Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
In the normal course of business, our financial position is routinely subject to a variety of risks, including market risks associated with interest rate and foreign currency movements on outstanding debt and non-U.S. dollar denominated assets and liabilities and commodity price movements. We utilize established risk management policies and procedures in executing derivative financial instrument transactions to manage a portion of these risks.
We do not execute transactions or hold derivative financial instruments for trading or speculative purposes. Substantially all counterparties to derivative financial instruments are limited to major financial institutions with at least an A/A2 credit rating. There is no significant concentration of exposures with any one counterparty.
Foreign Currency Exposures
As part of managing the exposure to changes in foreign currency exchange rates, we utilize cross-currency swap contracts and foreign currency forward contracts, a portion of which are designated as cash flow hedges. The objective of these contracts is to minimize impacts to cash flows and profitability due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates on intercompany and other cash transactions. In addition, we utilize cross-currency swap contracts to hedge our net investment in certain foreign operations. A 10% appreciation or depreciation of the underlying currency in our cross-currency swap contracts or foreign currency forward contracts from the fiscal year end 2020 market rates would have changed the unrealized value of our contracts by $265 million. A 10% appreciation or depreciation of the underlying currency in our cross-currency swap contracts or foreign currency forward contracts from the fiscal year end 2019 market rates would have changed the unrealized value of our contracts by $282 million. Such gains or losses on these contracts would generally be offset by the losses or gains on the revaluation or settlement of the underlying transactions.
Interest Rate and Investment Exposures
We issue debt, as needed, to fund our operations and capital requirements. Such borrowings can result in interest rate exposure. To manage the interest rate exposure, we use interest rate swap contracts to convert a portion of fixed rate debt into variable rate debt. Based on our floating rate debt balances at fiscal year end 2020 and 2019, a 50-basis-point increase in the levels of the U.S. dollar interest rates, with all other variables held constant, would have resulted in an immaterial increase in interest expense in both fiscal 2020 and 2019.
We may use forward starting interest rate swap contracts to manage interest rate exposure in periods prior to the anticipated issuance of fixed rate debt. At fiscal year end 2020 and 2019, we had forward starting interest rate swap contracts which had an aggregate notional value of $450 million and $350 million, respectively, and were designated as cash flow hedges.
We utilize investment swap contracts to manage earnings exposure on certain nonqualified deferred compensation liabilities.
Commodity Exposures
Our worldwide operations and product lines may expose us to risks from fluctuations in commodity prices. To limit the effects of fluctuations in the future market price paid and related volatility in cash flows, we utilize commodity swap contracts designated as cash flow hedges. We continually evaluate the commodity market with respect to our forecasted usage requirements over the next eighteen months and periodically enter into commodity swap contracts to hedge a portion of usage requirements over that period. At fiscal year end 2020, our commodity hedges, which related primarily to expected purchases of gold, silver, and copper, were in a net gain position of $41 million and had a notional value of $312 million. At fiscal year end 2019, our commodity hedges, which related to expected purchases of gold, silver, and copper, were in a net gain position of $1 million and had a notional value of $316 million. A 10% appreciation or depreciation of commodity prices from the fiscal year end 2020 prices would have changed the unrealized value of our forward contracts by $35 million. A 10% appreciation or depreciation of commodity prices from the fiscal year end 2019 prices would have changed the unrealized value of our forward contracts by $32 million.
See Note 14 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding financial instruments.
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