FAIR VALUES OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2022

FAIR VALUES OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

FAIR VALUES OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

8. FAIR VALUES OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Fair value is defined under GAAP as the price that would be required to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date; with such transaction based on the principal market, or in the absence of a principal market the most advantageous market for the specific instrument. GAAP provides for a three-level fair value hierarchy that classifies the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value, defined as follows:

Level 1: Inputs that are unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that the entity can access.

Level 2: Inputs, other than those included within Level 1, that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset or liability, including quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in inactive markets, or inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability.

Level 3: Inputs that are unobservable (e.g., internally derived assumptions) and reflect an entity’s own estimates about estimates market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on the best information available under the circumstances. In particular, Level 3 inputs and valuation techniques involve judgment and as a result are not necessarily indicative of amounts the Company would realize in a current market exchange. The use of different assumptions or estimation techniques may have a material effect on the estimated fair value amounts.

The Company monitors the market conditions and evaluates the fair value hierarchy levels quarterly. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, there were no transfers into or out of Level 3, and no transfers between Levels 1 and 2.

The following table summarizes the carrying values and fair values of the Company’s financial assets and financial liabilities:

	June 30, 2022				December 31, 2021
	Carrying		Fair		Carrying		Fair
	Amount		Value		Amount		Value
(Millions)
Financial assets
Credit card and other loans, net	$	15,777	$	18,156	$	15,567	$	17,989
Investment securities		224		224		239		239
Financial liabilities
Deposits		11,028		11,005		11,027		11,135
Debt issued by consolidated VIEs		5,498		5,498		5,453		5,467
Long-term and other debt		1,939		1,870		1,986		2,053

Valuation Techniques Used in the Fair Value Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities

Credit card and other loans, net: The Company’s Credit card and other loans are recorded at historical cost, less an allowance for credit losses, on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. In estimating the fair values, the Company uses a discounted cash flow model (i.e., Level 3 inputs), primarily because a comparable whole loan sales market for similar loans does not exist, and therefore there is a lack of observable pricing inputs. The Company uses various internally derived inputs, including projected income, discount rates and forecasted write-offs; economic value attributable to future loans generated by the cardholder accounts is not included in the fair values.

Investment securities: Investment securities consist of AFS securities, which are debt securities, U.S. Treasury bonds and mutual funds, as well as equity securities, and are recorded at fair value on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Quoted prices of identical or similar investment securities in active markets are used to estimate the fair values (i.e., Level 1 or Level 2 inputs).

Deposits: Money market and other non-maturity deposits carrying values approximate their fair values because they are short-term in duration and have no defined maturity. Certificates of deposit are recorded at their historical issuance cost on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, adjusted for unamortized fees, with fair value being estimated based on the currently observable market rates available to the Company for similar deposits with similar remaining maturities (i.e., Level 2 inputs). Interest payable is included within Other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Debt issued by consolidated VIEs: The Company records debt issued by its consolidated VIEs at historical issuance cost on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, adjusted for unamortized fees, as well as premiums or discounts, as applicable. Interest payable is included within Other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Fair value is estimated based on the currently observable market rates available to the Company for similar debt instruments with similar remaining maturities or quoted market prices for the same transaction (i.e., Level 2 inputs).

Long-term and other debt: The Company records its long-term and other debt at historical issuance cost on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, adjusted for unamortized fees, as well as premiums or discounts, as applicable. Interest payable is included within Other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The fair value is estimated based on the currently observable market rates available to the Company for similar debt instruments with similar remaining maturities, or quoted market prices for the same transaction (i.e., Level 2 inputs).

The following tables summarize the Company’s financial assets and financial liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis, categorized by the fair value hierarchy described in the preceding paragraphs:

	June 30, 2022
	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
(Millions)
Investment securities	$	224	$	45	$	179	$	—
Total assets measured at fair value	$	224	$	45	$	179	$	—

	December 31, 2021
	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
(Millions)
Investment securities	$	239	$	48	$	191	$	—
Total assets measured at fair value	$	239	$	48	$	191	$	—

Financial Instruments Disclosed but Not Carried at Fair Value

The following tables summarize the Company’s financial assets and financial liabilities that are measured at amortized cost, and not required to be carried at fair value on a recurring basis, as of June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 respectively. The fair values of these financial instruments are estimates as of June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, and require management’s judgment; therefore, these figures may not be indicative of future fair values, nor can the fair value of the Company be estimated by aggregating all of the amounts presented.

	June 30, 2022
	Fair Value		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
(Millions)
Financial assets
Credit card and other loans, net	$	18,156	$	—	$	—	$	18,156
Total	$	18,156	$	—	$	—	$	18,156
Financial liabilities
Deposits	$	11,005	$	—	$	11,005	$	—
Debt issued by consolidated VIEs		5,498		—		5,498		—
Long-term and other debt		1,870		—		1,870		—
Total	$	18,373	$	—	$	18,373	$	—

	December 31, 2021
	Fair Value		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
(Millions)
Financial assets
Credit card and other loans, net	$	17,989	$	—	$	—	$	17,989
Total	$	17,989	$	—	$	—	$	17,989
Financial liabilities
Deposits	$	11,135	$	—	$	11,135	$	—
Debt issued by consolidated VIEs		5,467		—		5,467		—
Long-term and other debt		2,053		—		2,053		—
Total	$	18,655	$	—	$	18,655	$	—

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis

Certain assets and liabilities are recognized or disclosed at fair value on a nonrecurring basis, including property and equipment, right-of-use assets, deferred contract assets, goodwill, and intangible assets. These assets are not measured at fair value on a recurring basis but are subject to fair value adjustments in certain circumstances, such as upon impairment. The Company recognized a write-down of its equity method investment in Loyalty Ventures Inc. of $21 million during the three and six months ended June 30, 2022. The fair value and carrying amount of its investment was $17 million as of June 30, 2022. The Company did not have any impairments for the three and six months ended June 30, 2021.