Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value

v3.10.0.1
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
Fair value disclosures
Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements
For assets and liabilities required to be reported or disclosed at fair value, U.S. GAAP provides a hierarchy that prioritizes inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three broad levels. Level 1 inputs are quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity has the ability to access at the measurement date. Level 2 inputs, other than quoted market prices included within Level 1, are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.
The Company's assets and liabilities measured or disclosed at fair value were as follows:


Fair value measurements at December 31, 2018 using
 
(in millions)
Total

Quoted prices
in active
markets for
identical
assets
(Level 1)

Significant
other
observable
inputs
(Level 2)

Significant
unobservable
inputs
(Level 3)

Current assets:




Cash equivalents
$
233

233



Interest rate swap arrangements (note 8)
5


5


Debt (note 8)
4,758

189

4,569




Fair value measurements at December 31, 2017 using
 
(in millions)
Total

Quoted prices
in active
markets for
identical
assets
(Level 1)

Significant
other
observable
inputs
(Level 2)

Significant
unobservable
inputs
(Level 3)

Current assets:
 
 
 
 
Cash equivalents
$
42

42



Non-current assets:
 
 
 


Interest rate swap arrangements (note 8)
7


7


Long-term liabilities:
 
 
 
 
Debt (note 8)
5,592


5,592



The 2067 Notes (ticker: QVCD) are considered Level 1 fair value instruments as reported in the foregoing tables as they are traded on the New York Stock Exchange, which the Company considers to be an "active market," as defined by U.S. GAAP. The remainder of the Company's Level 2 financial liabilities are debt instruments with quoted market prices that are not considered to be traded on "active markets." Accordingly, these financial instruments are reported in the foregoing tables as Level 2 fair value instruments.
During the year ended December 31, 2016, QVC entered into a three-year interest rate swap arrangement with a notional amount of $125 million to mitigate the interest rate risk associated with interest payments related to its variable rate debt. The swap arrangement does not qualify as a cash flow hedge under U.S. GAAP. Accordingly, changes in the fair value of the swap are reflected in (losses) gains on financial instruments in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. At December 31, 2018 the fair value of the swap instrument was in a net asset position of approximately $1 million which was included in prepaid expenses and other current assets. At December 31, 2017 the fair value of the swap instrument was in a net asset position of approximately $2 million which was included in other noncurrent assets.
As of December 31, 2017, HSN had an outstanding interest rate swap that was in a net asset position of $5 million, which was included in other noncurrent assets, that effectively converted $250 million of its variable rate bank credit facility to a fixed rate of 1.05% with a maturity date in January 2020 (the swapped fixed rate was exclusive of the credit spread under the HSN Credit Agreement). Based on HSN's leverage ratio as of December 31, 2017, the all-in fixed rate was 2.35%. The Company accounted for the interest rate swap at fair value with changes recorded through (losses) gains on financial instruments in the consolidated statements of operations. On December 31, 2018, the interest rate swap was terminated as a result of the termination of the HSN Credit Agreement. Subsequently, QVC entered into a thirteen month interest rate swap arrangement with the same terms. The new swap instrument does not qualify as a cash flow hedge and the fair value of the swap instrument was in a net asset position of approximately $4 million as of December 31, 2018, which was included in prepaid expenses and other current assets.