Derivative Instruments

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Derivative Instruments [Abstract]

Derivative Instruments

11. Derivative Instruments

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 effectively converting the interest rate payable on the 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 4.896% and 4.886% as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, 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 $24 and $24 and for the years ended 2011 and 2010, respectively.

For derivatives designated as fair value hedges, which relate entirely to hedges of long-term 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 December 31, 2011 and 2010, the adjusted carrying amounts of the hedged debt were $845 and $769, respectively and the amounts included in other assets were $95 million and $19 million, respectively.

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 settle them in cash before their expiration date. As of December 31, 2011, our debt ratings were Baa2 and BBB- with Moody’s and S&P, respectively, both of which are above the ratings at which settlement of our derivative contracts would be required.