Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS

v2.4.1.9
DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS [Abstract]  
DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS
NOTE 22 – DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS
 
Commodity Financial Instruments

Hydrocarbon based manufacturers, such as South Hampton, are significantly impacted by changes in feedstock and natural gas prices.  Not considering derivative transactions, feedstock and natural gas used for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012, represented approximately 78.0%, 80.6% and 81.3% of South Hampton’s operating expenses, respectively.

On February 26, 2009, the Board of Directors rescinded its original commodity trading resolution from 1992 and replaced it with a new resolution.  The 2009 resolution allows the Company to establish a commodity futures account for the purpose of maximizing our resources and reducing risk as pertaining to our purchases of natural gas and feedstock for operational purposes by employing a four step process. This process, in summary, includes, (1) education of employees who are responsible for carrying out the policy, (2) adoption of a derivatives policy by the Board explaining the objectives for use of derivatives including accepted risk limits, (3) implementation of a comprehensive derivative strategy designed to clarify the specific circumstances under which we will use derivatives, and (4) establishment and maintenance of a set of internal controls to ensure that all of the derivatives transactions taking place are authorized and in accord with the policies and strategies that have been enacted.  On August 31, 2009, the Company adopted a formal risk management policy which incorporates the above process, as well as, established a “hedge committee” for derivative oversight.

We endeavor 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. We do not purchase or hold any derivative financial instruments for trading purposes.

The following tables detail (in thousands) the impact the feedstock and natural gas instruments had on the financial statements:

   
December 31,
 
   
2014
   
2013
   
2012
 
                   
Realized gain (loss)
  $ (452 )   $ 40     $ (1,386 )
Unrealized loss
    (132 )     (48 )     (393 )
Net loss
  $ (584 )   $ (8 )   $ (1,779 )


   
December 31,
 
   
2014
   
2013
 
             
Fair value of derivative liability
  $ 180     $ 48  

Realized and unrealized gains / (losses) are recorded in Cost of Petrochemical Product Sales and Processing for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012.

Interest Rate Swaps

On March 21, 2008, South Hampton entered into a pay-fixed, receive-variable interest rate swap agreement with Bank of America related to the $10.0 million (later increased to $14 million) term loan secured by plant, pipeline and equipment. The effective date of the interest rate swap agreement was August 15, 2008, and terminates on December 15, 2017.  The notional amount of the interest rate swap was $3.75 million at December 31, 2014.  We receive credit for payments of variable rate interest made on the term loan at the loan’s variable rates, which are based upon the London InterBank Offered Rate (LIBOR), and pay Bank of America an interest rate of 5.83% less the credit on the interest rate swap.  We originally designated the transaction as a cash flow hedge according to ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging.  Beginning on August 15, 2008, the derivative instrument was reported at fair value with any changes in fair value reported within other comprehensive income (loss) in the Company’s Statement of Stockholders’ Equity.  We 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:

   
December 31,
 
   
2014
   
2013
   
2012
 
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (loss)
                 
    Cumulative loss
  $ -     $ (563 )   $ (892 )
    Deferred tax benefit
    -       197       312  
    Net cumulative loss
  $ -     $ (366 )   $ (580 )
                         
Interest expense reclassified from other comprehensive income (loss)
  $ 378     $ 301     $ 359  



   
December 31,
 
   
2014
   
2013
 
             
Fair value of derivative liability
  $ 378     $ 563  

Due to the new debt agreements associated with the Acquisition, we believe that the hedge is no longer entirely effective.  Due to the time required to make the determination and the immateriality of the hedge, we began treating the interest rate swap as ineffective as of October 1, 2014, and the unrealized loss associated with the swap of approximately $378,000 was recognized in the Statement of Income.