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Financial Instruments
6 Months Ended
May 31, 2014
Financial Instruments Abstract  
Financial Instruments Disclosure

Note 9: 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, 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 a cross-currency swap agreement to convert a notional amount of $98,738 of foreign currency denominated intercompany loans into US dollars. The swap matures in 2015. As of May 31, 2014, the fair value of the swap was a liability of $3,594 and was included in other liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The swap was designated as cash-flow hedges for accounting treatment. The lesser amount between the cumulative change in the fair value of the actual swap and the cumulative change in the fair value of hypothetical swap is recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The difference between the cumulative change in the fair value of the actual swap and the cumulative change in the fair value of hypothetical swap is recorded as other income (expense), net in the Condensed 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 May 31, 2014 resulted in additional pre-tax loss of $23 year-to-date as the change in fair value of the cross-currency swap was less than the change in the fair value of the hypothetical swap. The amount in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) related to cross-currency swap was a loss of $59 at May 31, 2014. The estimated net amount of the existing loss that is reported in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) at May 31, 2014 that is expected to be reclassified into earnings within the next twelve months is $59. At May 31, 2014, we believe the original forecasted transactions will occur, therefore, we do not believe any gains or losses will be reclassified into earnings as a result of the discontinuance of this cash flow hedge.

The following table summarizes the cross-currency swap outstanding as of May 31, 2014:

Fiscal Year of ExpirationInterest RateNotional ValueFair Value
Pay EUR
Receive USD
20154.30%
4.45%
$ 98,738$ (3,594)

Except for the cross currency swap agreement 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 Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for fair value amounts of these derivative instruments.

As of May 31, 2014, we had forward foreign currency contracts maturing between June 6, 2014 and November 3, 2014. The mark-to-market effect associated with these contracts, on a net basis, was a gain of $2 at May 31, 2014. These losses were largely offset by the underlying transaction gains and losses resulting from the foreign currency exposures for which these contracts relate.

We have interest rate swap agreements to convert $75,000 of our Senior Notes to variable interest rates. The change in fair value of the Senior Notes, attributable to the change in the risk being hedged, was a liability of $5,334 at May 31, 2014 and was included in long-term debt in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The fair values of the swaps in total were an asset of $5,293 at May 31, 2014 and were included in other assets in the Condensed 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 Condensed 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 calculation as of May 31, 2014 resulted in additional pre-tax gain of $94 year-to-date 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 May 31, 2014, there were no significant concentrations of credit risk.