COHU INC 10-K

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.   Investment and Interest Rate Risk. At December 25, 2021, our investment portfolio included short-term, fixed-income investment securities with a fair value of approximately $89.7 million, and we did not hold or issue financial instruments for trading purposes. These securities are subject to interest rate risk and will likely decline in value if interest rates increase. Our future investment income may fall short of expectations due to changes in interest rates or we may suffer losses in principal if we are forced to sell securities that decline in market value due to changes in interest rates. As we classify our short-term securities as available-for-sale, no gains or losses are recognized due to changes in interest rates unless such securities are sold prior to maturity or declines in fair value are determined to be other-than-temporary. Due to the relatively short duration of our investment portfolio, an immediate ten percent change in interest rates would have no material impact on our financial condition or results of operations.   We evaluate our investments periodically for possible other-than-temporary impairment by reviewing factors such as the length of time and extent to which fair value has been below cost basis, the financial condition of the issuer and our ability and intent to hold the investment for a period of time sufficient for anticipated recovery of market value. As of December 25, 2021, the cost and fair value of investments with loss positions were approximately $57.0 million. We evaluated the nature of these investments, credit worthiness of the issuer and the duration of these impairments and concluded that these losses were temporary and we have the ability and intent to hold these investments to maturity.   Our long-term debt is carried at amortized cost and fluctuations in interest rates do not impact our consolidated financial statements. However, the fair value of our debt will generally fluctuate with movements of interest rates, increasing in periods of declining rates of interest and declining in periods of increasing rates of interest. As of December 25, 2021, we have approximately $103.1 million of long-term debt due under a Term Loan Credit Facility that is subject to quarterly interest payments that are based on either a base rate plus a margin of up to 2.0% per annum, or the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) plus a margin of up to 3.0% per annum. The selection of the interest rate formula is at our discretion. The interest rate otherwise payable under the Term Loan Credit Facility will be subject to increase by 2.0% per annum during the continuance of a payment default and may be subject to increase by 2.0% per annum with respect to the overdue principal amount of any loans outstanding and overdue interest payments and other overdue fees and amounts. At December 25, 2021, the interest rate in effect on these borrowings was 3.09%.   In July 2017, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates the LIBOR, announced that it intends to phase out LIBOR by the end of 2021. After 2021, it is unclear whether banks will continue to provide LIBOR submissions to the administrator of LIBOR, and no consensus currently exists as to what benchmark rate or rates may become accepted alternatives to LIBOR. In the United States, efforts to identify a set of alternative U.S. dollar reference interest rates include proposals by the Alternative Reference Rates Committee that has been convened by the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. We cannot currently predict the effect of the discontinuation of, or other changes to, LIBOR or any establishment of alternative reference rates in the United States, the European Union or elsewhere in the global capital markets. The uncertainty regarding the future of LIBOR, as well as the transition from LIBOR to any alternative reference rate or rates, could have adverse impacts on floating rate obligations, loans, deposits, derivatives and other financial instruments that currently use LIBOR as a benchmark rate. Our Term Loan Credit Facility constitutes our most significant exposure to this transition and there is no guarantee that a shift from LIBOR to a new reference rate will not result in increases to our borrowing costs.   Foreign Currency Exchange Risk. We have operations in several foreign countries and conduct business in the local currency in these countries. As a result, we have risk associated with currency fluctuations as the value of foreign currencies fluctuate against the U.S. dollar, in particular the Swiss Franc, Euro, Malaysian Ringgit, Chinese Yuan, Philippine Peso and Japanese Yen. These fluctuations can impact our reported earnings.   During the fourth quarter of 2020, we began entering into foreign currency forward contracts with a financial institution to hedge against future movements in foreign exchange rates that affect certain existing U.S. Dollar denominated assets and liabilities at our subsidiaries whose functional currency is the local currency. Under this program, our strategy is to have increases or decreases in our foreign currency exposures mitigated by gains or losses on the foreign currency forward contracts in order to mitigate the risks and volatility associated with foreign currency transaction gains or losses.   42 Table of Contents   Fluctuations in currency exchange rates also impact the U.S. Dollar amount of our net investment in foreign operations. The assets and liabilities of our foreign subsidiaries are translated into U.S. Dollars at the exchange rates in effect at the fiscal year-end balance sheet date. Income and expense accounts are translated at an average exchange rate during the year which approximates the rates in effect at the transaction dates. The resulting translation adjustments are recorded in stockholders’ equity as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss. As a result of fluctuations in certain foreign currency exchange rates in relation to the U.S. Dollar as of December 25, 2021 compared to December 26, 2020, our stockholders’ equity decreased by $23.0 million as a result of the foreign currency translation.   Based upon the current levels of net foreign assets, a hypothetical 10% devaluation of the U.S. dollar as compared to these currencies as of December 25, 2021 would result in an approximate $31.1 million positive translation adjustment recorded in other comprehensive income within stockholders’ equity. Conversely, a hypothetical 10% appreciation of the U.S. dollar as compared to these currencies as of December 25, 2021 would result in an approximate $31.1 million negative translation adjustment recorded in other comprehensive income within stockholders’ equity.   Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.   The information required by this Item is included in Part IV, Item 15(a).   Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.   None.