McCORMICK
McCORMICK & COMPANY 2007 ANNUAL REPORT
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  NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS  
  $75 million of commercial paper outstanding through 2011. Hedge ineffectiveness was not material. Subsequent to the starting date of these swaps, the net cash settlements are reflected in interest expense in the applicable period.
    In 2001, we incurred a $14.7 million loss on the settlement of swaps used to hedge the 2001 issuance of $294 million of medium-term notes. The loss on these swaps was deferred in other comprehensive income and is being amortized over the five to seven year life of the medium-term notes as a component of interest expense. Amounts reclassified from other comprehensive income to interest expense for settled interest rate swaps were $1.1 million, $1.6 million and $2.5 million in the years 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively, and are included in the net change in unrealized gain or loss on derivative financial instruments in the statement of shareholders’ equity.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The carrying amount and fair value of financial instruments at November 30, 2007 and 2006 were as follows:

    Because of their short-term nature, the amounts
reported in the balance sheet for cash and cash equivalents, receivables, short-term borrowings and trade accounts payable approximate fair value. The fair values of other investments are based on quoted market prices from various stock and bond exchanges. The long-term debt fair values are based on quotes for like instruments with similar credit ratings and terms. The interest rate and foreign currency derivatives are based on quoted market prices from various banks for similar instruments.
     Investments in affiliates are not readily marketable, and it is not practicable to estimate their fair value. Other investments are comprised of fixed income and equity securities held on behalf of employees in certain employee benefit plans and are stated at fair value on the balance sheet. The cost of these investments was $46.9 million and $41.0 million at November 30, 2007 and 2006, respectively.
 

Concentrations of Credit Risk
We are potentially exposed to concentrations of credit risk with trade accounts receivable, prepaid allowances and financial instruments. Because we have a large and diverse customer base with no single customer accounting for a significant percentage of trade accounts receivable and prepaid allowances, there was no material concentration of credit risk in these accounts at November 30, 2007. We evaluate the credit worthiness of the counterparties to financial instruments and consider nonperformance credit risk to be remote.

8. EMPLOYEE BENEFIT AND RETIREMENT PLANS
We sponsor defined benefit pension plans in the U.S. and certain foreign locations. In addition, we sponsor 401(k) retirement plans in the U.S. and contribute to government-sponsored retirement plans in locations outside the U.S. We also currently provide postretirement medical and life insurance benefits to certain U.S. employees.
     Effective November 30, 2007, we adopted the recognition and disclosure provisions of SFAS No. 158, “Employers’ Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans.” SFAS No. 158 requires us to record the funded status of our pension and other postretirement plans on our November 30, 2007 balance sheet, with a corresponding adjustment to accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax. The funded status of defined benefit pension plans is measured under the statement as the difference between the fair value of plan assets and the projected benefit obligation. The funded status of other postretirement benefit plans is measured as the difference between the fair value of plan assets and the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation.
     The incremental effects of adopting the provisions of SFAS No. 158 on our balance sheet at November 30, 2007 are presented in the following table. The balances in the table represent the totals for the defined benefit and postretirement medical and life insurance plans for employees. The adoption of SFAS No.158 had no effect on our income statement for the year ended November 30, 2007 or any prior period presented, and it will not affect the Company’s operating results in future periods.

 

 

 

 
McCormick & Company 2007 Annual Report        50
 
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