Item 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES

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Item 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES

ABOUT MARKET RISK

At the end of fiscal 2011, the Company had a portfolio of fixed income securities, excluding those classified as cash and cash equivalents, of $195 million (see Note C to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K). These securities, like all fixed income instruments, are subject to interest rate risk and will decline in value if market interest rates increase. The Company’s investment policy requires all investment in short-term and long-term securities to have at least debt ratings of A1 or A3 (or the equivalent), respectively. As the Company’s fixed income securities are classified as available-for-sale, no gains or losses are recognized by the Company in its Consolidated Statement of Earnings due to changes in interest rates unless such securities are sold prior to maturity. The Company generally holds its fixed income securities until maturity and, historically, has not recorded any material gains or losses on any sale prior to maturity.

The Company operates internationally, and thus is subject to potentially adverse movements in foreign currency rates. Approximately 30% of consolidated net sales are made in foreign currencies, including 15% in euro, 7% in British pound sterling, 3% in Chinese yuan and the remaining 5% in other European currencies. As a result, the Company is exposed to market risk mainly from foreign exchange rate fluctuations of the euro, British pound sterling, and the Chinese yuan as compared to the U.S. dollar as the financial position and operating results of the Company’s foreign operations are translated into U.S. dollars for consolidation.

Month-end exchange rates between the British pound sterling, euro and Chinese yuan and the U.S. dollar, which have not been weighted for actual sales volume in the applicable months in the periods, were as follows:

Year Ended June 30,
201120102009
British pound:
High$1.67$1.67$1.98
Low1.531.451.43
Average1.591.581.60
Euro:
High$1.48$1.50$1.56
Low1.271.221.27
Average1.371.381.37
Chinese yuan:
High$.155$.148$.147
Low.148.146.146
Average.151.146.146
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The Company’s exposure to foreign exchange rate fluctuations also arises from trade receivables and intercompany payables denominated in one currency in the financial statements, but receivable or payable in another currency. At June 30, 2011, the Company had the following trade receivable and intercompany payables denominated in one currency but receivable or payable in another currency (in thousands):

Denominated CurrencyU. S. Dollar Equivalent
Accounts receivable in:
Euros£1,593$2,557
Other European currencies£921$1,478
Intercompany payable in:
Euros£284$456
U.S. dollars£266$426
U.S. dollarsyuan4,934$763

All of the above balances are revolving in nature and are not deemed to be long-term balances.

The Company does not enter into foreign currency forward contracts to reduce its exposure to foreign currency rate changes on forecasted intercompany sales transactions or on intercompany foreign currency denominated balance sheet positions. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included in “Other non-operating expense, net” in the Consolidated Statement of Earnings. The effect of translating net assets of foreign subsidiaries into U.S. dollars are recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as part of “Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income.”

The effects of a hypothetical simultaneous 10% appreciation in the U.S. dollar from June 30, 2011 levels against the euro, British pound sterling and Chinese yuan are as follows (in thousands):

Decrease in translation of 2011 earnings into U.S. dollars$2,463
Decrease in translation of net assets of foreign subsidiaries12,736
Additional transaction losses119
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