Note 9 - New Accounting Pronouncements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Accounting Changes and Error Corrections [Abstract]

Accounting Changes and Error Corrections [Text Block]

(9)           NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

In February 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2013-04, “Obligations Resulting from Joint and Several Liability Arrangements for Which the Total Amount of the Obligation Is Fixed at the Reporting Date”. These amendments provide guidance for the recognition, measurement, and disclosure of obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount of the obligation within the scope of this guidance is fixed at the reporting date, except for obligations addressed within existing guidance in GAAP. Examples of obligations within this guidance are debt arrangements, other contractual obligations, and settled litigation and judicial rulings. For public entities, the amendments are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. The amendments are applied retrospectively to all prior periods presented for those obligations within the scope of this ASU that exist at the beginning of an entity's fiscal year of adoption. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of ASU 2013-04 will not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In March 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-05, “Parent’s Accounting for the Cumulative Translation Adjustment upon Derecognition of Certain Subsidiaries or Groups of Assets within a Foreign Entity or of an Investment in a Foreign Entity”. These amendments provide guidance on releasing Cumulative Translation Adjustments when a reporting entity (parent) ceases to have a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary or group of assets that is a nonprofit activity or a business within a foreign entity. In addition, these amendments provide guidance on the release of Cumulative Translation Adjustment in partial sales of equity method investments and in step acquisitions. For public entities, the amendments are effective on a prospective basis for fiscal years and interim reporting periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. The amendments must be applied prospectively to derecognition events occurring after the effective date. Prior periods should not be adjusted. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of ASU No. 2013-05 will not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In May 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-07, “Liquidation Basis of Accounting”. These amendments require an entity to prepare its financial statements using the liquidation basis of accounting (LBA) when liquidation is imminent. Among the requirements of LBA financial statements is that they present relevant information about an entity's expected resources in liquidation by measuring and presenting assets at the amount of the expected cash proceeds from liquidation; include in its presentation of assets any items not previously recognized under U.S. GAAP but that it expects to either sell in liquidation or use in settling liabilities; recognize and measure an entity's liabilities in accordance with U.S. GAAP that otherwise applies to those liabilities; and disclose an entity's plan for liquidation, the methods and significant assumptions used to measure assets and liabilities, the type and amount of costs and income accrued, and the expected duration of the liquidation process. These amendments are effective for entities that determine liquidation is imminent during annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2013, and interim reporting periods therein. Entities should apply the requirements prospectively from the day that liquidation becomes imminent. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of ASU No. 2013-07 will not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-10, “Inclusion of the Fed Funds Effective Swap Rate (or Overnight Index Swap Rate) as a Benchmark Interest Rate for Hedge Accounting Purposes”. These amendments permit the Fed Funds Effective Swap Rate to be used as a U.S. benchmark interest rate for hedge accounting purposes, in addition to UST and LIBOR. The amendments also remove the restriction on using different benchmark rates for similar hedges. The amendments apply to all entities that elect to apply hedge accounting of the benchmark interest rate. These amendments are effective for qualifying new or redesignated hedging relationships entered into on or after July 17, 2013. The adoption of ASU No. 2013-10 will not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-11, “Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists”. These amendments provide that an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion thereof, should be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward, except to the extent that a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward is not available at the reporting date to settle any additional income taxes that would result from disallowance of a tax position, or the tax law does not require the entity to use, and the entity does not intend to use, the deferred tax asset for such purpose, then the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented as a liability. These amendments are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. For nonpublic entities, the amendments are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2014. Early adoption and retrospective application is permitted. The adoption of ASU No. 2013-11 will not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.