Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Our consolidated balance sheets include substantial amounts of assets and liabilities whose fair values are subject to market risks. Our significant market risks are primarily associated with equity prices, commodity prices, interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates as discussed below.
Equity Price Risk
Our predominant exposure to equity price risk is related to our Investment segment and the sensitivities to movements in the fair value of the Investment Funds’ investments.
The fair value of the financial assets and liabilities of the Investment Funds primarily fluctuates in response to changes in the value of securities. The net effect of these fair value changes impacts the net gains from investment activities in our consolidated statements of operations. The Investment Funds’ risk is regularly evaluated and is managed on a position basis as well as on a portfolio basis. Senior members of our investment team meet on a regular basis to assess and review certain risks, including concentration risk, correlation risk and credit risk for significant positions. Certain risk metrics and other analytical tools are used in the normal course of business by the Investment segment.
The Investment Funds hold investments that are reported at fair value as of the reporting date, which include securities owned, securities sold, not yet purchased and derivatives as reported in our consolidated balance sheets. Based on their respective balances as of December 31, 2023, we estimate that in the event of a 10% adverse change in the fair value of these investments, the fair values of securities owned, securities sold, not yet purchased and derivatives, based on the price impact on notional value, would decrease by approximately $290 million, $347 million and $673 million, respectively. However, as of December 31, 2023, we estimate that the impact to our share of the net gain (loss) from investment activities reported in our consolidated statements of operations would be less than the change in fair value since we have an investment of approximately 60% in the Investment Funds, and the non-controlling interests in income would correspondingly offset approximately 40% of the change in fair value. As of December 31, 2022, we estimated that in the event of a 10% adverse change in the fair value of these investments, the fair values of securities owned, securities sold, not yet purchased and derivatives, based on the price impact on notional value, would decrease by approximately $672 million, $650 million and $968 million, respectively and as of December 31, 2022, our investment in the Investment Funds was 46%.
Commodity Price Risk
CVR Energy, as a manufacturer of refined petroleum and renewable products, and CVR Partners, as a manufacturer of nitrogen fertilizer products, all of which are commodities, have exposure to market pricing for products sold in the future. In order to realize value from our Energy segment’s processing capacity, a positive spread between the cost of raw materials and the value of finished products must be achieved (i.e., gross margin or crack spread). The physical commodities that comprise our raw materials and finished goods are typically bought and sold at a spot or index price that can be highly variable.
Our Energy segment’s petroleum business uses a crude oil purchasing intermediary to purchase the majority of its non-gathered crude oil inventory for the refineries, which allows it to take title to and price its crude oil at locations in close proximity to the refineries, as opposed to the crude oil origination point, reducing its risk associated with volatile commodity prices by shortening the commodity conversion cycle time. The commodity conversion cycle time refers to the time elapsed between raw material acquisition and the sale of finished goods. In addition, the petroleum business seeks to reduce the variability of commodity price exposure by engaging in hedging strategies and transactions that will serve to protect gross margins as forecasted in the annual operating plan. With regard to its hedging activities, CVR
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Energy may enter into, or has entered into, derivative instruments which serve to: lock in or fix a percentage of the anticipated or planned gross margin in future periods when the derivative market offers commodity spreads that generate positive cash flows; hedge the value of inventories in excess of minimum required inventories; and manage existing derivative positions related to a change in anticipated operations and market conditions.
Interest Rate Risk
Our predominant exposure to interest rate risk is related to our operating subsidiaries.
Our operating subsidiaries have variable rate debt with a principal amount outstanding aggregating $141 million as of December 31, 2023, primarily at our Food Packaging segment. A 1.0% increase in interest rates would increase interest expense by approximately $1 million on an annualized basis, thus decreasing net income by the same amount. Additionally, as of December 31, 2023, our operating segments have additional borrowing availability subject to variable interest rates aggregating $321 million, which if outstanding, would increase our operating segments’ exposure to changes in interest rates.
Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Risk
Certain of our subsidiaries operate in foreign jurisdictions and we transact business in foreign currencies. In addition, we may hold investments in common stocks of major multinational companies who have significant foreign business and foreign currency risk of their own. Our net assets subject to financial statement translation into U.S. Dollars are primarily in our Food Packaging segment.
Food Packaging
Viskase has foreign currency exposures related to buying, selling, and financing in currencies other than the local currencies in which they operate. Viskase is exposed to foreign currency risk due to the translation and remeasurement of the results of certain international operations into U.S. Dollars as part of the consolidation process. Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates can therefore create volatility in the results of operations and may adversely affect Viskase’s financial condition. Viskase recorded a translation gain of $5 million and a loss of $4 million in accumulated other comprehensive loss for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and recorded translation losses in earnings of $3 million for each of the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
Credit Risk
We and the Investment Funds are subject to certain inherent risks through our investments.
Our entities typically invest excess cash in large money market funds. The money market funds primarily invest in government securities and other short-term, highly liquid instruments with a low risk of loss. The Investment Funds also maintain free credit balances with their prime brokers and in interest bearing accounts at major banking institutions. We seek to diversify our cash investments across several accounts and institutions and monitor performance and counterparty risk.
The Investment Funds and, to a lesser extent, other entities hold derivative instruments that are subject to credit risk in the event that the counterparties are unable to meet the terms of such agreements. When the Investment Funds make such investments or enter into other arrangements where they might suffer a significant loss through the default or insolvency of a counterparty, we monitor the credit quality of such counterparty and seek to do business with creditworthy counterparties. Counterparty risk is monitored by obtaining and reviewing public information filed by the counterparties and others.
Compliance Program Price Risk
As a producer of transportation fuels from petroleum, our Energy segment’s obligated-party subsidiaries are required to blend biofuels into the transportation fuels they produce or to purchase RINs in the open market in lieu of
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blending to meet the mandates established by the EPA, unless such blending obligations are waived by the EPA. CVR Energy’s obligated-party subsidiaries are exposed to market risk related to volatility in the price of RINs needed to comply with the Renewable Fuel Standards. See Note 19, “Commitments and Contingencies,” to the consolidated financial statements for further discussion about compliance with the Renewable Fuel Standards.
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