H 86 fifillslE3 3 Significant accounting policies (continued) Ahold at a glance Notes to the consolidated financial statements Our strategy Our performance Governan Financials Investors Loans and short-term borrowings Loans and short-term borrowings are recognized initially at fair value, net of transaction costs incurred. Loans and short-term borrowings are subsequently stated at amortized cost, unless they are designated as fair value hedges. Any difference between the proceeds and redemption value is recognized in the income statement over the period of the loans and short-term borrowings using the effective interest method. Loans are classified as current liabilities unless the Company has an unconditional right to defer settlement of the liability for at least 12 months after the balance sheet date. Derivative financial instruments All derivative financial instruments are initially recognized at fair value at the date the derivative contracts are entered into and are subsequently remeasured to their fair value at the end of each reporting period. Gains and losses resulting from the fair value remeasurement are recognized in the income statement as fair value gains (losses) on financial instruments, unless the derivative qualifies and is effective as a hedging instrument in a designated hedging relationship. In order for a derivative financial instrument to qualify as a hedging instrument for accounting purposes, the Company must document (i) at the inception of the transaction, the relationship between the hedging instrument and the hedged item, as well as its risk management objectives and strategy for undertaking various hedging transactions and (ii) its assessment, both at hedge inception and on an ongoing basis, of whether the derivative that is used in the hedging transaction is highly effective in offsetting changes in fair values or cash flows of hedged items. Derivatives that are designated as hedges are accounted for as either cash flow hedges or fair value hedges. The effective portion of changes in the fair value of derivatives that are designated and qualify as cash flow hedges is recognized initially in the cash flow hedging reserve, a separate component of equity. The gain or loss relating to the ineffective portion is recognized immediately in the income statement. Amounts accumulated in equity are reclassified into the income statement in the same period in which the related exposure impacts the income statement. When a cash flow hedge no longer meets the criteria for hedge accounting, any cumulative gain or loss existing in equity at that time remains in equity and is recognized when the forecasted transaction is ultimately recognized in the income statement. When a forecasted transaction is no longer expected to occur, the cumulative gain or loss existing in equity is immediately recognized in the income statement. Fair value changes of derivative instruments that qualify for fair value hedge accounting treatment are recognized in the income statement in the periods in which they arise, together with any changes in fair value of the hedged asset or liability. If the hedging instrument no longer meets the criteria for hedge accounting, the adjustment to the carrying amount of the hedged item is amortized in the income statement over the remaining period to maturity of the hedged item. Reinsurance assets and liabilities Under Ahold's self-insurance program, part of the insurance risk is ceded under a reinsurance treaty, which is a pooling arrangement between unrelated companies. Reinsurance assets include estimated receivable balances related to reinsurance contracts purchased by the Company. Reinsurance liabilities represent the expected insurance risks related to reinsurance Ahold Annual Report 2013 contracts sold by the Company. Reinsurance assets and liabilities are measured on a discounted basis using accepted actuarial methods. Financial guarantees Financial guarantees are recognized initially as a liability at fair value. Subsequently, the liability is measured at the higher of the best estimate of the expenditure required to settle the obligation and the amount initially recognized less cumulative amortization. Equity Equity instruments issued by the Company are recorded at the value of proceeds received. Own equity instruments that are bought back (treasury shares) are deducted from equity. Incremental costs that are directly attributable to issuing or buying back own equity instruments are recognized directly in equity, net of the related tax. No gain or loss is recognized in the income statement on the purchase, sale, issue or cancellation of the Company's own equity instruments. Cumulative preferred financing shares Cumulative preferred financing shares, for which dividend payments are not at the discretion of the Company, are classified as non-current financial liabilities and are stated at amortized cost. The dividends on these cumulative preferred financing shares are recognized as interest expense in the income statement, using the effective interest method. From the date when Ahold receives irrevocable notification from a holder of cumulative preferred financing shares to convert these shares into common shares, the cumulative preferred financing shares are classified as a separate class of equity. Pension and other post-employment benefits The net assets and net liabilities recognized on the consolidated balance sheet for defined benefit plans represent the actual surplus or deficit in Ahold's defined benefit plans measured as the present value of the defined benefit obligations less the fair value of plan assets. Any surplus resulting from this calculation is limited to the present value of available refunds and reductions in future contributions to the plan. No adjustment for the time value of money is made if the Company has an unconditional right to a refund of the full amount of the surplus, even if such a refund is realizable only at a future date. Defined benefit obligations are actuarially calculated on the balance sheet date using the projected unit credit method. The present value of the defined benefit obligations is determined by discounting the estimated future cash outflows using market yields on high- quality corporate bonds (i.e., bonds rated AA) denominated in the currency in which the benefits will be paid, and that have an average duration similar to the expected duration of the related pension liabilities.

Jaarverslagen | 2013 | | pagina 169