Quarterly report pursuant to sections 13 or 15(d)

DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS

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DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS [Abstract]  
DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS
11. DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS

Commodity Financial Contracts

Hydrocarbon based manufacturers, such as the Company, are significantly impacted by changes in feedstock and natural gas prices. Not considering derivative transactions, feedstock and natural gas used for the three months ended March 31, 2013, and 2012, represented approximately 80.5% and 83.7% of our operating expenses, respectively.

The Company endeavors to acquire feedstock and natural gas at the lowest possible cost.  The primary feedstock (natural gasoline) is traded over the counter and not on organized futures exchanges.  Financially settled instruments (fixed price swaps) are the principal vehicle used to give some predictability to feed prices. The Company does not purchase or hold any derivative financial instruments for trading or speculative purposes and is limited by its risk management policy to hedging a maximum of 40% of monthly feedstock requirements.

The financial contracts currently in place are not designated as hedges.  As of March 31, 2013, South Hampton had no outstanding financial contracts.

The following tables detail (in thousands) the impact the agreements had on the financial statements:

   
Three Months Ended
  
   
March 31,
  
   
2013
    
2012
  
             
Unrealized gain (loss)
   $ -     $ 532  
Realized gain (loss)
     -       291  
Net gain (loss)
   $ -     $ 823  

   
March 31, 2013
    
December 31, 2012
  
             
Fair value of financial contracts – asset (liability)
   $ -     $ -  

The realized and unrealized gains and losses are recorded in Cost of Sales and Processing for the periods ended March 31, 2013, and 2012.  As a percentage of Cost of Sales and Processing, realized and unrealized gains/(losses) accounted for 0% and 0.1% for the three months ended March 31, 2013, and 2012, respectively.
 
Interest Rate Swap

On March 21, 2008, we entered into a pay-fixed, receive-variable interest rate swap agreement with Bank of America related to $10.0 million of our $14 million term loan secured by plant, pipeline and equipment. The effective date of the interest rate swap agreement is August 15, 2008, and terminates on December 15, 2017.  The notional amount of the interest rate swap was $5.5 million at March 31, 2013.  South Hampton receives credit for payments of variable interest made on the term loan's variable rates, which are based upon the London InterBank Offered Rate (LIBOR), and pays Bank of America an interest rate of 5.83% less the credit on the interest rate swap.  We have designated the transaction as a cash flow hedge.  Beginning on August 15, 2008, the derivative instrument was reported at fair value with any changes in fair value reported within the Company's Statement of Comprehensive Income.  The Company entered into the interest rate swap to minimize the effect of changes in the LIBOR rate.  The following tables detail (in thousands) the impact the agreement had on the financial statements:

   
March 31,
  
   
2013
    
2012
  
Other Comprehensive Loss
            
  Cumulative loss
   $ (808 )   $ (1,024 )
  Deferred tax benefit
     283       348  
  Net cumulative loss
   $ (525 )   $ (676 )
                 
Interest expense reclassified from other comprehensive loss
   $ 78     $ 94  

   
March 31, 2013
    
December 31, 2012
  
             
Fair value of interest rate swap  - liability
   $ 808     $ 893  

The cumulative loss from the changes in the swap contract's fair value that is included in other comprehensive loss will be reclassified into income when interest is paid. The net amount of pre-tax loss in other comprehensive income (loss) as of March 31, 2013, predicted to be reclassified into earnings within the next 12 months is approximately $287,000. See further discussion of the fair value of the derivative instruments in Note 10.