Item 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

We are exposed to market risks that may result from changes in interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates and prices of equity instruments as well as changes in general economic conditions in the countries where we conduct business. To reduce certain of these risks, we enter into various types of foreign currency and interest rate derivative hedging transactions as part of our risk management program. We do not use derivatives for speculative trading purposes.

In the discussion that follows, we have assumed a hypothetical change in interest rates of 100 basis points from those as of December 31, 2020 and 2019. Except as noted below, we have also assumed a hypothetical 20% change in foreign currency exchange rates against the U.S. dollar based on its position relative to other currencies as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Interest-rate-sensitive financial instruments

Our portfolio of available-for-sale investments as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, was composed of U.S. Treasury securities and money market mutual funds, and with respect to investments as of December 31, 2019, corporate debt securities and other short-term interest-bearing securities. The fair values of our available-for-sale investments were $9.8 billion and $8.2 billion as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Duration is a sensitivity measure that can be used to approximate the change in the value of a security that will result from a 100 basis point change in interest rates. Applying a duration model, a hypothetical 100 basis point increase in interest rates as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, would not have resulted in a material reduction in the fair values of these securities. In addition, a hypothetical 100 basis point decrease in interest rates as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, would not result in a material effect on income in the respective ensuing year.

As of December 31, 2020, we had outstanding debt with a carrying value of $33.0 billion and a fair value of $39.4 billion. As of December 31, 2019, we had outstanding debt with a carrying value of $29.9 billion and a fair value of $33.7 billion. Our outstanding debt was composed almost entirely of debt with fixed interest rates. Changes in interest rates do not affect interest expense on fixed-rate debt. Changes in interest rates would, however, affect the fair values of fixed-rate debt. A hypothetical 100 basis point decrease in interest rates relative to interest rates as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, would have resulted in increases of $4.5 billion and $3.0 billion, respectively, in the aggregate fair value of our outstanding debt on each of these dates. Analysis of the debt does not consider the impact that hypothetical changes in interest rates would have on the related interest rate swap contracts and cross-currency swap contracts, discussed below.

To achieve a desired mix of fixed-rate and floating-rate debt, we entered into interest rate swap contracts that qualified and were designated for accounting purposes as fair value hedges for certain of our fixed-rate debt. These interest rate swap contracts effectively converted a fixed-rate interest coupon to a floating-rate LIBOR-based coupon over the life of the respective notes. Interest rate swap contracts with aggregate notional amounts of $5.9 billion and $9.6 billion were outstanding as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. A hypothetical 100 basis point increase in interest rates relative to interest rates as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, would have resulted in reductions in fair values of approximately $230 million and $380 million, respectively, on our interest rate swap contracts on these dates. Analysis of the interest rate swap contracts does not consider the impact that hypothetical changes in interest rates would have on the related fair values of debt that these interest-rate-sensitive instruments were designed to offset.

As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, we had outstanding cross-currency swap contracts with aggregate notional amounts of $4.8 billion that hedge our foreign-currency-denominated debt and related interest payments. These contracts effectively convert interest payments and principal repayment of this debt to U.S. dollars from euros, pounds sterling and Swiss francs and are designated for accounting purposes as cash flow hedges. A hypothetical 100 basis point adverse movement in interest rates relative to interest rates as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, would have resulted in reductions in the fair values of our cross-currency swap contracts of approximately $250 million and $280 million, respectively.

Foreign-currency-sensitive financial instruments

Our international operations are affected by fluctuations in the value of the U.S. dollar as compared to foreign currencies, predominantly the euro. Increases and decreases in our international product sales from movements in foreign currency exchange rates are partially offset by the corresponding increases or decreases in our international operating expenses. Increases and decreases in our foreign-currency-denominated assets from movements in foreign currency exchange rates are partially offset by the corresponding increases or decreases in our foreign-currency-denominated liabilities. To further reduce our net exposure to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations on our results of operations, we enter into foreign currency forward, option and cross-currency swap contracts.

As of December 31, 2020, we had outstanding euro-, pound-sterling- and Swiss-franc-denominated debt with a principal carrying value and a fair value of $4.8 billion and $5.4 billion, respectively. As of December 31, 2019, we had outstanding euro-, pound-sterling- and Swiss-franc-denominated debt with a principal carrying value and a fair value of $4.5 billion and $5.0 billion, respectively. A hypothetical 20% adverse movement in foreign currency exchange rates compared with the U.S. dollar relative to exchange rates as of December 31, 2020, would have resulted in an increase in fair value of this debt of $1.1 billion on this date and a reduction in income in the ensuing year of $1.0 billion. A hypothetical 20% adverse movement in foreign currency exchange rates compared with the U.S. dollar relative to exchange rates as of December 31, 2019, would have resulted in an increase in fair value of this debt of $1.0 billion on this date and a reduction in income in the ensuing year of $900 million. The impact on income from these hypothetical changes in foreign currency exchange rates would be substantially offset by the impact such changes would have on related cross-currency swap contracts, which are in place for the related foreign-currency-denominated debt.

We have cross-currency swap contracts that are designated as cash flow hedges of our debt denominated in euros, pounds sterling and Swiss francs with aggregate notional amounts of $4.8 billion as of both December 31, 2020 and 2019. A hypothetical 20% adverse movement in foreign currency exchange rates compared with the U.S. dollar relative to exchange rates on these dates would have resulted in reductions in the fair values of these contracts of $1.1 billion and $1.0 billion on these dates, respectively. The impact of this hypothetical adverse movement in foreign currency exchange rates on ensuing years’ income from these contracts would be fully offset by the corresponding hypothetical changes in the carrying amounts of the related hedged debt.

We enter into foreign currency forward and options contracts that are designated for accounting purposes as cash flow hedges of certain anticipated foreign currency transactions. As of December 31, 2020, the fair values of these contracts were a $28 million asset and a $237 million liability. As of December 31, 2019, the fair values of these contracts were a $223 million asset and a $31 million liability. As of December 31, 2020, we had primarily euro based open foreign currency forward contracts with notional amounts of $5.1 billion. As of December 31, 2019, we had primarily euro based open foreign currency forward contracts with notional amounts of $5.0 billion. With regard to foreign currency forward and option contracts that were open as of December 31, 2020, a hypothetical 20% adverse movement in foreign currency exchange rates compared with the U.S. dollar relative to exchange rates as of December 31, 2020, would have resulted in a reduction in fair value of these contracts of approximately $1.1 billion on this date and in the ensuing year, a reduction in income of approximately $420 million. With regard to contracts that were open as of December 31, 2019, a hypothetical 20% adverse movement in foreign currency exchange rates compared with the U.S. dollar relative to exchange rates as of December 31, 2019, would have resulted in a reduction in fair value of these contracts of $930 million on this date and in the ensuing year, a reduction in income of $400 million. The analysis does not consider the impact that hypothetical changes in foreign currency exchange rates would have on anticipated transactions that these foreign-currency-sensitive instruments were designed to offset.

As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, we had open short-duration foreign currency forward contracts that mature in less than one month, with notional amounts of $1.0 billion and $1.2 billion, respectively, that hedged fluctuations of certain assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies but were not designated as hedges for accounting purposes. These contracts had no material net unrealized gains or losses as of December 31, 2020 and 2019. With regard to these foreign currency forward contracts that were open as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, a hypothetical 5% adverse movement in foreign currency exchange rates compared with the U.S. dollar relative to exchange rates on these dates would not have a material effect on the fair values of these contracts or related income in the respective ensuing years. The analysis does not consider the impact that hypothetical changes in foreign currency exchange rates would have on assets and liabilities that these foreign-currency-sensitive instruments were designed to offset.

Market-price-sensitive financial instruments

As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, we were exposed to price risk on equity securities included in our portfolio of investments, which were acquired primarily for the promotion of business and strategic objectives. These investments are generally in small-capitalization stocks in the biotechnology industry. Price risk relative to our equity investment portfolio as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, was not material.

Counterparty credit risks

Our financial instruments, including derivatives, are subject to counterparty credit risk, which we consider as part of the overall fair value measurement. Our financial risk management policy limits derivative transactions by requiring that transactions be made only with institutions with minimum credit ratings of A– or equivalent by S&P, Moody’s or Fitch; and it places exposure limits on the amount with any individual counterparty. In addition, we have an investment policy that limits investments to certain types of debt and money market instruments issued by institutions with investment-grade credit ratings and places restriction on maturities and concentrations by asset class and issuer.