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Shareholders' Equity
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2010
Shareholders' Equity  
Shareholders' Equity

23. Shareholders' Equity

        Share Repurchase Program—On June 8, 2010, Bunge announced that its Board of Directors had approved a program for the repurchase of up to $700 million of Bunge's issued and outstanding common shares. The program runs through December 31, 2011. Bunge repurchased 6,714,573 common shares, for approximately $354 million through December 1, 2010. There are no shares in treasury as of December 31, 2010.

        Common shares—On December 1, 2010, Bunge used its 6,714,573 repurchased common shares and issued an additional 1,702,642 common shares in the conversion of its then outstanding 862,455 (mandatory convertible preference shares), plus accumulated and unpaid dividends. On the mandatory conversion date of December 1, 2010, as a result of adjustments to the initial conversion rates because cash dividends paid on Bunge Limited's common shares exceeded certain specified thresholds, each mandatory convertible preference share automatically converted on December 1, 2010 into 9.7596 common shares (which represented a total of 8,417,215 common shares).

        In August 2009, Bunge sold 12,000,000 common shares in a public equity offering, including the exercise in full of the underwriters' over-allotment option, for which it received net proceeds of approximately $761 million after deducting underwriting discounts, commissions and expenses. Bunge used the net proceeds of this offering to repay indebtedness and for other general corporate purposes.

        Mandatory Convertible Preference Shares—Prior to the mandatory conversion date of December 1, 2010, Bunge had 862,455 mandatory convertible preference shares, with a par value $0.01 per share and with an initial liquidation preference of $1,000, issued and outstanding. At any time prior to December 1, 2010, holders could elect to convert the mandatory convertible preference shares at the minimum conversion rate of 8.2416 common shares per mandatory convertible preference share, subject to additional certain anti-dilution adjustments. The mandatory convertible preference shares accrued dividends at an annual rate of 5.125%. Dividends were cumulative from the date of issuance and were payable, quarterly in arrears, on each March 1, June 1, September 1 and December 1, when, as and if declared by Bunge's board of directors. Accumulated but unpaid dividends on the mandatory convertible preference shares did not bear interest. Dividends were paid in cash with the final dividend paid on December 1, 2010.

        Cumulative Convertible Perpetual Preference Shares—Bunge has 6,900,000, 4.875% cumulative convertible perpetual preference shares (convertible preference shares), par value $0.01 outstanding as of December 31, 2010. Each convertible preference share has an initial liquidation preference of $100 per share plus accumulated unpaid dividends up to a maximum of an additional $25 per share. As a result of adjustments made to the initial conversion price because cash dividends paid on Bunge Limited's common shares exceeded certain specified thresholds, each convertible preference share is convertible at any time at the holder's option into approximately 1.0938 common shares based on a conversion price of $91.43 per convertible preference share, subject in each case to certain specified anti-dilution adjustments (which represents 7,547,220 Bunge Limited common shares as of December 31, 2010).

        At any time on or after December 1, 2011, if the closing market price of Bunge's common shares equals or exceeds 130% of the conversion price of the convertible preference shares, for 20 trading days within any period of 30 consecutive trading days (including the last trading day of such period), Bunge may elect to cause all outstanding convertible preference shares to be automatically converted into the number of common shares that are issuable at the conversion price. The convertible preference shares are not redeemable by Bunge at any time.

        The convertible preference shares accrue dividends at an annual rate of 4.875%. Dividends are cumulative from the date of issuance and are payable, quarterly in arrears, on each March 1, June 1, September 1 and December 1, commencing on March 1, 2007, when, as and if declared by Bunge's board of directors. The dividends may be paid in cash, common shares or a combination thereof. Accumulated but unpaid dividends on the convertible preference shares will not bear interest. In 2010 and 2009, Bunge recorded $67 million and $78 million, respectively, of dividends on its convertible preference shares.

        Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)—The following table summarizes the balances of related after tax components of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss):

(US$ in millions)
  Foreign
Exchange
Translation
Adjustment (1)
  Deferred
Gain (Loss)
on Hedging
Activities
  Treasury
Rate Lock
Contracts
  Pension
and Other
Postretirement
Liability
Adjustment
  Unrealized
Gain (Loss)
on
Investments
  Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income (Loss)
 

Balance, January 1, 2008

  $ 707   $ 12   $ (11 ) $ (43 ) $ 4   $ 669  

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax

    (1,346 )   (92 )   2     (36 )   (8 )   (1,480 )
                           

Balance, December 31, 2008

    (639 )   (80 )   (9 )   (79 )   (4 )   (811 )

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax

    1,062     75     2     (11 )   2     1,130  
                           

Balance, December 31, 2009

    423     (5 )   (7 )   (90 )   (2 )   319  

Other comprehensive income, net of tax

    247     3     7     7         264  
                           

Balance, December 31, 2010

  $ 670   $ (2 ) $   $ (83 ) $ (2 ) $ 583  
                           

(1)
Bunge has significant operating subsidiaries in Brazil, Argentina and Europe. The functional currency of Bunge's subsidiaries is the local currency. The assets and liabilities of these subsidiaries are translated into U.S. dollars from local currency at month-end exchange rates, and the resulting foreign exchange translation gains and losses are recorded in the consolidated balance sheets as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).

        Comprehensive Income (Loss)—The following table summarizes the components of comprehensive income (loss):

 
  Year Ended December 31,  
(US$ in millions)
  2010   2009   2008  

Net income

  $ 2,388   $ 335   $ 1,326  

Other comprehensive income (loss):

                   
 

Foreign exchange translation adjustment, net of tax

    223     1,252     (1,527 )
 

Unrealized gains (losses) on commodity futures and foreign exchange contracts designated as cash flow hedges, net of tax (expense) benefit $(11), $(10), $31

    21     25     (68 )
 

Unrealized gains (losses) on investments, net of tax (expense) benefit $0, $(1), $4

        2     (8 )
 

Reclassification of realized net (gains) losses to net income, net of tax expense (benefit) $11, $(30), $15

    (11 )   52     (22 )
 

Pension adjustment, net of tax (expense) benefit $(5), $11, $10

    5     (27 )   (15 )
 

Other postretirement healthcare subsidy tax deduction adjustment

    2          
               

Total comprehensive income (loss)

    2,628     1,639     (314 )
 

Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest

    (10 )   (148 )   (102 )
               

Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Bunge

  $ 2,618   $ 1,491   $ (416 )
               

        Transfers to/from Noncontrolling Interest—On May 27, 2010, Bunge sold its Brazilian fertilizer nutrients assets, including its direct and indirect 54% ownership interest in the voting common shares and 36% interest in the nonvoting preferred shares of Fosfertil (representing Bunge's right to approximately 42% of the earnings of Fosfertil). See Note 3 of the notes to the consolidated financial statements. Prior to this date, Fosfertil was a consolidated subsidiary of Bunge. Effective as of the sale date and as a result of this transaction, Bunge deconsolidated Fosfertil and derecognized $588 million of noncontrolling interest, which represented approximately 58% of noncontrolling interest in earnings of Fosfertil.

        Bunge is involved in a joint venture to build and operate a grain terminal in Longview, Washington, U.S. Bunge has a 51% controlling interest in the joint venture, which it consolidates. In 2010, the noncontrolling interest holders, which have a 49% interest, made a $61 million capital contribution to this joint venture. Bunge made a proportionate capital contribution, which resulted in no ownership percentage change. In 2009, Bunge received $35 million of capital contributions from the noncontrolling interests, of which $5 million was the initial noncontrolling equity interest upon consolidation by Bunge of this joint venture.

        Effective January 1, 2010, Bunge adopted a FASB issued standard that amends the consolidation guidance that applies to variable interest entities (VIEs). As a result of this adoption, Bunge consolidated AGRI-Bunge, LLC, an agribusiness joint venture which originates grains and operates a Mississippi river terminal in the United States in which Bunge has 50% voting power and a 34% interest in the equity and earnings. Bunge recorded $3 million of noncontrolling equity interest upon its consolidation of this joint venture in the first quarter of 2010.

        During 2010, there was a net redemption of certain third party investors in a private investment fund consolidated by Bunge. The net redeemed shares were valued at $9 million and represented approximately 30% of the outstanding shares of the fund along with $4 million of dividends representing their share of the cumulative earnings of the fund. This resulted in Bunge's ownership interest in the fund increasing from 31% at December 31, 2009 to 39% at December 31, 2010. In addition in 2010, an inactive joint venture was liquidated which resulted in $2 million of capital returned to noncontrolling interests and dividends of $8 million were recorded, which represented earnings of a non-wholly owned subsidiary. In 2009, certain third party investors in the same private investment fund redeemed their shares in the fund. The shares were valued at $44 million and represented 51% of the outstanding shares of the fund and 100% of the ownership interest of these investors in the fund. Additionally, the investors received $8 million of dividends, which represented their share of the cumulative earnings of the fund. This transaction resulted in Bunge's ownership interest in the fund increasing from 16% at December 31, 2008 to 31% at December 31, 2009.

        During 2009, certain of Bunge's Brazilian subsidiaries primarily involved in its sugar business received approximately $52 million in capital contributions from noncontrolling interests. Bunge made proportionate capital contributions to these subsidiaries, which resulted in no ownership percentage change.

        In 2008, certain of Bunge's Brazilian subsidiaries, which are primarily involved in its sugar business, received approximately $25 million in capital contributions from noncontrolling interests. Bunge's ownership interest in these subsidiaries was not affected by these contributions. In addition in 2008, Bunge recorded $13 million in additional paid-in capital as a result of a final purchase price adjustment relating to the merger of its subsidiaries in Poland. In this transaction, Bunge exchanged 18% of the stock of one of its subsidiaries for additional ownership interests in certain non wholly owned subsidiaries and affiliates, resulting in consolidation of all of these entities by Bunge.