Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Derivative Financial Instruments

v2.4.0.6
Derivative Financial Instruments
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]  
Derivative Financial Instruments [Text Block]

Note 7: 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 interest rate swaps, or currency options. 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 the functional currency equivalent 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. 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. Changes in the functional currency 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 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 quarterly 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 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, both of which are recorded in cost of sales and operating expenses.

 

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 in 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:

  March 31,   Dec. 31,   April 2,
(In Millions) 2012   2011   2011
Currency forwards $ 11,116   $ 11,203   $ 8,123
Embedded debt derivatives   3,600     3,600     3,600
Currency interest rate swaps   1,812     1,650     1,690
Interest rate swaps   1,689     1,837     2,159
Total return swaps   821     761     649
Equity options   50     54     496
Other   101     128     128
Total $ 19,189   $ 19,233   $ 16,845

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

  March 31,   Dec. 31,   April 2,
(In Millions) 2012   2011   2011
Japanese yen $ 4,040   $ 3,477   $ 3,047
Euro   3,553     3,904     4,035
Israeli shekel   1,823     2,168     1,199
Malaysian ringgit   914     805     336
Chinese yuan   803     688     341
British pound sterling   523     459     317
Other   1,272     1,352     538
Total $ 12,928   $ 12,853   $ 9,813

Fair Values of Derivative Instruments in the Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets

 

The fair values of our derivative instruments as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011 were as follows:

    March 31, 2012   December 31, 2011
    Other   Other   Other   Other   Other   Other   Other   Other
    Current   Long-Term   Accrued   Long-Term   Current   Long-Term   Accrued   Long-Term
(In Millions) Assets   Assets   Liabilities   Liabilities   Assets   Assets   Liabilities   Liabilities
Derivatives designated as                                              
  hedging instruments                                              
Currency forwards $ 26   $ 1   $ 183   $ 17   $ 61   $   $ 170   $ 7
Other           1                 1    
Total derivatives designated as                                              
  hedging instruments $ 26   $ 1   $ 184   $ 17   $ 61   $   $ 171   $ 7
Derivatives not designated as                                              
  hedging instruments                                              
Currency forwards $ 55   $   $ 29   $   $ 54   $   $ 34   $
Interest rate swaps           54         3         63    
Currency interest rate swaps   27     23     8     13     41     33     11     10
Embedded debt derivatives               10                 10
Total return swaps   5                 7            
Equity options       6     9             6     9    
Other       22                 24        
Total derivatives not designated                                              
  as hedging instruments $ 87   $ 51   $ 100   $ 23   $ 105   $ 63   $ 117   $ 20
                                               
Total derivatives $ 113   $ 52   $ 284   $ 40   $ 166   $ 63   $ 288   $ 27

Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships

 

The before-tax effects of derivative instruments in cash flow hedging relationships for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and April 2, 2011 were as follows:

  Gains (Losses) Recognized    
  in OCI on Derivatives   Gains (Losses) Reclassified from Accumulated OCI into
  (Effective Portion)   Income by Derivative Instrument Type (Effective Portion)
(In Millions) Q1 2012   Q1 2011   Location   Q1 2012   Q1 2011
Currency forwards $ (74)   $ 201   Cost of sales   $ 15   $ 34
              Research and development     (21)     8
              Marketing, general and administrative     (5)     5
Other       3   Cost of sales     (1)     1
Total $ (74)   $ 204       $ (12)   $ 48

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 $55 million (before taxes) of net derivative losses included in accumulated other 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 were not probable to 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:

      Three Months Ended
  Location of Gains (Losses)   March 31,   April 2,
(In Millions) Recognized in Income on Derivatives   2012   2011
Currency forwards Interest and other, net   $ 15   $ 14
Interest rate swaps Interest and other, net     30     (1)
Currency interest rate swaps Interest and other, net     (56)     (110)
Total return swaps Various     59     23
Equity options Gains (losses) on equity investments, net         (117)
Other Gains (losses) on equity investments, net     (2)     2
Total     $ 46   $ (189)