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Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging Activities
9 Months Ended
May 31, 2020
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]  
Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure
Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging Activities

Our derivative instruments primarily consist of commodity and forward contracts and, to a minor degree, may include foreign currency and interest rate swap contracts. These contracts are economic hedges of price risk, but we do not apply hedge accounting under ASC Topic 815, except with respect to certain interest rate swap contracts accounted for as fair value hedges and certain future crude oil purchases that are accounted for as cash flow hedges. Derivative instruments are primarily recorded within other current assets and other current liabilities on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair value as described in Note 12, Fair Value Measurements.

Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments

The following tables present the gross fair values of derivative assets, derivative liabilities and margin deposits (cash collateral) recorded on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, along with related amounts permitted to be offset in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We have elected not to offset derivative assets and liabilities when we have the right of offset under ASC Topic 210-20, Balance Sheet - Offsetting, or when the instruments are subject to master netting arrangements under ASC Topic 815-10-45, Derivatives and Hedging - Overall.
 
May 31, 2020
 
 
 
Amounts Not Offset on Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet but Eligible for Offsetting
 
 
 
Gross Amount Recognized
 
Cash Collateral
 
Derivative Instruments
 
Net Amount
 
(Dollars in thousands)
Derivative Assets
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Commodity derivatives
$
377,198

 
$

 
$
48,562

 
$
328,636

Foreign exchange derivatives
13,828

 

 
11,728

 
2,100

Embedded derivative asset
18,636

 

 

 
18,636

Total
$
409,662

 
$

 
$
60,290

 
$
349,372

Derivative Liabilities
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Commodity derivatives
$
282,505

 
$
1,487

 
$
95,559

 
$
185,459

Foreign exchange derivatives
92,962

 

 
11,728

 
81,234

Total
$
375,467

 
$
1,487

 
$
107,287

 
$
266,693


 
August 31, 2019
 
 
 
Amounts Not Offset on Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet but Eligible for Offsetting
 
 
 
Gross Amount Recognized
 
Cash Collateral
 
Derivative Instruments
 
Net Amount
 
(Dollars in thousands)
Derivative Assets
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Commodity derivatives
$
215,030

 
$

 
$
58,726

 
$
156,304

Foreign exchange derivatives
10,334

 

 
7,108

 
3,226

Embedded derivative asset
21,364

 

 

 
21,364

Total
$
246,728

 
$

 
$
65,834

 
$
180,894

Derivative Liabilities
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Commodity derivatives
$
223,410

 
$
4,191

 
$
41,647

 
$
177,572

Foreign exchange derivatives
20,609

 

 
7,108

 
13,501

Total
$
244,019

 
$
4,191

 
$
48,755

 
$
191,073



Derivative assets and liabilities with maturities of 12 months or less are recorded in other current assets and other current liabilities, respectively, on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Derivative assets and liabilities with maturities greater than 12 months are recorded in other assets and other liabilities, respectively, on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The amount of long-term derivative assets, excluding derivatives designated as cash flow or fair value hedges, recorded on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of May 31, 2020, and August 31, 2019, was $25.3 million and $26.6 million, respectively. The amount of long-term derivative liabilities, excluding derivatives designated as cash flow or fair value hedges, recorded on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of May 31, 2020, and August 31, 2019, was $9.0 million and $7.4 million, respectively.

The majority of our derivative instruments have not been designated as hedging instruments. The following table sets forth the pretax gains (losses) on derivatives not accounted for as hedging instruments that have been included in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2020, and 2019.
 
 
 
Three Months Ended May 31,
 
Nine Months Ended May 31,
 
Location of Gain (Loss)
 
2020
 
2019
 
2020
 
2019
 
 
 
(Dollars in thousands)
Commodity derivatives
Cost of goods sold
 
$
85,259

 
$
(23,749
)
 
$
228,201

 
$
41,814

Foreign exchange derivatives
Cost of goods sold
 
(129,699
)
 
(13,040
)
 
(177,008
)
 
14,941

Foreign exchange derivatives
Marketing, general and administrative expenses
 
(2,553
)
 
(7
)
 
(615
)
 
(1,421
)
Embedded derivative
Other income
 
355

 
399

 
2,272

 
2,362

Total
 
$
(46,638
)
 
$
(36,397
)
 
$
52,850

 
$
57,696



Commodity Contracts
    
As of May 31, 2020, and August 31, 2019, we had outstanding commodity futures and options contracts that were used as economic hedges, as well as fixed-price forward contracts related to physical purchases and sales of commodities. The table below presents the notional volumes for all outstanding commodity contracts accounted for as derivative instruments.
 
May 31, 2020
 
August 31, 2019
 
Long
 
Short
 
Long
 
Short
 
(Units in thousands)
Grain and oilseed (bushels)
673,234

 
788,434

 
547,096

 
717,522

Energy products (barrels)
18,970

 
9,168

 
13,895

 
4,663

Processed grain and oilseed (tons)
858

 
1,686

 
597

 
2,454

Crop nutrients (tons)
144

 

 
76

 
23

Ocean freight (metric tons)
435

 
250

 
295

 
85

Natural gas (MMBtu)

 

 
130

 



Foreign Exchange Contracts

We conduct a substantial portion of our business in U.S. dollars, but we are exposed to risks relating to foreign currency fluctuations primarily due to global grain marketing transactions in South America, the Asia Pacific region and Europe, and purchases of products from Canada. We use foreign currency derivative instruments to mitigate the impact of exchange rate fluctuations. Although we have some risk exposure related to foreign currency transactions, a larger impact with exchange rate fluctuations is the ability of foreign buyers to purchase U.S. agricultural products and the competitiveness of U.S. agricultural products compared to the same products offered by alternative sources of world supply. The notional amounts of our foreign exchange derivative contracts were $1.5 billion and $894.7 million as of May 31, 2020, and August 31, 2019, respectively.

Embedded Derivative Asset

Under the terms of our strategic investment in CF Nitrogen, if the CF Industries credit rating is reduced below certain levels by two of three specified credit ratings agencies, we are entitled to receive a nonrefundable annual payment of $5.0 million from CF Industries. These payments will continue on an annual basis until the date that the CF Industries credit rating is upgraded to or above certain levels by two of the three specified credit ratings agencies or February 1, 2026, whichever is earlier.

Since the CF Industries credit rating was reduced below the specified levels during fiscal 2017, we have received an annual payment of $5.0 million from CF Industries. Gains totaling $2.3 million and $2.4 million were recognized in other income in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the nine months ended May 31, 2020, and 2019, respectively. The fair value of the embedded derivative asset recorded on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of May 31, 2020, was equal to $18.6 million. The current and long-term portions of the embedded derivative asset are included in other current assets and other assets on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, respectively. See Note 12, Fair Value Measurements, for additional information regarding valuation of the embedded derivative asset.

Derivatives Designated as Fair Value or Cash Flow Hedging Strategies

Fair Value Hedges

During the third quarter of fiscal 2020, we unwound all our interest rate swaps resulting in a $16.4 million gain, which is being amortized over the life of the fixed-rate debt for which the swaps had previously been designated as fair value hedges, through fiscal 2025. As of August 31, 2019, we had outstanding interest rate swaps with an aggregate notional amount of $365.0 million designated as fair value hedges of portions of our fixed-rate debt. Our objective in entering into these transactions was to offset changes in the fair value of the debt associated with the risk of variability in the three-month U.S. dollar LIBOR interest rate ("LIBOR"), in essence converting the fixed-rate debt to variable-rate debt. Under these interest rate swaps, we received fixed-rate interest payments and made interest payments based on the three-month LIBOR. Offsetting changes in the fair values of both the swap instruments and the hedged debt were recorded contemporaneously each period and only created an impact to earnings to the extent the hedge was ineffective.
    
The following table presents the fair value of our derivative interest rate swap instruments designated as fair value hedges and the line item on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets in which they are recorded.
Balance Sheet Location
 
May 31,
2020
 
August 31, 2019
 
 
(Dollars in thousands)
Other assets
 
$

 
$
9,841



The following table sets forth the pretax gains (losses) on derivatives accounted for as hedging instruments that have been included in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2020, and 2019.
 
 
 
 
Three Months Ended May 31,
 
Nine Months Ended May 31,
Gain (Loss) on Fair Value Hedging Relationships
 
Location of Gain (Loss)
 
2020
 
2019
 
2020
 
2019
 
 
 
 
(Dollars in thousands)
Interest rate swaps
 
Interest expense
 
$
(4,705
)
 
$
(8,122
)
 
$
(1,897
)
 
$
(15,129
)
Hedged item
 
Interest expense
 
4,705

 
8,122

 
1,897

 
15,129

Total
 
$

 
$

 
$

 
$


The following table provides the location and carrying amount of hedged liabilities in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of May 31, 2020, and August 31, 2019.
 
 
May 31, 2020
 
August 31, 2019
Balance Sheet Location
 
Carrying Amount of Hedged Liabilities
 
Cumulative Amount of Fair Value Hedging Adjustments Included in Carrying Amount of Hedged Liabilities
 
Carrying Amount of Hedged Liabilities
 
Cumulative Amount of Fair Value Hedging Adjustments Included in Carrying Amount of Hedged Liabilities
 
 
(Dollars in thousands)
Long-term debt
 
$

 
$

 
$
334,389

 
$
30,611



Cash Flow Hedges

In fiscal 2018, our Energy segment began designating certain pay-fixed, receive-variable, cash-settled swaps as cash flow hedges of future crude oil purchases. We also began designating certain pay-variable, receive-fixed, cash-settled swaps as cash flow hedges of future refined product sales. These hedging instruments and the related hedged items are exposed to significant market price risk and potential volatility. As part of our risk management strategy, we look to hedge a portion of our expected future crude oil needs and the resulting refined product output based on prevailing futures prices, management's expectations about future commodity price changes and our risk appetite. As of May 31, 2020, and August 31, 2019, the aggregate notional amount of cash flow hedges was 10.0 million and 7.7 million barrels, respectively.

The following table presents the fair value of our commodity derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges and the line items on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets in which they are recorded.
 
 
Derivative Assets
 
 
 
Derivative Liabilities
Balance Sheet Location
 
May 31, 2020
 
August 31, 2019
 
Balance Sheet Location
 
May 31, 2020
 
August 31, 2019
 
 
(Dollars in thousands)
 
 
 
(Dollars in thousands)
Other current assets
 
$
39,620

 
$
33,179

 
Other current liabilities
 
$
15,945

 
$
5,351



The following table presents the pretax gains (losses) recorded in other comprehensive income relating to cash flow hedges for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2020, and 2019:
 
 
Three Months Ended May 31,
 
Nine Months Ended May 31,
 
 
2020
 
2019
 
2020
 
2019
 
 
(Dollars in thousands)
Commodity derivatives
 
$
11,081

 
$
(21,029
)
 
$
(4,153
)
 
$
(9,323
)


The following table presents the pretax gains relating to cash flow hedges that were reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss into our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2020, and 2019:
 
 
 
Three Months Ended May 31,
 
Nine Months Ended May 31,
 
Location of Gain
 
2020
 
2019
 
2020
 
2019
 
 
 
(Dollars in thousands)
Commodity derivatives
Cost of goods sold
 
$
884

 
$
1,810

 
$
7,862

 
$
9,812