Deutsche Telekom AG – Annual report – 31 December 2022
Industry: telecoms
42 Financial instruments and risk management (extract)
Hedge accounting
Fair value hedges. To hedge the fair value risk of fixed-income liabilities, Deutsche Telekom primarily uses interest rate swaps and forward interest rate swaps (pay variable, receive fixed) denominated in EUR and USD. Fixed-income bonds denominated in EUR and USD were designated as hedged items. The changes in the fair values of the hedged items resulting from changes in the EURIBOR or USD LIBOR swap rate are offset against the changes in the value of these interest rate swaps. In addition, cross-currency swaps mainly in the EUR/USD and EUR/GBP currency pairs, are designated as fair value hedges, which convert fixed-income foreign currency bonds into variable-interest EUR bonds to hedge the interest rate and currency risk. The changes in the fair value of the hedged items resulting from changes in the USD LIBOR and GBP SOFR swap rate as well as the USD and GBP exchange rate, are offset against the changes in the value of the cross-currency swaps. The aim of the fair value hedges is thus to transform the fixed-income bonds into variable-interest debt, thus hedging the fair value (interest rate risk and currency risk) of these financial liabilities. Credit risks are not part of the hedging and, on account of Deutsche Telekom’s rating, have only an immaterial effect on the changes in the fair value of the hedged item.
Cash flow hedges – interest rate risks. Deutsche Telekom mainly uses payer interest rate swaps and forward-payer interest rate swaps (pay fixed, receive variable) to hedge the cash flow risk of existing and future debt. The interest payments to be made in the hedging period are the hedged items and are recognized in profit or loss in the same period. Hedged items may be individual liabilities, portfolios of liabilities, or combinations of liabilities and derivatives (aggregate risk exposure). The changes in the cash flows of the hedged items resulting from changes in the USD LIBOR rate and the EURIBOR rate are offset against the changes in the cash flows of the interest rate swaps. The aim of this hedging is to transform the variable-interest bonds into fixed-income debt, thus hedging the cash flows of the financial liabilities. Credit risks are not part of the hedging and, on account of Deutsche Telekom’s rating, have only an immaterial effect on the changes in the fair value of the hedged item.
Cash flow hedges – currency risks. Deutsche Telekom entered into currency derivative and cross-currency swaps (pay fixed, receive variable) to hedge cash flows not denominated in a functional currency. The payments in foreign currency to be made in the hedging period are the hedged items and are recognized in profit or loss in the same period. The terms of the hedging relationships will end in the years 2023 through 2033. In the case of rolling cash flow hedges for hedging currency risks, short-term currency forwards are entered into, which are then extended by means of follow-up transactions. At each reporting date, the effectiveness of the fair value and cash flow hedges is reviewed prospectively based on the main contractual features and determined retrospectively in the form of a statistical regression analysis; for rolling foreign currency hedges the effectiveness is reviewed using the dollar offset test. All hedging relationships were sufficiently effective as of the reporting date.
Hedging of a net investment. The hedges of the net investment in T‑Mobile US against fluctuations in the U.S. dollar spot rate de-designated in prior periods did not generate any effects in 2022. The amounts recognized in total other comprehensive income would be reclassified in the event of the disposal of T‑Mobile US.
Conditions of derivative financial instruments in hedging relationships
Nominal and carrying amounts of derivative financial instruments in hedging relationshipsa
a In this and the following tables on hedging relationships, losses are shown as negative amounts unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Disclosures on hedged items in hedging relationships
a Figures include non-controlling interests.
Gains or losses from hedging relationships
a Negative amounts represent gains in the consolidated income statement.
The recorded ineffectiveness in the consolidated income statement mainly results from the different discount rates of the hedged items (fixed-income) and designated hedging instruments (fixed-income and variable-interest). Furthermore, cross-currency interest rate hedges are impacted by effects from cross-currency basis spreads, which are included in the hedging instruments, but not in the hedged items. For some hedges, the characteristics of hedging instruments and hedged items differ, resulting in ineffectiveness. In the case of interest rate hedges on highly probable future borrowings, ineffectiveness could arise if time shifts occur. The relative amounts of the ineffectiveness are not expected to increase significantly in the future. Furthermore, there are no other potential sources of ineffectiveness.
Reconciliation of total other comprehensive income from hedging relationshipsa
a Figures include non-controlling interests.
b The hedging costs relate entirely to cross-currency basis spreads.
Derivatives. The following table shows the fair values of the various derivatives. A distinction is made depending on whether these are part of an effective hedging relationship as set out in IFRS 9 (fair value hedge, cash flow hedge, net investment hedge) or not. Other derivatives can also be embedded, i.e., a component of a composite instrument that contains a non-derivative host contract.
Accounts examples 