The Coca-Cola Company Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Hedging Transactions and Derivative Financial Instruments

Hedging Transactions and Derivative Financial Instruments

9 Months Ended

Oct. 01, 2021

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Hedging Transactions and Derivative Financial Instruments

HEDGING TRANSACTIONS AND DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The following table presents the fair values of the Company’s derivative instruments that were designated and qualified as part of a hedging relationship (in millions):


		Fair Value1,2
Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments	Balance Sheet Location1	October 1, 2021		December 31, 2020
Assets:
Foreign currency contracts	Prepaid expenses and other assets	$	122	$	26
Foreign currency contracts	Other assets	41		74
Commodity contracts	Prepaid expenses and other assets	—		2
Interest rate contracts	Prepaid expenses and other assets	2		—
Interest rate contracts	Other assets	346		659
Total assets		$	511	$	761
Liabilities:
Foreign currency contracts	Accounts payable and accrued expenses	$	19	$	29
Foreign currency contracts	Other liabilities	1		—
Commodity contracts	Accounts payable and accrued expenses	2		—
Interest rate contracts	Accounts payable and accrued expenses	—		5

Total liabilities		$	22	$	34

1 All of the Company’s derivative instruments are carried at fair value in our condensed consolidated balance sheets after considering the impact of legally enforceable master netting agreements and cash collateral held or placed with the same counterparties, as applicable. Current disclosure requirements mandate that derivatives must also be disclosed without reflecting the impact of master netting agreements and cash collateral. Refer to Note 15 for the net presentation of the Company’s derivative instruments.

2 Refer to Note 15 for additional information related to the estimated fair value.

The following table presents the fair values of the Company’s derivative instruments that were not designated as hedging instruments (in millions):


		Fair Value1,2
Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments	Balance Sheet Location1	October 1, 2021		December 31, 2020
Assets:
Foreign currency contracts	Prepaid expenses and other assets	$	28	$	28
Foreign currency contracts	Other assets	2		1
Commodity contracts	Prepaid expenses and other assets	115		76
Commodity contracts	Other assets	48		9
Other derivative instruments	Prepaid expenses and other assets	1		20
Other derivative instruments	Other assets	—		3
Total assets		$	194	$	137
Liabilities:
Foreign currency contracts	Accounts payable and accrued expenses	$	49	$	41
Foreign currency contracts	Other liabilities	6		—
Commodity contracts	Accounts payable and accrued expenses	2		15
Commodity contracts	Other liabilities	—		1


Other derivative instruments	Accounts payable and accrued expenses	6		—

Total liabilities		$	63	$	57

2 Refer to Note 15 for additional information related to the estimated fair value.

Credit Risk Associated with Derivatives

We have established strict counterparty credit guidelines and enter into transactions only with financial institutions of investment grade or better. We monitor counterparty exposures regularly and review any downgrade in credit rating immediately. If a downgrade in the credit rating of a counterparty were to occur, we have provisions requiring collateral for substantially all of our transactions. To mitigate presettlement risk, minimum credit standards become more stringent as the duration of the derivative financial instrument increases. In addition, the Company’s master netting agreements reduce credit risk by permitting the Company to net settle for transactions with the same counterparty. To minimize the concentration of credit risk, we enter into derivative transactions with a portfolio of financial institutions. Based on these factors, we consider the risk of counterparty default to be minimal.

Cash Flow Hedging Strategy

The Company uses cash flow hedges to minimize the variability in cash flows of assets or liabilities or forecasted transactions caused by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, commodity prices or interest rates. The changes in the fair values of derivatives designated as cash flow hedges are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (“AOCI”) and are reclassified into the line item in our consolidated statement of income in which the hedged items are recorded in the same period the hedged items affect earnings. The changes in the fair values of hedges that are determined to be ineffective are immediately reclassified from AOCI into earnings. The maximum length of time for which the Company hedges its exposure to the variability in future cash flows is typically four years.

The Company maintains a foreign currency cash flow hedging program to reduce the risk that our U.S. dollar net cash inflows from sales outside the United States and U.S. dollar net cash outflows from procurement activities will be adversely affected by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. We enter into forward contracts and purchase foreign currency options and collars (principally euro, British pound sterling and Japanese yen) to hedge certain portions of forecasted cash flows denominated in foreign currencies. When the U.S. dollar strengthens against the foreign currencies, the decline in the present value of future foreign currency cash flows is partially offset by gains in the fair value of the derivative instruments. Conversely, when the U.S. dollar weakens, the increase in the present value of future foreign currency cash flows is partially offset by losses in the fair value of the derivative instruments. The total notional values of derivatives that were designated and qualified for the Company’s foreign currency cash flow hedging program were $8,105 million and $7,785 million as of October 1, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

The Company uses cross-currency swaps to hedge the changes in cash flows of certain of its foreign currency denominated debt and other monetary assets or liabilities due to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. For this hedging program, the Company recognizes in earnings each period the changes in carrying values of these foreign currency denominated assets and liabilities due to changes in exchange rates. The changes in fair values of the cross-currency swap derivatives are recorded in AOCI with an immediate reclassification into earnings for the changes in fair values attributable to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. The total notional values of derivatives that were designated as cash flow hedges for the Company’s foreign currency denominated assets and liabilities were $2,700 million as of October 1, 2021 and December 31, 2020.

The Company has entered into commodity futures contracts and other derivative instruments on various commodities to mitigate the price risk associated with forecasted purchases of materials used in our manufacturing process. These derivative instruments were designated as part of the Company’s commodity cash flow hedging program. The objective of this hedging program is to reduce the variability of cash flows associated with future purchases of certain commodities. The total notional values of derivatives that were designated and qualified for this program were $34 million and $11 million as of October 1, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

Our Company monitors our mix of short-term debt and long-term debt regularly. From time to time, we manage our risk to interest rate fluctuations through the use of derivative financial instruments. The Company has entered into interest rate swap agreements and has designated these instruments as part of the Company’s interest rate cash flow hedging program. The objective of this hedging program is to mitigate the risk of adverse changes in benchmark interest rates on the Company’s future interest payments. The total notional value of these interest rate swap agreements that were designated and qualified for the Company’s interest rate cash flow hedging program was $1,233 million as of December 31, 2020. As of October 1, 2021, we did not have any interest rate swaps designated as a cash flow hedge.

The following tables present the pretax impact that changes in the fair values of derivatives designated as cash flow hedges had on other comprehensive income (“OCI”), AOCI and earnings (in millions):


	Gain (Loss) Recognized in OCI		Location of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income	Gain (Loss) Reclassified from AOCI into Income
Three Months Ended October 1, 2021
Foreign currency contracts	$	15	Net operating revenues	$	(21)
Foreign currency contracts	6		Cost of goods sold	(6)
Foreign currency contracts	—		Interest expense	(1)
Foreign currency contracts	(43)		Other income (loss) — net	(35)


Total	$	(22)		$	(63)
Three Months Ended September 25, 2020
Foreign currency contracts	$	(84)	Net operating revenues	$	(21)
Foreign currency contracts	(4)		Cost of goods sold	2
Foreign currency contracts	—		Interest expense	(6)
Foreign currency contracts	122		Other income (loss) — net	100
Interest rate contracts	9		Interest expense	(14)
Commodity contracts	(2)		Cost of goods sold	(1)
Total	$	41		$	60


	Gain (Loss) Recognized in OCI		Location of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income	Gain (Loss) Reclassified from AOCI into Income
Nine Months Ended October 1, 2021
Foreign currency contracts	$	(1)	Net operating revenues	$	(71)
Foreign currency contracts	(5)		Cost of goods sold	(9)
Foreign currency contracts	—		Interest expense	(12)
Foreign currency contracts	15		Other income (loss) — net	49
Interest rate contracts	110		Interest expense	(90)

Total	$	119		$	(133)
Nine Months Ended September 25, 2020
Foreign currency contracts	$	(61)	Net operating revenues	$	(22)
Foreign currency contracts	6		Cost of goods sold	7
Foreign currency contracts	—		Interest expense	(10)
Foreign currency contracts	21		Other income (loss) — net	71
Interest rate contracts	21		Interest expense	(35)
Commodity contracts	(2)		Cost of goods sold	(1)
Total	$	(15)		$	10

As of October 1, 2021, the Company estimates that it will reclassify into earnings during the next 12 months net gains of $7 million from the pretax amount recorded in AOCI as the anticipated cash flows occur.

Fair Value Hedging Strategy

The Company uses interest rate swap agreements designated as fair value hedges to minimize exposure to changes in the fair value of fixed-rate debt that result from fluctuations in benchmark interest rates. The Company also uses cross-currency interest rate swaps to hedge the changes in the fair values of foreign currency denominated debt relating to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and benchmark interest rates. The changes in the fair values of derivatives designated as fair value hedges and the offsetting changes in the fair values of the hedged items are recognized in earnings. As a result, any difference is reflected in earnings as ineffectiveness. When a derivative is no longer designated as a fair value hedge for any reason, including termination and maturity, the remaining unamortized difference between the carrying value of the hedged item at that time and the face value of the hedged item is amortized to earnings over the remaining life of the hedged item, or immediately if the hedged item has matured or been extinguished. The total notional values of derivatives that were designated and qualified as fair value hedges of this type were $8,192 million and $10,215 million as of October 1, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

The following tables summarize the pretax impact that changes in the fair values of derivatives designated as fair value hedges had on earnings (in millions):


Hedging Instruments and Hedged Items	Location of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income	Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income
		Three Months Ended
		October 1, 2021		September 25, 2020
Interest rate contracts	Interest expense	$	(56)	$	94
Fixed-rate debt	Interest expense	55		(97)
Net impact to interest expense		$	(1)	$	(3)
Foreign currency contracts	Other income (loss) — net	$	—	$	3
Available-for-sale securities	Other income (loss) — net	—		(3)
Net impact to other income (loss) — net		$	—	$	—
Net impact of fair value hedging instruments		$	(1)	$	(3)


Hedging Instruments and Hedged Items	Location of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income	Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income
		Nine Months Ended
		October 1, 2021		September 25, 2020
Interest rate contracts	Interest expense	$	(236)	$	284
Fixed-rate debt	Interest expense	237		(281)
Net impact to interest expense		$	1	$	3
Foreign currency contracts	Other income (loss) — net	$	—	$	3
Available-for-sale securities	Other income (loss) — net	—		(3)
Net impact to other income (loss) — net		$	—	$	—
Net impact of fair value hedging instruments		$	1	$	3

The following table summarizes the amounts recorded in our condensed consolidated balance sheets related to hedged items in fair value hedging relationships (in millions):


					Cumulative Amount of Fair Value Hedging Adjustments
	Carrying Values of Hedged Items				Included in the Carrying Values of Hedged Items1				Remaining for Which Hedge Accounting Has Been Discontinued
Balance Sheet Location of Hedged Items	October 1, 2021		December 31, 2020		October 1, 2021		December 31, 2020		October 1, 2021		December 31, 2020


Current maturities of long-term debt	$	200	$	—	$	2	$	—	$	—	$	—
Long-term debt	8,557		11,129		348		646		236		—

1 Cumulative amount of fair value hedging adjustments does not include changes due to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations.

Hedges of Net Investments in Foreign Operations Strategy

The Company uses forward contracts and a portion of its foreign currency denominated debt, a non-derivative financial instrument, to protect the value of our net investments in a number of foreign operations. For derivative financial instruments that are designated and qualify as hedges of net investments in foreign operations, the changes in the fair values of the derivative financial instruments are recognized in net foreign currency translation adjustments, a component of AOCI, to offset the changes in the values of the net investments being hedged. For non-derivative financial instruments that are designated and qualify as hedges of net investments in foreign operations, the changes in the carrying values of the designated portions of the non-derivative financial instruments due to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates are recorded in net foreign currency translation adjustments. Any ineffective portions of net investment hedges are reclassified from AOCI into earnings during the period of change.

The following table summarizes the notional values and pretax impact of changes in the fair values of instruments designated as net investment hedges (in millions):


	Notional Values				Gain (Loss) Recognized in OCI
	as of				Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	October 1, 2021		December 31, 2020		October 1, 2021		September 25, 2020		October 1, 2021		September 25, 2020
Foreign currency contracts	$	—	$	451	$	6	$	(23)	$	(1)	$	(4)
Foreign currency denominated debt	13,066		13,336		304		(445)		673		(452)
Total	$	13,066	$	13,787	$	310	$	(468)	$	672	$	(456)

During the nine months ended October 1, 2021, the Company reclassified a loss of $4 million related to net investment hedges from AOCI into earnings. The Company did not reclassify any gains or losses related to net investment hedges from AOCI into earnings during the three months ended October 1, 2021 and the three and nine months ended September 25, 2020. In addition, the Company did not have any ineffectiveness related to net investment hedges during the three and nine months ended October 1, 2021 and September 25, 2020. The cash inflows and outflows associated with the Company’s derivative financial instruments designated as net investment hedges are classified in the line item other investing activities in our consolidated statement of cash flows.

Economic (Non-Designated) Hedging Strategy

In addition to derivative instruments that are designated and qualify for hedge accounting, the Company also uses certain derivatives as economic hedges of foreign currency, interest rate and commodity exposure. Although these derivatives were not designated and/or did not qualify for hedge accounting, they are effective economic hedges. The changes in the fair values of economic hedges are immediately recognized in earnings.

The Company uses foreign currency economic hedges to offset the earnings impact that fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates have on certain monetary assets and liabilities denominated in nonfunctional currencies. The changes in the fair values of economic hedges used to offset those monetary assets and liabilities are immediately recognized in earnings in the line item other income (loss) — net in our consolidated statement of income. In addition, we use foreign currency economic hedges to minimize the variability in cash flows associated with fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, including those related to certain acquisition and divestiture activities. The changes in the fair values of economic hedges used to offset the variability in U.S. dollar net cash flows are immediately recognized in earnings in the line items net operating revenues, cost of goods sold or other income (loss) — net in our consolidated statement of income, as applicable. The total notional values of derivatives related to our foreign currency economic hedges were $5,489 million and $5,727 million as of October 1, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

The Company uses interest rate contracts as economic hedges to minimize exposure to changes in the fair value of fixed-rate debt that result from fluctuations in benchmark interest rates. The total notional values of derivatives related to our economic hedges of this type were $200 million as of October 1, 2021 and December 31, 2020.

The Company also uses certain derivatives as economic hedges to mitigate the price risk associated with the purchase of materials used in the manufacturing process and vehicle fuel. The changes in the fair values of these economic hedges are immediately recognized in earnings in the line items net operating revenues, cost of goods sold, or selling, general and administrative expenses in our consolidated statement of income, as applicable. The total notional values of derivatives related to our economic hedges of this type were $1,024 million and $715 million as of October 1, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

The following tables present the pretax impact that changes in the fair values of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments had on earnings (in millions):


Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments	Location of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income	Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income
		Three Months Ended
		October 1, 2021		September 25, 2020
Foreign currency contracts	Net operating revenues	$	2	$	2
Foreign currency contracts	Cost of goods sold	(10)		(17)
Foreign currency contracts	Other income (loss) — net	(43)		53
Interest rate contracts	Interest expense	—		2

Commodity contracts	Cost of goods sold	(32)		34

Other derivative instruments	Selling, general and administrative expenses	(2)		20

Total		$	(85)	$	94


Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments	Location of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income	Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income
		Nine Months Ended
		October 1, 2021		September 25, 2020
Foreign currency contracts	Net operating revenues	$	2	$	64
Foreign currency contracts	Cost of goods sold	(17)		10
Foreign currency contracts	Other income (loss) — net	(39)		(33)
Interest rate contracts	Interest expense	(187)		2

Commodity contracts	Cost of goods sold	178		(33)

Other derivative instruments	Selling, general and administrative expenses	18		(12)
Other derivative instruments	Other income (loss) — net	(3)		(55)
Total		$	(48)	$	(57)