Microsoft Corporation 2012 Annual Report

Derivatives

NOTE 5 — DERIVATIVES

We use derivative instruments to manage risks related to foreign currencies, equity prices, interest rates, and credit; to enhance investment returns; and to facilitate portfolio diversification. Our objectives for holding derivatives include reducing, eliminating, and efficiently managing the economic impact of these exposures as effectively as possible. Our derivative programs include strategies that both qualify and do not qualify for hedge accounting treatment. All notional amounts presented below are measured in U.S. currency equivalents.

Foreign Currency

Certain forecasted transactions, assets, and liabilities are exposed to foreign currency risk. We monitor our foreign currency exposures daily to maximize the economic effectiveness of our foreign currency hedge positions. Option and forward contracts are used to hedge a portion of forecasted international revenue for up to three years in the future and are designated as cash flow hedging instruments. Principal currencies hedged include the euro, Japanese yen, British pound, and Canadian dollar. As of June 30, 2012 and June 30, 2011, the total notional amounts of these foreign exchange contracts sold were $6.7 billion and $10.6 billion, respectively.

Foreign currency risks related to certain non-U.S. dollar denominated securities are hedged using foreign exchange forward contracts that are designated as fair value hedging instruments. As of June 30, 2012 and June 30, 2011, the total notional amounts of these foreign exchange contracts sold were $1.3 billion and $572 million, respectively.

Certain options and forwards not designated as hedging instruments are also used to manage the variability in exchange rates on accounts receivable, cash, and intercompany positions, and to manage other foreign currency exposures. As of June 30, 2012, the total notional amounts of these foreign exchange contracts purchased and sold were $3.6 billion and $7.3 billion, respectively. As of June 30, 2011, the total notional amounts of these foreign exchange contracts purchased and sold were $4.3 billion and $7.1 billion, respectively.

Equity

Securities held in our equity and other investments portfolio are subject to market price risk. Market price risk is managed relative to broad-based global and domestic equity indices using certain convertible preferred investments, options, futures, and swap contracts not designated as hedging instruments. From time to time, to hedge our price risk, we may use and designate equity derivatives as hedging instruments, including puts, calls, swaps, and forwards. As of June 30, 2012, the total notional amounts of designated and non-designated equity contracts purchased and sold were $1.4 billion and $982 million, respectively. As of June 30, 2011, the total notional amounts of designated and non-designated equity contracts purchased and sold were $1.1 billion and $860 million, respectively.

Interest Rate

Securities held in our fixed-income portfolio are subject to different interest rate risks based on their maturities. We manage the average maturity of our fixed-income portfolio to achieve economic returns that correlate to certain broad-based fixed-income indices using exchange-traded option and futures contracts and over-the-counter swap and option contracts, none of which are designated as hedging instruments. As of June 30, 2012, the total notional amounts of fixed-interest rate contracts purchased and sold were $3.2 billion and $1.9 billion, respectively. As of June 30, 2011, the total notional amounts of fixed-interest rate contracts purchased and sold were $2.3 billion and $697 million, respectively.

In addition, we use "To Be Announced" forward purchase commitments of mortgage-backed assets to gain exposure to agency mortgage-backed securities. These meet the definition of a derivative instrument in cases where physical delivery of the assets is not taken at the earliest available delivery date. As of June 30, 2012 and 2011, the total notional derivative amount of mortgage contracts purchased were $1.1 billion and $868 million, respectively.

Credit

Our fixed-income portfolio is diversified and consists primarily of investment-grade securities. We use credit default swap contracts, not designated as hedging instruments, to manage credit exposures relative to broad-based indices and to facilitate portfolio diversification. We use credit default swaps as they are a low cost method of managing exposure to individual credit risks or groups of credit risks. As of June 30, 2012, the total notional amounts of credit contracts purchased and sold were $318 million and $456 million, respectively. As of June 30, 2011, the total notional amounts of credit contracts purchased and sold were $532 million and $281 million, respectively.

Commodity

We use broad-based commodity exposures to enhance portfolio returns and to facilitate portfolio diversification. We use swap, futures, and option contracts, not designated as hedging instruments, to generate and manage exposures to broad-based commodity indices. We use derivatives on commodities as they can be low-cost alternatives to the purchase and storage of a variety of commodities, including, but not limited to, precious metals, energy, and grain. As of June 30, 2012, the total notional amounts of commodity contracts purchased and sold were $1.5 billion and $445 million, respectively. As of June 30, 2011, the total notional amounts of commodity contracts purchased and sold were $1.9 billion and $502 million, respectively.

Credit-Risk-Related Contingent Features

Certain of our counterparty agreements for derivative instruments contain provisions that require our issued and outstanding long-term unsecured debt to maintain an investment grade credit rating and require us to maintain a minimum liquidity of $1.0 billion. To the extent we fail to meet these requirements, we will be required to post collateral, similar to the standard convention related to over-the-counter derivatives. As of June 30, 2012, our long-term unsecured debt rating was AAA, and cash investments were in excess of $1.0 billion. As a result, no collateral was required to be posted.

Fair Values of Derivative Instruments

The following tables present the gross fair values of derivative instruments designated as hedging instruments ("designated hedge derivatives/index.html") and not designated as hedging instruments ("non-designated hedge derivatives/index.html"). The fair values exclude the impact of netting derivative assets and liabilities when a legally enforceable master netting agreement exists and fair value adjustments related to our own credit risk and counterparty credit risk:

(In millions) Foreign
Exchange
Contracts
  Equity
Contracts
  Interest
Rate
Contracts
  Credit
Contracts
  Commodity
Contracts
  Total
Derivatives
June 30, 2012                      
Assets                      
Non-designated hedge derivatives:                      
Short-term investments $   14   $ 162   $   10   $   26   $   3   $   215
Other current assets 85   0   0   0   0   85
Total $   99   $ 162   $   10   $   26   $   3   $   300
Designated hedge derivatives:                      
Short-term investments $     6   $     0   $     0   $     0   $   0   $       6
Other current assets 177   0   0   0   0   177
Total $ 183   $     0   $     0   $     0   $   0   $   183
Total assets $ 282   $ 162   $   10   $   26   $   3   $   483
Liabilities                      
Non-designated hedge derivatives:                      
Other current liabilities $ (84)   $ (19)   $ (17)   $ (21)   $   0   $ (141)
Designated hedge derivatives:                      
Other current liabilities $ (14)   $     0   $     0   $     0   $   0   $   (14)
Total liabilities $ (98)   $ (19)   $ (17)   $ (21)   $ (0)   $ (155)
                       
(In millions) Foreign
Exchange
Contracts
  Equity
Contracts
  Interest
Rate
Contracts
  Credit
Contracts
  Commodity
Contracts
  Total
Derivatives
June 30, 2011                      
Assets                      
Non-designated hedge derivatives:                      
Short-term investments $     14   $ 179   $   0   $   17   $   4   $   214
Other current assets 73   0   0   0   0   73
Total $     87   $ 179   $   0   $   17   $   4   $   287
Designated hedge derivatives:                      
Short-term investments $       6   $     0   $   0   $     0   $   0   $       6
Other current assets 123   0   0   0   0   123
Total $   129   $     0   $   0   $     0   $   0   $   129
Total assets $   216   $ 179   $   0   $   17   $   4   $   416
Liabilities                      
Non-designated hedge derivatives:                      
Other current liabilities $   (91)   $ (12)   $ (9)   $ (19)   $ (4)   $ (135)
Designated hedge derivatives:                      
Other current liabilities $ (128)   $     0   $   0   $     0   $   0   $ (128)
Total liabilities $ (219)   $ (12)   $ (9)   $ (19)   $ (4)   $ (263)

See also Note 4 – Investments and Note 6 – Fair Value Measurements.

Fair Value Hedge Gains (Losses)

We recognized in other income (expense) the following gains (losses) on contracts designated as fair value hedges and their related hedged items:

(In millions)          
Year Ended June 30, 2012   2011   2010
Foreign Exchange Contracts          
Derivatives $  52   $ (92)   $ (57)
Hedged items (50)   85   60
Total $    2   $   (7)   $     3

Cash Flow Hedge Gains (Losses)

We recognized the following gains (losses) on foreign exchange contracts designated as cash flow hedges (our only cash flow hedges during the periods presented):

(In millions)          
Year Ended June 30, 2012   2011   2010
Effective Portion          
Gain (loss) recognized in OCI, net of tax effect of $127, $(340) and $188 $   236   $ (632)   $   349
Gain (loss) reclassified from OCI into revenue $   (27)   $     (7)   $   495
Amount Excluded from Effectiveness Assessment and Ineffective Portion          
Loss recognized in other income (expense) $ (231)   $ (276)   $ (174)

We estimate that $137 million of net derivative gains included in OCI at June 30, 2012 will be reclassified into earnings within the following 12 months. No significant amounts of gains (losses) were reclassified from OCI into earnings as a result of forecasted transactions that failed to occur during fiscal year 2012.

Non-Designated Derivative Gains (Losses)

Gains (losses) from changes in fair values of derivatives that are not designated as hedges are primarily recognized in other income (expense). These amounts are shown in the table below, with the exception of gains (losses) on derivatives presented in income statement line items other than other income (expense), which were immaterial for the periods presented. Other than those derivatives entered into for investment purposes, such as commodity contracts, the gains (losses) below are generally economically offset by unrealized gains (losses) in the underlying available-for-sale securities.

(In millions)          
Year Ended June 30, 2012   2011   2010
Foreign exchange contracts $ (119)   $ (27)   $ 106
Equity contracts (85)   35   12
Interest-rate contracts 93   19   (4)
Credit contracts (7)   24   22
Commodity contracts (121)   148   (1)
Total $ (239)   $ 199   $ 135