We enter into aluminum forward contracts to hedge the fluctuations in the purchase price of aluminum extrusion we use in production. We also enter into forward contracts to hedge the fluctuations in the price of the delivery component of our aluminum extrusion purchases, known as the Midwest Transaction Premium, or MTP. Our contracts are designated as cash flow hedges since they are highly effective in offsetting changes in the cash flows attributable to forecasted purchases of aluminum and the related MTP.

We record our aluminum hedge contracts at fair value, based on trading values for aluminum forward contracts. Aluminum forward contracts identical to those held by us trade on the London Metal Exchange (“LME”). The LME provides a transparent forum and is the world’s largest center for the trading of futures contracts for non-ferrous metals. The prices are used by the metals industry worldwide as the basis for contracts for the movement of physical material throughout the production cycle. Based on this high degree of volume and liquidity in the LME, we believe the valuation price at any measurement date for contracts with identical terms as to prompt date, trade date and trade price as those we hold at any time represents a contract’s exit price to be used for purposes of determining fair value.

We record our MTP hedge contracts at fair value, based on the Platts MW US Transaction price per pound assessment, which has been a benchmark for decades in the North American aluminum industry. Platts surveys the North American market daily to capture trades, bids and offers on a delivered Midwest basis. Data is normalized to reflect the typical price per pound between the largest number of market participants, for delivery within 7 to 30 days from date of publication, net-30-day payment terms, for typical order quantities, chemistries and freight allowances. The survey is extensive and encompasses both domestic and offshore producers, traders and brokers that are varied in scope. Based on the extensive nature of this pricing mechanism, we believe the Platts MW US Transaction price at any time represents a contract’s exit price to be used for purposes of determining fair value.

Guidance under the Financial Instruments Topic 825 of the Codification requires us to record our hedge contracts at fair value and consider our credit risk for contracts in a liability position, and our counter-party’s credit risk for contracts in an asset position, in determining fair value. We assess our counter-party’s risk of non-performance when measuring the fair value of financial instruments in an asset position by evaluating their financial position, including cash on hand, as well as their credit ratings. We assess our risk of non-performance when measuring the fair value of our financial instruments in a liability position by evaluating our credit ratings, our current liquidity including cash on hand and availability under our New Revolving Credit Facility as compared to the maturities of the financial liabilities. Management makes an accounting policy election not to offset the estimated fair value amounts recognized for derivatives executed with the same counterparty under the same master netting arrangement. Our counterparties to our derivative contracts do not require the Company to post collateral against hedge contracts in a liability position, if any.

At December 30, 2023, the fair value of our aluminum forward contracts was in an asset position of $0.3 million. We had 9 outstanding forward contracts for the purchase of 6.6 million pounds of aluminum through June 2024, at an average price of $1.04 per pound, which excludes the Midwest premium, with maturity dates of between one month and six months. At December 30, 2023, we had no outstanding MTP hedge contracts. We assessed the risk of non-performance of the Company and our counterparty, as applicable, and determined it was immaterial and, therefore, did not record any adjustment to the fair value as of December 30, 2023.

We assess the effectiveness of our cash flow hedges by comparing the change in the fair value of the forward contract to the change in the expected cash to be paid for the hedged item. The gain or loss on our hedging contracts is reported as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) and is reclassified into earnings in the same line item in the income statement as the hedged item in the same period or periods during which the transaction affects earnings. The amount of income, net, recognized in the “accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)” line item in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet as of December 30, 2023, that we expect will be reclassified to earnings within the next twelve months, is $0.3 million.

The fair values of our aluminum hedges and MTP contracts are classified in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets at December 30, 2023, and December 31, 2022, as follows (in thousands):

         
        Derivative Assets

        Derivative (Liabilities)

         
        December 30, 2023

        December 30, 2023

        Derivatives designated as hedging

        instruments under Subtopic 815-20:

        Balance Sheet Location

        Fair Value

        Balance Sheet Location

        Fair Value

        Derivative instruments:

Aluminum forward contracts

Other current assets

257

Accrued liabilities

—

MTP contracts

Other current assets

—

Accrued liabilities

—

Aluminum forward contracts

Other assets

—

Other liabilities

—

MTP contracts

Other assets

—

Other liabilities

—

Total derivative instruments

Total derivative assets

257

Total derivative liabilities

—

         
        Derivative Assets

        Derivative (Liabilities)

         
        December 31, 2022

        December 31, 2022

        Derivatives designated as hedging

        instruments under Subtopic 815-20:

        Balance Sheet Location

        Fair Value

        Balance Sheet Location

        Fair Value

        Derivative instruments:

Aluminum forward contracts

Other current assets

—

Accrued liabilities

—

MTP contracts

Other current assets

300

Accrued liabilities

—

Aluminum forward contracts

Other assets

—

Other liabilities

—

MTP contracts

Other assets

—

Other liabilities

—

Total derivative instruments

Total derivative assets

300

Total derivative liabilities

—

The ending accumulated balance for the aluminum forward and MTP contracts included in accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax, was $0.2 million as of December 30, 2023, and $0.2 million as of December 31, 2022.

The following represents the gains (losses) on derivative financial instruments, and their classifications within the accompanying consolidated financial statements for the three years ended December 30, 2023 (in thousands):


	Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships
	Amount of Gain or (Loss) Recognized in OCI(L) on Derivatives	Location of Gain or (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated OCI(L) into Income	Amount of Gain or (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated OCI(L) into Income
	Year Ended		Year Ended
	January 1, 2022		January 1, 2022
Aluminum contracts	$14,012	Cost of sales	$12,373

MTP contracts	$10,443	Cost of sales	$6,265

	December 31, 2022		December 31, 2022
Aluminum contracts	($7,732)	Cost of sales	($2,903)

MTP contracts	$42	Cost of sales	$4,341

	December 30, 2023		December 30, 2023
Aluminum contracts	($361)	Cost of sales	($618)

MTP contracts	($94)	Cost of sales	$206

We classify cash flows related to derivative instruments as operating activities in the accompanying consolidated statements of cash flows.