For the 2020 annual impairment test, we performed a quantitative analysis for the Card Services reporting unit and the reporting units within the LoyaltyOne segment, identified as BrandLoyalty and LoyaltyOne excluding BrandLoyalty. The fair value of the reporting units was estimated using a discounted cash flow analysis based on management's estimates of forecasted cash flows, with those cash flows discounted to present value using rates commensurate with the risks associated with those cash flows. The valuation includes assumptions related to revenue growth and profit performance, capital expenditures, the discount rate and other assumptions that are judgmental in nature. Changes in these estimates and assumptions could materially affect the results of our tests for goodwill impairment. We determined there was no impairment of goodwill on these reporting units.
LoyaltyOne provides coalition and short-term loyalty programs through the Company’s Canadian AIR MILES Reward Program and BrandLoyalty. The AIR MILES Reward Program is a coalition loyalty program for sponsors, who pay LoyaltyOne a fee per AIR MILES reward mile issued, in return for which LoyaltyOne provides all marketing, customer service, rewards and redemption management. BrandLoyalty designs, implements, conducts and evaluates innovative and tailor-made short-term loyalty programs for grocers worldwide.
We are a leading global provider of data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions serving large, consumer-based businesses in a variety of industries. We offer a comprehensive portfolio of integrated outsourced marketing solutions, including customer loyalty programs, database marketing services, end-to-end marketing services, analytics and creative services, direct marketing services and private label and co-brand retail credit card programs. We focus on facilitating and managing interactions between our clients and their customers through all consumer marketing channels, including in-store, online, email, social media, mobile, direct mail and telephone. We capture and analyze data created during each customer interaction, leveraging the insight derived from that data to enable clients to identify and acquire new customers and to enhance customer loyalty. We believe that our services are more valued as businesses shift marketing resources away from traditional mass marketing toward more targeted marketing programs that provide measurable returns on marketing investments.
We are a leading global provider of data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions serving large, consumer-based businesses in a variety of industries. We offer a comprehensive portfolio of integrated outsourced marketing solutions, including customer loyalty programs, database marketing services, end-to-end marketing services, analytics and creative services, direct marketing services and private label and co-brand retail credit card programs. We focus on facilitating and managing interactions between our clients and their customers through all consumer marketing channels, including in-store, online, email, social media, mobile, direct mail and telephone. We capture and analyze data created during each customer interaction, leveraging the insight derived from that data to enable clients to identify and acquire new customers and to enhance customer loyalty. We believe that our services are more valued as businesses shift marketing resources away from traditional mass marketing toward targeted marketing programs that provide measurable returns on marketing investments. We operate in the following reportable segments: LoyaltyOne, Epsilon, and Card Services.
In November 2015, the Company designated its Euro-denominated Senior Notes due 2023 (€300.0 million) as a net investment hedge of its investment in BrandLoyalty, which has a functional currency of the Euro, in order to reduce the volatility in stockholders’ equity caused by the changes in foreign currency exchange rates of the Euro with respect to the U.S. dollar. Additionally, in March 2017, the Company designated €200.0 million of its Euro-denominated Senior Notes due 2022 (€400.0 million) as a net investment hedge of its investment in BrandLoyalty. The change in fair value of the net investment hedges due to remeasurement of the effective portion is recorded in other comprehensive income (loss). The ineffective portion of this hedging instrument impacts net income when the ineffectiveness occurs. For the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, losses of $(46.1) million, gains of $7.9 million and losses of $(3.8) million, net of tax, respectively, were recognized in other comprehensive income and no ineffectiveness was recorded on the net investment hedges.
Description of the Business—Alliance Data Systems Corporation (“ADSC” or, including its consolidated subsidiaries and variable interest entities, the “Company”) is a leading global provider of data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions serving large, consumer-based businesses. The Company captures and analyzes data created during each customer interaction, leveraging the insight derived from that data to enable clients to identify and acquire new customers and enhance customer loyalty. The Company operates in two reportable segments: LoyaltyOne® and Card Services. LoyaltyOne provides coalition and short-term loyalty programs through the Canadian AIR MILES® Reward Program and BrandLoyalty Group B.V. (“BrandLoyalty”). Card Services encompasses credit card processing, billing and payment processing, customer care and collections services for private label retailers as well as private label and co-brand retail credit card and loan receivables financing, including securitization and other funding of certain credit card and loan receivables that it underwrites from its private label and co-brand retail credit card programs.
On January2, 2014, the Company acquired a 60% ownership interest in BrandLoyalty. Pursuant to the BrandLoyalty share purchase agreement, the Company could acquire the remaining 40% ownership interest in BrandLoyalty over a four-year period from the acquisition date at 10% per year at predetermined valuation multiples. If specified annual earnings targets were met by BrandLoyalty, the Company was required to acquire the additional 10% ownership interest for the year achieved; otherwise, the sellers had a put option to sell the Company their 10% ownership interest for the respective year.
At a time when travelers are more discerning than ever, it can be a challenge for airlines to retain their loyalty. The right loyalty program not only results in repeat customers and brand differentiation, but can also drive additional revenue for an airline.
The Wise Marketer bills itself as the only objective voice serving the $200 billion global loyalty industry. It has 20,000 plus web visitors per month who are high-level marketing executives, senior directors and managers with day-to- day accountability for customer strategy and loyalty. It has more than 15 years of experience covering, commenting on, and educating loyalty practitioners with more than 11,000 active, engaged email subscribers from 50 countries around the world. It launched the Loyalty Academy in 2015 and is the only forum dedicated to educating loyalty professionals in existence. It also publishes The Loyalty Guide one of the most respected digests for loyalty best-practices and case studies and holds the Loyalty Academy Conference each year, as the only live forum dedicated to exchanging high quality thought among loyalty practitioners.