Derivative Instruments & Hedging Activities

Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments

The majority of the Company’s derivative instruments have not been designated as hedging instruments. The Company uses exchange-traded futures and exchange-traded and OTC options contracts to manage its net position of merchandisable agricultural commodity inventories and forward cash purchase and sales contracts to reduce price risk caused by market fluctuations in agricultural commodities and foreign currencies. The Company also uses exchange-traded futures and exchange-traded and OTC options contracts as components of merchandising strategies designed to enhance margins. The results of these strategies can be significantly impacted by factors such as the correlation between the value of exchange-traded commodities futures contracts and the value of the underlying commodities, counterparty contract defaults, and volatility of freight markets. Derivatives, including exchange traded contracts and physical purchase or sale contracts, and inventories of certain merchandisable agricultural commodities, which include amounts acquired under deferred pricing contracts, are stated at market value. Inventory is not a derivative and therefore fair values of and changes in fair values of inventories are not included in the tables below.

The following table sets forth the fair value of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments as of December 31, 2017 and 2016.



	December 31, 2017				December 31, 2016
	Assets		Liabilities		Assets		Liabilities
	(In millions)
Foreign Currency Contracts	$	63	$	92	$	102	$	90
Commodity Contracts	386		371		511		561
Total	$	449	$	463	$	613	$	651

The following table sets forth the pre-tax gains (losses) on derivatives not designated as hedging instruments that have been included in the consolidated statements of earnings for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015.



				Cost of			Other
(In millions)	Revenues			goods sold			income-net
For the Year Ended December 31, 2017
Consolidated Statement of Earnings	$	60,828		$	57,322		$	37

Pre-tax gains (losses) on:
Foreign Currency Contracts	$	(10	)	$	58		$	214
Commodity Contracts	—			375			—
Total gain (loss) recognized in earnings	$	(10	)	$	433		$	214		$	637

For the Year Ended December 31, 2016
Consolidated Statement of Earnings	$	62,346		$	58,727		$	147

Pre-tax gains (losses) on:
Foreign Currency Contracts	$	(35	)	$	291		$	(225	)
Commodity Contracts	—			(383		)	—
Total gain (loss) recognized in earnings	$	(35	)	$	(92	)	$	(225	)	$	(352	)

For the Year Ended December 31, 2015
Consolidated Statement of Earnings	$	67,702		$	63,736		$	350

Pre-tax gains (losses) on:
Foreign Currency Contracts	$	16		$	(185	)	$	8
Commodity Contracts	—			777			—
Total gain (loss) recognized in earnings	$	16		$	592		$	8		$	616

Changes in the market value of inventories of certain merchandisable agricultural commodities, forward cash purchase and sales contracts, exchange-traded futures, and exchange-traded and OTC options contracts are recognized in earnings immediately as a component of cost of products sold.

Derivatives Designated as Cash Flow or Fair Value Hedging Strategies

As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company had certain derivatives designated as cash flow and fair value hedges.

The Company uses interest rate swaps designated as fair value hedges to protect the fair value of fixed-rate debt due to changes in interest rates. The changes in the fair value of the interest rate swaps and the underlying fixed-rate debt are recorded in other (income) expense - net. The terms of the interest rate swaps match the terms of the underlying debt. At December 31, 2017, the Company had $1 million in other current liabilities representing the fair value of the interest rate swaps and a corresponding decrease in the underlying debt for the same amount with no impact to earnings.

For each of the commodity hedge programs described below, the derivatives are designated as cash flow hedges. Assuming normal market conditions, the changes in the market value of such derivative contracts have historically been, and are expected to continue to be, highly effective at offsetting changes in price movements of the hedged item. Once the hedged item is recognized in earnings, the gains/losses arising from the hedge are reclassified from AOCI to either revenues or cost of products sold, as applicable. As of December 31, 2017, the Company had $8 million of after-tax losses in AOCI related to gains and losses from commodity cash flow hedge transactions. The Company expects to recognize $8 million of these after-tax losses in its consolidated statement of earnings during the next 12 months.

The Company uses futures or options contracts to hedge the purchase price of anticipated volumes of corn to be purchased and processed in a future month. The objective of this hedging program is to reduce the variability of cash flows associated with the Company’s forecasted purchases of corn. The Company’s corn processing plants currently grind approximately 72 million bushels of corn per month. During the past 12 months, the Company hedged between 22% and 50% of its monthly anticipated grind. At December 31, 2017, the Company had designated hedges representing between 8% to 86% of its anticipated monthly grind of corn for the next 12 months.

The Company, from time to time, also uses futures, options, and swaps to hedge the sales price of certain ethanol sales contracts. The Company has established hedging programs for ethanol sales contracts that are indexed to unleaded gasoline prices and to various exchange-traded ethanol contracts. The objective of these hedging programs is to reduce the variability of cash flows associated with the Company’s sales of ethanol. During the past 12 months, the Company hedged between 1 million and 28 million gallons of ethanol sales per month under these programs. At December 31, 2017, the Company had designated hedges representing between 0 to 135 million gallons of ethanol sales per month over the next 6 months.

The following table sets forth the fair value of derivatives designated as hedging instruments as of December 31, 2017 and 2016.



	December 31, 2017				December 31, 2016
	Assets		Liabilities		Assets		Liabilities
	(In millions)
Interest Contracts	$	—	$	1	$	11	$	—
Total	$	—	$	1	$	11	$	—

The following table sets forth the pre-tax gains (losses) on derivatives designated as hedging instruments that have been included in the consolidated statement of earnings for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015.



					Cost of			Interest			Other
(In millions)	Revenues				goods sold			expense			income-net
For the Year Ended December 31, 2017
Consolidated Statement of Earnings	$	60,828			$	57,322		$	330		$	37

Effective amounts recognized in earnings
Pre-tax gains (losses) on:
Foreign Currency Contracts	$	—			$	—		$	—		$	(2	)
Interest Contracts	—				—			1			—
Commodity Contracts	(1		)		(45		)	—			—
Total gain (loss) recognized in earnings	$	(1	)		$	(45	)	$	1		$	(2	)	$	(47	)

For the Year Ended December 31, 2016
Consolidated Statement of Earnings	$	62,346			$	58,727		293			$	147

Effective amounts recognized in earnings
Pre-tax gains (losses) on:
Foreign Currency Contracts	$	—			$	—		$	—		$	(18	)
Interest Contracts	—				—			(2		)	—
Commodity Contracts	(35		)		(82		)	—			—
Ineffective amounts recognized in earnings
Pre-tax gains (losses) on:
Commodity Contracts	(5		)		6			—			—
Total gain (loss) recognized in earnings	$	(40	)		$	(76	)	$	(2	)	$	(18	)	$	(136	)

For the Year Ended December 31, 2015
Consolidated Statement of Earnings	$	67,702			$	63,736		$	308		$	350

Effective amounts recognized in earnings
Pre-tax gains (losses) on:
Foreign Currency Contracts	$	—			$	—		$	—		$	29
Interest Contracts	—				—			1			—
Commodity Contracts	41				(25		)	—			—
Ineffective amounts recognized in earnings
Pre-tax gains (losses) on:
Interest Contracts	—			—	—			—			1
Commodity Contracts	6				(12		)	—			—
Total gain (loss) recognized in earnings	$	47			$	(37	)	$	1		$	30		$	41

In 2017, the Company adopted the amended guidance of Topic 815. As a result, hedge ineffectiveness related to effective hedging relationships are now deferred in AOCI until the hedged item impacts earnings. Prior to 2017, gain or loss on the derivative instrument that is in excess of the cumulative change in the cash flows of the hedged item, if any (i.e., the ineffective portion) are recognized in the consolidated statement of earnings during the current period.

Net Investment Hedging Strategies

On June 24, 2015, the Company issued €500 million aggregate principal amount of Floating Rate Notes and €600 million aggregate principal amount of 1.75% Notes (collectively, the “Notes”). The Company has designated €1.1 billion of the Notes as a hedge of its net investment in a foreign subsidiary. As of December 31, 2017, the Company had $59 million of after-tax losses in AOCI related to gains and losses from the net investment hedge transaction. The amount is deferred in AOCI until the underlying investment is divested.