Fair Value Measurements

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

4.	Fair Value Measurements:

The accounting guidance establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes valuation inputs into three levels based on the extent to which inputs used in measuring fair value are observable in the market. Each fair value measurement is reported in one of three levels:

Level 1 – inputs are based upon unadjusted quoted prices for identical instruments traded in active markets.

Level 2 – inputs are based upon quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active, and model-based valuation techniques for which all significant assumptions are observable in the market or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 3 – inputs are generally unobservable and typically reflect management’s estimates of assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. The fair values are therefore determined using model-based techniques that include option pricing models, discounted cash flow models, and similar techniques.

The following table presents information about the Company’s financial instruments that are accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 (in thousands):


			Fair Value
	Fair Value Category		March 31, 2021		December 31, 2020
Assets:
Money market funds		Level 1	$	1,324	$	1,010
Short-term investments		Level 2		100,811		104,870
Mutual funds		Level 1		16,361		15,841

The following table presents information about the Company’s financial instruments that are not carried at fair value at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 (in thousands):


	March 31, 2021				December 31, 2020
	Carrying Amount		Fair Value		Carrying Amount		Fair Value
Liabilities:
2023 Notes		—		—		750,000		756,225
2027 Notes		1,000,000		1,066,000		1,000,000		1,070,000

The Company redeemed the full principal balance of its 5.25%

senior unsecured notes due 2023 (the “2023 Notes”) in January 2021.

The carrying amounts of cash equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate fair value due to the short maturities of the respective instruments

- 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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