Derivative Financial Instruments

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Derivative Financial Instruments

Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company has floating rate long-term debt (see Note 11 - Long-Term Debt). This type of debt exposes the Company to variability in interest payments due to changes in interest rates. If interest rates increase, interest expense increases. Conversely, if interest rates decrease, interest expense also generally decreases. The Company has used interest rate swaps, in an attempt to manage its exposure to fluctuations in interest rate movements. The Company’s primary objective in managing interest rate risk was to decrease the volatility of its earnings and cash flows affected by changes in the underlying rates. The Company does not use derivative financial instruments for speculative purposes.

In March 2007, Level 3 Financing, Inc. entered into two interest rate swap agreements to hedge the interest payments on $1 billion principal amount of floating rate debt. The Company had designated these interest rate swap agreements as cash flow hedges. The hedge designation was terminated in 2012 in connection with certain refinancing activities, and the instruments were settled upon maturity in 2014. Prior to the redesignation of the hedging relationship in 2012, the change in the fair value of the interest rate swap agreements was reflected in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) ("AOCI") and was subsequently reclassified into earnings through an interest expense yield adjustment, as interest expense on the hedged debt obligation was incurred.

After the redesignation in August 2012, the Company recorded the change in the fair value of the swaps in Other, net in its Consolidated Statement of Operations until maturity of the swaps in early 2014. The Company recognized a loss of zero and $2 million for the year ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.