Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements

Certain assets and liabilities are required to be recorded at fair value on a recurring basis, while other assets and liabilities are recorded at fair value on a nonrecurring basis, generally as a result of acquisitions or impairment charges. Fair value is determined based on the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. GAAP also classifies the inputs used to measure fair value into the following hierarchy:


Level 1:	Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.


Level 2:	Quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, or inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability.


Level 3:	Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability. There were no Level 3 recurring measurements of assets or liabilities as of March 31, 2017.

Interest Rate Swap

The Company entered into a $250.0 million interest rate swap on February 7, 2017. The swap was designated as a cash flow hedge as its purpose is to reduce the variability of cash flows from interest payments related to a portion of Quad/Graphics' variable-rate debt. The swap became effective on February 28, 2017, and effectively converts $250.0 million of the Company's variable-rate debt based on one-month LIBOR to a fixed rate of 3.89% (including a 2.00% spread on underlying debt). The variable interest rate resets monthly and the swap is a five year arrangement, maturing on February 28, 2022.

The Company classifies the interest rate swap as Level 2 because the inputs into the valuation model are observable or can be derived or corroborated utilizing observable market data at commonly quoted intervals. The interest rate swap was highly effective as of March 31, 2017; therefore, the entire change in fair value during the period of $0.4 million is included in accumulated other comprehensive loss in the condensed consolidated balance sheets and is shown as a change in other comprehensive income in the condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income. No amount of ineffectiveness has been recorded into earnings related to this cash flow hedge. The fair value of the interest rate swap as of March 31, 2017 was $0.4 million and is recorded in prepaid expenses and other current assets in the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

The net payment of interest under the terms of the interest rate swap totaled an expense of $0.2 million during the three months ended March 31, 2017, and has been recognized as an adjustment to interest expense in the condensed consolidated statements of operations.

Foreign Exchange Contracts

The Company has operations in countries that have transactions outside their functional currencies and periodically enters into foreign exchange contracts. These contracts are used to hedge the net exposures of changes in foreign currency exchange rates and are designated as either cash flow hedges or fair value hedges. Gains or losses on net foreign currency hedges are intended to offset losses or gains on the underlying net exposures in an effort to reduce the earnings volatility resulting from fluctuating foreign currency exchange rates. There were no open foreign currency exchange contracts as of March 31, 2017.

Natural Gas Forward Contracts

The Company periodically enters into natural gas forward purchase contracts to hedge against increases in commodity costs. The Company's commodity contracts qualified for the exception related to normal purchases and sales during the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, as the Company takes delivery in the normal course of business.

Debt

The Company measures fair value on its debt instruments using interest rates available to the Company for borrowings with similar terms and maturities and is categorized as Level 2. See Note 9, “Debt,” for the fair value of the Company’s debt as of March 31, 2017.

Nonrecurring Fair Value Measurements

In addition to assets and liabilities that are recorded at fair value on a recurring basis, the Company is required to record certain assets and liabilities at fair value on a nonrecurring basis, generally as a result of acquisitions or the remeasurement of assets resulting in impairment charges. See Note 2, "Restructuring, Impairment and Transaction-Related Charges" and Note 5, "Property, Plant and Equipment" for further discussion on impairment charges recorded as a result of the remeasurement of certain long-lived assets.

Other Estimated Fair Value Measurements

The fair value of cash and cash equivalents, receivables, inventories, restricted cash, accounts payable, accrued liabilities and amounts owing in satisfaction of bankruptcy claims approximate their carrying values as of March 31, 2017, and December 31, 2016.