Nike (NKE)

Managing translational exposures

To minimize the impact of translating foreign currency denominated revenues and expenses into U.S. dollars for consolidated reporting, certain foreign subsidiaries use excess cash to purchase U.S. dollar denominated available-for-sale investments. The variable future cash flows associated with the purchase and subsequent sale of these U.S. dollar denominated securities at non-U.S. dollar functional currency subsidiaries creates a foreign currency exposure that qualifies for hedge accounting under FAS 133. We utilize forward contracts and options to partially, or entirely, hedge the variability of the forecasted future purchases and sales of these U.S. dollar investments. This has the effect of partially offsetting the year-over-year foreign currency translation impact on net earnings in the period the investments are sold. Hedges of available-for-sale investments are accounted for as cash flow hedges. The fair value of instruments used in this manner at May 31, 2009 and 2008 was $103.6 million and $7.8 million in assets and $0 and $14.4 million in liabilities, respectively. The effective portion of the changes in fair value of these instruments is reported in OCI and reclassified into earnings in other (income) expense, net in the period during which the hedged available-for-sale investment is sold and affects earnings. Any ineffective portion, which was not material for any year presented, is immediately recognized in earnings as a component of other (income) expense, net.

For fiscal 2009, we estimate that the combination of foreign currency conversion gains in other (income) expense, net and the modestly favorable translation of foreign currency-denominated profits from our international businesses resulted in a year-over-year increase in consolidated income before income taxes of approximately $124 million.

Refer to Note 18 — Risk Management and Derivatives in the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements for additional quantitative detail.