2.2.0.25falsefalse0206 - Disclosure - Long Term Investmentstruefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $Jan-01-2010_Dec-31-2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000059440duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDEPSDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2true0us-gaap_LongTermInvestmentsAbstractus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalseLong-Term Investments [Abstract]3false0vgr_LongTermInvestmentsTextBlockvgrfalsenadurationLong-term investments.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00  <div style="margin-left: 0%"> <div style="margin-top: 12pt; font-size: 1pt">  </div> <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica; color: #000000; background: transparent; text-align: left"> <tr> <td width="3%"></td> <td width="97%"></td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td> <b><font style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times">6.  </font></b> </td> <td> <b><u><font style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times">LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS</font></u></b> </td> </tr> </table> <div style="margin-top: 6pt; font-size: 1pt">  </div> <div align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 0%; text-indent: 4%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent"> Long-term investments consist of investments in the following: </div> <div style="margin-top: 6pt; font-size: 1pt">  </div> <table border="0" width="100%" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent; text-align: left">  <tr style="font-size: 1pt" valign="bottom"> <td width="61%"> </td> <td width="2%"> </td> <td width="1%" align="right"> </td> <td width="5%" align="right"> </td> <td width="1%" align="left"> </td> <td width="3%"> </td> <td width="1%" align="right"> </td> <td width="5%" align="right"> </td> <td width="1%" align="left"> </td> <td width="3%"> </td> <td width="1%" align="right"> </td> <td width="5%" align="right"> </td> <td width="1%" align="left"> </td> <td width="3%"> </td> <td width="1%" align="right"> </td> <td width="5%" align="right"> </td> <td width="1%" align="left"> </td> </tr>   <tr style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom" align="center"> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom">   </td> <td>   </td> <td colspan="6" align="center" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"> <b>December 31, 2010</b> </td> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td colspan="6" align="center" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"> <b>December 31, 2009</b> </td> <td>   </td> </tr> <tr style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom" align="center"> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom">   </td> <td>   </td> <td colspan="2" nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom"> <b>Carrying<br /> </b> </td> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td colspan="2" nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom"> <b>Fair<br /> </b> </td> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td colspan="2" nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom"> <b>Carrying<br /> </b> </td> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td colspan="2" nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom"> <b>Fair<br /> </b> </td> <td>   </td> </tr> <tr style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom" align="center"> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom">   </td> <td>   </td> <td colspan="2" nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"> <b>Value</b> </td> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td colspan="2" nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"> <b>Value</b> </td> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td colspan="2" nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"> <b>Value</b> </td> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td colspan="2" nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"> <b>Value</b> </td> <td>   </td> </tr> <tr style="line-height: 3pt; font-size: 1pt"> <td>  </td> </tr>  <tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff"> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom"> <div style="text-indent: -10pt; margin-left: 10pt"> Investment partnerships </div> </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom"> $ </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> 45,134 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom"> $ </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> 70,966 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom"> $ </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> 49,486 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom"> $ </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> 68,679 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> </tr> <tr valign="bottom"> <td align="left" valign="bottom"> <div style="text-indent: -10pt; margin-left: 10pt"> Real estate partnership </div> </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> 899 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> 1,136 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> 837 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> 1,261 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> </tr> <tr valign="bottom" style="font-size: 1pt"> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">   </td> <td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">   </td> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">   </td> <td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">   </td> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">   </td> <td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">   </td> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">   </td> <td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">   </td> <td>   </td> </tr> <tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff"> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom"> $ </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> 46,033 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom"> $ </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> 72,102 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom"> $ </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> 50,323 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom"> $ </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> 69,940 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> </tr> <tr valign="bottom" style="font-size: 1pt"> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">   </td> <td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">   </td> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">   </td> <td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">   </td> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">   </td> <td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">   </td> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">   </td> <td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">   </td> <td>   </td> </tr> </table> <div align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 0%; text-indent: 0%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent"> </div> <div style="margin-top: 6pt; font-size: 1pt">  </div> <div align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 0%; text-indent: 4%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent"> The principal business of these investment partnerships is investing in investment securities and real estate. The estimated fair value of the investment partnerships was provided by the partnerships based on the indicated market values of the underlying assets or investment portfolio. The investments in these investment partnerships are illiquid and the ultimate realization of these investments is subject to the performance of the underlying partnership and its management by the general partners. In the future, the Company may invest in other investments, including limited partnerships, real estate investments, equity securities, debt securities, derivatives and certificates of deposit, depending on risk factors and potential rates of return. </div> <div style="margin-top: 6pt; font-size: 1pt">  </div> <div align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 0%; text-indent: 4%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent"> The Company has invested $50,000 in Icahn Partners, LP, a privately managed investment partnership, of which Carl Icahn is the portfolio manager and the controlling person of the general partner, and manager of the partnership. Based on information available in public filings, the Company believes affiliates of Mr. Icahn are the beneficial owners of approximately 18.8% of Vector’s common stock at December 31, 2010. </div> <div style="margin-top: 6pt; font-size: 1pt">  </div> <div align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 0%; text-indent: 4%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent"> Except for one partnership accounted for on the equity method, the Company’s investments constituted less than 5% of the invested funds in each of the partnerships at December 31, 2010 and 2009. In accordance with authoritative guidance for accounting for limited partnership investments, the Company has accounted for such investments using the cost method of accounting. </div> <div style="margin-top: 6pt; font-size: 1pt">  </div> <div align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 0%; text-indent: 4%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent"> If it is determined that an <font style="white-space: nowrap">other-than-temporary</font> decline in fair value exists in long-term investments, the Company records an impairment charge with respect to such investment in its consolidated statements of operations. The carrying value of the Company’s long-term investments reflects a loss of $21,900 recognized in 2008 related to the performance of three of the Company’s long-term investments. The Company will continue to perform additional assessments to determine the impact, if any, on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Thus, future impairment charges may occur. </div> <div style="margin-top: 6pt; font-size: 1pt">  </div> <div align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 0%; text-indent: 4%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent"> The Company received cash distributions of approximately $1,002 and $847 from one limited partnership in 2010 and 2009, respectively. </div> <div style="margin-top: 6pt; font-size: 1pt">  </div> <div align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 0%; text-indent: 4%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent"> Another of the Company’s long-term investments was liquidated in January 2011. This investment had a carrying value of $4,750 as of December 31, 2010 and the Company received proceeds of $8,886 in January 2011. </div> <div style="margin-top: 6pt; font-size: 1pt">  </div> <div align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 0%; text-indent: 4%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent"> The long-term investments are carried on the consolidated balance sheet at cost. The fair value determination disclosed above would be classified as Level 3 under fair value hierarchy disclosed in Note 15 if such assets were recorded on the consolidated balance sheet at fair value. The fair values were determined based on unobservable inputs and were based on company assumptions, and information obtained from the partnerships based on the indicated market values of the underlying assets of the investment portfolio. </div> <div style="margin-top: 6pt; font-size: 1pt">  </div> <div align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 0%; text-indent: 4%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent"> The changes in the fair value of these investments were as follows: </div> <div style="margin-top: 6pt; font-size: 1pt">  </div> <table border="0" width="100%" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent; text-align: left">  <tr style="font-size: 1pt" valign="bottom"> <td width="81%"> </td> <td width="2%"> </td> <td width="1%" align="right"> </td> <td width="5%" align="right"> </td> <td width="1%" align="left"> </td> <td width="3%"> </td> <td width="1%" align="right"> </td> <td width="5%" align="right"> </td> <td width="1%" align="left"> </td> </tr>   <tr style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom" align="center"> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom">   </td> <td>   </td> <td colspan="2" nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"> <b>2010</b> </td> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td colspan="2" nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"> <b>2009</b> </td> <td>   </td> </tr> <tr style="line-height: 3pt; font-size: 1pt"> <td>  </td> </tr>  <tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff"> <td align="left" valign="bottom"> <div style="text-indent: -10pt; margin-left: 10pt"> Balance as of January 1 </div> </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom"> $ </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> 69,940 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom"> $ </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> 54,997 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> </tr> <tr valign="bottom"> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom"> <div style="text-indent: -10pt; margin-left: 20pt"> Contributions </div> </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> 62 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> 52 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> </tr> <tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff"> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom"> <div style="text-indent: -10pt; margin-left: 20pt"> Distributions </div> </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> (1,002 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom"> ) </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> (847 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom"> ) </td> </tr> <tr valign="bottom"> <td align="left" valign="bottom"> <div style="text-indent: -10pt; margin-left: 20pt"> Revision for partnership now accounted for under the equity method </div> </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> (5,790 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom"> ) </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> — </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> </tr> <tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff"> <td align="left" valign="bottom"> <div style="text-indent: -10pt; margin-left: 20pt"> Unrealized gain on long-term investments </div> </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> 8,892 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> 15,738 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> </tr> <tr valign="bottom" style="font-size: 1pt"> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">   </td> <td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">   </td> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">   </td> <td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">   </td> <td>   </td> </tr> <tr valign="bottom"> <td align="left" valign="bottom"> <div style="text-indent: -10pt; margin-left: 10pt"> Balance as of December 31 </div> </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom"> $ </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> 72,102 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> <td>   </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom"> $ </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom"> 69,940 </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">   </td> </tr> <tr valign="bottom" style="font-size: 1pt"> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">   </td> <td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">   </td> <td>   </td> <td>   </td> <td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">   </td> <td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">   </td> <td>   </td> </tr> </table> <div align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 0%; text-indent: 0%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent"> </div> <div style="margin-top: 6pt; font-size: 1pt">  </div> <div align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 0%; text-indent: 4%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent"> The Company accounts for one of its long-term investments under the equity method and recorded equity income of $1,489 related to a limited partnership for the year ended December 31, 2010. Included in this amount was the impact of an error identified by the Company, which resulted in an <font style="white-space: nowrap">out-of-period</font> adjustment of approximately $1,650 (approximately $980 after taxes) for the year ended December 31, 2010. The error occurred because the Company’s ownership in the limited partnership increased from a nominal percentage to more than 10% during the fourth quarter of 2008 (due to significant withdrawals from other partners); thus, the Company’s investment should have been accounted for under the equity method for all previous periods in which the investment was held. The Company assessed the materiality of this error on all previously issued financial statements in accordance with the SEC’s Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) No. 99 and concluded that the error was immaterial to all previously issued financial statements. The impact of correcting this error in the current year was not material to the Company’s 2010 consolidated financial statements. This adjustment was recognized within other income in the consolidated statements of operations. The carrying value of this investment was approximately $10,950 as of December 31, 2010 which approximated its fair value because the underlying securities are classified as available for sale. </div>  </div>   <div style="margin-left: 0%">  <div align="center" style="margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 0%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica; color: #000000; background: transparent"> <b> <font style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times"> </font> </b> </div> <div style="margin-top: 0pt; font-size: 1pt"> </div> <div align="center" style="margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 0%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica; color: #000000; background: transparent"> <b> <font style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times"> </font> </b> </div> <div style="margin-top: 0pt; font-size: 1pt"> </div>  </div>  <!-- Begin Block Tagged NotefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:textBlockItemTypestringLong-term investments.No authoritative reference available.falsefalseLONG-TERM INVESTMENTS12Long Term InvestmentsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue