Interest Rate Swaps

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Interest Rate Swaps

INTEREST RATE SWAPS

Our credit facility exposes us to short-term changes in market interest rates as our interest obligations on these instruments are periodically re-determined based on the prevailing Eurodollar rate. We enter into interest rate swaps to limit our exposure to fluctuations and volatility in interest rates. We do not engage in derivative transactions for speculative or trading purposes and we are not a party to leveraged derivatives.

At March 31, 2013, we had five$50 million notional interest rate swaps in effect. These interest rate swaps effectively fix the interest rate on $250 million of borrowings under the credit facility at a weighted average interest rate of 3.4% through September 2014.

Fair Value of Derivatives

The following table presents the carrying amount of our cash flow hedge derivative contracts included in the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2013 and September 30, 2012:

(In thousands)		March 31,		September 30,
Type of Contract	Balance Sheet Classification	2013		2012
Short term interest rate swaps	Accrued liabilities	$	1,665	$	1,705
Long term interest rate swaps	Other long-term liabilities	635		1,414
Total derivative contracts, net		$	2,300	$	3,119

We record the interest rate derivative contracts at fair value on our consolidated balance sheets (See Note 8). Hedging effectiveness is evaluated each quarter end using the “Dollar Off-Set Method”. Each quarter, changes in the fair values will adjust the balance sheet asset or liability, with an offset to Other Comprehensive Income (“OCI”) for the effective portion of the hedge.

For the three and six months endedMarch 31, 2013, we recognized a gain of approximately $0.5 million and $0.8 million, respectively, in OCI as a result of changes in fair value of our interest rate derivatives as well as realized losses associated with the effective portion of the hedge. These realized losses, $0.4 million and $0.9 million, for the three and six months endedMarch 31, 2013, respectively, were reclassified out of accumulated OCI and were classified on our Consolidated Statement of Operations as interest expense, net of capitalized interest. As of March 31, 2013, the estimated amount of unrealized losses associated with our interest rate derivative contracts that will be reclassified to earnings during the next twelve months totals $1.7 million. The unrealized losses associated with these interest rate derivative contracts will be reclassified to interest expense, net of capitalized interest.

For interest rate swaps, we compare all material terms between the swap and the underlying debt obligation to evaluate effectiveness. Any change in fair value resulting from ineffectiveness is recognized immediately in earnings. For the quarter ended March 31, 2013, no loss was recognized on our Consolidated Statement of Operations due to hedge ineffectiveness. We recognized a $0.4 million loss due to hedge ineffectiveness for the quarter ended March 31, 2012.