4. Fair Value

The Company utilizes a hierarchy that prioritizes fair value measurements based on the types of inputs used for the various valuation techniques (market approach, income approach and cost approach that relate to its financial assets and financial liabilities). The levels of the hierarchy are described as follows:

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Level 1: Observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

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Level 2: Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly; these include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets and quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active.

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Level 3: Unobservable inputs that reflect the Company’s own assumptions.

Management’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement requires judgment and may affect the valuation of financial assets and liabilities and their placement within the fair value hierarchy. The Company’s financial assets that are accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis are presented in the tables below:


	Marketable Securities Fair Value as of October 31, 2015
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Assets:
Municipal and pre-refunded municipal bonds	$	—	$	61,523	$	—	$	61,523
Corporate bonds		52,408		—		—		52,408
Certificates of deposit		—		4,641		—		4,641
Mutual funds, held in rabbi trust		5,111		—		—		5,111

	$	57,519	$	66,164	$	—	$	123,683


	Marketable Securities Fair Value as of January 31, 2015
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Assets:
Municipal and pre-refunded municipal bonds	$	—	$	73,495	$	—	$	73,495
Corporate bonds		103,326		—		—		103,326
Certificates of deposit		—		14,198		—		14,198
Mutual funds, held in rabbi trust		3,778		—		—		3,778
Treasury bills		9,156		—		—		9,156
Commercial paper		—		3,940		—		3,940
Federal government agencies		801		—		—		801

	$	117,061	$	91,633	$	—	$	208,694


	Marketable Securities Fair Value as of October 31, 2014
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Assets:
Municipal and pre-refunded municipal bonds	$	—	$	65,155	$	—	$	65,155
Corporate bonds		130,362		—		—		130,362
Certificates of deposit		—		15,668		—		15,668
Mutual funds, held in rabbi trust		3,529		—		—		3,529
Treasury bills		8,726		—		—		8,726
Commercial paper		—		3,593		—		3,593
Federal government agencies		2,572		—		—		2,572

	$	145,189	$	84,416	$	—	$	229,605

Level 1 assets consist of financial instruments whose value has been based on inputs that use, as their basis, readily observable market data that are actively quoted and are validated through external sources, including third-party pricing services and brokers.

Level 2 assets consist of financial instruments whose value has been based on quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets as well as quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active.

Level 3 assets consist of financial instruments where there has been no active market. The Company held no Level 3 assets as of October 31, 2015, January 31, 2015 and October 31, 2014.

The fair value of cash and cash equivalents (Level 1) approximate carrying value since cash and cash equivalents consist of short-term highly liquid investments with maturities of three months or less. As of October 31, 2015, cash and cash equivalents included cash on hand, cash in banks, money market accounts and marketable securities with maturities of less than three months at the time of purchase. The fair value of debt approximates its carrying value since it is variable rate debt.