DERIVATIVES AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES

Universal is exposed to various risks in its worldwide operations and uses derivative financial instruments to manage two specific types of risks – interest rate risk and foreign currency exchange rate risk. Interest rate risk has been managed by entering into interest rate swap agreements, and foreign currency exchange rate risk has been managed by entering into forward foreign currency exchange contracts. However, the Company’s policy also permits other types of derivative instruments. In addition, foreign currency exchange rate risk is also managed through strategies that do not involve derivative instruments, such as using local borrowings and other approaches to minimize net monetary positions in non-functional currencies. The disclosures below provide additional information about the Company’s hedging strategies, the derivative instruments used, and the effects of these activities on the consolidated statements of income and the consolidated balance sheets. In the consolidated statements of cash flows, the cash flows associated with all of these activities are reported in net cash provided by operating activities. The Company has not hedged any net investment in the equity of subsidiaries denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar.

Hedging Strategy for Interest Rate Risk

The Company previously entered into receive-fixed/pay-floating interest rate swap agreements totaling $245 million notional amount that were designated and qualified as hedges of the exposure to changes in the fair value of the underlying debt instruments created by fluctuations in prevailing market interest rates. During fiscal year 2012, several of those swap contracts in the notional amount of $50 million were settled on maturity of the underlying debt, and the remaining contracts in the total notional amount of $195 million were settled prior to maturity at an aggregate gain of approximately $13 million. That gain is being amortized over the remaining terms of the underlying debt instruments as a reduction in interest expense. No fixed-to-floating interest rate swap agreements were outstanding at March 31, 2013.

In November 2011, the Company entered into receive-floating/pay-fixed interest rate swap agreements that were designated and qualify as hedges of the exposure to changes in interest payment cash flows created by fluctuations in variable interest rates on its outstanding amortizing bank term loan. Although no significant ineffectiveness is expected with this hedging strategy, the effectiveness of the interest rate swaps is evaluated on a quarterly basis. The aggregate notional amount of the interest rate swaps is being reduced over a five-year period as payments are made on the loan. At March 31, 2013, the total notional amount of the swaps was approximately $93 million, which corresponded with the outstanding balance of the loan.

Cash Flow Hedging Strategy for Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Risk Related to Forecast Purchases of Tobacco and Related Processing Costs

The majority of the tobacco production in most countries outside the United States where Universal operates is sold in export markets at prices denominated in U.S. dollars. However, purchases of tobacco from farmers and most processing costs (such as labor and energy) in those countries are usually denominated in the local currency. Changes in exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the local currencies where tobacco is grown and processed affect the ultimate U.S. dollar cost of the processed tobacco. From time to time, the Company has entered into forward contracts to sell U.S. dollars and buy the local currency at future dates that coincide with the expected timing of a portion of the tobacco purchases and processing costs. This strategy offsets the variability of future U.S. dollar cash flows for tobacco purchases and processing costs for the foreign currency notional amount hedged. This hedging strategy has been used mainly for tobacco purchases and processing costs in Brazil. The aggregate U.S. dollar notional amount of forward contracts entered for these purposes during fiscal years 2013, 2012, and 2011 was as follows:



	Fiscal Year Ended March 31,
(in millions)	2013		2012		2011
Tobacco purchases	$	158.9	$	182.5	$	235.2
Processing costs	34.3		48.3		48.5
Total	$	193.2	$	230.8	$	283.7

All contracts related to tobacco purchases were designated and qualify as hedges of the future cash flows associated with the forecast purchases of tobacco. As a result, except for insignificant amounts related to any ineffective portion of the hedging strategy, changes in fair values of the forward contracts have been recognized in comprehensive income as they occurred, but only recognized in earnings upon sale of the related tobacco to third-party customers. Forward contracts related to processing costs have not been designated as hedges, and gains and losses on those contracts have been recognized in earnings on a mark-to-market basis.

For substantially all hedge gains and losses recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss at March 31, 2013, the Company expects to complete the sale of the tobacco and recognize the amounts in earnings during fiscal year 2014. At March 31, 2013, all hedged forecast purchases of tobacco not yet completed remained probable of occurring within the originally designated time period and, as a result, no hedges had been discontinued. Purchases of the 2013 crop are expected to be completed by August 2013, and all forward contracts to hedge those purchases will mature and be settled by that time.

Hedging Strategy for Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Risk Related to Net Local Currency Monetary Assets and Liabilities of Foreign Subsidiaries

Most of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries transact the majority of their sales in U.S. dollars and finance the majority of their operating requirements with U.S. dollar borrowings, and therefore use the U.S. dollar as their functional currency. These subsidiaries normally have certain monetary assets and liabilities on their balance sheets that are denominated in the local currency. Those assets and liabilities can include cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable, advances to farmers and suppliers, deferred income tax assets and liabilities, recoverable value-added taxes, and other items. Net monetary assets and liabilities denominated in the local currency are remeasured into U.S. dollars each reporting period, generating gains and losses that the Company records in earnings as a component of selling, general, and administrative expenses. The level of net monetary assets or liabilities denominated in the local currency normally fluctuates throughout the year based on the operating cycle, but it is most common for monetary assets to exceed monetary liabilities, sometimes by a significant amount. When this situation exists and the local currency weakens against the U.S. dollar, remeasurement losses are generated. Conversely, remeasurement gains are generated on a net monetary asset position when the local currency strengthens against the U.S. dollar. To manage a portion of its exposure to currency remeasurement gains and losses in Brazil during fiscal year 2011, the Company entered into forward contracts to buy or sell the local currency at future dates coinciding with expected changes in the overall net local currency monetary asset position of the subsidiary. Gains and losses on the forward contracts were recorded in earnings as a component of selling, general, and administrative expenses for each reporting period as they occurred, and thus directly offset the related remeasurement losses or gains in the consolidated statements of income for the notional amount hedged. The Company does not designate these contracts as hedges for accounting purposes. The notional amount of these contracts totaled approximately $60 million in fiscal year 2011, and the contracts were settled before the end of the fiscal year. No forward contracts were entered for this purpose in fiscal years 2013 or 2012. To further mitigate currency remeasurement exposure, the Company’s foreign subsidiaries have obtained short-term local currency financing during certain periods. This strategy, while not involving the use of derivative instruments, is intended to minimize the subsidiary’s net monetary position by financing a portion of the local currency monetary assets with local currency monetary liabilities and thus hedging a portion of the overall position.

Several of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries transact the majority of their sales and finance the majority of their operating requirements in their local currency, and therefore use their respective local currencies as the functional currency for reporting purposes. From time to time, these subsidiaries sell tobacco to customers in transactions that are not denominated in the functional currency. In those situations, the subsidiaries routinely enter into forward exchange contracts to offset currency risk for the period of time that a fixed-price order and the related trade account receivable are outstanding with the customer. The contracts are not designated as hedges for accounting purposes.

Effect of Derivative Financial Instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Income

The table below outlines the effects of the Company’s use of derivative financial instruments on the consolidated statements of income for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2013, 2012, and 2011.



	Fiscal Year Ended March 31,
	2013			2012			2011
Fair Value Hedges - Interest Rate Swap Agreements
Derivative
Gain (loss) recognized in earnings	$	—		$	3,195		$	428
Location of gain (loss) recognized in earnings	Interest expense
Hedged Item
Description of hedged item	Fixed rate long-term debt
Gain (loss) recognized in earnings	$	—		$	(3,195	)	$	(428	)
Location of gain (loss) recognized in earnings	Interest expense

Cash Flow Hedges - Interest Rate Swap Agreements
Derivative
Effective Portion of Hedge
Gain (loss) recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss	$	(1,470	)	$	(1,119	)	$	—
Gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss into earnings	$	(910	)	$	—		$	—
Location of gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss into earnings	Interest expense
Ineffective Portion of Hedge
Gain (loss) recognized in earnings	$	—		$	—		$	—
Location of gain (loss) recognized in earnings	Selling, general and administrative expenses
Hedged Item
Description of hedged item	Floating rate interest payments on term loan

Cash Flow Hedges - Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts
Derivative
Effective Portion of Hedge
Gain (loss) recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss	$	(8,709	)	$	2,652		$	2,476
Gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss into earnings	$	(8,741	)	$	5,882		$	100
Location of gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss into earnings	Cost of goods sold
Ineffective Portion and Early De-designation of Hedges
Gain (loss) recognized in earnings	$	(1,325	)	$	857		$	113
Location of gain (loss) recognized in earnings	Selling, general and administrative expenses
Hedged Item
Description of hedged item	Forecast purchases of tobacco in Brazil

Derivatives Not Designated as Hedges - Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts
Gain (loss) recognized in earnings	$	(3,115	)	$	1,829		$	2,594
Location of gain (loss) recognized in earnings	Selling, general and administrative expenses

For the interest rate swap agreements designated as fair value hedges, since the hedges had no ineffectiveness, the gain or loss recognized in earnings on the derivative was offset by a corresponding loss or gain on the underlying hedged debt. For the interest rate swap agreements designated as cash flow hedges, the effective portion of the gain or loss on the derivative is recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss and any ineffective portion is recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses. At March 31, 2013, a loss of approximately $1 million is expected to be reclassified over the next twelve months from accumulated other comprehensive loss to interest expense.

For the forward foreign currency exchange contracts designated as cash flow hedges of tobacco purchases in Brazil, a net hedge loss of approximately $0.8 million remained in accumulated other comprehensive loss at March 31, 2013. That balance reflects net losses on contracts related to the 2013 crop. No hedged purchases of 2013 crop tobaccos had been completed and no hedge loss had been reclassified to earnings at March 31, 2013. The majority of the balance in the accumulated other comprehensive loss will be recognized in earnings as a component of cost of goods sold in fiscal year 2014 as the 2013 Brazilian crop tobacco is sold to customers. Based on the hedging strategy, as the gain or loss is recognized in earnings, it is expected to be offset by a change in the direct cost for the tobacco or by a change in sales prices if the strategy has been mandated by the customer. Generally, margins on the sale of the tobacco will not be significantly affected.

Effect of Derivative Financial Instruments on the Consolidated Balance Sheets

The table below outlines the effects of the Company’s derivative financial instruments on the consolidated balance sheets at March 31, 2013 and 2012:



	Derivatives in a Fair Value Asset Position					Derivatives in a Fair Value Liability Position
	Balance Sheet Location	Fair Value as of March 31,				Balance Sheet Location	Fair Value as of March 31,
	Balance Sheet Location	2013		2012		Balance Sheet Location	2013		2012
Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments
Interest rate swap agreements designated as fair value hedges	Other non-current assets	$	—	$	—	Long-term obligations	$	—	$	—

Interest rate swap agreements designated as cash flow hedges	Other non-current assets	—		—		Other long-term liabilities	1,679		1,119

Forward foreign currency exchange contracts designated as cash flow hedges	Other current assets	—		83		Accounts payable and accrued expenses	810		925
Total		$	—	$	83		$	2,489	$	2,044

Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts	Other current assets	$	—	$	273	Accounts payable and accrued expenses	$	331	$	427
Total		$	—	$	273		$	331	$	427