Foreign exchange hedge
Encyclopedia
A foreign exchange hedge (FOREX hedge) is a method used by companies to eliminate or hedge
foreign exchange risk resulting from transactions in foreign currencies (see Foreign exchange derivative
). This is done using either the cash flow
or the fair value method. The accounting rules for this are addressed by both the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
and by the US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP).
. Companies must exchange foreign currencies for home currencies when dealing with receivables, and vice versa for payables. This is done at the current exchange rate between the two countries. Foreign exchange risk is the risk that the exchange rate will change unfavorably before the currency is exchanged.
is a type of derivative
, or a financial instrument, that derives its value from an underlying asset. This concept is important and will be discussed later. Hedging is a way for a company to minimize or eliminate foreign exchange risk. Two common hedges are forwards and options
. A Forward contract
will lock in an exchange rate at which the transaction will occur in the future. An option sets a rate at which the company may choose to exchange currencies. If the current exchange rate is more favorable, then the company will not exercise this option.
yes
has issued two standards to help further explain this procedure.
The International Accounting Standards IAS 32 and 39 help to give further direction for the proper accounting of derivative financial instruments. IAS 32 defines a “financial instrument” as “any contract that gives rise to a financial asset of one entity and a financial liability or equity instrument of another entity”. Therefore, a forward contract or option would create a financial asset
for one entity and a financial liability for another. The entity required to pay the contract holds a liability, while the entity receiving the contract payment holds an asset. These would be recorded under the appropriate headings on the balance sheet
of the respective companies. IAS 39
gives further instruction, stating that the financial derivatives be recorded at fair value on the balance sheet.
IAS 39 defines two major types of hedges. The first is a cash flow hedge, defined as: “a hedge of the exposure to variability in cash flows that (i) is attributable to a particular risk associated with a recognized asset or liability or a highly probable forecast transaction, and (ii) could affect profit or loss”. In other words, a cash flow hedge is designed to eliminate the risk associated with cash transactions that can affect the amounts recorded in net income. Below is an example of a cash flow hedge for a company purchasing Inventory
items in year 1 and making the payment for them in year 2, after the exchange rate has changed.
Notice how in year 2 when the payable is paid off, the amount of cash paid is equal to the forward rate of exchange back in year 1. Any change in the forward rate, however, changes the value of the forward contract. In this example, the exchange rate climbed in both years, increasing the value of the forward contract. Since the derivative instruments are required to be recorded at fair value, these adjustments must be made to the forward contract listed on the books. The offsetting account is other comprehensive income. This process allows the gain and loss on the position to be shown in Net income
.
The second is a fair value hedge. Again, according to IAS 39 this is “a hedge of the exposure to changes in fair value of a recognized asset or liability or an unrecognized firm commitment, or an identified portion of such an asset, liability or firm commitment, that is attributable to a particular risk and could affect profit or loss”. More simply, this type of hedge would eliminate the fair value risk of assets and liabilities reported on the Balance sheet
. Since Accounts receivable
and payable
are recorded here, a fair value hedge may be used for these items. The following are the journal entries that would be made if the previous example were a fair value hedge.
Again, notice that the amounts paid are the same as in the cash flow hedge. The big difference here is that the adjustments are made directly to the assets and not to the other comprehensive income holding account. This is because this type of hedge is more concerned with the fair value of the asset or liability (in this case the account payable) than it is with the profit and loss position of the entity.
value, rather than being adjusted for fair value. The use of a hedge would cause them to be revalued as such. Remember that the value of the hedge is derived from the value of the underlying asset. The amount recorded at payment or reception would differ from the value of the derivative recorded under SFAS 133.
As illustrated above in the example, this difference between the hedge value and the asset or liability value can be effectively accounted for by using either a cash flow or a fair value hedge. Thus, two years later FASB issued SFAS 138 which amended SFAS 133 and allowed both cash flow and fair value hedges for foreign exchanges. Citing the reasons given previously, SFAS 138 required the recording of derivative assets at fair value based on the prevailing spot rate
.
Hedge (finance)
A hedge is an investment position intended to offset potential losses that may be incurred by a companion investment.A hedge can be constructed from many types of financial instruments, including stocks, exchange-traded funds, insurance, forward contracts, swaps, options, many types of...
foreign exchange risk resulting from transactions in foreign currencies (see Foreign exchange derivative
Foreign exchange derivative
A Foreign exchange derivative is a financial derivative where the underlying is a particular currency and/or its exchange rate. These instruments are used either for currency speculation and arbitrage or for hedging foreign exchange risk. For detail see:...
). This is done using either the cash flow
Cash flow hedge
A cash flow hedge is a hedge of the exposure to the variability of cash flow that# is attributable to a particular risk associated with a recognized asset or liability...
or the fair value method. The accounting rules for this are addressed by both the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
International Financial Reporting Standards
International Financial Reporting Standards are principles-based standards, interpretations and the framework adopted by the International Accounting Standards Board ....
and by the US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP).
Foreign exchange risk
When companies conduct business across borders, they must deal in foreign currenciesCurrency
In economics, currency refers to a generally accepted medium of exchange. These are usually the coins and banknotes of a particular government, which comprise the physical aspects of a nation's money supply...
. Companies must exchange foreign currencies for home currencies when dealing with receivables, and vice versa for payables. This is done at the current exchange rate between the two countries. Foreign exchange risk is the risk that the exchange rate will change unfavorably before the currency is exchanged.
Hedge
A hedgeHedge (finance)
A hedge is an investment position intended to offset potential losses that may be incurred by a companion investment.A hedge can be constructed from many types of financial instruments, including stocks, exchange-traded funds, insurance, forward contracts, swaps, options, many types of...
is a type of derivative
Derivative (finance)
A derivative instrument is a contract between two parties that specifies conditions—in particular, dates and the resulting values of the underlying variables—under which payments, or payoffs, are to be made between the parties.Under U.S...
, or a financial instrument, that derives its value from an underlying asset. This concept is important and will be discussed later. Hedging is a way for a company to minimize or eliminate foreign exchange risk. Two common hedges are forwards and options
Option (finance)
In finance, an option is a derivative financial instrument that specifies a contract between two parties for a future transaction on an asset at a reference price. The buyer of the option gains the right, but not the obligation, to engage in that transaction, while the seller incurs the...
. A Forward contract
Forward contract
In finance, a forward contract or simply a forward is a non-standardized contract between two parties to buy or sell an asset at a specified future time at a price agreed today. This is in contrast to a spot contract, which is an agreement to buy or sell an asset today. It costs nothing to enter a...
will lock in an exchange rate at which the transaction will occur in the future. An option sets a rate at which the company may choose to exchange currencies. If the current exchange rate is more favorable, then the company will not exercise this option.
yes
Under IFRS
Guidelines for accounting for financial derivatives are given under IFRS 7. Under this standard, “an entity shall group financial instruments into classes that are appropriate to the nature of the information disclosed and that take into account the characteristics of those financial instruments. An entity shall provide sufficient information to permit reconciliation to the line items presented in the balance sheet”. Derivatives should be grouped together on the balance sheet and valuation information should be disclosed in the footnotes. This seems fairly straightforward, but IASBInternational Accounting Standards Board
The International Accounting Standards Board is an independent, privately funded accounting standard-setter based in London, England.The IASB was founded on April 1, 2001 as the successor to the International Accounting Standards Committee...
has issued two standards to help further explain this procedure.
The International Accounting Standards IAS 32 and 39 help to give further direction for the proper accounting of derivative financial instruments. IAS 32 defines a “financial instrument” as “any contract that gives rise to a financial asset of one entity and a financial liability or equity instrument of another entity”. Therefore, a forward contract or option would create a financial asset
Asset
In financial accounting, assets are economic resources. Anything tangible or intangible that is capable of being owned or controlled to produce value and that is held to have positive economic value is considered an asset...
for one entity and a financial liability for another. The entity required to pay the contract holds a liability, while the entity receiving the contract payment holds an asset. These would be recorded under the appropriate headings on the balance sheet
Balance sheet
In financial accounting, a balance sheet or statement of financial position is a summary of the financial balances of a sole proprietorship, a business partnership or a company. Assets, liabilities and ownership equity are listed as of a specific date, such as the end of its financial year. A...
of the respective companies. IAS 39
IAS 39
IAS 39: Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement is a measure of instrument of the International Accounting Standards Board ....
gives further instruction, stating that the financial derivatives be recorded at fair value on the balance sheet.
IAS 39 defines two major types of hedges. The first is a cash flow hedge, defined as: “a hedge of the exposure to variability in cash flows that (i) is attributable to a particular risk associated with a recognized asset or liability or a highly probable forecast transaction, and (ii) could affect profit or loss”. In other words, a cash flow hedge is designed to eliminate the risk associated with cash transactions that can affect the amounts recorded in net income. Below is an example of a cash flow hedge for a company purchasing Inventory
Inventory
Inventory means a list compiled for some formal purpose, such as the details of an estate going to probate, or the contents of a house let furnished. This remains the prime meaning in British English...
items in year 1 and making the payment for them in year 2, after the exchange rate has changed.
| Date | Spot Rate | US $ value | Change | Fwd. Rate | US $ value | FV of contract | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/1/Y1 | $1.00 | $20,000.00 | $0.00 | $1.04 | $20,800.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 12/31/Y1 | $1.05 | $21,000.00 | $1,000.00 | $1.10 | $22,000.00 | ($1,176.36) | ($1,176.36) |
| 3/2/Y2 | $1.12 | $22,400.00 | $1,400.00 | $1.12 | $22,400.00 | ($1,600.00) | ($423.64) |
Cash Flow Hedge Example
| 12/1/Y1 | Inventory | $20,000.00 | To record purchase and A/P of 20000C | ||
| A/P | $20,000.00 | ||||
| 12/31/Y1 | Foreign Exchange Loss | $1,000.00 | To adjust value for spot of $1.05 | ||
| A/P | $1,000.00 | ||||
| AOCI | $1,000.00 | To record a gain on the forward contract | |||
| Gain on Forward Contract | $1,000.00 | ||||
| Forward Contract | $1,176.36 | To record the forward contract as an asset | |||
| AOCI | $1,176.36 | ||||
| Premium Expense | $266.67 | Allocate the fwd contract discount | |||
| AOCI | $266.67 | ||||
| 3/1/Y2 | Foreign Exchange Loss | $1,400.00 | To adjust value for spot of $1.12 | ||
| A/P | $1,400.00 | ||||
| AOCI | $1,400.00 | To record a gain on the forward cont. | |||
| Gain on Forward Contract | $1,400.00 | ||||
| Forward Contract | $423.64 | To adjust the fwd. cont. to its FV of $1600 | |||
| AOCI | $423.64 | ||||
| Premium Expense | $533.33 | To allocate the remaining fwd. cont. discount | |||
| AOCI | $533.33 | ||||
| Foreign Currency | $22,400.00 | To record the settlement of the fwd. cont. | |||
| Forward Contract | $1,600.00 | ||||
| Cash | $20,800.00 | ||||
| A/P | $22,400.00 | To record the payment of the A/P | |||
| Foreign Currency | $22,400.00 | ||||
Notice how in year 2 when the payable is paid off, the amount of cash paid is equal to the forward rate of exchange back in year 1. Any change in the forward rate, however, changes the value of the forward contract. In this example, the exchange rate climbed in both years, increasing the value of the forward contract. Since the derivative instruments are required to be recorded at fair value, these adjustments must be made to the forward contract listed on the books. The offsetting account is other comprehensive income. This process allows the gain and loss on the position to be shown in Net income
Net income
Net income is the residual income of a firm after adding total revenue and gains and subtracting all expenses and losses for the reporting period. Net income can be distributed among holders of common stock as a dividend or held by the firm as an addition to retained earnings...
.
The second is a fair value hedge. Again, according to IAS 39 this is “a hedge of the exposure to changes in fair value of a recognized asset or liability or an unrecognized firm commitment, or an identified portion of such an asset, liability or firm commitment, that is attributable to a particular risk and could affect profit or loss”. More simply, this type of hedge would eliminate the fair value risk of assets and liabilities reported on the Balance sheet
Balance sheet
In financial accounting, a balance sheet or statement of financial position is a summary of the financial balances of a sole proprietorship, a business partnership or a company. Assets, liabilities and ownership equity are listed as of a specific date, such as the end of its financial year. A...
. Since Accounts receivable
Accounts receivable
Accounts receivable also known as Debtors, is money owed to a business by its clients and shown on its Balance Sheet as an asset...
and payable
Accounts payable
Accounts payable is a file or account sub-ledger that records amounts that a person or company owes to suppliers, but has not paid yet , sometimes referred as trade payables. When an invoice is received, it is added to the file, and then removed when it is paid...
are recorded here, a fair value hedge may be used for these items. The following are the journal entries that would be made if the previous example were a fair value hedge.
Fair Value Hedge Example
| 12/1/Y1 | Inventory | $20,000.00 | to record purchase and A/P of 20000C | ||
| A/P | $20,000.00 | ||||
| 12/31/Y1 | Foreign Exchange Loss | $1,000.00 | to adjust value for S.R of $1.05 | ||
| A/P | $1,000.00 | ||||
| Forward Contract | $1,176.36 | to record forward contract at fair value | |||
| Gain on Forward Contract | $1,176.36 | ||||
| 3/1/Y2 | Foreign Exchange Loss | $1,400.00 | to adjust value for S.R. of $1.12 | ||
| A/P | $1,400.00 | ||||
| Forward Contract | $423.64 | to adjust the fwd. contract to its FV | |||
| Gain on Forward Contract | $423.64 | ||||
| Foreign Currency | $22,400.00 | to record the settlement of the fwd. cont. | |||
| Forward Contract | $1,600.00 | ||||
| Cash | $20,800.00 | ||||
| A/P | $22,400.00 | to record the payment of the A/P | |||
| Foreign Currency | $22,400.00 |
Again, notice that the amounts paid are the same as in the cash flow hedge. The big difference here is that the adjustments are made directly to the assets and not to the other comprehensive income holding account. This is because this type of hedge is more concerned with the fair value of the asset or liability (in this case the account payable) than it is with the profit and loss position of the entity.
Under US GAAP
The US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles also include instruction on accounting for derivatives. For the most part, the rules are similar to those given under IFRS. The standards that include these guidelines are SFAS 133 and 138. SFAS 133, written in 1998, stated that a “recognized asset or liability that may give rise to a foreign currency transaction gain or loss under Statement 52 (such as a foreign-currency-denominated receivable or payable) not be the hedged item in a foreign currency fair value or cash flow hedge”. Based on the language used in the statement, this was done because the FASB felt that the assets and liabilities listed on a company’s books should reflect their historic costHistorical cost
In accounting, historical costs is the original monetary value of an economic item. Historical cost is based on the stable measuring unit assumption. In some circumstances, assets and liabilities may be shown at their historical cost, as if there had been no change in value since the date of...
value, rather than being adjusted for fair value. The use of a hedge would cause them to be revalued as such. Remember that the value of the hedge is derived from the value of the underlying asset. The amount recorded at payment or reception would differ from the value of the derivative recorded under SFAS 133.
As illustrated above in the example, this difference between the hedge value and the asset or liability value can be effectively accounted for by using either a cash flow or a fair value hedge. Thus, two years later FASB issued SFAS 138 which amended SFAS 133 and allowed both cash flow and fair value hedges for foreign exchanges. Citing the reasons given previously, SFAS 138 required the recording of derivative assets at fair value based on the prevailing spot rate
Spot price
The spot price or spot rate of a commodity, a security or a currency is the price that is quoted for immediate settlement . Spot settlement is normally one or two business days from trade date...
.