Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Fair Value Measurements and Derivatives

v3.8.0.1
Fair Value Measurements and Derivatives
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Derivative Instruments And Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]  
Fair Value Measurements and Derivatives
7. Fair Value Measurements and Derivatives

 

Fair value is defined as the price at which an orderly transaction to sell an asset or to transfer a liability would take place between market participants at the measurement date under current market conditions (that is, an exit price at the measurement date from the perspective of a market participant that holds the asset or owes the liability).

  

Fair Value Hierarchy

 

The following hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value should maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available:

 

Level 1 — Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that are accessible at the measurement dates.

Level 2 — Significant other observable inputs that are used by market participants in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from independent sources.

Level 3 — Significant unobservable inputs we believe market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on the best information available.

 

Derivatives

 

We are exposed to market risk attributable to changes in interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates and fuel prices. We attempt to minimize these risks through a combination of our normal operating and financing activities and through the use of derivatives. We assess whether derivatives used in hedging transactions are “highly effective” in offsetting changes in the cash flow of our hedged forecasted transactions. We use regression analysis for this hedge relationship and high effectiveness is achieved when a statistically valid relationship reflects a high degree of offset and correlation between the fair values of the derivative and the hedged forecasted transaction. There are no amounts excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness and there are no credit-risk-related contingent features in our derivative agreements. We monitor concentrations of credit risk associated with financial and other institutions with which we conduct significant business. Credit risk, including but not limited to counterparty non-performance under derivatives, is not considered significant, as we primarily conduct business with large, well-established financial institutions that we have established relationships with and that have credit risks acceptable to us or the credit risk is spread out among a large number of creditors. We do not anticipate non-performance by any of our significant counterparties.

 

As of March 31, 2018, we had fuel swaps maturing through December 31, 2020 which are used to mitigate the financial impact of volatility of fuel prices pertaining to approximately 1.1 million metric tons of our projected fuel purchases.

 

As of March 31, 2018, we had foreign currency forward contracts, matured foreign currency options and matured foreign currency collars which are used to mitigate the financial impact of volatility in foreign currency exchange rates related to our ship construction contracts denominated in euros. The notional amount of our foreign currency forward contracts was €1.9 billion, or $2.3 billion based on the euro/U.S. dollar exchange rate as of March 31, 2018.

 

As of March 31, 2018, we had interest rate swap agreements to hedge our exposure to interest rate movements and to manage our interest expense. The notional amount of outstanding debt associated with the interest rate swap agreements was $218.6 million as of March 31, 2018.

 

The following table sets forth our derivatives measured at fair value and discloses the balance sheet location (in thousands):

 

        Asset     Liability  
    Balance Sheet location   March 31,
2018
    December 31,
2017
    March 31,
2018
    December 31,
2017
 
Fuel contracts designated as hedging instruments                                    
    Prepaid expenses and other assets   $ 17,637     $ 19,220     $ 3,089     $ 2,406  
    Other long-term assets     14,540       19,854       4,152       3,469  
    Accrued expenses and other liabilities     60             3,107       3,348  
    Other long-term liabilities     130       576       2,913       2,148  
Foreign currency contracts designated as hedging instruments                                    
    Prepaid expenses and other assets     78,438       52,300       71       730  
    Other long-term assets     112,777       85,081              
Interest contracts designated as hedging instruments                                    
    Accrued expenses and other liabilities                 332       1,020  
Total derivatives designated as hedging instruments       $ 223,582     $ 177,031     $ 13,664     $    13,121  

 

 The fair values of swap and forward contracts are determined based on inputs that are readily available in public markets or can be derived from information available in publicly quoted markets. The Company determines the value of options and collars utilizing an option pricing model based on inputs that are either readily available in public markets or can be derived from information available in publicly quoted markets. The option pricing model used by the Company is an industry standard model for valuing options and is used by the broker/dealer community. The inputs to this option pricing model are the option strike price, underlying price, risk-free rate of interest, time to expiration, and volatility. The fair value of option contracts considers both the intrinsic value and any remaining time value associated with those derivatives that have not yet settled. The Company also considers counterparty credit risk and its own credit risk in its determination of all estimated fair values. Our derivatives and financial instruments were categorized as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy, and we had no derivatives or financial instruments categorized as Level 1 or Level 3. Our derivative contracts include rights of offset with our counterparties. We have elected to net certain assets and liabilities within counterparties when the rights of offset exist. We are not required to post cash collateral related to our derivative instruments.

 

The following table discloses the gross and net amounts recognized within assets and liabilities (in thousands):

  

March 31, 2018   Gross Amounts     Gross
Amounts
Offset
    Total Net
Amounts
    Gross
Amounts Not
Offset
    Net Amounts  
Assets   $ 223,392     $ (7,312 )   $ 216,080     $ (117,233 )   $ 98,847  
Liabilities     6,352       (190 )     6,162       (332 )     5,830  

  

December 31, 2017   Gross Amounts     Gross
Amounts
Offset
    Total Net
Amounts
    Gross
Amounts Not
Offset
    Net Amounts  
Assets   $ 176,455     $ (6,605 )   $ 169,850     $ (127,924 )   $ 41,926  
Liabilities     6,516       (576 )     5,940       (1,020 )     4,920  

 

The effects of cash flow hedge accounting on accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) were as follows (in thousands):

 

Derivatives  

Amount of gain or (loss)

recognized in other

comprehensive income

   

Location of gain or

(loss) reclassified

from accumulated

other

comprehensive

income (loss) into

income

 

Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified

from accumulated other comprehensive

income (loss) into income

 
   

Three Months

Ended March 31,

2018

   

Three Months

Ended March 31,

2017

       

Three Months

Ended March 31,

2018

   

Three Months

Ended March 31,

2017

 
Fuel contracts   $ (6,012 )   $ (26,203 )   Fuel   $ 3,525     $ (8,003 )
Foreign currency contracts     54,493       18,636     Depreciation and amortization expense     (1,159 )     (857 )
Interest rate contracts     95       284     Interest expense, net     (581 )     (845 )
Total gain (loss) recognized in other comprehensive income   $ 48,576     $ (7,283 )       $ 1,785     $ (9,705 )

 

The effects of cash flow hedge accounting on the consolidated financial statements of operations were as follows (in thousands):

 

   

For the three months

ended March 31, 2018

   

For the three months

ended March 31, 2017

 
    Fuel    

Depreciation

and

amortization

   

Interest

expense, net

    Fuel    

Depreciation

and

amortization

   

Interest

expense, net

 
Total amounts of income and expense line items presented in the consolidated statements of operations in which the effects of cash flow hedges are recorded   $ 93,431     $ 131,244     $ 59,698     $ 88,886     $ 119,205     $ 52,960  
                                                 
The effects of cash flow hedges:                                                
Fuel contracts:                                                
Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) into income     3,525                   (8,003 )            
Foreign currency contracts:                                                
Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from  accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) into income           (1,159 )                 (857 )      
Interest rate contracts:                                                
Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income  (loss) into income                 (581 )                 (845 )

 

Long-Term Debt

 

As of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the fair value of our long-term debt, including the current portion, was $6,457.9 million and $6,448.6 million, respectively, which was $5.8 million lower and $23.5 million higher, respectively, than the carrying values. The difference between the fair value and carrying value of our long-term debt is due to our fixed and variable rate debt obligations carrying interest rates that are above or below market rates at the measurement dates. The fair value of our long-term debt was calculated based on estimated rates for the same or similar instruments with similar terms and remaining maturities resulting in Level 2 inputs in the fair value hierarchy. Market risk associated with our long-term variable rate debt is the potential increase in interest expense from an increase in interest rates. The calculation of the fair value of our long-term debt is considered a Level 2 input.

 

Other

 

The carrying amounts reported in the consolidated balance sheets of all other financial assets and liabilities approximate fair value.