1. Introduction
NEC Company has assets and liabilities in foreign currencies, which contain the revaluation risk made by foreign currency fluctuation. Derivatives could make a big impact on the company profit without proper use.
Foreign Exchange Risk (FX Risk) Management is one of the most important roles for Finance Division of NEC Company
With consideration of the materiality of FX Risk Management, Finance division has to report the adequate information timely to the Management of the Company to understand the overall and make decision.
This policy clarifies the risk management framework for the company to reduce FX Risks.
2. Purpose
・To reduce the uncertainty about the profit or loss caused by the future Foreign Exchange Rate fluctuation or improve the profitability by the FX Risk management
・To make the risk management effective by checking the Credit Risk of the counterparty in the finance transactions and the Back Office Risk in the transaction.
3. Risk Management Framework
3-1 Foreign Exchange Risk (FX Risk)
NEC Company should reduce Foreign Exchange Risk with the following method and avoid using FX Forward or other Derivatives wherever possible.
・ Matching the inflows and outflows in same currency(payment in original currency)
・ Netting
・ Keep the basic payment/collection terms between NEC Companies
(within 60 days after shipment)
When Company use FX Forward contract with bank, it need to have obtained the approval by Corporate Finance Division of NEC Corporation.
(1) Basic Procedure
Basic procedures of FX Risk Management are as follows;
a. Figure out FX Risk to be managed
b. Measure the Risk
c. Execute the Method
d. Evaluate the performance of FX Risk Management Operation
e. Report the results of FX Risk Management Operation
(2) Objective
a. Currencies
US Dollar, Euro, Sterling Pounds, and Australia Dollars
(should be defined by each Company)
b. Risk Position
A) Short-time position
Net position calculated by the differences between the collection and the payment in foreign currencies.
Company also manages gross position because the FX Risk would be changed according to the characteristics of the business.
B) Long-term position
Assets with deferred payment in foreign currencies
Special project with long-term collection in foreign currencies
(3) Basic Policy
a. Limitation of the transaction
Company can not use FX Forward contract without the approval by Corporate Finance Division of NEC Corporation.
When use FX Forward contract, the maximum amount of the contract should be limited to the business transaction amount. Company never creates the additional risks.
b. Extension of the FX transaction
Basically the FX Forward contract should be extended after the approval by the FX meeting of the company.
c. Short-term position management
Company should manage the net position by the sum of cash flows and the net position of the balance sheet in foreign currencies.
Basically Company should manage the cash flows with 3 month forecast and may extend the term up to 6 months.
d. Long-term position management
Long-term means the position with more than 1 year.
Basically NEC Company will cover the FX position by FX Forward contract fully.
If not, Finance Div. will check the feasibility and decide the hedging rate. The FX Forward contract amount would be almost matched with actual cash flows.
(4) Method
a. The method for short-term FX Risk Management should be limited as follows;
・FX forward
b. The method for long-term FX Risk Management should be limited as follows;
・FX forward
(5) Decision making and Operation
a. FX Meeting
In principle, Company should call the FX Meeting every month to decide the amount of FX Forward contract.
In case of sudden change, Company can call the additional meeting.
The details of the FX Meeting are as follows;
(Decision maker) CFO of the Company.
(Decision) Amount, FX Rate level for FX Forward contract
(Reporter) Manager and the staff in charge of FX Risk Management
(Agenda) ・Forecast of FX position
・FX Market movement
・Progress of FX Risk management operation
from previous meeting
・FX Risk policy
・Other items
(6) Reporting about the FX risk management operations
At least once per month, Manager should report to CFO about the results of FX Risk Management operations and the latest FX Risk Management policy.
Additionally Manager should report the details of the present value of the outstanding FX Forward contract every quarter.
3-2 Office work risk
To find some mistakes and prevent the fraud or misconduct, Company should make the rule about the office work with the management structure and the authorization matrix for approval.
a. Structure
・To manage the FX Risk, the person who deals with bank (front office) and the person who checks the deal transaction (back office) should be separated
・Additionally the person of Accounting Division should obtain t the outstanding balance of FX Forward Contract and reconcile the balance.
4.Modification of the Policy
To modify this policy, Manager should clarify the amendment point and obtain the approval by CFO of the Company and Corporate Finance Division of NEC Corporation.