Note 13 - Financial Instruments

12 Months Ended

Nov. 30, 2019

Notes to Financial Statements

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 13: Financial Instruments

Overview

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.

We use foreign currency forward contracts, cross-currency swaps, and interest rate swaps to manage risks associated with foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates. We do not hold derivative financial instruments of a speculative nature or for trading purposes. We record derivatives as assets and liabilities on the balance sheet at fair value. Changes in fair value are recognized immediately in earnings unless the derivative qualifies and is designated as a hedge. Cash flows from derivatives are classified in the statement of cash flows in the same category as the cash flows from the items subject to designated hedge or undesignated (economic) hedge relationships. The company evaluates hedge effectiveness at inception and on an ongoing basis. If a derivative is no longer expected to be effective, hedge accounting is discontinued. Hedge ineffectiveness, if any, is recorded in earnings.

We are exposed to credit risk in the event of nonperformance of counterparties for foreign currency forward exchange contracts and interest rate swap agreements. We select investment-grade multinational banks and financial institutions as counterparties for derivative transactions and monitor the credit quality of each of these banks on a periodic basis as warranted. We do not anticipate nonperformance by any of these counterparties, and valuation allowances, if any, are de minimis.

Cash Flow Hedges

As of November 30, 2019, we had the following cash flow hedges: 1) six cross-currency swap agreements effective October 20, 2017 to convert a notional amount of $401,200 of foreign currency denominated intercompany loans into U.S. dollars and maturing in 2021 and 2022 and 2) one cross-currency swap agreement effective February 24, 2017 to convert a notional amount of $42,600 of foreign currency denominated intercompany loans into U.S. dollars and maturing in 2020.

As of November 30, 2019, the combined fair value of the swaps was an asset of $26,896 and was 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 (loss) in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The differences 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 amount in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) related to cross-currency swaps was a gain of $1,763 as of November 30, 2019. The estimated net amount of the existing gain that is reported in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) as of November 30, 2019 that is expected to be reclassified into earnings within the next twelve months is $722. As of November 30, 2019, 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 November 30, 2019:

	Fiscal Year of Expiration	Interest Rate			Notional Value		Fair Value
Pay EUR	2020		1.95	%		42,600		(1,499	)
Receive USD			4.3038	%
Pay EUR	2021		2.75	%		133,340		9,196
Receive USD			4.9330	%
Pay EUR	2022		3.00	%		267,860		19,199
Receive USD			5.1803	%
Total					$	443,800	$	26,896

On March 9, 2018, we entered into an interest rate swap agreement to convert $100,000 of our $2,150,000 Term Loan B be to a fixed interest rate of 4.490 percent. On February 27, 2018, we entered into an interest rate swap agreement to convert $200,000 of our $2,150,000 Term Loan B to a fixed rate of 4.589 percent. On October 20, 2017 we entered into interest rate swap agreements to convert $1,050,000 of our $2,150,000 Term Loan B to a fixed interest rate of 4.0275%. See Note 6 for further discussion on the issuance of our Term Loan B. The combined fair value of the interest rate swaps in total was a liability of $17,637 at November 30, 2019 and was included in other liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The swaps were designated for hedge accounting treatment as cash flow hedges. We are applying the hypothetical derivative method to assess hedge effectiveness for these interest rate swaps. Changes in the fair value of a hypothetically perfect swap with terms that match the critical terms of our $1,350,000 variable rate Term Loan B are compared with the change in the fair value of the swaps.

On April 23, 2018, we amended our Term Loan B Credit Agreement to reduce the interest rate from LIBOR plus 2.25 percent to LIBOR plus 2.00 percent. Fixed interest rates related to swap agreements disclosed have been updated to reflect the amendment.

The amounts of pretax gains (losses) recognized in comprehensive income related to derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges are as follows:

	November 30, 2019			December 1, 2018			December 2, 2017
Cross-currency swap contracts	$	14,429		$	(4,047	)	$	(6,538	)
Interest rate swap contracts	$	(46,254	)	$	25,819		$	3,060

Fair Value Hedges

On December 16, 2017 and February 24, 2017 interest rate swaps associated with our Senior Notes, Series A and B matured, respectively, as these debt instruments matured. On October 20, 2017, interest rate swaps associated with our Senior Notes, Series C and E were terminated with the repayment of these debt instruments. See Note 6 for further discussion of the repayment of our debt. We recognized a $168 net gain related to the termination of these interest rate swaps which was recorded in other income (expense), net in our Consolidated Statements of Income for the year ended December 2, 2017.

On February 14, 2017, we entered into interest rate swap agreements to convert $150,000 of our $300,000 Public Notes that were issued on February 14, 2017 to a variable interest rate of 1-month LIBOR plus 1.86 percent. See Note 6 for further discussion on the issuance of our Public Notes. The combined fair value of the interest rate swaps in total was an asset of $5,741 at November 30, 2019 and was included in other assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The swaps were designated for hedge accounting treatment as fair value hedges. We are applying the hypothetical derivative method to assess hedge effectiveness for these interest rate swaps. Changes in the fair value of a hypothetically perfect swap with terms that match the critical terms of our $150,000 fixed rate Public Notes are compared with the change in the fair value of the swaps.

Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments

The company uses foreign currency forward contracts to offset its exposure to the change in value of certain foreign currency denominated assets and liabilities held at foreign subsidiaries that are remeasured at the end of each period. Although the contracts are effective economic hedges, they are not designated as accounting hedges. Foreign currency forward contracts are recorded as assets and liabilities on the balance sheet at fair value. Changes in the value of these derivatives are recognized immediately in earnings, thereby offsetting the current earnings effect of the related foreign currency denominated assets and liabilities. See Note 14 for fair value amounts of these derivative instruments.

As of November 30, 2019, we had forward foreign currency contracts maturing between December 2, 2019 and October 20, 2020. The mark-to-market effect associated with these contracts was largely offset by the underlying transaction gains and losses resulting from the foreign currency exposures for which these contracts relate.

The amounts of pretax gains (losses) recognized in other (expense) income, net related to derivative instruments not designated as hedging instruments are as follows:

	November 30, 2019			December 1, 2018		December 2, 2017
Foreign currency forward contracts	$	(573	)	$	2,776	$	(3,797	)

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 November 30, 2019, there were no significant concentrations of credit risk.