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Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

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Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

We are exposed to market risk primarily from changes in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates, which may affect future income, cash flows and fair value of the Company, depending on changes to interest rates and/or foreign exchange rates. In certain situations, we may seek to reduce cash flow volatility associated with changes in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates by entering into financial arrangements intended to provide a hedge against a portion of the risks associated with such volatility. We continue to have exposure to such risks to the extent they are not hedged. We enter into derivative financial arrangements to the extent they meet the objective described above, and we do not use derivatives for trading or speculative purposes.

Interest Rate Risk

We are exposed to interest rate risk on our variable-rate debt. Interest rates on our variable-rate debt discussed below are based on one-month and three-month LIBOR, so we are most vulnerable to changes in this rate.

Under the terms of the CMBS Loan, we are required to hedge interest rate risk using derivative instruments. As such, we entered into an interest rate cap agreement in the notional amount of the variable-rate component, or $862 million, which caps one-month LIBOR at 6.9 percent and expires in November 2016. In conjunction with the Bonnet Creek Loan, we entered into

one interest rate cap in the notional amount of $338 million that expires in May 2016 and caps one-month LIBOR at 3.0 percent. As of December 31, 2015, the fair value of these interest rate caps were immaterial to our consolidated balance sheet.

Additionally, in October 2013, we entered into four interest rate swap agreements for a combined notional amount of $1.45 billion, with a term of five years, which swapped the floating three-month LIBOR on a portion of the Term Loans to a fixed rate of 1.87 percent. The fair value of these four interest rate swaps was $15 million and included in other liabilities in our balance sheet as of December 31, 2015.

Refer to Note 15: "Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities" in our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further discussion of the derivative instruments.

The following table sets forth the contractual maturities and the total fair values as of December 31, 2015 for our financial instruments that are materially affected by interest rate risk:

Maturities by Period
20162017201820192020ThereafterCarrying ValueFair Value
(in millions, excluding average interest rates)
Assets:
Fixed-rate timeshare financing receivables$141$129$131$129$125$427$1,082$1,080
Average interest rate(1)11.88%
Liabilities:
Fixed-rate long-term debt(2)$104$54$2,625$—$—$1,500$4,283$4,382
Average interest rate(1)4.95%
Fixed-rate non-recourse debt(3)$111$65$48$38$30$64$356$356
Average interest rate(1)1.97%
Variable-rate long-term debt(4)$5$8$802$428$4,225$30$5,498$5,504
Average interest rate(1)3.43%
Variable-rate non-recourse debt(5)$—$150$—$—$—$—$150$150
Average interest rate(1)1.27%

(1)Average interest rate as of December 31, 2015.
(2)Excludes capital lease obligations with a carrying value of $57 million as of December 31, 2015.
(3)Represents the Securitized Timeshare Debt.
(4)We have assumed all extensions, which are solely at our option, were exercised.
(5)Represents the Timeshare Facility.

Refer to Note 16: "Fair Value Measurements" in our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further discussion of the fair value measurements of our financial assets and liabilities.

Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Risk

We conduct business in various currencies and are exposed to earnings and cash flow volatility associated with changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Our principal exposure results from management and franchise fees earned in foreign currencies and revenues from our international owned and leased hotels, partially offset by foreign operating expenses and capital expenditures, the value of which could change materially in reference to our reporting currency, the U.S. dollar. We also have exposure from our international financial assets and liabilities, including certain intercompany loans not deemed to be permanently invested, the value of which could change materially in reference to the functional currencies of the exposed entities. As of December 31, 2015, our largest net exposures were to the euro, British pound, Singapore dollar, Canadian dollar and Australian dollar. As of December 31, 2015, we held 35 short-term foreign exchange forward contracts with a total notional amount of $144 million. These offset exposure to financial assets and liabilities and are not designated as hedges for accounting purposes.

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