Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Foreign currency exchange rate risk
We have foreign-based operations, primarily in Europe, South America and Asia, which accounted for approximately 23 percent of our net sales in the first six months of 2024. We have designated the local currency as the functional currency of our significant operations outside of the U.S. The primary currencies for which we have exchange rate exposure are the U.S. dollar versus the euro, the Japanese yen, the pound sterling, and the Chinese renminbi. In addition, certain of our domestic operations have sales to foreign customers. In the conduct of our foreign operations, we also make inter-company sales. All of this exposes us to the effect of changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Our earnings are therefore subject to change due to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates when the earnings in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars. In some cases, to minimize the effects of such fluctuations, we use foreign exchange forward contracts to hedge firm and highly anticipated foreign currency cash flows. Our largest exposures are to the Chinese renminbi and the euro. A hypothetical 10 percent adverse change, excluding the impact of any hedging instruments, in the average Chinese renminbi and euro to U.S. dollar exchange rates during the six months ended June 30, 2024, would have decreased our net sales and income before income taxes by approximately $7.9 million or one percent, and $2.7 million or one percent, respectively. Comparatively, a hypothetical 10 percent adverse change, excluding the impact of any hedging instruments, in the average Chinese renminbi and euro to U.S. dollar exchange rates during the six months ended June 30, 2023, would have decreased our net sales and income before income taxes by approximately $7.9 million or two percent, and $2.1 million or three percent, respectively.
Interest rate risk
As of June 30, 2024, approximately $852.9 million of our borrowings include a variable interest rate component. As a result, we are subject to interest rate risk with respect to such floating-rate debt. A hypothetical 100 basis point increase in the variable interest rate component of our borrowings for the six months ended June 30, 2024, would have increased our annual interest expense by approximately $8.5 million or ten percent. Comparatively, a 100 basis point increase in the variable interest rate component of our borrowings for the six months ended June 30, 2023, would have increased our interest expense by approximately $8.8 million or ten percent.
Commodity price risk
A portion of our manufacturing costs includes purchased raw materials, which are commodities whose prices fluctuate as market supply and demand fundamentals change. Accordingly, product margins and the level of our profitability tend to fluctuate with the changes in these commodity prices.
Crude tall oil price risk
Our results of operations are directly affected by the cost of our raw materials, particularly CTO, which, excluding CTO resales, represented 16 percent and 24 percent of our condensed consolidated cost of sales for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and June 30, 2023, respectively. Raw material CTO spend was approximately $55 million and $111 million, excluding CTO resales, during the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, respectively. Comparatively, total raw material CTO spend was approximately $97 million and $140 million during the three and six months ended June 30, 2023, respectively. Pricing for CTO is driven by the limited supply of the product and competing demands for its use, both of which drive pressure on its price. Our gross profit and margins have been and could continue to be adversely affected by increases in the cost of CTO
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if we are unable to pass the increases on to our customers. Based on average pricing during the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, a hypothetical unhedged, unfavorable 10 percent increase in the market price for CTO would have increased our spend by approximately $5.5 million and $11.1 million, respectively, which we may not have been able to pass on to our customers. Comparatively, based on average pricing during the three and six months ended June 30, 2023, a hypothetical unhedged, unfavorable 10 percent increase in the market price for CTO would have increased our spend by approximately $9.7 million and $14.0 million, respectively.
Other market risks
Information about our other remaining market risks for the period ended June 30, 2024, does not differ materially from that discussed under Part II, Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk of our 2023 Annual Report.