Available-for-sale Securities, Equity Securities, Noncurrent

This item represents equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading which are intended be sold more than one year from the balance sheet date or operating cycle, if longer. Equity securities represent ownership interests or the right to acquire ownership interests in corporations and other legal entities which ownership interest is represented by shares of common or preferred stock (which is not mandatorily redeemable or redeemable at the option of the holder), convertible securities, stock rights, or stock warrants. Unrealized gains and losses related to Available-for-sale securities are excluded from earnings and reported in a separate component of shareholders' equity (other comprehensive income), unless the Available-for-sale Security is designated as a hedge or is determined to have had an other than temporary decline in fair value below its amortized cost basis. All or a portion of the unrealized holding gain or loss of an Available-for-sale Security that is designated as being hedged in a fair value hedge shall be recognized in earnings during the period of the hedge, as should other than temporary declines in fair value below costs basis.