Fair Value Measurements

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

15. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Fair value is considered the price to sell an asset, or transfer a liability, between market participants on the measurement date. Fair value measurements assume that (1) the asset or liability is exchanged in an orderly manner, (2) the exchange is in the principal market for that asset or liability, and (3) the market participants are independent, knowledgeable, able and willing to transact an exchange. Fair value accounting and reporting establishes a framework for measuring fair value by creating a hierarchy for observable independent market inputs and unobservable market assumptions and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. Considerable judgment is required to interpret the market data used to develop fair value estimates. As such, the estimates presented herein are not necessarily indicative of the amounts that could be realized in a current exchange. The use of different market assumptions and/or estimation methods could have a material effect on the estimated fair value.

At September 30, 2020, financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis were limited to our Executive Deferred Compensation Plan, under which certain employees are permitted to defer a portion of their base salary and/or bonus for a Plan Year (as defined in the plan).

Financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of September 30, 2020 and 2019, are summarized in the following tables by the type of inputs applicable to the fair value measurements:


	September 30, 2020
	Total Fair Value		Quoted Prices (Level 1)		Significant Unobservable (Level 3)
Executive savings plan assets	$	766	$	766	$	—
Executive savings plan liabilities	(644)		(644)		—

Total	$	122	$	122	$	—


	September 30, 2019
	Total Fair Value		Quoted Prices (Level 1)		Significant Unobservable (Level 3)
Executive savings plan assets	$	763	$	763	$	—
Executive savings plan liabilities	(646)		(646)		—
Contingent consideration liability	(11)		—		(11)
Total	$	106	$	117	$	(11)

In fiscal years 2016, 2017, and 2018, we entered into contingent consideration arrangements related to certain acquisitions. Please see Note 19, “Business Combinations” for further discussion. At September 30, 2020, we estimated the fair value of these contingent consideration liabilities at zero. The table below presents a reconciliation of the fair value of these obligations, which used significant unobservable inputs (Level 3).


	Contingent Consideration Agreement
Fair Value at September 30, 2019	$	11
Issuances	—
Settlements	—
Net adjustments to fair value	(11)
Fair Value at September 30, 2020	$	—

Below is a description of the inputs used to value the assets summarized in the preceding tables:

Level 1 — Inputs represent unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets exchanged in active markets.

Level 2 — Inputs include directly or indirectly observable inputs other than Level 1 inputs such as quoted prices for similar assets exchanged in active or inactive markets; quoted prices for identical assets exchanged in inactive markets; and other inputs that are considered in fair value determinations of the assets.

Level 3 — Inputs include unobservable inputs used in the measurement of assets. Management is required to use its own assumptions regarding unobservable inputs because there is little, if any, market activity in the assets or related observable inputs that can be corroborated at the measurement date.

- 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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