6 Financial risk management

6.1 Financial risk factors

The group’s activities expose it to a variety of financial risks: market risk (including currency risk, price risk and interest rate risk), credit risk and liquidity risk. The group’s overall risk management program focuses on the unpredictability of financial markets and seeks to minimize potential adverse effects on the group’s financial performance. The group uses derivative financial instruments to hedge certain risk exposures.

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 entities and businesses. 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 revenues, purchases, license fees, borrowings and other balance sheet items are denominated in currencies other than the functional currencies of group companies. The functional currencies of group entities are primarily CHF, EUR, USD and CNY. Management has set up a policy to require entities to manage their foreign exchange risk against their functional currency. The entities 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 apply the following hedge ratios:

Contractual FX exposure

• 90% to 100% of the exposure

Non-contractual FX exposure

• 100% of the forecasted exposure for the next 1–3 months
• 60% of the forecasted exposure for the next 4–6 months
• 40% of the forecasted exposure for the next 7–12 months

The group uses forward exchange contracts to hedge its currency risk, 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.

Presently, most of the contracts are designated as cash flow hedges. 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 related to the 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 USD versus BRL. If, on December 31, 2023, the USD had increased by 12.2% against the BRL with all other variables held constant, profit after tax for the year would have been CHF 0.1 million higher due to foreign exchange gains on USD-denominated assets. A decrease of the rate would have caused a loss of the same amount.

Hypothetical impact of foreign exchange risk on income statement

The following tables show the hypothetical influence on equity related to the 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 hedges of future cash flows in foreign currencies adjusted for tax effects.

Hypothetical impact of foreign exchange risk on equity

(II) Price risk

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

(III) Interest rate risk

The group’s interest rate risk arises from interest-bearing assets and liabilities. Assets and liabilities at variable rates expose the group to 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 current and non-current interest-bearing liabilities mainly comprise a syndicated term loan of CHF 250.0 million with variable interest rates and CHF 150.0 million revolving credit facility, of which CHF 30.0 million are drawn as of December 31, 2023 (December 31, 2022: CHF 150.0 million drawn).

The group uses interest rate swaps to hedge its interest rate risk, with a maturity aligned to the hedged item, which is variably financed over the next five years. As of December 31, 2023, CHF 125.0 million were swapped from variable to fixed rate. 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 interest reference, amount and timing of the respective cash flows. 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.

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 CHF, increasing interest rates would have a negative impact on the income statement since the value of variable interest-bearing liabilities exceeds the value of variable interest-bearing assets. For the other most significant currencies, EUR, USD, CNY and GBP, increasing interest rates would have had a positive impact on the income statement as 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 0.6 million lower as a result of higher interest expenses on CHF-denominated liabilities. A decrease of interest rates on CHF-denominated liabilities net of assets would have caused a gain 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 1.0 million lower as a result of higher interest expenses on CHF-denominated liabilities.

The following tables show the hypothetical influence on equity related to the interest rate risk of financial instruments as of December 31 of the respective year. The sensitivity used for the calculation is 100 basis points. The hypothetical effect on equity is the result of fair value changes of derivative financial instruments designated as hedges of future cash flows from variable interest rates adjusted for tax effects.

Hypothetical impact of interest rate risk on equity

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 receivables, contract assets and committed transactions. The maximum exposure to credit risk per class of financial asset is disclosed by carrying amounts in the fair value table.

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 17, and on the credit risk of trade accounts receivable, please refer to note 18.

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.

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.

The following table analyzes the group’s financial liabilities in relevant maturity groupings based on the remaining period at the balance sheet to the contractual maturity date. The amounts disclosed in the table are the contractual undiscounted cash flows calculated with the year-end closing rates. Borrowings include the notional amount and interest payments.

Maturity profile of financial liabilities

6.2 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.

The following table shows the net debt/adjusted EBITDA ratio as of December 31.

Net debt/adjusted EBITDA ratio

For the definition of the adjusted EBITDA and the ratio, please refer to the chapter alternative performance measures (APM).

6.3 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 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 measured using unobservable inputs are categorized within level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. This applies particularly to contingent considerations in business combinations.

Financial instruments table

Financial instruments table

As of December 31, 2022, non-current financial assets (at fair value) included the investment in medmix Poland of which the fair value (level 3) was assessed to be zero.