Note 12 - Fair Value Measurements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Notes to Financial Statements

Fair Value Disclosures [Text Block]

12. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

The Partnership uses valuation techniques, such as the market approach (comparable market prices), the income approach (present value of future income or cash flow), and the cost approach (cost to replace the service capacity of an asset or replacement cost) to value assets and liabilities required to be measured at fair value, as appropriate. The Partnership uses an exit price when determining the fair value. The exit price represents amounts that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants.

The Partnership utilizes a

three

-tier fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into

three

broad levels. The following is a brief description of those

three

levels:

Level 1 Observable inputs such as quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2 Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for these assets or liabilities, either directly or indirectly.  These include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets and quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active.

Level 3 Unobservable inputs in which there is little market data, which requires the reporting entity to develop its own assumptions.

This hierarchy requires the use of observable market data, when available, to minimize the use of unobservable inputs when determining fair value.  In periods in which they occur, the Partnership recognizes transfers into and out of Level

3

as of the end of the reporting period. There were

no

transfers during the

nine

months ended

September 30, 2019

. Transfers out of Level

3

represent existing assets and liabilities that were classified previously as Level

3

for which the observable inputs became a more significant portion of the fair value estimates. Determining the appropriate classification of the Partnership’s fair value measurements within the fair value hierarchy requires management’s judgment regarding the degree to which market data is observable or corroborated by observable market data.

The Partnership’s recurring financial assets and liabilities subject to fair value measurements and the necessary disclosures are as follows (in thousands): 

	Fair Value Measurements as of December 31, 2018
			Quoted Prices		Significant
			in Active		Other		Significant
			Markets for		Observable		Unobservable
			Identical Assets		Inputs		Inputs
Description	Total		(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)
Assets:
Interest rate swap assets	$	44	$	-	$	44	$	-
Total swap assets	$	44	$	-	$	44	$	-

As of

September 30, 2019

, the Partnership had

no

interest rate swap agreements.

Fair Value of Other Financial Instruments

The following disclosure of the estimated fair value of financial instruments is made in accordance with accounting guidance for financial instruments. The Partnership has determined the estimated fair values by using available market information and valuation methodologies. Considerable judgment is required in interpreting market data to develop the estimates of fair value. The use of different market assumptions or valuation methodologies

may

have a material effect on the estimated fair value amounts.

At

September 30, 2019

, the carrying values on the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets for cash and cash equivalents (classified as Level

1

), accounts receivable, and accounts payable approximate their fair value because of their short-term nature.

Based on the borrowing rates currently available to the Partnership for credit agreement debt with similar terms and maturities and consideration of the Partnership’s non-performance risk, long-term debt associated with the Partnership’s credit agreement at

September 30, 2019

, approximates its fair value. The fair value of the Partnership’s long-term debt was calculated using observable inputs (LIBOR for the risk-free component) and unobservable company-specific credit spread information.  As such, the Partnership considers this debt to be Level

3.