Autoneum maintains an internal control system with the objective of ensuring effectiveness and efficiency of operations, reliability of financial reporting and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The internal control system is an important part of the risk management system.

The process of risk management is governed by the regulation “Autoneum Risk Management System”, which was adopted by the Board of Directors. The regulation defines the main categories of risk, which serve as a basis of the risk management, and the bodies that deal within the Group with the various risks. In addition, the regulation defines the procedures for detecting, reporting and managing risk and the criteria for qualitative and quantitative risk assessment.

The regulation defines the following main risk categories: strategic risk, operational risk, financial risk, compliance risk, capital risk, litigation, legal, environmental, human rights violation and other corporate responsibility risk (e.g. political, organizational, social and work safety risk).

Besides the financial and capital risk (refer to paragraphs 2.1 and 2.2 respectively), the following risks within the main risk categories are a focus of Autoneum:

Strategic risk resulting from developments in the relevant markets and of the products offered therein is assessed as part of the strategic planning and financial planning processes. Strategic risk and operational risk are regularly reviewed at meetings within the Business Groups and with the CEO and the CFO of the Group. These meetings also deal with other risks impacting actual performance against budget, in order to identify and implement corrective measures.

Risks resulting from divestments or other major projects are monitored at Group level within the framework of authorities and approvals for the respective project. Quarterly project review reports are prepared for the attention of the Board of Directors.

Specific risks are addressed by periodic reports in dedicated bodies. Such reports cover environmental and work safety risk at the various sites, treasury risk and risk from legal actions and compliance.

An aggregate review of all identified risks and of the instruments and measures to address them is performed on a semi-annual basis by the Risk Council, consisting of representatives of all Business Groups and Corporate functions. The review results are reported to the Board of Directors and the Group Executive Board.

As a result of its worldwide activities Autoneum is exposed to various financial risks, such as credit risk, liquidity risk and market risk (foreign exchange risk, interest rate risk and price risk).

Autoneum’s financial risk management aims to minimize the potential adverse impact of the development of the financial markets on the Group’s financial performance and to secure its financial stability. This may include the use of derivative financial instruments to hedge certain risk exposures. Financial risks are identified primarily locally and evaluated and managed centrally by Group Treasury in close cooperation with the Group’s legal units.

Credit risk arises from cash and cash equivalents, derivative financial instruments and deposits with banks and financial institutions, as well as from exposures to customers, including outstanding receivables, contract assets and committed transactions. Credit risk may result in a financial loss if one party in a transaction is unable or unwilling to meet its obligations. It is Autoneum’s objective to limit the impact of a default. The maximum risk of these positions corresponds to the book values of financial instruments that are classified as financial assets at amortized cost (refer to note 29).

Credit risk of financial counterparties is monitored centrally by Group Treasury. Significant relationships with banks and financial institutions are basically only entered into with counterparties which would receive a BBB rating or higher in the categories of the largest rating agencies like e.g. Fitch. At the date of reporting, management does not expect significant losses from non-performance by financial institutions where funds are invested or financial transactions are outstanding.

Autoneum maintains business relationships with all significant automotive manufacturers and has a geographically broad, diversified customer portfolio. No customer accounted for more than 15.2% (2022: 15.7%) of Autoneum’s revenue. The Group monitors the creditworthiness of its key customers by using independent ratings (if available) and by taking into account their financial position, past experience and other factors. The related credit risk is considered low at the date of reporting. In accordance with IFRS 9, the Group calculates the Expected Credit Loss according to a provision matrix based on days the amounts are past due. For trade receivables which are not overdue by more than 180 days, expected credit losses are determined by using publicly available credit default probabilities for the individual customer based on their ratings. If at this stage information indicating a higher collection risk for individual customers is available, individual allowances are recognized for the respective balances. The risk of an impairment loss increases significantly for open trade receivable balances that are overdue for more than 180 days. Unless the open balance is negligible, an individual assessment is performed to estimate expected credit losses. Individual assessments incorporate forward-looking information such as macroeconomic forecasts.

The average expected loss rates for trade receivables per aging category as well as for contract assets are as follows:

The objective of liquidity risk management is to ensure that sufficient financial resources are available at any point in time in order to be able to completely fulfill all payment obligations of the Group when due. As part of an integral budgeting and forecasting process, Group Treasury centrally monitors the planned liquidity position of the Group. Group Treasury compares the planned liquidity requirements with the available funds to detect shortages at an early stage. The liquidity risk management of Autoneum includes the maintenance of sufficient liquidity reserves and the availability of funding through an adequate amount of committed credit lines.

Beside several smaller bilateral credit facilities with banks, Autoneum maintains a credit agreement for the medium- and long-term financing requirements with a group of twelve banks in the amount of CHF 350.0 million, which expires on October 29, 2028. The credit agreement was signed on October 31, 2022 and replaces the syndicated loan which was due to run until December 31, 2022 (refer to note 23). Furthermore, a bond in the amount of CHF 100.0 million with maturity as of December 8, 2025 has been issued and is listed at the SIX Swiss Exchange (refer to note 23).

The following tables show the contractual maturities of Autoneum’s financial liabilities (including interest).

Due to the global nature of its activities, the Group is exposed to foreign exchange risk. Foreign exchange risk arises from investments in foreign subsidiaries (translation risk) as well as from transactions and financial assets or financial liabilities that are denominated in a currency other than the functional currency of a legal unit (transaction risk). In order to hedge transaction risk that cannot be eliminated through offsetting transactions in the same foreign currency (natural hedging), subsidiaries may use forward contracts, which are usually traded with banks via Group Treasury. The transaction risk from foreign currencies is monitored continuously.

The subsidiaries’ cash holdings with banks are denominated mostly in the functional currency of the subsidiary. The majority of the business transacted in Autoneum’s subsidiaries is also in their functional currency.

At the reporting date, the Group held financial instruments which were denominated in currencies other than the functional currency of the respective Group company as follows:

The Group is exposed to foreign exchange risk mostly against the euro and the US dollar. The currency-related sensitivity of the Group against these two currencies is shown in the following table:

The potential impact on net result is mainly due to foreign exchange gains and losses on financial instruments as well as the translation of the profit or loss of foreign subsidiaries into Swiss francs for consolidation purposes. The impact on equity additionally includes currency translation adjustments arising from the translation of the net investment in foreign subsidiaries.

The interest rate risk of the Group relates to interest-bearing assets and liabilities. Floating interest rate positions are subject to cash flow interest risk. Fixed-interest positions are subject to fair value interest risk if measured at fair value. In general, Autoneum aims to maintain, in consideration of seasonal fluctuations, a balanced relation between fixed and floating interest-bearing financial liabilities as disclosed in note 23. The bond issued at fixed interest rates is not subject to any interest rate risk, whereas the long-term credit agreement with floating interest rates is subject to a cash flow interest risk. The Group analyzes the interest rate risk on a net basis. No hedging of the interest rate risk was performed in the reporting period or in the prior period.

Based on the interest-bearing assets and liabilities that existed at December 31, 2023 a 100 basis point higher level of the respective underlying refinancing base rates (e.g. SARON or other alternative reference rates) would lead to a CHF 2.7 million (2022: CHF 1.4 million) lower net result as well as equity of the Group on an annual basis. A 100 basis point lower level of those rates would lead to a CHF 2.7 million (2022: CHF 0.6 million) higher net result as well as equity of the Group on an annual basis.

Holding financial assets that are measured at fair value exposes Autoneum to a risk of price fluctuation. Autoneum holds a significant investment in Nihon Tokushu Toryo Co. Ltd., whose shares are listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Autoneum is exposed to a price risk according to the fluctuations in the share price. This investment is classified as a financial asset at fair value through other comprehensive income and changes in the share price do not impact profit or loss. The amount of financial assets at fair value through profit or loss that Autoneum held is not significant (refer to note 16 and note 29).

The Group’s objectives when managing capital are to safeguard the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern in order to provide returns for the shareholders and benefits for other stakeholders, and to maintain an optimally leveraged capital structure in order to reduce the cost of capital. Autoneum aims to reach a stable investment grade rating as perceived by bank partners and debt investors.

Autoneum Group therefore targets a healthy balance sheet with an adequate portion of equity. In the mid-term, Autoneum aims for an equity ratio above 35%. On September 28, 2023 Autoneum Holding Ltd carried out a capital increase that led to an equity increase of CHF 101.1 million. As of December 31, 2023 the equity ratio equaled 32.1% (December 31, 2022: 29.4%). For the next few years, the dividend policy will depend on a number of factors, such as net result and the financial situation of the Group, the demand for capital and liquidity, the general business environment as well as legal and contractual restrictions. Subject to the foregoing, the Group intends to distribute at least 30% of its net result attributable to shareholders of Autoneum Holding Ltd. Dividends, if any, are expected to be declared and paid in Swiss francs.