Fair Value Measurements

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Measurements

The Company uses a three-level fair value hierarchy that categorizes assets and liabilities measured at fair value based on the observability of the inputs utilized in the valuation. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to the quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities and lowest priority to unobservable inputs.

Level 1 - Financial assets and liabilities whose values are based on unadjusted quoted market prices for identical assets and liabilities in an active market that the Company has the ability to access.

Level 2 - Financial assets and liabilities whose values are based on quoted prices in markets that are not active or model inputs that are observable for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.

Level 3 - Financial assets and liabilities whose values are based on prices or valuation techniques that require inputs that are both unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement.

Assets which are valued at net asset value per share ("NAV"), or its equivalent, as a practical expedient are reported outside the fair value hierarchy, but are included in the total assets for reporting and reconciliation purposes.

Items Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

Derivative instruments - The Company uses derivative financial instruments, “derivatives”, to mitigate the market risk that occurs from its exposure to changes in interest and foreign exchange rates. The Company does not enter into derivatives for trading or other speculative purposes. The Company’s use of derivatives is in accordance with the strategies contained in the Company’s overall financial risk policy. The derivatives outstanding as of March 31, 2020 were foreign exchange swaps. All swaps principally match the terms and maturity of the underlying obligation and no swaps have a maturity beyond six months. All derivatives are recognized in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements at fair value. Certain derivatives are from time to time designated either as fair value hedges or cash flow hedges in line with the hedge accounting criteria. For certain other derivatives hedge accounting is not applied either because non-hedge accounting treatment creates the same accounting result or the hedge does not meet the hedge accounting requirements, although entered into applying the same rationale concerning mitigating market risk that occurs from changes in interest and foreign exchange rates. The Company’s derivatives are classified as Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy and there were no transfers between the levels during this or comparable periods.

Financial Statement Presentation

The Company enters into master netting agreements, International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) agreements with all derivative counterparties. The netting agreements allow for netting of exposures in the event of default or breach of the counterparty agreement. The fair values in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets have been presented on a gross basis. Derivative financial instruments designated and non-designated as hedging instruments are included in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The notional value of the derivatives not designated as hedging instruments was $100 million as of March 31, 2020 and $291 million as of December 31, 2019. As of March 31, 2020, the asset of the derivatives not designated as hedging instruments was $1 million, and as of December 31, 2019, the derivatives not designated as hedging instruments was a liability of $1 million.

Gains and losses on derivative financial instruments recognized in the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations, were a gain of $2 million and a gain of less than $1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Items Measured at Fair Value on a Non-Recurring Basis

Certain assets and liabilities are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis. The fair value measurements are generally determined using unobservable inputs and are classified within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. These assets include long-lived assets, intangible assets and investments in affiliates, which may be written down to fair value as a result of impairment. The Company has determined that the fair value measurements included in each of these assets and liabilities rely primarily on Company-specific inputs and the Company’s assumptions about the use of the assets and settlements of liabilities, as observable inputs are not available. The Company has determined that each of these fair value measurements reside within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. To determine the fair value of long-lived assets, the Company utilizes the projected cash flows expected to be generated by the long-lived assets, then discounts the future cash flows over the expected life of the long-lived assets. VBS assets and liabilities classified as held for sale and the related impairment were measured using third party sales pricing to determine fair values of the assets. See Note 4 "Divestiture and held for sale" for additional information.

Investments

The Company may, as a practical expedient, estimate the fair value of certain investments using NAV of the investment as of the reporting date. This practical expedient generally deals with investments that permit an investor to redeem its investment directly with, or receive distributions from, the investee at times specified in the investee’s governing documents. Examples of these investments (often referred to as alternative investments) may include ownership interests in real assets, certain credit strategies, and hedging and diversifying strategies. They are commonly in the form of limited partnership interests. The Company uses NAV as a practical expedient when valuing investments in alternative asset classes and funds which are a limited partnership or similar investment vehicle.

On June 30, 2017, Veoneer committed to make a $15 million investment in Autotech Fund I, L.P. pursuant to a limited partnership agreement, and as a limited partner, periodically makes capital contributions toward this total commitment amount. As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, Veoneer contributed approximately $11 million and $10 million, respectively, to the investment in Autotech Fund I, L.P. For the period ended March 31, 2020 the Company has received distributions of $1 million from the fund.

The carrying amounts reflected in the Consolidated Balance Sheet in Investments for AutoTech Fund I, L.P approximates its fair values as of December 31, 2019 as this is the most recent information available to the Company at this time.