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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Business.  M/I Homes, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company” or “we”) is engaged primarily in the construction and sale of single-family residential property in Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; Chicago, Illinois; Tampa and Orlando, Florida; Houston and San Antonio, Texas; Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina; and the Virginia and Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C.  The Company designs, sells and builds single-family homes on finished lots, which it develops or purchases ready for home construction.  The Company also purchases undeveloped land to develop into finished lots for future construction of single-family homes and, on a limited basis, for sale to others.  Our homebuilding operations operate across three geographic regions in the United States.  Within these regions, our operations have similar economic characteristics; therefore, they have been aggregated into three reportable homebuilding segments: Midwest homebuilding, Southern homebuilding and Mid-Atlantic homebuilding.

The Company conducts mortgage financing activities through its wholly-owned subsidiary, M/I Financial Corp. (“M/I Financial”), which originates mortgage loans for purchasers of the Company’s homes.  The loans and the servicing rights are sold to outside mortgage lenders.  The Company and M/I Financial also operate wholly- and majority-owned subsidiaries that provide title services to purchasers of the Company’s homes.  Our mortgage banking and title service activities have similar economic characteristics; therefore, they have been aggregated into one reportable segment, the financial services segment.

Principles of Consolidation.  The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of M/I Homes, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

Accounting Principles.  The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).  All intercompany transactions have been eliminated.  The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents. All highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less are considered to be cash equivalents.  Cash equivalents also consists of cash relating to homes closed at year-end that were not yet funded to the Company as of December 31st due to timing.

Restricted Cash. Restricted cash consists of homebuilding cash the Company had designated as collateral at December 31, 2011 in accordance with the five secured Letter of Credit Facilities (collectively, the “Letter of Credit Facilities”) that the Company entered into in 2009 and 2010.  See Note 3 for further details surrounding restricted cash relating to the Letter of Credit Facilities.  Restricted Cash also consists of cash held in escrow, which represents cash that was deposited in an escrow account at the time of closing on homes to homebuyers which will be released to the Company when the related work is completed on each home, which generally occurs within six months of closing on the home.

Mortgage Loans Held for Sale.  Mortgage loans held for sale consists primarily of single-family residential loans collateralized by the underlying property.  Generally, all of the mortgage loans and related servicing rights are sold to third-party investors shortly after origination.  Refer to the Revenue Recognition policy described below for additional discussion.

Inventory.  Land and development costs are typically allocated to individual lots on a pro-rata basis, and the costs of the lots are transferred to homes under construction when home construction begins. We use the specific identification method for the purpose of accumulating home construction costs. Inventory is recorded at cost, unless events and circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the land may be impaired.  In addition to the costs of direct land acquisition, land development and related costs (both incurred and estimated to be incurred) and home construction costs, inventory includes capitalized interest, real estate taxes, and certain indirect costs incurred during land development and home construction.  Such costs are charged to cost of sales simultaneously with revenue recognition, as discussed below.  When a home is closed, we typically have not yet paid all incurred costs necessary to complete the home.  As homes close, we compare the home construction budget to actual recorded costs to date to estimate the additional costs to be incurred from our subcontractors related to the home.  We record a liability and a corresponding charge to cost of sales for the amount we estimate will ultimately be paid related to that home.  We monitor the accuracy of such estimate by comparing actual costs incurred in subsequent months to the estimate.  Although actual costs to complete in the future could differ from the estimate, our method has historically produced consistently accurate estimates of actual costs to complete closed homes.

The Company assesses inventory for recoverability on a quarterly basis if events or changes in local or national economic conditions indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable.  For those communities whose carrying values exceed the estimated undiscounted future cash flows and deemed to be impaired, the impairment recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the communities exceeds the estimated fair value. Due to the fact that the Company's cash flow models and estimates of fair values are based upon management's estimates and assumptions, unexpected changes in market conditions may lead the Company to incur additional impairment charges in the future.

Capitalized Interest.  The Company capitalizes interest during land development and home construction.  Capitalized interest is charged to cost of sales as the related inventory is delivered to a third party.  The summary of capitalized interest is as follows:
 
Year Ended December 31,
 
2011
2010
2009
Capitalized interest, beginning of year
$
20,075

$
23,670

$
25,838

Interest capitalized to inventory
9,743

9,744

9,552

Capitalized interest charged to cost of sales
(10,949
)
(13,339
)
(11,720
)
Capitalized interest, end of year
$
18,869

$
20,075

$
23,670

Interest incurred
$
24,748

$
19,159

$
18,019


Investment in Unconsolidated Limited Liability Companies.  We invest in entities that acquire and develop land for distribution to us in connection with our homebuilding operations. In our judgment, we have determined that these entities generally do not meet the criteria of variable interest entities (“VIEs”) because, amongst other things, they have sufficient equity to finance their operations. We must use our judgment to determine if we have substantive control of these entities. If we were to determine that we have substantive control, we would be required to consolidate the entity. Factors considered in determining whether we have substantive control include risk and reward sharing, experience and financial condition of the other partners, voting rights, involvement in day-to-day capital and operating decisions, and continuing involvement. In the event an entity does not have sufficient equity to finance its operations, we would be required to use judgment to determine if we were the primary beneficiary of the VIE. We consider our accounting policies with respect to determining whether we are the primary beneficiary or have substantive control to be critical accounting policies due to the judgment required. Based on the application of our accounting policies, these entities are accounted for by the equity method of accounting.

The Company evaluates its investment in unconsolidated limited liabilities companies (“Unconsolidated LLCs”) for potential impairment on a quarterly basis. If the fair value of the investment is less than the investment's carrying value and the Company has determined that the decline in value is other than temporary, the Company would write down the value of the investment to fair value. The determination of whether an investment's fair value is less than the carrying value requires management to make certain assumptions regarding the amount and timing of future contributions to the Unconsolidated LLC, the timing of distribution of lots to the Company from the Unconsolidated LLC, the projected fair value of the lots at the time of distribution to the Company, and the estimated proceeds from, and timing of, the sale of land or lots to third parties. In determining the fair value of investments in Unconsolidated LLCs, the Company evaluates the projected cash flows associated with each Unconsolidated LLC. As of December 31, 2011, the Company used a discount rate of 18% in determining the fair value of investments in Unconsolidated LLCs. In addition to the assumptions management must make to determine if the investment's fair value is less than the carrying value, management must also use judgment in determining whether the impairment is other than temporary. The factors management considers are: (1) the length of time and the extent to which the market value has been less than cost; (2) the financial condition and near-term prospects of the company; and (3) the intent and ability of the Company to retain its investment in the Unconsolidated LLC for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery in market value. Because of the high degree of judgment involved in developing these assumptions, it is possible that the Company may determine the investment is not impaired in the current period but, due to passage of time or change in market conditions leading to changes in assumptions, impairment could occur.

Property and Equipment. The Company records property and equipment at cost and subsequently depreciates the assets using both straight-line and accelerated methods.  Following are the major classes of depreciable assets and their estimated useful lives:
 
Year Ended December 31,
 
2011
2010
Land, building and improvements
$
11,823

$
11,823

Office furnishings, leasehold improvements, computer equipment and computer software
26,637

25,927

Transportation and construction equipment
268

405

Property and equipment
38,728

38,155

Accumulated depreciation
(24,370
)
(21,601
)
Property and equipment, net
$
14,358

$
16,554

 
Estimated Useful Lives
Building and improvements
35 years
Office furnishings, leasehold improvements, computer equipment and computer software
3-7 years
Transportation and construction equipment
5-20 years

Depreciation expense was $3.5 million, $4.0 million and $3.9 million in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.
Property and equipment held for sale includes property and equipment that meets all of the following six criteria:  (1) management, having the authority to approve the action, commits to a plan to sell the asset; (2) the asset is available for immediate sale in its present condition subject only to terms that are usual and customary for sales of such assets; (3) an active program to locate a buyer and other actions required to complete the plan to sell the asset have been initiated; (4) the sale of the asset is probable, and transfer of the asset is expected to qualify for recognition as a completed sale, within one year; (5) the asset is being actively marketed for sale at a price that is reasonable in relation to its current fair value; and (6) actions required to complete the plan indicate that it is unlikely that significant changes to the plan will be made or that the plan will be withdrawn.  The Company records property and equipment held for sale at the lower of its carrying value or fair value less costs to sell.

During the first quarter of 2009, the Company sold the Company airplane for $8.0 million.  The transaction was with an unrelated party.  The sale resulted in a loss of $0.9 million that is included in Other loss on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Other Assets.  Other assets includes certificates of deposit of $0.3 million at both December 31, 2011 and 2010, which have been pledged as collateral for mortgage loans sold to third parties and, therefore, are restricted from general use.  The certificates of deposit will be released when there is a 95% loan-to-value on the related loans and there have been no late payments by the mortgagor in the last twelve months.  Other assets also includes non-trade receivables, notes receivable, deposits and prepaid expenses.

Other Liabilities.  Other liabilities includes taxes payable, accrued compensation, accrued self-insurance costs, accrued warranty expenses, and various other miscellaneous accrued expenses.

Guarantees and Indemnities.  Guarantee and indemnity liabilities are established by charging the applicable income statement or balance sheet line, depending on the nature of the guarantee or indemnity, and crediting a liability.  M/I Financial provides a limited-life guarantee on loans sold to certain third parties and estimates its actual liability related to the guarantee and any indemnities subsequently provided to the purchaser of the loans in lieu of loan repurchase based on historical loss experience.  Actual future costs associated with loans guaranteed or indemnified could differ materially from our current estimated amounts.  The Company has also provided certain other guarantees and indemnifications in connection with the purchase and development of land, including environmental indemnifications, and guarantees of the completion of land development.  The Company estimates these liabilities based on the estimated cost of insurance coverage or estimated cost of acquiring a bond in the amount of the exposure.  Actual future costs associated with these guarantees and indemnifications could differ materially from our current estimated amounts.

Segment Information.  Our reportable business segments consist of Midwest homebuilding, Southern homebuilding, Mid-Atlantic homebuilding, and financial services.  Our homebuilding operations derive a majority of their revenue from constructing single-family homes in eleven markets in the United States.  Our operations in the eleven markets each individually represent an operating segment.  Due to similar economic characteristics within the homebuilding operations, the Company has aggregated the operating segments into three regions that represent the reportable homebuilding segments.  The financial services segment generates revenue by originating and selling mortgages, and by collecting fees for title and insurance services.

Revenue Recognition.  Revenue from the sale of a home is recognized when the closing has occurred, title has passed, the risks and rewards of ownership are transferred to the buyer, and an adequate initial and continuing investment by the homebuyer is received, or when the loan has been sold to a third-party investor. Revenue for homes that close to the buyer having a deposit of 5% or greater, home closings financed by third parties, and all home closings insured under FHA or VA government-insured programs are recorded in the financial statements on the date of closing.

Revenue related to all other home closings initially funded by our wholly-owned subsidiary, M/I Financial Corp. (“M/I Financial”), is recorded on the date that M/I Financial sells the loan to a third-party investor, because the receivable from the third-party investor is not subject to future subordination, and the Company has transferred to this investor the usual risks and rewards of ownership that is in substance a sale and does not have a substantial continuing involvement with the home.

All associated homebuilding costs are charged to cost of sales in the period when the revenues from home closings are recognized. Homebuilding costs include: land and land development costs; home construction costs (including an estimate of the costs to complete construction); previously capitalized interest; real estate taxes; indirect costs; and estimated warranty costs. All other costs are expensed as incurred. Sales incentives, including pricing discounts and financing costs paid by the Company, are recorded as a reduction of revenue in the Company's Consolidated Statements of Operations. Sales incentives in the form of options or upgrades are recorded in homebuilding costs.

We recognize the majority of the revenue associated with our mortgage loan operations when the mortgage loans and/or related servicing rights are sold to third party investors. The revenue recognized is reduced by the fair value of the related guarantee provided to the investor. The fair value of the guarantee is recognized in revenue when the Company is released from its obligation under the guarantee. Generally, all of the financial services mortgage loans and related servicing rights are sold to third party investors within two to three weeks of origination. We recognize financial services revenue associated with our title operations as homes are closed, closing services are rendered, and title policies are issued, all of which generally occur simultaneously as each home is closed. All of the underwriting risk associated with title insurance policies is transferred to third-party insurers.

Warranty.  Warranty accruals are established by charging cost of sales and crediting a warranty accrual for each home closed.  The amounts charged are estimated by management to be adequate to cover expected warranty-related costs for materials and outside labor required under the Company's warranty programs. Accruals are recorded for warranties under the following warranty programs:

Home Builder’s Limited Warranty; and
30-year transferable structural warranty.

The warranty accruals for the Home Builder's Limited Warranty are established as a percentage of average sales price, and the structural warranty accruals are established on a per unit basis. Our warranty accruals are based upon historical experience by geographic area and recent trends. Factors that are given consideration in determining the accruals include: (1) the historical range of amounts paid per average sales price on a home; (2) type and mix of amenity packages added to the home; (3) any warranty expenditures not considered to be normal and recurring; (4) timing of payments; (5) improvements in quality of construction expected to impact future warranty expenditures; (6) actuarial estimates, which reflect both Company and industry data; and (7) conditions that may affect certain projects and require a different percentage of average sales price for those specific projects.

Changes in estimates for warranties occur due to changes in the historical payment experience and differences between the actual payment pattern experienced during the period and the historical payment pattern used in our evaluation of the warranty accrual balance at the end of each quarter. Actual future warranty costs could differ from our current estimated amount.

Self-insurance.  Self-insurance accruals are made for estimated liabilities associated with employee health care, workers' compensation, and general liability insurance. For 2011, our self-insurance limit for employee health care was $250,000 per claim per year, with stop loss insurance covering amounts in excess of $250,000. Our workers’ compensation claims are insured by a third party and carry a deductible of $250,000 per claim, with maximum incurred losses not to exceed $425,000, except for claims made in the state of Ohio where the Company is self-insured. Our self-insurance limit for Ohio workers’ compensation is $450,000 per claim, with stop loss insurance covering all amounts in excess of this limit. The accruals related to employee health care and workers' compensation are based on historical experience and open case reserves. Our general liability claims are insured by a third party; the Company generally has a $7.5 million deductible per occurrence and a $30.0 million deductible in the aggregate, with lower deductibles for certain types of claims. The Company records a general liability accrual for claims falling below the Company's deductible. The general liability accrual estimate is based on an actuarial evaluation of our past history of claims, other industry specific factors and specific event analysis. The Company recorded expenses totaling $3.1 million, $2.0 million and $15.5 million, respectively, for all self-insured and general liability claims during the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009.  For the year ended December 31, 2010, this included $0.6 million of charges related to defective imported drywall, as well as the $2.4 million settlement received in the third quarter of 2010 related to defective imported drywall. For the year ended December 31, 2009, this included $12.2 million of charges related to defective imported drywall. Because of the high degree of judgment required in determining these estimated accrual amounts, actual future costs could differ from our current estimated amounts. Please see Note 10 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for more information regarding expenses relating to defective drywall.

Amortization of Debt Issuance Costs.  The costs incurred in connection with the issuance of debt are being amortized over the terms of the related debt.  Unamortized debt issue costs of $5.4 million and $7.1 million are included in Other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Advertising and Research and Development.  The Company expenses advertising, and research and development costs as incurred.  The Company expensed $4.9 million, $6.1 million and $5.3 million in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively, for advertising expenses.  The Company expensed $2.5 million, $2.4 million and $1.8 million in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively, for research and development expenses.

Derivative Financial Instruments.  To meet financing needs of our home-buying customers, M/I Financial is party to interest rate lock commitments (“IRLCs”), which are extended to customers who have applied for a mortgage loan and meet certain defined credit and underwriting criteria. These IRLCs are considered derivative financial instruments. M/I Financial manages interest rate risk related to its IRLCs and mortgage loans held for sale through the use of forward sales of mortgage-backed securities (“FMBSs”), the use of best-efforts whole loan delivery commitments, and the occasional purchase of options on FMBSs in accordance with Company policy. These FMBSs, options on FMBSs, and IRLCs covered by FMBSs are considered non-designated derivatives. In determining the fair value of IRLCs, M/I Financial considers the value of the resulting loan if sold in the secondary market. The fair value includes the price that the loan is expected to be sold for along with the value of servicing release premiums. Subsequent to inception, M/I Financial estimates an updated fair value, which is compared to the initial fair value. In addition, M/I Financial uses fallout estimates, which fluctuate based on the rate of the IRLC in relation to current rates. Gains or losses are recorded in financial services revenue. Certain IRLCs and mortgage loans held for sale are committed to third party investors through the use of best-efforts whole loan delivery commitments. The IRLCs and related best-efforts whole loan delivery commitments, which generally are highly effective from an economic standpoint, are considered non-designated derivatives and are accounted for at fair value, with gains or losses recorded in financial services revenue. Under the terms of these best-efforts whole loan delivery commitments covering mortgage loans held for sale, the specific committed mortgage loans held for sale are identified and matched to specific delivery commitments on a loan-by-loan basis. The delivery commitments and loans held for sale are recorded at fair value, with changes in fair value recorded in financial services revenue.

Loss Per Share.  Basic loss per share for the twelve months ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009 is computed based on the weighted average common shares outstanding during each period.  Diluted loss per share is computed based on the weighted average common shares outstanding, along with the stock options, equity units and stock units described in Note 2 (collectively, “stock equivalent awards”) deemed outstanding during the period, plus the weighted average common shares that would be outstanding assuming the conversion of stock equivalent awards, excluding the impact of such conversions if they are anti-dilutive or would decrease the reported diluted loss per share.  The number of anti-dilutive options that require exclusion from the computation of loss per share is summarized in the table below.  There are no adjustments to net loss necessary in the calculation of basic or diluted loss per share. 
 
Year Ended December 31, 
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
2011
2010
2009
 
Loss
Shares
EPS
Loss
Shares
EPS
Loss
Shares
EPS
Net loss to common shareholders
(33,877
)
 
 
(26,269
)
 
 
(62,109
)
 
 
Diluted loss to common shareholders
(33,877
)
18,698

(1.81
)
(26,269
)
18,523

(1.42
)
(62,109
)
16,730

(3.71
)
Anti-dilutive stock equivalent awards not included in the calculation of diluted loss per share
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,170

 

 

2,070

 

 

1,723

 


Profit Sharing.  The Company has a deferred profit-sharing plan that covers substantially all Company employees and permits members to make contributions to the plan on a pre-tax basis in accordance with the provisions of Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.  Company contributions to the plan are made at the discretion of the Company’s Board of Directors and resulted in a $0.4 million expense for both the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, and a $0.3 million expense for the year ended December 31, 2009.

Deferred Compensation Plans.  Effective November 1, 1998, the Company adopted the Executives’ Deferred Compensation Plan (the “Executive Plan”), a non-qualified deferred compensation plan.  The purpose of the Executive Plan is to provide an opportunity for certain eligible employees of the Company to defer a portion of their compensation and to invest in the Company’s common shares.  In 1997, the Company adopted the Director Deferred Compensation Plan (the “Director Plan”) to provide its directors with an opportunity to defer their director compensation and to invest in the Company’s common shares.

Stock-Based Compensation.  We record stock-based compensation by recognizing compensation expense at an amount equal to the fair value of share-based awards granted under compensation arrangements. We calculate the fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. Determining the fair value of share-based awards at the grant date requires judgment in developing assumptions, which involve a number of variables. These variables include, but are not limited to, the expected stock price volatility over the term of the awards and the expected term of the awards. In addition, we also use judgment in estimating the number of share-based awards that are expected to be forfeited.

Reclassifications.  Certain amounts in the 2010 and 2009 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows have been reclassified to conform to the 2011 presentation. The Company believes these reclassifications are immaterial to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Income Taxes—Valuation Allowance.  A valuation allowance is recorded against a deferred tax asset if, based on the weight of available evidence, it is more-likely-than-not (a likelihood of more than 50%) that some portion or the entire deferred tax asset will not be realized. The realization of a deferred tax asset ultimately depends on the existence of sufficient taxable income in either the carryback or carryforward periods under applicable tax law. The four sources of taxable income to be considered in determining whether a valuation allowance is required include:

future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences (i.e., offset gross deferred tax assets against gross deferred tax liabilities);
taxable income in prior carryback years;
tax planning strategies; and
future taxable income, exclusive of reversing temporary differences and carryforwards.

Determining whether a valuation allowance for deferred tax assets is necessary requires an analysis of both positive and negative evidence regarding realization of the deferred tax assets. Examples of positive evidence may include:

a strong earnings history exclusive of the loss that created the deductible temporary differences, coupled with evidence indicating that the loss is the result of an aberration rather than a continuing condition;
an excess of appreciated asset value over the tax basis of a company’s net assets in an amount sufficient to realize the deferred tax asset; and
existing backlog that will produce more than enough taxable income to realize the deferred tax asset based on existing sales prices and cost structures.

Examples of negative evidence may include:

the existence of “cumulative losses” (defined as a pre-tax cumulative loss for the business cycle – in our case, four years);
an expectation of being in a cumulative loss position in a future reporting period;
a carryback or carryforward period that is so brief that it would limit the realization of tax benefits;
a history of operating loss or tax credit carryforwards expiring unused; and
unsettled circumstances that, if unfavorably resolved, would adversely affect future operations and profit levels on a continuing basis.

The Company evaluates its deferred tax assets, including net operating losses, to determine if a valuation allowance is required. We evaluate this based on the consideration of all available evidence using a “more likely than not” standard. In making such judgments, significant weight is given to evidence that can be objectively verified.  A cumulative loss in recent years is significant negative evidence in considering whether deferred tax assets are realizable, and also restricts the amount of reliance on projections of future taxable income to support the recovery of deferred tax assets.  The Company's current and prior year losses present the most significant negative evidence as to whether the Company needs to reduce its deferred tax assets with a valuation allowance.  We are currently in excess of a four-year cumulative pre-tax loss position.  We currently believe the cumulative weight of the negative evidence exceeds that of the positive evidence and, as a result, it is "more likely than not" that we will not be able to utilize all of our deferred tax assets.  Therefore, as of December 31, 2011, the Company had a total valuation allowance of $140.8 million recorded. The accounting for deferred taxes is based upon an estimate of future results. Differences between the anticipated and actual outcomes of these future tax consequences could have a material impact on the Company's consolidated results of operations or financial position.

Future adjustments to our deferred tax asset valuation allowance will be determined based upon changes in the expected realization of our net deferred tax assets.  Excluding the carryback of $0.6 million of certain 2011 expenses to 2001, we do not expect to record any additional tax benefits in 2012 as the carryback has been exhausted.  Additionally, our determination with respect to recording a valuation allowance may be further impacted by, among other things:

additional inventory impairments;
additional pre-tax operating losses;
the utilization of tax planning strategies that could accelerate the realization of certain deferred tax assets; or
changes in relevant tax law.

Additionally, due to the considerable estimates utilized in establishing a valuation allowance and the potential for changes in facts and circumstances in future reporting periods, it is reasonably possible that we will be required to either increase or decrease our valuation allowance in future reporting periods.

Income Taxes—Tax Positions.  The Company evaluates tax positions that have been taken or are expected to be taken in tax returns, and records the associated tax benefit or liability. Tax positions are recognized when it is "more likely than not" that the tax position would be sustained upon examination. The tax position is measured at the largest amount of benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon settlement. Interest and penalties for all uncertain tax positions are recorded within Benefit from income taxes in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Impact of New Accounting Standards

In May 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2011-04: Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820) - Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRS ("ASU 2011-04"). ASU 2011-04 provides clarity to the fair value definition in order to achieve greater consistency in fair value measurements and disclosures between United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“U.S. GAAP”) and International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). Additional disclosures are required regarding transfers of assets between Level 1 and 2 of the fair value hierarchy and to provide information about valuation techniques and unobservable input and narrative description of the sensitivity of fair values for Level 3 assets. The effective date of this amendment is for fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 2011. We do not anticipate the adoption of this amendment to have a material impact on the Company's financial condition, results of operations or liquidity but it will change the Company's disclosures of fair value measurements.

On April 29, 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-03: Transfers and Servicing (Topic 860) - Reconsideration of Effective Control for Repurchase Agreements ("ASU 2011-03"). ASU 2011-03 eliminates from U.S. GAAP the requirement for entities to consider whether a transferor (i.e., seller) has the ability to repurchase the financial assets in a repurchase agreement. This requirement was one of the criteria under Accounting Standards Codification 860 that entities used to determine whether the transferor maintained effective control. The effective date of this amendment is for fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 2011. We do not anticipate the adoption of this amendment to have a material impact on the Company's financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.