Fair Value Measurement

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Fair Value Measurement [Abstract]

Fair Value Measurement

6.        Realized gains (losses) on equity investments are computed using the specific identification method. The Company defines fair value as the exchange price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Company measures fair value using the following fair value hierarchy which is based on three levels of inputs intended to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value:   Level 1 - quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.  Level 2 - observable inputs other than Level 1 prices such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities. Level 3 - unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.   Cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, receivables, accounts payable and long-term debt have carrying values that approximate fair values. Equity securities for which the Company has no immediate plan to sell but that may be sold in the future are classified as available for sale.  If the fair value of the equity security is readily determinable, it is carried at fair value and unrealized gains and losses are recorded, net of related income tax effects, in stockholders' equity. Realized gains and losses, based on the specifically identified cost of the security, are included in net income (loss). The Company's valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of its marketable equity securities were derived from quoted prices in active markets for identical assets. Equity securities whose fair value is not readily determinable are carried at cost unless the Company is aware of significant adverse effects which have impaired the investments. Investments that are recorded at cost are evaluated quarterly for events that may adversely impact their fair value.

The aggregate amount of equity securities carried at cost, for which the Company has not elected the fair value option, was $2.5 million as of September 30, 2011.  The remaining $14.0 million in equity security investments are stated at fair value. As of December 31, 2010, the aggregate amount of equity securities carried at cost was $2.4 million and the remaining $21.6 million in equity security investments were stated at fair value. The following table summarizes the bases used to measure certain assets at fair value on a recurring basis in the balance sheet:

			Fair Value at Reporting Date Using:
			Quoted Prices
			in Active		Significant
			Markets for		Other		Significant
			Identical		Observable		Unobservable
			Assets		Inputs		Input
Assets:	09/30/2011		(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)
Available-for-sale equity securities
Cement industry	$	6,421,912	$	6,421,912	$	0	$	0
General building materials industry		2,943,132		2,943,132		0		0
Oil and gas refining and marketing industry		4,099,046		4,099,046		0		0
Residential construction industry		579,564		579,564		0		0
Total assets measured at fair value	$	14,043,654	$	14,043,654	$	0	$	0
Assets:		12/31/2010
Available-for-sale equity securities
Cement industry	$	9,499,615	$	9,499,615	$	0	$	0
General building materials industry		3,623,769		3,623,769		0		0
Oil and gas refining and marketing industry		7,545,978		7,545,978		0		0
Residential construction industry		896,346		896,346		0		0
Total assets measured at fair value	$	21,565,708	$	21,565,708	$	0	$	0

No reconciliation (roll forward) of the beginning and ending balances for Level 3 is presented since the Company does not have any assets or liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) during any of the periods reported in the table above. The Company has no liabilities in either year requiring remeasurement to fair value on a recurring basis in the balance sheet. The Company has no additional assets or liabilities in either year requiring remeasurement to fair value on a non-recurring basis in the balance sheet.

The following table shows the unrealized losses and fair value of the Company's investments with unrealized losses that are not deemed to be other-than-temporarily impaired, aggregated by investment category and length of time that individual trade lots of securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010:

Available-for-sale equity securities	Less than 12 Months				12 Months or Greater				Total
			Unrealized				Unrealized				Unrealized
September 30, 2011	Fair Value		Losses		Fair Value		Losses		Fair Value		Losses
Cement industry	$	1,931,772	$	272,612	$	14,100	$	4,016	$	1,945,872	$	276,628
General building materials
industry		2,009,179		648,755		0		0		2,009,179		648,755
Residential construction
industry		342,663		222,748		69,816		78,563		412,479		301,311
Total	$	4,283,614	$	1,144,115	$	83,916	$	82,579	$	4,367,530	$	1,226,694

December 31, 2010
Cement industry	$	0	$	0	$	16,400	$	1,716	$	16,400	$	1,716
Residential construction
industry		488,379		86,054		0		0		488,379		86,054
Total	$	488,379	$	86,054	$	16,400	$	1,716	$	504,779	$	87,770

Impairment Analysis

The Company owns stock in two privately-owned companies accounted for by the cost method; one in the brick industry and the other in the ethanol production industry. These investments were evaluated at September 30, 2011 and at December 31, 2010 for impairment. The evaluations of the ethanol production industry investment for each period's impairment analysis was based on specific identification of shares held and quoted prices in markets that are not active and no impairments were identified. Since there is not an active market for the brick industry investment, the Company relied on a discounted future net cash flow valuation of the investee for each period's impairment analysis to determine if the average cost of shares were impaired and no impairment was identified. As a result of those evaluations, the Company did not consider these cost-method investments to be impaired at September 30, 2011 or December 31, 2010. The aggregate cost of the Company's cost-method investments totaled $2.5 million and $2.4 million at September 30, 2011 and December 31, respectively.

September 30, 2011 - - The Company's investments in marketable equity securities carried at fair value were evaluated for impairment by comparing the specifically identified cost of each investment to market price. As a result of these evaluations, the Company identified $0.4 million in other-than-temporary impairments in investments in the general building materials industry resulting in a recognized loss in earnings of equity investments. The fair value of those investments then became the new cost basis.  The Company did identify some specific investments in available-for-sale equity securities that were not other-than-temporarily impaired resulting in the recognition of unrealized losses (see table above). These unrealized losses relate to investments in the common stock of five companies; one in the general building materials industry, one in the residential construction industry and three in the cement industry. When the Company evaluated impairment by comparing the specifically identified cost of each investment to market price as of October 14, 2011, all of the investments had higher market prices except two in the cement industry where the market price change was insignificant. The general building materials industry securities had decreased their temporary impairments to approximately $330,000 (12.9% below cost). The residential construction industry securities had decreased their temporary impairments to approximately $251,000 (35.2% below cost). The temporary impairment in the securities of one company in the cement industry decreased from approximately $259,000 to $181,000 (9.4% below cost). The Company evaluated the near-term prospects of all of the issuers in relation to the severity of the impairments (fair value was approximately 24.4% less than cost in the general building materials industry investment, approximately 42.2% less than cost in the residential construction industry investment, and approximately 13.5%, 4.8%, and 22.2% less than cost in the three cement industry investments as of September 30, 2011) and the duration of the impairments (less than three months in the general building materials industry investment; approximately 75% of shares at less than 3 months and 25% of shares at 12 months in the residential construction industry investment; and less than 3 months in the majority of the cement industry investment). Based on that evaluation, the Company does not consider these investments to be other-than-temporarily impaired at September 30, 2011.

December 31, 2010 - - The Company's investments in marketable equity securities carried at fair value were evaluated for impairment by comparing the specifically identified cost of each investment to market price. In its third quarter evaluations, the Company identified a $0.9 million other-than-temporary impairment in its general building materials industry investments, resulting in a recognized loss in earnings of equity investments. The fair value of those investments then became the new cost basis. No further other-than-temporary impairments were identified in the fourth quarter. In its fourth quarter evaluation, the Company identified some specific investments in marketable equity securities it believes are temporarily impaired resulting in the recognition of unrealized losses (see 2010 information in table above). These unrealized losses relate to investments in the common stock of two companies; one in the residential construction industry and another in the cement industry. When the Company evaluated the impairments by comparing the specifically identified cost of each investment to market price as of February 14, 2011, the residential construction industry securities had recovered approximately $8,400 (9.8%) of their December 31, 2010 temporary impairments. The cement industry securities slightly increased their temporary impairments. The Company evaluated the near-term prospects of all of the issuers in relation to the severity of the impairments (fair value was approximately 15 percent less than cost in the residential construction industry investment and approximately 9 percent less than cost in the cement industry investment as of December 31, 2010) and the duration of the impairments (approximately 6 months in the residential construction industry investment and 12 months in the cement industry investment). Based on that evaluation, the Company does not consider these investments to be other-than-temporarily impaired at December 31, 2010.

Investment Results - - The investment results for September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010 are as follows:

	Amortized		Gross Unrealized				Fair
September 30, 2011	Cost		Gains		Losses		Value
Available-for-sale equity securities
Cement industry	$	5,349,000	$	1,073,000	$	0	$	6,422,000
General building materials industry		3,558,000		0		615,000		2,943,000
Oil and gas refining and marketing industry		782,000		3,317,000		0		4,099,000
Residential construction industry		855,000		0		275,000		580,000
Total available for sale equity securities	$	10,544,000	$	4,390,000	$	890,000	$	14,044,000
Total gross unrealized gains, net of losses			$	3,500,000
Less: Deferred taxes on unrealized holding gains				1,400,000
Unrealized gains recorded in equity, net of deferred tax			$	2,100,000

	Amortized		Gross Unrealized				Fair
December 31, 2010	Cost		Gains		Losses		Value
Available-for-sale equity securities
Cement industry	$	4,971,000	$	4,529,000	$	0	$	9,500,000
General building materials industry		2,866,000		758,000		0		3,624,000
Oil and gas refining and marketing industry		2,600,000		4,946,000		0		7,546,000
Residential construction industry		849,000		47,000		0		896,000
Total available for sale equity securities	$	11,286,000	$	10,280,000	$	0	$	21,566,000
Total gross unrealized gains				10,280,000
Less: Deferred taxes on unrealized holding gains				4,112,000
Unrealized gains recorded in equity, net of deferred tax			$	6,168,000

Investment-related cash flow information for September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010 are as follows:

		September 30, 2011			December 31, 2010
Proceeds from sale of equity securities	$	7,878,129		$	412,532
Realized gain/(loss) on equity securities	$	5,197,438		$	(79,793	)
Realized losses due to other-than-temporary
impairment of equity securities	$	(415,287	)	$	(858,787	)