Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

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We manage our ratio of fixed and floating rate debt with the objective of achieving a mix that management believes is appropriate. To manage this risk in a cost-effective manner, we, from time to time, enter into interest rate swap agreements in which we agree to exchange various combinations of fixed and/or variable interest rates based on agreed upon notional amounts. We account for our derivative and hedging activities using the Financial Accounting Standard Board’s guidance which requires all derivative instruments, including certain derivative instruments embedded in other contracts, to be carried at fair value on the balance sheet. For derivative transactions designated as hedges, we formally document all relationships between the hedging instrument and the related hedged item, as well as its risk-management objective and strategy for undertaking each hedge transaction.

Derivative instruments designated in a hedge relationship to mitigate exposure to variability in expected future cash flows, or other types of forecasted transactions, are considered cash flow hedges. Cash flow hedges are accounted for by recording the fair value of the derivative instrument on the balance sheet as either an asset or liability, with a corresponding amount recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) within shareholders’ equity. Amounts are reclassified from AOCI to the income statement in the period or periods the hedged transaction affects earnings. From time to time, we use interest rate derivatives in our cash flow hedge transactions. Such derivatives are designed to be highly effective in offsetting changes in the cash flows related to the hedged liability.

For hedge transactions that do not qualify for the short-cut method, at the hedge’s inception and on a regular basis thereafter, a formal assessment is performed to determine whether changes in the fair values or cash flows of the derivative instruments have been highly effective in offsetting changes in cash flows of the hedged items and whether they are expected to be highly effective in the future.

The fair value of interest rate swap agreements approximates the amount at which they could be settled, based on estimates obtained from the counterparties. We assess the effectiveness of our hedge instruments on a quarterly basis. We performed periodic assessments of the cash flow hedge instruments during 2019 and 2018 and determined the hedges to be highly effective. Although we do not anticipate nonperformance by our counterparties to interest rate swap agreements, the counterparties expose us to credit risk in the event of nonperformance. We do not hold or issue derivative financial instruments for trading purposes.

During 2015, we entered into nine forward starting interest rate swaps whereby we paid a fixed rate on a total notional amount of $1.0 billion and received one-month LIBOR. The average fixed rate payable on these swaps, all of which matured on April 15, 2019, was 1.31%.

Although we can provide no assurance that we will ultimately do so, we are currently monitoring the interest rate environment and evaluating the terms of potential replacement interest rate swaps that we may enter into for a large portion, or potentially all, of the $1 billion total notional amount that expired on April 15, 2019.

The table below presents information about our long-term financial instruments that are sensitive to changes in interest rates as of December 31, 2019. For debt obligations, the table presents principal cash flows and related weighted-average interest rates by contractual maturity dates.

Maturity Date, Fiscal Year Ending December 31

(dollar amounts in thousands)

As calculated based upon our variable rate debt outstanding as of December 31, 2019 that is subject to interest rate fluctuations, each 1% change in interest rates would impact our pre-tax income by approximately $29 million.