Note E. Financial Instruments

As a result of its operating and financing activities, TJX is exposed to market risks from changes in interest and foreign currency exchange rates as well as changes in fuel costs. These market risks may adversely affect TJX’s operating results and financial position. TJX seeks to minimize risk from changes in interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates and fuel costs through the use of derivative financial instruments when and to the extent we deem appropriate. TJX does not use derivative financial instruments for trading or other speculative purposes and does not use any leveraged derivative financial instruments. TJX recognizes all derivative instruments as either assets or liabilities in the statements of financial position and measures those instruments at fair value. The fair values of the derivatives are classified as assets or liabilities, current or non-current, based upon valuation results and settlement dates of the individual contracts. Changes to the fair value of derivative contracts that do not qualify for hedge accounting are reported in earnings in the period of the change. For derivatives that qualify for hedge accounting, changes in the fair value of the derivatives are either recorded in shareholders’ equity as a component of other comprehensive income or are recognized currently in earnings, along with an offsetting adjustment against the basis of the item being hedged. TJX periodically reviews its net investments in foreign subsidiaries and did not enter into hedges for such investments during fiscal 2018.

Diesel Fuel Contracts: TJX hedges portions of its estimated notional diesel requirements based on the diesel fuel expected to be consumed by independent freight carriers transporting TJX’s inventory. Independent freight carriers transporting TJX’s inventory charge TJX a mileage surcharge based on the price of diesel fuel. The hedge agreements are designed to mitigate the volatility of diesel fuel pricing (and the resulting per mile surcharges payable by TJX) by setting a fixed price per gallon for the period being hedged. During fiscal 2018, TJX entered into agreements to hedge a portion of its estimated notional diesel requirements for fiscal 2019. The hedge agreements outstanding at February 3, 2018 relate to approximately 50% of TJX’s estimated notional diesel requirements for fiscal 2019. These diesel fuel hedge agreements will settle throughout fiscal 2019 and the first month of fiscal 2020. TJX elected not to apply hedge accounting rules to these contracts.

Foreign Currency Contracts: TJX enters into forward foreign currency exchange contracts to obtain economic hedges on portions of merchandise purchases made and anticipated to be made by the Company’s operations in TJX International (United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Austria, the Netherlands and Australia), TJX Canada (Canada), Marmaxx (U.S.) and HomeGoods (U.S.) in currencies other than their respective functional currencies. These contracts typically have a term of twelve months or less. The contracts outstanding at February 3, 2018 cover a portion of such actual and anticipated merchandise purchases throughout fiscal 2019. Additionally, TJX’s operations in Europe are subject to foreign currency exposure as a result of their buying function being centralized in the United Kingdom. All merchandise is purchased centrally in the U.K. and then shipped and billed to the retail entities in other countries. This intercompany billing to TJX’s European businesses’ Euro denominated operations creates exposure to the buying entity for changes in the exchange rate between the Euro and British Pound. The inflow of Euros to the central buying entity provides a natural hedge for merchandise purchased from third-party vendors that is denominated in Euros. However, with the growth of TJX’s Euro denominated retail operations, the intercompany billings committed to the Euro denominated operations is generating Euros in excess of those needed to meet merchandise commitments to outside vendors. TJX calculates this excess Euro exposure each month and enters into forward contracts of approximately 30 days duration to mitigate the exposure. TJX elected not to apply hedge accounting rules to these contracts.

TJX also enters into derivative contracts, generally designated as fair value hedges, to hedge intercompany debt and intercompany interest payable. The changes in fair value of these contracts are recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses and are offset by marking the underlying item to fair value in the same period. Upon settlement, the realized gains and losses on these contracts are offset by the realized gains and losses of the underlying item in selling, general and administrative expenses.

The following is a summary of TJX’s derivative financial instruments, related fair value and balance sheet classification at February 3, 2018:


In thousands	Pay		Receive		Blended Contract Rate		Balance Sheet Location			Current Asset U.S.$		Current (Liability) U.S.$			Net Fair Value in U.S.$ at February 3, 2018
Fair value hedges:
Intercompany balances, primarily debt and related interest
		zł 67,000		£ 14,035		0.2095		(Accrued Exp)		$	—	$	(45	)	$	(45	)
		€ 51,950		£ 46,095		0.8873		(Accrued Exp)			—		(318	)		(318	)
		U.S.$ 77,079		£ 55,000		0.7136		Prepaid Exp			1,636		—			1,636

Economic hedges for which hedge accounting was not elected:
Diesel contracts		Fixed on 2.2M – 3.0M gal per month		Float on 2.2M – 3.0M gal per month		N/A		Prepaid Exp			7,854		—			7,854
Intercompany billings in TJX Europe, primarily merchandise related
		€ 26,000		£ 22,948		0.8826		(Accrued Exp	)		—		(2	)		(2	)

Merchandise purchase commitments
		C$ 462,464		U.S.$ 367,200		0.7940		Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)			49		(5,478	)		(5,429	)
		C$ 22,562		€ 15,000		0.6648		Prepaid Exp			557		—			557
		£ 176,911		U.S.$ 238,000		1.3453		Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)			173		(12,838	)		(12,665	)
		zł 288,646		£ 60,023		0.2079		(Accrued Exp)			—		(1,303	)		(1,303	)
		A$ 28,635		U.S.$ 22,230		0.7763		Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)			43		(573	)		(530	)
		U.S.$ 44,223		€ 36,950		0.8355		Prepaid Exp			1,905		—			1,905
Total fair value of financial instruments										$	12,217	$	(20,557	)	$	(8,340	)

The following is a summary of TJX’s derivative financial instruments, related fair value and balance sheet classification at January 28, 2017:


In thousands	Pay		Receive		Blended Contract Rate		Balance Sheet Location		Current Asset U.S.$		Current (Liability) U.S.$			Net Fair Value in U.S.$ at January 28, 2017
Fair value hedges:
Intercompany balances, primarily debt and related interest
		zł 67,000		£ 13,000		0.1940		(Accrued Exp)	$	—	$	(6	)	$	(6	)
		€ 63,000		£ 54,452		0.8643		Prepaid Exp		263		—			263
		U.S.$ 68,445		£ 55,000		0.8036		Prepaid Exp		1,196		—			1,196
Economic hedges for which hedge accounting was not elected:
Diesel contracts		Fixed on 2.1M – 2.5M gal per month		Float on 2.1M – 2.5M gal per month		N/A		Prepaid Exp		2,183		—			2,183
Intercompany billings in Europe, primarily merchandise related
		€ 68,000		£ 58,306		0.8574		Prepaid Exp		262		—			262

Merchandise purchase commitments
		C$ 462,025		U.S.$ 349,750		0.7570		Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)		1,089		(3,081	)		(1,992	)
		C$ 19,571		€ 13,650		0.6975		Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)		22		(290	)		(268	)
		£ 180,963		U.S.$ 227,500		1.2572		Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)		2,327		(2,695	)		(368	)
		zł 249,079		£ 48,593		0.1951		Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)		681		(927	)		(246	)
		U.S.$ 22,226		€ 20,686		0.9307		Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)		178		(257	)		(79	)
Total fair value of financial instruments									$	8,201	$	(7,256	)	$	945

The impact of derivative financial instruments on the statements of income during fiscal 2018, fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2016 are as follows:


		Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income by Derivative
In thousands	Location of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income by Derivative	February 3, 2018			January 28, 2017			January 30, 2016
		(53 weeks)
Fair value hedges:
Intercompany balances, primarily debt and related interest	Selling, general and administrative expenses	$	1,207		$	(17,250	)	$	(3,927	)

Economic hedges for which hedge accounting was not elected:
Diesel contracts	Cost of sales, including buying and occupancy costs		7,946			3,906			(21,797	)
Intercompany billings in Europe, primarily merchandise related	Cost of sales, including buying and occupancy costs		(3,042	)		(8,684	)		(5,768	)

Merchandise purchase commitments	Cost of sales, including buying and occupancy costs		(45,886	)		5,626			49,107
(Loss) gain recognized in income		$	(39,775	)	$	(16,402	)	$	17,615

Included in the table above are realized losses of $30.5 million in fiscal 2018 and $6.1 million in fiscal 2017, and a gain of $28.5 million in fiscal 2016, all of which were largely offset by gains and losses on the underlying hedged item.