Note 9 - Fair Value Measurements

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2016

9. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

The following table details the fair value measurement of the financial assets (in thousands):

	Fair Value Measurement at March 31, 2016
			Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets		Significant Other Observable Inputs		Significant Unobservable Inputs
	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Money market funds	$	26,884	$	26,884	$	-	$	-
Certificates of deposit		18,607		-		18,607		-
U.S. treasuries and government agency bonds		155,086		-		155,086		-
Auction-rate securities backed by student-loan notes		5,353		-		-		5,353
Mutual funds under deferred compensation plan		9,505		9,505		-		-
Total	$	215,435	$	36,389	$	173,693	$	5,353

	Fair Value Measurement at December 31, 2015
			Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets		Significant Other Observable Inputs		Significant Unobservable Inputs
	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Money market funds	$	31,640	$	31,640	$	-	$	-
Certificates of deposit		21,574		-		21,574		-
U.S. treasuries and government agency bonds		123,532		-		123,532		-
Auction-rate securities backed by student-loan notes		5,361		-		-		5,361
Mutual funds under deferred compensation plan		8,279		8,279		-		-
Total	$	190,386	$	39,919	$	145,106	$	5,361

The Company’s level 3 assets consist of government-backed student loan auction-rate securities, with interest rates that reset through a Dutch auction every 7 to 35 days and which became illiquid in 2008. The following table provides a rollforward of the fair value of the auction-rate securities (in thousands):

Balance at January 1, 2016	$	5,361
Change in unrealized loss included in other comprehensive income		(8	)
Balance at March 31, 2016	$	5,353

The Company determined the fair value of the auction-rate securities using a discounted cash flow model with the following assumptions:

	March 31, 2016			December 31, 2015
Time-to-liquidity (months)		24			24
Expected return		2.5%			2.9%
Discount rate	4.0%	-	7.0%	4.3%	-	7.3%

- 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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