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Interest Rate Swap Agreements
 12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]  
Interest Rate Swap Agreements

6. Interest Rate Swap Agreements

The Company utilizes interest rate swap agreements to manage exposure to variability in expected cash flows attributable to interest rate risk. The swap agreements convert a portion of the Company’s floating rate debt to a fixed rate, more closely matching the interest rate characteristics of the Company’s finance receivables. The following table summarizes the activity in the Company’s notional amounts of interest rate swap agreements for fiscal years ended March 31:

 

     2013      2012      2011  

Notional amounts at beginning of year

    $ —         $  —         $ 50,000,000   

New contracts

      50,000,000         —           —     

Matured contracts

      —           —           (50,000,000 ) 
  

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

  

Notional amounts at end of year

    $ 50,000,000       $ —         $ —     
  

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

  

The new contracts that were entered into during fiscal year-end 2013 are not designated as hedges. The interest rate swaps that matured during 2011 were previously designated as cash flow hedges. Based on credit market events that transpired in October 2008, the Company made an economic decision to elect the prime rate pricing option available under the Line for the month of October 2008. As a result, the critical terms of the interest rate swaps and hedged interest payments were no longer identical, and the Company undesignated its interest rate swaps as cash flow hedges. Consequently, beginning in October 2008 changes in the fair value of interest rate swaps (unrealized gains and losses) were recorded in earnings. Unrealized losses previously recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss were reclassified into earnings as interest payments on the Line affect earnings over the remaining term of the respective swap agreements. The Company did not use interest rate swaps for speculative purposes and they were only intended for use as economic hedges.

The locations and amounts of gains (losses) recognized in income are detailed as follows for the fiscal years ended March 31:

 

     2013     2012      2011  

Periodic change in fair value of interest rate swaps

    $ (504,852 )    $  —         $ 783,678   

Losses reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss

      —          —           (288,542 ) 
  

 

 

    

 

 

     

 

 

  
     (504,852 )      —           495,136   

Periodic settlement differentials included in interest expense

      (277,364 )      —           (801,048 ) 
  

 

 

    

 

 

     

 

 

  

Loss recognized in income

    $ (782,216 )    $ —         $ (305,912 ) 
  

 

 

    

 

 

     

 

 

  

Accumulated other comprehensive loss as of March 31, 2010 of approximately $178,000, represents the after-tax effect of the derivative losses prior to October 2008 when the swaps were designated and qualifying as cash flow hedges. As of March 31, 2011, no remaining accumulated other comprehensive loss exists to be reclassified and affect net earnings.

Net realized gains and losses from the swap agreements were recorded in the interest expense line item of the consolidated statement of income.

The following table summarizes the average variable rates received and average fixed rates paid under the swap agreements as of March 31:

 

     2013     2012  

Average variable rate received

      0.22 %      0.00 % 

Average fixed rate paid

      0.94 %      0.00 %