5. ON-BALANCE SHEET DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES | 3 Months Ended |
Jan. 31, 2015 |
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract] | |
5. On-Balance Sheet Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities | Derivative Financial Instruments |
The Company has stand-alone derivative financial instruments in the form of interest rate swap agreements, which derive their value from underlying interest rates. These transactions involve both credit and market risk. The notional amount is an amount on which calculations, payments, and the value of the derivative are based. The notional amount does not represent direct credit exposure. Direct credit exposure is limited to the net difference between the calculated amount to be received and paid, if any. Such difference, which represents the fair value of the derivative instrument, is reflected on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as an unrealized gain or loss on derivatives. |
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The Company is exposed to credit-related losses in the event of nonperformance by the counterparties to these agreements. The Company controls the credit risk of its financial contracts through credit approvals, limits and monitoring procedures, and currently has no reason to believe that any counterparties will fail to fulfill their obligations. |
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For more details regarding the Company’s derivative hedging polices refer to Note 2, Significant Accounting Policies, in the financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2014. |
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The Company entered into an interest rate swap agreement for the purpose of fixing at least 75% of the term loan under the Agreement with Bank of America. The swap fixes the rate on at least 75% of the outstanding balance of the term note at 3.18% (.68% plus the applicable margin under the Agreement, 2.50%) until March 2016. |
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As of January 31, 2015, the total notional amount of the latest swap agreement was $6,089,000. On that date, the variable rate on the remaining portion of the term note was 2.67%. |
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At January 31, 2015, the net unrealized loss or gain relating to interest rate swap was recorded in current and long term liabilities. The current portion is the valuation of the hedging instrument over the next twelve months while the balance of the unrealized loss makes up the long term portion. For the effective portion of the hedge, which is the swap at October 31, 2014 and January 31, 2015, changes in the fair value of interest rate swaps designated as hedging instruments to mitigate the variability of cash flows associated with long-term debt are reported in other comprehensive income or loss net of tax effects. |
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The table below details the adjustments to other comprehensive income (loss), on a before tax and net-of tax basis, for the fiscal quarters ended January 31, 2015 and 2014. |
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| | Before-Tax | | | Tax Benefit | | | Net-of-Tax | |
Three Months Ended January 31, 2014 | | | | | | | | | |
Loss on interest rate swap | | $ | (4,784 | ) | | $ | 1,913 | | | $ | (2,871 | ) |
Reclassification adjustment for loss in income | | | 9,686 | | | | (3,874 | ) | | | 5,812 | |
Net unrealized gain | | $ | 4,902 | | | $ | (1,961 | ) | | $ | 2,941 | |
Three Months Ended January 31, 2015 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Loss on interest rate swap | | $ | (3,295 | ) | | $ | 1,318 | | | $ | (1,977 | ) |
Reclassification adjustment for loss in income | | | 8,119 | | | | (3,248 | ) | | | 4,871 | |
Net unrealized gain | | $ | 4,824 | | | $ | (1,930 | ) | | $ | 2,894 | |
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The reclassification adjustments of $8,119 and $9,686 represent interest the Company paid in excess of the amount that would have been paid without the interest rate swap agreement during the quarters ended January 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. These amounts were reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss and recorded in consolidated statements of operations as interest expense. No other material amounts were reclassified during the quarters ended January 31, 2015 and 2014. |
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In the quarter ended January 31, 2015, the fair value of the swap changed from an unrealized loss on derivative liability of $28,516 at the beginning of the period to $23,692 at the end of the period. Also, as of January 31, 2015, the estimated net amount of the existing loss that is reported in accumulated other comprehensive loss that is expected to be reclassified into earnings within the next twelve months is $22,804, net of tax. |
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During the first quarters of 2015 and 2014, cash flow hedges were deemed 100% effective. |