Derivative Instruments And Hedging (Policy)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2014

Derivative Instruments And Hedging [Abstract]

Derivatives Policy

We are exposed to certain risks related to our ongoing business operations. The primary risks that we manage by using derivative instruments are foreign currency exchange risk and interest rate risk. Our subsidiaries enter into foreign currency exchange contracts to manage the exchange risk associated with their forecasted intercompany inventory purchases and sales for the next year. From time to time, we may also enter into foreign currency exchange contracts to minimize the impact of foreign currency fluctuations associated with specific, significant transactions. We enter into interest rate swaps to minimize the impact of interest rate fluctuations associated with our variable-rate Credit Facility.

The primary purpose of our foreign currency hedging activities is to protect against the volatility associated with foreign currency transactions, including transactions denominated in euro, British pound, Japanese yen, Canadian dollar, Australian dollar and Swiss franc.  We also utilize natural hedges to mitigate our transaction and commitment exposures. Our corporate policy prescribes the range of allowable hedging activity. We enter into foreign currency exchange contracts with large multinational financial institutions and we do not hold or engage in transactions involving derivative instruments for purposes other than risk management.

We recognize all derivative instruments, including our foreign currency exchange contracts and interest rate swap agreements, on the balance sheet at fair value at the balance sheet date. Derivative instruments that do not qualify for hedge accounting treatment must be recorded at fair value through earnings. To qualify for hedge accounting treatment, cash flow hedges must be highly effective in offsetting changes to expected future cash flows on hedged transactions.  If a derivative instrument qualifies for hedge accounting, changes in the fair value of the derivative instrument from the effective portion of the hedge are deferred in  AOCI, net of tax, and reclassified into earnings in the same period or periods during which the hedged transaction affects earnings. We immediately record in earnings the extent to which a hedge instrument is not effective in achieving offsetting changes in fair value. We de-designate derivative instruments from hedge accounting when the likelihood of the hedged transaction occurring becomes less than probable. For de-designated instruments, the gain or loss from the time of de-designation through maturity of the instrument is recognized in earnings. Any gain or loss in AOCI at the time of de-designation is reclassified into earnings in the same period or periods during which the hedged transaction affects earnings. See Note 12 for further information regarding the effect of derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges on the condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013.

We enter into master netting arrangements with the counterparties to our derivative transactions which permit outstanding receivables and payables to be offset in the event of default. Our derivative contracts do not require either party to post cash collateral. We elect to present our derivative assets and liabilities in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets on a gross basis. All cash flows related to our foreign currency exchange contracts and interest rate swaps are classified as operating cash flows, which is consistent with the cash flow treatment of the underlying items being hedged.

Cash Flow Hedges

We have designated our foreign currency exchange contracts and variable-to-fixed interest rate swaps as cash flow hedges as these derivative instruments mitigate the exposure to variability in the cash flows of forecasted transactions attributable to foreign currency exchange and interest rates. Unless noted otherwise, we have also designated our derivative instruments as qualifying for hedge accounting treatment.