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Fair Value Measurements
6 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2010
Fair Value Measurements  
Fair Value Measurements

5.        Fair Value Measurements  

 

The accounting standard for fair value measurements provides a framework for measuring fair value and requires expanded disclosure regarding fair value measurements. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received for an asset or the exit price that would be paid to transfer a liability in the principal or most advantageous market in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. The accounting standard established a fair value hierarchy which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs, where available. This hierarchy prioritizes the inputs into three broad levels as follows:

 

Valuation Hierarchy

 

Level 1  -

Inputs are unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date.

 

 

Level 2  -

Inputs include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, and inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means (market corroborated inputs).

 

 

Level 3  -

Unobservable inputs that reflect the Company's assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. The Company develops these inputs based on the best information available, including its own data.

A financial asset's or liability's classification within the hierarchy is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

The following table provides the assets carried at fair value, measured as of September 30, 2010 and March 31, 2010 (in thousands):

 

 

Total
Carrying
Value

 

Quoted Prices in
Active Markets
(Level 1)

 

Using Significant Other
Observable Inputs
(Level 2)

 

Using Significant
Unobservable Inputs
(Level 3)

 

September 30, 2010:

 

 

 

 

Cash equivalents

$        7,524

$                   7,524

$                                  —  

$                              —  

Derivatives

           2,450

                         —  

                                2,450

                                —  

Short-term marketable securities

        69,219

                         —  

                              69,219

                                —  

Long-term marketable securities

           3,900

                         —  

                                3,900

                                —  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total
Carrying
Value

 

Quoted Prices in
Active Markets
(Level 1)

 

Using Significant Other
Observable Inputs
(Level 2)

 

Using Significant
Unobservable Inputs
(Level 3)

 

March 31, 2010:

 

 

 

 

Cash equivalents

$      29,054

$                 29,054

$                                  —  

$                              —  

Derivatives ties

              168

                         —  

                                   168

                                —  

Short-term marketable securities

        54,469

                         —  

                              54,469

                                —  

Long-term marketable securities

           7,342

                         —  

                                7,342

                                —  

 

Valuation Techniques

 

Cash Equivalents

 

Cash equivalents consist of highly liquid instruments with maturities of three months or less that are regarded as high quality, low risk investments and are measured using such inputs as quoted prices, and are classified within Level 1 of the valuation hierarchy.  Cash equivalents consist principally of certificate of deposits and money market accounts.

 

Marketable Securities

Long-term and short-term marketable securities consist primarily of government-backed securities and sovereign debt are measured using such inputs as quoted prices for identical or similar assets in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset (for example, interest rates and yield curves observable at commonly quoted intervals), and inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means, and are classified within Level 2 of the valuation hierarchy. Short-term marketable securities have maturities of greater than three months from original purchase date but less than twelve months from the date of the balance sheet. All marketable securities are considered available-for-sale and are carried at fair value. The Company periodically reviews the realizability of each short-term and long-term marketable security when impairment indicators exist with respect to the security. If an other-than-temporary impairment of value of the security exists, the carrying value of the security is written down to its estimated fair value.