Fair Value Measurements

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

10. Fair Value Measurements

The Company’s common stock warrant liability represents the only financial instrument measured at fair value on a recurring basis in the unaudited interim consolidated balance sheets. The fair value measurement is determined by using Level 3 inputs due to the lack of active and observable markets that can be used to price identical assets. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs and should be used to determine fair value only when observable inputs are not available. Unobservable inputs should be developed based on the best information available in the circumstances, which might include internally generated data and assumptions being used to price the asset or liability.

Fair value of the common stock warrant liability is based on the Black-Scholes pricing model which is based, in part, upon unobservable inputs for which there is little or no market data, requiring the Company to develop its own assumptions. The Company used the following assumptions for its common stock warrants:


	Three months ended
	March 31, 2017	March 31, 2016
Risk-free interest rate	1.01% - 2.01%	0.30% - 1.04%
Volatility	62.0% - 105.20%	56.47% - 108.92%
Expected average term	0.89 - 5.23	0.17 - 2.79

There was no expected dividend yield for the warrants granted. If factors change and different assumptions are used, the warrant liability and the change in estimated fair value could be materially different. Generally, as the market price of our common stock increases, the fair value of the warrant increases, and conversely, as the market price of our common stock decreases, the fair value of the warrant decreases. Also, a significant increase in the volatility of the market price of the Company’s common stock, in isolation, would result in a significantly higher fair value measurement; and a significant decrease in volatility would result in a significantly lower fair value measurement.

The following table shows the activity in the common stock warrant liability (in thousands):


	Three months ended
Common stock warrant liability	March 31, 2017		March 31, 2016
Beginning of period	$	11,387	$	5,735
Change in fair value of common stock warrants		2,280		(1,278)
Exercise of common stock warrants		—		(140)
End of period	$	13,667	$	4,317

- 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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