Fair Value Measurements

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2015

We follow fair value measurement authoritative accounting guidance for measuring fair values of assets and liabilities in financial statements. Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. We utilize market data or assumptions that market participants who are independent, knowledgeable, and willing and able to transact would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk and the risks inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique. We are able to classify fair value balances based on the observability of these inputs. The authoritative guidance for fair value measurements establishes three levels of the fair value hierarchy, defined as follows:


•	Level 1: Unadjusted, quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets.


•	Level 2: Quoted prices in markets that are not considered to be active or financial instruments for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.


•	Level 3: Significant, unobservable inputs for use when little or no market data exists, requiring a significant degree of judgment.

The hierarchy gives the highest priority to Level 1 measurements and the lowest priority to Level 3 measurements. Depending on the particular asset or liability, input availability can vary depending on factors such as product type, longevity of a product in the market and other particular transaction conditions. In some cases, certain inputs used to measure fair value may be categorized into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. For disclosure purposes under the accounting guidance, the lowest level that contains significant inputs used in valuation should be chosen.

Financial Assets and Liabilities

A summary of financial assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis, as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 were as follows (in thousands):



	Quoted Prices in Active Markets		Significant Other Observable Inputs		Significant Unobservable Inputs
	(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)		Total
March 31, 2015
Assets:
Investments available-for-sale:
Marketable securities - deferred
compensation plan	$	—	$	45,846	$	—	$	45,846
Marketable securities - other	2,380		—		—		2,380
Liabilities:
Marketable securities - deferred
compensation plan	—		44,364		—		44,364



December 31, 2014
Assets:
Investments available-for-sale:
Marketable securities - deferred
compensation plan	$	—	$	45,126	$	—	$	45,126
Marketable securities - other	2,257		—		—		2,257
Liabilities:
Marketable securities - deferred
compensation plan	—		42,968		—		42,968

Our investments associated with our deferred compensation plan consist of marketable securities that are held in the form of investments in mutual funds and insurance contracts. Assets and liabilities measured using significant observable inputs are reported at fair value based on third-party broker statements, which are derived from the fair value of the funds' underlying investments. Other marketable securities and investment are included in other assets on the consolidated balance sheets.

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Non-recurring Basis

We apply the provisions of the fair value measurement standard to our non-recurring, non-financial measurements including business combinations as well as impairment related to goodwill and other long-lived assets. For business combinations, the purchase price is allocated to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on a discounted cash flow model for most intangibles as well as market assumptions for the valuation of equipment and other fixed assets. We utilize a discounted cash flow model in evaluating impairment considerations related to goodwill and long-lived assets. Given the unobservable nature of the inputs, the discounted cash flow models are deemed to use Level 3 inputs. There were no non-recurring measurements during the interim periods presented.

Other Fair Value Considerations

The carrying values on our consolidated balance sheet of our cash and cash equivalents, trade accounts receivable, other current assets, accounts payable, accrued and other current liabilities and lines of credit approximates fair values due to their short maturities.

- 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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