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Note 9 - Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Notes to Financial Statements  
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Text Block]
9
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DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES:
 
The Company conducts business in various foreign countries and, from time to time, settles transactions in foreign currencies. The Company has established a program that utilizes foreign currency forward contracts to offset the risk associated with the effects of certain foreign currency exposures, typically arising from sales contracts denominated in Canadian dollars. Instruments that do not qualify for cash flow hedge accounting treatment are re-measured at fair value on each balance sheet date and resulting gains and losses are recognized in net income. There were no derivative contracts not designated as hedges as of December 31, 2015 and 2014. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the total notional amount of the derivative contracts designated as hedges was $6.3 million (CAD$8.7 million) and $1.3 million (CAD$1.5 million), respectively. Derivative assets are included within prepaid expenses and other and derivative liabilities are included within accrued liabilities within the consolidated balance sheets. All of the Company’s foreign currency forward contracts are subject to an enforceable master netting arrangement. The Company presents its foreign currency forward contract assets and liabilities within the consolidated balance sheet at their gross fair values.
 
For each derivative contract entered into in which the Company seeks to obtain cash flow hedge accounting treatment, the Company formally documents all relationships between hedging instruments and hedged items, as well as its risk management objective and strategy for undertaking the hedge transaction, the nature of the risk being hedged, how the hedging instrument’s effectiveness in offsetting the hedged risk will be assessed prospectively and retrospectively, and a description of the method of measuring ineffectiveness. This process includes linking all derivatives to specific firm commitments or forecasted transactions and designating the derivatives as cash flow hedges. The Company also formally assesses, both at the hedge’s inception and on an ongoing basis, whether the derivative contracts that are used in hedging transactions are highly effective in offsetting changes in cash flows of hedged items. The effective portion of these hedged items is reflected in other comprehensive income on the consolidated statement of stockholders’ equity. If it is determined that a derivative contract is not highly effective, or that it has ceased to be a highly effective hedge, the Company will be required to discontinue hedge accounting with respect to that derivative contract prospectively.
 
All of the Company’s Canadian dollar forward contracts have maturities less than 12 months as of December 31, 2015, except one contract with a notional value of $4.4 million (CAD $5.9 million) which has a remaining maturity of 15 months.
 
For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, gains (losses) of $0.4 million, $0.1 million and ($0.1) million, respectively, from derivative contracts not designated as hedging instruments were recognized in net sales from continuing operations. At December 31, 2015, there was $0.1 million of unrealized pretax gain on outstanding derivatives included in accumulated other comprehensive loss, substantially all of which is expected to be reclassified to net sales from continuing operations within the next 12 months as a result of underlying hedged transactions also being recorded in net sales from continuing operations. See Note 15, “Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss” for additional quantitative information regarding derivative gains and losses.