Note 9: Derivative Financial Instruments

Our primary objective for holding derivative financial instruments is to manage currency exchange rate risk and interest rate risk, and, to a lesser extent, equity market risk and commodity price risk. We currently do not hold derivative instruments for the purpose of managing credit risk since we limit the amount of credit exposure to any one counterparty and generally enter into derivative transactions with high-credit-quality counterparties. We also enter into master netting arrangements with counterparties when possible to mitigate credit risk in derivative transactions. A master netting arrangement may allow counterparties to net settle amounts owed to each other as a result of multiple, separate derivative transactions. For presentation on our consolidated condensed balance sheets, we do not offset fair value amounts recognized for derivative instruments under master netting arrangements.

Currency Exchange Rate Risk

We are exposed to currency exchange rate risk and generally hedge our exposures with currency forward contracts, currency options, or currency interest rate swaps. Substantially all of our revenue is transacted in U.S. dollars. However, a significant amount of our operating expenditures and capital purchases are incurred in or exposed to other currencies, primarily the Japanese yen, the euro, and the Israeli shekel. We have established balance sheet and forecasted transaction currency risk management programs to protect against fluctuations in fair value and the volatility of future cash flows caused by changes in exchange rates. Our non-U.S.-dollar-denominated investments in debt instruments and loans receivable are generally hedged with offsetting currency forward contracts or currency interest rate swaps. These programs reduce, but do not entirely eliminate, the impact of currency exchange movements.

Our currency risk management programs include:

• Currency derivatives with cash flow hedge accounting designation that utilize currency forward contracts and currency options to hedge exposures to the variability in the U.S.-dollar equivalent of anticipated non-U.S.-dollar-denominated cash flows. These instruments generally mature within 12 months. All of our currency forward contracts are settled at maturity involving one cash-payment exchange. For these derivatives, we report the after-tax gain or loss from the effective portion of the hedge as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) and reclassify it into earnings in the same period or periods in which the hedged transaction affects earnings, and in the same line item on the consolidated condensed statements of income as the impact of the hedged transaction.
• Currency derivatives without hedge accounting designation that utilize currency forward contracts, or currency interest rate swaps to economically hedge the functional currency equivalent cash flows of recognized monetary assets and liabilities, non-U.S.-dollar-denominated debt instruments classified as trading assets, and hedges of non-U.S.-dollar-denominated loans receivable recognized at fair value. The majority of these instruments mature within 12 months. The currency interest rate swaps are settled at various interest payment times involving cash payments at each interest and principal payment date with the majority of the contracts having quarterly payments. Changes in the U.S.-dollar-equivalent cash flows of the underlying assets and liabilities are approximately offset by the changes in fair values of the related derivatives. We record net gains or losses in the line item on the consolidated condensed statements of income most closely associated with the related exposures, primarily in interest and other, net, except for equity-related gains or losses, which we primarily record in gains (losses) on other equity investments, net.

Interest Rate Risk

Our primary objective for holding investments in debt instruments is to preserve principal while maximizing yields. We generally swap the returns on our investments in fixed-rate debt instruments with remaining maturities longer than six months into U.S.-dollar three-month LIBOR-based returns, unless management specifically approves otherwise. These swaps are settled at various interest payment times involving cash payments at each interest and principal payment date, with the majority of the contracts having quarterly payments.

Our interest rate risk management programs include:

• Interest rate derivatives with cash flow hedge accounting designation that utilize interest rate swap agreements to modify the interest characteristics of debt instruments. For these derivatives, we report the after-tax gain or loss from the effective portion of the hedge as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) and reclassify it into earnings in the same period or periods in which the hedged transaction affects earnings, and in the same line item on the consolidated condensed statements of income as the impact of the hedged transaction.
• Interest rate derivatives without hedge accounting designation that utilize interest rate swaps and currency interest rate swaps in economic hedging transactions, including hedges of non-U.S.-dollar-denominated debt instruments classified as trading assets and hedges of non-U.S.-dollar-denominated loans receivable recognized at fair value. Floating interest rates on the swaps are reset on a monthly, quarterly, or semiannual basis. Changes in fair value of the debt instruments classified as trading assets and hedges of loans receivable recognized at fair value are generally offset by changes in fair value of the related derivatives, both of which are recorded in interest and other, net.

Equity Market Risk

Our marketable investments include marketable equity securities and equity derivative instruments. To the extent that our marketable equity securities have strategic value, we typically do not attempt to reduce or eliminate our equity market exposure through hedging activities. We may enter into transactions to reduce or eliminate the equity market risks for our investments in strategic equity derivative instruments. For securities that we no longer consider strategic, we evaluate legal, market, and economic factors in our decision on the timing of disposal and whether it is possible and appropriate to hedge the equity market risk. Our equity market risk management program includes equity derivatives without hedge accounting designation that utilize warrants, equity options, or other equity derivatives. We recognize changes in the fair value of such derivatives in gains (losses) on other equity investments, net. We also utilize total return swaps to offset changes in liabilities related to the equity market risks of certain deferred compensation arrangements. Gains and losses from changes in fair value of these total return swaps are generally offset by the gains and losses on the related liabilities, which are both recorded in cost of sales and operating expenses.

In the second quarter of 2010, we sold our ownership interest in Numonyx to Micron for consideration consisting of shares of Micron. We also entered into equity option transactions that economically hedged a portion of the ownership interest in Micron that we acquired. In the second quarter of 2011, we sold our remaining ownership interest in Micron and the related equity options matured.

Commodity Price Risk

We operate facilities that consume commodities and have established forecasted transaction risk management programs to protect against fluctuations in fair value and the volatility of future cash flows caused by changes in commodity prices, such as those for natural gas. These programs reduce, but do not always entirely eliminate, the impact of commodity price movements.

Our commodity price risk management program includes commodity derivatives with cash flow hedge accounting designation that utilize commodity swap contracts to hedge future cash flow exposures to the variability in commodity prices. These instruments generally mature within 12 months. For these derivatives, we report the after-tax gain (loss) from the effective portion of the hedge as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) and reclassify it into earnings in the same period or periods in which the hedged transaction affects earnings, and within the same line item on the consolidated condensed statements of income as the impact of the hedged transaction.

Volume of Derivative Activity

Total gross notional amounts for outstanding derivatives (recorded at fair value) were as follows:

The gross notional amounts for currency forwards, currency interest rate swaps, and currency options (presented by currency) were as follows:

Credit-Risk-Related Contingent Features

As of October 1, 2011 and December 25, 2010, we did not have any derivative instruments that contain credit-risk-related contingent features, such as provisions that require our debt to maintain an investment grade credit rating from each of the major credit rating agencies.

Fair Values of Derivative Instruments in the Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets

The fair values of our derivative instruments as of October 1, 2011 and December 25, 2010 were as follows:

Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships

The before-tax effects of derivative instruments in cash flow hedging relationships for the three and nine months ended October 1, 2011 and September 25, 2010 were as follows:

Gains and losses on derivative instruments in cash flow hedging relationships related to hedge ineffectiveness and amounts excluded from effectiveness testing were insignificant during all periods presented in the preceding tables. We estimate that we will reclassify approximately $27 million (before taxes) of net derivative gains included in other accumulated comprehensive income (loss) into earnings within the next 12 months. For all periods presented, there was an insignificant impact on results of operations from discontinued cash flow hedges as a result of forecasted transactions that did not occur.

Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments

The effects of derivative instruments not designated as hedging instruments on the consolidated condensed statements of income were as follows: