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Fair Value Measurements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

11. Fair Value Measurements

FASB literature regarding fair value measurements for financial and non-financial assets and liabilities establishes a three-level fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. This hierarchy requires entities to maximize the use of “observable inputs” and minimize the use of “unobservable inputs.” The three levels of inputs used to measure fair value are as follows:

Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;

Level 2—Observable inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data; and

Level 3—Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities, including certain pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies and similar techniques that use significant unobservable inputs.

Fair Value Measurements on a Recurring Basis

The table below segregates all financial assets that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis into the most appropriate level within the fair value hierarchy based on the inputs used to determine the fair value at the measurement date (amounts in millions):

			Fair Value Measurements at
			December 31, 2014 Using
			Quoted
			Prices in
			Active		Significant
			Markets for		Other		Significant
	As of		Identical		Observable		Unobservable
	December 31,		Assets		Inputs		Inputs		Balance Sheet
	2014		(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)		Classification
Financial Assets:
Recurring fair value measurements:
Money market funds	$	4,475	$	4,475	$	---	$	---	Cash and cash equivalents
Foreign government treasury bills		40		40		---		---	Cash and cash equivalents
Auction rate securities ("ARS")		9		---		---		9	Long-term investments
Total recurring fair value measurements	$	4,524	$	4,515	$	---	$	9

			Fair Value Measurements at
			December 31, 2013 Using
			Quoted
			Prices in
			Active		Significant
			Markets for		Other		Significant
	As of		Identical		Observable		Unobservable
	December 31,		Assets		Inputs		Inputs		Balance Sheet
	2013		(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)		Classification
Recurring fair value measurements:
Money market funds	$	4,000	$	4,000	$	---	$	---	Cash and cash equivalents
Foreign government treasury bills		33		33		---		---	Cash and cash equivalents
U.S. treasuries and government agency securities		21		21		---		---	Short-term investments
ARS		9		---		---		9	Long-term investments
Total recurring fair value measurements	$	4,063	$	4,054	$	---	$	9

The following tables provide a reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of our financial assets classified as Level 3 by major categories (amounts in millions) at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively:

			Level 3
					Total
					financial
					assets at
			ARS		fair
			(a)		value
Balance at December 31, 2012			$	8	$	8
	Total unrealized gains included in other
		comprehensive income		1		1
Balance at December 31, 2013			$	9	$	9
	Total unrealized gains included in other
		comprehensive income		---		---
Balance at December 31, 2014			$	9	$	9

(a) Fair value measurements have been estimated using an income-approach model. When estimating the fair value, we consider both observable market data and non-observable factors, including credit quality, duration, insurance wraps, collateral composition, maximum rate formulas, comparable trading instruments, and the likelihood of redemption. Significant assumptions used in the analysis include estimates for interest rates, spreads, cash flow timing and amounts, and holding periods of the securities. At December 31, 2014, assets measured at fair value using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), all of which were ARS, represent less than 1% of our financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis.

Foreign Currency Forward Contracts

The Company transacts business in various foreign currencies and has significant international sales and expenses denominated in foreign currencies, subjecting us to foreign currency risk. In addition, the Company transacts intercompany business in various foreign currencies other than its functional currency, subjecting us to variability in the functional currency-equivalent cash flows. To mitigate our foreign currency risk resulting from our foreign currency-denominated monetary assets, liabilities and earnings and our foreign currency risk related to functional currency-equivalent cash flows resulting from our intercompany transactions, we periodically enter into currency derivative contracts, principally forward contracts with maturities of generally less than one year. We report the fair value of these contracts within “Other current assets” or “Other current liabilities” in our consolidated balance sheets based on the prevailing exchange rates of the various hedged currencies as of the end of the relevant period.

We do not hold or purchase any foreign currency forward contracts for trading or speculative purposes.

Foreign Currency Forward Contracts Not Designated as Hedges

Foreign currency forward contracts entered into to mitigate risk from foreign currency-denominated monetary assets, liabilities, and earnings and were designated as hedging instruments under ASC 815. Changes in the estimated fair value of these derivatives are recorded within “General and administrative expenses” and “Interest and other investment income (expense), net” in our consolidated statements of operations, depending on the nature of the underlying transactions.

At December 31, 2014 and 2013, the gross notional amounts of outstanding foreign currency forward contracts not designated as hedges were $11 million and $34 million, respectively. The fair values of these foreign currency forward contracts were not material as of December 31, 2014 and 2013. For the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2012, we recognized a pre-tax net gain of $1 million and $7 million, respectively, related to these forward contracts. For the year ended December 31, 2013, pre-tax net gains associated with these forward contracts were not material.

Foreign Currency Forward Contracts Designated as Hedges

During the year ended December 31, 2014, we entered into foreign currency forward contracts to hedge forecasted intercompany cash flows that are subject to foreign currency risk and designated them as cash flow hedges in accordance with ASC 815. The Company assesses the effectiveness of these cash flow hedges at inception and on an ongoing basis and determines if the hedges are effective at providing offsetting changes in cash flows of the hedged items. The Company records the effective portion of changes in the estimated fair value of these derivatives in “Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)” and subsequently reclassifies the related amount of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) to earnings within “General and administrative expense” when the hedged item impacts earnings. The Company measures hedge ineffectiveness, if any, and if it is determined that a derivative has ceased to be a highly effective hedge, the Company will discontinue hedge accounting for the derivative.

At December 31, 2014, we did not have any outstanding foreign currency forward contracts designated as cash flow hedges. For the year ended December 31, 2014, pre-tax net realized gains associated with these forward contracts of $8 million were reclassified out of “Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)” into “General and administrative expense”.

Fair Value Measurements on a Non-Recurring Basis

We measure the fair value of certain assets on a non-recurring basis, generally annually or when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be recoverable.

For the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012, there were no impairment charges related to assets that are measured on a non-recurring basis.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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