Valutasäkringens påverkan vid internationell handel : En studie om hantering av valutarisker inom fordons- och elektronikbranschen

Sammanfattning: Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate how companies are affected by currency hedging in international trade. One purpose was to investigate and identify the type of currency risks companies are most exposed to and what currency hedging methods are used to handle these. Methodology: To answer the study's question, research was conducted by using a qualitative data method and a content analysis method. Theoretical framework: The focus has been on these theories; Modigliani and Miller theory, currency risk management and previous studies. Result: The result of the study consists of a presentation of the processed data as underlies the analysis being carried out. Conclusion: The study found that the currency exposures which companies are primarily exposed to in international trade are transaction and translation exposures. Of the eight companies investigated in the study, seven of them focused on transaction exposure. The study also indicates that the most commonly used derivative instruments used by companies are futures, options and swaps, where futures due to its flexibility came first, options on the second place and swaps on the third place. The most important and used purchase currencies that the companies deal with are Euro, British pound and US-dollars. Whether it is profitable for companies to hedge their currency risks or not, this study found that currency hedging is profitable for companies.