Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Market risk represents the risk of loss that may impact the consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows of the Company. The Company is exposed to market risk associated with changes in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates. The Company believes it has moderate exposure to these risks. The Company assesses market risk based on changes in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates utilizing a sensitivity analysis that measures the potential loss in earnings and cash flows based on a hypothetical 10% or 100 basis point change in these rates.
The Company’s functional currency is the U.S. dollar. The Company has foreign operations through its acquisitions, investments and strategic alliances in the U.K., Mexico, Canada, Hong Kong and China; therefore, the Company is subject to increases and decreases in its investments resulting from the impact of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. Additional transactions exposing the Company to exchange rate risk include sales, certain inventory purchases and operating expenses. Through its subsidiaries, portions of the Company’s cash, trade accounts receivable and trade accounts payable are denominated in foreign currencies. For the year ended December 31, 2023, approximately 8% of the Company’s net sales revenue was in foreign currencies, compared to 8% for the year ended December 31, 2022. These sales were primarily denominated in U.K. pounds, Euros and Canadian dollars. The Company makes most of its inventory purchases from Asia and uses the U.S. dollar for such purchases. In the Company’s consolidated statements of operations, foreign exchange gains and losses are recognized in SG&A expense. A hypothetical 10% change in exchange rates, with the U.S. dollar as the functional and reporting currency, would result in an increase of approximately $1.2 million in SG&A expenses.
The Company is a party from time to time to certain foreign exchange contracts, primarily to offset the earnings impact related to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates associated with inventory purchases denominated in foreign currencies. Fluctuations in the value of certain foreign currencies as compared to the USD may positively or negatively affect the Company’s revenues, gross margins, operating expenses, and retained earnings, all of which are expressed in USD. Where the Company deems it prudent, the Company engages in hedging programs using foreign currency forward contracts aimed at limiting the impact of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations on earnings. The Company purchases foreign currency forward contracts with terms less than 18 months to protect against currency exchange risks associated with the payment of merchandise purchases to foreign suppliers. The Company does not hedge the translation of foreign currency profits into USD, as the Company regards this as an accounting exposure rather than an economic exposure. The aggregate gross notional values of foreign exchange contracts at December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $9.8 million and $6.3 million, respectively.
The Company’s ABL Agreement and Term Loan bear interest at variable rates. The Credit Agreement provides for interest rates linked to one of the SOFR, the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Rate; therefore, the Company is subject to increases and decreases in interest expense resulting from fluctuations in interest rates. The Company entered into interest rate swap agreements in June 2019, to manage interest rate exposure in connection with its variable interest rate borrowings with an aggregate notional value of $25.0 million at December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2023, approximately $185.4 million of the Company’s debt carries a variable rate of interest, as compared to $206.3 million at December 31, 2022. The remainder of the debt at December 31, 2023 (approximately $25.0 million) carries a fixed rate of interest through the use of interest rate swaps. A hypothetical and instantaneous 100 basis point increase
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in the Company’s variable interest rates would increase interest expense by approximately $2.3 million over a twelve month period. The sensitivity analysis above assumes interest rate changes are instantaneous and parallel shifts in the yield curve occur.
Interest rate swaps expose the Company to counterparty credit risk for nonperformance. The Company manages its exposure to counterparty credit risk by dealing with counterparties who are international financial institutions with investment grade credit ratings. Although the Company’s credit risk is the replacement cost at the estimated fair value of these instruments, the Company believes that the risk of incurring credit risk losses as a result of counterparty nonperformance is remote.
The Company does not enter into derivative financial instruments for trading purposes.
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
The Company’s consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes listed in Part IV, Item 15 commencing on page F-1 are incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
None.