EX-99.1 5 ex99_1.htm

EXHIBIT (99.1)
MARKET RISK SENSITIVITY – AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2004

The Company has market risk with respect to foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates.  The market risk is the potential loss arising from adverse changes in these rates as discussed below.

The Company has manufacturing plants and sales transactions worldwide and therefore is subject to foreign currency risk.  This risk is composed of both potential losses from the translation of foreign currency financial statements and the remeasurement of foreign currency transactions.  To manage this risk, the Company periodically enters into forward exchange contracts to either hedge the net assets of a foreign investment or to provide an economic hedge against future cash flows.  The total net assets of non-U.S. operations and long-term intercompany loans denominated in non-functional currencies subject to potential loss amount to approximately $631.1 million.  The potential loss in fair value resulting from a hypothetical 10% adverse change in quoted foreign currency exchange rates amounts to $63.1 million.  Furthermore, related to foreign currency transactions, the Company has exposure to non-functional currency balances totaling $147.7 million. This amount includes, on an absolute basis, exposures to foreign currency assets and liabilities.  On a net basis, the Company had approximately $25.4 million of foreign currency liabilities as of December 31, 2004.  As currency rates change, these non-functional currency balances are revalued, and the corresponding adjustment is recorded in the income statement.  A hypothetical change of 10% in currency rates could result in an adjustment to the income statement of approximately $2.5 million. Actual results may differ.

Including the effect of the interest rate swap agreements, the Company had fixed the interest rate on approximately 98% of its total debt.  Included in Accrued liabilities at December 31, 2004, was $4.6 million that represents the fair value of the swap agreements.