Item 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

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Interest Rate Risk

We are exposed to interest rate risk as a result of our variable-rate borrowings. We manage our exposure to interest rate risk by maintaining a mixture of fixed and variable debt, and from time to time, use pay-fixed interest rate swaps as cash flow hedges of our variable rate debt in order to adjust the relative fixed and variable portions.

As of December 31, 2017, we had variable rate debt outstanding of $893.2 million at a current weighted average interest rate of 3.9%, substantially all of which was incurred under our $2,785.0 million Senior Secured Credit Facility, under which $1,282.3 million was outstanding under the $1,285.5 million Dollar Term Loan Facility and €613.5 million was outstanding under the €615.0 million Euro Term Loan Facility.

The Dollar Term Loan Facility and the Euro Term Loan Facility bear interest primarily based on LIBOR and EURIBOR, respectively, plus a spread. However, both facilities are subject to a 0% LIBOR base rate floor, and thus the interest rate on the Dollar Term Loan Facility and the Euro Term Loan Facility will fluctuate when LIBOR or EURIBOR, respectively, exceeds that percentage. As of December 31, 2017, LIBOR was higher and EURIBOR was lower than the 0% LIBOR minimum rate.

We use interest rate swaps to offset our exposure to interest rate movements. These outstanding interest rate swaps qualify and are designated as cash flow hedges of forecasted LIBOR-based interest payments. As of December 31, 2017, we were a fixed rate payer on 12 fixed-floating interest rate swap contracts that effectively fixed the LIBOR-based index used to determine the interest rates charged on our LIBOR-based variable rate borrowings. See Note 16 “Hedging Activities, Derivative Instruments, and Credit Risk” to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Form 10-K.

The following table presents the impact of hypothetical changes in market interest rates across the yield curve by 100 basis points, including the effect of our interest rate swaps for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 on our interest expense.

Foreign Currency Risk

We are exposed to foreign currency risks that arise from our global business operations. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates affect the translation of local currency balances of foreign subsidiaries, transaction gains and losses associated with intercompany loans with foreign subsidiaries and transactions denominated in currencies other than a subsidiary’s functional currency. In 2017, the relative weakening of the U.S. dollar against foreign currencies had a favorable impact on our revenues and results of operations while in 2016, the relative strengthening of the U.S. dollar against foreign currencies had an unfavorable impact on our revenues and results of operations. While future changes in foreign currency exchange rates are difficult to predict, our revenues and earnings may be adversely affected if the U.S. dollar strengthens against foreign currencies.

We seek to minimize our exposure to foreign currency risks through a combination of normal operating activities, including by conducting our international business operations primarily in their functional currencies to match expenses with revenues and the use of foreign currency forward exchange contracts and net investment cross-currency interest rate swaps. In addition, to mitigate the risk arising from entering into transactions in currencies other than our functional currencies, we typically settle intercompany trading balances monthly.

The table below presents the percentage of revenues and gross profit by principal currency for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.

We utilize foreign currency denominated debt obligations supplemented from time to time with cross currency interest rate swaps designated as net investment hedges to selectively hedge portions of our investment in non-U.S. subsidiaries. The currency effects of the designated debt obligations and cross currency interest rate swaps are reflected in accumulated other comprehensive income within our stockholders’ equity, where they partially offset the currency translation effects of our investments in non-U.S. subsidiaries, which in turn partially offset gains and losses recorded on our net investments globally. These currency translation effects and offsetting impacts of our derivatives for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 are summarized in Note 13 “Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)” to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Form 10-K.

We also enter into foreign currency forward contracts to manage the risk arising from transaction gains and losses associated with intercompany loans with foreign subsidiaries. Our foreign currency forward contracts are typically short-term and are rolled forward as necessary upon settlement. As of December 31, 2017, we were party to 12 foreign currency forward contracts, all of which are carried on our balance sheet at fair value. See Note 16 “Hedging Activities, Derivative Instruments, and Credit Risk” to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Form 10-K.

The table below presents, for the year ended December 31, 2017, the hypothetical effect of a 10% appreciation in the average exchange rate of the U.S. dollar relative to the principal foreign currencies in which our revenues and gross profit are denominated.