As a result, exchange rate movements during the first nine months of 2022 negatively impacted overall revenues by $510 million and our operating income by $115 million, in comparison to the first nine months of 2021.
In the first nine months of 2022, a positive hedging impact of $69 million was recognized under revenues, and a negative hedging impact of $5 million was recognized under cost of sales. In the first nine months of 2021, a positive hedging impact of $29 million was recognized under revenues and a negative hedging impact of $1 million was recognized under cost of sales.
Hedging transactions against future projected revenues and expenses are recognized on the balance sheet at their fair value on a quarterly basis, while the foreign exchange impact on the underlying revenues and expenses may occur in subsequent quarters. See note 8d to our consolidated financial statements.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Total balance sheet assets were $44,252 million as of September 30, 2022, compared to $47,666 million as of December 31, 2021.
Our working capital balance, which includes accounts receivables net of SR&A, inventories, prepaid expenses and other current assets, accounts payables, employee-related obligations, accrued expenses and other current liabilities, was $448 million as of September 30, 2022, compared to $787 million as of December 31, 2021. This decrease was mainly due to a decrease in accounts receivables, net of SR&A and an increase in accrued expenses mainly due to an update to the estimated settlement provision recorded in connection with the remaining opioid cases, partially offset by a decrease in employee-related obligations due to performance incentive payments to employees.
Employee-related obligations, as of September 30, 2022 were $496 million, compared to $563 million as of December 31, 2021. The decrease in the first nine months of 2022 was mainly due to performance incentive payments to employees for 2021, partially offset by an accrual for performance incentive payments to employees for 2022.
Cash investment in property, plant and equipment in the third quarter of 2022 was $122 million, compared to $146 million in the third quarter of 2021. Depreciation in the third quarter of 2022 was $156 million, compared to $132 million in the third quarter of 2021.
Cash and cash equivalents and short-term and long-term investments as of September 30, 2022 were $2,241 million, compared to $2,191 million as of December 31, 2021.
Our cash on hand that is not used for ongoing operations is generally invested in bank deposits as well as liquid securities that bear fixed and floating rates.
Teva’s principal sources of short-term liquidity are its cash on hand, existing cash investments, liquid securities and available credit facilities, primarily its $1.8 billion unsecured syndicated sustainability-linked revolving credit facility, entered into in April 2022 (“RCF”). See note 7 to our consolidated financial statements.
Debt Balance and Movements
As of September 30, 2022, our debt was $21,266 million, compared to $23,043 million as of December 31, 2021. This decrease was mainly due to $1,139 million from exchange rate fluctuations and $661 million senior notes repaid at maturity.
Our debt as of September 30, 2022 was effectively denominated in the following currencies: 65% in U.S. dollars, 33% in euros and 2% in Swiss francs.
The portion of total debt classified as short-term as of September 30, 2022 was 13%, compared to 6% as of December 31, 2021.
Our financial leverage which is the ratio between our debt and the sum of our debt and equity, was 69% as of September 30, 2022, compared to 67% as of December 31, 2021.
Our average debt maturity was approximately 5.9 years as of September 30, 2022, compared to 6.4 years as of December 31, 2021.
Total equity was $9,519 million as of September 30, 2022, compared to $11,244 million as of December 31, 2021. This decrease was mainly due to a net loss of $1,152 million and a negative impact of $684 million from exchange rate fluctuations.