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Derivative Financial Instruments
 12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2026
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]  
Derivative Financial Instruments Derivative Financial Instruments
The Company utilizes derivative instruments to reduce its exposure to fluctuations in commodity prices, foreign exchange rates and interest under established procedures and controls. The Company does not enter into derivative contracts for speculative purposes. The Company’s agreements are with creditworthy financial institutions and the Company anticipates performance by counterparties to these contracts and therefore no material loss is expected.
Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships

Lead Forward Contracts

The Company enters into lead forward contracts to fix the price for a portion of its lead purchases. Management considers the lead forward contracts to be effective against changes in the cash flows of the underlying lead purchases. The vast majority of such contracts are for a period not extending beyond one year. At March 31, 2026 and 2025, the Company has hedged the price to purchase approximately 82.7 million pounds and 70.0 million pounds of lead, respectively, for a total purchase price of $74,909 and $63,841, respectively.

Foreign Currency Forward Contracts

The Company uses foreign currency forward contracts and options to hedge a portion of the Company’s foreign currency exposures for lead, as well as other foreign currency exposures so that gains and losses on these contracts offset changes in the underlying foreign currency denominated exposures. The vast majority of such contracts are for a period not extending beyond one year. As of March 31, 2026 and 2025, the Company had entered into a total of $36,771 and $39,196, respectively, of such contracts.

Interest Rate Swap Agreements

The Company is exposed to changes in variable interest rates on borrowings under our credit agreement. On a selective basis, from time to time, it enters into interest rate swap agreements to reduce the negative impact that increases in interest rates could have on our outstanding variable rate debt. At March 31, 2026 and 2025 such agreements effectively convert $200,000 of our variable-rate debt to a fixed-rate basis, utilizing the one-month term SOFR, as a floating rate reference. Fluctuations in SOFR and fixed rates affect both our net financial investment position and the amount of cash to be paid or received by us under these agreements.

Derivatives in Net Investment Hedging Relationships

Net Investment Hedges

The Company uses cross currency fixed interest rate swaps to hedge its net investments in foreign operations against future volatility in the exchange rates between the U.S. Dollar and Euro.

On September 29, 2022, the Company entered into cross-currency fixed interest rate swap contracts with an aggregate notional amount of $150,000, maturing on December 15, 2027. On July 2, 2024, the Company entered into cross-currency fixed interest rate swap contracts with an aggregate notional amount of $150,000, maturing on January 15, 2029. Additionally, on December 23, 2024 and December 24, 2024 , the Company entered into cross-currency fixed interest rate swap contracts each with an aggregate notional amount of $150,000, maturing on June 15, 2028 and December 15, 2026, respectively. The cross-currency fixed interest rate swap contracts qualify for hedge accounting as a net investment hedging instrument, which allows for them to be remeasured to foreign currency translation adjustment within AOCI (“Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income”) to offset the translation risk from those investments. Balances in the foreign currency translation adjustment accounts remain until the sale or substantially complete liquidation of the foreign entity, upon which they are recognized as a component of income (expense).

Impact of Hedging Instruments on AOCI

In the coming twelve months, the Company anticipates that $476 of pretax gain relating to lead, foreign currency forward contracts, interest rate swaps, and net investment hedges will be reclassified from AOCI as part of cost of goods sold and interest expense. This amount represents the current net unrealized impact of hedging lead, foreign exchange rates and interest rates, which will change as market rates change in the future. This amount will ultimately be realized in the Consolidated Statements of Income as an offset to the corresponding actual changes in lead, foreign exchange rates and lead costs resulting from variable lead cost, foreign exchange and interest rates hedged.
Derivatives not Designated in Hedging Relationships

Foreign Currency Forward Contracts

The Company also enters into foreign currency forward contracts to economically hedge foreign currency fluctuations on intercompany loans and foreign currency denominated receivables and payables. These are not designated as hedging instruments and changes in fair value of these instruments are recorded directly in the Consolidated Statements of Income. As of March 31, 2026 and 2025, the notional amount of these contracts was $76,262 and $63,146, respectively.

Presented below in tabular form is information on the location and amounts of derivative fair values in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and derivative gains and losses in the Consolidated Statements of Income:

Fair Value of Derivative Instruments
March 31, 2026 and 2025
 Derivatives and Hedging Activities Designated as Cash Flow HedgesDerivatives and Hedging Activities Designated as Net Investment HedgesDerivatives and Hedging Activities Not Designated as Hedging Instruments
 March 31, 2026March 31, 2025March 31, 2026March 31, 2025March 31, 2026March 31, 2025
Prepaid and other current assets:
Lead forward contracts$— $— $— $— $— $— 
Foreign currency forward contracts336 — — — 837 1,919 
Net investment hedges— — — — — — 
Other Assets:
Interest rate swaps— 5 — — — — 
Total assets$336 $5 $— $— $837 $1,919 
Accrued expenses:
Lead forward contracts$3,521 $225 $— $— $— $— 
Foreign currency forward contracts— 290 — — — — 
Net investment hedges— — 16,076 — — — 
Other liabilities:
Interest rate swaps68 — — — — — 
Net investment hedges— — 53,914 33,002 — — 
Total liabilities$3,589 $515 $69,990 $33,002 $— $— 


The Effect of Derivative Instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Income
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026

 
Derivatives Designated as Cash Flow HedgesPretax Gain (Loss) Recognized in AOCI on Derivative (Effective Portion)Location of Gain
(Loss) Reclassified
from
AOCI into Income
(Effective Portion)		Pretax Gain (Loss) Reclassified from AOCI into Income (Effective Portion)
Lead forward contracts$(8,686)Cost of goods sold$(3,323)
Foreign currency forward contracts(1,133)Cost of goods sold(1,064)
Interest Rate Swaps 677 Interest expense750 
Total$(9,142)$(3,637)
Derivatives Designated as Net Investment HedgesPretax Gain (Loss) Recognized in AOCI on Derivative (Effective Portion)Location of Gain
(Loss) Reclassified
from
AOCI into Income
(Effective Portion)		Pretax Gain (Loss) Reclassified from AOCI into Income (Effective Portion)
Cross currency fixed interest rate swaps$(29,959)Interest expense$7,029 
Total$(29,959)$7,029 
 
Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging InstrumentsLocation of Gain (Loss)
Recognized in Income
on Derivatives		Pretax Gain (Loss)
Foreign currency forward contractsOther (income) expense, net$(409)
Total$(409)
The Effect of Derivative Instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Income
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025

 
Derivatives Designated as Cash Flow HedgesPretax Gain (Loss) Recognized in AOCI on Derivative (Effective Portion)Location of Gain
(Loss) Reclassified
from
AOCI into Income
(Effective Portion)		Pretax Gain (Loss) Reclassified from AOCI into Income (Effective Portion)
Lead forward contracts$(3,703)Cost of goods sold$(4,880)
Foreign currency forward contracts1,475 Cost of goods sold1,297 
Interest rate swaps(825)Interest Expense1,866 
Total$(3,053)$(1,717)

Derivatives Designated as Net Investment HedgesPretax Gain (Loss) Recognized in AOCI on Derivative (Effective Portion)Location of Gain
(Loss) Reclassified
from
AOCI into Income
(Effective Portion)		Pretax Gain (Loss) Reclassified from AOCI into Income (Effective Portion)
Cross currency fixed interest rate swaps$(9,422)Interest expense$4,413 
Total$(9,422)$4,413 
 
Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging InstrumentsLocation of Gain (Loss)
Recognized in Income
on Derivatives		Pretax Gain (Loss)
Foreign currency forward contractsOther (income) expense, net$3,136 
Total$3,136 
The Effect of Derivative Instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Income
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024

 
Derivatives Designated as Cash Flow HedgesPretax Gain (Loss) Recognized in AOCI on Derivative (Effective Portion)Location of Gain
(Loss) Reclassified
from
AOCI into Income
(Effective Portion)		Pretax Gain (Loss) Reclassified from AOCI into Income (Effective Portion)
Lead forward contracts$(455)Cost of goods sold$5,388 
Foreign currency forward contracts1,740 Cost of goods sold612 
Interest rate swaps$6,915 Interest expense$3,057 
Total$8,200 $9,057 

Derivatives Designated as Net Investment HedgesPretax Gain (Loss) Recognized in AOCI on Derivative (Effective Portion)Location of Gain
(Loss) Reclassified
from
AOCI into Income
(Effective Portion)		Pretax Gain (Loss) Reclassified from AOCI into Income (Effective Portion)
Cross currency fixed interest rate swaps$(2,695)Interest expense$713 
Total$(2,695)$713 
 
Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging InstrumentsLocation of Gain (Loss)
Recognized in Income
on Derivatives		Pretax Gain (Loss)
Foreign currency forward contractsOther (income) expense, net$(846)
Total$(846)