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Derivative Financial Instruments and Related Hedging Programs
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]  
Derivative Financial Instruments and Related Hedging Programs
Derivative Financial Instruments and Related Hedging Programs
     Overview. In conducting its business, the Company enters into derivative transactions, including forward contracts and options, to limit its economic (i.e., cash) exposure resulting from (i) metal price risk related to its sale of fabricated aluminum products and the purchase of metal used as raw material for its fabrication operations, (ii) energy price risk relating to fluctuating prices of natural gas and electricity used in its production processes, and (iii) foreign currency requirements with respect to its foreign subsidiaries and cash commitments for equipment purchases denominated in foreign currency. Additionally, in connection with the issuance of the Convertible Notes, the Company purchased cash-settled Call Options relating to the Company’s common stock to limit its exposure to the cash conversion feature of the Convertible Notes (see Note 3).
     Hedges of Operational Risks. The Company’s pricing of fabricated aluminum products is generally intended to lock in a conversion margin (representing the value added from the fabrication process(es)) and to pass metal price fluctuations to its customers. However, in certain instances the Company enters into firm-price arrangements with its customers for stipulated volumes to be delivered in the future. Because the Company generally purchases primary and secondary aluminum on a floating price basis, the volume that it has committed to sell to its customers under a firm-price arrangement creates metal price risks for the Company. The Company uses third-party hedging instruments to limit exposure to metal price risks related to firm-price customer sales contracts. See Note 9 for additional information regarding the Company’s material derivative positions relating to hedges of operational risks, and their respective fair values.
A majority of the Company’s derivative contracts relating to hedges of operational risks contain credit risk-related contingency features that could require the Company to provide additional collateral in the event the Company’s credit rating were to be downgraded. To minimize the exposure to additional collateral requirements related to its liability hedge positions, the Company allocates hedging transactions among its counterparties, uses options as part of its hedging activities, or both. The aggregate fair value of the Company’s derivative instruments that contain credit risk-related contingency features and were in a net liability position at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 were $1.3 and $1.6, respectively.
The Company regularly reviews the creditworthiness of its derivative counterparties and does not expect to incur significant loss from the failure of any counterparties to perform under any agreements.
During the quarters ended March 31, 2014 and March 31, 2013, total fabricated products shipments sold under firm-price arrangements were (in millions of pounds) 34.4 and 29.8, respectively. At March 31, 2014, the Company had customer sales contracts for the delivery of fabricated aluminum products pursuant to firm-price arrangements for the remainder of 2014 and 2015, totaling approximately (in millions of pounds) 62.3 and 2.6, respectively.
     Hedges Relating to the Convertible Notes. As described in Note 3, the Company issued Convertible Notes in the aggregate principal amount of $175.0 in March 2010. The conversion feature of the Convertible Notes can only be settled in cash and must be bifurcated from the Convertible Notes and treated as a separate derivative instrument for financial reporting purposes. In order to offset the cash flow risk associated with the Bifurcated Conversion Feature, the Company purchased Call Options, which are accounted for as derivative instruments. The Company expects that the realized gain or loss from the Call Options will substantially offset the realized loss or gain of the Bifurcated Conversion Feature upon maturity of the Convertible Notes. However, because valuation assumptions for the Bifurcated Conversion Feature and the Call Option are not identical, over time the Company expects to record net unrealized gains and losses due to mark-to-market adjustments to the fair values of the two derivatives. See Note 9 for additional information regarding the fair values of the Bifurcated Conversion Feature and the Call Options.
Realized and Unrealized Gains and Losses. Realized and unrealized gains (losses) associated with all derivative contracts consisted of the following, for each period presented:
 
Quarter Ended
 
March 31,
 
2014
 
2013
Realized gains (losses):
 
 
 
Aluminum
$
0.8

 
$
—

Natural Gas
0.7

 
(0.7
)
Electricity
0.5

 
—

Total realized gains (losses)
$
2.0

 
$
(0.7
)
Unrealized gains (losses):
 
 
 
Aluminum
$
1.7

 
$
(4.4
)
Natural Gas
0.8

 
2.7

Electricity
(0.5
)
 
1.2

Foreign Currency
—

 
(0.2
)
Call Options relating to the Convertible Notes
4.4

 
6.0

Bifurcated Conversion Feature of the Convertible Notes
(3.5
)
 
(5.6
)
Total unrealized gains (losses)
$
2.9

 
$
(0.3
)


The following table summarizes the Company’s material derivative positions at March 31, 2014:
Aluminum
 
Maturity Period (month/year)
Notional Amount of contracts (mmlbs)
Fixed priced purchase contracts
 
4/14 through 12/15
54.0

Fixed priced sales contracts
 
6/14 through 11/14
0.4

Midwest premium swap contracts1
 
4/14 through 12/15
52.4

Natural Gas2
 
Maturity Period (month/year)
Notional Amount of contracts (mmbtu)
Fixed priced purchase contracts
 
4/14 through 12/16
6,120,000

Electricity
 
Maturity Period (month/year)
Notional Amount of contracts (Mwh)
Fixed priced purchase contracts
 
4/14 through 12/15
340,225

Foreign Currency
 
Maturity Period (month/year)
Notional Amount of contracts (as shown)
GBP —
 
 
 
Fixed priced purchase contracts
 
4/14 through 5/14
£
44,106

Hedges Relating to the Convertible Notes
 
Contract Period (month/year)
Notional Amount of contracts (Common Shares)
Bifurcated Conversion Feature3
 
3/10 through 3/15
3,644,095

Call Options3
 
3/10 through 3/15
3,644,095

______________________
1 
Regional premiums represent the premium over the London Metal Exchange price for primary aluminum which is incurred on the Company’s purchases of primary aluminum.
2 
As of March 31, 2014, the Company’s exposure to fluctuations in natural gas prices had been substantially reduced for approximately 89%, 73% and 18% of the expected natural gas purchases for the remainder of 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively.
3 
The Bifurcated Conversion Feature represents the cash conversion feature of the Convertible Notes. The Call Options expire on the maturity or earlier conversion of the Convertible Notes and have an exercise price equal to the conversion price of the Convertible Notes, subject to anti-dilution adjustments substantially similar to the anti-dilution adjustments for the Convertible Notes. Although the fair value of the Call Options is derived from a notional number of shares of the Company’s common stock, the Call Options may only be settled in cash.
The Company enters into derivative contracts with counterparties, some of which are subject to enforceable master netting arrangements and some of which are not. The Company reflects the fair value of its derivative contracts on a gross basis on the Consolidated Balance Sheets (see Note 2).
The following tables present offsetting information regarding the Company’s derivatives by type of counterparty as of March 31, 2014:
Derivative Assets and Collateral Held by Counterparty
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gross Amounts Not Offset in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
 
 
 
Gross Amounts of Recognized Assets
 
Gross Amounts Offset in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
 
Net Amounts of Assets Presented in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
 
Financial Instruments
 
Cash Collateral Received
 
Net Amount
Counterparty (with Netting Agreements)
$
1.4

 
$
—

 
$
1.4

 
$
1.2

 
$
—

 
$
0.2

Counterparty (without Netting Agreements)1
85.7

 
—

 
85.7

 
—

 
—

 
85.7

Counterparty (with partial Netting Agreements)
1.2

 
—

 
1.2

 
0.6

 
—

 
0.6

Total
$
88.3

 
$
—

 
$
88.3

 
$
1.8

 
$
—

 
$
86.5

Derivative Liabilities and Collateral Held by Counterparty
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gross Amounts Not Offset in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
 
 
 
Gross Amounts of Recognized Liabilities
 
Gross Amounts Offset in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
 
Net Amounts of Liabilities Presented in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
 
Financial Instruments
 
Cash Collateral Pledged
 
Net Amount
Counterparty (with Netting Agreements)
$
(1.9
)
 
$
—

 
$
(1.9
)
 
$
(1.2
)
 
$
—

 
$
(0.7
)
Counterparty (without Netting Agreements)1
(86.9
)
 
—

 
(86.9
)
 
—

 
—

 
(86.9
)
Counterparty (with partial Netting Agreements)
(0.9
)
 
—

 
(0.9
)
 
(0.6
)
 
—

 
(0.3
)
Total
$
(89.7
)
 
$
—

 
$
(89.7
)
 
$
(1.8
)
 
$
—

 
$
(87.9
)
_________________
1 
Such amounts include the fair value of the Bifurcated Conversion Feature and Call Options at March 31, 2014 (see Note 9).
The following tables present offsetting information regarding the Company’s derivatives by type of counterparty as of December 31, 2013:
Derivative Assets and Collateral Held by Counterparty
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gross Amounts Not Offset in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
 
 
 
Gross Amounts of Recognized Assets
 
Gross Amounts Offset in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
 
Net Amounts of Assets Presented in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
 
Financial Instruments
 
Cash Collateral Received
 
Net Amount
Counterparty (with Netting Agreements)
$
1.0

 
$
—

 
$
1.0

 
$
0.8

 
$
—

 
$
0.2

Counterparty (without Netting Agreements)1
80.4

 
—

 
80.4

 
—

 
—

 
80.4

Counterparty (with partial Netting Agreements)
0.4

 
—

 
0.4

 
0.4

 
—

 
—

Total
$
81.8

 
$
—

 
$
81.8

 
$
1.2

 
$
—

 
$
80.6

Derivative Liabilities and Collateral Held by Counterparty
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gross Amounts Not Offset in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
 
 
 
Gross Amounts of Recognized Liabilities
 
Gross Amounts Offset in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
 
Net Amounts of Liabilities Presented in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
 
Financial Instruments
 
Cash Collateral Pledged
 
Net Amount
Counterparty (with Netting Agreements)
$
(1.6
)
 
$
—

 
$
(1.6
)
 
$
(0.8
)
 
$
—

 
$
(0.8
)
Counterparty (without Netting Agreements)1
(83.2
)
 
—

 
(83.2
)
 
—

 
—

 
(83.2
)
Counterparty (with partial Netting Agreements)
(1.3
)
 
—

 
(1.3
)
 
(0.4
)
 
—

 
(0.9
)
Total
$
(86.1
)
 
$
—

 
$
(86.1
)
 
$
(1.2
)
 
$
—

 
$
(84.9
)
_________________
1 
Such amounts include the fair value of the Bifurcated Conversion Feature and Call Options at December 31, 2013 (see Note 9).