DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES

3. DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES

During 2008, the Company entered into two-year interest rate swap agreements (Swaps) whereby the Company pays a fixed interest rate and receives a variable interest rate. The Company had designated these Swaps as cash flow hedges in an effort to reduce its exposure to fluctuations in interest rates by converting a portion of its variable rate borrowings to a fixed rate for a specific period of time. The effective portion of the change in the fair value of a derivative designated as a cash flow hedge is recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (OCI) and is recognized in the statement of operations when the hedged item affects net income. If and when a derivative is determined not to be highly effective as a hedge or the underlying hedged transaction is no longer likely to occur, hedge accounting is discontinued. Any past or future changes in the derivative’s fair value, which will not be effective as an offset to the income effects of the item being hedged, are recognized currently in the income statement.

In April 2009, the Company and its counterparty mutually agreed to terminate the existing Swaps and settle based on the fair value of the Swap contracts of approximately $1.4 million. These contracts were originally set to mature through October 2010. The total amounts paid under the terms of these contracts have been charged to interest or other expense and totaled $1.6 million in 2009. The cash flows from these contracts were recorded as operating activities in the consolidated statement of cash flows.