Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES

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VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES.  
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES

5. VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES

        We evaluate our investments and transactions to identify variable interest entities ("VIEs") for which we are the primary beneficiary. We hold a variable interest in the following four joint ventures for which we are the primary beneficiary:

  • •
    Rubicon LLC manufactures products for our Polyurethanes segment. The joint venture is structured such that the total equity investment at risk is not sufficient to permit it to finance its activities without additional financial support. Under the Rubicon LLC operating agreement, we purchase a majority of the output, absorb a majority of the operating costs and provide a majority of the additional funding.

    •
    Pacific Iron Products Sdn Bhd ("Pacific Iron Products") manufactures products for our Pigments segment. In this joint venture, we supply all the raw materials through a fixed cost supply agreement, operate the manufacturing facility and market the products. Under the fixed cost supply agreement, we are exposed to the risks related to the fluctuation of raw material prices.

    •
    Arabian Amines Company manufactures ethyleneamines products for our Performance Products segment. Prior to July 1, 2010, this joint venture was accounted for under the equity method. In July 2010, Arabian Amines Company exited the development stage, which triggered its reconsideration as a VIE. As required in the Arabian Amines Company operating agreement, we purchase all of its production and sell it to our customers. Substantially all of the joint venture's activities are conducted on our behalf.
     
    • In April 2011, Arabian Amines Company settled a dispute with its third party contractors and received an amount totaling $11 million. Of this $11 million settlement, $8 million was related to damages incurred due to the delayed initial acceptance of the plant. This amount was recorded as other operating (income) expense in the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss) (unaudited) and included in the cash flows from operating activities in the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows (unaudited). The remaining $3 million of the settlement was received for the reimbursement of capital expenditures for work left unfinished by the third party contractors. This amount was included in cash flows from investing activities in the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows (unaudited).

    •
    Sasol-Huntsman is our 50/50 joint venture with Sasol that owns and operates a maleic anhydride facility in Moers, Germany. This joint venture manufactures products for our Performance Products segment. Prior to April 1, 2011, we accounted for Sasol-Huntsman using the equity method. During the second quarter of 2010, we recorded a nonrecurring $15 million credit to equity income of investment in unconsolidated affiliates to appropriately reflect our investment in the Sasol-Huntsman joint venture.
    • In April 2011, an expansion at this facility began production, which triggered the reconsideration of this joint venture as a VIE. The joint venture uses our technology and expertise, and we bear a disproportionate amount of risk of loss due to a related-party loan to Sasol-Huntsman for which we bear the default risk. As a result, we concluded that we were the primary beneficiary and began consolidating Sasol-Huntsman beginning April 1, 2011.

        Creditors of these VIEs have no recourse to our general credit, except in the event that we offer guarantees of specified indebtedness. As the primary beneficiary, the joint ventures' assets, liabilities and results of operations are included in our condensed consolidated financial statements (unaudited).

        The following table summarizes the carrying amount of Rubicon LLC, Pacific Iron Products and Arabian Amines Company's assets and liabilities included in our condensed consolidated balance sheet (unaudited), before intercompany eliminations (dollars in millions):

 
  June 30,
2011
  December 31,
2010
 

Current assets

  $ 117   $ 90  

Property, plant and equipment, net

    267     275  

Other noncurrent assets

    61     56  

Deferred income taxes

    40     40  

Intangible assets

    6     7  
           

Total assets

  $ 491   $ 468  
           

Current liabilities

    135     111  

Long-term debt

    188     188  

Deferred income taxes

    2     —  

Other noncurrent liabilities

    91     109  
           

Total liabilities

  $ 416   $ 408  
           

        The following table summarizes the fair value of Sasol-Huntsman's assets and liabilities as of April 1, 2011 recorded upon initial consolidation in our condensed consolidated balance sheet (unaudited) and the carrying amounts of such assets and liabilities as of June 30, 2011, before intercompany eliminations (dollars in millions):

 
  June 30,
2011
 
April 1,
2011
 

Current assets

  $ 77   $ 61  

Property, plant and equipment, net

    162     155  

Intangible assets

    20     16  

Goodwill

    17     17  
           

Total assets

  $ 276   $ 249  
           

Current liabilities

    31     23  

Long-term debt

    102     93  

Deferred income taxes

    8     8  

Other noncurrent liabilities

    8     7  
           

Total liabilities

  $ 149   $ 131  
           

        Goodwill of $17 million was recognized upon consolidation of Sasol-Huntsman, of which approximately $12 million is deductible for income tax purposes. The total amount of goodwill did not change from the date of consolidation to June 30, 2011. All other intangible assets are being amortized over an average useful life of 18 years.

        Sasol-Huntsman had revenues and earnings of $44 million and $7 million, respectively, for the period from the date of consolidation to June 30, 2011. If this consolidation had occurred on January 1, 2010, the approximate pro forma revenues attributable to both our Company and Huntsman International would have been $2,366 million for the three months ended June 30, 2010 and $5,643 million and $4,479 million for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively. There would have been no impact to the combined earnings attributable to us or Huntsman International excluding a one-time noncash gain of approximately $12 million recognized upon consolidation included in other operating income in the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss) (unaudited). Upon consolidation we also recognized a one-time noncash income tax expense of approximately $2 million. The fair value of the noncontrolling interest was estimated to be $61 million at April 1, 2011. The noncontrolling interest was valued at 50% of the fair value of the net assets as of April 1, 2011, as dictated by the ownership interest percentages, adjusted for certain tax consequences only applicable to one parent.