Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES

v3.8.0.1
DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 30, 2017
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]  
DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES
DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES
Summary of Derivative Financial Instruments

All of VF’s outstanding derivative financial instruments are foreign exchange forward contracts. Although derivatives meet the criteria for hedge accounting at the inception of the hedging relationship, a limited number of derivative contracts intended to hedge assets and liabilities are not designated as hedges for accounting purposes. The notional amounts of outstanding derivative contracts were $2.9 billion at December 2017 and $2.2 billion at December 2016, consisting primarily of contracts hedging exposures to the euro, British pound, Canadian dollar, New Zealand dollar, Swiss franc, Mexican peso, Chinese renminbi yuan, Swedish krona, Japanese yen, Polish zloty and Korean won. Derivative contracts have maturities up to 20 months.
The following table presents outstanding derivatives on an individual contract basis:
  
 
Fair Value of Derivatives
with Unrealized Gains
 
 
Fair Value of Derivatives
with Unrealized Losses
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(In thousands)
 
2017
 
 
2016
 
 
2017
 
 
2016
Foreign currency exchange contracts designated as hedging instruments
 
$
17,639

 
 
$
103,340

 
 
$
(99,606
)
 
 
$
(25,292
)
Foreign currency exchange contracts not designated as hedging instruments
 
5,331

 
 
—

 
 
(432
)
 
 
(282
)
Total derivatives
 
$
22,970

 
 
$
103,340

 
 
$
(100,038
)
 
 
$
(25,574
)

VF records and presents the fair values of all derivative assets and liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets on a gross basis, even though they are subject to master netting agreements. However, if VF were to offset and record the asset and liability balances of its foreign exchange forward contracts on a net basis in accordance with the terms of its master netting agreements, the amounts presented in the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 2017 and December 2016 would be adjusted from the current gross presentation to the net amounts as detailed in the following table:
 
 
2017
 
 
2016
(In thousands)
 
Derivative
Asset
 
Derivative Liability
 
 
Derivative
Asset
 
Derivative Liability
Gross amounts presented in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
 
$
22,970

 
$
(100,038
)
 
 
$
103,340

 
$
(25,574
)
Gross amounts not offset in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
 
(18,313
)
 
18,313

 
 
(22,341
)
 
22,341

Net amounts
 
$
4,657

 
$
(81,725
)
 
 
$
80,999

 
$
(3,233
)

Derivatives are classified as current or noncurrent based on maturity dates, as follows:
(In thousands)
 
2017
 
 
2016
Other current assets
 
$
20,771

 
 
$
84,519

Accrued liabilities (Note K)
 
(87,205
)
 
 
(18,574
)
Other assets (Note I)
 
2,199

 
 
18,821

Other liabilities (Note M)
 
(12,833
)
 
 
(7,000
)

Cash Flow Hedges
VF uses derivative contracts primarily to hedge a portion of the exchange risk for its forecasted sales, purchases, production costs, operating costs and intercompany royalties. The effects of cash flow hedging included in VF’s Consolidated Statements of Income and Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income are summarized as follows:
(In thousands)

Cash Flow Hedging Relationships
 
Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Recognized in OCI
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2017
 
 
2016
 
2015
Foreign currency exchange
 
$
(138,716
)
 
 
$
90,708

 
$
89,993

(In thousands)
 
Gain (Loss) Reclassified
from Accumulated OCI into Income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Location of Gain (Loss)
 
2017
 
 
2016
 
2015
Net sales
 
$
33,641

 
 
$
28,798

 
$
(68,543
)
Cost of goods sold
 
610

 
 
84,613

 
132,432

Selling, general and administrative expenses
 
(3,610
)
 
 
(4,314
)
 
(1,885
)
Other income (expense), net
 
(1,851
)
 
 
2,864

 
7,267

Interest expense
 
(4,723
)
 
 
(4,504
)
 
(4,295
)
Total
 
$
24,067

 
 
$
107,457

 
$
64,976



Derivative Contracts Not Designated as Hedges

VF uses derivative contracts to manage foreign currency exchange risk on third-party accounts receivable and payable and intercompany borrowings. These contracts are not designated as hedges, and are recorded at fair value in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Changes in the fair values of these instruments are recognized directly in earnings. Gains or losses on these contracts largely offset the net transaction losses or gains on the related assets and liabilities.
In addition, VF has entered into foreign exchange forward contracts to hedge the purchase price of the Icebreaker Holdings, Ltd. acquisition. These contracts are not designated as hedges, and are recorded at fair value in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Changes in the fair values of these instruments are recognized directly in earnings.
Following is a summary of these derivatives included in VF’s Consolidated Statements of Income:
(In thousands)

Derivatives Not Designated as Hedges
 
Location of Gain (Loss) on
Derivatives
Recognized in Income
 
 
Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Recognized in Income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2017
 
 
2016
 
2015
Foreign currency exchange
 
Cost of goods sold
 
 
$
(1,929
)
 
 
$
1,674

 
$
(4,179
)
Foreign currency exchange
 
Other income (expense), net
 
 
1,028

 
 
83

 
2,806

Total
 
 
 
 
$
(901
)
 
 
$
1,757

 
$
(1,373
)

Other Derivative Information
There were no significant amounts recognized in earnings for the ineffective portion of any hedging relationships during 2017, 2016 and 2015.
At December 2017, accumulated OCI included $63.7 million of pretax net deferred losses for foreign exchange contracts that are expected to be reclassified to earnings during the next 12 months. The amounts ultimately reclassified to earnings will depend on exchange rates in effect when outstanding derivative contracts are settled.
VF entered into interest rate swap derivative contracts in 2011 and 2003 to hedge the interest rate risk for issuance of long-term debt due in 2021 and 2033, respectively. In each case, the contracts were terminated concurrent with the issuance of the debt, and the realized gain or loss was deferred in accumulated OCI. The remaining pretax net deferred loss in accumulated OCI was $18.0 million at December 2017, which will be reclassified into interest expense in the Consolidated Statements of Income over the remaining terms of the associated debt instruments. During 2017, 2016 and 2015, VF reclassified $4.7 million, $4.5 million and $4.3 million, respectively, of net deferred losses from accumulated OCI into interest expense, and expects to reclassify $4.9 million to interest expense during the next 12 months.
Net Investment Hedge

The Company has designated its €850.0 million of euro-denominated fixed-rate notes as a net investment hedge of VF’s investment in certain foreign operations. Because this debt qualified as a nonderivative hedging instrument, foreign currency transaction gains or losses of the debt are deferred in the foreign currency translation and other component of accumulated OCI as an offset to the foreign currency translation adjustments on the hedged investments. During 2017, the Company recognized an after-tax loss of $92.9 million in OCI related to the net investment hedge. During 2016, the Company recognized an after-tax gain of $34.4 million in OCI related to the net investment hedge transaction. Any amounts deferred in accumulated OCI will remain until the hedged investment is sold or substantially liquidated. The Company recorded no ineffectiveness from its net investment hedge during 2017 or 2016.