FAIR VALUE DISCLOSURES

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

FAIR VALUE DISCLOSURES

11. FAIR VALUE DISCLOSURES

The various inputs used to measure assets at fair value establish a hierarchy that distinguishes between assumptions based on market data (observable inputs) and the Company’s assumptions (unobservable inputs). The hierarchy consists of three broad levels as follows:

1. Level 1 – Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

2. 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-based valuation techniques for which all significant assumptions are observable in the market or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

3. Level 3 – Unobservable inputs developed using the Company’s estimates and assumptions, which reflect those that market participants would use.

The following table summarizes the valuation of financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis in the balance sheets as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011:

	Fair value measurements at March 31, 2012 with:
(in thousands)	Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets		Significant other observable inputs		Significant unobservable inputs
	(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)
Assets:
Trading securities	$	-	$	8,901	$	-
Available for sale securities		622		-		-

	Fair value measurements at December 31, 2011 with:
(in thousands)	Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets		Significant other observable inputs		Significant unobservable inputs
	(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)
Assets:
Trading securities	$	-	$	8,251	$	-
Available for sale securities		629		-		-

The Company determines the fair value of the marketable securities that are available-for-sale through quoted market prices. The total fair value is the final closing price, as defined by the exchange in which the asset is actively traded, on the last trading day of the period, multiplied by the number of units held without consideration of transaction costs. Significant observable inputs in addition to quoted market prices were used to value trading securities. As a result, the Company classified these investments as using level 2 inputs.

The outstanding balance on the Revolving Credit Agreement was $180.8 million at March 31, 2012 and $203.3 million at December 31, 2011 which approximated the fair values. The fair value of these borrowings was based on quotes from the lender (level 2 inputs). The borrowings under the Company’s revolving credit agreement bear interest at the variable rate described in Note 9. The Company is subject to interest rate risk on the variable component of the interest rate. The Company’s risk management objective from time to time is to lock in the interest cash outflows on a portion of the Company’s debt. As a result, as described in Note 9, the Company entered into an interest rate swap agreement in 2008 on $50 million of debt to a fixed-rate, thereby hedging against the impact of potential interest rate changes on future interest expense. This agreement terminated on September 8, 2011.

The carrying amounts of other financial instruments reported in the balance sheet for current assets and current liabilities approximate their fair values because of the short maturity of these instruments. The Company currently does not use the fair value option to measure any of its existing financial instruments and has not determined whether or not it will elect this option for financial instruments it may acquire in the future.