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 comprehensive 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.

Cash Flow Hedging Strategy for Interest Rate Risk

In January 2015, the Company entered into receive-floating/pay-fixed interest rate swap agreements that were designated and qualified as hedges of the exposure to changes in interest payment cash flows created by fluctuations in variable interest rates on two outstanding non-amortizing bank term loans. Although no significant ineffectiveness is expected with this hedging strategy, the effectiveness of the interest rate swaps is evaluated on a quarterly basis. At December 31, 2017, the total notional amount of the interest rate swaps was $370 million, which corresponded with the aggregate outstanding balance of the term loans.

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 enters 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 the first nine months of fiscal years 2018 and 2017 was as follows:



	Nine Months Ended December 31,
(in millions of dollars)	2017		2016

Tobacco purchases	$	19.4	$	9.7
Processing costs	7.3		2.7
Total	$	26.7	$	12.4

The increased U.S. dollar notional amounts for tobacco purchases and processing costs hedged during the nine months ended December 31, 2017 reflect the increased size of the 2017 Brazilian crop and variations in the timing of fixed-price orders from customers for their purchases from the respective crop years. 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 amounts related to any ineffective portion of the hedging strategy or any early de-designation of the hedge arrangement, 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.

All forward contracts to hedge purchases of the 2017 crop in Brazil matured and settled by December 31, 2017. For substantially all hedge gains and losses recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss at December 31, 2017, the Company expects to complete the sale of the tobacco and recognize the amounts in earnings during fiscal year 2018.

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, the Company enters 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 are recorded in earnings as a component of selling, general, and administrative expenses for each reporting period as they occur, 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 contracts are generally arranged to hedge the subsidiary's projected exposure to currency remeasurement risk for specified periods of time, and new contracts are entered as necessary throughout the year to replace previous contracts as they mature. The Company is currently using forward currency contracts to manage its exposure to currency remeasurement risk in Brazil. The total notional amounts of contracts outstanding at December 31, 2017 and 2016, and March 31, 2017, were approximately $21.2 million, $23.4 million, and $33.0 million, respectively. To further mitigate currency remeasurement exposure, the Company’s foreign subsidiaries may utilize 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, 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 three- and nine-month periods ended December 31, 2017 and 2016:



	Three Months Ended December 31,						Nine Months Ended December 31,
(in thousands of dollars)	2017			2016			2017			2016

Cash Flow Hedges - Interest Rate Swap Agreements
Derivative
Effective Portion of Hedge
Gain (loss) recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss	$	2,562		$	10,876		$	1,136		$	8,484
Gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss into earnings	$	(314	)	$	(987	)	$	(1,231	)	$	(3,135	)
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	$	—		$	—		$	(1,101	)	$	453
Gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss into earnings	$	(283	)	$	102		$	(725	)	$	770
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	$	—		$	—		$	(5	)	$	246
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	$	1,100		$	(1,576	)	$	397		$	(2,932	)
Location of gain (loss) recognized in earnings	Selling, general and administrative expenses

For the interest rate swap agreements, 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. For the forward foreign currency exchange contracts designated as cash flow hedges of tobacco purchases in Brazil, a net hedge loss of approximately $0.4 million remained in accumulated other comprehensive loss at December 31, 2017. That balance reflects gains and losses on contracts related to the 2017 crop, less the amount reclassified to earnings related to tobacco sold through December 31, 2017. The majority of the balance in accumulated other comprehensive loss is expected to be recognized in earnings as a component of cost of goods sold in fiscal year 2018 as the 2017 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 December 31, 2017 and 2016, and March 31, 2017:



	Derivatives in a Fair Value Asset Position							Derivatives in a Fair Value Liability Position
	Balance Sheet Location	Fair Value as of						Balance Sheet Location	Fair Value as of
(in thousands of dollars)	Balance Sheet Location	December 31, 2017		December 31, 2016		March 31, 2017		Balance Sheet Location	December 31, 2017		December 31, 2016		March 31, 2017

Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments
Interest rate swap agreements	Other non-current assets	$	4,516	$	853	$	2,149	Other long-term liabilities	$	—	$	—	$	—

Forward foreign currency exchange contracts	Other current assets	—		—		56		Accounts payable and accrued expenses	—		—		55
Total		$	4,516	$	853	$	2,205		$	—	$	—	$	55

Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts	Other current assets	$	379	$	4	$	917	Accounts payable and accrued expenses	$	15	$	1,229	$	120
Total		$	379	$	4	$	917		$	15	$	1,229	$	120

Substantially all of the Company's forward foreign exchange contracts are subject to master netting arrangements whereby the right to offset occurs in the event of default by a participating party. The Company has elected to present these contracts on a gross basis in the consolidated balance sheets.