HEDGING NON- TRADING TRANSACTIONS

SSAP20 allows a company that has a trading transaction covered by a related or matching forward contract to translate the trading transaction at the rate implied by the contract .But companies often use forward currency contracts to hedge the exchange risk inherent in non-trading transactions involving foreign currencies. For example, a company may use a forward contract to fix, in sterling terms, the amount it will have to pay for a fixed asset, or the amount it will receive when a loan is repaid.

And companies do not only use forward contracts to hedge exchange risks – they may use exchange-traded currency futures, or currency options or currency swaps.
SSAP20 does not spell out how companies should account for the transaction, and the associated derivative contract, in such circumstances. But in practice many companies interpret ‘trading transaction’ broadly. Where a forward contract has been taken out specifically to hedge a particular foreign currency asset or liability, it is usual for a company to account for that asset or liability at the rate implied by the forward contract.

For Example: Uzubay plc makes a loan to a subsidiary of €2 million, repayable in 12 months. At the same time, it contracts with its bank to sell €2 million for £1,230,000 in 12 months’ time. Thus the company has no real exposure to euro/sterling exchange rates: whatever the exchange rate does, it will receive £1,230,000 when the loan matures. The company is likely to translate the loan at the rate implied by the forward contract, showing it at £1,230,000 throughout, and not recognizing any exchange differences.

In the above example, the company might use a euro/sterling currency swap to hedge the loan instead of a currency forward. Most companies will, in such circumstances, use the rate implied by the currency swap to account for the loan, in a precisely similar way.

Currency options – although they can be used as a hedge – are different. It would be misleading to translate an asset or liability at the rate implied by a currency option (the strike price), because the company is under no obligation to exercise the option. The currency option and any related transaction, asset or liability will be accounted for separately

HEDGING EXAMPLE USING SEPARATE EXCHANGE RATES

For Example:

The facts are as in previous example, except that the company accounts for the purchase and the forward currency contract separately. The exchange rate at 31 March is NOK 13.00/£.

The NOK 1 million debts that the company incurs on 2 January is valued at £80,000 on that date, but it only costs the company £78,125 to settle it on 31 March. An exchange gain of £1,875 therefore arises.

The company has contracted to buy NOK 1 million for £78,125 on 31 March, but at that date the currency is only worth £76,923 at spot rates. A loss of £1,202 arises on the forward contract.

HEDGING EXAMPLE USING A FORWARD CONTRACT EXCHANGE RATE

For Example:

Tennspo Ltd buys goods from a Norwegian supplier on 2 January 2005 for Norwegian krone (NOK) 1 million. The NOK 1 million is payable on 31 March 2005. At 2 January, the exchange rate is NOK 12.50/£.

On 2 January, the company enters into a forward contract to buy NOK 1 million, for delivery on 31 March, at a forward rate of NOK 12.80/£. It therefore knows that, whatever the spot rate on 31 March, it is going to have to pay £78,125 to settle the liability.

The most usual accounting treatment would be for the company to record the purchase at a rate of NOK 12.80/£, i.e. to show the goods as purchased for £78,125. Thus no exchange differences are recorded, either on the purchase or on the forward contract used to hedge it.

HEDGING WITH A FORWARD CONTRACT

Transactions covered by a matching forward contract

If a trading transaction is covered by a forward foreign exchange contract so that the company knows how much in sterling terms it will pay or receive, SSAP permits the company to translate the transaction at the exchange rate implied in the contract.

While SSAP20 permits this treatment, it does not require it, and the company could record the purchase and the forward contract as two separate transactions.

While either treatment accords with UK GAAP, the first treatment is more common in practice. Assuming that the company entered into the currency contract specifically to hedge the purchase, the first treatment better reflects the underlying economic reality – the company was never really exposed to fluctuations in exchange rates.

Exchange rates fixed by a contract

Where a company contracts to settle a transaction at a particular rate of exchange, the exchange rate fixed by the contract must be used to record the transaction.
For Example: In 2005, Selvakan Ltd buys a computer system from a US manufacturer for $800,000. The contract specifies an advance payment of $50,000, a further $400,000 to be paid on delivery and the balance when the system has been successfully installed. All payments are to be made at an exchange rate of $1.55/£. The company acquires the computer system on 1 March 2005.

The company will record the purchase of the computer system at the contracted rate of $1.55/£ (i.e. at a cost of £516,130), regardless of the spot rate at 1 March. It will translate the payment of each installment of the purchase price at the same rate. Thus no exchange differences will arise. Even if some of the price remains unpaid at 31 December 2005, the liability will be translated at the contracted rate.

This treatment reflects the economic reality – the company is going to have to pay precisely £516,130 for the computer system, irrespective of how exchange rates move.

Recognition and the accruals concept

Reporting exchange gains and losses: the accruals concept

It might be argued that you shouldn't recognize exchange gains and losses in the profit and loss account until they are realized, or that you should recognize losses but not profits.

This is more of a problem with long-term than with short-term items.

In addition, there is a link between exchange rates and interest rates. A company that borrows in Euros will pay a different rate of interest from one that borrows in sterling. Thus if a company included foreign currency interest that it pays (or receives on a loan or deposit) in the profit and loss account without including exchange gains or losses on the principal sum, its accounts would reflect only part of its economic situation.

If, however, there are doubts about the convertibility or marketability of the currency - for example, if a company has made a loan in a currency that is subject to exchange controls - prudence wins out over the accruals concept. The company can decide to restrict the exchange gains it recognizes in the profit and loss account.

Recognition of unrealized exchange gains and losses on long-term monetary items means that in some cases a company's profits might vary considerably from year to year because of exchange rate fluctuations alone. This is one reason why many companies hedge foreign exchange risks

Recognition of translation gains and losses

Reporting exchange gains and losses

SSAP20 provides that Exchange differences arising on translating monetary items are generally recognized in the Profit and loss account. You will normally find exchange gains and losses arising from trading transactions (such as the £10 loss in the example, and the £150 profit in the first example under ‘other operating income or expense’. Gains or losses from financing arrangements (such as the £10,000 exchange loss on the bank borrowing in the first example) will normally come under ‘other interest receivable (payable) and similar income (expense)’. There is no requirement for the company to disclose in its statutory accounts what exchange differences are contained within these items. However, where a company submits a detailed profit and loss account with its corporation tax return, exchange differences will usually be separately identified.

This means that the company will recognize, as part of its normal operating profit, not only gains or losses on settled transactions but also gains and losses on unsettled items. It could be argued that it is not prudent to recognize exchange gains before they have actually been realized.

There are two exceptions to this general rule that exchange gains and losses form part of normal operating profits:

· Where there are doubts about the convertibility of the currency

· Where a long-term liability (or a currency contract) hedges the company’s investment in a foreign entity

Translating monetary and non-monetary items

Monetary assets and liabilities
Where monetary items, such as debtors, trade creditors or long-term loans, remain outstanding at the balance sheet date, they are translated at the closing rate.

For Example: On 5 November 2004, Selvakan Ltd sold goods to a French customer for €5,000. The exchange rate on that date was £0.62/€, so the company records the sale at £3,100. At the accounting date, 31 December 2004, the debt has not yet been paid. The exchange rate on 31 December is £0.65/€. The company translates the trade debt at the closing rate, so it appears in the balance sheet as £3,250. The company will report an exchange profit of £150.
In 2003, Selvakan Ltd borrowed €200,000 from a bank for five years. In the company’s accounts to 31 December 2003, the loan was translated at the closing rate of £0.60/€, i.e. to £120,000. In its 2004 accounts, Selvakan Ltd must re-translate the loan to the 31 December 2004 rate, so it appears on the balance sheet at £130,000. The company reports an exchange loss of £10,000.

Non-monetary assets

Non-monetary assets are translated at the historical rate of exchange when they were acquired, and are not re-translated.

For Example: On 1 April 2004, when the exchange rate is £0.58/€, Selvakan Ltd buys a lease on an office in France for €500,000. It records the asset at £290,000. The cost of the lease is shown in the company’s balance sheet at 31 December 2004, and subsequent balance sheets, as £290,000. Amortization of the lease charged in the accounts is also based on £290,000.

Meaning of Transactions

A transaction, such as a sale or a purchase, is translated at the rate of exchange in operation at the date of the transaction.

For Example: Selvakan Ltd, a manufacturing company which draws up accounts to 31 December, purchased raw materials from a French supplier for €1,000. It recorded the transaction on 1 June 2004, the date of the supplier’s invoice. On that date, the exchange rate was £0.59/€. It therefore recorded the purchase price as £590.

On 28 June 2004 the company sent a draft for €1,000 to the supplier. The exchange rate on that date was £0.61/€. Thus the company records a payment of £610 – it has made an exchange loss of £20.

As an approximation to translating transactions at the spot rate for each day, the company can use an average rate of exchange provided that the currency in question does not fluctuate significantly. For example, a shop selling tourist souvenirs, which accepts large numbers of cash payments in dollars and euros, might translate foreign currency sales at an average exchange rate for the week, or the month. However, it wouldn’t be appropriate for a company which has a small number of high value foreign currency transactions to use an average exchange rate. This would not give a reasonable approximation to using the spot rate for the day of each individual transaction.

Meaning of Branch:

‘Foreign branch’ tends to summon up a picture of an office or factory located in an overseas territory, conducting its own operations with its own staff. But SSAP20 defines branch more widely than this. For example, a shipping company might account for an individual ship, and all the receipts and expenses associated with that ship, as a branch, where the ‘part business’ represented by the ship operates in a foreign currency.

SSAP20 BASIC PRINCIPLES

Translating transactions

The basic principles for translating foreign currency items in an individual company’s accounts are set out in SSAP20.