Fair Value Measurements

3 Months Ended

Mar. 25, 2018

9.	Fair Value Measurements

Fair value measurements enable the reader of the financial statements to assess the inputs used to develop those measurements by establishing a hierarchy for ranking the quality and reliability of the information used to determine fair values. The Company classifies and discloses assets and liabilities carried at fair value in one of the following three categories:

Level 1: Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2: Observable market-based inputs or unobservable inputs that are corroborated by market data.

Level 3: Unobservable inputs that are not corroborated by market data.

The fair values of the Company’s cash equivalents and investments in marketable securities are based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets. The following tables summarize the carrying amounts and fair values of certain assets at March 25, 2018 and December 31, 2017:


	At March 25, 2018
			Fair Value Estimated Using
	Carrying		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
	Amount		Inputs		Inputs		Inputs
Cash equivalents	$	32,221	$	32,221	$	—	$	—
Restricted cash equivalents		91,137		91,137		—		—
Investments in marketable securities		8,669		8,669		—		—
Advertising fund cash equivalents, restricted		18,502		18,502		—		—
Advertising fund investments, restricted		70,000		70,000		—		—


	At December 31, 2017
			Fair Value Estimated Using
	Carrying		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
	Amount		Inputs		Inputs		Inputs
Cash equivalents	$	7,933	$	7,933	$	—	$	—
Restricted cash equivalents		96,375		96,375		—		—
Investments in marketable securities		8,119		8,119		—		—
Advertising fund cash equivalents, restricted		19,945		19,945		—		—
Advertising fund investments, restricted		74,007		74,007		—		—

Management estimated the approximate fair values of the 2015 fixed rate notes and the 2017 fixed and floating rate notes as follows (in thousands):


	March 25, 2018				December 31, 2017
	Principal Amount		Fair Value		Principal Amount		Fair Value
2015 Five-Year Fixed Rate Notes	$	491,250	$	490,268	$	492,500	$	494,470
2015 Ten-Year Fixed Rate Notes		786,000		811,938		788,000		821,884
2017 Five-Year Fixed Rate Notes		597,000		583,269		598,500		592,515
2017 Ten-Year Fixed Rate Notes		995,000		998,980		997,500		1,023,435
2017 Five-Year Floating Rate Notes		298,500		299,694		299,250		300,746

The fixed and floating rate notes are classified as Level 2 measurements, as the Company estimates the fair value amount by using available market information. The Company obtained quotes from two separate brokerage firms that are knowledgeable about the Company’s fixed and floating rate notes and, at times, trade these notes. The Company also performed its own internal analysis based on the information gathered from public markets, including information on notes that are similar to those of the Company. However, considerable judgment is required to interpret market data to estimate fair value. Accordingly, the fair value estimates presented are not necessarily indicative of the amount that the Company or the debtholders could realize in a current market exchange. The use of different assumptions and/or estimation methodologies may have a material effect on the estimated fair values stated above.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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