Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging Activities

Our derivative instruments primarily consist of commodity and freight futures and forward contracts and, to a lesser degree, may include foreign currency and interest rate swap contracts. These contracts are economic hedges of price risk, but we do not apply hedge accounting under ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, except with respect to certain interest rate swap contracts which are accounted for as fair value hedges. Derivative instruments are recorded on our Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair value as described in Note 12, Fair Value Measurements.

Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments

The following tables present the gross fair values of derivative assets, derivative liabilities, and margin deposits (cash collateral) for derivatives not accounted for as hedging instruments, recorded on our Consolidated Balance Sheets along with the related amounts permitted to be offset in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We have elected not to offset derivative assets and liabilities when we have the right of offset under ASC Topic 210-20, Balance Sheet - Offsetting; or when the instruments are subject to master netting arrangements under ASC Topic 815-10-45, Derivatives and Hedging - Overall.



	May 31, 2018
			Amounts Not Offset on the Consolidated Balance Sheet but Eligible for Offsetting
	Gross Amounts Recognized		Cash Collateral		Derivative Instruments		Net Amounts
	(Dollars in thousands)
Derivative Assets:
Commodity and freight derivatives	$	473,418	$	—	$	33,979	$	439,439
Foreign exchange derivatives	9,298		—		5,814		3,484
Embedded derivative asset	23,145		—		—		23,145
Total	$	505,861	$	—	$	39,793	$	466,068
Derivative Liabilities:
Commodity and freight derivatives	$	330,364	$	4,063	$	33,979	$	292,322
Foreign exchange derivatives	23,084		—		5,814		17,270
Interest rate derivatives - non-hedge	3		—		—		3
Total	$	353,451	$	4,063	$	39,793	$	309,595



	August 31, 2017
			Amounts Not Offset on the Consolidated Balance Sheet but Eligible for Offsetting
	Gross Amounts Recognized		Cash Collateral		Derivative Instruments		Net Amounts
	(Dollars in thousands)
Derivative Assets:
Commodity and freight derivatives	$	384,648	$	—	$	35,080	$	349,568
Foreign exchange derivatives	8,771		—		3,636		5,135
Embedded derivative asset	25,533		—		—		25,533
Total	$	418,952	$	—	$	38,716	$	380,236
Derivative Liabilities:
Commodity and freight derivatives	$	309,762	$	3,898	$	35,080	$	270,784
Foreign exchange derivatives	19,931		—		3,636		16,295
Total	$	329,693	$	3,898	$	38,716	$	287,079

Derivative assets and liabilities with maturities of 12 months or less are recorded in derivative assets and derivative liabilities, respectively, on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Derivative assets and liabilities with maturities greater than 12 months are recorded in other assets and other liabilities, respectively, on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The amount of long-term derivative assets and liabilities recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheet at May 31, 2018, were $22.1 million and $17.3 million, respectively. The amount of long-term derivative assets and liabilities recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheet at August 31, 2017, were $186.9 million and $13.7 million, respectively.

The following table sets forth the pretax gains (losses) on derivatives not accounted for as hedging instruments that have been included in our Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, and 2017.



		For the Three Months Ended May 31,						For the Nine Months Ended May 31,
	Location of Gain (Loss)	2018			2017			2018			2017
		(Dollars in thousands)
Commodity and freight derivatives	Cost of goods sold	$	68,813		$	102,327		$	254		$	177,633
Foreign exchange derivatives	Cost of goods sold	(16,549		)	(7,168		)	(15,600		)	(4,573		)
Foreign exchange derivatives	Marketing, general and administrative	(1,109		)	22			(1,260		)	(784		)
Interest rate derivatives	Interest expense	(2		)	—			(3		)	4
Embedded derivative	Other income	441			477			2,612			30,051
Total		$	51,594		$	95,658		$	(13,997	)	$	202,331

Commodity and Freight Contracts

As of May 31, 2018, and August 31, 2017, we had outstanding commodity futures, options and freight contracts that were used as economic hedges, as well as fixed-price forward contracts related to physical purchases and sales of commodities. The table below presents the notional volumes for all outstanding commodity and freight contracts accounted for as derivative instruments.



	May 31, 2018		August 31, 2017
	Long	Short	Long	Short
	(Units in thousands)
Grain and oilseed - bushels	852,993	1,097,748	570,673	768,540
Energy products - barrels	18,425	12,383	15,072	18,252
Processed grain and oilseed - tons	426	2,403	299	2,347
Crop nutrients - tons	26	42	9	15
Ocean and barge freight - metric tons	5,531	2,883	2,777	1,766
Rail freight - rail cars	166	52	176	75
Natural gas - MMBtu	1,220	—	500	—

Foreign Exchange Contracts

We are exposed to risk regarding foreign currency fluctuations even though a substantial amount of our international sales are denominated in U.S. dollars. In addition to specific transactional exposure, foreign currency fluctuations can impact the ability of foreign buyers to purchase U.S. agricultural products and the competitiveness of U.S. agricultural products compared to the same products offered by alternative sources of world supply. From time to time, we enter into foreign currency hedge contracts to minimize the impact of currency fluctuations on our transactional exposures. The notional amounts of our foreign exchange derivative contracts were $934.5 million and $776.7 million as of May 31, 2018, and August 31, 2017, respectively.

Embedded Derivative Asset

Under the terms of our strategic investment in CF Nitrogen, if CF Industries' credit rating is reduced below certain levels by two of three specified credit ratings agencies, we are entitled to receive a non-refundable annual payment of $5.0 million from CF Industries in November of each year until the date that CF Industries' credit rating is upgraded to or above certain levels by two of the three specified credit ratings agencies or February 1, 2026, whichever is earlier.

During the first quarter of fiscal 2017, CF Industries' credit rating was reduced below the specified levels and we received a $5.0 million payment from CF Industries, which was recorded as a gain in our Consolidated Statement of Operations. We also recorded an embedded derivative asset of $24.1 million on our Consolidated Balance Sheet and a corresponding gain in our Consolidated Statement of Operations for the fair value of the embedded derivative asset during the three months ended November 30, 2016. During the first quarter of fiscal 2018, we received a second $5.0 million payment from CF Industries. The fair value of the embedded derivative asset recorded on our Consolidated Balance Sheet as of May 31, 2018, was equal to $23.1 million. The current and long-term portions of the embedded derivative asset are included in derivative assets and other assets on our Consolidated Balance Sheets, respectively. See Note 12, Fair Value Measurements for more information on the valuation of the embedded derivative asset.

Derivatives Designated as Fair Value Hedging Strategies

As of May 31, 2018, and August 31, 2017, we had outstanding interest rate swaps with an aggregate notional amount of $495.0 million designated as fair value hedges of portions of our fixed-rate debt that is due between fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2025. Our objective in entering into these transactions is to offset changes in the fair value of the debt associated with the risk of variability in the three-month U.S. dollar LIBOR interest rate ("LIBOR"), in essence converting the fixed-rate debt to variable-rate debt. Under these interest rate swaps, we receive fixed-rate interest payments and make interest payments based on the three-month LIBOR. Offsetting changes in the fair values of both the swap instruments and the hedged debt are recorded contemporaneously each period and only create an impact to earnings to the extent that the hedge is ineffective.

The following table presents the fair value of our derivative instruments designated as fair value hedges and the line items on our Consolidated Balance Sheets in which they are recorded.

Derivative Assets

Derivative Liabilities

Fair Value Hedges

Balance Sheet Location

May 31, 2018

August 31, 2017

Balance Sheet Location

May 31, 2018

August 31, 2017

(Dollars in thousands)

Interest rate swaps

Other assets

—

9,978

Other liabilities

8,847

707

The following table sets forth the pretax gains (losses) on derivatives accounted for as hedging instruments that have been included in our Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, and 2017.



		For the Three Months Ended May 31,						For the Nine Months Ended May 31,
Gain (Loss) on Fair Value Hedging Relationships:	Location of Gain (Loss)	2018			2017			2018			2017
		(Dollars in thousands)
Interest rate swaps	Interest expense	$	(231	)	$	3,750		$	(18,118	)	$	(13,764	)
Hedged item	Interest expense	231			(3,750		)	18,118			13,764
Total		$	—		$	—		$	—		$	—

The following table provides the location and carrying amount of hedged liabilities in our Consolidated Balance Sheets as of May 31, 2018, and August 31, 2017.



	May 31, 2018				August 31, 2017
Balance Sheet Location	Carrying Amount of Hedged Liabilities		Cumulative Amount of Fair Value Hedging Adjustments Included in the Carrying Amount of Hedged Liabilities		Carrying Amount of Hedged Liabilities		Cumulative Amount of Fair Value Hedging Adjustments Included in the Carrying Amount of Hedged Liabilities
	(Dollars in thousands)
Long-term debt	$	486,153	$	8,847	$	504,271	$	(9,271	)