Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

8. Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

The Company had no derivatives outstanding at December 31, 2016. The following discussion relates to our terminated derivatives:

Foreign Currency Derivatives — As of December 31, 2015, we had cross-currency swaps outstanding for all of the anticipated cash flows associated with C$370 million of intercompany debt between WM Holdings and its wholly-owned Canadian subsidiaries. As discussed in Note 7, in March 2016, our Canadian subsidiaries repaid the intercompany debt with proceeds from our Canadian term loan. Concurrent with the repayment of the intercompany debt, we terminated the cross-currency swaps and received $67 million in cash. The cash received from our termination of the swaps was classified as a change in “Other current assets” and “Other assets” within “Net cash provided by operating activities” in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. In addition, we recognized $8 million of expense associated with the termination of these swaps, which was included in “Other, net” in the Consolidated Statement of Operations.

These cross-currency swaps had been designated as cash flow hedges and as of December 31, 2015, the carrying value of the hedge position was reflected in our Consolidated Balance Sheet as $15 million of current other assets and $63 million of long-term other assets. Through March 2016, when the intercompany loans and the related cross-currency swaps were terminated, gains or losses resulting from the remeasurement of the underlying non-functional currency intercompany loans were recognized in current earnings in the same financial statement line item as the offsetting gains or losses on the related cross-currency swaps. There was no significant ineffectiveness associated with our cash flow hedges during the reported periods.

Forward-Starting Interest Rate Swaps — At December 31, 2016 and 2015, our “Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)” included $37 million and $43 million, respectively, of after-tax deferred losses related to terminated cash flow swaps, which are being amortized as an increase to interest expense using the effective interest method over the ten-year terms of the related senior notes, which extend through 2024. As of December 31, 2016, $10 million of the pre-tax deferred losses for these previously terminated swaps is scheduled to be reclassified as an increase to interest expense over the next 12 months.

During the first quarter of 2014, forward-starting interest rate swaps with a notional value of $175 million matured and we paid cash of $36 million to settle the associated liabilities. The loss associated with the matured forward-starting swaps was deferred and included as a component of the “Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)” balance discussed above.

Refer to Note 14 for information regarding the impacts of our cash flow derivatives on our comprehensive income and results of operations.