Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
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Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
We have exposure to several types of market risk: changes in interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates, and equity prices.
We manage our exposure to interest rate risk and foreign currency risk through internally established policies and procedures and, when deemed appropriate, through the use of derivative financial instruments. We use foreign currency exchange derivative contracts to manage short-term foreign currency risk.
The objective of our policies is to mitigate potential income statement, cash flow, and fair value exposures resulting from possible future adverse fluctuations in rates. We evaluate our exposure to market risk by assessing the anticipated near-term and long-term fluctuations in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates. This evaluation includes the review of leading market indicators, discussions with financial analysts and investment bankers regarding current and future economic conditions, and the review of market projections as to expected future rates. We utilize this information to determine our own investment strategies as well as to determine if the use of derivative financial instruments is appropriate to mitigate any potential future market exposure that we may face. Our policy does not allow speculation in derivative instruments for profit or, except in certain limited situations, execution of derivative instrument contracts for which there are no underlying exposures. We do not use financial instruments for trading purposes and are not a party to any leveraged derivatives. To the extent that changes in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates affect general economic conditions, we would also be affected by such changes.
At December 31, 2022 and 2021, the outstanding aggregate principal amount of our debt was $12.5 billion and $11.1 billion, respectively. We estimate that the fair value of such debt was approximately $12.4 billion and $12.1 billion at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. As of December 31, 2022, the outstanding principal amount of the Company's debt exceeds the fair value of debt mainly due to the increase in interest rates partially offset by the conversion premium on the convertible senior notes due in May 2025. The estimated fair value of the Company's debt in excess of the outstanding principal amount at December 31, 2021 primarily relates to the conversion premium on the convertible senior notes due in May 2025 and the outstanding senior notes due in April 2030. Excluding the effect on the fair value of our convertible senior notes, a hypothetical 100 basis point (1.0%) decrease in interest rates would have resulted in an increase in the estimated fair value of our other debt of approximately $522 million and $401 million at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Our convertible senior notes are more sensitive to the equity market price volatility of our shares than changes in interest rates. The fair value of the convertible senior notes will likely increase as the market price of our shares increases and will likely decrease as the market price of our shares falls.
Our businesses outside of the U.S. (see Note 17 to our Consolidated Financial Statements) represent a substantial majority of our financial results, but because we report our results in U.S. Dollars, we face exposure to movements in foreign currency exchange rates as the financial results and the financial condition of our businesses outside of the U.S. are translated from local currencies (principally Euros and British Pounds Sterling) into U.S. Dollars. If the U.S. Dollar weakens against the local currencies, the translation of these foreign-currency-denominated balances will result in increased net assets, gross bookings, revenues, operating expenses, and net income. Similarly, our net assets, gross bookings, revenues, operating expenses and net income will decrease if the U.S. Dollar strengthens against the local currencies. For example, the U.S. Dollar strengthened in 2022 versus both the Euro and British Pound Sterling by 11% and 10%, respectively, as compared to 2021. Our total revenues increased by 56% for the year ended December 31, 2022 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2021, but without the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates, our total revenues increased year-over-year on a constant-currency basis by approximately 71%. Since our expenses are generally denominated in foreign currencies on a basis similar to our revenues, our operating margins have not been significantly impacted by currency fluctuations. Additionally, foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations on transactions denominated in currencies other than the functional currency result in gains and losses that are reflected in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. As of December 31, 2022, we had a significant investment that was denominated in Hong Kong Dollars and the related impact from the movements in foreign currency exchange rates was recognized in "Other income (expense), net" in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. See Note 5 to our Consolidated financial Statements.
As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the carrying value of our Euro denominated debt was $7.6 billion and $6.2 billion, respectively. We designate certain portions of the aggregate principal value of our Euro-denominated debt as a hedge of the foreign currency exposure of the net investment in certain Euro functional currency subsidiaries. The foreign currency transaction gains or losses on the Euro-denominated debt that is not designated as a hedging instrument for accounting purposes are recognized in "Other income (expense), net" in our Consolidated Statements of Operations (see Notes 12 and 21 to our Consolidated Financial Statements). Such foreign currency transaction gains or losses are dependent on the amount of net assets
of the Euro functional currency subsidiaries, the amount of the Euro-denominated debt that is designated as a hedge, and fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates.
We generally enter into derivative instruments to hedge our exposure to the impact of movements in foreign currency exchange rates on our transactional balances denominated in currencies other than the functional currency. We will continue to evaluate the use of derivative instruments in the future. See Note 6 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information related to our derivative contracts.
We are exposed to equity price risk as it relates to changes in fair values of our investments in equity securities of publicly-traded companies and private companies. We recorded net losses of $963 million and $569 million and net gains of $1.7 billion for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively, related to these equity securities (see Notes 5 and 6 to our Consolidated Financial Statements). The estimated fair value of our investments in equity securities of publicly-traded companies and private companies at December 31, 2022 and 2021 was $2.2 billion and $3.2 billion, respectively. Our investments in private companies are measured at cost less impairment, if any. Such investments are also required to be measured at fair value as of the date of certain observable transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer. A hypothetical 10% decrease in the fair values at December 31, 2022 and 2021 of our investments in equity securities of publicly-traded companies and private companies would have resulted in a loss, before tax, of approximately $220 million and $320 million, respectively, being recognized in net income.
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