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Note 2 - New Accounting Pronouncements
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013
Accounting Changes and Error Corrections [Abstract]  
Accounting Changes and Error Corrections [Text Block]

NOTE 2 — NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS


New accounting pronouncements effective in the nine-month period ended September 30, 2013


Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities


In December 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued accounting guidance to amend the existing disclosure requirements for offsetting financial assets and liabilities to enhance current disclosures, as well as to improve the comparability of balance sheets prepared under GAAP and those prepared under International Financial Reporting Standards. In January 2013, the FASB issued additional guidance on the scope of these disclosures. The revised disclosure guidance applies to derivative instruments and securities borrowing and lending transactions that are subject to an enforceable master netting arrangement or similar agreement. The revised disclosure guidance is effective on a retrospective basis for interim and annual periods beginning January 1, 2013. As this guidance only imposes additional disclosure requirements, its adoption did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.


Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income


In February 2013, the FASB updated accounting guidance to add new disclosure requirements for items reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income. Although the update does not change the current requirements for reporting net income or other comprehensive income in financial statements, it does require an entity to provide information about the amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by component. In addition, an entity is required to present, either on the face of the statement where net income is presented or in the notes thereto, significant amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by the respective line items of net income, but only if the amount reclassified is required to be reclassified to net income in its entirety in the same reporting period. For other amounts that are not required to be reclassified in their entirety to net income, an entity is required to cross-reference to other disclosures that provide additional detail about those amounts. The amendments included in this guidance are required to be applied on a retrospective basis for interim and annual periods beginning January 1, 2013. As this guidance only imposes additional disclosure requirements, its adoption did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.


Presentation of Unrecognized Tax Benefits


In July 2013, the FASB clarified the accounting guidance on presentation of the unrecognized tax benefits when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists. The guidance states that an unrecognized tax benefit (or a portion thereof) should be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward, except for certain exceptions specified in the guidance. The exceptions include when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward is not available at the reporting date under the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction to reduce any income taxes that would result from the disallowance of a tax position or the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction does not require the entity to use, and the entity does not intend to use, the deferred tax asset for such purpose, the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented in the financial statements as a liability and not be combined with deferred tax assets. The assessment of whether a deferred tax asset is available is based on the unrecognized tax benefit and deferred tax asset that exist at the reporting date and is to be made assuming the disallowance of the tax position at the reporting date. This accounting update is effective for fiscal periods after December 15, 2013. The provision is to be applied prospectively to all unrecognized tax benefits that exist at the effective date, and can be applied retroactively. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact, if any, of the adoption of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements.