7Financial risk management

7.1 Financial risk factors

The group’s activities expose it to market, credit and liquidity risks. The group’s overall risk management program focuses on the mitigation of such risks to minimize potential adverse effects on the group’s financial performance. The group uses derivative financial instruments to hedge certain risk exposures.

Financial risk management is carried out by a central treasury department (Group Treasury). Group Treasury identifies, evaluates and hedges financial risks in close cooperation with the group’s subsidiaries. Principles for overall risk management and policies covering specific areas, such as foreign exchange risk, interest rate risk, credit risk, use of derivative financial instruments and non-derivative financial instruments, and investment of excess liquidity exist in writing.

a) Market risk

(I) Foreign exchange risk

The group operates internationally and is exposed to foreign exchange risk arising from various currency exposures. The group is exposed to transactional foreign currency risk to the extent that sales, purchases, license fees, borrowings and other balance sheet items are denominated in currencies other than the functional currencies of group companies. The exposure originates mainly from group companies with the functional currencies CHF, USD, EUR, CNY and INR. Management has set up a policy to require subsidiaries to manage their foreign exchange risk against their functional currency. The subsidiaries are required to hedge their major foreign exchange risk exposure using forward contracts or other standard instruments, usually transacted with Group Treasury. The group’s management policy is to hedge 90% to 100% of the contractual FX exposures.

The group uses forward exchange contracts to hedge its currency risk, most with a maturity of less than one year from the reporting date. The contracts are generally designated for hedge accounting as cash flow hedges. The group determines the existence of an economic relationship between the hedging instruments and the hedged item based on the currency, amount and timing of the respective cash flows. For hedges of foreign currency purchases, the group enters into hedge relationships where the critical terms of the hedging instrument match exactly with the terms of the hedged item. The group therefore performs a qualitative assessment of effectiveness. If changes in circumstances affect the terms of the hedged item such that the critical terms no longer match exactly with the critical terms of the hedging instrument, the group uses the hypothetical derivative method to assess effectiveness. In hedges of foreign currency purchases, ineffectiveness may arise if the timing of the forecast transaction changes from what was originally estimated.

External foreign exchange contracts are designated as hedges of foreign exchange risk on specific assets, liabilities or future transactions on a gross basis. The group has certain investments in foreign operations, whose net assets are exposed to foreign currency translation risk. If required, currency exposure arising from the net assets of the group’s foreign operations is managed primarily through borrowings denominated in the relevant foreign currencies. Derivative financial instruments are only used on an ad hoc basis to manage foreign currency translation risk.

The following tables show the hypothetical influence on the income statement for 2023 and 2022 related to foreign exchange risk of financial instruments. The volatility used for the calculation is the one-year historic volatility on December 31 for the relevant currency pair and year. For 2023, the currency pair with the most significant exposure and inherent risk was the EUR versus the BRL. If, on December 31, 2023, the EUR had increased by 12.0% against the BRL with all other variables held constant, profit after tax for the year would have been CHF 0.6 million lower due to foreign exchange losses on EUR-denominated financial assets. A decrease of the rate would have caused a profit of the same amount.

Hypothetical impact of foreign exchange risk on income statement

The following tables show the hypothetical influence on equity for 2023 and 2022 related to foreign exchange risk of financial instruments for the most important currency pairs as of December 31 of the respective year. The volatility used for the calculation is the one-year historic volatility on December 31 for the relevant currency pair and year. Most of the hypothetical effect on equity is a result of fair value changes of derivative financial instruments designated as cash flow hedges.

Hypothetical impact of foreign exchange risk on equity

(II) Price risk

As of December 31, 2023, and 2022, the group was not exposed to significant price risk related to investments in equity securities.

(III) Interest rate risk

The group’s interest rate risk arises from interest-bearing assets and liabilities. Financial assets and liabilities at variable rates expose the group to cash flow interest rate risk. The group analyzes its interest rate exposure on a net basis, and if required, enters into derivative instruments in order to keep the volatility of net interest income or expense limited. The group’s non-current interest-bearing liabilities mainly comprise of bonds with a fixed interest rate.

The following table shows the hypothetical influence on the income statement for variable interest-bearing assets net of liabilities at variable interest rates, assuming market interest rate levels would have increased/decreased by 100 basis points. For the most significant currencies, CHF, USD, EUR, CNY and INR, increasing interest rates would have had a positive impact on the income statement, since the value of variable interest-bearing assets (comprising mainly cash and cash equivalents) exceed the value of variable interest-bearing liabilities.

Hypothetical impact of interest rate risk on income statement

On December 31, 2023, if the interest rates on CHF-denominated assets net of liabilities had been 100 basis points higher with all other variables held constant, post-tax profit for the year would have been CHF 2.1 million higher, as a result of higher interest income on CHF-denominated assets. A decrease of interest rates on CHF-denominated assets net of liabilities would have caused a loss of the same amount. As of December 31, 2022, if the interest rates had been 100 basis points higher with all other variables held constant, post-tax profit for the year would have been CHF 3.0 million higher, as a result of higher interest income on CHF-denominated assets.

b) Credit risk

Credit risk arises from cash and cash equivalents, derivative financial instruments, deposits with financial institutions and credit exposures to customers, including outstanding trade receivables, and contract assets. The maximum exposure to credit risk per class of financial asset is disclosed by carrying amounts in the fair value table. Equity instruments are not exposed to credit risks. The carrying amounts of financial assets and contract assets represent the maximum credit risk exposure.

Credit risks of banks and financial institutions are monitored and managed centrally. Generally, only independently rated parties with a strong credit rating are accepted, and the total volume of transactions is split among several banks to reduce the individual risk with one bank.

For every customer with a large order volume, an individual risk assessment of the credit quality of the customer is performed that considers independent ratings, financial position, past experience and other factors. Additionally, bank guarantees and letters of credit are requested. For more details on the credit risk of contract assets, please refer to note 20, and on the credit risk of trade accounts receivable, please refer to note 21.

c) Liquidity risk

Prudent liquidity risk management includes the maintenance of sufficient cash and marketable securities, the availability of funding from an adequate number of committed credit facilities, and the ability to close out market positions. Due to the dynamic nature of the underlying businesses, Group Treasury maintains flexibility in funding through committed and uncommitted credit lines.

Management anticipates the future development of the group’s liquidity reserve on the basis of expected cash flows by performing regular group-wide cash forecasts. As of December 2023, Sulzer had access to a syndicated credit facility of CHF 500 million maturing on December 31, 2026. The facility includes two one-year extension options and a further option to increase the credit facility by CHF 250 million (subject to lenders’ approval). In 2022 and 2023, the group exercised the options, extending the term of the credit facility in the amount of CHF 415 million to December 2028.

The following table analyzes the group’s financial liabilities in relevant maturity groupings based on the remaining period from the reporting to the contractual maturity date. The amounts disclosed in the table are the contractual undiscounted cash flows translated at year-end closing rates, if not denominated in CHF. Borrowings include the notional amount and interest payments.

Maturity profile of financial liabilities

7.2 Capital risk management

The group’s objectives when managing capital are to safeguard the group’s ability to continue as a going concern in order to provide returns for shareholders and benefits for other stakeholders and to maintain an optimal capital structure to reduce the cost of capital. In this respect, the group aims at maintaining an investment-grade credit rating, either as a perceived rating or an external rating issued by a credit rating agency.

In order to maintain or adjust the capital structure, the group may adjust the amount of dividends paid to shareholders, return capital to shareholders, issue new shares or sell assets to reduce debt.

The following table shows the net debt/EBITDA ratio as of December 31, 2023, and 2022.

Net debt/EBITDA ratio

Another important ratio for the group is the gearing ratio (borrowings-to-equity ratio), which is calculated as total borrowings and lease liabilities divided by equity attributable to shareholders of Sulzer Ltd.

As of December 31, 2023, and 2022, the gearing ratio was as follows:

Gearing ratio (borrowings-to-equity ratio)

For the definition of net debt, EBITDA and gearing ratio, please refer to the section “Supplementary information”.

7.3 Fair value estimation

The following tables present the carrying amounts and fair values of financial assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2023, and 2022, including their levels in the fair value hierarchy. For financial assets and financial liabilities not measured at fair value in the balance sheet, fair value information is not provided if the carrying amount is a reasonable approximation of fair value.

Fair values are categorized into three different levels in a fair value hierarchy based on the inputs used in the valuation techniques as follows:

The fair value of financial instruments traded in active markets, including the outstanding bonds, is based on quoted market prices at the balance sheet date. Such instruments are included in level 1.

The fair values included in level 2 are based on valuation techniques using observable market input data. This may include discounted cash flow analysis, option pricing models or reference to other instruments that are substantially the same, while always making maximum use of market inputs and relying as little as possible on entity-specific inputs. The fair values of forward contracts are measured based on broker quotes for foreign exchange rates and interest rates.

Fair values determined using unobservable inputs are categorized within level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. Level 3 instruments consist of non-current financial assets at fair value through profit or loss. Non-current financial assets at fair value through profit or loss consist of unquoted equity or debt instruments including private equity or fund investments. Fair values are mainly determined based on external valuations. Unrealized fair value gains are recorded in other financial income / (expenses), net. For the partial release of a contingent consideration, an income of CHF 0.5 million (2022: CHF 0.0 million) was recorded in other operating income. For more information, please refer to note 4.

Level 3 financial assets at fair value through profit or loss 

In 2022, additional assets were measured at fair value and categorized within level 3 due to the classification as held for sale. The fair value of these assets was determined to be zero and losses in the amount of CHF 32.4 million were recorded. These assets were part of the Russian business that was deconsolidated in 2023, see note 5 and note 11. 

Fair value table

Fair value table