Fair Value of Financial Instruments

9 Months Ended

Sep. 28, 2019

2. Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Topic 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurement), then priority to 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 (Level 2 measurement), then the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurement).

The following tables show CRA’s financial instruments as of September 28, 2019 and December 29, 2018 that are measured and recorded in the condensed consolidated financial statements at fair value on a recurring basis (in thousands):


	September 28, 2019
					Significant
	Quoted Prices in Active Markets		Significant Other		Unobservable
	for Identical Assets or Liabilities		Observable Inputs		Inputs
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Assets:
Money market mutual funds	$	149	$	—	$	—
Total Assets	$	149	$	—	$	—
Liabilities:
Contingent consideration liability	$	—	$	—	$	9,632
Total Liabilities	$	—	$	—	$	9,632


	December 29, 2018
					Significant
	Quoted Prices in Active Markets		Significant Other		Unobservable
	for Identical Assets or Liabilities		Observable Inputs		Inputs
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Assets:
Money market mutual funds	$	18,029	$	—	$	—
Total Assets	$	18,029	$	—	$	—
Liabilities:
Contingent consideration liability	$	—	$	—	$	6,197
Total Liabilities	$	—	$	—	$	6,197

The fair value of CRA’s money market mutual fund share holdings is $1.00 per share.

The contingent consideration liabilities in the tables above are for estimated future payments related to an acquisition that occurred on January 31, 2017. The asset purchase agreement provided for additional purchase consideration to be paid over a period of up to four years following the closing of the transaction in the form of an earnout, subject to the satisfaction of specific revenue performance targets. The fair value measurement of these liabilities is based on significant inputs not observed in the market and thus represent a Level 3 measurement. The significant unobservable inputs used in the fair value measurements of these contingent consideration liabilities are internally generated projections of sourced revenue and discount rates. The fair value of the contingent consideration was determined using a Monte Carlo simulation. The fair value of these contingent consideration liabilities is reassessed on a quarterly basis by CRA using additional information as it becomes available, and any change in the fair value estimates are recorded in costs of services (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) on the condensed consolidated income statement of that period.

The following table summarizes the changes in the contingent consideration liabilities over the fiscal year-to-date period ended September 28, 2019 and the fiscal year ended December 29, 2018 (in thousands):


	September 28,		December 29,
	2019		2018
Beginning balance	$	6,197	$	5,137
Remeasurement of acquisition-related contingent consideration		1,868		(244)
Accretion		1,567		1,304
Ending balance	$	9,632	$	6,197

- 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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