INVESTMENTS

The Company determines the appropriate classification of debt and equity investments at the time of purchase and re-evaluates such designation as of each balance sheet date. The Company considers all of its investments to be available-for-sale. Short-term investments consist of government/federal notes and bonds with maturities greater than 90 days at the time of purchase. Available-for-sale short-term investments with contractual maturities beyond one year are classified as current in the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets because they represent the investment of cash that is available for current operations. Long-term investments consist of variable rate debt instruments with an auction reset feature, referred to as auction rate securities (“ARS”). Investments are carried at fair market value.

Scheduled maturities of investments classified as available-for-sale as of September 30, 2013 were as follows (in thousands):



Maturity	Fair Value
Due:
October 1, 2013 — September 30, 2014	$	—
October 1, 2014 — September 30, 2018	606
October 1, 2018 — September 30, 2023	—
After September 30, 2023	21,069
Available-for-sale investments	$	21,675

The Company had no realized gains on its investments for each of the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012. The Company had no realized losses on its investments for each of the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012.

Changes in unrealized holding gains and losses, net of the related tax effect, on available-for-sale securities are excluded from earnings and are reported as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in stockholders’ equity until realized. Realized gains and losses from the sale of available-for-sale securities are determined on a specific-identification basis. A decline in market value of any available-for-sale security below cost that is deemed to be other-than-temporary results in a reduction in carrying amount to fair value. The impairment is charged to earnings and a new cost basis for the security is established. Dividend and interest income are recognized when earned.

As of September 30, 2013, the amortized cost basis and fair value of investments classified as available-for-sale were as follows (in thousands):



	Amortized Cost		Gross Unrealized Gains		Gross Unrealized Losses			Fair Value
Auction rate securities	$	23,517	$	164	$	(2,006	)	$	21,675
Available-for-sale investments	$	23,517	$	164	$	(2,006	)	$	21,675


4.	INVESTMENTS — (CONTINUED)

As of December 31, 2012, the amortized cost basis and fair value of investments classified as available-for-sale were as follows (in thousands):



	Amortized Cost		Gross Unrealized Gains		Gross Unrealized Losses			Fair Value
Government-sponsored enterprise obligations	$	37	$	—	$	—		$	37
Auction rate securities	23,567		101		(2,006		)	21,662
Available-for-sale investments	$	23,604	$	101	$	(2,006	)	$	21,699

The unrealized losses on the Company’s investments as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 were generated primarily from changes in interest rates. The losses are considered temporary, as the contractual terms of these investments do not permit the issuer to settle the security at a price less than the amortized cost of the investment. Because the Company does not intend to sell these instruments and it is more likely than not that the Company will not be required to sell these instruments prior to anticipated recovery, which may be at maturity, the Company does not consider these investments to be other-than-temporarily impaired as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012. See Note 5 for further discussion of the fair value of the Company’s financial assets.

The components of the Company’s investments in an unrealized loss position for twelve months or longer were as follows (in thousands):



	September 30, 2013					December 31, 2012
	Aggregate Fair Value		Gross Unrealized Losses			Aggregate Fair Value		Gross Unrealized Losses
Government-sponsored enterprise obligations	$	—	$	—		$	37	$	—
Auction rate securities	21,069		(2,006		)	21,119		(2,006		)
Investments in an unrealized loss position	$	21,069	$	(2,006	)	$	21,156	$	(2,006	)

The Company did not have any investments in an unrealized loss position for less than twelve months as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively.