Derivatives and Hedging Activities

12 Months Ended

Jul. 31, 2011

Derivatives and Hedging Activities [Abstract]

Derivatives and Hedging Activities

12. Derivatives and Hedging Activities

The Company utilizes forward foreign exchange currency contracts to reduce the exchange rate risk of specific foreign currency denominated transactions and net investments. These contracts typically require the exchange of a foreign currency for U.S. dollars at a fixed rate at a future date, with maturities of 18 months or less, which qualify as either cash flow hedges or net investment hedges under the accounting guidance for derivative instruments and hedging activities. The primary objectives of the Company’s foreign currency exchange risk management are to minimize the impact of currency movements due to transactions in other than the respective subsidiaries’ functional currency and to minimize the impact of currency movements on the Company’s net investment denominated in a currency other than the U.S. dollar. To achieve this objective, the Company hedges a portion of known exposures using forward foreign exchange currency contracts. As of July 31, 2011 and July 31, 2010, the notional amount of outstanding forward exchange contracts was $80,807 and $45,328, respectively.

Hedge effectiveness is determined by how closely the changes in the fair value of the hedging instrument offset the changes in the fair value or cash flows of the hedged item. Hedge accounting is permitted only if the hedging relationship is expected to be highly effective at the inception of the hedge and on an on-going basis. Gains or losses on the derivative related to hedge ineffectiveness are recognized in current earnings. The amount of hedge ineffectiveness was not significant for the twelve-month periods ended July 31, 2011 and 2010.

The Company hedges a portion of known exposure using forward exchange contracts. Main exposures are related to transactions denominated in the British Pound, the Euro, Canadian Dollar, Australian Dollar, Japanese Yen, Swiss Franc. Generally, these risk management transactions will involve the use of foreign currency derivatives to protect against exposure resulting from sales and identified inventory or other asset purchases.

The Company has designated a portion of its foreign exchange contracts as cash flow hedges and recorded these contracts at fair value on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. For these instruments, the effective portion of the gain or loss on the derivative is reported as a component of other comprehensive income (“OCI”) and reclassified into earnings in the same period or periods during which the hedged transaction affects earnings. At July 31, 2011 and 2010, unrealized losses of $1,535 and $493 have been included in OCI, respectively. All balances are expected to be reclassified from OCI to earnings during the next fifteen months when the hedged transactions impact earnings.

At July 31, 2011 and July 31, 2010, the Company had $16 and $156 of forward exchange contracts designated as cash flow hedges included in “Prepaid expenses and other current assets” on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. At July 31, 2011 and July 31, 2010, the Company had $830 and $829, respectively, of forward exchange contracts designated as cash flow hedges included in “Other current liabilities” on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. At July 31, 2011 and July 31, 2010, the U.S. dollar equivalent of these outstanding forward foreign exchange contracts totaled $30,519 and $32,020, respectively, including contracts to sell Euros, Canadian Dollars, Australian Dollars, British Pounds, U.S. Dollars, and Swiss Franc.

On May 13, 2010, the Company completed the private placement of €75.0 million aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes to accredited institutional investors. This Euro-denominated debt obligation was designated as a net investment hedge to hedge portions of the Company’s net investment in Euro-denominated foreign operations. As net investment hedges, the currency effects of the debt obligations are reflected in the foreign currency translation adjustments component of accumulated other comprehensive income where they offset gains and losses recorded on the Company’s net investment in Euro-denominated operations. The Company’s foreign denominated debt obligations are valued under a market approach using publicized spot prices.

During the three and twelve month period ended July 31, 2011, the Company used forward foreign exchange currency contracts designated as net investment hedges to hedge portions of the Company’s net investments in Euro-denominated foreign operations. For hedges that meet the effectiveness requirements, the net gains or losses attributable to changes in spot exchange rates are recorded in the foreign exchange translation adjustment component of accumulated other comprehensive income where it offsets gains and losses recorded on the Company’s net investment in Euro-denominated foreign operations. Any ineffective portions are recognized in earnings. Recognition in earnings of amounts previously recorded in cumulative translation is limited to circumstances such as complete or substantially complete liquidation of the net investment in the hedged foreign operation. At July 31, 2011, the Company had $5,295 of forward foreign exchange currency contracts designated as net investment hedges included in “Other current liabilities” on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. At July 31, 2011, the U.S dollar equivalent of these outstanding forward foreign exchange contracts totaled $50,000. There were no forward foreign exchange contracts designated as net investment hedges outstanding as of July 31, 2010.

Fair values of derivative instruments in the Consolidated Balance Sheets were as follows:

	Asset Derivatives						Liability Derivatives
	July 31, 2011			July 31, 2010			July 31, 2011			July 31, 2010
Derivatives designated as	Balance Sheet			Balance Sheet			Balance Sheet			Balance Sheet
hedging instruments	Location	Fair Value		Location	Fair Value		Location	Fair Value		Location	Fair Value
Cash flow hedges
Foreign exchange contracts	Prepaid expenses and other current assets	$	16	Prepaid expenses and other current assets	$	156	Other current liabilities	$	830	Other current liabilities	$	829
Net investment hedges
Foreign exchange contracts	Prepaid expenses and other current assets	$	—	Prepaid expenses and other current assets	$	—	Other current liabilities	$	5,295	Other current liabilities	$	—
Foreign currency denominated debt	Prepaid expenses and other current assets	$	—	Prepaid expenses and other current assets	$	—	Long term obligations, less current maturities	$	107,985	Long term obligations, less current maturities	$	97,747
Total derivatives designated as hedging instruments		$	16		$	156		$	114,110		$	98,576
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments
Foreign exchange contracts	Prepaid expenses and other current assets	$	3	Prepaid expenses and other current assets	$	24	Other current liabilities	$	2	Other current liabilities	$	64
Total derivatives not designated as hedging instruments		$	3		$	24		$	2		$	64

The pre-tax effects of derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges on the Consolidated Statements of Income consisted of the following:

								Amount of Gain
								or (Loss)						Location of	Amount of Gain
	Amount of Gain or (Loss)							Reclassified From						Gain or (Loss)	or (Loss)
	Recognized in OCI on						Location of Gain or	Accumulated OCI						Recognized in	Recognized in
	Derivative						(Loss) Reclassified	Into Income						Income on	Income on Derivative
Derivatives in	(Effective Portion)						From Accumulated	(Effective Portion)						Derivative	(Ineffective Portion)
Cash Flow Hedging	As of July 31,						OCI into Income	Year Ended July 31,						(Ineffective	Year Ended July 31,
Relationships	2011			2010			(Effective Portion)	2011			2010			Portion)	2011		2010
Foreign exchange contracts	$	(1,535	)	$	(493	)	Cost of goods sold	$	(1,781	)	$	(80	)	Cost of goods sold	$	—	$	—
Total	$	(1,535	)	$	(493	)		$	(1,781	)	$	(80	)		$	—	$	—

The pre-tax effects of derivative instruments designated as net investment hedges on the Consolidated Balance Sheet consisted of the following:

								Amount of Gain
								or (Loss)				Location of	Amount of Gain
	Amount of Gain or (Loss)							Reclassified From				Gain or (Loss)	or (Loss)
	Recognized in OCI on						Location of Gain or	Accumulated OCI				Recognized in	Recognized in
Derivatives in	Derivative						(Loss) Reclassified	Into Income				Income on	Income on Derivative
Net Investment	(Effective Portion)						From Accumulated	(Effective Portion)				Derivative	(Ineffective Portion)
Hedging	As of July 31,						OCI into Income	Year Ended July 31,				(Ineffective	Year Ended July 31,
Relationships	2011			2010			(Effective Portion)	2011		2010		Portion)	2011		2010
Foreign exchange contracts	$	(4,589	)	$	6,248		Investment and other income — net	$	—	$	—	Investment and other income — net	$	—	$	—
Foreign currency denominated debt	$	(13,070	)	$	(2,833	)	Investment and other income — net	$	—	$	—	Investment and other income — net	$	—	$	—
Total	$	(17,659	)	$	3,415			$	—	$	—		$	—	$	—

The pre-tax effects of derivative instruments not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Income consisted of the following:

	Location of Gain or	Amount of Gain or
	(Loss) Recognized	(Loss) Recognized in
	in Income on	Income on Derivative
Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments	Derivative	2011			2010
Foreign exchange contracts	Other income (expense)	$	(945	)	$	(40	)
Total		$	(945	)	$	(40	)