Fair Value Measurements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

ASC 820 establishes a hierarchical disclosure framework which prioritizes and ranks the level of market price observability used in measuring investments at fair value. Market price observability is affected by a number of factors, including the type of investment and the characteristics specific to the investment. Investments with readily-available active quoted prices or for which fair value can be measured from actively quoted prices generally will have a higher degree of market price observability and a lesser degree of judgment used in measuring fair value.

Investments measured and reported at fair value are classified and disclosed in one of the following categories:

Level 1 – Quoted prices are available in active markets for identical investments as of the reporting date. The type of investments included in Level 1 include listed equities, listed derivatives and treasury bills. As required by ASC 820, the Company does not adjust the quoted price for these investments, even in situations where the Company holds a large position and a sale could reasonably impact the quoted price.

Level 2 – Pricing inputs are other than quoted prices in active markets, which are either directly or indirectly observable as of the reporting date, and fair value is determined through the use of models or other valuation methodologies. The estimated fair values of corporate bonds, municipal bonds and other debt securities held at December 31, 2020 and 2019 are based on prices provided by external pricing services.

Level 3 – Pricing inputs are unobservable for the investment and includes situations where there is little, if any, market activity for the investment. The inputs into the determination of fair value require significant management judgment or estimation.

The following table presents the categorization of investments and certain other financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2020 and 2019:


	December 31, 2020
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Debt Securities Carried by Broker-Dealers	$	550,026	$	—	$	—	$	550,026
Other Debt and Equity Securities(1)	410,456		—		—		410,456
Investment Funds	107,354		—		—		107,354


Total Assets Measured At Fair Value	$	1,067,836	$	—	$	—	$	1,067,836

	December 31, 2019
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Debt Securities Carried by Broker-Dealers	$	168,650	$	58,705	$	—	$	227,355
Other Debt and Equity Securities(1)	111,823		6,449		—		118,272
Investment Funds	66,513		—		—		66,513
Financial Instruments Owned and Pledged as Collateral at Fair Value	12,431		—		—		12,431
Total Assets Measured At Fair Value	$	359,417	$	65,154	$	—	$	424,571

(1)Includes $7,000 and $2,990 of treasury bills and notes and municipal bonds classified within Cash and Cash Equivalents on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, an investment's level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The Company's assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, and considers factors specific to the investment.

During the fourth quarter of 2019, the Company determined that the fair value of the Institutional Asset Management reporting unit was $8,777. The fair value of the reporting unit was estimated by utilizing a discounted cash flow methodology based on adjusted cash flows from operations. Goodwill is measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis as a Level 3 asset. See Note 5 for further information.

The carrying amount and estimated fair value of the Company's financial instrument assets and liabilities, which are not measured at fair value on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition, are listed in the tables below.


			December 31, 2020
	Carrying		Estimated Fair Value
	Amount		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Financial Assets:
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$	822,598	$	822,598	$	—	$	—	$	822,598

Debt Security Investment	7,385		—		—		7,385		7,385

Receivables(1)	439,321		—		434,083		—		434,083
Contract Assets(2)	34,610		—		34,052		—		34,052
Receivable from Employees and Related Parties	23,593		—		23,593		—		23,593

Closely-held Equity Securities	683		—		—		683		683

Financial Liabilities:
Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses	$	37,961	$	—	$	37,961	$	—	$	37,961

Payable to Employees and Related Parties	24,047		—		24,047		—		24,047

Notes Payable(3)	376,492		—		409,682		—		409,682


			December 31, 2019
	Carrying		Estimated Fair Value
	Amount		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Financial Assets:
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$	630,818	$	630,818	$	—	$	—	$	630,818
Certificates of Deposit	214,796		—		214,796		—		214,796
Debt Security Investment	9,235		—		—		9,235		9,235
Securities Purchased Under Agreements to Resell	13,566		—		13,566		—		13,566
Receivables(1)	359,909		—		357,047		—		357,047
Contract Assets(2)	34,029		—		33,854		—		33,854
Receivable from Employees and Related Parties	22,416		—		22,416		—		22,416

Closely-held Equity Securities	1,772		—		—		1,772		1,772

Financial Liabilities:
Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses	$	39,726	$	—	$	39,726	$	—	$	39,726
Securities Sold Under Agreements to Repurchase	26,000		—		26,000		—		26,000
Payable to Employees and Related Parties	31,703		—		31,703		—		31,703
Notes Payable	375,062		—		382,274		—		382,274

(1)Includes Accounts Receivable, as well as long-term receivables, which are included in Other Assets on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition.

(2)Includes current and long-term contract assets included in Other Current Assets and Other Assets on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition.

(3)Includes current and long-term Notes Payable included in Current Portion of Notes Payable and Notes Payable on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition.

- 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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