Fair Value Measurements (Notes)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Fair Value Disclosures [Text Block]

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

The company applies fair value accounting for all financial assets and liabilities and non-financial assets and liabilities that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis, while other assets and liabilities are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis, such as when we have an asset impairment. Fair value is estimated by applying the following hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value into three levels and bases the categorization within the hierarchy upon the lowest level of input that is available and significant to the fair value measurement:

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

Level 2 – Observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in inactive markets, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 3 – Inputs that are generally unobservable and typically reflect management’s estimate of assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.

The carrying amounts for cash and cash equivalents, investments in certificates of deposit, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate their fair values due to the short period of time until maturity.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Included in cash and cash equivalents are highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash, and which are subject to an insignificant risk of change in value due to interest rate, quoted price, or penalty on withdrawal. A debt security is classified as a cash equivalent if it meets these criteria and if it has a remaining time to maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition. Amounts on deposit and available upon demand, or negotiated to provide for daily liquidity without penalty, are classified as cash and cash equivalents. Time deposits, certificates of deposit, and money market accounts that meet the above criteria are reported at par value on our balance sheet and are excluded from the table below.

Derivative Financial Instruments

Our derivatives are over-the-counter customized derivative transactions and are not exchange traded. We estimate the fair value of these instruments using industry-standard valuation models such as a discounted cash flow. These models project future cash flows and discount the future amounts to a present value using market-based expectations for interest rates, foreign exchange rates, commodity prices, and the contractual terms of the derivative instruments. The discount rate used is the relevant interbank deposit rate (e.g., LIBOR) plus an adjustment for non-performance risk. In certain cases, market data may not be available and we may use broker quotes and models (e.g., Black-Scholes) to determine fair value. This includes situations where there is lack of liquidity for a particular currency or commodity or when the instrument is longer dated.

Investment in Unconsolidated Affiliate

In October 2014, a typhoon caused significant damage to the facilities and operations of Synergies Castings Limited ("Synergies"), a private aluminum wheel manufacturer based in Visakhapatnam, India, a company we hold an investment carried on the cost method of accounting (see Note 9 - Investment in Unconsolidated Subsidiary). In the fourth quarter of 2014 we tested the $4.5 million carrying value of our investment in Synergies for impairment. Based on our evaluation, we determined there was an other-than-temporary impairment and wrote the investment down to its estimated fair value of $2.0 million, with the $2.5 million loss recognized in income. The valuation was based on an income approach using current financial forecast data and rates and assumptions market participants would use in pricing the investment using level 3 inputs.

The following tables categorize items measured at fair value at December 31, 2015 and 2014:

			Fair Value Measurement at Reporting Date Using
			Quoted Prices		Significant Other		Significant
			in Active Markets		Observable		Unobservable
			for Identical Assets		Inputs		Inputs
December 31, 2015			(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)
(Dollars in thousands)
Assets
Certificates of deposit	$	950	$	—	$	950	$	—
Investment in unconsolidated affiliate	2,000		—		—		2,000
Cash surrender value	6,923		—		6,923		—
Derivative contracts	113		—		113		—
Total	9,986		—		7,986		2,000
Liabilities
Derivative contracts	14,159		—		14,159		—
Total	$	14,159	$	—	$	14,159	$	—

			Fair Value Measurement at Reporting Date Using
			Quoted Prices		Significant Other		Significant
			in Active Markets		Observable		Unobservable
			for Identical Assets		Inputs		Inputs
December 31, 2014			(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)
(Dollars in thousands)
Assets
Certificates of deposit	$	3,750	$	—	$	3,750	$	—
Investment in unconsolidated affiliate	2,000		—		—		2,000
Cash surrender value	6,331		—		6,331		—
Total	12,081		—		10,081		2,000
Liabilities
Derivative contracts	7,552		—		7,552		—
Total	$	7,552	$	—	$	7,552	$	—