DIS » Topics » ITEM 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

This excerpt taken from the DIS 10-K filed Dec 2, 2009.

ITEM 7A.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

The Company is exposed to the impact of interest rate changes, foreign currency fluctuations, commodity fluctuations and changes in the market values of its investments.

Policies and Procedures

In the normal course of business, we employ established policies and procedures to manage the Company’s exposure to changes in interest rates, foreign currencies, commodities, and the fair market value of certain investments in debt and equity securities using a variety of financial instruments.

Our objectives in managing exposure to interest rate changes are to limit the impact of interest rate volatility on earnings and cash flows and to lower overall borrowing costs. To achieve these objectives, we primarily use interest rate swaps to manage net exposure to interest rate changes related to the Company’s portfolio of borrowings. By policy, the Company targets fixed-rate debt as a percentage of its net debt between minimum and maximum percentages.

Our objective in managing exposure to foreign currency fluctuations is to reduce volatility of earnings and cash flow in order to allow management to focus on core business issues and challenges. Accordingly, the Company enters into various contracts that change in value as foreign exchange rates change to protect the U.S. dollar equivalent value of its existing foreign currency assets, liabilities, commitments, and forecasted foreign currency revenues and expenses. The Company utilizes option strategies and forward contracts that provide for the purchase or sale of foreign currencies to hedge probable, but not firmly committed, transactions. The Company also uses forward and option contracts to hedge foreign currency assets and liabilities. The principal foreign currencies hedged are the Euro, British pound, Japanese yen, and Canadian dollar. Cross-currency swaps are used to effectively convert foreign currency denominated borrowings to U.S. dollar denominated borrowings. By policy, the Company maintains hedge coverage between minimum and maximum percentages of its forecasted foreign exchange exposures generally for periods not to exceed four years. The gains and losses on these contracts offset changes in the U.S. dollar equivalent value of the related exposures.

Our objectives in managing exposure to commodity fluctuations are to use commodity derivatives to reduce volatility of earnings and cash flows arising from commodity price changes. The amounts hedged using commodity swap contracts are based on forecasted levels of consumption of certain commodities, such as fuel oil and gasoline.

It is the Company’s policy to enter into foreign currency and interest rate derivative transactions and other financial instruments only to the extent considered necessary to meet its objectives as stated above. The Company does not enter into these transactions or any other hedging transactions for speculative purposes.

Value at Risk (VAR)

The Company utilizes a VAR model to estimate the maximum potential one-day loss in the fair value of its interest rate, foreign exchange, and market sensitive equity financial instruments. The VAR model estimates were made assuming normal market conditions and a 95% confidence level. Various modeling techniques can be used in a VAR computation. The Company’s computations are based on the interrelationships between movements in various interest rates, currencies, and equity prices (a variance/co-variance technique). These interrelationships were determined by observing interest rate, foreign currency, and equity market changes over the preceding quarter for the calculation of VAR amounts at fiscal year end. The model includes all of the Company’s debt as well as all interest rate and foreign exchange derivative contracts and market sensitive equity investments. Forecasted transactions, firm commitments, and receivables and accounts payable denominated in foreign currencies, which certain of these instruments are intended to hedge, were excluded from the model.

The VAR model is a risk analysis tool and does not purport to represent actual losses in fair value that will be incurred by the Company, nor does it consider the potential effect of favorable changes in market factors.

VAR on a combined basis decreased to $34 million at October 3, 2009 from $68 million at September 27, 2008. The decrease was primarily due to increased diversification benefits across financial instruments and lower volatility of interest rates and foreign exchange rates.

 

52


Table of Contents

The estimated maximum potential one-day loss in fair value, calculated using the VAR model, is as follows (unaudited, in millions):

 

Fiscal Year 2009

   Interest Rate
Sensitive
Financial
  Instruments  
   Currency
Sensitive
Financial
  Instruments  
   Equity Sensitive
Financial
  Instruments  
     Combined  
Portfolio

Year end VAR

     $   24          $   19          $   0          $ 34    

Average VAR

     $ 52          $ 23          $ 1          $ 66    

Highest VAR

     $ 86          $ 33          $ 1          $   100    

Lowest VAR

     $ 24          $ 19          $ 0          $ 34    

Beginning of year VAR (year end fiscal 2008)

     $ 53          $ 24          $ 1          $ 68    

The VAR for Euro Disney and Hong Kong Disneyland is immaterial as of October 3, 2009 and accordingly, has been excluded from the above table.

This excerpt taken from the DIS 10-K filed Nov 20, 2008.

ITEM 7A.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

The Company is exposed to the impact of interest rate changes, foreign currency fluctuations, commodity fluctuations and changes in the market values of its investments.

Policies and Procedures

In the normal course of business, we employ established policies and procedures to manage the Company’s exposure to changes in interest rates, foreign currencies, commodities, and the fair market value of certain investments in debt and equity securities using a variety of financial instruments.

Our objectives in managing exposure to interest rate changes are to limit the impact of interest rate volatility on earnings and cash flows and to lower overall borrowing costs. To achieve these objectives, we primarily use interest rate swaps to manage net exposure to interest rate changes related to the Company’s portfolio of borrowings. By policy, the Company targets fixed-rate debt as a percentage of its net debt between minimum and maximum percentages.

Our objective in managing exposure to foreign currency fluctuations is to reduce volatility of earnings and cash flow in order to allow management to focus on core business issues and challenges. Accordingly, the Company enters into various contracts that change in value as foreign exchange rates change to protect the U.S. dollar equivalent value of its existing foreign currency assets, liabilities, commitments, and forecasted foreign currency revenues. The Company

 

50


Table of Contents

utilizes option strategies and forward contracts that provide for the sale of foreign currencies to hedge probable, but not firmly committed, transactions. The Company also uses forward contracts to hedge foreign currency assets and liabilities. The principal foreign currencies hedged are the Euro, British pound, Japanese yen, and Canadian dollar. Cross-currency swaps are used to effectively convert foreign currency denominated borrowings to U.S. dollar denominated borrowings. By policy, the Company maintains hedge coverage between minimum and maximum percentages of its forecasted foreign exchange exposures generally for periods not to exceed five years. The gains and losses on these contracts offset changes in the U.S. dollar equivalent value of the related exposures.

Our objectives in managing exposure to commodity fluctuations are to use commodity derivatives to reduce volatility of earnings and cash flows arising from commodity price changes. The amounts hedged using commodity swap contracts are based on forecasted levels of consumption of certain commodities, such as fuel oil and gasoline.

It is the Company’s policy to enter into foreign currency and interest rate derivative transactions and other financial instruments only to the extent considered necessary to meet its objectives as stated above. The Company does not enter into these transactions or any other hedging transactions for speculative purposes.

Value at Risk (VAR)

The Company utilizes a VAR model to estimate the maximum potential one-day loss in the fair value of its interest rate, foreign exchange, and market sensitive equity financial instruments. The VAR model estimates were made assuming normal market conditions and a 95% confidence level. Various modeling techniques can be used in a VAR computation. The Company’s computations are based on the interrelationships between movements in various interest rates, currencies, and equity prices (a variance/co-variance technique). These interrelationships were determined by observing interest rate, foreign currency, and equity market changes over the preceding quarter for the calculation of VAR amounts at fiscal year end. The model includes all of the Company’s debt as well as all interest rate and foreign exchange derivative contracts and market sensitive equity investments. Forecasted transactions, firm commitments, and receivables and accounts payable denominated in foreign currencies, which certain of these instruments are intended to hedge, were excluded from the model.

The VAR model is a risk analysis tool and does not purport to represent actual losses in fair value that will be incurred by the Company, nor does it consider the potential effect of favorable changes in market factors.

VAR on a combined basis increased to $79 million at September 27, 2008 from $33 million at September 29, 2007. The increase was primarily due to higher volatility of interest rates and foreign exchange rates and reduced correlation benefits across financial instruments.

The estimated maximum potential one-day loss in fair value, calculated using the VAR model, is as follows (unaudited, in millions):

 

Fiscal Year 2008

   Interest Rate
Sensitive
Financial
  Instruments  
   Currency
Sensitive
Financial
  Instruments  
   Equity Sensitive
Financial
  Instruments  
     Combined  
Portfolio

Year end VAR

     $   53          $   49          $   1          $   79    

Average VAR

     $ 40          $ 29          $ 1          $ 51    

Highest VAR

     $ 53          $ 49          $ 1          $ 79    

Lowest VAR

     $ 34          $ 11          $ 1          $ 33    

Beginning of year VAR (year end fiscal 2007)

     $ 26          $ 17          $ 1          $ 33    

The VAR for Euro Disney and Hong Kong Disneyland is immaterial as of September 27, 2008 and accordingly, has been excluded from the above table.

This excerpt taken from the DIS 10-K filed Nov 21, 2007.

ITEM 7A.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

The Company is exposed to the impact of interest rate changes, foreign currency fluctuations, and changes in the market values of its investments.

Policies and Procedures

In the normal course of business, we employ established policies and procedures to manage the Company’s exposure to changes in interest rates, foreign currencies, and the fair market value of certain investments in debt and equity securities using a variety of financial instruments.

Our objectives in managing exposure to interest rate changes are to limit the impact of interest rate volatility on earnings and cash flows and to lower overall borrowing costs. To achieve these objectives, we primarily use interest rate swaps to manage net exposure to interest rate changes related to the Company’s portfolio of borrowings. By policy, the Company maintains fixed-rate debt as a percentage of its net debt between minimum and maximum percentages.

Our objective in managing exposure to foreign currency fluctuations is to reduce volatility of earnings and cash flow in order to allow management to focus on core business issues and challenges. Accordingly, the Company enters into various contracts that change in value as foreign exchange rates change to protect the U.S. dollar equivalent value of its existing foreign currency assets, liabilities, commitments, and forecasted foreign currency revenues. The Company utilizes option strategies and forward contracts that provide for the sale of foreign currencies to hedge probable, but not firmly committed, transactions. The Company also uses forward contracts to hedge foreign currency assets and liabilities. The principal foreign currencies hedged are the Euro, British pound, Japanese yen, and Canadian

 

51


Table of Contents

dollar. Cross-currency swaps are used to effectively convert foreign currency denominated borrowings to U.S. dollar denominated borrowings. By policy, the Company maintains hedge coverage between minimum and maximum percentages of its forecasted foreign exchange exposures generally for periods not to exceed five years. The gains and losses on these contracts offset changes in the U.S. dollar equivalent value of the related exposures.

It is the Company’s policy to enter into foreign currency and interest rate derivative transactions and other financial instruments only to the extent considered necessary to meet its objectives as stated above. The Company does not enter into these transactions or any other hedging transactions for speculative purposes.

Value at Risk (VAR)

The Company utilizes a VAR model to estimate the maximum potential one-day loss in the fair value of its interest rate, foreign exchange, and market sensitive equity financial instruments. The VAR model estimates were made assuming normal market conditions and a 95% confidence level. Various modeling techniques can be used in a VAR computation. The Company’s computations are based on the interrelationships between movements in various interest rates, currencies, and equity prices (a variance/co-variance technique). These interrelationships were determined by observing interest rate, foreign currency, and equity market changes over the preceding quarter for the calculation of VAR amounts at fiscal 2007 year end. The model includes all of the Company’s debt as well as all interest rate and foreign exchange derivative contracts and market sensitive equity investments. Forecasted transactions, firm commitments, and receivables and accounts payable denominated in foreign currencies, which certain of these instruments are intended to hedge, were excluded from the model.

The VAR model is a risk analysis tool and does not purport to represent actual losses in fair value that will be incurred by the Company, nor does it consider the potential effect of favorable changes in market factors.

VAR on a combined basis increased to $33 million at September 29, 2007 from $21 million at September 30, 2006. The increase was primarily due to higher volatility and a higher market value of currency-sensitive instruments.

The estimated maximum potential one-day loss in fair value, calculated using the VAR model, is as follows (unaudited, in millions):

 

Fiscal Year 2007

  

Interest Rate

Sensitive

Financial

  Instruments  

  

Currency

Sensitive

Financial

  Instruments  

  

Equity Sensitive

Financial

  Instruments  

  

  Combined  

Portfolio

Year end VAR

     $   26          $ 17          $ 1          $   33    

Average VAR

     $ 17          $ 14          $ 1          $ 23    

Highest VAR

     $ 26          $ 17          $ 1          $ 33    

Lowest VAR

     $ 12          $ 12          $ 1          $ 18    

Beginning of year VAR (year end fiscal 2006)

     $ 22          $   10          $   1          $ 21    

The VAR for Euro Disney and Hong Kong Disneyland is immaterial as of September 29, 2007. In calculating the VAR it was determined that credit risks are the primary driver for changes in the value of Euro Disney’s debt rather than interest rate risks. Accordingly, we have excluded Euro Disney’s borrowings from the above VAR calculation.

Wikinvest © 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. Use of this site is subject to express Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimer. By continuing past this page, you agree to abide by these terms. Any information provided by Wikinvest, including but not limited to company data, competitors, business analysis, market share, sales revenues and other operating metrics, earnings call analysis, conference call transcripts, industry information, or price targets should not be construed as research, trading tips or recommendations, or investment advice and is provided with no warrants as to its accuracy. Stock market data, including US and International equity symbols, stock quotes, share prices, earnings ratios, and other fundamental data is provided by data partners. Stock market quotes delayed at least 15 minutes for NASDAQ, 20 mins for NYSE and AMEX. Market data by Xignite. See data providers for more details. Company names, products, services and branding cited herein may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The use of trademarks or service marks of another is not a representation that the other is affiliated with, sponsors, is sponsored by, endorses, or is endorsed by Wikinvest.
Powered by MediaWiki