Note 11 - Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Notes to Financial Statements

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Text Block]

11. DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES:

For each derivative entered into in which the Company seeks to obtain cash flow hedge accounting treatment, the Company formally documents all relationships between hedging instruments and hedged items, as well as its risk management objective and strategy for undertaking the hedge transaction, the nature of the risk being hedged, how the hedging instrument’s effectiveness in offsetting the hedged risk will be assessed prospectively and retrospectively, and a description of the method of measuring ineffectiveness. This process includes linking all derivatives to specific firm commitments or forecasted transactions and designating the derivatives as cash flow hedges. The Company also formally assesses, both at the hedge’s inception and on an ongoing basis, whether the derivatives that are used in hedging transactions are highly effective in offsetting changes in cash flows of hedged items. The effective portion of these hedged items is reflected in Unrealized gain (loss) on cash flow hedges on the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income. If it is determined that a derivative is not highly effective, or that it has ceased to be a highly effective hedge, the Company is required to discontinue hedge accounting with respect to that derivative prospectively.

As of December 31, 2023, the total notional amount of the foreign currency forward contracts was $5.1 million (CAD$6.7 million) and $1.2 million (EUR€1.1 million), which included $4.9 million (CAD$6.4 million) and $1.2 million (EUR€1.1 million) of foreign currency forward contracts not designated as cash flow hedges. As of December 31, 2022, the total notional amount of the foreign currency forward contracts was $17.1 million (CAD$23.2 million) and $1.1 million (EUR€1.1 million), which included $0.3 million (CAD$0.4 million) of foreign currency forward contracts not designated as cash flow hedges. As of December 31, 2023, the Company’s foreign currency forward contracts mature at various dates through April 2025 and are subject to an enforceable master netting arrangement.

The Company has entered into interest rate swaps which effectively convert a portion of its variable-rate debt to fixed-rate debt, and are designated as cash flow hedges. The Company receives floating interest payments monthly based on SOFR and pays a fixed rate of 1.941% to the counterparty on the total notional amount of $6.7 million and $26.7 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, which amortizes ratably on a monthly basis to zero by the April 2024 maturity date.

On August 9, 2022, the Company entered into an interest rate swap transaction which began April 3, 2023. The Company receives floating interest payments monthly based on the SOFR Average 30 day and pays a fixed rate of 2.96% to the counterparty on the total notional amount of $13.0 million as of December 31, 2023, which amortizes ratably on a monthly basis to zero by the April 2028 maturity date.

The following table summarizes the gains (losses) recognized on derivatives in the Consolidated Financial Statements (in thousands):

	Year Ended December 31,
	2023			2022			2021
Foreign currency forward contracts:
Net sales	$	(708	)	$	660		$	9
Property and equipment		(109	)		(680	)		-
Interest rate swaps:
Interest expense		719			39			-
Total	$	(98	)	$	19		$	9

As of December 31, 2023, unrealized pretax gains (losses) on outstanding cash flow hedges in Accumulated other comprehensive loss was $0.3 million, of which approximately $0 and $0.3 million are expected to be reclassified to Net sales and Interest expense, respectively, within the next twelve months as a result of underlying hedged transactions also being recorded in these line items. See Note 18 “Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss” for additional quantitative information regarding foreign currency forward contract and interest rate swap gains and losses.