Risk Management and Use of Derivative Financial Instruments

Risk Management

In the normal course of our ongoing business operations, we encounter economic risk. There are two main components of economic risk that impact us: interest rate risk and market risk. We are primarily subject to interest rate risk on our interest-bearing assets and liabilities. Market risk includes changes in the value of our properties and related loans.

Derivative Financial Instruments

When we use derivative instruments, it is generally to reduce our exposure to fluctuations in interest rates. We have not entered into, and do not plan to enter into, financial instruments for trading or speculative purposes. In addition to entering into derivative instruments on our own behalf, we may also be a party to derivative instruments that are embedded in other contracts, which are considered to be derivative instruments. The primary risks related to our use of derivative instruments include: (i) a counterparty to a hedging arrangement defaulting on its obligation and (ii) a downgrade in the credit quality of a counterparty to such an extent that our ability to sell or assign our side of the hedging transaction is impaired. While we seek to mitigate these risks by entering into hedging arrangements with large financial institutions that we deem to be creditworthy, it is possible that our hedging transactions, which are intended to limit losses, could adversely affect our earnings. Furthermore, if we terminate a hedging arrangement, we may be obligated to pay certain costs, such as transaction or breakage fees. We have established policies and procedures for risk assessment, as well as the approval, reporting and monitoring of derivative financial instrument activities.

We measure derivative instruments at fair value and record them as assets or liabilities, depending on our rights or obligations under the applicable derivative contract. Derivatives that are not designated as hedges must be adjusted to fair value through earnings. For a derivative designated, and that qualified as a cash flow hedge, the effective portion of the change in fair value of the derivative is recognized in Other comprehensive loss until the hedged item is recognized in earnings. The ineffective portion of the change in fair value of any derivative is immediately recognized in earnings.

The following table sets forth certain information regarding our derivative instruments on our Consolidated Hotels (in thousands):



Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments		Asset Derivatives Fair Value at December 31,
Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments	Balance Sheet Location	2019		2018
Interest rate swaps	Other assets	$	121	$	1,368
Interest rate caps	Other assets	—		57
		$	121	$	1,425

All derivative transactions with an individual counterparty are governed by a master International Swap and Derivatives Association agreement, which can be considered as a master netting arrangement; however, we report all our derivative instruments on a gross basis in our consolidated financial statements. At both December 31, 2019 and 2018, no cash collateral had been posted nor received for any of our derivative positions.

We recognized unrealized losses of $0.3 million, and unrealized gains of $0.5 million and $0.3 million in Other comprehensive loss on derivatives in connection with our interest rate swaps and caps during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively.

We reclassified $1.0 million, $0.7 million, and $0.2 million from Other comprehensive loss on derivatives into Interest expense during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Amounts reported in Other comprehensive loss related to our interest rate swaps and caps will be reclassified to Interest expense as interest expense or income is incurred on our variable-rate debt. At December 31, 2019, we estimated that less than $0.1 million will be reclassified as Interest income during the next 12 months related to our interest rate swaps and caps.

Interest Rate Swaps and Caps

We are exposed to the impact of interest rate changes primarily through our borrowing activities. To limit this exposure, we attempt to obtain mortgage financing on a long-term, fixed-rate basis. However, from time to time, we or our investment partners may obtain variable-rate non-recourse mortgage loans and, as a result, may enter into interest rate swap or cap agreements with counterparties. Interest rate swaps, which effectively convert the variable-rate debt service obligations of a loan to a fixed rate, are agreements in which one party exchanges a stream of interest payments for a counterparty’s stream of cash flow over a specific period. The notional, or face, amount on which the swaps are based is not exchanged. An interest rate cap limits the effective borrowing rate of variable-rate debt obligations while allowing participants to share in downward shifts in interest rates. Our objective in using these derivatives is to limit our exposure to interest rate movements.

The interest rate swaps and caps that we had outstanding on our Consolidated Hotels at December 31, 2019 were designated as cash flow hedges and are summarized as follows (dollars in thousands):



	Number of	Notional		Fair Value at
Interest Rate Derivatives	Instruments	Amount		December 31, 2019
Interest rate swaps	2	$	187,910	$	121
Interest rate caps	3	171,385		—
				$	121

Credit Risk-Related Contingent Features

We measure our credit exposure on a counterparty basis as the net positive aggregate estimated fair value of our derivatives, net of any collateral received. No collateral was received as of December 31, 2019. At December 31, 2019, both our total credit exposure and the maximum exposure to any single counterparty were $0.2 million.

Some of the agreements we have with our derivative counterparties contain cross-default provisions that could trigger a declaration of default on our derivative obligations if we default, or are capable of being declared in default, on certain of our indebtedness. At December 31, 2019, we had not been declared in default on any of our derivative obligations. At both December 31, 2019 and 2018, we had no derivatives that were in a net liability position.