DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Our operations are exposed to market risks from adverse changes in commodity prices affecting the cost of raw materials and energy, foreign currency exchange rates, and interest rates. In the normal course of business, these risks are managed through a variety of strategies, including the use of derivatives.

Commodity and commodity index futures and option contracts are used from time to time to economically hedge commodity input prices on items such as natural gas, vegetable oils, proteins, packaging materials, dairy, grains, and electricity. Generally, we economically hedge a portion of our anticipated consumption of commodity inputs for periods of up to 36 months. We may enter into longer-term economic hedges on particular commodities, if deemed appropriate. As of November 29, 2015, we had economically hedged certain portions of our anticipated consumption of commodity inputs using derivative instruments with expiration dates through September 2016.

In order to reduce exposures related to changes in foreign currency exchange rates, we enter into forward exchange, option, or swap contracts from time to time for transactions denominated in a currency other than the applicable functional currency. This includes, but is not limited to, hedging against foreign currency risk in purchasing inventory and capital equipment, sales of finished goods, and future settlement of foreign-denominated assets and liabilities. As of November 29, 2015, we had economically hedged certain portions of our foreign currency risk in anticipated transactions using derivative instruments with expiration dates through May 2017.

From time to time, we may use derivative instruments, including interest rate swaps, to reduce risk related to changes in interest rates. This includes, but is not limited to, hedging against increasing interest rates prior to the issuance of long-term debt and hedging the fair value of our senior long-term debt.

Derivatives Designated as Cash Flow Hedges

During fiscal 2013, we entered into interest rate swap contracts to hedge a portion of the interest rate risk related to our issuance of long-term debt to partially finance the acquisition of Ralcorp. We settled these contracts during the third quarter of fiscal 2013 resulting in a deferred gain of $4.2 million on senior notes maturing in 2043 and a deferred loss of $2.0 million on senior notes maturing in 2023, both recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss. These amounts are being amortized as a component of net interest expense over the lives of the related debt instruments. The unamortized amounts of the deferred gain and deferred loss at November 29, 2015 were $3.0 million and $1.3 million, respectively.

Derivatives Designated as Fair Value Hedges

During fiscal 2014, we entered into interest rate swap contracts to hedge the fair value of certain of our senior long-term debt instruments maturing in fiscal 2019 and 2020, effectively converting interest on this debt from fixed rate to floating rate. We designated these interest rate swap contracts as fair value hedges of the debt instruments (See Note 5).

Changes in fair value of such derivative instruments were immediately recognized in earnings along with changes in the fair value of the items being hedged (based solely on the change in the benchmark interest rate). In the second quarter and first half of fiscal 2015, we recognized gains of $2.9 million and $0.7 million, respectively, representing the change in fair value of the interest rate swap contracts and losses of $2.6 million and $0.1 million, respectively, representing the change in fair value of the related senior long-term debt. The net gains of $0.3 million for the second quarter and $0.6 million for the first half of fiscal 2015 are classified within selling, general and administrative expenses.

The entire change in fair value of the derivative instruments was included in our assessment of hedge effectiveness.

We settled these contracts during the third quarter of fiscal 2015. The cumulative adjustment to the fair value of the debt instruments that were hedged, totaling $12.6 million, is being amortized as a reduction to interest expense over the remaining life of the debt instruments (through fiscal 2020). The unamortized amount of the deferred gain was $10.6 million at November 29, 2015.

Economic Hedges of Forecasted Cash Flows

Many of our derivatives do not qualify for, and we do not currently designate certain commodity or foreign currency derivatives to achieve, hedge accounting treatment. We reflect realized and unrealized gains and losses from derivatives used to economically hedge anticipated commodity consumption and to mitigate foreign currency cash flow risk in earnings immediately within general corporate expense (within cost of goods sold). The gains and losses are reclassified to segment operating results in the period in which the underlying item being economically hedged is recognized in cost of goods sold. In the event that management determines a particular derivative entered into as an economic hedge of a forecasted commodity purchase has ceased to function as an economic hedge, we cease recognizing further gains and losses on such derivatives in corporate expense and begin recognizing such gains and losses within segment operating results, immediately.

Economic Hedges of Fair Values — Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Risk

We may use options and cross currency swaps to economically hedge the fair value of certain monetary assets and liabilities (including intercompany balances) denominated in a currency other than the functional currency. These derivatives are marked-to-market with gains and losses immediately recognized in selling, general and administrative expenses. These substantially offset the foreign currency transaction gains or losses recognized as values of the monetary assets or liabilities being economically hedged change.

All derivative instruments are recognized on our balance sheets at fair value (refer to Note 16 for additional information related to fair value measurements). The fair value of derivative assets is recognized within prepaid expenses and other current assets, while the fair value of derivative liabilities is recognized within other accrued liabilities. In accordance with U.S. GAAP, we offset certain derivative asset and liability balances, as well as certain amounts representing rights to reclaim cash collateral and obligations to return cash collateral, where master netting agreements provide for legal right of setoff. At November 29, 2015 and May 31, 2015, amounts representing a right to reclaim cash collateral of $7.5 million and $5.9 million, respectively, were included in prepaid expenses and other current assets in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Derivative assets and liabilities and amounts representing a right to reclaim cash collateral or an obligation to return cash collateral were reflected in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as follows:



	November 29, 2015		May 31, 2015
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	$	28.3	$	32.2
Other accrued liabilities	13.7		14.2

The following table presents our derivative assets and liabilities, at November 29, 2015, on a gross basis, prior to the setoff of $18.1 million to total derivative assets and $25.6 million to total derivative liabilities where legal right of setoff existed:



	Derivative Assets			Derivative Liabilities
	Balance Sheet Location	Fair Value		Balance Sheet Location	Fair Value
Commodity contracts	Prepaid expenses and other current assets	$	23.2	Other accrued liabilities	$	39.1
Foreign exchange contracts	Prepaid expenses and other current assets	22.1		Other accrued liabilities	—
Other	Prepaid expenses and other current assets	1.1		Other accrued liabilities	0.2
Total derivatives not designated as hedging instruments		$	46.4		$	39.3

The following table presents our derivative assets and liabilities at May 31, 2015, on a gross basis, prior to the setoff of $7.3 million to total derivative assets and $13.2 million to total derivative liabilities where legal right of setoff existed:



	Derivative Assets			Derivative Liabilities
	Balance Sheet Location	Fair Value		Balance Sheet Location	Fair Value
Commodity contracts	Prepaid expenses and other current assets	$	20.8	Other accrued liabilities	$	26.9
Foreign exchange contracts	Prepaid expenses and other current assets	17.7		Other accrued liabilities	0.4
Other	Prepaid expenses and other current assets	1.0		Other accrued liabilities	0.1
Total derivatives not designated as hedging instruments		$	39.5		$	27.4

The location and amount of gains (losses) from derivatives not designated as hedging instruments in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations were as follows:



Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments	Location in Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations of Gain (Loss) Recognized on Derivatives	Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized on Derivatives in Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations for the Thirteen Weeks Ended
Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments		November 29, 2015			November 23, 2014
Commodity contracts	Cost of goods sold	$	(5.7	)	$	(19.2	)
Foreign exchange contracts	Cost of goods sold	—			1.0
Foreign exchange contracts	Selling, general and administrative expense	0.3			2.3
Total loss from derivative instruments not designated as hedging instruments		$	(5.4	)	$	(15.9	)



Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments	Location in Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations of Gain (Loss) Recognized on Derivatives	Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized on Derivatives in Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations for the Twenty-six Weeks Ended
Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments		November 29, 2015			November 23, 2014
Commodity contracts	Cost of goods sold	$	(15.0	)	$	(46.1	)
Foreign exchange contracts	Cost of goods sold	—			1.3
Foreign exchange contracts	Selling, general and administrative expense	4.7			2.5
Interest rate contracts	Selling, general and administrative expense	—			(1.4		)
Total loss from derivative instruments not designated as hedging instruments		$	(10.3	)	$	(43.7	)

As of November 29, 2015, our open commodity contracts had a notional value (defined as notional quantity times market value per notional quantity unit) of $272.7 million and $196.2 million for purchase and sales contracts, respectively. As of May 31, 2015, our open commodity contracts had a notional value of $554.9 million and $393.1 million for purchase and sales contracts, respectively. The notional amount of our foreign currency forward and cross currency swap contracts as of November 29, 2015 and May 31, 2015 was $91.8 million and $108.6 million, respectively.

We enter into certain commodity, interest rate, and foreign exchange derivatives with a diversified group of counterparties. We continually monitor our positions and the credit ratings of the counterparties involved and limit the amount of credit exposure to any one party. These transactions may expose us to potential losses due to the risk of nonperformance by these counterparties. We have not incurred a material loss due to nonperformance in any period presented and do not expect to incur any such material loss. We also enter into futures and options transactions through various regulated exchanges.

At November 29, 2015, the maximum amount of loss due to the credit risk of the counterparties, had the counterparties failed to perform according to the terms of the contracts, was $24.0 million.