Financial Instruments

3 Months Ended

Feb. 28, 2015

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. Theswap matures in the second quarter of 2015. As of February 28, 2015, the fair value of the swap wasan asset of $14,770 and was included in other assets in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The swap was designated asa cash-flow hedge foraccounting 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 swapis 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 February 28, 2015 resulted in a pretax loss of $11 as the change in fair value of the cross-currency swap was less than the change in the fair value of the hypothetical swap. There was no amount in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) related to the cross-currency swap at February 28, 2015. At February 28, 2015, 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 February 28, 2015:

	Fiscal Year of Expiration	Interest Rate	Notional Value	Fair Value
Pay EURReceive USD	2015	4.30%4.45%	$98,738	$14,770

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 February 28, 2015, we had forward foreign currency contracts maturing between March 3, 2015 and January 28, 2016. The mark-to-market effect associated with these contracts, on a net basis, was a gain of $3,142 at February 28, 2015. These gains 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 $4,296 at February 28, 2015 and was included in long-term debt in theCondensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The fair values of the swaps in total were an asset of $4,346 at February 28, 2015 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 February 28, 2015 resulted in apretax gain of $59 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 February 28, 2015, there were no significant concentrations of credit risk.