Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Financial Instruments and Risk Management
Market Price Sensitive Investments
The fair value of equity securities held by Abbott with a readily determinable fair value was approximately $12 million and $9 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. These equity securities are subject to potential changes in fair value. A hypothetical 20 percent decrease in the share prices of these investments would decrease their fair value at December 31, 2023 by approximately $2 million. Changes in the fair value of these securities are recorded in earnings. The fair value of investments in mutual funds that are held in a rabbi trust for the purpose of paying benefits under a deferred compensation plan was approximately $314 million and $298 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Changes in the fair value of these investments, as well as an offsetting change in the benefit obligation, are recorded in earnings.
Non-Publicly Traded Equity Securities
Abbott holds equity securities that are not traded on public stock exchanges. The carrying value of these investments was $88 million and $83 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. No individual investment is recorded at a value in excess of $20 million. Abbott measures these investments at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer.
Interest Rate Sensitive Financial Instruments
At December 31, 2023 and 2022, Abbott had interest rate hedge contracts with notional values totaling $2.2 billion and $2.9 billion, respectively, to manage its exposure to changes in the fair value of debt. The effect of these hedges is to change the fixed interest rate to a variable rate for the portion of the debt that is hedged. Abbott does not use derivative financial instruments, such as interest rate swaps, to manage its exposure to changes in interest rates for its investment securities. The fair value of long-term debt at December 31, 2023 and 2022 amounted to $14.8 billion and $16.3 billion, respectively (average interest rates of 3.6% and 3.5% as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively) with maturities through 2046. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, the fair value of current and long-term investment securities amounted to approximately $1.2 billion and $1.1 billion, respectively. A hypothetical 100-basis point change in the interest rates would not have a material effect on cash flows, income or fair values.
Foreign Currency Sensitive Financial Instruments
Certain Abbott foreign subsidiaries enter into foreign currency forward exchange contracts to manage exposures to changes in foreign exchange rates for anticipated intercompany purchases by those subsidiaries whose functional currencies are not the U.S. dollar. These contracts are designated as cash flow hedges of the variability of the cash flows due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and are marked-to-market with the resulting gains or losses reflected in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). Gains or losses will be included in Cost of products sold at the time the products are sold, generally within the next twelve to eighteen months. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, Abbott held $7.3 billion and $7.7 billion of notional values, respectively, of such contracts. Contracts held at December 31, 2023 will mature in 2024 or 2025 depending on the contract. Contracts held at December 31, 2022 matured in 2023 or will mature in 2024 depending upon the contract.
Abbott enters into foreign currency forward exchange contracts to manage its exposure to foreign currency denominated intercompany loans and trade payables and third-party trade payables and receivables. The contracts are marked-to-market, and resulting gains or losses are reflected in income and are generally offset by losses or gains on the foreign currency exposure being managed. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, Abbott held $13.8 billion and $12.0 billion of notional values, respectively, of such contracts, which mature within 13 months.
Abbott has designated a yen-denominated, 5-year term loan of approximately $419 million and $446 million as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively, as a hedge of the net investment in certain foreign subsidiaries. The change in the value of the debt, which is due to changes in foreign exchange rates, is recorded in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax.
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The following table reflects the total foreign currency forward exchange contracts outstanding at December 31, 2023 and 2022:
2023
2022
(dollars in millions) Contract
Amount Weighted
Average
Exchange
Rate Fair and
Carrying Value
Receivable/
(Payable) Contract
Amount Weighted
Average
Exchange
Rate Fair and
Carrying Value
Receivable/
(Payable)
Primarily U.S. dollars to be exchanged for the following currencies:
Euro $ 9,221 1.0865 $ (35) $ 7,656 1.0664 $ 92
Chinese Yuan 2,115 7.0785 3 2,264 6.8825 12
Japanese Yen 1,635 138.2288 24 1,797 133.0344 (7)
All other currencies 8,189 n/a (54) 8,029 n/a 89
Total $ 21,160 $ (62) $ 19,746 $ 186
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