Financial Instruments

12 Months Ended

Dec. 01, 2012

Financial Instruments Abstract

Financial Instruments Disclosure

Note 12: Financial Instruments

As a result of being a global enterprise, our earnings, cash flows and financial position are exposed to foreign currency risk from foreign currency denominated receivables and payables. These items are denominated in various foreign currencies, including the Euro, British pound sterling, Canadian dollar, Chinese renminbi, Japanese yen, Australian dollar, Swiss franc, Argentine peso, Brazilian real, Colombian peso, Mexican peso, Turkish lira, Egyptian pound, Indian rupee, and Malaysian ringgit.

Our objective is to balance, where possible, local currency denominated assets to local currency denominated liabilities to have a natural hedge and minimize foreign exchange impacts. We take steps to minimize risks from foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations through normal operating and financing activities and, when deemed appropriate, through the use of derivative instruments. We do not enter into any speculative positions with regard to derivative instruments.

We enter into derivative contracts with a group of investment grade multinational commercial banks. We evaluate the credit quality of each of these banks on a periodic basis as warranted.

Effective March 5, 2012, we entered into two cross-currency swap agreements to convert a notional amount of $151,598 of foreign currency denominated intercompany loans into US dollars. One of the cross-currency swaps matures in 2014 and the other swap matures in 2015. As of December 1, 2012, the combined fair value of the swaps were an asset of $1,610 and were included in other assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The swaps were designated as cash-flow hedges for accounting treatment. The lesser amount between the cumulative change in the fair value of the actual swaps and the cumulative change in the fair value of hypothetical swaps is recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The difference between the cumulative change in the fair value of the actual swaps and the cumulative change in the fair value of hypothetical swaps are recorded as other income (expense), net in the Consolidated Statements of Income. In a perfectly effective hedge relationship, the two fair value calculations would exactly offset each other. Any difference in the calculation represents hedge ineffectiveness. The ineffectiveness calculations as of December 1, 2012 resulted in additional pre-tax loss of $15 year-to-date as the change in fair value of the cross-currency swaps was less than the change in the fair value of the hypothetical swaps. The amount in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) related to cross-currency swaps was a loss of $394 at December 1, 2012. The estimated net amount of the existing loss that is reported in accumulated other comprehensive income at December 1, 2012 that is expected to be reclassified into earnings within the next twelve months is $ 214. At December 1, 2012, we do not believe any gains or losses will be reclassified into earnings as a result of the discontinuance of these cash flow hedges because the original forecasted transaction will not occur.

The following table summarizes the cross-currency swaps outstanding as of December 1, 2012:

	Fiscal Year of Expiration	Interest Rate	Notional Value	Fair Value
Pay EUR Receive USD	2014	4.15% 4.30%	$ 52,860	$ 782
Pay EUR Receive USD	2015	4.30% 4.45%	$ 98,738	$ 828
Total			$ 151,598	$ 1,610

Except for the two cross currency swap agreements listed above, foreign currency derivative instruments outstanding are not designated as hedges for accounting purposes. The gains and losses related to mark-to-market adjustments are recognized as other income or expense in the income statement during the periods in which the derivative instruments are outstanding. See Note 14 to Consolidated Financial Statements for fair value amounts of these derivative instruments.

As of December 1, 2012, we had forward foreign currency contracts maturing between December 7, 2012 and November 1, 2013. The mark-to-market effect associated with these contracts, on a net basis, at each year end wasa loss of $126, $160 and $1,419 in 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. These losses were largely offset by the underlying transaction gains and losses resulting from the foreign currency exposures for which these contracts relate.

During the first quarter of 2012, we entered into forward currency contracts maturing on March 5, 2012 to purchase 370,000 Swiss francs. Our objective was to economically hedge the purchase price for the pending acquisition of the global industrial adhesives business of Forbo Group after the purchase agreement was signed. The currency contracts were not designated as hedges for accounting purposes. At maturity the mark-to-market adjustments were a gain of $11,621 which was recognized as a special charge, net in the Consolidated Statements of Income. See Note 5 to Consolidated Financial Statements.

As of December 3, 2011, we had a $100,000 notional amount foreign currency option to exchange U.S. Dollars for Swiss francs. Our objective was to mitigate the exposure on exchange rates on a portion of the proposed purchase price for the pending acquisition of the global industrial adhesives business of Forbo Group. The fair value of this derivative was $841. The currency option was not designated as a hedge for accounting purposes and expired on January 10, 2012. The related expense was recognized as a special charge, net in the Consolidated Statements of Income. See Note 5 to Consolidated Financial Statements.

We have interest rate swap agreements to convert $75,000 of our Senior Notes to variable interest rates. See Note 8 to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information. The change in fair value of the Senior Notes, attributable to the change in the risk being hedged, was a liability of $8,862 at December 1, 2012 and $7,111 at December 3, 2011 and were included in long-term debt in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The fair value of the swaps in total was an asset of $9,473 at December 1, 2012 and $7,360 at December 3, 2011 and were included in other assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The swaps were designated for hedge accounting treatment as fair value hedges.

The changes in the fair value of the swap and the fair value of the Senior Notes attributable to the change in the risk being hedged are recorded as other income (expense), net in the Consolidated Statements of Income. In a perfectly effective hedge relationship, the two fair value calculations would exactly offset each other. Any difference in the calculation represents hedge ineffectiveness. The calculations as of December 1, 2012, December 3, 2011 and November 27, 2010 resulted in additional year-to-date pre-tax gains of $362, $456 and $81, respectively as the fair value of the interest rate swaps increased by more than the change in the fair value of the Senior Notes attributable to the change in the risk being hedged.

Concentrations of credit risk with respect to trade accounts receivable are limited due to the large number of entities in the customer base and their dispersion across many different industries and countries. As of December 1, 2012, there were no significant concentrations of credit risk.