Hedging an Anticipated Foreign Currency Purchase and the Hedge Accounting Decision
Marlow Instruments Pty Ltd, an Australian company with a 30 June year end, expects to purchase machinery from a German supplier for EUR 2,000,000 in March 2026. On 1 October 2025 the treasury team enters a forward contract to buy EUR 2,000,000 at a rate of AUD/EUR 0.6100, settling in March 2026. The spot rate on 1 October 2025 was 0.6250 and on 31 December 2025 was 0.5900. The company's functional currency is AUD. The CFO wants to know whether to apply hedge accounting, and the financial controller is concerned about the volatility that will appear in profit or loss if the company does not. The company has a written risk management policy requiring hedging of forecast foreign currency purchases above EUR 1,000,000.
1. Calculate the fair value of the forward contract at 31 December 2025 and explain how it would be accounted for with and without hedge accounting.
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Fair value of the forward at 31 December 2025. The company is buying EUR at 0.6100 (i.e. AUD 1/0.6100 = AUD 1.6393 per EUR). The spot rate at 31 December 2025 is 0.5900 (AUD 1/0.5900 = AUD 1.6949 per EUR). The forward is now in the money because the contracted rate is better than the market for a buyer of EUR.
Approximate fair value = EUR 2,000,000 × (1/0.5900 − 1/0.6100) = 2,000,000 × (1.69492 − 1.63934) = 2,000,000 × 0.05558 = AUD 111,160 asset.
(Strictly, the forward rate to March 2026 should be used, not spot; the calculation above is an approximation using spot. The direction and rough magnitude are what matter for the exam.)
Without hedge accounting. The forward is a derivative measured at fair value through profit or loss. The AUD 111,160 gain goes to P&L, creating volatility. The forecast purchase is not recognised until March 2026, so the gain in 2025 is unmatched by any offsetting loss on the purchase - the controller's concern is well founded.
With cash flow hedge accounting. The forward is designated as a cash flow hedge of a highly probable forecast transaction. The effective portion of the gain (AUD 111,160) is recognised in other comprehensive income and accumulated in a cash flow hedge reserve, not P&L. When the machinery is purchased in March 2026, the amount in OCI is reclassified to P&L (or included in the initial cost of the asset if the hedged item is a non-financial item and the company elects basis adjustment). This eliminates the timing mismatch.
Eligibility. The hedge must be documented at inception, the forecast transaction must be highly probable (supported by the policy and the purchase plan), and effectiveness must be measurable. The company should formally designate the hedge on 1 October 2025.
2. Advise the CFO on whether hedge accounting is worth applying, considering the administrative burden and the risk management policy.
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Arguments for applying hedge accounting.
- Eliminates accounting mismatch. Without it, the derivative gain of AUD 111,160 hits 2025 P&L while the offsetting economic benefit (a cheaper EUR purchase) only appears in 2026. This distorts reported profit and key ratios.
- Aligns with the risk management policy. The company already requires hedging above EUR 1 million; hedge accounting documents and formalises what treasury is already doing, which strengthens governance and auditability.
- Protects covenant and bonus metrics. Volatility in reported profit can breach covenants or distort performance bonuses, which are often tied to reported earnings.
Arguments against.
- Documentation burden. Formal designation, effectiveness testing and ongoing monitoring require resources, particularly for a single hedge.
- Effectiveness risk. If the hedge is not highly effective, the ineffective portion still goes to P&L, and a failed hedge relationship must be discontinued.
- Complexity for a small treasury function. The company may lack the systems to track OCI and reclassification.
Recommendation. Given the size (EUR 2 million, a material exposure) and that the policy already mandates hedging, applying cash flow hedge accounting is worthwhile. The company should document the relationship at inception, specify the hedged item and instrument, state the risk being hedged (EUR/AUD), and set out the effectiveness method. If the administrative burden is prohibitive, the company could instead use a natural hedge or accept P&L volatility but disclose it clearly. The economic exposure is the same either way - hedge accounting only changes where the gain is reported, not the underlying cash flows. The CFO should also confirm the hedge remains highly probable at each reporting date.