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Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities [Abstract]  
DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES

NOTE 8 — DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES

The Company uses certain financial derivatives to mitigate its exposure to volatility in interest rates. The Company uses these derivative instruments to hedge exposures in the ordinary course of business and does not invest in derivative instruments for speculative purposes.

Interest rate swap agreements are utilized to reduce the impact of changes in interest rates on certain debt. These agreements were designated as cash flow hedges, therefore, the unrealized gains and losses are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss.

In June 2006, the Company entered into a forward starting interest rate swap agreement with Citizens which commenced on June 29, 2007 to hedge the LIBOR-based Citizens Owatonna real estate loan. The notional amount of the swap amortizes based on the same amortization schedule as the Citizens Owatonna real estate loan and the hedged item (one-month LIBOR) is the same as the basis for the interest rate on the loan. The swap effectively converts the rate from a floating rate based on LIBOR to a fixed rate which from June 30, 2009 to March 15, 2012 equaled 8.25% or 8.75% based on a performance grid and from March 15, 2012 equals 8.25%. The swap and interest payments on the debt settle monthly. The real estate loan and the swap both mature on July 2, 2014. There was no initial cost of the interest rate swap. The Company designates the interest rate swap as a derivative hedging instrument and, accordingly, changes in the fair value of this swap are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss.

 

The following table presents the fair values of derivatives included within the consolidated balance sheets:

 

                                             
    Asset Derivatives     Liability Derivatives
    Fair Value           Fair Value      
    June 30,
2012
    December 31,
2011
    Balance
Sheet
Location
    June 30,
2012
    December 31,
2011
    Balance
Sheet
Location

Derivatives designated as hedging instruments:

                                           

Interest rate swap agreement

  $ —       $ —         —       $ 1,088,000     $ 1,307,000     Other
Liabilities

The following table presents the amounts affecting the consolidated statements of operations and accumulated other comprehensive loss for the three and six months ended June 30, 2012 and June 25, 2011, respectively:

 

                                 
     Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Other Comprehensive Loss,  net of tax  
Derivatives in   Three Months Ended     Six Months Ended  

Cash Flow Hedging

Relationship

  June 30,
2012
    June 25,
2011
    June 30,
2012
    June 25,
2011
 

Interest rate swap agreement

  $ 117,000     $ (94,000 )   $ 204,000     $ 42,000  
   
     Amount of Loss Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive  Loss into Income  
Derivatives in   Three Months Ended     Six Months Ended  

Cash Flow Hedging

Relationship

  June 30,
2012
    June 25,
2011
    June 30,
2012
    June 25,
2011
 

Interest rate swap agreement

  $ (146,000 )   $ (156,000 )   $ (292,000 )   $ (309,000 )

See Note 9 — Fair Value of Financial Instruments for a description of how the above financial instruments are valued.

The Company is exposed to credit-related losses in the event of non-performance by counterparties to these financial instruments. The counterparties to all derivative transactions are major financial institutions with investment grade credit ratings, and although no assurances can be given, the Company does not expect any of the counterparties to fail to meet its obligations. The credit exposure related to these financial instruments is represented by the fair value of contracts with a positive fair value at the reporting date. Therefore, the Company had no exposure to its counterparties as of June 30, 2012.

For the cash flow hedges referred to above, the amounts in accumulated other comprehensive loss are reclassified into earnings as the underlying hedged item affects earnings. The amount expected to be reclassified into pre-tax earnings in the next 12 months is $250,000. The timing of actual amounts reclassified into earnings is dependent on future movement in interest rates.