Fair Value Measurements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

10. Fair value measurements:

Fair value measurements and disclosures are based on a fair value hierarchy as determined by significant inputs used to measure fair value. The three levels of inputs within the fair value hierarchy are defined as follows:

Level 1 — Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. An active market for the asset or liability is a market in which transactions for the asset or liability occur with sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis, generally on a national exchange.

Level 2 — Quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active, and model-based valuations in which all significant inputs are observable in the market.

Level 3 — Valuation is modeled using significant inputs that are unobservable in the market. These unobservable inputs reflect the Company’s own estimates of assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.

At December 31, 2016, only the Company’s warrants were measured on a recurring basis. The Company’s valuation policy is determined by members of the Asset Management, Credit and Accounting departments. Whenever possible, the policy is to obtain quoted market prices in active markets to estimate fair values for recognition and disclosure purposes. Where quoted market prices in active markets are not available, fair values are estimated using discounted cash flow analyses, broker quotes, information from third party remarketing agents, third party appraisals of collateral and/or other valuation techniques. These techniques are significantly affected by certain of the Company’s assumptions, including discount rates and estimates of future cash flows. Potential taxes and other transaction costs are not considered in estimating fair values. As the Company is responsible for determining fair value, an analysis is performed on prices obtained from third parties. Such analysis is performed by asset management and credit department personnel who are familiar with the Company’s investments in equipment, notes receivable and equity securities of venture companies. The analysis may include a periodic review of price fluctuations and validation of numbers obtained from a specific third party by reference to multiple representative sources.

Such fair value adjustments utilized the following methodology:

Warrants (recurring)

Warrants owned by the Company are not registered for public sale, but are considered derivatives and are carried on the balance sheet at an estimated fair value at the end of the period. The valuation of the warrants are determined using a Black-Scholes formulation of value based upon the stock price(s), the exercise price(s), the volatility of comparable venture companies, and a risk free interest rate for the term(s) of the warrant exercise(s). As of December 31, 2016, the calculated fair value of the Fund’s warrant portfolio approximated $51 thousand. Such valuations are classified within Level 3 of the valuation hierarchy.

The following table reconciles the beginning and ending balances of the Company’s Level 3 recurring assets:


	2016
Fair value of warrants at beginning of period	$	-
Fair value of new warrants, recorded during the year (included as a discount on notes receivable)		55,378
Unrealized loss on fair valuation of warrants		(4,081)
Fair value of warrants at end of period	$	51,297

The following table summarizes the valuation techniques and significant unobservable inputs used for the Company’s recurring and non-recurring fair value calculation/adjustments categorized as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy at December 31, 2016:


December 31, 2016
	Valuation	Valuation	Unobservable	Range of
Name	Frequency	Technique	Inputs	Input Values
Warrants	Recurring	Black-Scholes formulation	Stock price	$2.54 - $2.98
			Exercise price	$2.54 - $3.98
			Time to maturity (in years)	9.63 - 14.95
			Risk-free interest rate	2.43% - 2.62%
			Annualized volatility	49.08% - 108.99%

The following disclosure of the estimated fair value of financial instruments is made in accordance with the guidance provided by the Financial Instruments Topic of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification. Fair value estimates, methods and assumptions, set forth below for the Company’s financial instruments, are made solely to comply with the requirements of the Financial Instruments Topic and should be read in conjunction with the Company’s financial statements and related notes.

The Company determines the estimated fair value amounts by using market information and valuation methodologies that it considers appropriate and consistent with the fair value accounting guidance. Considerable judgment is required to interpret market data to develop the estimates of fair value. The use of different market assumptions and/or estimation methodologies may have a material effect on the estimated fair value amounts.

Cash and cash equivalents

The recorded amounts of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents approximate fair value because of the liquidity and short-term maturity of these instruments.

Notes receivable

The fair value of the Company’s notes receivable is generally estimated based upon various methodologies deployed

by financial and credit management including, but not limited to, credit analysis, third party appraisal and/or

discounted cash flow analysis based upon current market valuation techniques and market rates for similar types of

lending arrangements, which may consider adjustments for impaired loans as deemed necessary.

Commitments and Contingencies

Management has determined that no recognition for the fair value of the Company’s loan commitments is necessary because their terms are made on a market rate basis and require borrowers to be in compliance with the Company’s credit requirements at the time of funding.

The fair value of contingent liabilities (or guarantees) is not considered material because management believes there has been no event that has occurred wherein a guarantee liability has been incurred or will likely be incurred.

The following tables present estimated fair values of the Company’s financial instruments in accordance with the guidance provided by the Financial Instruments Topic of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification at December 31, 2016 and 2015:


	December 31, 2016
	Carrying Amount	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Total
Financial assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 3,429,446	$ 3,429,446	$ -	$ -	$ 3,429,446
Notes receivable, net	1,451,285	-	-	1,451,285	1,451,285
Fair value of warrants	51,297	-	-	51,297	51,297

	December 31, 2015
	Carrying Amount	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Total
Financial assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 500	$ 500	$ -	$ -	$ 500

- 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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