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FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

9 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Dec. 31, 2018

14.	FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Management has established a hierarchy to classify the inputs used to measure the Partnership’s financial instruments at fair value, pursuant to which the Partnership is required to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. Observable inputs represent market data obtained from independent sources; whereas, unobservable inputs reflect the Partnership’s own market assumptions, which are used if observable inputs are not reasonably available without undue cost and effort. The hierarchy defines three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:

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Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted market prices in active markets for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities that the reporting entity has the ability to access at the measurement date.

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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 same contractual term of the asset or liability.

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Level 3 – Unobservable inputs based on the entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions 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 carrying value of the Partnership’s current assets and current liabilities on its consolidated balance sheets approximated or equaled their estimated fair values due to their short-term nature or imputed interest rates.

Recurring Fair Value Measurement

At September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the two financial instruments measured by the Partnership at fair value on a recurring basis were its merchandise and perpetual care trusts, which consist of investments in debt and equity marketable securities and cash equivalents that are carried at fair value and are classified as either Level 1 or Level 2 (see Note 7 Merchandise Trusts and Note 8 Perpetual Care Trusts).

Where quoted prices are available in an active market, securities are classified as Level 1 investments pursuant to the fair value measurement hierarchy. Where quoted market prices are not available for the specific security, fair values are estimated by using either quoted prices of securities with similar characteristics or an income approach fair value model with observable inputs that include a combination of interest rates, yield curves, credit risks, prepayment speeds, rating, and tax-exempt status. These securities are classified as Level 2 investments pursuant to the fair value measurements hierarchy. Certain investments in the merchandise and perpetual care trusts are excluded from the fair value leveling hierarchy in accordance with GAAP. These funds are measured at fair value using the net asset value per share practical expedient and have not been categorized in the fair value hierarchy.

Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurement

The Partnership may be required to measure certain assets and liabilities at fair value, such as its indefinite-lived assets and long-lived assets, on a nonrecurring basis in accordance with GAAP from time to time. These adjustments to fair value usually result from impairment charges.

Other Financial Instruments

The Partnership’s other financial instruments at September 30, 2019 consisted of its Senior Secured Notes (see Note 8 Long-Term Debt) and at December 31, 2018 consisted of its Senior Notes and outstanding borrowings under its revolving credit facility.

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At September 30, 2019, the estimated fair value of the Partnership’s Senior Secured Notes was $386.5 million, based on trades made on that date, compared with the carrying amount of $376.2 million.

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At December 31, 2018, the estimated fair value of the Partnership’s Senior Notes was $162.5 million, based on trades made on that date, compared with the carrying amount of $173.6 million.

15.	FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Management has established a hierarchy to measure the Partnership’s financial instruments at fair value, which requires it to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. Observable inputs represent market data obtained from independent sources; whereas, unobservable inputs reflect the Partnership’s own market assumptions, which are used if observable inputs are not reasonably available without undue cost and effort. The hierarchy defines three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:

•

Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted market prices in active markets for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities that the reporting entity has the ability to access at the measurement date.

•

Level 3 – Unobservable inputs that the entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions 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 Partnership’s current assets and liabilities and customer receivables on its consolidated balance sheets are similar to cash basis financial instruments, and their estimated fair values approximate their carrying values due to their short-term nature and thus are categorized as Level 1. The Partnership’s merchandise and perpetual care trusts consist of investments in debt and equity marketable securities and cash equivalents, are carried at fair value, and are considered either Level 1 or Level 2 (see Note 7 and Note 8). Where quoted prices are available in an active market, securities are classified as Level 1 investments pursuant to the fair value measurement hierarchy.

Where quoted market prices are not available for the specific security, fair values are estimated by using either quoted prices of securities with similar characteristics or an income approach fair value model with observable inputs that include a combination of interest rates, yield curves, credit risks, prepayment speeds, rating, and tax-exempt status. These securities are classified as Level 2 investments pursuant to the fair value measurements hierarchy. Certain investments in the merchandise and perpetual care trusts are excluded from the fair value leveling hierarchy in accordance with GAAP. These funds are measured at fair value using the net asset value per share practical expedient and have not been categorized in the fair value hierarchy.

The Partnership’s other financial instruments at December 31, 2018 and 2017 consist of its Senior Notes and outstanding borrowings under its revolving credit facility (see Note 10). The estimated fair values of the Partnership’s Senior Notes at December 31, 2018 and 2017 were $162.50 million and $173.30 million, respectively, based on trades made on those dates, compared with the carrying amounts of $173.6 million and $173.1 million, respectively. At December 31, 2018 and 2017 , the carrying values of outstanding borrowings under the Partnership’s revolving credit facility (see Note 10), which bears interest at variable interest rates with maturities of 90 days or less, approximated their estimated fair values. The Senior Notes and the credit facility are valued using Level 2 inputs.

The Partnership may be required to measure certain assets and liabilities at fair value on a nonrecurring basis in accordance with GAAP from time to time. These adjustments to fair value usually result from impairment charges. In 2017, as discussed in Note 9, in connection with its annual goodwill impairment assessment, the Partnership recorded a loss on goodwill impairment of $45.6 million related to our Funeral Home Operations reporting unit. This impairment was recorded by comparing the estimated fair value of the reporting unit to its carrying value. The fair value of the reporting unit was derived using discounted cash flow analyses based on Level 3 inputs.

The lower of cost or estimated fair value of assets held for sale at December 31, 2018 and 2017 were $0.8 million and $1.0 million respectively with an original net book value of $1.9 million prior to an adjustment of $0.2 million and $0.9 million during December 31, 2018 and 2017 respectively. Assets held for sale are valued at lower of cost or estimated fair value based on broker comparables and estimates at the time the assets are classified as held for sale. These assets held for sale are classified as Level 3 pursuant to the fair value measurement hierarchy. In addition, the Partnership had $0.9 million of assets held for use that were impaired by $0.4 million during 2017, resulting in an updated net book value of $0.5 million.

- 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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