Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Fair Value Measurement

v2.4.0.6
Fair Value Measurement
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Fair Value Measurement [Abstract]  
Fair Value Disclosures [Text Block]
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT
The Company recognizes its financial assets and liabilities at fair value on a recurring basis (at least annually). Fair value is defined as the price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. Three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value are as follows:
Level 1:  Inputs are based upon unadjusted quoted prices for identical instruments traded in active markets. 
Level 2:  Inputs are based upon quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active, and model based valuation techniques for which all significant assumptions are observable in the market or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities. 
Level 3:  Inputs are generally unobservable and typically reflect management's estimates of assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. The fair values are therefore determined using model-based techniques that include option pricing models, discounted cash flow models, and similar techniques. 
The following table presents the input level used to determine the fair values of the Company's financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2010 and 2011:
 
 
 
 
Fair Value as of December 31,
 
Level
 
2010
 
2011
Liabilities:
 
 
 

 
 

Interest rate swap instruments
2
 
$
3,632,238

 
$
6,711,961

  Contingent consideration
3
 
1,082,464

 
2,734,464

Total liabilities
 
 
$
4,714,702

 
$
9,446,425

 
The fair value of the Company's interest rate swaps was determined using cash flow analysis on the expected cash flow of the contract in combination with observable market-based inputs, including interest rate curves and implied volatilities. As part of this valuation, the Company considered the credit ratings of the counterparties to the interest rate swaps to determine if a credit risk adjustment was required. 
The Company is also required periodically to measure certain other assets at fair value on a nonrecurring basis, including long-lived assets, goodwill and other intangible assets. The Company determined the fair value used in its annual impairment analysis with its own discounted cash flow analysis. The Company has determined the inputs used in such analysis as Level 3 inputs. The Company did not record any impairment charges on goodwill or other intangible assets as no significant events requiring non-financial assets and liabilities to be measured at fair value occurred for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2010 and 2011.