Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging Activities

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES

DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES

In the normal course of business, our operations are exposed to global market risks, including the effect of changes in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates. To manage these risks, we enter into various derivative contracts:

• Interest rate contracts including swaps, caps and floors that are used to manage the effects of interest rate fluctuations;

• Foreign currency exchange contracts that are used to manage foreign exchange exposure; and

• Cross-currency interest rate swap contracts that are used to manage foreign currency and interest rate exposures on foreign-denominated debt.

Our derivatives are over-the-counter customized derivative transactions and are not exchange traded. We review our hedging program, derivative positions, and overall risk management strategy on a regular basis.

We have elected to apply hedge accounting to certain derivatives. Derivatives that are designated in hedging relationships are evaluated for effectiveness using regression analysis at the time they are designated and throughout the hedge period. Cash flows and the profit impact associated with designated hedges are reported in the same category as the underlying hedged item.

Some derivatives do not qualify for hedge accounting; for others, we elect not to apply hedge accounting. Regardless, we only enter into transactions that we believe will be highly effective at offsetting the underlying economic risk. We report net interest settlements and accruals and changes in the fair value of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments through Other income, net. Cash flows associated with non-designated or de-designated derivatives are reported in Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities in our statement of cash flows.

Fair Value Hedges. We use derivatives to reduce the risk of changes in the fair value of liabilities. We have designated certain receive-fixed, pay-float interest rate swaps as fair value hedges of fixed-rate debt. The risk being hedged is the risk of changes in the fair value of the hedged debt attributable to changes in the benchmark interest rate. If the hedge relationship is deemed to be highly effective, we record the changes in the fair value of the hedged debt related to the risk being hedged in Debt with the offset in Other income, net. The change in fair value of the related derivative (excluding accrued interest) also is recorded in Other income, net. Consequently, hedge ineffectiveness (the difference between the change in fair value of the derivative and the change in the value of the hedged debt that is attributable to the changes in the benchmark interest rate) is reflected in Other income, net.

Net interest settlements and accruals on fair value hedges are excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness. We report net interest settlements and accruals in Interest expense.We report foreign currency revaluation on accrued interest in Other income, net. The cash flows associated with fair value hedges are reported in Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities in our statement of cash flows.

When a fair value hedge is de-designated, or when the derivative is terminated before maturity, the fair value adjustment to the hedged debt continues to be reported as part of the carrying value of the debt and is amortized over its remaining life.

FORD MOTOR CREDIT COMPANY LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 7. DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES (Continued)

Income Effect of Derivative Financial Instruments

The following table summarizes by hedge designation the pre-tax gains/(losses) recognized in income for the periods ended September 30 (in millions):

	Third Quarter						First Nine Months
	2012			2011			2012			2011
Fair value hedges
Interest rate contracts
Net interest settlements and accruals excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness	$	44		$	45		$	126		$	178
Ineffectiveness (a)	6			(6		)	8			(22		)
Total	$	50		$	39		$	134		$	156
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments
Interest rate contracts	$	(13	)	$	(6	)	$	(27	)	$	(12	)
Foreign currency exchange contracts (b)	(10		)	46			(67		)	45
Cross-currency interest rate swap contracts (b)	(61		)	33			(109		)	2
Other (c)	—			83			(81		)	85
Total	$	(84	)	$	156		$	(284	)	$	120

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(a) For the third quarter of 2012 and 2011, hedge ineffectiveness reflects change in fair value on derivatives of $118 million gain and $372 million gain, respectively, and change in fair value on hedged debt of $112 million loss and $378 million loss, respectively. For the first nine months of 2012 and 2011, hedge ineffectiveness reflects a $276 million gain and a $418 million gain on derivatives, respectively, and a $268 million loss and a $440 million loss on hedged debt, respectively.

(b) Gains/(Losses) related to foreign currency derivatives were substantially offset by net revaluation impacts on foreign denominated debt, which were also recorded in Other income, net.

(c) Reflects gains/(losses) for derivative features included in the Ford Upgrade Exchange Linked ("FUEL") notes (see Note 12).

Balance Sheet Effect of Derivative Financial Instruments

The following table summarizes the notional amount and estimated fair value of our derivative financial instruments (in millions):

	September 30, 2012						December 31, 2011
	Notional		Fair Value of Assets		Fair Value of Liabilities		Notional		Fair Value of Assets		Fair Value of Liabilities
Fair value hedges
Interest rate contracts	$	14,431	$	820	$	5	$	7,786	$	526	$	—
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments
Interest rate contracts	62,923		633		279		70,348		637		237
Foreign currency exchange contracts (a)	2,330		22		33		3,079		53		37
Cross-currency interest rate swap contracts	2,614		—		83		987		12		12
Other (b)	—		—		—		2,500		137		—
Total derivatives not designated as hedging instruments	67,867		655		395		76,914		839		286
Total derivative financial instruments	$	82,298	$	1,475	$	400	$	84,700	$	1,365	$	286

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(a) Includes forward contracts between Ford Credit and an affiliated company.

(b) Represents derivative features included in the FUEL notes. The derivative features included in the FUEL notes were extinguished as a result of the mandatory exchange of the FUEL notes to unsecured notes in the second quarter of 2012 (see Note 12).

FORD MOTOR CREDIT COMPANY LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 7. DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES (Continued)

We report derivative assets and derivative liabilities in Derivative financial instruments in our balance sheet at fair value. We do not net our derivative position by counterparty for purposes of balance sheet presentation and disclosure. We do, however, consider our net position for determining fair value.

The notional amounts of the derivative financial instruments do not represent amounts exchanged by the parties and, therefore, are not a direct measure of our exposure to the financial risks described above. Notional amounts are presented on a gross basis with no netting of offsetting exposure positions. The amounts exchanged are calculated by reference to the notional amounts and by other terms of the derivatives, such as interest rates or foreign currency exchange rates.

Counterparty Risk

Use of derivatives exposes us to the risk that a counterparty may default on a derivative contract. We establish exposure limits for each counterparty to minimize this risk and provide counterparty diversification. Substantially all of our derivative exposures are with counterparties that have an investment grade rating. The aggregate fair value of derivative instruments in asset positions at September 30, 2012 was $1.5 billion, representing the maximum loss we would recognize at that date if all counterparties failed to perform as contracted. We enter into master agreements with counterparties that generally allow for netting of certain exposures; therefore, the actual loss we would recognize if all counterparties failed to perform as contracted would be lower.

We include an adjustment for non-performance risk in the fair value of derivative instruments. Our adjustment for non-performance risk relative to a measure based on an unadjusted inter-bank deposit rate (e.g., LIBOR) decreased our derivative assets by $31 million and $52 million at September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, and decreased our derivative liabilities by $8 million and $7 million at September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. See Note 12 for additional information regarding valuation methodologies.