Financial Instruments

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 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.

Effective July 13, 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.In August 2012, the Company amended the terms of the 2011 Senior Credit Facility to, among other things, reduce the applicable margin on Eurodollar rate loans from 5.50% to 4.50% and reduce the interest rate floor on Eurodollar rate loans from 1.50% to 1.25%. In conjunction with the Amendment to the 2011 Senior Credit Facility in August 2012, the interest rate swap arrangement was also amended to reduce the one-month Eurodollar fixed rate from 1.983% to 1.783%, or a total fixed rate of 6.283% when including the applicable 4.50% margin on Eurodollar rate loans. This swap matures on July 13, 2014. As permitted by FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“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 and nine months ended September 30, 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.

When a derivative is executed and hedge accounting is appropriate, it is designated as a cash flow hedge at inception with re-designation being permitted under ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging. 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 performs a quarterly assessment of the hedge effectiveness of the hedge relationship and measures and recognizes any hedge ineffectiveness in the condensed consolidated statements of income. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, hedge ineffectiveness was evaluated using the hypothetical derivative method, and the ineffective portion of the hedge was reported in the Company's condensed consolidated statements of income. The amount related to hedge ineffectiveness for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 was de minimis. There was no hedge ineffectiveness during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011.

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 the Company's 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 includes 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 September 30, 2012	$	1,396	$	-	$	1,396	$	-

The swap contract liability of $1,396 is recorded as a component of other liabilities with an offset to accumulated other comprehensive income ($789, net of taxes) on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2012.