Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The company classifies certain assets and liabilities based on the following fair value hierarchy:

When available, the company uses unadjusted quoted market prices in active markets to measure the fair value and classifies such items as Level 1. If quoted market prices are not available, fair value is based upon internally developed models that use current market-based or independently sourced market parameters such as interest rates and currency rates. Items valued using internally generated models are classified according to the lowest level input or value driver that is significant to the valuation.

The determination of fair value considers various factors including interest rate yield curves and time value underlying the financial instruments. For derivatives and debt securities, the company uses a discounted cash flow analysis using discount rates commensurate with the duration of the instrument.

In determining the fair value of financial instruments, the company considers certain market valuation adjustments to the “base valuations” calculated using the methodologies described below for several parameters that market participants would consider in determining fair value:

•Counterparty credit risk adjustments are applied to financial instruments, taking into account the actual credit risk of a counterparty as observed in the credit default swap market to determine the true fair value of such an instrument.

•Credit risk adjustments are applied to reflect the company’s own credit risk when valuing all liabilities measured at fair value. The methodology is consistent with that applied in developing counterparty credit risk adjustments, but incorporates the company’s own credit risk as observed in the credit default swap market.

The company holds investments primarily in time deposits, certificates of deposit, and U.S. government debt that are designated as available-for-sale. The primary objective of the company’s cash and debt investment portfolio is to protect principal by investing in very liquid investment securities with highly rated counterparties.

The company’s standard practice is to hold all of its debt security investments classified as available-for-sale until maturity. No impairments for credit losses and no material non-credit impairments were recorded for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

Certain non-financial assets such as property, plant and equipment (PP&E), operating right-of-use assets, goodwill and intangible assets are also subject to nonrecurring fair value measurements if they are deemed to be impaired. The impairment models used for non-financial assets depend on the type of asset. There were no material impairments of non-financial assets for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

The following table presents the company’s financial assets and financial liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023.


	Fair Value Hierarchy Level	At September 30, 2024				At December 31, 2023
(Dollars in millions)		Assets (6)		Liabilities (7)		Assets (6)		Liabilities (7)
Cash equivalents: (1)
Time deposits and certificates of deposit (2)	2	$	6,331	N/A		$	7,206	N/A
Money market funds	1	432		N/A		494		N/A
Total cash equivalents		$	6,763	N/A		$	7,699	N/A
Equity investments	1	—		N/A		25		N/A
Debt securities-current (2)(3)	2	505		N/A		373		N/A
Debt securities-noncurrent (2)(4)	2,3	107		N/A		8		N/A
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments:
Interest rate contracts	2	11		218		2		299
Foreign exchange contracts	2	60		276		131		275
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:
Foreign exchange contracts (5)	2	17		6		115		19
Equity contracts	2	37		0		93		—
Total		$	7,499	$	500	$	8,446	$	593

(4)September 30, 2024 amount includes a $100 million seller financing loan in connection with the divestiture of The Weather Company assets reported within investments and sundry assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. Refer to note 5, "Acquisitions & Divestitures," for additional information.

(5)December 31, 2023 asset amount includes $62 million in foreign exchange call option contracts in connection with the acquisition of StreamSets and webMethods from Software AG. There were no associated derivatives outstanding at September 30, 2024. Refer to note 16, "Derivative Financial Instruments," for additional information.

(6)The gross balances of derivative assets contained within prepaid expenses and other current assets, and investments and sundry assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheet at September 30, 2024 were $84 million and $41 million, respectively, and at December 31, 2023 were $304 million and $37 million, respectively.

(7)The gross balances of derivative liabilities contained within other accrued expenses and liabilities, and other liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheet at September 30, 2024 were $248 million and $252 million, respectively, and at December 31, 2023 were $294 million and $299 million, respectively.

Short-term receivables (excluding the current portion of long-term receivables) and other investments are financial assets with carrying values that approximate fair value. Accounts payable, other accrued expenses and short-term debt (excluding the current portion of long-term debt) are financial liabilities with carrying values that approximate fair value. If measured at fair value in the financial statements, these financial instruments would be classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy, except for short-term debt which would be classified as Level 2.

Fair values are based on discounted future cash flows using current interest rates offered for similar loans to clients with similar credit ratings for the same remaining maturities. At September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the difference between the carrying amount and estimated fair value for loans and long-term receivables was immaterial. If measured at fair value in the financial statements, these financial instruments would be classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy.

Fair value of publicly traded long-term debt is based on quoted market prices for the identical liability when traded as an asset in an active market. For other long-term debt (including long-term finance lease liabilities) for which a quoted market price is not available, an expected present value technique that uses rates currently available to the company for debt with similar terms and remaining maturities is used to estimate fair value. The carrying amount of long-term debt was $52,980 million and $50,121 million, and the estimated fair value was $51,718 million and $48,284 million at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. If measured at fair value in the financial statements, long-term debt (including the current portion) would be classified as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.