Derivative and Hedging Activities

3 Months Ended

Mar. 26, 2013

Derivative and Hedging Activities

Derivative and Hedging Activities

(5) Derivative and Hedging Activities

We enter into derivative instruments for risk management purposes only, including derivatives designated as hedging instruments under Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 815, Derivatives and Hedging (“ASC 815”).  We use interest rate-related derivative instruments to manage our exposure to fluctuations of interest rates.  By using these instruments, we expose ourselves, from time to time, to credit risk and market risk.  Credit risk is the failure of the counterparty to perform under the terms of the derivative contract. When the fair value of a derivative contract is positive, the counterparty owes us, which creates credit risk for us.  We minimize the credit risk by entering into transactions with high-quality counterparties whosecredit rating is evaluated on a quarterly basis.  Our counterparty in the interest rate swaps is JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.  Market risk is the adverse effect on the value of a financial instrument that results from a change in interest rates.  We minimize market risk by establishing and monitoring parameters that limit the types and degree of market risk that may be taken.

Interest Rate Swaps

On October 22, 2008, we entered into an interest rate swap, starting on November 7, 2008, with a notional amount of $25.0 million to hedge a portion of the cash flows of our variable rate borrowings.  We have designated the interest rate swap as a cash flow hedge of our exposure to variability in future cash flows attributable to interest payments on a $25.0 million tranche of floating rate debt borrowed under our revolving credit facility.  Under the terms of the swap, we pay a fixed rate of 3.83% on the $25.0 million notional amount and receive payments from the counterparty based on the 1-month LIBOR rate for a term ending on November 7, 2015, effectively resulting in a fixed rate LIBOR component of the $25.0 million notional amount.

On January 7, 2009, we entered into an interest rate swap, starting on February 7, 2009, with a notional amount of $25.0 million to hedge a portion of the cash flows of our variable rate borrowings.  We have designated the interest rate swap as a cash flow hedge of our exposure to variability in future cash flows attributable to interest payments on a $25.0 million tranche of floating rate debt borrowed under our revolving credit facility.  Under the terms of the swap, we pay a fixed rate of 2.34% on the $25.0 million notional amount and receive payments from the counterparty based on the 1-month LIBOR rate for a term ending on January 7, 2016, effectively resulting in a fixed rate LIBOR component of the $25.0 million notional amount.

We entered into the above interest rate swaps with the objective of eliminating the variability of our interest cost that arises because of changes in the variable interest rate for the designated interest payments.  Changes in the fair value of the interest rate swap will be reported as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income or loss (“AOCI”).  Additionally, amounts related to the yield adjustment of the hedged interest payments are subsequently reclassified into interest expense in the same period which the related interest affects earnings.  We will reclassify any gain or loss from accumulated other comprehensive income or loss, net of tax, in our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet to interest expense in our unaudited condensed consolidated statement of income and comprehensive income when the interest rate swap expires or at the time we choose to terminate the swap.  See note 11 for fair value discussion of these interest rate swaps.

The following table summarizes the fair value and presentation in the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets for derivatives designated as hedging instruments under FASB ASC 815:

	Balance	Derivative Assets				Derivative Liabilities
	Sheet Location	March 26, 2013		December 25, 2012		March 26, 2013		December 25, 2012
Derivative Contracts Designated as Hedging Instruments under ASC 815	(1)
Interest rate swaps		$	—	$	—	$	3,696	$	4,016
Total Derivative Contracts		$	—	$	—	$	3,696	$	4,016

(1) Derivative assets and liabilities are included in fair value of derivative financial instruments in the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets.

The following table summarizes the effect of derivative instruments in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income for the 13 weeks ended March 26, 2013 and March 27, 2012:

	Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in AOCI (effective portion)					Location of Loss Reclassified from AOCI to	Amount of Loss Reclassified from AOCI to Income (effective portion)
	2013		2012			Income	2013		2012
Interest rate swaps	$	196	$	(41	)	Interest expense, net	$	26	$	35

For each of the 13 weeks ended March 26, 2013 and March 27, 2012, we did not recognize any gain or loss due to hedge ineffectiveness related to the derivative instruments in the unaudited  condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income.