INVESTMENTS IN MARKETABLE SECURITIES

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]

INVESTMENTS IN MARKETABLE SECURITIES

3. INVESTMENTS IN MARKETABLE SECURITIES

Investments in marketable securities consist primarily of large capital corporate equity and debt securities in varying industries or issued by government agencies with readily determinable fair values (see table below). These securities are stated at market value, as determined by the most recently traded price of each security at the balance sheet date. Consistent with the Company’s overall current investment objectives and activities its entire marketable securities portfolio is classified as trading. Accordingly all unrealized gains and losses on this portfolio are recorded in income. For the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, net unrealized gains on trading securities were approximately $263,000 and $86,000, respectively.

	December 31, 2013							December 31, 2012
	Cost		Fair		Unrealized			Cost		Fair		Unrealized
Description	Basis		Value		Gain (loss)			Basis		Value		Gain (loss)
Real Estate Investment Trusts	$	345,000	$	351,000	$	6,000		$	174,000	$	122,000	($	52,000	)
Mutual Funds, ETF & other		2,030,000		2,144,000		114,000			760,000		817,000		57,000
Other Equity Securities		962,000		1,163,000		201,000			570,000		557,000		(13,000	)
Total Equity Securities		3,337,000		3,658,000		321,000			1,504,000		1,496,000		(8,000	)
Debt Securities		1,088,000		1,065,000		(23,000	)		621,000		662,000		41,000
Total	$	4,425,000	$	4,723,000	$	298,000		$	2,125,000	$	2,158,000	$	33,000

As of December 31, 2013, debt securities are scheduled to mature as follows:

	Cost		Fair Value
2019 – 2023	$	25,000	$	26,000
2024 – thereafter		1,063,000		1,039,000
	$	1,088,000	$	1,065,000

Net gain from investments in marketable securities for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 is summarized below:

Description	2013			2012
Net realized (loss) gain from sales of marketable securities	($	119,000	)	$	35,000
Net unrealized gain from marketable securities		263,000			86,000
Total net gain from investments in marketable securities	$	144,000		$	121,000

Net realized (loss) gain from sales of marketable securities consisted of approximately $176,000 of losses net of $57,000 of gains for the year ended December 31, 2013. The comparable amounts in fiscal year 2012 were gains of approximately $152,000 and losses of $117,000.

Consistent with the Company’s overall current investment objectives and activities the entire marketable securities portfolio is classified as trading (as defined by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles). Unrealized gains or losses of marketable securities on hand are recorded in income.

Investment gains and losses on marketable securities may fluctuate significantly from period to period in the future and could have a significant impact on the Company’s net earnings. However, the amount of investment gains or losses on marketable securities for any given period has no predictive value and variations in amount from period to period have no practical analytical value.

Investments in marketable securities give rise to exposure resulting from the volatility of capital markets. The Company attempts to mitigate its risk by diversifying its marketable securities portfolio.