Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Hedging Transactions

v2.4.0.8
Hedging Transactions
 3 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]  
Hedging Transactions
HEDGING TRANSACTIONS
The Company is exposed to market risk, such as change in commodity prices, and foreign exchange rates. To manage the volatility relating to these exposures, the Company enters into various derivative products, such as precious metal's forwards and futures. By policy, the Company historically has not entered into derivative financial instruments for trading purposes or for speculation.
Commodity Price Management
The Company manages the value of certain specific assets and liabilities of its trading business, including trading inventories, by employing a variety of strategies. These strategies include the management of exposure to changes in the market values of the Company's trading inventories through the purchase and sale of a variety of derivative products such as metal's forwards and futures.
The Company's trading inventories and purchase and sale transactions consist primarily of precious metal bearing products. The value of these assets and liabilities are linked to the prevailing price of the underlying precious metals.
The Company's precious metals inventories are subject to market value changes, created by changes in the underlying commodity markets. Inventories purchased or borrowed by the Company are subject to price changes. Inventories borrowed are considered natural hedges, since changes in value of the metal held are offset by the obligation to return the metal to the supplier.
Open sale and purchase commitments are subject to changes in value between the date the purchase or sale price is fixed (the trade date) and the date the metal is received or delivered (the settlement date). The Company seeks to minimize the effect of price changes of the underlying commodity through the use of forward and futures contracts.
The Company's policy is to substantially hedge its inventory position, net of open sale and purchase commitments that is subject to price risk. The Company regularly enters into precious metals commodity forward and futures contracts with major financial institutions to hedge price changes that would cause changes in the value of its physical metals positions and purchase commitments and sale commitments. The Company has access to all of the precious metals markets, allowing it to place hedges. However, the Company also maintains relationships with major market makers in every major precious metals dealing center.
The Company enters into these derivative transactions solely for the purpose of hedging our inventory holding risk, and not for speculative market purposes. Due to the nature of the Company's global hedging strategy, the Company is not using hedge accounting as defined under Topic 815 of the ASC, whereby the gains or losses would be deferred and included as a component of other comprehensive income until the contract is executed. Instead, gains or losses resulting from the Company's futures and forward contracts and open sale and purchase commitments are reported as unrealized gains or losses on commodity contracts (a component of cost of sales) with the related unrealized amounts due from or to counterparties reflected as a derivative asset or liability (a component of receivables or payables). Gains or losses resulting from the termination of hedge contracts are reported as realized gains or losses on commodity contracts. Net gains (losses) on derivative instruments in the condensed consolidated statements of income totaled $(6.4) million and $(17.6) million for the three months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
The Company’s management sets credit and position risk limits. These limits include gross position limits for counterparties engaged in sales and purchase transactions with the Company. They also include collateral limits for different types of sale and purchase transactions that counterparties may engage in from time to time.
The following table summarizes the results of our hedging activities as follows at September 30, 2014 and at June 30, 2014, showing the precious metal commodity inventory position, net of open sale and purchase commitments, which is subject to price risk:
in thousands
 
 
 
 
 

 
September 30, 2014
 
June 30, 2014
 
Inventory
 
$
159,240

 
$
175,554

 
Less unhedgable inventory:
 
 
 
 
 
Commemorative coin inventory, held at lower of cost or market
 
(816
)
 
(2,564
)
 
Premium on metals position
 
(2,778
)
 
(3,285
)
 
Inventory value not hedged
 
(3,594
)
 
(5,849
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Subtotal
 
155,646

 
169,705

 
Commitments at market:
 
 

 
 

 
Open inventory purchase commitments
 
429,522

 
489,944

 
Open inventory sales commitments
 
(145,283
)
 
(190,108
)
 
Margin sale commitments
 
(10,610
)
 
(15,751
)
 
In-transit inventory no longer subject to market risk
 
(34,993
)
 
(4,522
)
 
Unhedgable premiums on open commitment positions
 
271

 
1,694

 
Inventory borrowed from suppliers
 
(11,998
)
 
(8,709
)
 
Product financing obligation
 
(20,613
)
 
(24,610
)
 
Advances on industrial metals
 
1,915

 
8,813

 
Inventory subject to price risk
 
363,857

 
426,456

 
Inventory subject to derivative financial instruments:
 
 
 
 
 
Precious metals forward contracts at market values
 
158,770

 
206,055

 
Precious metals futures contracts at market values
 
205,031

 
220,984

 
Total market value of derivative financial instruments
 
363,801

 
427,039

 
Net inventory subject to commodity price risk
 
$
56

 
$
(583
)
 

As of September 30, 2014 and June 30, 2014, the Company had the following outstanding commitments and open forward and future contracts:
in thousands
 
 
 
 
 

 
September 30, 2014
 
June 30, 2014
 
Purchase commitments
 
$
429,522

 
$
489,944

 
Sales commitments
 
(145,283
)
 
(190,108
)
 
Margin sales commitments
 
(10,610
)
 
(15,751
)
 
Open forward contracts
 
158,770

 
206,055

 
Open futures contracts
 
205,031

 
220,984

 

The contract amounts of these forward and futures contracts and the open sales and purchase orders are not reflected in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet. The difference between the market price of the underlying metal or contract and the trade amount is recorded at fair value.
The Company’s open sale and purchase commitments typically settle within 2 business days, and for those commitments that do not have stated settlement dates, the Company has the right to settle the positions upon demand. Futures and forwards contracts open at September 30, 2014 are scheduled to settle within 30 days.
The Company is exposed to the risk of failure of the counterparties to its derivative contracts. Significant judgment is applied by the Company when evaluating the fair value implications. The Company regularly reviews the creditworthiness of its major counterparties and monitors its exposure to concentrations. At September 30, 2014, the Company believes its risk of counterparty default is mitigated as a result of such evaluation and the short-term duration of these arrangements.
Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Management
The Company utilizes foreign currency forward contracts to manage the effect of foreign currency exchange fluctuations of its sale and purchase transactions. These contracts generally have maturities of less than one week. The accounting treatment of our foreign currency exchange derivative instruments is similar to the accounting treatment of our commodity derivative instruments, that is, the change in the value in the financial instrument is immediately recognized as a component of cost of sales. Unrealized net gains (losses) on foreign exchange derivative instruments shown on the face of the condensed consolidated statements of income totaled $(9,000) and $36,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The market values (fair values) of the Company’s foreign exchange forward contracts and the net open sale and purchase commitment transactions, denominated in foreign currencies, outstanding at September 30, 2014 was $1.4 million and $3.5 million, respectively. The market values (fair values) of the Company’s foreign exchange forward contracts and the net open sale and purchase commitment transactions, denominated in foreign currencies, outstanding at June 30, 2014 was $2.7 million and $3.8 million, respectively.
Offsetting Derivative Instruments
In respect to the Company's derivative contracts with the same counterparty, the receivables and payables have been netted on the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Such derivative contracts include open sale and purchase commitments, futures, forwards and margin accounts. In the table below, the aggregate gross and net derivative receivables and payables balances are presented by contract type and type of hedge, as of September 30, 2014 and June 30, 2014.
 
 
September 30, 2014
 
June 30, 2014
 
 
 
 
 
in thousands
 
Gross Derivative
 
Amounts Netted
 
Cash Collateral Pledge
 
Net Derivative
 
Gross Derivative
 
Amounts Netted
 
Cash Collateral Pledge
 
Net Derivative
Nettable derivative receivables:
Open sale and purchase commitments
 
$
4,178

 
$
(1,550
)
 
$
—

 
$
2,628

 
$
26,282

 
$
(4,112
)
 
$
—

 
$
22,170

Future contracts
 
27,071

 
—

 
—

 
27,071

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
—

Forward contracts
 
16,510

 
—

 
—

 
16,510

 
14

 
—

 
—

 
14

 
 
$
47,759

 
$
(1,550
)
 
$
—

 
$
46,209

 
$
26,296

 
$
(4,112
)
 
$
—

 
$
22,184

Nettable derivative payables:
Open sale and purchase commitments
 
$
49,768

 
$
(629
)
 
$
—

 
$
49,139

 
$
1,022

 
$
(174
)
 
$
—

 
$
848

Margin accounts
 
10,610

 
—

 
(5,277
)
 
5,333

 
15,751

 
—

 
(6,768
)
 
8,983

Future contracts
 
—

 
—

 


 
—

 
(15,121
)
 
—

 
23,199

 
8,078

Forward contracts
 
—

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
14,873

 
—

 
—

 
14,873

 
 
$
60,378

 
$
(629
)
 
$
(5,277
)
 
$
54,472

 
$
16,525

 
$
(174
)
 
$
16,431

 
$
32,782