Financial Instruments

As a result of its operating and financing activities, TJX is exposed to market risks from changes in interest and foreign currency exchange rates and fuel costs. These market risks may adversely affect TJX’s operating results and financial position. TJX seeks to minimize risk from changes in interest and foreign currency exchange rates and fuel costs through the use of derivative financial instruments when and to the extent deemed appropriate. TJX does not use derivative financial instruments for trading or other speculative purposes and does not use any leveraged derivative financial instruments. TJX recognizes all derivative instruments as either assets or liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and measures those instruments at fair value. The fair values of the derivatives are classified as assets or liabilities, current or non-current, based upon valuation results and settlement dates of the individual contracts. Changes to the fair value of derivative contracts that do not qualify for hedge accounting are reported in earnings in the period of the change. For derivatives that qualify for hedge accounting, changes in the fair value of the derivatives are either recorded in shareholders’ equity as a component of other comprehensive income or are recognized currently in earnings, along with an offsetting adjustment against the basis of the item being hedged.

Diesel Fuel Contracts

TJX hedges portions of its estimated notional diesel requirements based on the diesel fuel expected to be consumed by independent freight carriers transporting TJX’s inventory. Independent freight carriers transporting TJX’s inventory charge TJX a mileage surcharge based on the price of diesel fuel. The hedge agreements are designed to mitigate the volatility of diesel fuel pricing (and the resulting per mile surcharges payable by TJX) by setting a fixed price per gallon for the period being hedged. During fiscal 2019, TJX entered into agreements to hedge a portion of its estimated notional diesel requirements for fiscal 2020, and during the first three months of fiscal 2020, TJX entered into agreements to hedge a portion of its estimated notional diesel requirements for the first three months of fiscal 2021. The hedge agreements outstanding at May 4, 2019 relate to approximately 51% of TJX’s estimated notional diesel requirements for the remainder of fiscal 2020 and approximately 45% of TJX’s estimated notional diesel requirements for the first three months of fiscal 2021. These diesel fuel hedge agreements will settle throughout the remainder of fiscal 2020 and throughout the first four months of fiscal 2021. TJX elected not to apply hedge accounting to these contracts.

Foreign Currency Contracts

TJX enters into forward foreign currency exchange contracts to obtain economic hedges on portions of merchandise purchases made and anticipated to be made by the Company’s operations in TJX International (United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Austria, The Netherlands and Australia), TJX Canada (Canada), Marmaxx (U.S.) and HomeGoods (U.S.) in currencies other than their respective functional currencies. These contracts typically have a term of twelve months or less. The contracts outstanding at May 4, 2019 cover a portion of such actual and anticipated merchandise purchases throughout the remainder of fiscal 2020. Additionally, TJX’s operations in Europe are subject to foreign currency exposure as a result of their buying function being centralized in the United Kingdom. All merchandise is purchased centrally in the U.K. and then shipped and billed to the retail entities in other countries. This intercompany billing to TJX’s European businesses’ Euro denominated operations creates exposure to the central buying entity for changes in the exchange rate between the Euro and British Pound. The inflow of Euros to the central buying entity provides a natural hedge for merchandise purchased from third-party vendors that is denominated in Euros. However, with the growth of TJX’s Euro denominated retail operations, the intercompany billings committed to the Euro denominated operations is generating Euros in excess of those needed to meet merchandise commitments to outside vendors. TJX calculates this excess Euro exposure each month and enters into forward contracts of approximately 30 days duration to mitigate the exposure. During the fiscal quarter ended May 4, 2019, TJX entered into derivative contracts to hedge Polish leases that are denominated in Euros and paid in Zlotys in order to mitigate the foreign currency exposure as a result of implementing ASU No. 2016-02, Leases. TJX elected not to apply hedge accounting to these contracts.

TJX also enters into derivative contracts, generally designated as fair value hedges, to hedge intercompany debt, certain intercompany dividends and intercompany interest payable. The changes in fair value of these contracts are recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses and are offset by marking the underlying item to fair value in the same period. Upon settlement, the realized gains and losses on these contracts are offset by the realized gains and losses of the underlying item in selling, general and administrative expenses.

TJX periodically reviews its net investments in foreign subsidiaries. During the fiscal quarter ended May 5, 2018, TJX entered into net investment hedge contracts related to a portion of its investment in TJX Canada.

The following is a summary of TJX’s derivative financial instruments, related fair value and balance sheet classification at May 4, 2019:



In thousands		Pay	Receive		Blended Contract Rate	Balance Sheet Location	Current Asset U.S.$		Current (Liability) U.S.$			Net Fair Value in U.S.$ at May 4, 2019
Fair value hedges:
Intercompany balances, primarily debt and related interest
	zł	59,000	£	12,021	0.2037	Prepaid Exp	$	451	$	—		$	451
	€	55,950	£	49,560	0.8858	Prepaid Exp	2,160		—			2,160
	A$	30,000	U.S.$	21,228	0.7076	Prepaid Exp	47		—			47
	U.S.$	72,020	£	55,000	0.7637	Prepaid Exp	1,261		—			1,261
Economic hedges for which hedge accounting was not elected:
Diesel contracts		Fixed on 2.4M – 3.3M gal per month		Float on 2.4M – 3.3M gal per month	N/A	(Accrued Exp)	—		(299		)	(299		)
Intercompany billings in TJX International, primarily merchandise related:
	€	71,600	£	61,777	0.8628	Prepaid Exp	1,163		—			1,163
Lease liability in TJX International:
	zł	690,366	€	160,851	0.2330	(Accrued Exp)	—		(473		)	(473		)
Merchandise purchase commitments:
	C$	620,729	U.S.$	466,600	0.7517	Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)	3,814		(633		)	3,181
	C$	27,377	€	18,050	0.6593	(Accrued Exp)	—		(142		)	(142		)
	£	293,928	U.S.$	387,400	1.3180	Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)	883		(2,661		)	(1,778		)
	A$	44,708	U.S.$	32,064	0.7172	Prepaid Exp	602		—			602
	zł	359,743	£	72,401	0.2013	Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)	1,430		(88		)	1,342
	U.S.$	55,559	€	48,467	0.8724	(Accrued Exp)	—		(977		)	(977		)
Total fair value of derivative financial instruments							$	11,811	$	(5,273	)	$	6,538

The following is a summary of TJX’s derivative financial instruments, related fair value and balance sheet classification at February 2, 2019:



In thousands		Pay	Receive		Blended Contract Rate	Balance Sheet Location	Current Asset U.S.$		Current (Liability) U.S.$			Net Fair Value in U.S.$ at February 2, 2019
Fair value hedges:
Intercompany balances, primarily debt and related interest:
	zł	59,000	£	12,021	0.2037	Prepaid Exp	$	56	$	—		$	56
	€	55,950	£	49,560	0.8858	Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)	126		(140		)	(14		)
	A$	30,000	U.S.$	21,483	0.7161	(Accrued Exp)	—		(314		)	(314		)
	U.S.$	72,020	£	55,000	0.7637	Prepaid Exp	1,037		—			1,037
Economic hedges for which hedge accounting was not elected:
Diesel contracts		Fixed on 2.7M – 3.3M gal per month		Float on 2.7M– 3.3M gal per month	N/A	(Accrued Exp)	—		(3,786		)	(3,786		)
Intercompany billings in TJX International, primarily merchandise related:
	€	46,600	£	41,835	0.8977	Prepaid Exp	1,300		—			1,300
Merchandise purchase commitments:
	C$	546,083	U.S.$	414,100	0.7583	Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)	1,239		(4,741		)	(3,502		)
	C$	31,455	€	20,700	0.6581	(Accrued Exp)	—		(248		)	(248		)
	£	173,624	U.S.$	230,000	1.3247	Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)	3,459		(1,466		)	1,993
	zł	280,167	£	57,586	0.2055	Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)	707		(86		)	621
	A$	51,043	U.S.$	36,961	0.7241	Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)	97		(213		)	(116		)
	U.S.$	56,847	€	49,355	0.8682	Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)	115		(207		)	(92		)
Total fair value of derivative financial instruments							$	8,136	$	(11,201	)	$	(3,065	)

The following is a summary of TJX’s derivative financial instruments, related fair value and balance sheet classification at May 5, 2018:



In thousands		Pay	Receive		Blended Contract Rate	Balance Sheet Location	Current Asset U.S.$		Current (Liability) U.S.$			Net Fair Value in U.S.$ at May 5, 2018
Fair value hedges:
Intercompany balances, primarily debt and related interest
	zł	67,000	£	14,035	0.2095	Prepaid Exp	$	247	$	—		$	247
	€	53,950	£	47,868	0.8873	(Accrued Exp)	—		(252		)	(252		)
	£	30,000	C$	54,038	1.8013	Prepaid Exp	1,256		—			1,256
	U.S.$	77,079	£	55,000	0.7136	(Accrued Exp)	—		(1,771		)	(1,771		)
Net Investment Hedges:
	C$	1,710,000	U.S.$	1,341,426	0.7845	Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)	9,808		(1,563		)	8,245
Economic hedges for which hedge accounting was not elected:
Diesel contracts		Fixed on 2.2M – 3.0M gal per month		Float on 2.2M – 3.0M gal per month	N/A	Prepaid Exp	10,249		—			10,249
Intercompany billings in TJX International, primarily merchandise related:
	€	50,000	£	43,340	0.8668	(Accrued Exp)	—		(1,205		)	(1,205		)
Merchandise purchase commitments:
	C$	518,624	U.S.$	409,350	0.7893	Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)	5,322		(422		)	4,900
	C$	25,760	€	16,500	0.6405	Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)	82		(360		)	(278		)
	£	333,666	U.S.$	469,400	1.4068	Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)	15,418		(594		)	14,824
	A$	30,728	U.S.$	23,772	0.7736	Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)	602		(30		)	572
	zł	299,988	£	62,531	0.2084	Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)	560		(235		)	325
	U.S.$	41,644	€	33,611	0.8071	Prepaid Exp / (Accrued Exp)	23		(1,243		)	(1,220		)
Total fair value of derivative financial instruments							$	43,567	$	(7,675	)	$	35,892

Presented below is the impact of derivative financial instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Income for the periods shown:



		Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income by Derivative
		Thirteen Weeks Ended
In thousands	Location of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income by Derivative	May 4, 2019			May 5, 2018
Fair value hedges:
Intercompany balances, primarily debt and related interest	Selling, general and administrative expenses	$	3,633		$	(1,792	)
Economic hedges for which hedge accounting was not elected:
Intercompany receivable	Selling, general and administrative expenses	3,257			—
Diesel fuel contracts	Cost of sales, including buying and occupancy costs	3,687			4,953
Intercompany billings in TJX International, primarily merchandise related	Cost of sales, including buying and occupancy costs	2,151			(118		)
International lease liabilities	Cost of sales, including buying and occupancy costs	(1,522		)	—
Merchandise purchase commitments	Cost of sales, including buying and occupancy costs	9,789			31,457
Gain / (loss) recognized in income		$	20,995		$	34,500