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FAIR VALUE DISCLOSURES
3 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
Fair Value Disclosures [Text Block]
NOTE 3. FAIR VALUE DISCLOSURES

ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement and Disclosures, defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. ASC 820 establishes a hierarchy that prioritizes inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value and requires companies to disclose the fair value of their financial instruments according to a fair value hierarchy (i.e., Levels 1, 2, and 3 inputs, as defined below). The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs.

Financial instruments measured and reported at fair value are classified and disclosed in one of the following categories:

Level 1 – Valuations based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities at the reporting date. Since valuations are based on quoted prices that are readily and regularly available in an active market, value of these products does not entail a significant degree of judgment.

Level 2 – Valuations based on quoted prices in markets for which not all significant inputs are observable, directly or indirectly.  Corporate debt securities valued in accordance with the evaluated price supplied by an independent service are categorized as Level 2 in the hierarchy. Other securities categorized as Level 2 include securities valued at the mean between the last reported bid and ask quotation.

Level 3 – Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the fair value measurement.

The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment and considers factors specific to the financial instrument. The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with the investing in those securities. Because of the inherent uncertainties of valuation, the values reflected may materially differ from the values received upon actual sale of those investments.

For actively traded securities, the Company values investments using the closing price of the securities on the exchange or market on which the securities principally trade. If the security is not traded on the last business day of the quarter, it is generally valued at the mean between the last bid and ask quotation.  Mutual funds, which include open- and closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and offshore funds, are valued at net asset value or closing price, as applicable. Certain corporate debt securities are valued by an independent pricing service using an evaluated quote based on such factors as institutional-size trading in similar groups of securities, yield, quality maturity, coupon rate, type of issuance and individual trading characteristics and other market data. As part of its independent price verification process, the Company reviews the fair value provided by the pricing service using information such as transactions in these investments, broker quotes, market transactions in comparable investments, general market conditions and the issuer's financial condition. Debt securities that are not valued by an independent pricing service are valued based on review of similarly structured issuances in similar jurisdictions, when possible, or based on other traded debt securities issued by the issuer. The Company also takes into consideration numerous other factors that could affect valuation such as overall market conditions, liquidity of the security and bond structure. Securities for which market quotations are not readily available are valued at their fair value as determined by the portfolio management team. The portfolio management team includes representatives from the investment, accounting and legal/compliance departments. The portfolio management team meets periodically to consider a number of factors in determining a security’s fair value, including the security’s trading volume, market values of similar class issuances, investment personnel’s judgment regarding the market experience of the issuer, financial status of the issuer, the issuer’s management, and back testing, as appropriate. The fair values may differ from what may have been used had a broader market for these securities existed. The portfolio management team reviews inputs and assumptions and reports material items to the board of directors.

The following presents fair value measurements, as of September 30, 2015, and June 30, 2015, for the major categories of U.S. Global’ s investments measured at fair value on a recurring basis:

   
September 30, 2015
 
   
Quoted Prices
   
Significant
Other
 Inputs
   
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
   
Total
 
(dollars in thousands)
 
(Level 1)
   
(Level 2)
   
(Level 3)
       
Trading securities
                       
Offshore fund
 
$
-
   
$
349
   
$
-
   
$
349
 
Mutual funds - Fixed income
   
14,424
     
-
     
-
     
14,424
 
Mutual funds - Domestic equity
   
367
     
-
     
-
     
367
 
Other
   
-
     
-
     
-
     
-
 
Total trading securities
   
14,791
     
349
     
-
     
15,140
 
Available-for-sale securities
                               
Common stock - Domestic
 
$
98
   
$
-
   
$
-
   
$
98
 
Common stock - International
   
625
     
10
     
-
     
635
 
Corporate debt
   
-
     
85
     
559
     
644
 
Mutual funds - Fixed income
   
1,211
     
-
     
-
     
1,211
 
Mutual funds - Domestic equity
   
433
     
-
     
-
     
433
 
Other
   
156
     
-
     
-
     
156
 
Total available-for-sale securities
   
2,523
     
95
     
559
     
3,177
 
Total
 
$
17,314
   
$
444
   
$
559
   
$
18,317
 

   
June 30, 2015
 
   
Quoted Prices
   
Significant
Other
Inputs
   
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
   
Total
 
(dollars in thousands)
 
(Level 1)
   
(Level 2)
   
(Level 3)
       
Trading securities
                               
Offshore fund
 
$
-
   
$
481
   
$
-
   
$
481
 
Mutual funds - Fixed income
   
14,754
     
-
     
-
     
14,754
 
Mutual funds - Domestic equity
   
405
     
-
     
-
     
405
 
Other
   
-
     
-
     
-
     
-
 
Total trading securities
   
15,159
     
481
     
-
   
$
15,640
 
Available-for-sale securities
                               
Common stock - Domestic
 
$
842
   
$
-
   
$
-
   
$
842
 
Common stock - International
   
965
     
-
   
$
-
     
965
 
Corporate debt
   
-
     
77
     
539
     
616
 
Mutual funds - Fixed income
   
1,214
     
-
     
-
     
1,214
 
Mutual funds - Domestic equity
   
463
     
-
     
-
     
463
 
Other
   
163
     
-
     
-
     
163
 
Total available-for-sale securities
   
3,647
     
77
     
539
     
4,263
 
Total
 
$
18,806
   
$
558
   
$
539
   
$
19,903
 

As of September 30, 2015, approximately 95 percent of the Company’s financial assets measured at fair value are derived from Level 1 inputs, two percent of the Company’s financial assets measured at fair value are derived from Level 2 inputs, and the remaining three percent are Level 3 inputs. As of June 30, 2015, approximately 94 percent of the Company’s financial assets measured at fair value are derived from Level 1 inputs, three percent of the Company’s financial assets measured at fair value are derived from Level 2 inputs, and the remaining three percent are Level 3 inputs.  The Company had transfers from Level 1 to Level 2 in the amount of $10,000 due to securities valued at quoted price less a discount at September 30, 2015, and which were valued at a quoted price at the prior period end.  The Company recognizes transfers between levels at the end of each quarter.

In Level 2, the Company has an investment in an affiliated offshore fund, classified as trading, with a fair value of $349,000 as of September 30, 2015, based on the net asset value per share, which invests in companies in the energy and natural resources sectors. The Company may redeem this investment on the first business day of each month after providing a redemption notice at least forty-five days prior to the proposed redemption date.

In addition, the Company has investments in corporate debt securities of $85,000 as of September 30, 2015, categorized as Level 2, which the Company valued using the mean between the last reported bid ask quotation.

The corporate debt in Level 3 is valued based on review of similarly structured issuances in similar jurisdictions.  At September 30, 2015, the Level 3 corporate debt is valued at cost, which approximates fair value as a result of the Company’s review of similar structured issuances in similar jurisdictions, or valued based on traded issuances from the issuer.

The following table is a reconciliation of investments for which unobservable inputs (Level 3) were used in determining fair value during the three months ended September 30, 2015, and September 30, 2014:

Changes in Level 3 Assets Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis
 
   
September 30, 2015
   
September 30, 2014
 
(dollars in thousands)
 
Corporate Debt
   
Corporate Debt
 
Beginning Balance
  $ 539     $ 250  
Return of capital
    (13 )     (6 )
Total gains or losses (realized/unrealized)
               
Included in earnings (investment income)
    (23 )     -  
Included in other comprehensive income (loss)
    56       6  
Purchases
    -       -  
Sales
    -       -  
    Transfers into Level 3
    -       -  
    Transfers out of Level 3
    -       -  
Ending Balance
  $ 559     $ 250