47. Management of financial risks

To finance its business activities, the Group uses short-, medium- and long-term bank loans, lease and hire-purchase agreements, as well as cash and short-term deposits. The Group has access to various other financial assets and liabilities, such as trade payables and receivables which arise directly from its business.

Interest rate and market price risk

As a result of its financing activities, the Group is exposed to an interest rate risk which principally stems from medium- to long-term borrowing at floating rates of interest.

Managing the Group’s interest expenses involves a combination of fixed- and floating-rate debt, depending on the market.

As of the balance sheet date, two fully consolidated companies held interest rate swaps for hedging variable-interest rate loans. Due to the minor scope of these instruments, the risk is deemed insignificant.

As of the balance sheet date, 85.5 % (previous year: 82.4 %) of the Group’s borrowing was at fixed interest rates.

The fixed-interest financial instruments are not held at fair value and are therefore not subject to market price risks on the balance sheet.

Market price risks can, however, affect securities and equity investments in particular.

A change in the variable interest rate affects the interest expenses arising from floating-rate loans and the interest income from overnight deposits and time deposit investments.

If the variable interest rate had been 0.5 percentage points higher as of the balance sheet date, interest expenses arising from floating-rate loans would have been € 243 thousand p.a. higher (previous year: € 259 thousand p.a.) and interest income from overnight deposits and time deposit investments would have been up to € 1,195 thousand p.a. higher (previous year: € 1,038 thousand p.a.).

There are no effects on equity.

Exchange rate risk

Due to investments in countries outside the eurozone, changes in exchange rates can affect the balance sheet. Foreign currency risks on individual transactions are hedged by currency futures or currency options if a market analysis requires it. The hedging transactions are in the same currencies as the hedged item. The Group only concludes currency futures contracts when specific claims or obligations exist, or can be expected with reasonable assurance.

On the balance sheet date, there were currency hedging instruments with a volume of € 32,000 thousand (previous year: € 26,000 thousand) and maturities of up to 24 months. As of 31 December 2021, the market value was € 625 thousand (previous year: € 249 thousand). In the reporting year, changes in value from these currency hedging transactions, which constitute financial assets and/or liabilities held at fair value through profit and loss, were recognised in the income statement. These instruments do not constitute effective hedging relationships as per IFRS 9.

Revenue in the HHLA Group is predominantly invoiced in euros or in the national currencies of the European affiliates. Investments in these countries are largely transacted in euros.

Commodity price risk

The Group is primarily exposed to a commodity price risk when purchasing fuel. Depending on the market situation, the Group can arrange price hedges for part of its fuel requirements. This was not the case at the balance sheet date or on 31 December 2020.

In addition to the market risks mentioned, there are also financial risks in the form of credit and liquidity risks.

Credit risk/default risk

The Group only maintains customer relationships on a credit basis with recognised, creditworthy third parties. Clients who wish to complete transactions with the Group on a credit basis are subject to a credit check. Receivables are also monitored on an ongoing basis and impairment allowances are made if risks are identified, such that the Group is not exposed to any additional significant default risks on receivables. The maximum default risk for the trade receivables and other financial receivables is theoretically the carrying amount for the individual receivable. There is no significant concentration of default risks with individual customers.

In respect of some receivables, the Group may obtain securities in the form of guarantees that may be drawn upon as part of contractual arrangements if the counterparty falls into payment default.

The Group applies the simplified approach pursuant to IFRS 9 in order to measure expected credit losses, i.e. the expected lifetime credit losses are applied for trade receivables and contract assets. In order to measure the expected credit losses, trade receivables and contract assets are consolidated on the basis of shared credit risk characteristics and the number of days overdue.

The contract assets held by HHLA are deemed insignificant.

The expected losses given default are based on the payment profiles of the transactions over a period of twelve months prior to 31 December 2021 and the corresponding historic defaults in this period. Furthermore, HHLA factors anticipated changes to the economic environment into its calculations of these losses given default. Due to the uncertainty in the macroeconomic environment in the 2020 financial year, HHLA had increased the existing expected loss ratio when calculating the valuation allowances for trade receivables in the 91–180-day range by 30 %. Based on developments in the 2021 financial year, HHLA no longer considers this increase to be necessary. HHLA also believes that the portfolio of older trade receivables, which increased year-on-year as of 31 December 2021, will be serviced in parts. Furthermore, HHLA has observed trade receivables on a case-by-case basis and made valuation allowances where necessary. The impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements is immaterial. On this basis, the following impairment was calculated on trade receivables as of 31 December 2021 and 31 December 2020:

Impairments on trade receivables showed the following trends:

Trade receivables are derecognised when a reasonable assessment indicates that there is no prospect of them being realised. The indicators that point to no prospect of realisation following a reasonable assessment include the failure of a debtor to commit to a repayment plan agreed with the Group and, provided there is no information to the contrary, the failure to make contractually agreed payments after being in arrears for 360 days.

Impairment losses on trade receivables are shown as other operating expenses in the operating result. Amounts that have been written off, but that are then generated in subsequent periods, are recognised as other operating income.

The default risk in the case of derivative financial instruments and cash, cash equivalents and short-term deposits is, in theory, that of counterparty default and is therefore equivalent to the carrying amounts of the individual financial instruments. The risk of default can be considered very low since the Group as a rule only conducts derivative financial transactions and liquid investments with counterparties with good credit ratings. In addition, credit risks may arise if the contingent liabilities listed in Note 46 are incurred.

Liquidity risk

The Group guarantees sufficient liquidity at all times with the help of medium-term liquidity planning, by diversifying the maturities of loans and leases, and by means of existing lines of credit and funding commitments. If covenants have been agreed for individual loans, they are monitored on an ongoing basis to make sure they are being complied with. HHLA will introduce measures it deems necessary to ensure that the covenants are met.

For details of the maturities of financial liabilities and liabilities to related parties, please refer to the table of residual maturities for non-current and current financial liabilities under Note 38 and the summary of non-current and current liabilities to related parties under Note 40.

As of the balance sheet date, two fully consolidated companies held interest rate swaps. Due to the minor scope of these instruments, the risk is deemed insignificant.

Financial instruments

Carrying amounts and fair values

The tables below show the carrying amounts and fair values of financial assets and financial liabilities, as well as their level in the fair value hierarchy, see also Note 6 and Note 7.

For financial assets and financial liabilities not held at fair value, there is no disclosure of the fair value in the fair value hierarchy where the carrying amount serves as a reasonable approximation of the fair value.

If there are no material differences between the carrying amounts and fair values of the financial instruments reported under non-current financial liabilities with details of fair value, they are recognised at their carrying amount. Otherwise, the fair value must be stated.

A net amount of € 625 thousand (previous year: € 249 thousand) for financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value through profit or loss was reported as changes in value under financial income in the income statement, see Note 16.

Valuation methods and key unobservable input factors for calculating fair value

The table below shows the valuation methods used for level 2 and level 3 fair value measurement and the key unobservable input factors utilised.

There was no reclassification between the individual valuation levels in the reporting year.