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 as 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 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 euro, the Japanese yen, 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. We may also hedge foreign currency risk arising from funding foreign currency denominated forecasted investments. These programs reduce, but do not 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 we 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 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 value of the related derivatives. We record net gains or losses in the line item on the consolidated 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 we 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 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 investments include marketable equity securities and equity derivative instruments. We typically do not attempt to reduce or eliminate our equity market exposure through hedging activities; however, for our investments in strategic equity derivative instruments, we may enter into transactions to reduce or eliminate the equity market risks. In addition, for our 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. The deferred compensation liabilities were $859 million as of December 29, 2012 ($700 million as of December 31, 2011) and are included in other accrued liabilities.

In 2010, we sold our ownership interest in Numonyx B.V. to Micron Technology, Inc. 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 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 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) as of December 29, 2012, December 31, 2011, and December 25, 2010 were as follows:

The gross notional amounts for currency forwards and currency interest rate swaps (presented by currency) as of December 29, 2012, December 31, 2011, and December 25, 2010 were as follows:

Fair Value of Derivative Instruments in the Consolidated Balance Sheets

The fair value of our derivative instruments as of December 29, 2012 and December 31, 2011 was as follows:

Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships

The before-tax effects of derivative instruments in cash flow hedging relationships for the three years ended December 29, 2012 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 $33 million (before taxes) of net derivative gains 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 statements of income for the three years ended December 29, 2012 were as follows: