Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Derivatives

v2.4.1.9
Derivatives
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]  
Derivatives
NOTE 2 – Derivatives
 
Derivative Balances

Derivatives are entered into on behalf of custmers, for trading, or to support risk management activities. Derivatives used in risk management activities include derivatives that may or may not be designated in qualifying hedge accounting relationships. Derivatives that are not designated in qualifying hedge accounting relationships are referred to as other risk management derivatives. For more information on the Corporation's derivatives and hedging activities, see Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Principles to the Consolidated Financial Statements of the Corporation's 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K. The following tables present derivative instruments included on the Consolidated Balance Sheet in derivative assets and liabilities at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014. Balances are presented on a gross basis, prior to the application of counterparty and cash collateral netting. Total derivative assets and liabilities are adjusted on an aggregate basis to take into consideration the effects of legally enforceable master netting agreements and have been reduced by the cash collateral received or paid.

 
March 31, 2015
 
 
 
Gross Derivative Assets
 
Gross Derivative Liabilities
(Dollars in billions)
Contract/
Notional (1)
 
Trading and Other Risk Management Derivatives
 
Qualifying
Accounting
Hedges
 
Total
 
Trading and Other Risk Management Derivatives
 
Qualifying
Accounting
Hedges
 
Total
Interest rate contracts
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Swaps
$
22,171.7

 
$
621.3

 
$
9.3

 
$
630.6

 
$
616.0

 
$
1.1

 
$
617.1

Futures and forwards
10,511.9

 
2.4

 
—

 
2.4

 
2.8

 
—

 
2.8

Written options
1,680.5

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
93.9

 
—

 
93.9

Purchased options
1,678.3

 
93.9

 
—

 
93.9

 
—

 
—

 
—

Foreign exchange contracts
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Swaps
2,135.2

 
55.8

 
0.7

 
56.5

 
60.6

 
2.6

 
63.2

Spot, futures and forwards
4,379.5

 
76.9

 
1.5

 
78.4

 
78.2

 
0.2

 
78.4

Written options
643.9

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
17.8

 
—

 
17.8

Purchased options
633.0

 
17.1

 
—

 
17.1

 
—

 
—

 
—

Equity contracts
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Swaps
191.8

 
3.4

 
—

 
3.4

 
3.9

 
—

 
3.9

Futures and forwards
71.8

 
1.8

 
—

 
1.8

 
2.2

 
—

 
2.2

Written options
367.9

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
27.8

 
—

 
27.8

Purchased options
342.4

 
29.1

 
—

 
29.1

 
—

 
—

 
—

Commodity contracts
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Swaps
67.0

 
4.8

 
—

 
4.8

 
8.3

 
—

 
8.3

Futures and forwards
416.1

 
4.0

 
—

 
4.0

 
1.1

 
—

 
1.1

Written options
106.8

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
9.4

 
—

 
9.4

Purchased options
122.0

 
8.9

 
—

 
8.9

 
—

 
—

 
—

Credit derivatives
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Purchased credit derivatives:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Credit default swaps
1,054.7

 
10.9

 
—

 
10.9

 
23.0

 
—

 
23.0

Total return swaps/other
43.8

 
0.2

 
—

 
0.2

 
1.2

 
—

 
1.2

Written credit derivatives:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Credit default swaps
1,032.4

 
23.9

 
—

 
23.9

 
9.6

 
—

 
9.6

Total return swaps/other
61.8

 
0.1

 
—

 
0.1

 
0.3

 
—

 
0.3

Gross derivative assets/liabilities
 
 
$
954.5

 
$
11.5

 
$
966.0

 
$
956.1

 
$
3.9

 
$
960.0

Less: Legally enforceable master netting agreements
 
 
 
(852.0
)
 
 
 
 
 
(852.0
)
Less: Cash collateral received/paid
 
 
 
 
 
 
(52.7
)
 
 
 
 
 
(55.8
)
Total derivative assets/liabilities
 
 
 
 
 
$
61.3

 
 
 
 
 
$
52.2

(1) 
Represents the total contract/notional amount of derivative assets and liabilities outstanding.
 
December 31, 2014
 
 
 
Gross Derivative Assets
 
Gross Derivative Liabilities
(Dollars in billions)
Contract/
Notional (1)
 
Trading and Other Risk Management Derivatives
 
Qualifying
Accounting
Hedges
 
Total
 
Trading and Other Risk Management Derivatives
 
Qualifying
Accounting
Hedges
 
Total
Interest rate contracts
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Swaps
$
29,445.4

 
$
658.5

 
$
8.5

 
$
667.0

 
$
658.2

 
$
0.5

 
$
658.7

Futures and forwards
10,159.4

 
1.7

 
—

 
1.7

 
2.0

 
—

 
2.0

Written options
1,725.2

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
85.4

 
—

 
85.4

Purchased options
1,739.8

 
85.6

 
—

 
85.6

 
—

 
—

 
—

Foreign exchange contracts
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Swaps
2,159.1

 
51.5

 
0.8

 
52.3

 
54.6

 
1.9

 
56.5

Spot, futures and forwards
4,226.4

 
68.9

 
1.5

 
70.4

 
72.4

 
0.2

 
72.6

Written options
600.7

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
16.0

 
—

 
16.0

Purchased options
584.6

 
15.1

 
—

 
15.1

 
—

 
—

 
—

Equity contracts
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Swaps
193.7

 
3.2

 
—

 
3.2

 
4.0

 
—

 
4.0

Futures and forwards
69.5

 
2.1

 
—

 
2.1

 
1.8

 
—

 
1.8

Written options
341.0

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
26.0

 
—

 
26.0

Purchased options
318.4

 
27.9

 
—

 
27.9

 
—

 
—

 
—

Commodity contracts
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Swaps
74.3

 
5.8

 
—

 
5.8

 
8.5

 
—

 
8.5

Futures and forwards
376.5

 
4.5

 
—

 
4.5

 
1.8

 
—

 
1.8

Written options
129.5

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
11.5

 
—

 
11.5

Purchased options
141.3

 
10.7

 
—

 
10.7

 
—

 
—

 
—

Credit derivatives
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Purchased credit derivatives:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Credit default swaps
1,094.8

 
13.3

 
—

 
13.3

 
23.4

 
—

 
23.4

Total return swaps/other
44.3

 
0.2

 
—

 
0.2

 
1.4

 
—

 
1.4

Written credit derivatives:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Credit default swaps
1,073.1

 
24.5

 
—

 
24.5

 
11.9

 
—

 
11.9

Total return swaps/other
61.0

 
0.5

 
—

 
0.5

 
0.3

 
—

 
0.3

Gross derivative assets/liabilities
 
 
$
974.0

 
$
10.8

 
$
984.8

 
$
979.2

 
$
2.6

 
$
981.8

Less: Legally enforceable master netting agreements
 
 
 
(884.8
)
 
 
 
 
 
(884.8
)
Less: Cash collateral received/paid
 
 
 
 
 
 
(47.3
)
 
 
 
 
 
(50.1
)
Total derivative assets/liabilities
 
 
 
 
 
$
52.7

 
 
 
 
 
$
46.9

(1) 
Represents the total contract/notional amount of derivative assets and liabilities outstanding.

Offsetting of Derivatives

The Corporation enters into International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. (ISDA) master netting agreements or similar agreements with substantially all of the Corporation's derivative counterparties. Where legally enforceable, these master netting agreements give the Corporation, in the event of default by the counterparty, the right to liquidate securities held as collateral and to offset receivables and payables with the same counterparty. For purposes of the Consolidated Balance Sheet, the Corporation offsets derivative assets and liabilities and cash collateral held with the same counterparty where it has such a legally enforceable master netting agreement.

The Offsetting of Derivatives table presents derivative instruments included in derivative assets and liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 by primary risk (e.g., interest rate risk) and the platform, where applicable, on which these derivatives are transacted. Exchange-traded derivatives include listed options transacted on an exchange. Over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives include bilateral transactions between the Corporation and a particular counterparty. OTC-cleared derivatives include bilateral transactions between the Corporation and a counterparty where the transaction is cleared through a clearinghouse. Balances are presented on a gross basis, prior to the application of counterparty and cash collateral netting. Total gross derivative assets and liabilities are adjusted on an aggregate basis to take into consideration the effects of legally enforceable master netting agreements which includes reducing the balance for counterparty netting and cash collateral received or paid.

Other gross derivative assets and liabilities in the table represent derivatives entered into under master netting agreements where uncertainty exists as to the enforceability of these agreements under bankruptcy laws in some countries or industries and, accordingly, receivables and payables with counterparties in these countries or industries are reported on a gross basis.

Also included in the table is financial instrument collateral related to legally enforceable master netting agreements that represents securities collateral received or pledged and customer cash collateral held at third-party custodians. These amounts are not offset on the Consolidated Balance Sheet but are shown as a reduction to total derivative assets and liabilities in the table to derive net derivative assets and liabilities.

For more information on offsetting of securities financing agreements, see Note 9 – Federal Funds Sold or Purchased, Securities Financing Agreements and Short-term Borrowings.

Offsetting of Derivatives
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
March 31, 2015
 
December 31, 2014
(Dollars in billions)
Derivative
Assets
 
Derivative
Liabilities
 
Derivative
Assets
 
Derivative
Liabilities
Interest rate contracts
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Over-the-counter
$
401.5

 
$
387.9

 
$
386.6

 
$
373.2

Exchange-traded
0.1

 
0.1

 
0.1

 
0.1

Over-the-counter cleared
318.1

 
319.0

 
365.7

 
368.7

Foreign exchange contracts
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Over-the-counter
146.2

 
153.8

 
133.0

 
139.9

Over-the-counter cleared
0.1

 
0.1

 
—

 
—

Equity contracts
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Over-the-counter
19.7

 
17.3

 
19.5

 
16.7

Exchange-traded
8.8

 
8.7

 
8.6

 
7.8

Commodity contracts
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Over-the-counter
8.3

 
11.2

 
10.2

 
11.9

Exchange-traded
5.8

 
6.0

 
7.4

 
7.7

Over-the-counter cleared
0.1

 
0.1

 
0.1

 
0.6

Credit derivatives
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Over-the-counter
27.1

 
26.8

 
30.8

 
30.2

Over-the-counter cleared
7.4

 
7.2

 
7.0

 
6.8

Total gross derivative assets/liabilities, before netting


 


 
 
 
 
Over-the-counter
602.8

 
597.0

 
580.1

 
571.9

Exchange-traded
14.7

 
14.8

 
16.1

 
15.6

Over-the-counter cleared
325.7

 
326.4

 
372.8

 
376.1

Less: Legally enforceable master netting agreements and cash collateral received/paid
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Over-the-counter
(566.7
)
 
(568.7
)
 
(545.7
)
 
(545.5
)
Exchange-traded
(12.8
)
 
(12.8
)
 
(13.9
)
 
(13.9
)
Over-the-counter cleared
(325.2
)
 
(326.3
)
 
(372.5
)
 
(375.5
)
Derivative assets/liabilities, after netting
38.5

 
30.4

 
36.9

 
28.7

Other gross derivative assets/liabilities
22.8

 
21.8

 
15.8

 
18.2

Total derivative assets/liabilities
61.3

 
52.2

 
52.7

 
46.9

Less: Financial instruments collateral (1)
(12.3
)
 
(8.4
)
 
(13.3
)
 
(8.9
)
Total net derivative assets/liabilities
$
49.0

 
$
43.8

 
$
39.4

 
$
38.0

(1)
These amounts are limited to the derivative asset/liability balance and, accordingly, do not include excess collateral received/pledged.
ALM and Risk Management Derivatives

The Corporation's asset and liability management (ALM) and risk management activities include the use of derivatives to mitigate risk to the Corporation including derivatives designated in qualifying hedge accounting relationships and derivatives used in other risk management activities. Interest rate, foreign exchange, equity, commodity and credit contracts are utilized in the Corporation's ALM and risk management activities.

The Corporation maintains an overall interest rate risk management strategy that incorporates the use of interest rate contracts, which are generally non-leveraged generic interest rate and basis swaps, options, futures and forwards, to minimize significant fluctuations in earnings caused by interest rate volatility. The Corporation's goal is to manage interest rate sensitivity and volatility so that movements in interest rates do not significantly adversely affect earnings or capital. As a result of interest rate fluctuations, hedged fixed-rate assets and liabilities appreciate or depreciate in fair value. Gains or losses on the derivative instruments that are linked to the hedged fixed-rate assets and liabilities are expected to substantially offset this unrealized appreciation or depreciation.

Market risk, including interest rate risk, can be substantial in the mortgage business. Market risk is the risk that values of mortgage assets or revenues will be adversely affected by changes in market conditions such as interest rate movements. To mitigate the interest rate risk in mortgage banking production income, the Corporation utilizes forward loan sale commitments and other derivative instruments, including purchased options, and certain debt securities. The Corporation also utilizes derivatives such as interest rate options, interest rate swaps, forward settlement contracts and eurodollar futures to hedge certain market risks of mortgage servicing rights (MSRs). For more information on MSRs, see Note 17 – Mortgage Servicing Rights.

The Corporation uses foreign exchange contracts to manage the foreign exchange risk associated with certain foreign currency-denominated assets and liabilities, as well as the Corporation's investments in non-U.S. subsidiaries. Foreign exchange contracts, which include spot and forward contracts, represent agreements to exchange the currency of one country for the currency of another country at an agreed-upon price on an agreed-upon settlement date. Exposure to loss on these contracts will increase or decrease over their respective lives as currency exchange and interest rates fluctuate.

The Corporation enters into derivative commodity contracts such as futures, swaps, options and forwards as well as non-derivative commodity contracts to provide price risk management services to customers or to manage price risk associated with its physical and financial commodity positions. The non-derivative commodity contracts and physical inventories of commodities expose the Corporation to earnings volatility. Cash flow and fair value accounting hedges provide a method to mitigate a portion of this earnings volatility.

The Corporation purchases credit derivatives to manage credit risk related to certain funded and unfunded credit exposures. Credit derivatives include credit default swaps (CDS), total return swaps and swaptions. These derivatives are recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheet at fair value with changes in fair value recorded in other income.

Derivatives Designated as Accounting Hedges

The Corporation uses various types of interest rate, commodity and foreign exchange derivative contracts to protect against changes in the fair value of its assets and liabilities due to fluctuations in interest rates, commodity prices and exchange rates (fair value hedges). The Corporation also uses these types of contracts and equity derivatives to protect against changes in the cash flows of its assets and liabilities, and other forecasted transactions (cash flow hedges). The Corporation hedges its net investment in consolidated non-U.S. operations determined to have functional currencies other than the U.S. Dollar using forward exchange contracts and cross-currency basis swaps, and by issuing foreign currency-denominated debt (net investment hedges).

Fair Value Hedges

The table below summarizes information related to fair value hedges for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, including hedges of interest rate risk on long-term debt that were acquired as part of a business combination and redesignated. At redesignation, the fair value of the derivatives was positive. As the derivatives mature, the fair value will approach zero. As a result, ineffectiveness will occur and the fair value changes in the derivatives and the long-term debt being hedged may be directionally the same in certain scenarios. Based on a regression analysis, the derivatives continue to be highly effective at offsetting changes in the fair value of the long-term debt attributable to interest rate risk.

Derivatives Designated as Fair Value Hedges
Gains (Losses)
Three Months Ended March 31
 
2015
(Dollars in millions)
Derivative
 
Hedged
Item
 
Hedge
Ineffectiveness
Interest rate risk on long-term debt (1)
$
1,096

 
$
(1,292
)
 
$
(196
)
Interest rate and foreign currency risk on long-term debt (1)
(1,644
)
 
1,588

 
(56
)
Interest rate risk on available-for-sale securities (2)
43

 
(45
)
 
(2
)
Price risk on commodity inventory (3)
11

 
(7
)
 
4

Total
$
(494
)
 
$
244

 
$
(250
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2014
Interest rate risk on long-term debt (1)
$
366

 
$
(560
)
 
$
(194
)
Interest rate and foreign currency risk on long-term debt (1)
118

 
(144
)
 
(26
)
Interest rate risk on available-for-sale securities (2)
2

 
(3
)
 
(1
)
Price risk on commodity inventory (3)
2

 
5

 
7

Total
$
488

 
$
(702
)
 
$
(214
)
(1) 
Amounts are recorded in interest expense on long-term debt and in other income.
(2) 
Amounts are recorded in interest income on debt securities.
(3) 
Amounts relating to commodity inventory are recorded in trading account profits.

Cash Flow and Net Investment Hedges

The table below summarizes certain information related to cash flow hedges and net investment hedges for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014. Of the $1.6 billion net loss (after-tax) on derivatives in accumulated other comprehensive income (OCI) at March 31, 2015, $863 million ($540 million after-tax) is expected to be reclassified into earnings in the next 12 months. These net losses reclassified into earnings are expected to primarily reduce net interest income related to the respective hedged items. Amounts related to price risk on restricted stock awards reclassified from accumulated OCI are recorded in personnel expense.

Derivatives Designated as Cash Flow and Net Investment Hedges
 
Three Months Ended March 31
 
2015
(Dollars in millions, amounts pretax)
Gains (Losses) Recognized in Accumulated OCI on Derivatives
 
Gains (Losses) in Income Reclassified from Accumulated OCI
 
Hedge Ineffectiveness and Amounts Excluded from Effectiveness Testing (1)
Cash flow hedges
 
 
 
 
 
Interest rate risk on variable-rate portfolios
$
24

 
$
(255
)
 
$
(1
)
Price risk on restricted stock awards (2)
(210
)
 
(1
)
 
—

Total
$
(186
)
 
$
(256
)
 
$
(1
)
Net investment hedges
 
 
 
 
 
Foreign exchange risk
$
1,982

 
$
—

 
$
(98
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2014
Cash flow hedges
 
 
 
 
 
Interest rate risk on variable-rate portfolios
$
17

 
$
(281
)
 
$
—

Price risk on restricted stock awards (2)
156

 
150

 
—

Total
$
173

 
$
(131
)
 
$
—

Net investment hedges
 
 
 
 
 
Foreign exchange risk
$
(181
)
 
$
(2
)
 
$
(58
)
(1) 
Amounts related to derivatives designated as cash flow hedges represent hedge ineffectiveness and amounts related to net investment hedges represent amounts excluded from effectiveness testing.
(2) 
The hedge gain (loss) recognized in accumulated OCI is primarily related to the change in the Corporation's stock price for the period.
Other Risk Management Derivatives

Other risk management derivatives are used by the Corporation to reduce certain risk exposures. These derivatives are not qualifying accounting hedges because either they did not qualify for or were not designated as accounting hedges. The table below presents gains (losses) on these derivatives for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014. These gains (losses) are largely offset by the income or expense that is recorded on the hedged item.

Other Risk Management Derivatives
Gains (Losses)
Three Months Ended March 31
(Dollars in millions)
2015
 
2014
Interest rate risk on mortgage banking income (1)
$
296

 
$
180

Credit risk on loans (2)
(27
)
 
(6
)
Interest rate and foreign currency risk on ALM activities (3)
(319
)
 
(598
)
Price risk on restricted stock awards (4)
(470
)
 
364

Other
13

 
(3
)
(1) 
Net gains (losses) on these derivatives are recorded in mortgage banking income as they are used to mitigate the interest rate risk related to MSRs, interest rate lock commitments and mortgage loans held-for-sale, all of which are measured at fair value with changes in fair value recorded in mortgage banking income. The net gains on interest rate lock commitments related to the origination of mortgage loans that are held-for-sale, which are not included in the table but are considered derivative instruments, were $260 million and $173 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014.
(2) 
Net gains (losses) on these derivatives are recorded in other income.
(3) 
Primarily related to hedges of debt securities carried at fair value and hedges of foreign currency-denominated debt. Gains (losses) on these derivatives and the related hedged items are recorded in other income.
(4) 
Gains (losses) on these derivatives are recorded in personnel expense.

Transfers of Financial Assets with Risk Retained through Derivatives

The Corporation enters into certain transactions involving the transfer of financial assets that are accounted for as sales where substantially all of the economic exposure to the transferred financial assets is retained by the Corporation through a derivative agreement with the initial transferee. These transactions are accounted for as sales because the Corporation does not retain control over the assets transferred.

Through March 31, 2015, the Corporation transferred $8.8 billion of non-U.S. government-guaranteed mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and non-U.S. government securities primarily to a trust created by a third party. The Corporation received gross cash proceeds of $8.8 billion at the transfer dates. The Corporation simultaneously entered into derivatives with those counterparties whereby the Corporation retained certain economic exposures to those securities (e.g., interest rate and/or credit risk). Generally, the maturity of the derivatives is the same as the maturity of assets initially transferred. A derivative asset of $107 million and a liability of $22 million were recorded at March 31, 2015 and are included in credit derivatives in the derivative instruments table on page 128. At March 31, 2015, the fair value of the securities previously transferred was $8.9 billion. The economic exposure retained by the Corporation, which is primarily interest rate risk and prepayment risk, is typically hedged with interest rate swaps and interest rate swaptions and, to a lesser extent, total return swaps.

Sales and Trading Revenue

The Corporation enters into trading derivatives to facilitate client transactions and to manage risk exposures arising from trading account assets and liabilities. It is the Corporation's policy to include these derivative instruments in its trading activities which include derivatives and non-derivative cash instruments. The resulting risk from these derivatives is managed on a portfolio basis as part of the Corporation's Global Markets business segment. The related sales and trading revenue generated within Global Markets is recorded in various income statement line items including trading account profits and net interest income as well as other revenue categories.

Sales and trading revenue includes changes in the fair value and realized gains and losses on the sales of trading and other assets, net interest income, and fees primarily from commissions on equity securities. Revenue is generated by the difference in the client price for an instrument and the price at which the trading desk can execute the trade in the dealer market. For equity securities, commissions related to purchases and sales are recorded in the "Other" column in the Sales and Trading Revenue table. Changes in the fair value of these securities are included in trading account profits. For debt securities, revenue, with the exception of interest associated with the debt securities, is typically included in trading account profits. Unlike commissions for equity securities, the initial revenue related to broker-dealer services for debt securities is typically included in the pricing of the instrument rather than being charged through separate fee arrangements. Therefore, this revenue is recorded in trading account profits as part of the initial mark to fair value. For derivatives, the majority of revenue is included in trading account profits. In transactions where the Corporation acts as agent, which include exchange-traded futures and options, fees are recorded in other income.

The table below, which includes both derivatives and non-derivative cash instruments, identifies the amounts in the respective income statement line items attributable to the Corporation's sales and trading revenue in Global Markets, categorized by primary risk, for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014. The difference between total trading account profits in the table below and in the Consolidated Statement of Income represents trading activities in business segments other than Global Markets. This table includes debit valuation and funding valuation adjustment (DVA/FVA) gains (losses). Global Markets results in Note 18 – Business Segment Information are presented on a fully taxable-equivalent (FTE) basis. The table below is not presented on an FTE basis.

Sales and Trading Revenue
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Three Months Ended March 31
 
2015
(Dollars in millions)
Trading
Account
Profits
 
Net Interest Income
 
Other (1)
 
Total
Interest rate risk
$
510

 
$
306

 
$
89

 
$
905

Foreign exchange risk
446

 
(2
)
 
(31
)
 
413

Equity risk
570

 
13

 
577

 
1,160

Credit risk
444

 
587

 
167

 
1,198

Other risk
157

 
(22
)
 
56

 
191

Total sales and trading revenue
$
2,127

 
$
882

 
$
858

 
$
3,867

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2014
Interest rate risk
$
369

 
$
279

 
$
138

 
$
786

Foreign exchange risk
237

 
2

 
(30
)
 
209

Equity risk
601

 
(14
)
 
604

 
1,191

Credit risk
1,027

 
699

 
155

 
1,881

Other risk
133

 
(90
)
 
67

 
110

Total sales and trading revenue
$
2,367

 
$
876

 
$
934

 
$
4,177

(1) 
Represents amounts in investment and brokerage services and other income that are recorded in Global Markets and included in the definition of sales and trading revenue. Includes investment and brokerage services revenue of $562 million and $561 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014.

Credit Derivatives

The Corporation enters into credit derivatives primarily to facilitate client transactions and to manage credit risk exposures. Credit derivatives derive value based on an underlying third-party referenced obligation or a portfolio of referenced obligations and generally require the Corporation, as the seller of credit protection, to make payments to a buyer upon the occurrence of a pre-defined credit event. Such credit events generally include bankruptcy of the referenced credit entity and failure to pay under the obligation, as well as acceleration of indebtedness and payment repudiation or moratorium. For credit derivatives based on a portfolio of referenced credits or credit indices, the Corporation may not be required to make payment until a specified amount of loss has occurred and/or may only be required to make payment up to a specified amount.

Credit derivative instruments where the Corporation is the seller of credit protection and their expiration are summarized in the table below. These instruments are classified as investment and non-investment grade based on the credit quality of the underlying referenced obligation. The Corporation considers ratings of BBB- or higher as investment grade. Non-investment grade includes non-rated credit derivative instruments. The Corporation discloses internal categorizations of investment grade and non-investment grade consistent with how risk is managed for these instruments.

Credit Derivative Instruments
 
 
 
March 31, 2015
 
Carrying Value
(Dollars in millions)
Less than
One Year
 
One to
Three Years
 
Three to
Five Years
 
Over Five
Years
 
Total
Credit default swaps:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Investment grade
$
27

 
$
286

 
$
760

 
$
688

 
$
1,761

Non-investment grade
306

 
1,732

 
1,727

 
4,058

 
7,823

Total
333

 
2,018

 
2,487

 
4,746

 
9,584

Total return swaps/other:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Investment grade
26

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
26

Non-investment grade
169

 
113

 
8

 
—

 
290

Total
195

 
113

 
8

 
—

 
316

Total credit derivatives
$
528

 
$
2,131

 
$
2,495

 
$
4,746

 
$
9,900

Credit-related notes:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Investment grade
$
3

 
$
361

 
$
583

 
$
2,460

 
$
3,407

Non-investment grade
8

 
151

 
66

 
1,442

 
1,667

Total credit-related notes
$
11

 
$
512

 
$
649

 
$
3,902

 
$
5,074

 
Maximum Payout/Notional
Credit default swaps:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Investment grade
$
125,169

 
$
323,858

 
$
210,676

 
$
48,022

 
$
707,725

Non-investment grade
51,770

 
170,382

 
77,803

 
24,738

 
324,693

Total
176,939

 
494,240

 
288,479

 
72,760

 
1,032,418

Total return swaps/other:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Investment grade
26,442

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
26,442

Non-investment grade
25,449

 
9,685

 
152

 
106

 
35,392

Total
51,891

 
9,685

 
152

 
106

 
61,834

Total credit derivatives
$
228,830

 
$
503,925

 
$
288,631

 
$
72,866

 
$
1,094,252

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
December 31, 2014
 
Carrying Value
Credit default swaps:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Investment grade
$
100

 
$
714

 
$
1,455

 
$
939

 
$
3,208

Non-investment grade
916

 
2,107

 
1,338

 
4,301

 
8,662

Total
1,016

 
2,821

 
2,793

 
5,240

 
11,870

Total return swaps/other:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Investment grade
24

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
24

Non-investment grade
64

 
247

 
2

 
—

 
313

Total
88

 
247

 
2

 
—

 
337

Total credit derivatives
$
1,104

 
$
3,068

 
$
2,795

 
$
5,240

 
$
12,207

Credit-related notes:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Investment grade
$
2

 
$
365

 
$
568

 
$
2,634

 
$
3,569

Non-investment grade
5

 
141

 
85

 
1,443

 
1,674

Total credit-related notes
$
7

 
$
506

 
$
653

 
$
4,077

 
$
5,243

 
Maximum Payout/Notional
Credit default swaps:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Investment grade
$
132,974

 
$
342,914

 
$
242,728

 
$
28,982

 
$
747,598

Non-investment grade
54,326

 
170,580

 
80,011

 
20,586

 
325,503

Total
187,300

 
513,494

 
322,739

 
49,568

 
1,073,101

Total return swaps/other:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Investment grade
22,645

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
22,645

Non-investment grade
23,839

 
10,792

 
3,268

 
487

 
38,386

Total
46,484

 
10,792

 
3,268

 
487

 
61,031

Total credit derivatives
$
233,784

 
$
524,286

 
$
326,007

 
$
50,055

 
$
1,134,132


The notional amount represents the maximum amount payable by the Corporation for most credit derivatives. However, the Corporation does not monitor its exposure to credit derivatives based solely on the notional amount because this measure does not take into consideration the probability of occurrence. As such, the notional amount is not a reliable indicator of the Corporation's exposure to these contracts. Instead, a risk framework is used to define risk tolerances and establish limits to help ensure that certain credit risk-related losses occur within acceptable, predefined limits.

The Corporation manages its market risk exposure to credit derivatives by entering into a variety of offsetting derivative contracts and security positions. For example, in certain instances, the Corporation may purchase credit protection with identical underlying referenced names to offset its exposure. The carrying value and notional amount of written credit derivatives for which the Corporation held purchased credit derivatives with identical underlying referenced names and terms were $4.6 billion and $799.3 billion at March 31, 2015, and $5.7 billion and $880.6 billion at December 31, 2014.

Credit-related notes in the table on page 136 include investments in securities issued by collateralized debt obligation (CDO), collateralized loan obligation (CLO) and credit-linked note vehicles. These instruments are primarily classified as trading securities. The carrying value of these instruments equals the Corporation's maximum exposure to loss. The Corporation is not obligated to make any payments to the entities under the terms of the securities owned.

Credit-related Contingent Features and Collateral

The Corporation executes the majority of its derivative contracts in the OTC market with large, international financial institutions, including broker-dealers and, to a lesser degree, with a variety of non-financial companies. Substantially all of the derivative transactions are executed on a daily margin basis. Therefore, events such as a credit rating downgrade (depending on the ultimate rating level) or a breach of credit covenants would typically require an increase in the amount of collateral required of the counterparty, where applicable, and/or allow the Corporation to take additional protective measures such as early termination of all trades. Further, as previously discussed on page 128, the Corporation enters into legally enforceable master netting agreements which reduce risk by permitting the closeout and netting of transactions with the same counterparty upon the occurrence of certain events.

A majority of the Corporation's derivative contracts contain credit risk-related contingent features, primarily in the form of ISDA master netting agreements and credit support documentation that enhance the creditworthiness of these instruments compared to other obligations of the respective counterparty with whom the Corporation has transacted. These contingent features may be for the benefit of the Corporation as well as its counterparties with respect to changes in the Corporation's creditworthiness and the mark-to-market exposure under the derivative transactions. At March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the Corporation held cash and securities collateral of $85.5 billion and $82.0 billion, and posted cash and securities collateral of $72.6 billion and $67.7 billion in the normal course of business under derivative agreements.

In connection with certain OTC derivative contracts and other trading agreements, the Corporation can be required to provide additional collateral or to terminate transactions with certain counterparties in the event of a downgrade of the senior debt ratings of the Corporation or certain subsidiaries. The amount of additional collateral required depends on the contract and is usually a fixed incremental amount and/or the market value of the exposure.

At March 31, 2015, the amount of collateral, calculated based on the terms of the contracts, that the Corporation and certain subsidiaries could be required to post to counterparties but had not yet posted to counterparties was approximately $1.3 billion, including $675 million for Bank of America, N.A. (BANA).

Some counterparties are currently able to unilaterally terminate certain contracts, or the Corporation or certain subsidiaries may be required to take other action such as find a suitable replacement or obtain a guarantee. At March 31, 2015, the current liability recorded for these derivative contracts was $103 million, against which the Corporation and certain subsidiaries had posted approximately $54 million of collateral.

The table below presents the amount of additional collateral that would have been contractually required by derivative contracts and other trading agreements at March 31, 2015 if the rating agencies had downgraded their long-term senior debt ratings for the Corporation or certain subsidiaries by one incremental notch and by an additional second incremental notch.

Additional Collateral Required to Be Posted Upon Downgrade
 
March 31, 2015
(Dollars in millions)
One incremental notch
 
Second incremental notch
Bank of America Corporation
$
1,358

 
$
2,714

Bank of America, N.A. and subsidiaries (1)
1,087

 
1,877

(1) 
Included in Bank of America Corporation collateral requirements in this table.

The table below presents the derivative liabilities that would be subject to unilateral termination by counterparties and the amounts of collateral that would have been contractually required at March 31, 2015 if the long-term senior debt ratings for the Corporation or certain subsidiaries had been lower by one incremental notch and by an additional second incremental notch.

Derivative Liabilities Subject to Unilateral Termination Upon Downgrade
 
March 31, 2015
(Dollars in millions)
One incremental notch
 
Second incremental notch
Derivative liabilities
$
1,364

 
$
4,724

Collateral posted
1,106

 
3,922



Valuation Adjustments on Derivatives

The Corporation records credit risk valuation adjustments on derivatives in order to properly reflect the credit quality of the counterparties and its own credit quality. The Corporation calculates valuation adjustments on derivatives based on a modeled expected exposure that incorporates current market risk factors. The exposure also takes into consideration credit mitigants such as enforceable master netting agreements and collateral. CDS spread data is used to estimate the default probabilities and severities that are applied to the exposures. Where no observable credit default data is available for counterparties, the Corporation uses proxies and other market data to estimate default probabilities and severity.

Valuation adjustments on derivatives are affected by changes in market spreads, non-credit-related market factors such as interest rate and currency changes that affect the expected exposure, and other factors like changes in collateral arrangements and partial payments. Credit spreads and non-credit factors can move independently. For example, for an interest rate swap, changes in interest rates may increase the expected exposure, which would increase the counterparty credit valuation adjustment (CVA). Independently, counterparty credit spreads may tighten, which would result in an offsetting decrease to CVA.

In the fourth quarter of 2014, the Corporation adopted FVA into valuation estimates primarily to include funding costs on uncollateralized derivatives and derivatives where the Corporation is not permitted to use the collateral it receives. The Corporation calculates this valuation adjustment based on modeled expected exposure profiles discounted for the funding risk premium inherent in these derivatives. FVA related to derivative assets and liabilities is the effect of funding costs on the fair value of these derivatives.

The Corporation enters into risk management activities to offset market driven exposures. The Corporation often hedges the counterparty spread risk in CVA with CDS. The Corporation hedges other market risks in both CVA and debit valuation adjustment (DVA) primarily with currency and interest rate swaps. In certain instances, the net-of-hedge amounts in the table below move in the same direction as the gross amount or may move in the opposite direction. This is a consequence of the complex interaction of the risks being hedged resulting in limitations in the ability to perfectly hedge all of the market exposures at all times.

The table below presents CVA, DVA and FVA gains (losses) on derivatives, which are recorded in trading account profits, on a gross and net of hedge basis for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014. CVA gains reduce the cumulative CVA thereby increasing the derivative assets balance. DVA gains increase the cumulative DVA thereby decreasing the derivative liabilities balance. CVA and DVA losses have the opposite impact. FVA gains related to derivative assets reduce the cumulative FVA thereby increasing the derivative assets balance. FVA gains related to derivative liabilities increase the cumulative FVA thereby decreasing the derivative liabilities balance.

Valuation Adjustments on Derivatives
Gains (Losses)
Three Months Ended March 31
 
2015
 
2014
(Dollars in millions)
Gross
Net
 
Gross
Net
Derivative assets (CVA) (1)
$
8

$
124

 
$
52

$
40

Derivative assets (FVA) (2)
34

34

 
—

—

Derivative liabilities (DVA) (3)
23

(46
)
 
(82
)
(85
)
Derivative liabilities (FVA) (2)
(28
)
(28
)
 
—

—

(1) 
At both March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the cumulative CVA reduced the derivative assets balance by $1.6 billion.
(2) 
At March 31, 2015, the cumulative FVA reduced the net derivatives balances by $491 million.
(3) 
At both March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the cumulative DVA reduced the derivative liabilities balance by $0.8 billion.