| 2.6) | FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS |
Beginning January 1, 2018, IFRS 9, Financial Instruments: classification and measurement is effective, see note 2.20. Until December 31, 2017, CEMEX’s policy for the recognition of financial instruments is set forth below:
Trade accounts receivable and other accounts receivable (notes 9 and 10)
Instruments under these captions are classified as loans and receivables and are recorded at their amortized cost representing the net present value (“NPV”) of the consideration receivable or payable as of the transaction date. Due to their short-term nature, CEMEX initially recognizes these receivables at the original invoiced amount less an estimate of doubtful accounts. Allowances for doubtful accounts were recognized based on incurred loss estimates against administrative and selling expenses.
Trade receivables sold under securitization programs, in which certain residual interest in the trade receivables sold in case of recovery failure and continued involvement in such assets is maintained, do not qualify for derecognition and are maintained on the statement of financial position.
Other investments and non-current accounts receivable (note 13.2)
As part also of loans and receivables, non-current accounts receivable and investments classified as held to maturity are initially recognized at their amortized cost. Subsequent changes in NPV are recognized in the income statement as part of “Financial income and other items, net”.
Investments in financial instruments held for trading, as well as those investments available for sale, are recognized at their estimated fair value, in the first case through the income statement as part of “Financial income and other items, net,” and in the second case, changes in valuation are recognized as part of “Other comprehensive income” for the period within “Other equity reserves” until their time of disposition, when all valuation effects accrued in equity are reclassified to “Financial income and other items, net,” in the income statement. These investments are tested for impairment upon the occurrence of a significant adverse change or at least once a year during the last quarter.
Debt and other financial obligations (notes 16.1 and 16.2)
Bank loans and notes payable are recognized at their amortized cost. Interest accrued on financial instruments is recognized within “Other accounts payable and accrued expenses” against financial expense. During the reported periods, CEMEX did not have financial liabilities voluntarily recognized at fair value or associated to fair value hedge strategies with derivative financial instruments. Direct costs incurred in debt issuances or borrowings, as well as debt refinancing or non-substantial modifications to debt agreements that did not represent an extinguishment of debt by considering that the holders and the relevant economic terms of the new instrument are not substantially different to the replaced instrument, adjust the carrying amount of the related debt and are amortized as interest expense as part of the effective interest rate of each instrument over its maturity. These costs include commissions and professional fees. Costs incurred in the extinguishment of debt, as well as debt refinancing or modifications to debt agreements when the new instrument is substantially different to the old instrument according to a qualitative and quantitative analysis are recognized in the income statement as incurred.
Finance leases are recognized as financing liabilities against a corresponding fixed asset for the lesser of the market value of the leased asset and the NPV of future minimum lease payments, using the contract’s implicit interest rate to the extent available, or the incremental borrowing cost. The main factors that determine a finance lease are: a) ownership title of the asset is transferred to CEMEX at the expiration of the contract; b) CEMEX has a bargain purchase option to acquire the asset at the end of the lease term; c) the lease term covers the majority of the useful life of the asset; and/or d) the NPV of minimum payments represents substantially all the fair value of the related asset at the beginning of the lease.
Financial instruments with components of both liabilities and equity (note 16.2)
The financial instrument that contains components of both liability and equity, such as notes convertible into a fixed number of the issuer’s shares and denominated its same functional currency, each component is recognized separately in the statement of financial position according to the specific characteristics of each transaction. In the case of instruments mandatorily convertible into shares of the issuer, the liability component represents the NPV of interest payments on the principal amount using a market interest rate, without assuming early conversion, and is recognized within “Other financial obligations,” whereas the equity component represents the difference between the principal amount and the liability component, and is recognized within “Other equity reserves”, net of commissions. In the case of instruments that are optionally convertible into a fixed number of shares, the liability component represents the difference between the principal amount and the fair value of the conversion option premium, which reflects the equity component (note 2.14). When the transaction is denominated in a currency different than the functional currency of the issuer, the conversion option is accounted for as a derivative financial instrument at fair value in the income statement.
Derivative financial instruments (note 16.4)
CEMEX recognizes all derivative instruments as assets or liabilities in the statement of financial position at their estimated fair values, and the changes in such fair values are recognized in the income statement within “Financial income and other items, net” for the period in which they occur, except for the effective portion of changes in fair value of derivative instruments associated with cash flow hedges, in which case, such changes in fair value are recognized in stockholders’ equity, and are reclassified to earnings as the interest expense of the related debt is accrued, in the case of interest rate swaps, or when the underlying products are consumed in the case of contracts on the price of raw materials and commodities. Likewise, in hedges of the net investment in foreign subsidiaries, changes in fair value are recognized in stockholders’ equity as part of the foreign currency translation result (note 2.4), which reversal to earnings would take place upon disposal of the foreign investment. During the reported periods, CEMEX did not have derivatives designated as fair value hedges. Derivative instruments are negotiated with institutions with significant financial capacity; therefore, CEMEX believes the risk of non-performance of the obligations agreed to by such counterparties to be minimal.
CEMEX reviews its contracts to identify the existence of embedded derivatives. Identified embedded derivatives are analyzed to determine if they need to be separated from the host contract and recognized in the statement of financial position as assets or liabilities, applying the same valuation rules used for other derivative instruments.
Put options granted for the purchase of non-controlling interests and associates
Represent agreements by means of which a non-controlling interest has the right to sell, at a future date using a predefined price formula or at fair market value, its shares in a subsidiary of CEMEX. When the obligation should be settled in cash or through the delivery of another financial asset, CEMEX recognizes a liability for the NPV of the redemption amount as of the reporting date against the controlling interest within stockholders’ equity. A liability is not recognized under these agreements when the redemption amount is determined at fair market value at the exercise date and CEMEX has the election to settle using its own shares.
In respect of a put option granted for the purchase of an associate, CEMEX would recognize a liability against a loss in the statements of operations whenever the estimated purchase price exceeds the fair value of the net assets to be acquired by CEMEX, had the counterparty exercised its right to sell. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, there were no written put options.
Fair value measurements (note 16.3)
Under IFRS, fair value represents an “Exit Value” which is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date, considering the counterparty’s credit risk in the valuation. The concept of Exit Value is premised on the existence of a market and market participants for the specific asset or liability. When there is no market and/or market participants willing to make a market, IFRS establishes a fair value hierarchy that gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to measurements involving significant unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:
| • | Level 1.— represent quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that CEMEX has the ability to access at the measurement date. A quote price in an active market provides the most reliable evidence of fair value and is used without adjustment to measure fair value whenever available. |
| • | Level 2.— are inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, and are used mainly to determine the fair value of securities, investments or loans that are not actively traded. Level 2 inputs included equity prices, certain interest rates and yield curves, implied volatility and credit spreads, among others, as well as inputs extrapolated from other observable inputs. In the absence of Level 1 inputs, CEMEX determined fair values by iteration of the applicable Level 2 inputs, the number of securities and/or the other relevant terms of the contract, as applicable. |
| • | Level 3.— inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability. CEMEX used unobservable inputs to determine fair values, to the extent there are no Level 1 or Level 2 inputs, in valuation models such as Black-Scholes, binomial, discounted cash flows or multiples of Operative EBITDA, including risk assumptions consistent with what market participants would use to arrive at fair value. |