2.2.0.7 false Derivative Instruments 0209 - Disclosure - Derivative Instruments true false false false 1 USD false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 Pure Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure xbrli 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 $ 2 Derivative Instruments [Abstract] 0 us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsAndHedgesAbstract us-gaap true na duration No definition available. false false false false false true false false false false false false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:stringItemType string No definition available. false 3 Derivative Instruments 1 us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsAndHedgingActivitiesDisclosureTextBlock us-gaap true na duration No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false false false false 0 0   <div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"> <div align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt; margin-left: 1%"><b>9. Derivative Instruments</b> </div> <div align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">     In September 2009, Lorillard Tobacco entered into interest rate swap agreements, which the Company guaranteed, with a total notional amount of $750 million to modify its exposure to interest rate risk by converting the interest rate payable on the 2019 Notes from a fixed rate to a floating rate. Under the agreements, Lorillard Tobacco receives interest based on a fixed rate of 8.125% and pays interest based on a floating one-month LIBOR rate plus a spread of 4.625%. The variable rates were 4.881% and 4.856% as of September 30, 2010 and December 31, 2009, respectively. The agreements expire in June 2019. The interest rate swap agreements qualify for hedge accounting and were designated as fair value hedges. Under the swap agreements, Lorillard Tobacco receives a fixed rate settlement and pays a variable rate settlement with the difference recorded in interest expense. That difference reduced interest expense by $6 million and $18 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2010, respectively. </div> <div align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">     For derivatives designated as fair value hedges, which relate entirely to hedges of debt, changes in the fair value of the derivatives are recorded in other assets or other liabilities with an offsetting adjustment to the carrying amount of the hedged debt. At September 30, 2010 and December 31, 2009, the adjusted carrying amounts of the hedged debt outstanding were $816 million and $722 million, respectively and the amounts included in other assets and other liabilities were $66 million and $28 million, respectively. </div> <div align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">     If our debt rating is downgraded below Ba2 by Moody’s or BB by S&P, the swap agreements will terminate and we will be required to cash settle them before their expiration date. </div>   </div>  <div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"> </div>  <!-- Begin Block Tagged Note false false false us-types:textBlockItemType textblock This element can be used to disclose the entity's entire derivative instruments and hedging activities disclosure as a single block of text. Describes an entity's risk management strategies, derivatives in hedging activities and non-hedging derivative instruments, the assets, obligations, liabilities, revenues and expenses arising there from, and the amounts of and methodologies and assumptions used in determining the amounts of such items. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 133 -Paragraph 45 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 133 -Paragraph 44 false 1 2 false UnKnown UnKnown UnKnown false true