Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISKS
We are exposed to certain market risks from changes in foreign currency exchange rates, commodity steel pricing, commodity energy prices, and interest rates. Changes in these factors cause fluctuations in our earnings and cash flows. Italicized discussions throughout Item 7A of this Form 10-K indicate discussions of market risks in 2020. We evaluate and manage exposure to these market risks as follows:
Foreign currency exchange rates – Foreign currency fluctuations can affect our net investments, our operations in countries other than the U.S., and earnings denominated in foreign currencies. Historically, our primary exchange rate exposure has been with the Canadian dollar against the United States dollar. Our estimated net earnings exposure for foreign currency exchange rates was not material at year end. We have not historically hedged our foreign currency risk given that exposure to date has not been material. During 2021, changes in foreign currency exchange rates increased our reported net sales by $37.4 with the estimated effect on our net earnings being immaterial. During 2020, changes in foreign currency exchange rates decreased our reported net sales by $5.7 with the estimated effect on our net earnings being immaterial.
Commodity steel pricing – We buy and sell various types of steel products; these products consist primarily of different types of threaded fasteners and related hardware. We are exposed to the impacts of commodity steel pricing and our related ability to pass through the impacts to our end customers. During 2021, the price of steel as reflected in many market indexes increased, which contributed to cost inflation in our steel-based products. Based on our ability to pass these higher costs on, the estimated effect on our net earnings was immaterial in 2021. During 2020, the price of commodity steel as reflected in many market indexes fell sharply early in the year as business activity declined in response to actions to address the COVID-19 pandemic, recovered sharply as business activity rebounded, and finished 2020 above the preceding year end levels.
Commodity energy prices – We have market risk for changes in prices of oil, gasoline, diesel fuel, natural gas, and electricity. During 2021, the price of energy as reflected in many market indexes increased as economic activity improved, which contributed to higher costs for fuel in our vehicles and utilities at our facilities. In 2021, our estimated net earnings exposure for commodity energy prices was immaterial. During 2020, prices for energy were mostly lower as business activity declined in response to actions to address the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, we experienced lower costs for fuel for our vehicles and utilities for our facilities.
Fossil fuels are also often a key feedstock for chemicals and plastics that comprise a key raw material for many products that we sell. During 2021, prices for fossil fuels were generally higher which caused us to experience higher prices for products with high chemical or plastic content. In 2021, our estimated net earnings exposure for materials for which fossil fuels are feedstock was immaterial. During 2020, although fossil fuel prices were generally lower we experienced stable, not lower, prices for products with high chemical or plastic content. We believe that over time these risks are mitigated in part by our ability to pass freight and product costs to our customers, the efficiency of ou r trucking distribution network, and the ability, over time, to manage our occupancy costs related to the heating and cooling of our facilities through better efficiency.
Interest rates - Loans under our Credit Facility bear interest at floating rate s tied to LIBOR (or, if LIBOR is no longer available, at a replacement rate to be determined by the administrative agent for the Credit Facility and consented to by us). As a result, changes in LIBOR can affect our operating results and liquidity to the extent we do not have effective interest rate swap arrangements in place. We have not historically used interest rate swap arrangements to hedge the variable interest rates under our Credit Facility. A one percentage point increase in LIBOR in 2021 would have resulted in approximately $0.2 of additional interest expense. A description of our Credit Facility is contained in Note 9 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
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