| Derivative financial instruments |
Note 9.- Derivative financial instruments
The breakdowns of the fair value amount of the derivative financial instruments as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 are as follows:
| | | Balance as of December 31, 2020 | | | Balance as of December 31, 2019 | | | | | Assets | | | Liabilities | | | Assets | | | Liabilities | | Interest rate cash flow hedge | | | 898 | | | | 302,302 | | | | 1,619 | | | | 298,744 | | Foreign exchange derivatives instruments | | | 661 | | | | - | | | | 3,610 | | | | - | | Notes conversion option (Note 14) | | | - | | | | 25,882 | | | | - | | | | - | | Total | | | 1,559 | | | | 328,184 | | | | 5,230 | | | | 298,744 | |
The derivatives are primarily interest rate cash-flow hedges. All are classified as non-current assets or non-current liabilities, as they hedge long-term financing agreements. As stated in Note 3 to these consolidated financial statements, the general policy is to hedge variable interest rates of financing agreements using two types of hedging derivatives:
- | Interest rate swaps under which the Company receives the floating leg and pays the fixed leg; and |
- | Purchased call options (cap), in exchange of a premium to fix the maximum interest rate cost. |
The notional amounts hedged, strikes contracted and maturities, depending on the characteristics of the debt on which the interest rate risk is being hedged, can be diverse:
| - | Project debt in Euros: the Company hedges 100% of the notional amount, maturities until 2030 and average guaranteed interest rates of between 0.00% and 4.87%. |
| - | Project debt in U.S. dollars: the Company hedges between 72% and 100% of the notional amount, including maturities until 2034 and average guaranteed interest rates of between 1.98% and 5.27%. |
The table below shows a breakdown of the maturities of notional amounts of interest rate cash flow hedge derivatives as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.
Notionals | | Balance as of December 31, 2020 | | | Balance as of December 31, 2019 | | | | | Assets | | | Liabilities | | | Assets | | | Liabilities | | Up to 1 year | | | 61,364 | | | | 120,874 | | | | 43,266 | | | | 117,574 | | Between 1 and 2 years | | | 296,828 | | | | 249,785 | | | | 45,955 | | | | 124,908 | | Between 2 and 3 years | | | 257,548 | | | | 276,111 | | | | 49,259 | | | | 240,570 | | Subsequent years | | | 292,011 | | | | 852,696 | | | | 455,235 | | | | 1,697,033 | | Total | | $ | 907,752 | | | $ | 1,499,466 | | | $ | 593,715 | | | $ | 2,180,085 | |
The table below shows a breakdown of the maturity of the fair values of interest rate cash flow hedge derivatives as of December 31, 2020 and 2019:
Fair value | | Balance as of December 31, 2020 | | | Balance as of December 31, 2019 | | | | | Assets | | | Liabilities | | | Assets | | | Liabilities | | Up to 1 year | | | 59 | | | | (21,042 | ) | | | 118 | | | | (18,721 | ) | Between 1 and 2 years | | | 255 | | | | (48,276 | ) | | | 128 | | | | (19,787 | ) | Between 2 and 3 years | | | 305 | | | | (55,220 | ) | | | 140 | | | | (21,802 | ) | Subsequent years | | | 280 | | | | (177,764 | ) | | | 1,234 | | | | (238,434 | ) | Total | | $ | 898 | | | $ | (302,302 | ) | | $ | 1,619 | | | $ | (298,744 | ) |
The net amount of the fair value of interest rate derivatives designated as cash flow hedges transferred to the consolidated income statement in 2020 is a loss of $58,381 thousand (loss of $55,765 thousand in 2019 and a loss of $67,519 thousand in 2018).
The after-tax result accumulated in equity in connection with derivatives designated as cash flow hedges at the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, amount to a $96,641 thousand gain and a $73,797 thousand gain respectively.
Additionally, the Company owns following derivatives instruments:
- | currency options with leading international financial institutions, which guarantee minimum Euro-U.S. dollar exchange rates. The strategy of the Company is to hedge the exchange rate for the net distributions from its Spanish assets after deducting euro-denominated interest payments and euro-denominated general and administrative expenses. Through currency options, the strategy of the Company is to hedge 100% of its euro-denominated net exposure for the next 12 months and 75% of its euro denominated net exposure for the following 12 months, on a rolling basis. Change in fair value of these foreign exchange derivatives instruments are directly recorded in the consolidated income statement. |
- | the conversion option of notes issued in July 2020 (Note 14), which fair value is a liability of $26 million as of December 31, 2020. |
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