v3.26.1
Financial instruments and Retirement benefit obligations
6 Months Ended
Jun. 27, 2026
Financial instruments and Retirement benefit obligations  
Financial instruments and Retirement benefit obligations

7a.

Financial instruments

The following table shows the carrying amounts and fair values of financial assets and financial liabilities, including their levels in the fair value hierarchy.

Carrying amount

Fair value

  ​ ​ ​

27 June

31 December 

28 June

27 June

31 December 

28 June

2026

2025

2025

2026

2025

2025

Fair value

$m 

$m 

$m 

$m 

$m 

$m 

level

Financial assets measured at fair value

  ​

  ​

  ​

  ​

  ​

 

  ​

Forward foreign exchange contracts

54

33

2

54

33

2

 

Level 2

Investments

25

30

29

25

30

29

 

Level 1 & 3

Investments relating to deferred compensation arrangements

120

106

-

120

106

-

Level 1

Interest rate swaps

15

11

31

15

11

31

 

Level 2

Currency swaps

1

2

-

1

2

-

Level 2

215

182

62

215

182

62

 

  ​

Financial assets not measured at fair value

  ​

  ​

  ​

  ​

  ​

 

  ​

Trade and other receivables

1,354

1,278

1,296

  ​

  ​

 

  ​

Cash and cash equivalents

754

557

676

  ​

  ​

 

  ​

2,108

1,835

1,972

  ​

  ​

 

  ​

Total financial assets

2,323

2,017

2,034

  ​

  ​

 

  ​

Financial liabilities measured at fair value

  ​

  ​

  ​

  ​

  ​

 

  ​

Acquisition consideration - contingent

(286)

(107)

(89)

(286)

(107)

(89)

 

Level 3

Forward foreign exchange contracts

(8)

(15)

(36)

(8)

(15)

(36)

 

Level 2

Interest rate swaps

(3)

-

-

(3)

-

-

 

Level 2

Currency swaps

(1)

(2)

-

(1)

(2)

-

 

Level 2

(298)

(124)

(125)

(298)

(124)

(125)

 

  ​

Financial liabilities not measured at fair value

  ​

  ​

  ​

  ​

  ​

 

  ​

Acquisition consideration - deferred

-

-

(9)

Bank overdrafts and loans

(19)

(8)

(17)

  ​

  ​

 

  ​

Corporate bond not in a hedge relationship

(1,395)

(1,394)

(1,493)

Corporate bond in a hedge relationship

(1,624)

(1,084)

(1,110)

Private placement debt not in a hedge relationship

(550)

(625)

(625)

  ​

 

  ​

Trade and other payables

(1,208)

(1,243)

(1,060)

  ​

  ​

 

  ​

(4,796)

(4,354)

(4,314)

  ​

  ​

 

  ​

Total financial liabilities

(5,094)

(4,478)

(4,439)

  ​

  ​

 

  ​

The following table shows the book value and market value of corporate bonds and private placement debt.

  ​

27 June 2026

31 December 2025

28 June 2025

 

Book

Market

Book

Market

Book

Market

 

value

value

value

value

value

value

 

  ​ ​ ​

$ million

  ​ ​ ​

$ million

  ​ ​ ​

$ million

  ​ ​ ​

$ million

  ​ ​ ​

$ million

  ​ ​ ​

$ million

 

2030 USD corporate bond

 

897

802

897

810

996

875

2034 USD corporate bond

 

635

659

641

672

648

659

2027 USD corporate bond

349

351

349

354

348

354

2029 EUR corporate bond

571

594

591

617

611

623

2038 EUR corporate bond

567

580

-

-

-

-

Private placement debt

550

516

625

594

625

589

In January 2026, the Group transferred an investment with a fair value of $20m from Level 3 to Level 1 following the expiration of a value protection arrangement, after which the fair value was determined by reference to quoted market prices. There were no transfers between Levels 1 and 2 during the period. There were no transfers between Levels 1, 2 and 3 during the year ended 31 December 2025. For cash and cash equivalents, short-term loans and receivables, overdrafts and other short-term liabilities which have a maturity of less than three months, the book values approximate the fair values because of their short-term nature.

Long-term borrowings are measured in the balance sheet at amortised cost. The corporate bonds issued in October 2020, October 2022, March 2024 and June 2026 are publicly listed and a market price is available. The Group’s other long-term borrowings are not quoted publicly, their fair values are estimated by discounting future contractual cash flows to net present values at the current market interest rates available to the Group for similar financial instruments as at the year end. The fair value of the private placement notes is determined using a discounted cash flow model based on prevailing market rates.

Fair value of investments relating to deferred compensation arrangements is determined using unadjusted quoted market prices, and accordingly these investments are classified as Level 1 within the fair value hierarchy. The fair value of forward exchange contracts is calculated by reference to quoted market forward exchange rates for contracts with similar maturity profiles. The fair value of interest rate swaps is determined by reference to quoted market interest rates. The fair value of currency swaps is determined by reference to quoted market spot rates. As a result, foreign forward exchange contracts, interest rate swaps and currency swaps are classified as Level 2 within the fair value hierarchy.

The fair value of contingent acquisition consideration is estimated using a discounted cash flow model. The valuation model considers the present value of expected payment, discounted using a risk-adjusted discount rate. The expected payment is determined by considering the possible scenarios, which relate to the achievement of established milestones and targets, the amount to be paid under each scenario and the probability of each scenario. As a result, contingent acquisition consideration is classified as Level 3 within the fair value hierarchy.

Fair value of quoted investments is determined using unadjusted quoted market prices, and accordingly these investments are classified as Level 1 within the fair value hierarchy. The fair value of unquoted investments is based upon third party pricing models for share issues. As a result, unquoted investments are considered Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy. The movements in the half year ended 27 June 2026 and the

year ended 31 December 2025 for financial instruments measured using Level 3 valuation methods are presented below:

27 June

31 December 

2026

2025

  ​ ​ ​

$m 

  ​ ​ ​

$m 

Investments

At 1 January

30

9

Transferred to Level 1

(20)

-

Additions

2

2

Transferred from receivables

-

18

Fair value remeasurement

-

1

12

30

Contingent acquisition consideration liability

At 1 January

(107)

(84)

Arising on acquisitions

(165)

-

Payments

1

6

Remeasurements

(15)

(29)

(286)

(107)

7b.

Retirement benefit obligations

The discount rates applied to the defined benefit pension liabilities of the UK, Germany and Switzerland pension plans are determined based on the yield on bonds that have a credit rating of AA denominated in the currency in which the benefits are expected to be paid with a maturity profile approximately the same as the obligations.

Since 31 December 2025, the discount rate for UK has increased by 50 basis points to 6.0%, the discount rate for Germany has increased by 20 basis points to 4.6% and the discount rate for Switzerland has decreased by 5 basis points to 1.15%.

A remeasurement loss of $1m was recognised in Other Comprehensive Income (OCI) during the first half of 2026, reflecting actuarial movements in the present value of the pension obligations in the UK, Germany and Switzerland.