5. 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 January 31, 2017
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Assets:
Corporate bonds	$	78,398	$	—	$	—	$	78,398
Municipal and pre-refunded municipal bonds		—		71,261		—		71,261
Mutual funds, held in rabbi trust		4,673		—		—		4,673
Certificates of deposit		—		1,023		—		1,023

	$	83,071	$	72,284	$	—	$	155,355


	Marketable Securities Fair Value as of January 31, 2016
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Assets:
Corporate bonds	$	46,071	$	—	$	—	$	46,071
Municipal and pre-refunded municipal bonds		—		44,360		—		44,360
Mutual funds, held in rabbi trust		4,363		—		—		4,363
Certificates of deposit		—		2,867		—		2,867

	$	50,434	$	47,227	$	—	$	97,661

Financial assets

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 financial instruments as of January 31, 2017 and January 31, 2016.

The fair value of cash and cash equivalents (Level 1) approximates carrying value since cash and cash equivalents consist of short-term highly liquid investments with maturities of less than three months at the time of purchase. As of January 31, 2017 and 2016, 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 as it is all variable rate debt.

Non-financial assets

The Company’s non-financial assets, primarily consisting of property and equipment, are periodically tested for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable.

The fair value of the non-financial assets was determined using a discounted cash-flow model that utilized Level 3 inputs. The Company’s stores are reviewed for impairment at the store level, which is the lowest level at which individual cash flows can be identified. In calculating future cash flows, the Company makes estimates regarding future operating results based on its experience and knowledge of the market in which the store is located. During fiscal 2017 and 2016, the Company determined that certain long-lived assets at the Company’s retail stores were unable to recover their carrying value. These assets were written down to a fair value resulting in impairment charges of $4,341 and $8,928 in fiscal 2017 and 2016, respectively. Impairment amounts in 2015 were immaterial.