.03 | $ 0.12 | $ 0 | $ 0.20 | $ 0.14 | $ 0.23 | $ 0.02 | $ (2.06) | $ 0.59 | $ 0.43 |
| Weighted average shares outstanding: | |||||||||||
| Basic (shares) | 135,406,081 | 135,106,969 | 135,083,126 | 135,240,897 | 134,912,212 | 134,511,819 | 134,142,552 | 133,946,308 | 135,528,977 | 134,389,667 | 133,380,567 |
| Diluted (shares) | 135,406,081 | 135,979,118 | 135,671,830 | 136,086,082 | 136,151,739 | 135,649,710 | 135,323,024 | 134,894,354 | 135,528,977 | 135,548,694 | 134,684,931 |
| Less: Net income (loss) attributable to the noncontrolling interest - discontinued operations | $ 46 | $ 97 | $ 71 | $ 51 | $ 27 | $ 24 | $ 44 | $ 59 | $ 265 | $ 154 | $ 213 |
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The amount of net income (loss) for the period per each share of common stock or unit outstanding during the reporting period. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- References No definition available.
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The amount of net income (loss) for the period available to each share of common stock or common unit outstanding during the reporting period and to each share or unit that would have been outstanding assuming the issuance of common shares or units for all dilutive potential common shares or units outstanding during the reporting period. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- References No definition available.
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition Aggregate revenue less cost of goods and services sold or operating expenses directly attributable to the revenue generation activity. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition Amount after tax of income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to the noncontrolling interest. Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition Amount after tax of income (loss) from continuing operations including portion attributable to the noncontrolling interest. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The amount of net income (loss) from continuing operations per each share of common stock or unit outstanding during the reporting period. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The amount of net income (loss) derived from continuing operations during the period available to each share of common stock or common unit outstanding during the reporting period and to each share or unit that would have been outstanding assuming the issuance of common shares or units for all dilutive potential common shares or units outstanding during the reporting period. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition Amount after tax of income (loss) from a discontinued operation including the portion attributable to the noncontrolling interest. Includes, but is not limited to, the income (loss) from operations during the phase-out period, gain (loss) on disposal, gain (loss) for reversal of write-down (write-down) to fair value, less cost to sell, and adjustments to a prior period gain (loss) on disposal. Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition Amount after tax of income (loss) from a discontinued operation attributable to the noncontrolling interest. Includes, but is not limited to, the income (loss) from operations during the phase-out period, gain (loss) on disposal, gain (loss) for reversal of write-down (write-down) to fair value, less cost to sell, and adjustments to a prior period gain (loss) on disposal. Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition Per basic share amount, after tax, of income (loss) from the day-to-day business activities of the discontinued operation and gain (loss) from the disposal of the discontinued operation. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition Per diluted share amount, after tax, of income (loss) from the day-to-day business activities of the discontinued operation and gain (loss) from the disposal of the discontinued operation. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The portion of profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, which is attributable to the parent. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The consolidated profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, including the portion attributable to the noncontrolling interest. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- References No definition available.
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition Amount, excluding tax collected from customer, of revenue from satisfaction of performance obligation by transferring promised good or service to customer. Tax collected from customer is tax assessed by governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue-producing transaction, including, but not limited to, sales, use, value added and excise. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The average number of shares or units issued and outstanding that are used in calculating diluted EPS or earnings per unit (EPU), determined based on the timing of issuance of shares or units in the period. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition Number of [basic] shares or units, after adjustment for contingently issuable shares or units and other shares or units not deemed outstanding, determined by relating the portion of time within a reporting period that common shares or units have been outstanding to the total time in that period. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- References No definition available.
|