Fair Value Measurements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2014

NOTE 4. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

ASC Topic 820 specifies a hierarchy of valuation techniques which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs that may be used to measure fair value. The hierarchy is prioritized into three levels (with Level 3 being the lowest) defined as follows:

Level 1: Inputs are based on quoted market prices for identical assets and liabilities in active markets at the measurement date.

Level 2: Inputs include similar quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 3: Pricing inputs include significant inputs that are generally not observable in the marketplace. These inputs may be used with internally developed methodologies that result in management’s best estimate of fair value.

The Company’s valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of money market funds and other financial instruments were derived from quoted prices in active markets for identical assets. The valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of all other financial instruments, all of which have counterparties with high credit ratings, were valued based on quoted market prices or model driven valuations using significant inputs derived from or corroborated by observable market data.

In 2014, the Company reviewed and evaluated the observable market pricing data and volume of trading activity used in determining Level 1 and Level 2 assets and reclassified $7.3 million of investments as Level 2 that were reported as Level 1 at December 28, 2013. The Company also reclassified $2.1 million of investments as Level 1 that were reported as Level 2 at December 28, 2013. The Company’s derivative instruments are classified as Level 2 as of December 27, 2014, as they are not actively traded and are valued using pricing models that use observable market inputs. There were no Level 3 assets or liabilities at December 27, 2014.

Assets/Liabilities Measured and Recorded at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

Financial assets measured on a recurring basis as of December 27, 2014 and December 28, 2013, are summarized below:


	Fair value,
	December 27, 2014
(in thousands)	Level 1		Level 2
Assets:
Money market funds (1)	$	8,729	$	—
Corporate bonds and notes (1)		88,401		17,030
United States (“US”) treasury and government agency notes (1)		38,283		1,387
Foreign government and agency notes (1)		537		7,525
US state and municipal securities (1)		—		231
Total assets	$	135,950	$	26,173

(1)

Included in cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, and long-term investment securities (see Note 7. Investment Securities).


	Fair value,
	December 28, 2013
(in thousands)	Level 1		Level 2
Assets:
Money market funds (1)	$	14,629	$	—
Corporate bonds and notes (1)		79,653		3,166
US treasury and government agency notes (1)		28,985		—
Foreign government and agency notes (1)		2,048		—
US state and municipal securities (1)		433		—
Total assets	$	125,748	$	3,166

Financial liabilities measured on a recurring basis are summarized below:


	Fair value,
	December 27, 2014
(in thousands)	Level 2
Current liabilities:
Forward currency contracts (1)	$	1,907


	Fair value,
	December 28, 2013
(in thousands)	Level 2
Current liabilities:
Forward currency contracts (1)	$	612

(1)

Included in Accrued liabilities.

Assets/Liabilities Measured and Recorded at Fair Value on a Non-Recurring Basis

The Company measures the fair value of its indebtedness carried at amortized cost only for the purposes of disclosing such amounts. As of December 28, 2013, the carrying value of $30.0 million outstanding drawdown on the Company’s line of credit approximated its fair value, given the short-term nature of this borrowing and a lack of significant interest rate changes since the borrowing occurred.

The Company’s non-financial assets, such as prepaid expenses and other current assets, property and equipment, and intangible assets are recorded at fair value only if an impairment charge is recognized. During 2014, 2013 and 2012, charges of $0.8 million, $3.0 million and $1.8 million, respectively, were recorded to fully write off certain assets that became impaired during those years. As their resulting carrying value was $nil, no further fair value measurements were necessary. The losses recorded during 2014, 2013 and 2012 were mainly included in Research and Development expenses, net in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. See Note 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies for details on the asset impairments.

- 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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