Derivative Instruments

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Derivative Instruments

Derivative Instruments

From time to time, we may enter into derivative financial instrument transactions to manage or reduce our market risk. We manage our debt portfolio to achieve an overall desired position of fixed and floating rates, and we may employ interest rate swaps as a tool to achieve that goal. We enter into foreign currency forward contracts and cross-currency swap contracts to economically hedge our exposure to fluctuations in various foreign currencies. The major risks from interest rate derivatives include changes in the interest rates affecting the fair value of such instruments, potential increases in interest expense due to market increases in floating interest rates, changes in foreign exchange rates and the creditworthiness of the counterparties in such transactions.

We monitor the creditworthiness of our counterparties, which are multinational commercial banks. The fair values of all our outstanding derivative instruments are determined using a model with Level 2 inputs including quoted market prices for contracts with similar terms and maturity dates.

Warrant

During the fourth quarter of 2016, in conjunction with the issuance of 84.5 million shares of common stock, we also issued a warrant that gives the holder the option to acquire an additional 84.5 million shares. The exercise price on the warrant is $6.43 per share and is exercisable any time prior to May 21, 2019. The warrant is classified as a liability and carried at fair value with changes in its fair value reported through earnings. The warrant participates in dividends and other distributions as if the shares subject to the warrants were outstanding. In addition, the warrant permits early redemption due to change in control.

The warrant fair value is considered a Level 3 valuation and is estimated using a combination of the Black Scholes option valuation model and Monte-Carlo simulation. Inputs to these models include Weatherford’s stock price, volatility and the risk free interest rate. The valuation also considers the probabilities of future stock issuances and anticipated issuance discounts, which are considered Level 3 inputs. The fair value of the warrant was $172 million on its issuance date of November 16, 2016 and $156 million on December 31, 2016, generating an unrealized gain of $16 million. The warrant valuation would be negatively affected due to an increase in the likelihood of a future stock issuance.

Fair Value Hedges

We may use interest rate swaps to help mitigate exposures related to changes in the fair values of the fixed-rate debt. The interest rate swap is recorded at fair value with changes in fair value recorded in earnings. The carrying value of fixed-rate debt is also adjusted for changes in interest rates, with the changes in value recorded in earnings. After termination of the hedge, any discount or premium on the fixed-rate debt is amortized to interest expense over the remaining term of the debt.

 As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, we had net unamortized premiums on fixed-rate debt of $7 million and $23 million, respectively, associated with fair value hedge swap terminations. These premiums are being amortized over the remaining term of the originally hedged debt as a reduction of interest expense which are included in the line captioned “Interest Expense, Net” on the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Cash Flow Hedges

In 2008, we entered into interest rate derivative instruments to hedge projected exposures to interest rates in anticipation of a debt offering. These hedges were terminated at the time of the issuance of the debt, and the associated loss is being amortized from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss to interest expense over the remaining term of the debt. As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, we had net unamortized losses of $9 million and $10 million, respectively, associated with our cash flow hedge terminations.

Foreign Currency Derivative Instruments

At December 31, 2016 and 2015, we had outstanding foreign currency forward contracts with total notional amounts aggregating $1.6 billion and $1.7 billion, respectively. The notional amounts of our foreign currency forward contracts do not generally represent amounts exchanged by the parties and thus are not a measure of the cash requirements related to these contracts or of any possible loss exposure. The amounts actually exchanged are calculated by reference to the notional amounts and by other terms of the derivative contracts, such as exchange rates.

Our foreign currency forward contracts and cross-currency swaps are not designated as hedges, and the changes in fair value of the contracts are recorded in current earnings each period in the line captioned “Other Income (Expense), Net” on the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations.

The total estimated fair values of these foreign currency forward contracts and amounts receivable or owed associated with closed foreign currency contracts and the total estimated fair value of our cross-currency contracts are as follows:

	December 31,
(Dollars in millions)	2016			2015			Classifications
Derivative assets not designated as hedges:
Foreign currency forward contracts	$	7		$	5		Other Current Assets
Derivative liabilities not designated as hedges:
Foreign currency forward contracts	(14		)	(14		)	Other Current Liabilities
Warrant on Weatherford Shares	(156		)	—			Other Non-current Liabilities

The amount of derivative instruments’ gain or (loss) on the Consolidated Statements of Operations is in the table below.

	Year Ended December 31,
(Dollars in millions)	2016			2015			2014			Classification
Foreign currency forward contracts	$	(25	)	$	(115	)	$	(22	)	Other Income (Expense), Net
Cross-currency swap contracts	—			13			16			Other Income (Expense), Net
Warrant on Weatherford Shares	16			—			—			Other Income (Expense), Net