FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Accounting standards define fair value based on an exit price model, establish a framework for measuring fair value where the Company’s assets and liabilities are required to be carried at fair value and provide for certain disclosures related to the valuation methods used within a valuation hierarchy as established within the accounting standards. This hierarchy prioritizes the inputs into three broad levels as follows. Level 1 inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Level 2 inputs are quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets in markets that are not active, or other observable characteristics for the asset or liability, including interest rates, yield curves and credit risks, or inputs that are derived principally from, or corroborated by, observable market data through correlation. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs based on the Company’s assumptions. A financial asset or liability’s classification within the hierarchy is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety.

A summary of financial assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis were as follows ($ in millions):



	Quoted Prices in Active Market (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)		Total
March 29, 2019:
Assets:
Available-for-sale debt securities	$	—	$	36.8	$	—	$	36.8
Investment in equity securities	—		—		193.1		193.1
Cross-currency swap derivative contracts	—		17.1		—		17.1
Liabilities:
Cross-currency swap derivative contracts	—		2.3		—		2.3
Deferred compensation plans	—		66.3		—		66.3

December 31, 2018:
Assets:
Available-for-sale debt securities	$	—	$	38.3	$	—	$	38.3
Investment in equity securities	—		—		148.9		148.9
Liabilities:
Deferred compensation plans	—		60.9		—		60.9

Available-for-sale debt securities, which are included in other long-term assets in the accompanying Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets, are measured at fair value using quoted prices reported by investment brokers and dealers based on the underlying terms of the security and comparison to similar securities traded on an active market. As of March 29, 2019, available-for-sale debt securities primarily include U.S. Treasury Notes and corporate debt securities, which are valued based on instruments with similar terms traded on an active market.

The Company’s investments in equity securities are classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy because the Company estimates the fair value based on the measurement alternative and adjusts for impairments and observable price changes with a same or similar security from the same issuer within net earnings (the “Fair Value Alternative”). The investments in equity securities includes investments that the Company has made as a limited partner in a partnership for which the underlying investments are recorded on a fair value basis.

The cross-currency swap derivative contracts are used to partially hedge the Company’s net investments in foreign operations against adverse movements in exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the Danish kroner, Japanese yen, euro and the Swiss franc. The cross-currency swap derivative contracts are classified as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy as they are measured using the income approach with the relevant interest rates and foreign currency current exchange rates and forward curves as inputs. Refer to Note 9 for additional information.

The Company has established nonqualified deferred compensation programs that permit the Company to make tax-deferred contributions to officers and certain other employees, and also permit directors, officers and certain other employees to voluntarily defer taxation on a portion of their compensation. All amounts deferred under such plans are unfunded, unsecured obligations of the Company and are presented as a component of the Company’s compensation and benefits accrual included in other long-term liabilities in the accompanying Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets. Non-director participants may choose among alternative earning rates for the amounts they defer, which are primarily based on investment options within the Company’s 401(k) program. Changes in the deferred compensation liability under these programs are recognized based on changes in the fair value of the participants’ accounts, which are based on the applicable earnings rates. Amounts voluntarily deferred by directors and amounts unilaterally contributed to participant accounts by the Company are deemed invested in the Company’s common stock and future distributions of such contributions (as well as future distributions of any voluntary deferrals allocated at any time to the Danaher common stock investment option) will be made solely in shares of common stock. As a result, Company contributions to these programs and voluntary deferrals allocated at any time to the Danaher common stock investment option are not reflected in the above amounts.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The carrying amounts and fair values of the Company’s financial instruments were as follows ($ in millions):



	March 29, 2019				December 31, 2018
	Carrying Amount		Fair Value		Carrying Amount		Fair Value
Assets:
Available-for-sale debt securities	$	36.8	$	36.8	$	38.3	$	38.3
Investment in equity securities	193.1		193.1		148.9		148.9
Cross-currency swap derivative contracts	17.1		17.1		—		—
Liabilities:
Cross-currency swap derivative contracts	2.3		2.3		—		—
Notes payable and current portion of long-term debt	36.6		36.6		51.8		51.8
Long-term debt	9,458.2		9,848.5		9,688.5		9,990.6

As of March 29, 2019 and December 31, 2018, investments in non-marketable equity securities were categorized as Level 3, available-for-sale debt securities and cross-currency swap derivative contracts were categorized as Level 2 and short and long-term borrowings were categorized as Level 1.

The fair value of long-term borrowings was based on quoted market prices. The difference between the fair value and the carrying amounts of long-term borrowings (other than the Company’s Liquid Yield Option Notes due 2021 (the “LYONs”)) is attributable to changes in market interest rates and/or the Company’s credit ratings subsequent to the incurrence of the borrowing. In the case of the LYONs, differences in the fair value from the carrying value are attributable to changes in the price of the Company’s common stock due to the LYONs’ conversion features. The fair values of borrowings with original maturities of one year or less, as well as cash and cash equivalents, trade accounts receivable, net and trade accounts payable approximate their carrying amounts due to the short-term maturities of these instruments.