Constellation Brands, Inc. Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

6 Months Ended

Aug. 31, 2017

FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS:

Authoritative guidance establishes a framework for measuring fair value and requires disclosures about fair value measurements for financial instruments. This guidance emphasizes that fair value is a market-based measurement, not an entity-specific measurement, and states that a fair value measurement should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. It establishes a hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. The hierarchy includes three levels:


•	Level 1 inputs are quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;


•	Level 2 inputs include data points that are observable such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical assets or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, and inputs (other than quoted prices) such as interest rates and yield curves that are observable for the asset and liability, either directly or indirectly; and


•	Level 3 inputs are unobservable data points for the asset or liability, and include situations where there is little, if any, market activity for the asset or liability.

Fair value methodology and assumptions –

The methods and assumptions we use to estimate the fair value for each class of our financial instruments are presented in Notes 1 and 7 of our consolidated financial statements included in our 2017 Annual Report and have not changed significantly for the six months and three months ended August 31, 2017. The carrying amounts of certain of our financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable and notes payable to banks, approximate fair value as of August 31, 2017, and February 28, 2017, due to the relatively short maturity of these instruments. As of August 31, 2017, the carrying amount of long-term debt, including the current portion, was $8,133.4 million, compared with an estimated fair value of $8,515.8 million. As of February 28, 2017, the carrying amount of long-term debt, including the current portion, was $8,631.6 million, compared with an estimated fair value of $8,845.5 million.

Recurring basis measurements –

The following table presents our financial assets and liabilities measured at estimated fair value on a recurring basis:



	Fair Value Measurements Using
	Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)		Total
(in millions)
August 31, 2017
Assets:
Foreign currency contracts	$	—	$	45.3	$	—	$	45.3
Commodity derivative contracts	$	—	$	8.0	$	—	$	8.0
Interest rate swap contracts	$	—	$	2.7	$	—	$	2.7
Available-for-sale (“AFS”) debt securities	$	—	$	—	$	9.9	$	9.9
Liabilities:
Foreign currency contracts	$	—	$	11.2	$	—	$	11.2
Commodity derivative contracts	$	—	$	8.3	$	—	$	8.3



	Fair Value Measurements Using
	Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)		Total
(in millions)
February 28, 2017
Assets:
Foreign currency contracts	$	—	$	13.2	$	—	$	13.2
Commodity derivative contracts	$	—	$	5.8	$	—	$	5.8
Interest rate swap contracts	$	—	$	4.7	$	—	$	4.7
AFS debt securities	$	—	$	—	$	9.5	$	9.5
Liabilities:
Foreign currency contracts	$	—	$	70.4	$	—	$	70.4
Commodity derivative contracts	$	—	$	11.6	$	—	$	11.6
Interest rate swap contracts	$	—	$	0.3	$	—	$	0.3

Nonrecurring basis measurements –

The following table presents our assets and liabilities measured at estimated fair value on a nonrecurring basis for which an impairment assessment was performed for the period presented:



	Fair Value Measurements Using
	Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)		Total Losses
(in millions)
For the Six Months Ended August 31, 2017
Trademarks	$	—	$	—	$	136.0	$	86.8

Trademarks:

For the first quarter of fiscal 2018, we identified certain negative trends within our Beer segment’s Ballast Point craft beer portfolio which, when combined with the recent negative craft beer industry trends, including slower growth rates and increased competition, indicated that it was more likely than not that the fair value of our indefinite lived intangible asset associated with the craft beer trademarks might be below its carrying value. These negative trends were the result of (i) a disruption in our distribution network transition plan, (ii) an unexpected decrease in sales from product innovations and (iii) a significant shift in market conditions for our craft beer portfolio, all of which resulted in a decline in net sales and depletion trends, which represent distributor shipments of our branded products to retail customers, for the first quarter of fiscal 2018 as compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2017, following consecutive quarters of significant net sales and depletion volume growth for our craft beer portfolio. Additionally, net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2018 were below our forecasted net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2018. Accordingly, we performed a quantitative assessment for impairment of the craft beer trademark asset. As a result of this assessment, the craft beer trademark asset with a carrying value of $222.8 million was written down to its estimated fair value of $136.0 million, resulting in an impairment of $86.8 million. This impairment is included in selling, general and administrative expenses.

We measured the amount of impairment by calculating the amount by which the carrying value of the trademark asset exceeded its estimated fair value. The estimated fair value was determined based on an income approach using the relief from royalty method, which assumes that, in lieu of ownership, a third party would be willing to pay a royalty in order to exploit the related benefits of the trademark asset. The cash flow projections we use to estimate the fair values of our trademarks involve several assumptions, including (i) projected revenue growth rates, (ii) estimated royalty rates, (iii) after-tax royalty savings expected from ownership of the trademarks and (iv) discount rates used to derive the estimated fair value of the trademarks.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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