Amendment of Statement 133 on Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities (Issued 4/03)
Summary
This Statement amends and clarifies financial accounting and reporting for derivative instruments, including certain derivative instruments embedded in other contracts (collectively referred to as derivatives) and for hedging activities under FASB Statement No. 133, Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities.Â
Reasons for Issuing This Statement
This Statement amends Statement 133 for decisions made (1) as part of the Derivatives Implementation Group process that effectively required amendments to Statement 133, (2) in connection with other Board projects dealing with financial instruments, and (3) in connection with implementation issues raised in relation to the application of the definition of a derivative, in particular, the meaning of an initial net investment that is smaller than would be required for other types of contracts that would be expected to have a similar response to changes in market factors, the meaning of underlying, and the characteristics of a derivative that contains financing components.
How the Changes in This Statement Improve Financial Reporting
The changes in this Statement improve financial reporting by requiring that contracts with comparable characteristics be accounted for similarly. In particular, this Statement (1) clarifies under what circumstances a contract with an initial net investment meets the characteristic of a derivative discussed in paragraph 6(b) of Statement 133, (2) clarifies when a derivative contains a financing component, (3) amends the definition of an underlying to conform it to language used in FASB Interpretation No. 45, Guarantor’s Accounting and Disclosure Requirements for Guarantees, Including Indirect Guarantees of Indebtedness of Others, and (4) amends certain other existing pronouncements. Those changes will result in more consistent reporting of contracts as either derivatives or hybrid instruments.
The Effective Date of This Statement
This Statement is effective for contracts entered into or modified after June 30, 2003, except as stated below and for hedging relationships designated after June 30, 2003. In addition, except as stated below, all provisions of this Statement should be applied prospectively.
The provisions of this Statement that relate to Statement 133 Implementation Issues that have been effective for fiscal quarters that began prior to June 15, 2003, should continue to be applied in accordance with their respective effective dates. In addition, paragraphs 7(a) and 23(a), which relate to forward purchases or sales of when-issued securities or other securities that do not yet exist, should be applied to both existing contracts and new contracts entered into after June 30, 2003.