notes to the Consolidated financial statementsfor the year ended 30 June 2013

30. 

Financial instruments

30.1 

Financial risk management 

The Group has exposure to the following risks from its use of financial instruments: 

– credit risk
– liquidity risk
– market risk: foreign currency and interest rate risk 

This note presents information about the Group’s exposure to each of the above risks, the Group’s objectives, policies and processes for measuring and managing risk and the Group’s management of capital. Further quantitative disclosures are included throughout these consolidated and separate financial statements.

The Board of Directors has overall responsibility for the establishment and oversight of the Group’s risk management framework. The Audit and Risk Committee, is responsible for developing and monitoring the Group’s risk management policies. The Committee reports regularly to the Board of Directors on its activities.  

The Group’s risk management policies are established to identify and analyse the risks faced by the Group, to set appropriate risk limits and controls and to monitor risks and adherence to limits. Risk management policies and systems are reviewed regularly to reflect changes in market conditions and the Group’s activities. The Group, through its training and management standards and procedures, aims to develop a disciplined and constructive control environment in which all employees understand their roles and obligations.

The Audit and Risk Committee is assisted in its oversight role by Clover Risk Management, assisted by KPMG Services (Pty) Limited. Risk Management undertakes both regular and ad hoc reviews of risk management controls and procedures, the results of which are reported to the Committee.  

Credit risk management 
Credit risk is the risk of financial loss to the Group if a customer or counterparty to a financial instrument fails to meet its contractual obligations and arises principally from the Group’s receivables from customers and investment securities. 

Credit risk primarily relates to potential exposure on bank and cash balances, investments and trade receivables. The Group limits its exposure arising from money market and derivative instruments by only dealing with well-established financial institutions of high credit standing. The Group is exposed to credit risk in the form of trade receivables. The maximum exposure is the carrying amount as disclosed in note 30.5. Historically, Group bad debts have been negligible and the management of debtors payment terms have been very successful. Trade receivables comprise a large number of debtors, but with significant concentration in value on the country’s major retail and wholesale chains, credit is extended in terms of the Group’s credit policies. In the opinion of the Board there was no significant credit risk at year-end which had not been adequately provided for. 

The Group limits its exposure to credit risk by only investing in reputable institutions with high credit ratings. 

The Group’s exposure to credit risk is influenced mainly by the individual characteristics of each customer. The demographics of the Group’s customer base, including the default risk of the industry and country in which customers operate, has less of an influence on credit risk. Approximately 72,5% (2012: 71,4%) of the Group’s credit sales is attributable to sales transactions with the major national chain stores of good credit standing. However, geographically there is no concentration of credit risk. 

The responsibility for effective credit management rests with the Chief Financial Officer. The granting of credit is governed by a policy for the approval and authorisation levels for new credit applications and revision of credit limits. 

The credit policy requires that each new customer is analysed individually for creditworthiness before the Group’s standard payment and delivery terms and conditions are offered. Any variations in authorisation levels must be approved in terms of the credit policy. The review includes obtaining and evaluating trade references, bank codes, financial statements and trade history. Depending on the customer profile and credit limit required, further information on Directors and a credit bureau report will be obtained. With the exception of the major national chain stores, where credit risks are assessed as low, credit limits are established for each customer, which represents the maximum open amounts.  

Most of the Group’s customers have been transacting with the Group for many years and the Group has had a steady customer base. In monitoring customer credit risk, customers are grouped accordingly to their credit characteristics, including whether they are chain stores, general trade or wholesalers. 

Additional credit is withheld from customers, excluding the major national chain stores, that have defaulted on their payments, until the situation has been resolved. 

The Group establishes an allowance for impairment that represents its estimate of incurred losses in respect of trade and other receivables and investments. The main component of this allowance is a specific loss component that relates to individually significant exposures. 

As a general rule, sureties must be obtained for all new accounts, unless the Group waives its rights in this regard, backed by a low credit risk assessment. 

Foreign customers are managed by ensuring that all exports are paid for in cash up front or suitable guarantees are provided for payment prior to shipping. The current year guarantees decreased primarily due to guarantees issued in the prior year to foreign supplier on the import of capital equipment. 

(ii)

Liquidity risk management

Liquidity risk is the risk that the Group will not be able to meet its financial obligations as they fall due. The Group’s approach to managing liquidity is to ensure that it will always have sufficient liquidity to meet its liabilities when due, under both normal and stressed conditions. 

The Group manages liquidity risk by monitoring actual and budgeted cash flows and ensuring that adequate borrowing facilities are maintained. 

The Group ensures that it has sufficient cash on demand to meet expected operational demands, including the servicing of financial obligations; this excludes the potential impact of extreme circumstances that cannot reasonably be predicted, such as natural disasters. In addition the Group maintains the lines of credit as can be viewed in note 22.2 

The Group monitors the liquidity risk using a recurring liquidity planning tool. This tool considers the maturity of both its financial investments and financial assets and projected cash flows from operations. 

The Group’s objective is to maintain a balance between continuity of funding and flexibility through the use of bank overdrafts, bank loans, finance leases, funding through securitisation of debtors book and hire purchase contracts. The Group’s policy is that not more than 25% (2012: 25%) of long-term borrowings should mature in the next 12-month period. 2% (2012: 95,1%) of the Group’s long-term debt will mature in less than one year at year-end based on the carrying value of borrowings reflected in the financial statements. 

Trade creditors form an important part of the short-term financing of the Group’s working capital. Careful management and control of trade creditors is applied to ensure maximum use of what is viewed as interest-free debt. 

Market risk management 

Market risk is the risk that changes in market prices such as foreign exchange rates and interest rates will affect the Group’s income or the value of its holdings of financial instruments. The objective of market risk management is to manage and control market risk exposures within acceptable parameters, while optimising the return of risk. 

The Group buys and sells derivatives in the ordinary course of business in order to manage market risks. All such transactions are carried out within the guidelines set by the Risk Management Policy.

Foreign currency risk management 

The Group is exposed to currency risk on sales and purchases that are denominated in a currency other than the respective functional currencies of Group entities. Currencies primarily exposed to from time to time are the Euro, US Dollar, Botswana Pula, British Pound and the Nigerian Niara. Certain exchange rate exposures are hedged through the use of forward exchange contracts. The Group has entered into certain forward exchange contracts on foreign commitments not yet due. 

The Group hedges amounts greater than R2 million (2012: R200 000) denominated in a foreign currency. Forward exchange contracts are used to hedge currency risk, most with a maturity of less than one year from the reporting date. When necessary, forward exchange contracts are rolled over at maturity.

Foreign currency sensitivity