Note G - Fair Value Measurements

9 Months Ended

Jan. 31, 2017

G – Fair Value Measurements

The table below summarizes information about the fair value of financial instruments included in the Company’s financial statements at

January

31,

2017

and

April

30,

2016:

	January 31, 2017				April 30, 2016
(In thousands)	Carrying Value		Fair Value		Carrying Value		Fair Value

Cash	$	254	$	254	$	602	$	602
Finance receivables, net		363,536		292,343		334,793		268,926
Accounts payable		10,544		10,544		12,313		12,313
Revolving credit facilities and notes payable		118,785		118,785		107,902		107,902

Because no market exists for certain of the Company’s financial instruments, fair value estimates are based on judgments and estimates regarding yield expectations of investors, credit risk and other risk characteristics, including interest rate and prepayment risk. These estimates are subjective in nature and involve uncertainties and matters of judgment and therefore cannot be determined with precision. Changes in assumptions could significantly affect these estimates. The methodology and assumptions utilized to estimate the fair value of the Company’s financial instruments are as follows:

Financial Instrument		Valuation Methodology

Cash		The carrying amount is considered to be a reasonable estimate of fair value due to the short-term nature of the financial instrument.

Finance receivables, net		The Company estimates the fair value of its receivables at what a third party purchaser might be willing to pay. The Company has had discussions with third parties and has bought and sold portfolios, and had a third party appraisal in November 2012 that indicated a range of 35% to 40% discount to face would be a reasonable fair value in a negotiated third party transaction. The sale of finance receivables from Car-Mart of Arkansas to Colonial is made at a 38.5% discount. For financial reporting purposes these sale transactions are eliminated. Since the Company does not intend to offer the receivables for sale to an outside third party, the expectation is that the net book value at January 31, 2017, will ultimately be collected. By collecting the accounts internally the Company expects to realize more than a third party purchaser would expect to collect with a servicing requirement and a profit margin included.

Accounts payable		The carrying amount is considered to be a reasonable estimate of fair value due to the short-term nature of the financial instrument.

Revolving credit facilities and notes payable		The fair value approximates carrying value due to the variable interest rates charged on the revolving credit facilities, which reprice frequently.

- 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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