NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the period ended 28 July 2018 E2 DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (CONTINUED) Accounting policy Derivatives are initially recognised at fair value on the date a derivative contract is entered into and are subsequently remeasured to their fair value at the end of each reporting period. The accounting for subsequent changes in fair value depends on whether the derivative is designated as a hedging instrument, and if so, the nature of the item being hedged. The Group designates certain derivatives as either: • hedges of the fair value of recognised assets or liabilities or a firm commitment (fair value hedges); or • hedges of the cash flows or recognised assets or liabilities and highly probable forecast transactions (cash flow hedges). The Group documents at the inception of the hedging transaction the relationship between hedging instruments and hedged items, as well as its risk management objective and strategy for undertaking various hedge transactions. The Group also documents its assessments, both at hedge inception and on an ongoing basis, of whether the derivatives that are used in hedging transactions have been and will continue to be highly effective in offsetting changes in fair values or cash flows of hedged items. The full fair value of a hedging derivative is classified as a non-current asset or liability when the remaining maturity of the hedged item is more than 12 months. It is classified as a current asset or liability when the remaining maturity of the hedged item is less than 12 months. (i) Fair value hedge Changes in the fair value of derivatives that are designated and qualify as fair value hedges are recorded in the income statement, together with any changes in the fair value of the hedged asset or liability that are attributable to the hedged risk. The gain or loss relating to the effective portion of interest rate swaps hedging fixed rate borrowings is recognised in profit or loss within finance costs, together with changes in the fair value of the hedged fixed rate borrowings attributable to interest rate risk. The gain or loss relating to the ineffective portion is recognised in profit or loss. If the hedge no longer meets the criteria for hedge accounting, the adjustment to the carrying amount of a hedge item for which the effective interest method is used is amortised to profit or loss over the period to maturity using a recalculated effective interest rate. (ii) Cash flow hedge The Group uses derivative financial instruments to hedge its exposure to foreign exchange and interest rate risks arising from operational and financing activities. The effective portion of changes in the fair value of derivatives that are designated and qualify as cash flow hedges is recognised in equity in the hedging reserve. The gain or loss relating to the ineffective portion is recognised immediately in profit or loss. Amounts accumulated in equity are reclassified to profit or loss in the periods when the hedged item affects profit or loss. When the forecast transaction that is hedged results in the recognition of a non-financial asset (for example, inventory or fixed assets) the gains and losses previously deferred in equity are transferred from equity and included in the initial measurement of the cost of the asset. The deferred amounts are ultimately recognised in profit or loss as cost of goods sold in the case of inventory, or as depreciation in the case of fixed assets. The gain or loss relating to the effective portion of the interest rate swaps hedging variable rate borrowings is recognised in profit or loss within finance costs. When a hedging instrument expires or is sold or terminated, or when a hedge no longer meets the criteria for hedge accounting, any cumulative gain or loss existing in equity at that time remains in equity and is recognised when the forecast transaction is ultimately recognised in profit or loss. When a forecast transaction is no longer expected to occur, the cumulative gain or loss that was reported in equity is immediately reclassified to profit or loss. (iii) Derivatives that do not qualify for hedge accounting Certain derivative instruments do not qualify for hedge accounting. Changes in the fair value of any derivative instrument that does not qualify for hedge accounting are recognised immediately in profit or loss. 72 Myer Annual Report 2018