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Note 4 - Fair Value Measurements
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Notes to Financial Statements  
Fair Value Disclosures [Text Block]

4. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

 

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

 

   

December 31, 2019

 
   

Total

   

Level 1

   

Level 2

   

Level 3

 

Money market funds

  $ 28,100     $ 28,100     $ -     $ -  

Corporate debt securities

    260,950       -       260,950       -  

Commercial paper

    1,994       -       1,994       -  

U.S. treasuries and government agency bonds

    19,493       -       19,493       -  

Auction-rate securities backed by student-loan notes

    3,138       -       -       3,138  

Mutual funds and money market funds under deferred compensation plan

    21,975       21,975       -       -  

Total

  $ 335,650     $ 50,075     $ 282,437     $ 3,138  

 

   

December 31, 2018

 
   

Total

   

Level 1

   

Level 2

   

Level 3

 

Money market funds

  $ 41,135     $ 41,135     $ -     $ -  

Corporate debt securities

    170,909       -       170,909       -  

U.S. treasuries and government agency bonds

    32,068       -       32,068       -  

Certificates of deposit

    1,600       -       1,600       -  

Auction-rate securities backed by student-loan notes

    3,241       -       -       3,241  

Mutual funds and money market funds under deferred compensation plan

    18,867       18,867       -       -  

Total

  $ 267,820     $ 60,002     $ 204,577     $ 3,241  

 

_______________

Level 1—includes instruments with quoted prices in active markets for identical assets.

Level 2—includes instruments for which the valuations are based upon quoted market prices in active markets involving similar assets or inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the assets. The market inputs used to value these instruments generally consist of market yields, recently executed transactions, broker/dealer quotes or alternative pricing sources with reasonable levels of price transparency. Pricing sources  may include industry standard data providers, security master files from large financial institutions, and other third-party sources used to determine a daily market value.

Level 3—includes instruments for which the valuations are based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement.

 

The Company’s level 3 assets consist of government-backed student loan auction-rate securities. The following table provides a rollforward of the fair value of the auction-rate securities (in thousands): 

 

Balance at January 1, 2018

  $ 5,256  

Change in unrealized loss included in other comprehensive income

    (15 )

Sale and settlement at par

    (2,000 )

Balance at December 31, 2018

    3,241  

Change in unrealized gain included in other comprehensive income

    147  

Sale and settlement at par

    (250 )

Balance at December 31, 2019

  $ 3,138  

 

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

 

   

December 31,

 
   

2019

   

2018

 

Time-to-liquidity (in years)

  2 - 3     2 - 3  

Discount rate

  4.0% - 8.3%     4.9% - 10.1%  

 

The fair value measurement involves the analysis of valuation techniques and evaluation of unobservable inputs commonly used by market participants to price similar instruments. Outputs from the valuation process are assessed against various market sources when they are available, including marketplace quotes, recent trades of similar illiquid securities and independent pricing services. The valuation of the auction-rate securities is subject to significant management judgment regarding projected future cash flows, which will depend on many factors, including the quality of the underlying collateral, estimated time to liquidity including potential to be called or restructured, underlying final maturity, insurance guaranty and market conditions, among others. Changes in any of the unobservable inputs used in the fair value measurement of auction-rate securities in isolation would result in a lower or higher fair value measurement. For example, an increase in the time-to-liquidity assumption or estimated discount rate would result in a lower fair value measurement.