Derivative Instruments

The Company has historically utilized interest rate swap agreements to fix the LIBOR-based variable portion of the interest rate on its long-term debt. Prior to its debt refinancing in September 2017, the Company had interest rate swap agreements in place that hedged a declining notional value of debt ranging from approximately $238.4 million to approximately $192.7 million, amortizing consistent with future scheduled debt principal payments. The interest rate swap agreements required the Company to receive a variable interest rate and pay a fixed interest rate in a range of 0.74% to 2.68% with various expiration terms extending to June 30, 2020. At inception, the interest rate swaps were designated as cash flow hedges.

In September 2017, immediately following the debt refinancing, the Company determined the likelihood of the hedged transactions occurring was less than probable and de-designated the interest rate swaps as cash flow hedges and terminated the interest rate swaps for a cash payment of approximately $4.7 million. There were no interest rate swaps outstanding as of September 30, 2017. The cash flows associated with the cash flow hedges are reported in net cash provided by operating activities on the statement of cash flows. Up to the date of the termination, the Company utilized hedge accounting, which allows for the effective portion of the interest rate swaps to be recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income or loss ("AOCI") in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet. At the date the Company de-designated the swaps as effective hedges, there was approximately $2.9 million (net of tax of $1.8 million) of unrealized losses remaining in AOCI, which were reclassified into debt financing and related expenses in the accompanying consolidated statement of income during the third quarter of 2017.

As of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the fair value carrying amount of the Company's derivative instruments are recorded as follows (dollars in thousands):



		Asset / (Liability) Derivatives
	Balance Sheet Caption	September 30, 2017		December 31, 2016
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments
Interest rate swaps	Prepaid expenses and other current assets	$	—	$	160
Interest rate swaps	Accrued liabilities	—		(870		)
Interest rate swaps	Other long-term liabilities	—		(3,360		)
Total derivatives designated as hedging instruments		$	—	$	(4,070	)

The following table summarizes the loss recognized in AOCI as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, and the amounts reclassified from AOCI into earnings for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 (dollars in thousands):



	Amount of Loss Recognized in AOCI on Derivative (Effective Portion, net of tax)						Amount of Loss Reclassified from AOCI into Earnings
							Three months ended September 30,						Nine months ended September 30,
	As of September 30, 2017		As of December 31, 2016			Location of Loss Reclassified from AOCI into Earnings (Effective Portion)	2017			2016			2017			2016
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments
Interest rate swaps	$	—	$	(2,520	)	Interest expense	$	20		$	(250	)	$	(320	)	$	(470	)
						Debt financing and related expenses	$	(4,680	)	$	—		$	(4,680	)	$	—

The fair value of the Company's derivatives are estimated using an income approach based on valuation techniques to convert future amounts to a single, discounted amount. Estimates of the fair value of the Company's interest rate swaps use observable inputs such as interest rate yield curves. Fair value measurements and the fair value hierarchy level for the Company's assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 are shown below (dollars in thousands):



	Description	Frequency	Asset / (Liability)			Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)			Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
September 30, 2017	Interest rate swaps	Recurring	$	—		$	—	$	—		$	—
December 31, 2016	Interest rate swaps	Recurring	$	(4,070	)	$	—	$	(4,070	)	$	—