Market risk
Interest rate risk
The Group maintains a mix of fixed and floating rate debt. The portion of fixed rate debt was approved by the Board and any variation requires
Board approval.
A significant portion of the long-term debt entered into in 2007 in order to finance the acquisition of MedImmune and entered into in 2015 in
order to finance the acquisition of ZS Pharma has been held at fixed rates of interest. The Group uses interest rate swaps and forward rate
agreements to manage this mix.
At 31 December 2015, the Group held interest rate swaps with a notional value of $1.6bn, converting the 7% guaranteed debentures payable in
2023 to floating rates, partially converting the 5.9% callable bond maturing in 2017 to floating rates and partially converting the 1.75% callable bond
maturing in 2018 to floating rates. The interest rate swap on the 2018 bond was entered into in 2015. No new interest rate swaps were entered
into during 2014 or 2013. At 31 December 2015, swaps with a notional value of $1.35bn were designated in fair value hedge relationships and
swaps with a notional value of $0.29bn related to debt designated as fair value through profit or loss. Designated hedges are expected to be
effective and therefore the impact of ineffectiveness on profit is not expected to be material. The accounting treatment for fair value hedges and
debt designated as fair value through profit or loss is disclosed in the Group Accounting Policies section from page 144. The majority of
surplus cash is currently invested in US dollar liquidity funds earning floating rates of interest.
The interest rate profile of the Group’s interest-bearing financial instruments, as at 31 December 2015, 31 December 2014 and 31 December
2013, is set out below. In the case of current and non-current financial liabilities, the classification includes the impact of interest rate swaps
which convert the debt to floating rate.