Fair Value Measurements and Derivative Instruments

We measure certain financial assets and liabilities at fair value on a recurring basis. Fair value is a market-based measure considered from the perspective of a market participant rather than an entity-specific measure. An entity is required to classify certain assets and liabilities measured at fair value based on the following fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value:


Level 1 –	Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities.


Level 2 –	Quoted prices for identical assets and liabilities in markets that are not active, quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.


Level 3 –	Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity, may be derived from internally developed methodologies based on management’s best estimate of fair value and that are significant to the fair value of the asset or liability.

The following tables show, by level within the fair value hierarchy, our financial assets and liabilities that are accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis at March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015. Financial assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Our assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement requires judgment and may affect its placement within the fair value hierarchy.



	March 31, 2016
	Level 1		Level 2			Level 3		Total
Assets:
Investment securities
Money market funds / commercial paper	$	20,453	$	181,894		$	—	$	202,347
Equity securities	—		22,413			—		22,413
Commingled fixed income securities	—		23,811			—		23,811
Debt securities - U.S. and foreign governments, agencies and municipalities	120,388		12,537			—		132,925
Debt securities - corporate	—		62,671			—		62,671
Mortgage-backed / asset-backed securities	—		165,354			—		165,354
Derivatives
Foreign exchange contracts	—		145			—		145
Total assets	$	140,841	$	468,825		$	—	$	609,666
Liabilities:
Derivatives
Foreign exchange contracts	$	—	$	(5,507	)	$	—	$	(5,507	)
Total liabilities	$	—	$	(5,507	)	$	—	$	(5,507	)



	December 31, 2015
	Level 1		Level 2			Level 3		Total
Assets:
Investment securities
Money market funds / commercial paper	$	41,215	$	292,412		$	—	$	333,627
Equity securities	—		24,538			—		24,538
Commingled fixed income securities	—		22,571			—		22,571
Debt securities - U.S. and foreign governments, agencies and municipalities	102,235		12,566			—		114,801
Debt securities - corporate	—		62,884			—		62,884
Mortgage-backed / asset-backed securities	—		178,234			—		178,234
Derivatives
Foreign exchange contracts	—		1,716			—		1,716
Total assets	$	143,450	$	594,921		$	—	$	738,371
Liabilities:
Derivatives
Foreign exchange contracts	$	—	$	(5,387	)	$	—	$	(5,387	)
Total liabilities	$	—	$	(5,387	)	$	—	$	(5,387	)

Investment Securities

The valuation of investment securities is based on the market approach using inputs that are observable, or can be corroborated by observable data, in an active marketplace. The following information relates to our classification into the fair value hierarchy:

•

Money Market Funds / Commercial Paper: Money market funds typically invest in government securities, certificates of deposit, commercial paper and other highly liquid, low risk securities. Money market funds are principally used for overnight deposits and are classified as Level 1 when unadjusted quoted prices in active markets are available and as Level 2 when they are not actively traded on an exchange. Direct investments in commercial paper are not listed on an exchange in an active market and are classified as Level 2.


•	Equity Securities: Equity securities are comprised of mutual funds investing in U.S. and foreign common stock. These mutual funds are classified as Level 2 as they are not separately listed on an exchange.

•

Commingled Fixed Income Securities: Mutual funds that invest in a variety of fixed income securities including securities of the U.S. government and its agencies, corporate debt, mortgage-backed securities and asset-backed securities. The value of the funds is based on the market value of the underlying investments owned by each fund, minus its liabilities, divided by the number of shares outstanding, as reported by the fund manager. These commingled funds are not listed on an exchange in an active market and are classified as Level 2.

•

Debt Securities – U.S. and Foreign Governments, Agencies and Municipalities: Debt securities are classified as Level 1 where active, high volume trades for identical securities exist. Valuation adjustments are not applied to these securities. Debt securities valued using quoted market prices for similar securities or benchmarking model derived prices to quoted market prices and trade data for identical or comparable securities are classified as Level 2.


•	Debt Securities – Corporate: Corporate debt securities are valued using recently executed transactions, market price quotations where observable, or bond spreads. The spread data used are for the same maturity as the security. These securities are classified as Level 2.


•	Mortgage-Backed Securities / Asset-Backed Securities: These securities are valued based on external pricing indices. When external index pricing is not observable, these securities are valued based on external price/spread data. These securities are classified as Level 2.

Investment securities include investments held by The Pitney Bowes Bank (the Bank), whose primary business is to provide financing solutions to clients that rent postage meters and purchase supplies. The Bank's assets and liabilities consist primarily of cash, finance receivables, short and long-term investments and deposit accounts.

Available-For-Sale Securities

Certain investment securities are classified as available-for-sale and recorded at fair value in the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments and other assets depending on the type of investment and maturity. Unrealized holding gains and losses are recorded, net of tax, in accumulated other comprehensive loss (AOCL).

Available-for-sale securities at March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 consisted of the following:



	March 31, 2016
	Amortized cost		Gross unrealized gains		Gross unrealized losses			Estimated fair value
U.S. and foreign governments, agencies and municipalities	$	129,918	$	3,328	$	(321	)	$	132,925
Corporate notes and bonds	61,181		1,869		(379		)	62,671
Commingled fixed income securities	1,542		14		—			1,556
Mortgage-backed / asset-backed securities	163,491		3,024		(1,161		)	165,354
Total	$	356,132	$	8,235	$	(1,861	)	$	362,506



	December 31, 2015
	Amortized cost		Gross unrealized gains		Gross unrealized losses			Estimated fair value
U.S. and foreign governments, agencies and municipalities	$	114,265	$	1,804	$	(1,268	)	$	114,801
Corporate notes and bonds	63,140		823		(1,079		)	62,884
Mortgage-backed / asset-backed securities	177,821		1,901		(1,488		)	178,234
Total	$	355,226	$	4,528	$	(3,835	)	$	355,919

At March 31, 2016, investment securities that were in a loss position for 12 or more continuous months had aggregate unrealized holding losses of $1 million and an estimated fair value of $39 million, and investment securities that were in a loss position for less than 12 continuous months had aggregate unrealized holding losses of $1 million and an estimated fair value of $59 million.

At December 31, 2015, investment securities that were in a loss position for 12 or more continuous months had aggregate unrealized holding losses of $2 million and an estimated fair value of $36 million, and investment securities that were in a loss position for less than 12 continuous months had aggregate unrealized holding losses of $2 million and an estimated fair value of $146 million.

We have not recognized an other-than-temporary impairment on any of the investment securities in an unrealized loss position because we do not intend to sell these securities, it is more likely than not that we will not be required to sell these securities before recovery of the unrealized losses and we expect to receive the contractual principal and interest on these investment securities.

Scheduled maturities of available-for-sale securities at March 31, 2016 were as follows:



	Amortized cost		Estimated fair value
Within 1 year	$	64,649	$	64,711
After 1 year through 5 years	78,466		79,906
After 5 years through 10 years	52,093		53,610
After 10 years	160,924		164,279
Total	$	356,132	$	362,506

The expected payments on mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities may not coincide with their contractual maturities as borrowers have the right to prepay obligations with or without prepayment penalties.

We have not experienced any significant write-offs in our investment portfolio. The majority of our mortgage-backed securities are either guaranteed or supported by the U.S. Government. We have no investments in inactive markets that would warrant a possible change in our pricing methods or classification within the fair value hierarchy. Further, we have no investments in auction rate securities.

Derivative Instruments

In the normal course of business, we are exposed to the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates. We limit these risks by following established risk management policies and procedures, including the use of derivatives. We use derivative instruments to limit the effects of exchange rate fluctuations on financial results and manage the related cost of debt. We do not use derivatives for trading or speculative purposes. We record our derivative instruments at fair value and the accounting for changes in the fair value depends on the intended use of the derivative, the resulting designation and the effectiveness of the instrument in offsetting the risk exposure it is designed to hedge.

The valuation of foreign exchange derivatives is based on the market approach using observable market inputs, such as foreign currency spot and forward rates and yield curves. We also incorporate counterparty credit risk and our credit risk into the fair value measurement of our derivative assets and liabilities, respectively. We derive credit risk from observable data in the credit default swap market. We have not seen a material change in the creditworthiness of those banks acting as derivative counterparties.

The fair value of derivative instruments at March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 was as follows:



Designation of Derivatives	Balance Sheet Location	March 31, 2016			December 31, 2015
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments
Foreign exchange contracts	Other current assets and prepayments	$	122		$	217
	Accounts payable and accrued liabilities:	(661		)	(208		)

Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments
Foreign exchange contracts	Other current assets and prepayments	23			1,499
	Accounts payable and accrued liabilities:	(4,846		)	(5,179		)

	Total derivative assets	$	145		$	1,716
	Total derivative liabilities	(5,507		)	(5,387		)
	Total net derivative liabilities	$	(5,362	)	$	(3,671	)

Foreign Exchange Contracts

We enter into foreign exchange contracts to mitigate the currency risk associated with the anticipated purchase of inventory between affiliates and from third parties. These contracts are designated as cash flow hedges. The effective portion of the gain or loss on cash flow hedges is included in AOCL in the period that the change in fair value occurs and is reclassified to earnings in the period that the hedged item is recorded in earnings. At March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, we had outstanding contracts associated with these anticipated transactions with notional amounts of $16 million and $13 million, respectively.

The amounts included in AOCL at March 31, 2016 will be recognized in earnings within the next 12 months. No amount of ineffectiveness was recorded in earnings for these designated cash flow hedges.

The following represents the results of cash flow hedging relationships for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015:



	Three Months Ended March 31,
	Derivative Gain (Loss) Recognized in AOCL (Effective Portion)						Location of Gain (Loss) (Effective Portion)	Gain (Loss) Reclassified from AOCL to Earnings (Effective Portion)
Derivative Instrument	2016			2015			Location of Gain (Loss) (Effective Portion)	2016			2015
Foreign exchange contracts	$	(393	)	$	(409	)	Revenue	$	(380	)	$	(396	)
							Cost of sales	225			(395		)
								$	(155	)	$	(791	)

We also enter into foreign exchange contracts to minimize the impact of exchange rate fluctuations on short-term intercompany loans and related interest that are denominated in a foreign currency. The revaluation of the intercompany loans and interest and the mark-to-market adjustment on the derivatives are both recorded in earnings. All outstanding contracts at March 31, 2016 mature within 12 months.

The following represents the results of our non-designated derivative instruments for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015:



		Three Months Ended March 31,
		Derivative Gain (Loss) Recognized in Earnings
Derivatives Instrument	Location of Derivative Gain (Loss)	2016			2015
Foreign exchange contracts	Selling, general and administrative expense	$	(5,977	)	$	(208	)

Credit-Risk-Related Contingent Features

Certain derivative instruments contain credit-risk-related contingent features that would require us to post collateral based on a combination of our long-term senior unsecured debt ratings and the net fair value of our derivatives. At March 31, 2016, the maximum amount of collateral that we would have been required to post had the credit-risk-related contingent features been triggered was $5 million.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Our financial instruments include cash and cash equivalents, investment securities, accounts receivable, loan receivables, derivative instruments, accounts payable and debt. The carrying value for cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, loans receivable, and accounts payable approximate fair value because of the short maturity of these instruments.

The fair value of our debt is estimated based on recently executed transactions and market price quotations. These inputs used to determine the fair value of our debt were classified as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy. The carrying value and estimated fair value of our debt at March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 were as follows:



	March 31, 2016		December 31, 2015
Carrying value excluding unamortized debt issuance costs	$	3,065,603	$	2,968,997
Fair value	$	3,203,797	$	3,102,890