Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

3 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2014

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities [Abstract]

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

5.Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

The Company has interest rate risk relative to its outstanding borrowings (see Note 4).  The Company’s policy has been to manage interest cost using a mix of fixed and variable rate debt.  To manage this risk in a cost efficient manner, the Company uses derivative instruments, specifically interest rate swaps.

For each of the Company’s interest rate swaps, the Company has agreed to exchange with a counterparty the difference between fixed and variable interest amounts calculated by reference to an agreed-upon notional principal amount.  The interest rates on the portion of the Company’s outstanding debt covered by its interest rate swaps are fixed at the rates in the table below plus the Company’s credit spread.  The Company’s weighted average credit spread at October 31, 2014 was 1.50%.  All of the Company’s interest rate swaps are accounted for as cash flow hedges.

A summary of the Company’s interest rate swaps at October 31, 2014 is as follows:

Trade Date	Effective Date	Term (in Years)		Notional Amount		Fixed Rate
August 10, 2010	May 3, 2013		2	$	200,000		2.73	%
July 25, 2011	May 3, 2013		2		50,000		2.00	%
July 25, 2011	May 3, 2013		3		50,000		2.45	%
September 19, 2011	May 3, 2013		2		25,000		1.05	%
September 19, 2011	May 3, 2013		2		25,000		1.05	%
December 7, 2011	May 3, 2013		3		50,000		1.40	%
March 18, 2013	May 3, 2015		3		50,000		1.51	%
April 8, 2013	May 3, 2015		2		50,000		1.05	%
April 15, 2013	May 3, 2015		2		50,000		1.03	%
April 22, 2013	May 3, 2015		3		25,000		1.30	%
April 25, 2013	May 3, 2015		3		25,000		1.29	%
June 18, 2014	May 3, 2015		4		40,000		2.51	%
June 24, 2014	May 3, 2015		4		30,000		2.51	%
July 1, 2014	May 5, 2015		4		30,000		2.43	%

The notional amount for the interest rate swap entered into on June 18, 2014 increases by $40,000 each May over the four-year term of the interest rate swap beginning in May 2016 until the notional amount reaches $160,000 in May 2018.  The notional amounts for the interest rate swaps entered into on June 24, 2014 and July 1, 2014 increase by $30,000 each May over the four-year terms of the interest rate swaps beginning in May 2016 until the notional amounts each reach $120,000 in May 2018.

The Company does not hold or use derivative instruments for trading purposes.  The Company also does not have any derivatives not designated as hedging instruments and has not designated any non-derivatives as hedging instruments.

Companies may elect to offset related assets and liabilities and report the net amount on their financial statements if the right of setoff exists.  Under a master netting agreement, the Company has the legal right to offset the amounts owed to the Company against amounts owed by the Company under a derivative instrument that exists between the Company and a counterparty.  When the Company is engaged in more than one outstanding derivative transaction with the same counterparty and also has a legally enforceable master netting agreement with that counterparty, its credit risk exposure is based on the net exposure under the master netting agreement.  If, on a net basis, the Company owes the counterparty, the Company regards its credit exposure to the counterparty as being zero.

The estimated fair values of the Company’s derivative instruments as of October 31, 2014 and August 1, 2014 were as follows:

(See Note 2)	Balance Sheet Location	October 31, 2014		August 1, 2014
Interest rate swaps	Other assets	$	122	$	240
Interest rate swaps	Current interest rate swap liability	$	3,212	$	4,704
Interest rate swaps	Long-term interest rate swap liability	$	5,388	$	3,239
	Total	$	8,600	$	7,943

The following table summarizes the offsetting of the Company’s derivative assets in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at October 31, 2014 and August 1, 2014:

	Gross Asset Amounts				Liability Amount Offset				Net Asset Amount Presented in the Balance Sheets
(See Note 2)	October 31, 2014		August 1, 2014		October 31, 2014		August 1, 2014		October 31, 2014		August 1, 2014
Interest rate swaps	$	122	$	240	$	--	$	--	$	122	$	240

The following table summarizes the offsetting of the Company’s derivative liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at October 31, 2014 and August 1, 2014:

	Gross Liability Amounts				Asset Amount Offset						Net Liability Amount Presented in the Balance Sheets
(See Note 2)	October 31, 2014		August 1, 2014		October 31, 2014			August 1, 2014			October 31, 2014		August 1, 2014
Interest rate swaps	$	8,747	$	8,441	$	(147	)	$	(498	)	$	8,600	$	7,943

The estimated fair value of the Company’s interest rate swap assets and liabilities incorporates the Company’s non-performance risk (see Note 2).  The adjustment related to the Company’s non-performance risk at October 31, 2014 and August 1, 2014 resulted in reductions of $47 and $62, respectively, in the fair value of the interest rate swap assets and liabilities.  The offset to the interest rate swap assets and liabilities is recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss (“AOCL”), net of the deferred tax asset, and will be reclassified into earnings over the term of the underlying debt.  As of October 31, 2014, the estimated pre-tax portion of AOCL that is expected to be reclassified into earnings over the next twelve months is $5,501.  Cash flows related to the interest rate swap are included in interest expense and in operating activities.

The following table summarizes the pre-tax effects of the Company’s derivative instruments on AOCL for the quarter ended October 31, 2014 and the year ended August 1, 2014:

	Amount of (Loss) Income Recognized in AOCL on Derivatives (Effective Portion)
	Quarter Ended			Year Ended
Cash flow hedges:
Interest rate swaps	$	(775	)	$	3,058

The following table summarizes the pre-tax effects of the Company’s derivative instruments on income for the quarters ended October 31, 2014 and November 1, 2013:

	Location of Loss Reclassified from AOCL into Income (Effective Portion)	Amount of Loss Reclassified from AOCL into Income (Effective Portion)
		Quarter Ended
		October 31, 2014		November 1, 2013
Cash flow hedges:
Interest rate swaps	Interest expense	$	2,005	$	2,041

Any portion of the fair value of the swaps determined to be ineffective will be recognized currently in earnings.  No ineffectiveness has been recorded in the quarters ended October 31, 2014 and November 1, 2013.