Convertible Debt

In November 2006, we issued our $1,725 million 1.75% convertible senior notes due 2011 (the “2011 Notes”) and our $1,725 million 1.75% convertible senior notes due 2013 (the “2013 Notes”) for total gross proceeds of $3.45 billion. The 2011 Notes and 2013 Notes are senior unsecured obligations and rank equally with all other existing and future senior unsecured debt.

The 2011 Notes matured and a majority of the noteholders exercised their right to convert the outstanding 2011 Notes at the end of 2011. Pursuant to the settlement terms, the majority of the converted 2011 Notes were not settled until January 9, 2012. At that time, we paid the noteholders $1,699.8 million in cash for the outstanding principal and 29.5 million shares for the $661.4 million in excess of the conversion value over the principal amount, as prescribed by the terms of the 2011 Notes.

The holders of the 2013 Notes may convert their 2013 Notes at their option on any day prior to the close of business on the scheduled trading day immediately preceding September 1, 2013 only under the following circumstances: (1) during the five business-day period after any five consecutive trading-day period (the “measurement period”) in which the price per 2013 Note for each day of that measurement period was less than 98% of the product of the last reported sale price of our common stock and the conversion rate on each such day; (2) during any calendar quarter, if the last reported sale price of our common stock for 20 or more trading days in a period of 30 consecutive trading days ending on the last trading day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter exceeds 130% of the applicable conversion price in effect on the last trading day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter; or (3) upon the occurrence of certain events specified in the 2013 Notes. Additionally, the 2013 Notes will become convertible during the last three months prior to their maturity.

Upon conversion, we will pay cash up to the principal amount of the debt converted. With respect to any conversion value in excess of the principal amount of the 2013 Notes converted, we have the option to settle the excess with cash, shares of our common stock, or a combination of cash and shares of our common stock based on a daily conversion value, determined in accordance with the indenture, calculated on a proportionate basis for each day of the relevant 20-day observation period. The initial conversion rate for the 2013 Notes will be 62.1978 shares of our common stock per one thousand dollars of principal amount of 2013 Notes, which represents a 27.5% conversion premium from the date the 2013 Notes were issued and is equivalent to a conversion price of approximately $16.08 per share of our common stock. The conversion price is subject to adjustment in some events as set forth in the indenture. In addition, if a “fundamental change” (as defined in the indenture) occurs prior to the maturity date, we will in some cases increase the conversion rate for a holder of 2013 Notes that elects to convert its 2013 Notes in connection with such fundamental change.

At September 30, 2012, the contingent conversion thresholds on the 2013 Notes were exceeded. As a result, the 2013 Notes became convertible at the option of the holder through December 31, 2012. Accordingly, since the terms of the 2013 Notes require the principal to be settled in cash, we reclassified from shareholders’ equity the portion of the 2013 Notes attributable to the conversion feature which had not yet been accreted to its face value, and the 2013 Notes were classified as a current liability. Contingencies continue to exist regarding the holders’ ability to convert the 2013 Notes in future quarters. The determination of whether the 2013 Notes are convertible will be performed on a quarterly basis. Consequently, the 2013 Notes might not be convertible in future quarters and may be reclassified as long-term debt if the contingent conversion thresholds are not met. Approximately $14.8 million of the 2013 Notes have been converted as of September 30, 2012.

The carrying amount of the 2013 Notes reported in the consolidated balance sheets as of September 30, 2012 was $1,636.9 million and the fair value was $2,938.1 million. The carrying amount of the equity component of the 2013 Notes was $309.5 million at September 30, 2012. As of September 30, 2012, the unamortized discount on the 2013 Notes consists of $73.3 million, which will be fully amortized by December 1, 2013.

The 2013 Notes pay interest in cash at a rate of 1.75% semi-annually in arrears on December 1 and June 1 of each year. The effective interest rate on the 2011 Notes and 2013 Notes was 5.6% for both the three months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011.

The following tables represent the key components of our interest expense on convertible debt (table in thousands):



	For the Three Months Ended
	September 30, 2012		September 30, 2011
Contractual interest expense on the coupon	$	7,482	$	15,078
Amortization of the discount component recognized as interest expense	15,405		30,852
Total interest expense on the convertible debt	$	22,887	$	45,930



	For the Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2012		September 30, 2011
Contractual interest expense on the coupon	$	22,427	$	45,266
Amortization of the discount component recognized as interest expense	45,059		90,174
Total interest expense on the convertible debt	$	67,486	$	135,440

In connection with the issuance of the 2011 Notes and 2013 Notes, we entered into separate convertible note hedge transactions with respect to our common stock (the “Purchased Options”). The Purchased Options allow us to receive shares of our common stock and/or cash related to the excess conversion value that we would pay to the holders of the 2011 Notes and 2013 Notes upon conversion. The Purchased Options will cover, subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments, approximately 215 million shares of our common stock. We paid an aggregate amount of $669.1 million of the proceeds from the sale of the 2011 Notes and 2013 Notes for the Purchased Options that was recorded as additional paid-in-capital in shareholders’ equity. In the fourth quarter of 2011, we exercised 107.5 million of the Purchased Options in conjunction with the planned settlements of the 2011 Notes, and we received 29.5 million shares of net settlement on January 9, 2012, representing the excess conversion value of the options. The remaining 107.5 million of the Purchased Options expire on December 1, 2013.

We also entered into separate transactions in which we sold warrants to acquire, subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments, approximately 215 million shares of our common stock at an exercise price of approximately $19.55 per share of our common stock. We received aggregate proceeds of $391.1 million from the sale of the associated warrants. Upon exercise, the value of the warrants is required to be settled in shares. Half of the associated warrants were exercised between February 15, 2012 and March 14, 2012 and the remaining half of the associated warrants have expiration dates between February 18, 2014 and March 18, 2014. During the first quarter of 2012, the exercised warrants were settled with 32.3 million shares of our common stock.

The Purchased Options and associated warrants will generally have the effect of increasing the conversion price of the 2013 Notes to approximately $19.55 per share of our common stock, representing an approximate 55% conversion premium based on the closing price of $12.61 per share of our common stock on November 13, 2006, which was the issuance date of the 2013 Notes.

In 2010, EMC entered into interest rate swap contracts with an aggregate notional amount of approximately $900 million. These swaps were designated as cash flow hedges of the semi-annual interest payments of the forecasted issuance of debt in 2011 when our 2011 Notes were scheduled to become due. As such, the unrealized loss on these hedges was recognized in other comprehensive loss. In November 2011, we settled the swaps and replaced them with new interest rate swap contracts for the forecasted issuance of debt in 2012. In April 2012, we settled the swaps and replaced them with new interest rate swap contracts for the forecasted issuance of debt in 2012. Each of these new swaps was deemed as an effective hedge as the notional amounts and other terms matched the underlying hedged item. Losses on the interest rate swap contracts at the time of settlement of $141.0 million in November 2011 and $23.0 million in April 2012 were deferred as they were expected to be realized over the life of the new debt issued under the related interest rate swap contracts and recognized as a component of interest expense in the consolidated income statements.

In June 2012, management changed its forecast date for the issuance of debt from 2012 to the first quarter of 2014. Consequently, hedge accounting effectively ceased as the terms of the swaps no longer matched the terms of the underlying hedged item resulting in changes in the fair value of the swaps being recorded in the consolidated income statement. The swaps were subsequently re-designated as cash flow hedges and achieved hedge accounting. The change in the forecasted timeframe for the issuance of debt resulted in certain previously-anticipated hedge interest payments no longer being expected to occur within the window covered by the hedge designation. As a result, $39.5 million of accumulated realized losses in other comprehensive income related to these previously-anticipated interest payments was reclassified from other comprehensive income and recognized in the consolidated income statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2012.

In July 2012, we settled the interest rate swap contracts and did not replace them. Losses on the interest rate swap contracts at the time of settlement of $45.5 million were deferred as they are expected to be realized over the life of the new debt issued under the related interest rate swap contracts and recognized as a component of interest expense in the consolidated income statements.