Fair Value of Financial Instruments

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2016

Note 7 — Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company determines fair value of its financial instruments based on quoted prices when available or through the use of alternative approaches, such as discounting the expected cash flows using market interest rates commensurate with the credit quality and duration of the instrument. This alternative approach also reflects the contractual terms of the instruments, as applicable, including the period to maturity, and may use observable market-based inputs, including interest rate curves and implied volatilities, and unobservable inputs, such as expected volatility. The guidance defines three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:

Level 1 — Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities that the reporting entity has the ability to access at the measurement date.

Level 2 — Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset and liability or can be corroborated with observable market data for substantially the entire contractual term of the asset or liability.

Level 3 — Unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumptions that market participants would use in the pricing of the asset or liability and are consequently not based on market activity, but rather through particular valuation techniques.

The determination of where an asset or liability falls in the hierarchy requires significant judgment and considers factors specific to the asset or liability. In instances where the determination of the fair value measurement is based on inputs from different levels of the fair value hierarchy, the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the entire fair value measurement falls is based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety.

Although the Company has determined that the majority of the inputs used to value its derivatives, such as interest rate swaps and caps, fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, the credit valuation adjustments associated with those derivatives utilize Level 3 inputs, such as estimates of current credit spreads to evaluate the likelihood of default by the Company and its counterparties. However, as of March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, the Company has assessed the significance of the impact of the credit valuation adjustments on the overall valuation of its derivative positions and has determined that the credit valuation adjustments are not significant to the overall valuation of the Company's derivatives. As a result, the Company has determined that its derivative valuations in their entirety are classified in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. See Note 8 — Interest Rate Derivatives and Hedging Activities.

The valuation of derivatives is determined using a discounted cash flow analysis on the expected cash flows. This analysis reflects the contractual terms of the derivatives, including the period to maturity, as well as observable market-based inputs, including interest rate curves and implied volatilities. In addition, credit valuation adjustments are incorporated into the fair values to account for the Company's potential nonperformance risk and the performance risk of the counterparties.

The following table presents information about the Company's derivatives that are presented net, measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, aggregated by the level in the fair value hierarchy within which those instruments fall:



(In thousands)	Quoted Prices in Active Markets Level 1		Significant Other Observable Inputs Level 2			Significant Unobservable Inputs Level 3		Total
March 31, 2016
Derivatives, net	$	—	$	(1,964	)	$	—	$	(1,964	)
December 31, 2015
Derivatives, net	$	—	$	(835	)	$	—	$	(835	)

A review of the fair value hierarchy classification is conducted on a quarterly basis. Changes in the type of inputs may result in a reclassification for certain assets. There were no transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy during the three months ended March 31, 2016.

Financial instruments not carried at fair value

The Company is required to disclose the fair value of financial instruments for which it is practicable to estimate the value. The fair value of short-term financial instruments such as cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, prepaid expenses and other assets, accounts payable and dividends payable approximates their carrying value on the consolidated balance sheets due to their short-term nature. The fair values of the Company's financial instruments that are not reported at fair value on the consolidated balance sheet are reported below.



		March 31, 2016				December 31, 2015
(In thousands)	Level	Gross Principal Balance		Fair Value		Gross Principal Balance		Fair Value
Mortgage notes payable	3	$	369,395	$	382,225	$	388,436	$	401,503
Credit Facility	3	$	485,000	$	487,249	$	485,000	$	487,579

The fair value of mortgage notes payable and the fixed-rate portions of term loans on the Credit Facility are estimated using a discounted cash flow analysis based on similar types of arrangements. Advances under the Credit Facility with variable interest rates and advances under the revolving portion of the Credit Facility are considered to be reported at fair value.

- 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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