Note 15 – Fair Value Measurements

The Company measures the fair value of financial instruments based on the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. As a basis for considering market participant assumptions in fair value measurements, a fair value hierarchy distinguishes between market participant assumptions based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity and the reporting entity’s own assumptions about market participant assumptions. In accordance with the fair value hierarchy, Level 1 assets/liabilities are valued based on quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets, Level 2 assets/liabilities are valued based on quoted prices in active markets for similar instruments, on quoted prices in less active or inactive markets, or on other “observable” market inputs and Level 3 assets/liabilities are valued based significantly on “unobservable” market inputs.

The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, escrow, deposits and other assets and receivables (excluding interest rate swaps), dividends payable, and accrued expenses and other liabilities (excluding interest rate swaps), are not measured at fair value on a recurring basis, but are considered to be recorded at amounts that approximate fair value.

At September 30, 2018, the $392,836,000 estimated fair value of the Company’s mortgages payable is less than their $407,007,000 carrying value (before unamortized deferred financing costs) by approximately $14,171,000 assuming a blended market interest rate of 4.90% based on the 8.5 year weighted average remaining term to maturity of the mortgages. At December 31, 2017, the $397,103,000 estimated fair value of the Company’s mortgages payable is greater than their $396,946,000 carrying value (before unamortized deferred financing costs) by approximately $157,000 assuming a blended market interest rate of 4.25% based on the 8.7 year weighted average remaining term to maturity of the mortgages.

At September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the carrying amount of the Company’s line of credit (before unamortized deferred financing costs) of $0 and $9,400,000, respectively, approximates its fair value.

The fair value of the Company’s mortgages payable and line of credit are estimated using unobservable inputs such as available market information and discounted cash flow analysis based on borrowing rates the Company believes it could obtain with similar terms and maturities. These fair value measurements fall within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

Considerable judgment is necessary to interpret market data and develop estimated fair value. The use of different market assumptions and/or estimation methodologies may have a material effect on the estimated fair value amounts.

Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

The fair value of the Company’s derivative financial instruments, using Level 2 inputs, was determined to be the following (amounts in thousands):


	As of	Carrying and Fair Value
Financial assets:
Interest rate swaps	September 30, 2018	$	4,793
	December 31, 2017		1,615
Financial liabilities:
Interest rate swaps	September 30, 2018	$	—
	December 31, 2017		1,492

The Company does not own any financial instruments that are measured on a recurring basis and that are classified as Level 1 or 3.

The Company’s objective in using interest rate swaps is to add stability to interest expense. The Company does not use derivatives for trading or speculative purposes.

Fair values are approximated using widely accepted valuation techniques including discounted cash flow analysis on the expected cash flows of the derivatives. This analysis reflects the contractual terms of the derivatives, including the period to maturity, and uses observable market-based inputs, including interest rate curves and implied volatilities.

Although the Company has determined the majority of the inputs used to value its derivatives fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, the credit valuation adjustments associated with it use Level 3 inputs, such as estimates of current credit spreads, to evaluate the likelihood of default by the Company and its counterparty. As of September 30, 2018, the Company has assessed and determined the impact of the credit valuation adjustments on the overall valuation of its derivative positions is not significant. As a result, the Company determined its derivative valuation is classified in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

As of September 30, 2018, the Company had entered into 28 interest rate derivatives, all of which were interest rate swaps, related to 28 outstanding mortgage loans with an aggregate $130,100,000 notional amount and mature between 2019 and 2028 (weighted average remaining term to maturity of 6.4 years). Such interest rate swaps, all of which were designated as cash flow hedges, converted LIBOR based variable rate mortgages to fixed annual rate mortgages (with interest rates ranging from 3.02% to 5.38% and a weighted average interest rate of 4.13% at September 30, 2018). The fair values of the Company’s derivatives in asset and liability positions are reflected as other assets or other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets.

In connection with the sale of two unconsolidated joint venture properties located in Savannah, Georgia and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Company terminated two interest rate swaps when the related mortgages were paid off in April 2018 and July 2018, respectively (see Note 7). See discussion below for the discontinuation of hedge accounting on one of these interest rate swaps during the nine months ended September 30, 2018.

The following table presents the effect of the Company’s derivative financial instruments on the consolidated statements of income for the periods presented (amounts in thousands):


	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	September 30,				September 30,
	2018		2017		2018		2017
One Liberty Properties, Inc. and Consolidated subsidiaries
Amount of gain (loss) recognized on derivatives in Other comprehensive income	$	827	$	(248)	$	4,336	$	(1,234)
Amount of reclassification from Accumulated other comprehensive income into Interest expense		(44)		(352)		(335)		(1,406)

Unconsolidated Joint Ventures (Company’s share)
Amount of gain (loss) recognized on derivatives in Other comprehensive income	$	—	$	(2)	$	69	$	(14)
Amount of reclassification from Accumulated other comprehensive income into Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures		—		(13)		103		(48)

During the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, the Company (including one of its unconsolidated joint ventures) discontinued hedge accounting on two interest rate swaps as the forecasted hedged transactions were no longer probable of occurring. As a result, during the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, the Company reclassified $110,000 and $118,000 of realized gain and loss, respectively, from Accumulated other comprehensive income to earnings. No gain or loss was recognized with respect to amounts excluded from effectiveness testing on the Company’s cash flow hedges for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017.

During the twelve months ending September 30, 2019, the Company estimates an additional $503,000 will be reclassified from other Accumulated other comprehensive income as a decrease to Interest expense.

The derivative agreements in effect at September 30, 2018 provide that if the wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company which is a party to the agreement defaults or is capable of being declared in default on any of its indebtedness, then a default can be declared on such subsidiary’s derivative obligation. In addition, the Company is a party to the derivative agreements and if there is a default by the subsidiary on the loan subject to the derivative agreement to which the Company is a party and if there are swap breakage losses on account of the derivative being terminated early, then the Company could be held liable for such swap breakage losses, if any.

As of December 31, 2017, the fair value of the derivatives in a liability position, including accrued interest of $53,000, but excluding any adjustments for nonperformance risk, was approximately $1,638,000. In the event the Company had breached any of the contractual provisions of the derivative contracts, it would have been required to settle its obligations thereunder at their termination liability value of $1,638,000. This termination liability value, net of adjustments for nonperformance risk of $93,000, is included in Accrued expenses and other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2017. At September 30, 2018, there were no derivatives in a liability position.