Note 10 - Financial Instruments

9 Months Ended

Aug. 28, 2021

Notes to Financial Statements

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 10: 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 Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows in the same category as the cash flows from the items subject to designated hedge or undesignated (economic) hedge relationships. We evaluate 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 August 28, 2021, we had 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, which mature in 2021 and 2022. As of August 28, 2021, the combined fair value of the swaps was an asset of $4,716 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 and in other net cash provided by operating activities in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. 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, 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 $4,393 as of August 28, 2021. The estimated net amount of the existing gain that is reported in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) as of August 28, 2021 that is expected to be reclassified into earnings within the next twelve months is $(3,176). As of August 28, 2021, 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 August 28, 2021:

	Fiscal Year of		Notional
	Expiration	Interest Rate	Value		Fair Value
Pay EUR	2021	2.75%	$	133,340	$	336
Receive USD		4.9330%
Pay EUR	2022	3.00%	$	267,860	$	4,380
Receive USD		5.1803%
Total			$	401,200	$	4,716

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 interest rate of 4.589 percent. During the second quarter of 2021, we settled a portion of this interest rate swap as the debt underlying this swap was less than the swap value due to debt paydown. We settled the ineffective portion of the interest rate swap by making a cash payment of $378 and recorded that payment to interest expense in our Consolidated Statements of Income for the three months ended May 29, 2021. On October 20, 2017, we entered into interest rate swap agreements to convert $1,050,000, which was amortized down to $925,000 on October 20, 2020, of our $2,150,000 Term Loan B to a fixed interest rate of 4.0275 percent. The combined fair value of the interest rate swaps was a liability of $17,924 at August 28, 2021 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 $1,125,000 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:

	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	August 28, 2021			August 29, 2020			August 28, 2021			August 29, 2020
Cross-currency swap contracts	$	(1,309	)	$	(2,387	)	$	(3,629	)	$	8,353
Interest rate swap contracts		5,074			5,455			15,332			(19,515	)

Fair Value Hedges

On February 12, 2021, we entered into interest rate swap agreements to convert our $300,000 Public Notes that were issued on October 20, 2020 to a variable interest rate of 1-month LIBOR plus 3.28 percent. The combined fair value of the interest rate swaps was a liability of $3,478 at  August 28, 2021, and was included in other liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The swaps were designated for hedge accounting treatment as fair value hedges. We apply the short cut method and assume hedge effectiveness. Changes in the fair value of a hypothetically perfect swap with terms that match the critical terms of our $300,000 fixed rate Public Notes are compared with the change in the fair value of the swaps.

Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments

We use foreign currency forward contracts to offset our 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 11 for fair value amounts of these derivative instruments.

As of August 28, 2021, we had forward foreign currency contracts maturing between August 30, 2021 and February 16, 2022. 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 income, net related to derivative instruments not designated as hedging instruments for the nine months ended August 28, 2021 and August 29, 2020 were $1,428 and $ (4,859), respectively.

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 August 28, 2021, there were no significant concentrations of credit risk.