Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK.
We are subject to overall financial market risks, such as changes in market liquidity, credit quality, investment risk, interest rate risk, and foreign exchange rate risk as described below.
Investment and Interest Rate Risk
Our exposure to interest rate and general market risks relates to our investment portfolio. Our investment portfolio consists of cash and cash equivalents (money market funds, corporate bonds and notes, and U.S. Treasury and government securities purchased with less than ninety days until maturity) that total approximately $1,368.6 million, and marketable securities (U.S. Treasury and government securities, corporate bonds and notes, and municipal bonds) that total approximately $194.1 million and $11.4 million within short-term and long-term marketable securities, respectively, as of September 27, 2024.
The main objectives of our investment activities are liquidity and preservation of capital. Our cash equivalent investments have short-term maturity periods that dampen the impact of market or interest rate risk. Our marketable securities have short-term maturity periods less than one year. Credit risk associated with our investments is not material because our investments are diversified across several types of securities with high credit ratings, which reduces the amount of credit exposure to any one investment.
Based on our results of operations for the fiscal year ended September 27, 2024, a hypothetical reduction in the interest rates on our cash, cash equivalents, and other investments to zero would result in an immaterial reduction of interest income with a de minimis impact on income before taxes.
We do not believe that investment or interest rate risks currently pose material exposures to our business or results of operations.
Foreign Exchange Rate Risk
Substantially all sales to customers and arrangements with third-party manufacturers provide for pricing and payment in United States dollars, thereby reducing the impact of foreign exchange rate fluctuations on our results. A percentage of our international operational expenses are denominated in foreign currencies, and exchange rate volatility could positively or negatively impact those operating costs. For the fiscal years ended September 27, 2024, September 29, 2023, and September 30, 2022, we had foreign exchange losses of $5.2 million, foreign exchange gains of $1.7 million, and foreign exchange losses of $1.4 million, respectively. Increases in the value of the United States dollar relative to other currencies could make our products more expensive, which could negatively impact our ability to compete. Conversely, decreases in the value of the United States dollar relative to other currencies could result in our suppliers raising their prices to continue doing business with us. Given the relatively small number of customers and arrangements with third-party manufacturers denominated in foreign currencies, we do not believe that foreign exchange volatility has a material impact on our current business or results of operations. However, fluctuations in currency exchange rates could have a greater effect on our business or results of operations in the future to the extent our expenses increasingly become denominated in foreign currencies.
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We may enter into foreign currency forward and options contracts with financial institutions to protect against foreign exchange risks associated with certain existing assets and liabilities, certain firmly committed transactions, forecasted future cash flows, and net investments in foreign subsidiaries. However, we may choose not to hedge certain foreign exchange exposures for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, accounting considerations and the prohibitive economic cost of hedging particular exposures. As of September 27, 2024, we had not entered into any outstanding foreign currency forward or options contracts with financial institutions.
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