NETSCOUT SYSTEMS INC 10-K

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk Interest Rate Risk . We hold our cash, cash equivalents and investments for working capital purposes. Some of the securities we invest in are subject to market risk. This means that a change in prevailing interest rates may cause the principal amount of the investment to fluctuate. To minimize this risk, we maintain our portfolio of cash, cash equivalents and investments in a variety of securities, including money market funds and government debt securities. The risk associated with fluctuating interest rates is limited to our investment portfolio. Due to the short-term nature of these instruments, we believe that we do not have any material exposure to changes in the fair value of our investment portfolio as a result of changes in interest rates. Declines in interest rates, however, would reduce future interest income. The effect of a hypothetical 10% increase or decrease in overall interest rates would not have had a material impact on our operating results or the total fair value of the portfolio. We are exposed to market risks related to fluctuations in interest rates related to our credit facility. At March 31, 2023, we owed $100 million on this loan with an interest rate of 5.91%. A sensitivity analysis was performed on the outstanding portion of our debt obligation as of March 31, 2023. Should the current weighted average interest rate increase or decrease by 10%, the resulting annual increase or decrease to interest expense would be approximately $591 thousand as of March 31, 2023. Credit Risk . Our cash equivalents and marketable securities consist primarily of U.S government and municipal obligations, commercial pap er, corporate bonds, certificate o f deposits, and money market instruments. At March 31, 2023 and periodically throughout the year, we have maintained cash balances in various operating accounts in excess of federally insured limits. We limit the amount of credit exposure with any one financial institution by evaluating the creditworthiness of the financial institutions with which we invest. Foreign Currency Exchange Risk . As a result of our foreign operations, we face exposure to movements in foreign currency exchange rates, primarily the Euro, British Pound, Canadian Dollar and Indian Rupee. The current exposures arise primarily from expenses denominated in foreign currencies. We currently engage in foreign currency hedging activities in order to limit these exposures. We do not use derivative financial instruments for speculative trading purposes. At March 31, 2023, we had foreign currency forward contracts designated as hedging instruments with notional amounts totaling $10.3 million and foreign currency forward contracts not designated as hedging instruments with a notional amount of $6.0 million. The valuation of outstanding foreign currency forward contracts (both designated and not designated as hedging instruments) at March 31, 2023 resulted in a liability balance of $49 thousand, reflecting unfavorable contract rates in comparison to current market rates at this date and an asset balance of $59 thousand, reflecting favorable rates in comparison to current market rates. At March 31, 2022, we had foreign currency forward contracts designated as hedging instruments with notional amounts totaling $5.6 million. The valuation of outstanding foreign currency forward contracts at March 31, 2022 resulted in a liability balance of $78 thousand, reflecting unfavorable contract rates in comparison to current market rates and an asset balance of $20 thousand, reflecting favorable rates in comparison to current market rates at this date. The effect of a hypothetical 10% change in foreign currency exchange rates applicable to our business would not have a material impact on our historical consolidated financial statements. As our international operations grow, we will continue to reassess our approach to manage our risk relating to fluctuations in currency rates. 50 Table of Contents