Fair Value Measurements

3 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

11.	Fair Value Measurements

In determining fair value, the Company uses various valuation approaches including market, income and/or cost approaches. FASB standard ‘‘Fair Value Measurements’’ (Topic 820) establishes a hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on market data obtained from independent sources. Unobservable inputs are those that reflect the Company’s expectation of the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances. The hierarchy is broken down into three levels based on the reliability of inputs as follows:

Level 1 – Valuations based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access. Assets utilizing Level 1 inputs include marketable securities that are actively traded.

Level 2 – Valuations based on quoted prices in markets that are not active or for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly.

Level 3 – Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement. Asset and liability measurements utilizing Level 3 inputs include those used in estimating fair value of non-financial assets and non-financial liabilities in purchase acquisitions, those used in assessing impairment of property, plant and equipment and other intangibles, those used in the reporting unit valuation in the annual goodwill impairment evaluation and those used in the valuation of contingent consideration.

The availability of observable inputs can vary and is affected by a wide variety of factors. To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Accordingly, the degree of judgment required in determining fair value is greatest for assets and liabilities categorized in Level 3. In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement is disclosed is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Fair value measurements can be volatile based on various factors that may or may not be within the Company’s control.

The following tables summarize the Company’s financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2022 and September 30, 2022

	December 31, 2022
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
	($ in thousands)
Assets:
Investment in Equity Securities	$	512	$	-	$	-	$	512
Liabilities:
Contingent Consideration		-		-		32,817		32,817

	September 30, 2022
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
	($ in thousands)
Assets:
Investment in Equity Securities	$	772	$	-	$	-	$	772
Liabilities:
Contingent Consideration		-		-		37,402		37,402

There were no transfers between the valuation hierarchy Levels 1, 2, and 3 for the three months ended December 31, 2022.

We measure all equity investments that do not result in consolidation and are not accounted for under the equity method at fair value with the change in fair value included in other expense (income), net, in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations. The fair value of equity investments is measured using quoted prices in its active markets. The investment in equity securities balance is recorded in other assets in the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets and consists of a $0.5 million investment in Forza X1, Inc.

The portion of unrealized losses recognized related to equity securities still held as of December 31 consists of the following:

($ in thousands)	Three Months Ended December 31, 2022
Net losses recognized during the period on equity securities	$	260
Less net losses recognized during the period on equity securities sold during the period		-
Unrealized losses recognized during the reporting period on equity securities still held at the reporting date	$	260

There were no unrealized gains or losses recognized for the three months ended December 31, 2021 related to equity securities.

We estimate the fair value of contingent consideration using a probability-weighted discounted cash flow model based on forecasted future earnings or forecasted probabilities of producing acquisition leads. The acquisition contingent consideration liability has been accounted for based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement (Level 3). The contingent consideration balance is recorded in other payables and accrued expenses and other long-term liabilities in the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets. Changes in fair value and net present value of contingent consideration are included in change in fair value of contingent consideration in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations. The fair value of contingent consideration is reassessed on a quarterly basis.

The following table sets forth the changes in fair value of our contingent consideration for the three months ended December 31, 2022:

($ in thousands)	Contingent Consideration
Balance as of September 30, 2022	$	37,402
Additions from acquisitions		2,550
Settlement of contingent consideration		(5,726	)
Change in fair value, including accretion		(1,409	)
Balance as of December 31, 2022	$	32,817

- 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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