7.	Derivative Financial Instruments

We are exposed to certain risks arising from both our business operations and economic conditions. We manage economic risks, including interest rate, liquidity and credit risk primarily by managing the amount, sources and duration of our debt funding and by using derivative financial instruments. Specifically, we enter into derivative financial instruments to manage exposures that arise from business activities that result in the payment of future known but uncertain cash amounts, the value of which are determined by interest rates. Our derivative financial instruments are used to manage differences in the amount, timing and duration of our known or expected cash payments principally related to our borrowings. We do not net derivatives on our balance sheet. Our objectives in using interest rate derivatives are to add stability to interest expense and to manage our exposure to interest rate movements. To accomplish this objective, we primarily use interest rate swaps as part of our interest rate risk management strategy.

In July 2015, we entered into three interest rate swap agreements with an aggregate notional amount of $300.0 million, all with effective dates in August 2015, and designated them as cash flow hedges in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging.” We structured these swap agreements to attempt to hedge the variability of future interest payments due to changes in interest rates prior to us issuing the 4.875% senior notes (see Note 11). In August 2015, we elected to terminate these agreements and paid a $6.2 million cash settlement, which was recorded to accumulated other comprehensive loss in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets and is being amortized to interest expense throughout the remaining term of the terminated hedge transaction until August 2025. There was no hedge ineffectiveness for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015. We reclassified $0.6 million in each of the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 from accumulated other comprehensive loss to interest expense. During the next twelve months, we estimate that $0.6 million will be reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss to interest expense.

In March 2011, we entered into five interest rate swap agreements, all with effective dates in October 2011, and immediately designated them as cash flow hedges in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 815. The purpose of these interest rate swap agreements is to attempt to hedge potential changes to our cash flows due to the variable interest nature of our senior term loan facilities. The total notional amount of these interest rate swap agreements is $400.0 million, with $200.0 million having expired in October 2017 and $200.0 million expiring in September 2019. The ineffective portion of the change in fair value of the derivatives is recognized directly in earnings. There was no significant hedge ineffectiveness for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015. The effective portion of changes in the fair value of derivatives designated and qualifying as cash flow hedges is recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss on the balance sheet and is subsequently reclassified into earnings in the period that the hedged forecasted transaction affects earnings. We reclassified $7.4 million, $10.7 million and $11.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015, respectively, from accumulated other comprehensive loss to interest expense. During the next twelve months, we estimate that $3.1 million will be reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss to interest expense. In addition, we recorded a net gain of $0.9 million, and net losses of $2.4 million and $6.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively, to other comprehensive loss in relation to such interest rate swap agreements. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the fair values of such interest rate swap agreements were reflected as a $4.8 million liability and a $13.2 million liability, respectively, and were included in other liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

Additionally, our foreign operations expose us to fluctuations in foreign exchange rates. These fluctuations may impact the value of our cash receipts and payments in terms of our functional (reporting) currency, which is U.S. dollars. We enter into derivative financial instruments to attempt to protect the value or fix the amount of certain obligations in terms of our reporting currency, the U.S. dollar. In March 2014, we began a foreign currency exchange forward hedging program by entering into foreign currency exchange forward contracts, including agreements to buy U.S. dollars and sell Australian dollars, British pound sterling, Canadian dollars, euros and Japanese yen. The purpose of these forward contracts was to attempt to mitigate the risk of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates that would adversely impact some of our foreign currency denominated EBITDA. Hedge accounting was not elected for any of these contracts. As such, changes in the fair values of these contracts were recorded directly in earnings. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, we had no foreign currency exchange forward contracts outstanding as the program expired in December 2016. Included in the consolidated statement of operations were net gains of $7.7 million and $24.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively, resulting from net gains on foreign currency exchange forward contracts.

We also routinely monitor our exposure to currency exchange rate changes in connection with certain transactions and sometimes enter into foreign currency exchange option and forward contracts to limit our exposure to such transactions, as appropriate. In the ordinary course of business, we also sometimes utilize derivative financial instruments in the form of foreign currency exchange contracts to attempt to mitigate foreign currency exchange exposure resulting from intercompany loans. The net impact on our financial position and earnings resulting from these foreign currency exchange forward and options contracts has not been significant.