FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

11.  FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

The Company applies the methods of determining fair value as described in authoritative guidance, to value its financial assets and liabilities. As defined in the guidance, fair value is based on the price that would be received from the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In order to increase consistency and comparability in fair value measurements, the guidance establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes observable and unobservable inputs used to measure fair value into three broad levels, which are described below:

Level 1: Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for assets or liabilities. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to Level 1 inputs.

Level 2: Observable prices that are based on inputs not quoted on active markets, but corroborated by market data.

Level 3: Unobservable inputs are used when little or no market data is available. The fair value hierarchy gives the lowest priority to Level 3 inputs.

In determining fair value, the Company utilizes valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs to the extent possible as well as considering counterparty credit risk in its assessment of fair value.

Financial assets and liabilities carried at fair value as of September 30, 2013 are classified in the table below in one of the three categories described above (dollars in thousands):

	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Interest Rate Swap Derivative Liabilities	$	-	$	12,412	$	-
Total liabilities at fair value	$	-	$	12,412	$	-

Financial assets and liabilities carried at fair value as of December 31, 2012 are classified in the table below in one of the three categories described above (dollars in thousands):

	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Interest Rate Swap Derivative Liabilities	$	-	$	19,665	$	-
Total liabilities at fair value	$	-	$	19,665	$	-

Financial assets and liabilities carried at fair value were classified as Level 2 inputs.  For financial liabilities that utilize Level 2 inputs, the Company utilizes both direct and indirect observable price quotes, including LIBOR yield curves, bank price quotes for forward starting swaps, NYMEX futures pricing and common stock price quotes. Below is a summary of valuation techniques for Level 2 financial liabilities:

· Interest rate swap derivative assets and liabilities – valued using LIBOR yield curves at the reporting date. Counterparties to these contracts are most often highly rated financial institutions, none of which experienced any significant downgrades in 2013 that would reduce the amount owed by the Company.  Although the Company has determined that the majority of the inputs used to value its derivatives fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, the credit valuation adjustments associated with the Company’s derivatives utilize Level 3 inputs, such as estimates of current credit spreads, to evaluate the likelihood of default by the Company and the counterparties. However, as of September 30, 2013, the Company has assessed the significance of the effect of the credit valuation adjustments on the overall valuation of its derivative positions and has determined that the credit valuation adjustments are not significant to the overall valuation of its derivatives. As a result, the Company has determined that its derivative valuations in their entirety are classified in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, the Company recorded a nonrecurring Level 3 fair value measurement gain of approximately $7.0 million resulting from the remeasurement of its investment in an unconsolidated real estate venture (see note 5).  Fair value for those assets measured using Level 3 inputs was determined through the use of a direct capitalization approach. The direct capitalization approach applies a projected yield for the investment to the estimated stabilized income for the facility.  Yield rates utilized in this approach are derived from market transactions as well as other financial and industry data. The yield rates used in determining the fair value of HSREV ranged from 6%-7%.

The fair values of financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable approximate their respective carrying values at September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012.   The aggregate carrying value of the Company’s debt was $1,044.4 million and $1,023.8 million at September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively.  The estimated fair value of the Company’s debt was $1,058.7 million and $1,017.3 million at September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. These estimates were based on a discounted cash flow analysis assuming market interest rates for comparable obligations at September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012.  The Company estimates the fair value of its fixed rate debt and the credit spreads over variable market rates on its variable rate debt by discounting the future cash flows of each instrument at estimated market rates or credit spreads consistent with the maturity of the debt obligation with similar credit policies, which is classified within level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. Rates and credit spreads take into consideration general market conditions and maturity.