Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 9 – Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

Accounting guidance under GAAP defines derivatives, requires that derivatives be carried at fair value on the balance sheet and provides for hedge accounting when certain conditions are met. Changes in the fair values of derivative instruments designated as “cash flow” hedges, to the extent the hedges are highly effective, are recorded in other comprehensive income, net of taxes. Ineffective portions of cash flow hedges, if any, are recognized in current period earnings. The net interest settlement on cash flow hedges is treated as an adjustment of the interest income or interest expense of the hedged assets or liabilities. The Company uses derivative instruments to hedge its exposure to changes in interest rates. The Company does not use derivatives for any trading or other speculative purposes.

During the second quarter of 2009, as part of its overall interest rate risk management strategy, the Company purchased interest rate caps for $7.1 million to effectively fix the interest rate at 2.97% for five years on $70 million of the Company’s money market deposit accounts. The interest rate caps qualified for hedge accounting. The aggregate fair value of these derivatives was an asset of $24 thousand at September 30, 2012 and $250 thousand at December 31, 2011. The change in fair value included a $1.3 million adjustment to record unrealized holding gains on the interest rate caps and a $1.5 million charge to interest expense associated with the hedged money market deposit accounts. For the first nine months of 2011, the change in fair value included an $821 thousand adjustment to record unrealized holding losses and a $907 thousand charge to interest expense. The Company expects that the charge to interest expense associated with the hedged deposits over the next 12 months will be approximately $2.4 million.

By entering into derivative instrument contracts, the Company exposes itself, from time to time, to counterparty credit risk. Counterparty credit risk is the risk that the counterparty will fail to perform under the terms of the derivative contract. When the fair value of a derivative contract is in an asset position, the counterparty has a liability to the Company, which creates credit risk for the Company. The Company attempts to minimize this risk by selecting counterparties with investment grade credit ratings, limiting its exposure to any single counterparty and regularly monitoring its market position with each counterparty. Collateral required by the counterparties, recorded in other liabilities, was $428 thousand at both September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011.