Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements | NOTE 9. FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS Derivative Financial Instruments In the normal course of business, our operations are exposed to market risks, including the effect of changes in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates. We primarily hedge our foreign currency risk by borrowing in the currencies in which we invest. Generally, we borrow in the functional currency of our consolidated subsidiaries but we also borrow in currencies other than the U.S. dollar in the OP. We may use derivative financial instruments, such as foreign currency forward and option contracts to manage foreign currency exchange rate risk related to our foreign investments and earnings. In addition, we occasionally use interest rate swap and forward contracts to manage interest rate risk and limit the impact of future interest rate changes on earnings and cash flows, primarily with variable-rate debt. We recognize derivatives at fair value within the line items Other Assets Other Liabilities. The following table presents the fair value and classification of our derivative financial instruments (in thousands): March 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 Asset Liability Asset Liability Foreign currency contracts Net investment hedges Canadian dollar $ - $ 123 $ - $ 7,263 Forwards and options (1) Canadian dollar 436 592 - 1,698 British pound sterling - 12,090 2,440 8,103 Euro 28 19,365 2 14,234 Japanese yen 1,663 5,009 6,474 931 Interest rate swaps Cash flow hedges - 485 10,223 - Total fair value of derivatives $ 2,127 $ 37,664 $ 19,139 $ 32,229 (1) As discussed below, these foreign currency contracts are not designated as hedges. Foreign Currency Contracts The following tables summarize the activity in our foreign currency contracts for the three months ended March 31 (in millions, except for weighted average forward rates and number of active contracts): Foreign Currency Contracts 2018 Net Investment Hedges Forwards and Options Local Currency CAD CAD CNY EUR GBP JPY Notional amounts at January 1 $ 133 $ 72 ¥ - € 199 £ 102 ¥ 16,200 New contracts 128 6 519 23 - - Matured, expired or settled contracts (133 ) (8 ) (519 ) (22 ) (18 ) (2,000 ) Notional amounts at March 31 $ 128 $ 70 ¥ - € 200 £ 84 ¥ 14,200 Foreign Currency Contracts U.S. Dollar Net Investment Hedges (1) Forwards and Options (2) Notional amounts at January 1 $ 99 $ 56 $ - $ 233 $ 132 $ 153 New contracts 100 5 80 28 - - Matured, expired or settled contracts (99 ) (6 ) (80 ) (25 ) (24 ) (19 ) Notional amounts at March 31 $ 100 $ 55 $ - $ 236 $ 108 $ 134 Weighted average forward rate at March 31 1.28 1.28 - 1.18 1.30 106.20 Active contracts at March 31 2 24 - 29 18 30 Foreign Currency Contracts 2017 Net Investment Hedges Forwards and Options Local Currency CAD GBP CAD EUR GBP JPY Notional amounts at January 1 $ 133 £ 31 $ 50 € 174 £ 48 ¥ 15,500 New contracts 133 100 - 32 63 2,000 Matured, expired or settled contracts (133 ) - (7 ) (26 ) (15 ) (1,750 ) Notional amounts at March 31 $ 133 £ 131 $ 43 € 180 £ 96 ¥ 15,750 Foreign Currency Contracts U.S. Dollar Net Investment Hedges Forwards and Options (2) Notional amounts at January 1 $ 100 $ 46 $ 38 $ 197 $ 78 $ 144 New contracts 99 127 - 36 80 19 Matured, expired or settled contracts (100 ) - (6 ) (30 ) (22 ) (16 ) Notional amounts at March 31 $ 99 $ 173 $ 32 $ 203 $ 136 $ 147 (1) During the three months ended March 31, 2018, we settled two Canadian net investment hedges. See Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (2) During the Foreign Currency and Derivative Losses, Net . We recognized unrealized losses of $12.9 million and $13.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, from the change in value of our outstanding foreign currency contracts within Foreign Currency and Derivative Losses, Net Interest Rate Swaps The following table summarizes the activity of our interest rates swaps designated as cash flow hedges (in millions): Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 Notional amounts at January 1 $ 271 $ 271 New contracts (1) 500 - Matured, expired or settled contracts (2) (271 ) - Notional amounts at March 31 $ 500 $ 271 (1) During the three months ended March 31, 2018, we entered into two contracts with an aggregated notional amount of €400.0 million ( (2) During 2018, we repaid CAD $201.4 million ($158.9 million) on our 2015 Canadian Term Loan, leaving CAD $170.5 million ($132.2 million at March 31, 2018) outstanding. At that time, we settled the interest rate swap contracts related to the 2015 Canadian Term Loan and we determined it was no longer probable that we would continue to have the future cash flows as originally hedged. As a result, the $12.5 million gain in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) “AOCI/L” Interest Expense During the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, we had no losses due to hedge ineffectiveness. Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) The change in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Other Comprehensive Income (Loss). The following table presents these changes in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 Derivative net investment hedges (1) $ 3,093 $ 2,294 Cash flow hedges (2) (9,285 ) 429 Our share of derivatives from unconsolidated co-investment ventures 2,998 2,202 Total derivative hedging instruments (3,194 ) 4,925 Nonderivative net investment hedges (3) (4) (109,877 ) (44,526 ) Total derivative and nonderivative hedging instruments – gains (losses) $ (113,071 ) $ (39,601 ) Cumulative translation adjustment 111,554 81,899 Total change in other comprehensive income (loss) $ (1,517 ) $ 42,298 (1) We paid $4.0 million and received $1.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, on the settlement of net investment hedges. (2) The amounts reclassified to interest expense due to the amortization of previously settled cash flow hedges for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, were $1.1 million and $1.4 million, respectively. Additionally, during the three months ended March 31, 2018 we reclassified the settlement of the interest rate swap contracts on the 2015 Canadian Term Loan, as discussed above. For the next 12 months from March 31, 2018, we estimate an additional expense of $4.3 million will be reclassified to Interest Expense (3) At March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, we had €3.0 billion ($3.6 billion) and €3.1 billion ($3.6 billion) of debt, net of accrued interest, respectively, designated as nonderivative financial instrument hedges of our net investment in international subsidiaries. We recognized unrealized losses of $9.2 million and $4.1 million in Foreign Currency and Derivative Losses, Net (4) At March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, we had £213.7 million ($295.3 million) and £323.7 million ($436.0 million) of debt, net of accrued interest, respectively, designated as a nonderivative financial instrument hedge of our net investment in international subsidiaries. We recognized unrealized losses of $15.1 million in Foreign Currency and Derivative Losses, Net on the unhedged portion of our debt, net of accrued interest, for the three months ended March 31, 2018. We did not recognize any gains or losses for the three months ended March 31, 2017. Fair Value Measurements There have been no significant changes in our policy from what was disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017. Fair Value Measurements on a Recurring Basis At March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, other than the derivatives discussed previously, we did not have any significant financial assets or financial liabilities that were measured at fair value on a recurring basis in the Consolidated Financial Statements. All of our derivatives held at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, were classified as Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. Fair Value Measurements on Nonrecurring Basis Acquired properties and assets we expect to sell or contribute met the criteria to be measured on a nonrecurring basis at fair value and the lower of their carrying amount or their estimated fair value less the costs to sell, respectively, at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017. At March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, we estimate the fair value of our properties using Level 2 or Level 3 inputs from the fair value hierarchy. See more information on our acquired properties and assets held for sale or contribution in Notes 2 and 4, respectively. Fair Value of Financial Instruments At March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the carrying amounts of certain financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents, accounts and notes receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses were representative of their fair values. The differences in the fair value of our debt from the carrying value in the table below were the result of differences in interest rates or borrowing spreads that were available to us at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, as compared with those in effect when the debt was issued or assumed, including reduced borrowing spreads due to our improved credit ratings. The senior notes and many of the issuances of secured mortgages contain pre-payment penalties or yield maintenance provisions that could make the cost of refinancing the debt at lower rates exceed the benefit that would be derived from doing so. The following table reflects the carrying amounts and estimated fair values of our debt (in thousands): March 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 Carrying Value Fair Value Carrying Value Fair Value Credit Facilities $ 336,848 $ 336,909 $ 317,392 $ 317,496 Senior notes 6,695,747 7,079,764 6,067,277 6,537,100 Term loans and unsecured other 1,469,849 1,483,207 2,060,491 2,075,002 Secured mortgages 957,733 1,004,500 967,471 1,026,197 Total $ 9,460,177 $ 9,904,380 $ 9,412,631 $ 9,955,795 |