Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

INVESTMENTS

v3.8.0.1
INVESTMENTS
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Investments Disclosure [Abstract]  
INVESTMENTS
INVESTMENTS
Investments in debt and marketable securities, other than investments accounted for under the equity method, are classified as trading, available-for-sale or held-to-maturity. Our marketable equity investments are classified as either trading or available-for-sale with their cost basis determined by the specific identification method. Our investments in debt securities are carried at either amortized cost or fair value. Investments in debt securities that the Company has the positive intent and ability to hold to maturity are carried at amortized cost and classified as held-to-maturity. Investments in debt securities that are not classified as held-to-maturity are carried at fair value and classified as either trading or available-for-sale. Realized and unrealized gains and losses on trading securities and realized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities are included in net income. Unrealized gains and losses, net of deferred taxes, on available-for-sale securities are included in our consolidated balance sheets as a component of AOCI, except for the change in fair value attributable to the currency risk being hedged. Refer to Note 5 for additional information related to the Company's fair value hedges of available-for-sale securities.
Trading Securities
As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, our trading securities had a fair value of $407 million and $384 million, respectively, and consisted primarily of equity securities. The Company had net unrealized gains on trading securities of $67 million, $39 million and $19 million as of December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.
The Company's trading securities were included in the following line items in our consolidated balance sheets (in millions):
December 31,
2017

 
2016

Marketable securities
$
295

 
$
282

Other assets
112

 
102

Total
$
407

 
$
384



Available-for-Sale and Held-to-Maturity Securities
As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company did not have any held-to-maturity securities. Available-for-sale securities consisted of the following (in millions):
 
 
 
Gross Unrealized  
 
Estimated Fair Value
 
Cost
 
Gains
 
Losses
 
2017
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Available-for-sale securities:1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Equity securities
$
1,276

 
$
685

 
$
(66
)
 
$
1,895

Debt securities
5,782

 
157

 
(27
)
 
5,912

Total
$
7,058

 
$
842

 
$
(93
)
 
$
7,807

2016
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Available-for-sale securities:1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Equity securities
$
1,252

 
$
425

 
$
(22
)
 
$
1,655

Debt securities
4,700

 
89

 
(31
)
 
4,758

Total
$
5,952

 
$
514

 
$
(53
)
 
$
6,413

1 
Refer to Note 16 for additional information related to the estimated fair value.
The sale and/or maturity of available-for-sale securities resulted in the following realized activity (in millions):
Year Ended December 31,
2017

 
2016

 
2015

Gross gains
$
68

 
$
152

 
$
103

Gross losses
(32
)
 
(51
)
 
(42
)
Proceeds
14,205

 
11,540

 
4,043


As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company had investments classified as available-for-sale securities in which our cost basis exceeded the fair value of our investment. Management assessed each of these investments on an individual basis to determine if the decline in fair value was other than temporary. Management's assessment as to the nature of a decline in fair value is based on, among other things, the length of time and the extent to which the market value has been less than our cost basis; the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer; and our intent and ability to retain the investment for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery in market value. As a result of these assessments, management determined that the decline in fair value of these investments was not other than temporary and did not record any impairment charges.
The Company uses two of its consolidated insurance captives to reinsure group annuity insurance contracts that cover the pension obligations of certain of our European and Canadian pension plans. In accordance with local insurance regulations, our insurance captives are required to meet and maintain minimum solvency capital requirements. The Company elected to invest its solvency capital in a portfolio of available-for-sale securities, which have been classified in the line item other assets in our consolidated balance sheets because the assets are not available to satisfy our current obligations. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company's available-for-sale securities included solvency capital funds of $1,159 million and $985 million, respectively.
As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company did not have any held-to-maturity securities. The Company's available-for-sale securities were included in the following line items in our consolidated balance sheets (in millions):
December 31,
2017

 
2016

Cash and cash equivalents
$
667

 
$
682

Marketable securities
5,022

 
3,769

Other investments
953

 
849

Other assets
1,165

 
1,113

Total
$
7,807

 
$
6,413


The contractual maturities of these available-for-sale securities as of December 31, 2017 were as follows (in millions):
 
Cost

 
Estimated Fair Value

Within 1 year
$
1,433

 
$
1,491

After 1 year through 5 years
3,929

 
3,983

After 5 years through 10 years
103

 
117

After 10 years
317

 
321

Equity securities
1,276

 
1,895

Total
$
7,058

 
$
7,807


The Company expects that actual maturities may differ from the contractual maturities above because borrowers have the right to call or prepay certain obligations.
Cost Method Investments
Cost method investments are initially recorded at cost, and we record dividend income when applicable dividends are declared. Cost method investments are reported as other investments in our consolidated balance sheets, and dividend income from cost method investments is reported in other income (loss) — net in our consolidated statements of income. We review all of our cost method investments quarterly to determine if impairment indicators are present; however, we are not required to determine the fair value of these investments unless impairment indicators exist. When impairment indicators exist, we generally use discounted cash flow analyses to determine the fair value. We estimate that the fair values of our cost method investments approximated or exceeded their carrying values as of December 31, 2017 and 2016. Our cost method investments had a carrying value of $143 million and $140 million as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.