Fair Value of Financial Instruments

12 Months Ended

Apr. 28, 2013

12. Fair Value of Financial Instruments

ASC Topic 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy that distinguishes between assumptions based on market data (observable inputs) and the company’s assumptions (unobservable inputs). Determining where an asset or liability falls within that hierarchy depends on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement as a whole. An adjustment to the pricing method used within either level 1 or level 2 inputs could generate a fair value measurement that effectively falls in a lower level in the hierarchy. The hierarchy consists of three broad levels as follows:

Level 1 – Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;

Level 2 – Inputs other than level 1 inputs that are either directly or indirectly observable, and

Level 3 – Unobservable inputs developed using the company’s estimates and assumptions, which reflect those that market participants would use.

The following table presents information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis:

Fair value measurements at April 28, 2013 using:

Quoted prices in

active markets

for identical

assets

Significant other

observable inputs

Significant

unobservable

inputs

(amounts in thousands)

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Total

Assets:

Limited Term Bond Fund

2,092

N/A

2,092

Low Duration Bond Fund

2,076

N/A

2,076

Intermediate Term Bond Fund

1,118

N/A

1,118

Fair value measurements at April 29, 2012 using:

Quoted prices in

active markets

for identical

assets

Significant other

observable inputs

Significant

unobservable

inputs

(amounts in thousands)

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Total

Assets:

Limited Term Bond Fund

2,049

N/A

2,049

Low Duration Bond Fund

2,037

N/A

2,037

Intermediate Bond Fund

1,058

N/A

1,058

The determination of where an asset or liability falls in the hierarchy requires significant judgment. We evaluate our hierarchy disclosures each quarter based on various factors and it is possible that an asset or liability may be classified differently from quarter to quarter. However, we expect that changes in classifications between different levels will be rare.

The fair value of the company’s long-term debt is estimated by discounting the future cash flows at rates currently offered to the company for similar debt instruments of comparable maturities. At April 28, 2013, the carrying value of the company’s long-term debt was $6.6 million and the fair value was $7.0 million. At April 29, 2012, the carrying value of the company’s long-term debt was $9.1 million and the fair value was $8.1 million.

- 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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