Investments

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2020

Investments All Other Investments [Abstract]

Investments

5. INVESTMENTS

Fair value investments are contained within the balance of investments on the Company’s condensed consolidated statements of financial condition. The Company established a fair value hierarchy which prioritizes and ranks the level of market price observability used in measuring investments at fair value. Financial instruments measured and reported at fair value are classified and disclosed in one of the following categories (from highest to lowest) based on inputs:

Level 1—Quoted prices (unadjusted) are available in active markets for identical instruments that the Company has the ability to access as of the reporting date. The Company, to the extent that it holds such instruments, does not adjust the quoted price for these instruments, even in situations in which the Company holds a large position and a sale could reasonably affect the quoted price.

Level 2—Pricing inputs are observable for the instruments, either directly or indirectly, as of the reporting date, but are not the same as those used in level 1. Fair value is determined through the use of models or other valuation methodologies.

Level 3—Pricing inputs are unobservable for the instruments and include situations in which there is little, if any, market activity for the investments. The inputs into the determination of fair value require significant judgment or estimation by the Company’s management.

The estimated fair values of government securities money markets, U.S. Treasury instruments, and government debt securities are based on quoted prices for recent trading activity in identical or similar instruments. The Company generally invests in U.S. Treasury instruments with maturities of less than twelve months. The Company considers these securities to be risk free and does not reserve for expected credit losses on these treasury investments. See Note 2 for further information on the Company’s fair value hierarchy.

The Company’s methodology for reclassifications impacting the fair value hierarchy is that transfers in/out of the respective category are reported at fair value as of the beginning of the period in which the reclassification occurred.

At the end of the reporting period, the Company reviews U.S. treasury instruments held to determine whether the securities are of the most recent issuance of that security with the same maturity (referred to as “on-the-run”, which is the most liquid version of the maturity band). If a U.S. treasury instrument held at the end of the reporting period was from the most recent issuance of all securities with the same term, it is classified as level 1; otherwise it is referred to as “off-the-run” and is classified as level 2.

The following table summarizes the levels of the fair value hierarchy into which the Company’s financial assets fall as of June 30, 2020:

	Total		Level 1			Level 2			Level 3
Financial assets:
Included in cash and cash equivalents
U.S. treasury instruments	$	15,000	$	—		$		15,000	$	—
Government securities money market		51,226		—				51,226		—
Investments
U.S. treasury instruments		100,767			—			100,767		—
Common stock		1,177			1,177		—				—
Total financial assets	$	168,170	$		1,177	$		166,993	$		—

For the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, unrealized losses of $142 and $167 were recognized in other income and expenses on the condensed consolidated statement of operations related to common stock held at the reporting date. The cost basis of the financial assets recorded at fair value included in investments on the condensed consolidated statement of financial condition was $102,417 as of June 30, 2020.

The following table summarizes the levels of the fair value hierarchy into which the Company’s financial assets fall as of December 31, 2019:

	Total		Level 1			Level 2			Level 3
Financial assets:
Included in cash and cash equivalents
U.S. treasury instruments	$	62,949	$		—	$		62,949	$	—
Government securities money market		33,065		—				33,065		—
Investments
U.S. treasury instruments		173,960		—				173,960		—
Common stock		327			327		—				—
Total financial assets	$	270,301	$		327	$		269,974	$		—

For the three and six months ended June 30, 2019, unrealized losses of $42 and $1 were recognized in other income and expenses on the condensed consolidated statement of operations related to common stock held at the reporting date. The cost basis of the financial assets recorded at fair value included in investments on the condensed consolidated statement of financial condition was $173,806 as of December 31, 2019.

Equity-method investments are contained within the balance of investments on the Company’s condensed consolidated statements of financial condition. On April 1, 2010, the Company entered into a 50-50 joint venture in Moelis Australia Holdings PTY Limited, investing a combination of cash and certain net assets in exchange for its interests. On April 10, 2017, Moelis Australia Holdings PTY Limited consummated their initial public offering and became listed on the Australian Securities Exchange as Moelis Australia Limited (ASX: MOE). As a result of the offering, the Company’s ownership interest in Moelis Australia was diluted and continues to be accounted for under the equity method of accounting. Please see Note 4 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 for additional information.

On February 19, 2020 and February 20, 2019, Moelis Australia declared dividends, of which the Company received $1,942 and $2,848 on March 4, 2020 and March 6, 2019, respectively. The Company accounted for the dividends as a return on investment and reduced the carrying value of the investment in Moelis Australia by $1,942 and $2,848, respectively.

On September 2, 2019 and November 4, 2019, the Company sold 12.5 million and 8.0 million shares of Moelis Australia common stock, respectively. These transactions resulted in gains of $12,631 and $8,083, respectively, recorded in other income and expenses on the condensed consolidated statements of operations. As a result, the Company’s ownership interest in Moelis Australia was reduced.

The balances of the Company’s equity method investment as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 were $37,047 and $38,944, respectively, and are included within investments on the condensed consolidated statements of financial condition. The Company’s share of earnings on this investment is recorded in other income and expenses on the condensed consolidated statements of operations.