Fair Value of Financial Instruments

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Fair Value of Financial Instruments [Abstract]

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Note 12 — Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company’s financial instruments have been recorded at fair value using available market information and valuation techniques.  The fair value hierarchy is based upon three levels of input, which are:

Level 1 − quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (observable)

Level 2 − inputs other than Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in inactive markets, or other inputs that are observable market data for essentially the full term of the asset or liability (observable)

Level 3 − unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity, but are significant to determining the fair value of the asset or liability (unobservable)

The Company’s financial instruments consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, trade receivables, trade payables and debt instruments. For cash and cash equivalents, trade receivables and trade payables, the carrying amounts of these financial instruments as of December 31, 2013 and 2012 were considered representative of their fair values.  The estimated fair value of the Company’s long-term debt at December 31, 2013 and 2012 was based on variable and fixed interest rates at December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, for new issues with similar remaining maturities and approximates the respective carrying values at December 31, 2013 and 2012.

The deferred compensation assets and liabilities primarily relate to the Company’s Deferred Compensation Plan, which allows for pre-tax salary deferrals for certain key employees (see note 9). Changes in the fair value of the deferred compensation liabilities are derived using quoted prices in active markets of the asset selections made by the participants. The deferred compensation liabilities are classified within Level 2, as defined under U.S. GAAP, because their inputs are derived principally from observable market data by correlation to the hypothetical investments. The Company holds insurance investments to partially offset the Company’s liabilities under the Deferred Compensation Plan, which are recorded at fair value each period using the cash surrender value of the insurance investments.