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Trade and Finance Guide - International 2008 PDF
Trade and Finance Guide - International 2008 PDF
Guide
A Quick Reference
for U.S. Exporters
Trade Finance Guide: A Quick Reference for U.S. Exporters is designed to help U.S. companies, especially small and medium-sized
enterprises, learn the basic fundamentals of trade finance so that they can turn their export opportunities into actual sales and
achieve the ultimate goal of getting paidespecially on timefor those sales. Concise, two-page chapters offer the basics of
numerous financing techniques, from open accounts, to forfaiting to government assisted foreign buyer financing.
TRADE FINANCE GUIDE
Table of Contents
Introduction .. .................................................................................. . 1
Introduction 1
W
elcome to the second edition of the Trade Finance Guide: A Quick Reference for
U.S. Exporters. This guide is designed to help U.S. companies, especially small
and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), learn the basic fundamentals of trade
finance so that they can turn their export opportunities into actual sales and achieve the
ultimate goal of getting paidespecially on timefor those sales. This guide provides
general information about common techniques of export
financing. Accordingly, you are advised to assess each
technique in light of specific situations or needs. This
edition includes a new chapter on foreign exchange risk A Quick GlAnce
management. The Trade Finance Guide will be revised
and updated as needed. Future editions may include new Trade Finance Guide
chapters that discuss other trade finance techniques and A concise, simple, and easy-to-understand guide
related topics. for trade finance that is designed especially for U.S.
small and medium-sized exporters.
Chapter 1 3
Methods of Payment in
International Trade
T
o succeed in todays global marketplace and win sales against foreign competitors,
exporters must offer their customers attractive sales terms supported by appropriate
payment methods. Because getting paid in full and on time is the ultimate goal for
each export sale, an appropriate payment method must be chosen carefully to minimize
the payment risk while also accommodating the needs of the buyer. As shown in figure 1.1,
there are four primary methods of payment for international transactions. During or before
contract negotiations, you should consider which method in the figure is mutually desir
able for both you and your customer.
Key Points
To succeed in todays global marketplace and win sales against International trade
presents a spectrum of risk, which causes uncertainty over the timing of payments
between the exporter (seller) and importer (foreign buyer).
For exporters, any sale is a gift until payment is received.
T
herefore, exporters want to receive payment as soon as possible, preferably as soon
as an order is placed or before the goods are sent to the importer.
For importers, any payment is a donation until the goods are received.
T herefore, importers want to receive the goods as soon as possible but to delay
payment as long as possible, preferably until after the goods are resold to generate
enough income to pay the exporter.
Cash-in-Advance
With cash-in-advance payment terms, the exporter can avoid credit risk because payment is
received before the ownership of the goods is transferred. Wire transfers and credit cards are
the most commonly used cash-in-advance options available to exporters. However, requiring
payment in advance is the least attractive option for the buyer, because it creates cash-flow
problems. Foreign buyers are also concerned that the goods may not be sent if payment is
made in advance. Thus, exporters who insist on this payment method as their sole manner of
doing business may lose to competitors who offer more attractive payment terms.
Letters of Credit
Letters of credit (LCs) are one of the most secure instruments available to international
traders. An LC is a commitment by a bank on behalf of the buyer that payment will be
made to the exporter, provided that the terms and conditions stated in the LC have been
met, as verified through the presentation of all required documents. The buyer pays his or
her bank to render this service. An LC is useful when reliable credit information about a
foreign buyer is difficult to obtain, but the exporter is satisfied with the creditworthiness
of the buyers foreign bank. An LC also protects the buyer because no payment obligation
arises until the goods have been shipped or delivered as promised.
Documentary Collections
A documentary collection (D/C) is a transaction whereby the exporter entrusts the col
lection of a payment to the remitting bank (exporters bank), which sends documents to a
collecting bank (importers bank), along with instructions for payment. Funds are received
from the importer and remitted to the exporter through the banks involved in the collec
tion in exchange for those documents. D/Cs involve using a draft that requires the importer
to pay the face amount either at sight (document against payment) or on a specified date
(document against acceptance). The draft gives instructions that specify the documents
required for the transfer of title to the goods. Although banks do act as facilitators for their
clients, D/Cs offer no verification process and limited recourse in the event of non-pay
ment. Drafts are generally less expensive than LCs.
Open Account
An open account transaction is a sale where the goods are shipped and delivered before
payment is due, which is usually in 30 to 90 days. Obviously, this option is the most advan
tageous option to the importer in terms of cash flow and cost, but it is consequently the
highest risk option for an exporter. Because of intense competition in export markets, for
eign buyers often press exporters for open account terms since the extension of credit by
the seller to the buyer is more common abroad. Therefore, exporters who are reluctant to
extend credit may lose a sale to their competitors. However, the exporter can offer competi
tive open account terms while substantially mitigating the risk of non-payment by using of
one or more of the appropriate trade finance techniques, such as export credit insurance.
Chapter 2 5
Cash-in-Advance
W
ith the cash-in-advance payment method, the exporter can avoid credit risk or
the risk of non-payment since payment is received prior to the transfer of owner
ship of the goods. Wire transfers and credit cards are the most commonly used
cash-in-advance options available to exporters. However, requiring payment in advance is
the least attractive option for the buyer, because it tends to create cash-flow problems, and
it often is not a competitive option for the exporter espe
cially when the buyer has other vendors to choose from.
In addition, foreign buyers are often concerned that the
goods may not be sent if payment is made in advance. chArActeristics of
Exporters who insist on cash-in-advance as their sole cAsh-in-AdvAnce
method of doing business may lose out to competitors who
are willing to offer more attractive payment terms. Applicability
Recommended for use in high-risk trade relation
ships or export markets, and ideal for Internet-based
Key Points businesses.
F
ull or significant partial payment is required, usu
ally through a credit card or a bank or wire transfer, Risk
before the ownership of the goods is transferred. Exporter is exposed to virtually no risk as the burden
of risk is placed nearly completely on the importer.
Cash-in-advance, especially a wire transfer, is the
most secure and favorable method of international
trading for exporters and, consequently, the least
Pros
secure and attractive method for importers. However, Payment before shipment
both the credit risk and the competitive landscape Eliminates risk of non-payment
must be considered.
I nsisting on cash-in-advance could, ultimately, cause Cons
exporters to lose customers to competitors who are May lose customers to competitors over
willing to offer more favorable payment terms to payment terms
foreign buyers. No additional earnings through financing
operations
Creditworthy foreign buyers, who prefer greater
security and better cash utilization, may find cash
in-advance unacceptable and simply walk away from
the deal.
Chapter 3 7
Letters of Credit
L
etters of credit (LCs) are one of the most secure instruments available to interna
tional traders. An LC is a commitment by a bank on behalf of the buyer that payment
will be made to the beneficiary (exporter) provided that the terms and conditions
stated in the LC have been met, consisting of the presentation of specified documents. The
buyer pays his bank to render this service. An LC is useful when reliable credit informa
tion about a foreign buyer is difficult to obtain, but the
exporter is satisfied with the creditworthiness of the
buyers foreign bank. This method also protects the buyer
since the documents required to trigger payment provide chArActeristics of A letter
evidence that the goods have been shipped or delivered of credit
as promised. However, because LCs have many opportu
nities for discrepancies, documents should be prepared Applicability
by well-trained professionals or outsourced. Discrepant Recommended for use in new or less-established
documents, literally not having an i dotted and t trade relationships when the exporter is satisfied
crossed, can negate the banks payment obligation. with the creditworthiness of the buyers bank.
Risk
Key Points
Risk is evenly spread between seller and buyer, pro
An LC, also referred to as a documentary credit, is vided that all terms and conditions are adhered to.
a contractual agreement whereby the issuing bank
(importers bank), acting on behalf of its customer Pros
(the buyer or importer), authorizes the nominated Payment made after shipment
bank (exporters bank), to make payment to the ben A variety of payment, financing, and risk
eficiary or exporter against the receipt of stipulated mitigation options available
documents.
The LC is a separate contract from the sales contract Cons
on which it is based; therefore, the bank is not con Complex and labor-intensive process
cerned whether each party fulfills the terms of the Relatively expensive method in terms of
sales contract. transaction costs
The banks obligation to pay is solely conditioned
upon the sellers compliance with the terms and con
ditions of the LC. In LC transactions, banks deal in
documents only, not goods.
LCs can be arranged easily for one-time deals.
Unless the conditions of the LC state otherwise, it is always irrevocable, which means
the document may not be changed or cancelled unless the seller agrees.
the exporter.
nominated bank.
5. The nominated bank checks documents for compliance with the LC and collects
Chapter 4 9
Documentary Collections
A
documentary collection (D/C) is a transaction whereby the exporter entrusts the
collection of a payment to the remitting bank (exporters bank), which sends docu
ments to a collecting bank (importers bank), along with instructions for payment.
Funds are received from the importer and remitted to the exporter through the banks in
exchange for those documents. D/Cs involve using a draft that requires the importer to pay
the face amount either at sight (document against pay
ment [D/P] or cash against documents) or on a specified
date (document against acceptance [D/A] or cash against
acceptance). The draft gives instructions that specify the chArActeristics of A
documents required for the transfer of title to the goods. documentAry collection
Although banks do act as facilitators for their clients under
collections, D/Cs offer no verification process and limited Applicability
recourse in the event of non-payment. Drafts are generally Recommended for use in established trade
less expensive than letters of credit (LCs). relationships and in stable export markets.
Risk
Key Points
Riskier for the exporter, though D/C terms are more
D/Cs are less complicated and less expensive than LCs. convenient and cheaper than an LC to the importer.
Under a D/C transaction, the importer is not obligated
to pay for goods before shipment.
Pros
Bank assistance in obtaining payment
The exporter retains the title to the goods until the
The process is simple, fast, and less costly than LCs
importer either pays the face amount at sight or
accepts the draft to incur a legal obligation to pay at a
specified later date. Cons
Banks role is limited and they do not
Although the title to the goods can be controlled
guarantee payment
under ocean shipments, it cannot be controlled under
air and overland shipments, which allow the foreign Banks do not verify the accuracy of the documents
buyer to receive the goods with or without payment.
The remitting bank (exporters bank) and the collecting
bank (importers bank) play an essential role in D/Cs.
Although the banks control the flow of documents,
they neither verify the documents nor take any risks. They can, however, influence
the mutually satisfactory settlement of a D/C transaction.
to his bank.
3. The exporters remitting bank sends the documents to the importers collecting bank.
4. The collecting bank releases the documents to the importer on receipt of payment or
acceptance of the draft.
5. The importer uses the documents to obtain the goods and to clear them at customs.
6. Once the collecting bank receives payment, it forwards the proceeds to the
remitting bank.
10
Chapter 5 11
Open Account
A
n open account transaction is a sale where the goods are shipped and delivered
before payment is due, which is usually in 30 to 90 days. Obviously, this option
is the most advantageous to the importer in terms of cash flow and cost, but it is
consequently the highest-risk option for an exporter. Because of intense competition in
export markets, foreign buyers often press exporters for open account terms. In addition,
the extension of credit by the seller to the buyer is more
common abroad. Therefore, exporters who are reluctant
to extend credit may lose a sale to their competitors.
However, though open account terms will definitely chArActeristics of An
enhance export competitiveness, exporters should thor open Account
oughly examine the political, economic, and commercial
risks as well as cultural influences to ensure that pay Applicability
ment will be received in full and on time. It is possible to Recommended for use (a) in low-risk trading
substantially mitigate the risk of non-payment associated relationships or markets and (b) in competitive
with open account trade by using such trade finance markets to win customers with the use of one or
techniques as export credit insurance and factoring. more appropriate trade finance techniques.
Exporters may also seek export working capital financing
to ensure that they have access to financing for produc Risk
tion and for credit while waiting for payment. Significant risk to exporter because the buyer could
default on payment obligation after shipment of
Key Points the goods.
Export Factoring
Factoring in international trade is the discounting of short-term receivables (up to 180 days).
The exporter transfers title to short-term foreign accounts receivable to a factoring house,
or a factor, for cash at a discount from the face value. It allows an exporter to ship on open
account as the factor assumes the financial ability of the importer to pay and handles collec
tions on the receivables. The factoring house usually works with exports of consumer goods.
12
Chapter 6 13
E
xport working capital (EWC) financing allows exporters to purchase the goods and
services they need to support their export sales. More specifically, EWC facilities
extended by commercial lenders provide a means for small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) that lack sufficient internal liquidity to process and acquire goods and
services to fulfill export orders and to extend open account terms to their foreign buyers.
EWC funds are commonly used to finance three different
areas: (a) materials, (b) labor, and (c) inventory, but they
can also be used to finance receivables generated from
export sales and/or standby letters of credit used as per chArActeristics
formance bonds or payment guarantees to foreign buyers. of An export WorkinG
An unexpected large export order or many incremental cApitAl fAcility
export orders can place challenging demands on work
ing capital. EWC financing, which is generally secured Applicability
by personal guarantees, assets, or high-value accounts Used to purchase raw materials, supplies, and equip
receivable, helps to ease and stabilize cash-flow problems ment to fulfill a large export sales order or many
of exporters while they fulfill export sales and grow com small export sales orders.
petitively in the global market.
Risk
Key Points Significant risk of non-payment for exporter unless
proper risk mitigation measures are used.
Funds may be used to acquire materials, labor,
14
Chapter 7 15
Government-Guaranteed Export
F
inancing offered by commercial lenders on export inventory and foreign accounts
receivables is not always sufficient to meet the needs of U.S. exporters. Early-stage
small and medium-sized exporters are usually not eligible for commercial financing
without a government guarantee. In addition, commercial lenders are generally reluctant
to extend credit due to the repayment risk associated with export sales. In such cases, gov
ernment-guaranteed export working capital (EWC) loans
can provide the exporter with the liquidity to accept new
business, can help grow U.S. export sales, and can let U.S.
firms compete more effectively in the global marketplace. chArActeristics of A
Two U.S. government agenciesthe U.S. Small Business Government-GuArAnteed
Administration (SBA) and the ExportImport Bank of export WorkinG cApitAl
the United States (ExIm Bank)offer loan guarantees
loAn
to participating lenders for making export loans to U.S.
businesses. Both agencies focus on export trade financ Applicability
ing, with SBA typically handling facilities up to $2 million
Recommended when commercial financing is
and ExIm Bank processing facilities of all sizes. Through
otherwise not available or when pre-approved
government-guaranteed EWC loans, U.S. exporters can
borrowing capacity is not sufficient.
obtain financing from participating lenders when com
mercial financing is otherwise not available or when their
Risk
borrowing needs are greater than the lenders credit stan
Exposure of exporter to the risk of non-payment
dards would allow.
without the use of proper risk mitigation measures.
12 months or fewer.
Fees and interest rates charged by the commercial lender are negotiable.
The Export Express pilot program can provide exporters and lenders a streamlined
method to obtain SBA-backed financing for EWC loans of up to $250,000. With an
expedited eligibility review, a response may be obtained in fewer than 24 hours.
For more information, visit the SBA Web site at www.sba.gov and click on the dropdown menu
for SBA Programs and select International Trade or call 1-800-U-ASK-SBA (8-275-722).
1 SBA encourages the use of American-made products, if feasible. Borrowers must comply with all export control requirements.
U.S. Department of Commerce
International Trade Administration
TRADE FINANCE GUIDE
Chapter 8 17
E
xport credit insurance (ECI) protects an exporter of products and services against the
risk of non-payment by a foreign buyer. In other words, ECI significantly reduces the
payment risks associated with doing international business by giving the exporter
conditional assurance that payment will be made if the foreign buyer is unable to pay.
Simply put, exporters can protect their foreign receivables against a variety of risks that
could result in non-payment by foreign buyers. ECI gener
ally covers commercial risks, such as insolvency of the
buyer, bankruptcy, or protracted defaults (slow payment),
and certain political risks such as war, terrorism, riots, chArActeristics of export
and revolution. ECI also covers currency inconvertibility, credit insurAnce
expropriation, and changes in import or export regula
tions. ECI is offered either on a single-buyer basis or on a Applicability
portfolio multi-buyer basis for short-term (up to one year) Recommended for use in conjunction with open
and medium-term (one to five years) repayment periods. account terms and export working capital financing.
Risk
Key Points
Risk of uncovered portion of the loss shared by
ECI allows exporters to offer competitive open exporters, and their claims may be denied in case of
account terms to foreign buyers while minimizing non-compliance with requirements specified in
the risk of non-payment. the policy.
18
Chapter 9 19
Export Factoring
E
xport factoring is a complete financial package that combines export working capital
financing, credit protection, foreign accounts receivable bookkeeping, and collection
services. A factoring house, or factor, is a bank or specialized financial firm that per
forms financing through the purchase of invoices or accounts receivable. Export factoring is
offered under an agreement between the factor and exporter, in which the factor purchases
the exporters short-term foreign accounts receivable for
cash at a discount from the face value, normally with
out recourse. It also assumes the risk on the ability of
the foreign buyer to pay, and handles collections on the chArActeristics
180-day terms.
20
Chapter 10 21
Forfaiting
F
orfaiting is a method of trade finance that allows exporters to obtain cash by sell
ing their medium-term foreign accounts receivable at a discount on a without
recourse basis. A forfaiter is a specialized finance firm or a department in a bank
that performs non-recourse export financing through the purchase of medium-term trade
receivables. Similar to factoring, forfaiting virtually eliminates the risk of non-payment,
once the goods have been delivered to the foreign buyer
in accordance with the terms of sale. However, unlike
factors, forfaiters typically work with exporters who sell
capital goods, commodities, or large projects and needs chArActeristics of
to offer periods of credit from 180 days to seven years. In forfAitinG
forfaiting, receivables are normally guaranteed by the
importers bank, which allows the exporter to take the Applicability
transaction off the balance sheet to enhance key finan Ideal for exports of capital goods, commodities, and
cial ratios. The current minimum transaction size for large projects on medium-term credit (180 days to
forfaiting is $100,000. In the United States, most users of seven years).
forfaiting are large established corporations, but small
and medium-sized companies are slowly embracing Risk
forfaiting as they become more aggressive in seeking
Risk inherent in an export sale is virtually eliminated.
financing solutions for countries considered high risk.
Pros
Key Points Eliminates the risk of non-payment by foreign
buyers
Forfaiting eliminates virtually all risk to the exporter, Offers strong capabilities in emerging and
with 100 percent financing of contract value. developing markets
Exporters can offer medium-term financing in mar
kets where the credit risk would otherwise be too high. Cons
Forfaiting generally works with bills of exchange, Cost is often higher than commercial lender
promissory notes, or a letter of credit. financing
Limited to medium-term transactions and those
The exporter is normally required to obtain a bank
exceeding $100,000
guarantee for the foreign buyer.
Financing can be arranged on a one-shot basis in any
of the major currencies, usually at a fixed interest rate,
but a floating rate option is also available.
Forfaiting can be used in conjunction with officially supported credits backed by
export credit agencies, such as the ExportImport Bank of the United States.
Cost of Forfaiting
The cost of forfaiting is determined by the rate of discount based on the aggregate of the
LIBOR (London inter bank offered rate) rates for the tenor of the receivables and a margin
reflecting the risk being sold. The degree of risk varies based on the importing country, the
length of the loan, the currency of transaction, and the repayment structurethe higher
the risk, the higher the margin and, therefore, the discount rate. However, forfaiting can be
more cost-effective than traditional trade finance tools because of many attractive benefits
it offers to the exporter.
Volume: Forfaiting can work on a one-shot deal, without requiring an ongoing volume of business.
Speed: Commitments can be issued within hours or days depending on details and country.
22
Chapter 11 23
Government-Assisted Foreign
Buyer Financing
I
nternational sales of high-value capital goods or services and exports to large-scale
projects, which require medium- or long-term financing, often pose special challenges
to exporters as commercial lenders may be reluctant to lend large sums to foreign buy
ers, especially those in developing countries, for extended periods. One viable solution
to these challenges is foreign buyer financing offered by the ExportImport Bank of the
United States (ExIm Bank). As the official U.S. export
credit agency, ExIm Bank supports the purchases of U.S.
goods and services by creditworthy foreign buyers who
are unable to obtain financing they need through tradi chArActeristics of
tional commercial sources. ExIm Bank does not compete Government-Assisted
with commercial lenders but provides products that fill foreiGn Buyer finAncinG
gaps in trade financing by assuming country and credit
risks that the private sector is unable or unwilling to Applicability
accept. With ExIm Banks foreign buyer financing, U.S. Suitable for the export of high-value capital goods
exporters can turn their business opportunities into real or services or large-scale projects that require
transactions and get paid cash on delivery and accep extended-term financing.
tance of the goods or services.
Risk
Key Points Risk is transferred to ExIm Bank and to the foreign
buyer who is required to make a 15 percent down
Government-assisted foreign buyer financing helps payment to the exporter.
turn export opportunities, especially in high-risk
emerging markets, into real transactions for large U.S. Pros
corporations and established medium-sized compa Buyer financing as part of an attractive sales
nies, as well as for their small business suppliers. package
Creditworthy foreign buyers can obtain loans needed Cash payment upon shipment of the goods
for purchases of U.S. goods and services, especially or services
high-value capital goods or services and exports to
large-scale projects. Cons
This type of financing provides direct loans to for Subject to certain restrictions for U.S.
eign buyers at a fixed rate or provides guarantees for government policy reasons
term financing offered by commercial lenders. Possible lengthy process of approving financing
years) transactions.
contract price.
Interest rates are negotiable, and are usually floating and lower than fixed rates.
Loans are fully transferable, can be securitized, and are available in certain
foreign currencies.
commercial banks.
24
Chapter 12 25
F
oreign exchange (FX) is a risk factor that is often overlooked by small and medium-
sized enterprises (SMEs) that wish to enter, grow, and succeed in the global market
place. Although most U.S. SME exporters prefer to sell in U.S. dollars, creditworthy
foreign buyers today are increasingly demanding to pay in their local currencies. From the
viewpoint of a U.S. exporter who chooses to sell in foreign
currencies, FX risk is the exposure to potential financial
losses due to devaluation of the foreign currency against
the U.S. dollar. Obviously, this exposure can be avoided
by insisting on selling only in U.S. dollars. However, such chArActeristics of A
an approach may result in losing export opportunities to foreiGn currency
competitors who are willing to accommodate their foreign dominAted export sAle
buyers by selling in their local currencies. This approach
could also result in the non-payment by a foreign buyer Applicability
who may find it impossible to meet U.S. dollar-denomi Recommended for use (a) in competitive markets
nated payment obligations due to the devaluation of the and (b) when foreign buyers insist on trading in
local currency against the U.S. dollar. While coverage for their local currencies.
non-payment could be covered by export credit insurance,
such what-if protection is meaningless if export oppor Risk
tunities are lost in the first place because of the payment Exporter exposed to the risk of currency exchange
in U.S. dollars only policy. Selling in foreign currencies, if loss unless a proper FX risk management technique
FX risk is successfully managed or hedged, can be a viable is used.
option for U.S. exporters who wish to enter and remain
competitive in the global marketplace. Pros
Enhances export sales terms to help exporters
Key Points remain competitive
Reduces non-payment risk because of local
Most foreign buyers generally prefer to trade in their currency devaluation
local currencies to avoid FX risk exposure.
U.S. SME exporters who choose to trade in foreign Cons
currencies can minimize FX exposure by using one Cost of using some FX risk management
of the widely-used FX risk management techniques techniques
available in the United States. Burden of FX risk management
The volatile nature of the FX market poses a great risk
of sudden and drastic FX rate movements, which may
cause significantly damaging financial losses from
otherwise profitable export sales.
The primary objective of FX risk management is to minimize potential currency
losses, not to make a profit from FX rate movements, which are unpredictable and
frequent.
FX Risk Management Options
A variety of options are available for reducing short-term FX exposure. The following sec
tions list FX risk management techniques considered suitable for new-to-export U.S. SME
companies. The FX instruments mentioned below are available in all major currencies and
are offered by numerous commercial lenders. However, not all of these techniques may be
available in the buyers country or they may be too expensive to be useful.
FX Forward Hedges
The most direct method of hedging FX risk is a forward contract, which enables the
exporter to sell a set amount of foreign currency at a pre-agreed exchange rate with a
delivery date from three days to one year into the future. For example, suppose U.S. goods
are sold to a Japanese company for 125 million yen on 30-day terms and that the forward
rate for 30-day yen is 125 yen to the dollar. The U.S. exporter can eliminate FX exposure
by contracting to deliver 125 million yen to his bank in 30 days in exchange for payment
of $1 million dollars. Such a forward contract will ensure that the U.S. exporter can con
vert the 125 million yen into $1 million, regardless of what may happen to the dollar-yen
exchange rate over the next 30 days. However, if the Japanese buyer fails to pay on time,
the U.S. exporter will be obligated to deliver 125 million yen in 30 days. Accordingly, when
using forward contracts to hedge FX risk, U.S. exporters are advised to pick forward deliv
ery dates conservatively. If the foreign currency is collected sooner, the exporter can hold
on to it until the delivery date or can swap the old FX contract for a new one with a new
delivery date at a minimal cost. Note that there are no fees or charges for forward contracts
since the lender hopes to make a spread by buying at one price and selling to someone
else at a higher price.
FX Options Hedges
If there is serious doubt about whether a foreign currency sale will actually be completed
and collected by any particular date, an FX option may be worth considering. Under an
FX option, the exporter or the option holder acquires the right, but not the obligation, to
deliver an agreed amount of foreign currency to the lender in exchange for dollars at a
specified rate on or before the expiration date of the option. As opposed to a forward con
tract, an FX option has an explicit fee, which is similar to a premium paid for an insurance
policy. If the value of the foreign currency goes down, the exporter is protected from loss.
On the other hand, if the value of the foreign currency goes up significantly, the exporter
can sell the option back to the lender or simply let it expire by selling the foreign currency
on the spot market for more dollars than originally expected, but the fee would be forfeited.
26 While FX options hedges provide a high degree of flexibility, they can be significantly more
costly than FX forward hedges.
www.trade.gov
April 2008