Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

The Company uses interest rate swaps and interest rate cap contracts to manage certain interest rate risks. The valuation of these instruments is determined using widely accepted valuation techniques including discounted cash flow analysis on the expected cash flows of each derivative. This analysis reflects the contractual terms of the derivatives, including the period to maturity, and uses observable market-based inputs, including interest rate curves. The fair values of interest rate swaps are determined using the market standard methodology of netting the discounted future fixed cash receipts (or payments) and the discounted expected variable cash payments (or receipts). The variable cash payments (or receipts) are based on an expectation of future interest rates (forward curves) derived from observable market interest rate curves. The Company incorporates credit valuation adjustments to appropriately reflect both its own nonperformance risk and the respective counterparty’s nonperformance risk in the fair value measurements.

The Company has entered into interest rate swap contracts with an aggregate notional amount of $225.0 million that effectively fixed the interest rate on the $225.0 million unsecured term loan at 2.4%. These derivatives qualify for hedge accounting.

As of December 31, 2015 the Company had interest rate caps, which are not accounted for as hedges, totaling a notional amount of $20.7 million that effectively limit the Company’s exposure to interest rate risk by providing a ceiling on the underlying variable interest rate for $20.7 million of the Company’s tax exempt variable rate debt.

As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the aggregate carrying value of the interest rate swap contracts was a liability of $1.0 million and $1.8 million, respectively, and is included in other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets. The aggregate carrying value of the interest rate cap was zero on the balance sheet as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014.

Hedge ineffectiveness related to cash flow hedges, which is reported in current year income as interest expense, net was not significant for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013.

Additionally, the Company has entered into four total return swaps, that effectively convert $257.3 million of mortgage notes payable to a floating interest rate based on SIFMA plus a spread. The total return swaps provide fair market value protection on the mortgage notes payable to our counterparties during the initial period of the total return swap until the Company's option to call the mortgage notes at par can be exercised. The Company can currently call one of the total return swaps with $114.4 million of the outstanding debt at par, while the call option on the other three total return swaps relating to $142.9 million of the outstanding debt can be exercised starting on January 1, 2017. These derivatives do not qualify for hedge accounting and had a carrying and fair value of $4 thousand at December 31, 2015. These total return swaps are scheduled to mature between September 2021 and November 2022. The Company held no total return swaps at December 31, 2014. The realized gains of $5.7 million were reported in current year income as total return swap income. No such income or expense was incurred for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013.