3.5 Financial risk management

The tasks of the BoD include identifying risks, determining suitable measures, and implementing these measures or having them implemented. The BoD of dormakaba Holding AG conducted a regular Group-wide risk assessment in the year under review and determined the risks to be managed at particular management levels.

With regard to the Covid-19 pandemic, the BoD in April 2020 assessed and acknowledged the comprehensive crisis management measures implemented by the Group management. The aim of the measures is to ensure the health and safety of all employees and at the same time to minimize the impact on business operations and supply chains, and thus on customers. In parallel, dormakaba adjusted its financial management as well as its forecast structures in order to retain its entrepreneurial flexibility and financial stability at all times during the Covid-19 pandemic. dormakaba also initiated a Group-wide cost savings and restructuring program in the fourth quarter of financial year 2019/20 to adjust capacities and costs which is assessed by the board on an ongoing basis and through dialogue with the EC. This ensures that operating risks are given due attention, reported accordingly and the BoD has a comprehensive overview of the key risks and measures taken.

Liquidity risk

Liquidity risk arises due to the possibility that dormakaba Group might experience difficulty in settling its debts or otherwise meeting its obligations related to financial liabilities.

Liquidity risk is managed centrally by Group Treasury. The Group’s objective is to maintain a balance between the continuity of funding and flexibility by using varied financing instruments across a range of maturities. The Group aims to maintain a spread of maturities to avoid excessive refinancing in any one period. The Group endeavors to maintain funding flexibility by keeping available committed credit lines with a variety of counterparties.

Credit risk

Credit risk is the risk of loss if a counterparty fails to fulfil its obligations to dormakaba Group. Hence, dormakaba Group is exposed to credit risk arising from financing activities, including deposits with banks and financial institutions, foreign exchange transactions, and other financial instruments, such as trade receivables, other current assets, and non-current financial assets.

Cash and cash equivalents are mainly held in the form of current accounts and current fixed-term deposits. Counterparty risks with financial institutions are monitored continuously and are minimized by the Group limiting its relationships to high-ranking banks only.

Trade receivables are monitored on an ongoing basis locally and via Group management reporting procedures. The danger of cluster risks on trade receivables is limited due to the large number and wide geographical spread of customers. The extent of the credit risk is determined mainly by the individual characteristics of each customer. The assessment of this risk involves a review of the customer’s creditworthiness based on its financial situation and experience. The maturity analysis of trade receivables is disclosed in the note on trade receivables (2.1).

Interest rate risk

Interest rate risk is the risk that the Group’s financial situation is impacted by changes in interest rates.

The dormakaba Group’s interest rate risk arises from its short-term and long-term borrowings. The interest rate risk is hedged only in a few cases. Management strives for a well-balanced mix of long- and short-term interest rate exposure, taking into consideration the planned funding requirements. Funding and related interest are managed centrally by Group Treasury.

Foreign currency exposure

Translation risk

dormakaba Group does not actively manage the translation risk.

In the 2019/20 financial year, the Group’s equity was negatively impacted in the amount of CHF 24.2 million by foreign currency translation (2018/19: CHF 26.4 million positive impact).

The key exchange rates based on net sales in foreign currencies are disclosed in the table below:

In the 2019/20 financial year, dormakaba Group’s sales growth was negatively impacted by foreign currency translations in the amount of CHF 104.2 million (2018/19: CHF 29.6 million negative impact) and EBITDA likewise by CHF 16.0 million (2018/19: CHF 2.4 million negative impact).

Transaction risk

Management monitors foreign exchange risks on a regular basis. When management deems it appropriate to do so, dormakaba uses derivative financial instruments to manage its transaction risk exposure to fluctuations in exchange rates.

Foreign exchange risks relating to intercompany loans are covered to a large extent by forward exchange contracts with third parties. The external counterparties involved are high-ranking financial institutions. dormakaba enters into financial transactions only to hedge against a related off-balance-sheet risk or a highly probable future business transaction. No uncovered short transactions are entered into.

Intercompany invoicing is structured in a way that foreign exchange risks are concentrated in dormakaba's manufacturing companies. The use of a group netting system with intercompany payment terms of up to 60 days reduces the intercompany exposure and foreign exchange risk. The third party and intercompany cross-currency exposures are reduced through natural hedges or they are hedged using financial instruments.

dormakaba Group actively manages the transaction risk arising from net investment in foreign currencies.

The following currency forward contracts for hedging purposes existed as at the balance sheet date:

In the 2019/20 financial year, the net foreign exchange loss amounts to CHF 2.8 million (2018/19: CHF 2.4 million). While the hedges mitigate the foreign currency effect arising from intercompany loans, the interest expenses for forward contracts amounts to CHF 22.1 million (2018/19: CHF 26.3 million). The foreign exchange gains and losses as well as the interest expenses and income are disclosed in the note on the financial result (1.4).