Financial Instruments

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Derivative Financial Instruments

4. Derivative Financial Instruments

In its normal operations, the Company is exposed to market risks relating to fluctuations in interest rates. In order to minimize the negative impact of such fluctuations on the Company's cash flows the Company may enter into derivative financial instruments (“derivatives”), such as interest-rate swaps. Any instruments are not entered into for trading purposes and the Company only uses commonly traded instruments. Currently, the Company has used derivatives solely relating to the variability of cashflows from interest rate fluctuations.

When a derivative is executed and hedge accounting is appropriate, it is designated as a cash flow hedge. Interest rate swaps are designated as cash flow hedges for accounting purposes since they are being used to transform variable interest rate exposure to fixed interest rate exposure on a recognized liability (debt). On an ongoing basis, the Company assesses the hedge effectiveness of all derivatives designated as hedges for accounting purposes to determine if they continue to be highly effective in offsetting changes in cash flows of the underlying hedged items.

On July 1, 2011, the Company entered into an interest rate swap arrangement which effectively converted $150,000, of its variable-rate debt based on a one-month Eurodollar rate to a fixed rate of 1.983%, or a total fixed rate of 7.483%, on this $150,000 when including the applicable 5.50% margin. This swap matures on July 13, 2014. As permitted by ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging, the Company has designated this swap as a cash flow hedge, the effects of which have been reflected in the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2012. The objective of this hedge is to manage the variability of cash flows in the interest payments related to the portion of the variable-rate debt designated as being hedged.

Accounting guidance on fair value measurements specifies a hierarchy of valuation techniques based on whether the inputs to those valuation techniques are observable or unobservable. Observable inputs reflect market data obtained from independent sources, while unobservable inputs reflect our market assumptions. These two types of inputs create the following fair value hierarchy:

• Level 1—Quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets.
• Level 2—Quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs and significant value drivers are observable in active markets.
• Level 3—Valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable.

This hierarchy requires the Company to use observable market data, when available, and to minimize the use of unobservable inputs when determining fair value.

The fair value for the Company's interest rate swap is determined using observable current market information such as the prevailing Eurodollar interest rate and Eurodollar yield curve rates and include consideration of counterparty credit risk. The following table presents the fair value of the Company's derivative financial instrument:

				Fair Value Measurements Using:
		Total		Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets		Significant Other Observable Inputs		Significant Unobservable Inputs
		Fair Value		(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)
Interest rate swap liability as of March 31, 2012	$	1,417	$	-	$	1,417	$	-

No ineffectiveness was experienced in the above-noted cash flow hedge during the three months ended March 31, 2012. The swap contract liability of $1,417 is recorded as a component of other liabilitieswith an offset to accumulated other comprehensive income ($801, net of taxes) on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2012.