Interest Rate Swap Agreements

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

Interest Rate Swap Agreements [Abstract]

Interest Rate Swap Agreements

10. Interest Rate Swap Agreements

The Company is currently a party to five interest rate swap agreements that qualify for cash flow hedge accounting. No premium or discount was incurred upon the Company entering into any of its interest rate swap agreements because the pay rates and receive rates on the interest rate swap agreements represented prevailing rates for each counterparty at the time each of the interest rate swap agreements was consummated. The fair values of the interest rate swaps are recorded on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as an asset or liability with the effective portion of the interest rate swaps’ gains or losses reported as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss and the ineffective portion reported in earnings. The changes in fair values are reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss into earnings in the same period that the hedged items affect earnings. For the six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, the Company reclassified approximately $6,263 and $7,945, respectively, from accumulated other comprehensive loss into earnings.

The valuation technique used to determine fair value is the income approach and under this approach, the Company uses projected future interest rates as provided by counterparties to the interest rate swap agreements and the fixed rates that the Company is obligated to pay under these agreements. Therefore, the Company’s measurements use significant unobservable inputs, which fall in Level 3 of the U.S. GAAP hierarchy as defined by FASB ASC Topic 820-10-35. There were no changes in valuation techniques during the period and no transfers in or out of Level 3. See Note 13 for a summary of unrealized gains or losses recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss and earnings.

Below is a summary of the Company’s current interest rate swap agreements designated as hedge agreements as of June 30, 2012:

Amount Designated as a Hedge	Nominal Amount		Effective Date	Pay Rate	Receive Rate	Expiration Date	Current Liability  (1)		Long- Term Liability  (2)		Estimated Total Fair Value at June 30, 2012
$106,632 (3)	$	125,000	August 2007	4.9220%	3-Month LIBOR	August 2012	$	680	$	—	$	680
$63,983 (4)	$	75,000	November 2008	3.6300%	1-Month LIBOR	November 2012		960		—		960
$175,000	$	175,000	December 2010	1.3975%	1-Month LIBOR	September 2015		1,823		3,198		5,021
$175,000	$	175,000	December 2010	1.4000%	1-Month LIBOR	September 2015		1,845		3,233		5,078
$100,000	$	100,000	November 2011	1.7150%	1-Month LIBOR	April 2016		1,475		2,775		4,250
$620,615	$	650,000					$	6,783	$	9,206	$	15,989

⁽¹⁾ Included in accounts payable and accrued expenses on the condensed consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2012.

⁽²⁾ Included in other long-term liabilities on the condensed consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2012.

⁽³⁾ An additional $18,368 of this original $125,000 swap is no longer designated as a hedge as a result of the prepayment of the unextended portion of the Company’s term loan debt.

⁽⁴⁾ An additional $11,017 of this original $75,000 swap is no longer designated as a hedge as a result of the prepayment of the unextended portion of the Company’s term loan debt.

The Company amortized approximately $1,976 and $2,259 to interest expense during the six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, related to a previously terminated interest rate swap agreement. The Company will amortize approximately $494 to interest expense for this terminated interest rate swap agreement over the next twelve months. See Note 13 for additional information about the Company’s fair value measurements related to its interest rate swap agreements.