| Fair Value of Financial Instruments |
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(6)
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Fair Value of Financial Instruments
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ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” requires disclosures about how fair value is determined for assets and liabilities and establishes a hierarchy by which these assets and liabilities must be grouped based on the type of inputs used in measuring fair value as follows:
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Level 1:
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quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;
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Level 2:
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quoted prices in active markets for similar assets and liabilities and inputs that are observable for the asset or liability; or
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Level 3:
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unobservable inputs, such as discounted cash flow models or valuations.
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The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of each class of financial instruments:
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Cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, notes receivable, notes payable, accounts payable, and accrued liabilities:
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The carrying amounts approximate fair value because of the short maturity of these instruments.
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The Company endeavors to acquire jet fuel at the lowest possible cost and to reduce volatility in operating expenses through the use of short-term purchased call options. Financial derivative instruments covering fuel purchases are included in prepaid expenses and other current assets at fair value. Fair value is determined based on quoted prices in active markets for similar instruments and is classified as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy. The fair value of all fuel derivative instruments included in prepaid expenses and other current assets was $17,000 at March 31, 2014 and $0 at December 31, 2013. The Company’s financial derivatives do not qualify for hedge accounting, and, therefore, realized and non-cash mark to market adjustments are included in aircraft operations expense in the Company’s statement of income. Aircraft operations expense included a non-cash mark to market derivative loss of $53,000 for the first quarter of 2014, compared to $117,000 for the first quarter of 2013. There were no cash settlements under the terms of the agreements in the first quarter of 2014 or 2013.
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The fair value of long-term debt is classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy because it is determined based on the present value of future contractual cash flows discounted at an interest rate that reflects the risks inherent in those cash flows. Based on the borrowing rates currently available to the Company for loans with similar terms and average maturities and on recent transactions, the fair value of long-term debt as of March 31, 2014, is estimated to be $536,987,000, compared to carrying value of $541,663,000. The fair value of long-term debt as of December 31, 2013, was estimated to be $513,436,000, compared to a carrying value of $516,453,000.
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