Fair Value Measurements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

The authoritative guidance defines fair value as an exit price, representing the amount that would either be received to sell an asset or be paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. As a basis for considering such assumptions, the guidance establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value as follows:


•	Level 1. Observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;


•	Level 2. Inputs, other than the quoted prices in active markets, that are observable either directly or indirectly; and


•	Level 3. Unobservable inputs in which there is little or no market data, which require the reporting entity to develop its own assumptions.

Available-for-sale securities included in Level 2 are valued utilizing inputs obtained from an independent pricing service (the “Service”) which uses quoted market prices for identical or comparable instruments rather than direct observations of quoted prices in active markets. The Service gathers observable inputs for all of the Company’s fixed income securities from a variety of industry data providers including, for example, large custodial institutions and other third-party sources. Once the observable inputs are gathered by the Service, all data points are considered and an average price is determined. The Service’s providers utilize a variety of inputs to determine their quoted prices. These inputs may include interest rates, known historical trades, yield curve information, benchmark data, prepayment speeds, credit quality and broker/dealer quotes. Substantially all of the Company’s available-for-sale investments are valued utilizing inputs obtained from the Service and accordingly are categorized as Level 2 in the table below. The Company periodically independently assesses the pricing obtained from the Service and historically has not adjusted the Service's pricing as a result of this assessment. Available-for-sale securities are included in Level 3 when relevant observable inputs for a security are not available.

The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement requires judgment and may affect the classification of assets and liabilities within the fair value hierarchy. In certain instances, the inputs used to measure fair value may meet the definition of more than one level of the fair value hierarchy. The input with the lowest level priority is used to determine the applicable level in the fair value hierarchy.

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis



	As of December 31, 2013		Quoted Prices In Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
	(in thousands)
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents:
Cash	$	227,528	$	227,528	$	—	$	—
Money market funds	52,823		52,823		—		—
Corporate securities	389		—		389		—
Available-for-sale securities:
Agency securities	454,750		—		454,750		—
Corporate securities	644,091		—		633,801		10,291
Municipal securities	53,756		—		53,756		—
Government securities	157,079		—		157,079		—
Prepaid expenses and other current assets:
Foreign currency derivatives	4,952		—		4,952		—
Total assets	$	1,595,368	$	280,351	$	1,304,727	$	10,291
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities:
Foreign currency derivatives	1,743		—		1,743		—
Total liabilities	$	1,743	$	—	$	1,743	$	—



	As of December 31, 2012		Quoted Prices In Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
	(in thousands)
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents:
Cash	$	503,614	$	503,614	$	—	$	—
Money market funds	123,519		123,519		—		—
Corporate securities	16,476		—		16,476		—
Available-for-sale securities:
Agency securities	402,707		—		402,707		—
Corporate securities	405,322		—		401,981		3,341
Municipal securities	32,313		—		32,313		—
Government securities	39,993		—		39,993		—
Prepaid expenses and other current assets:
Foreign currency derivatives	4,157		—		4,157		—
Total assets	$	1,528,101	$	627,133	$	897,627	$	3,341
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities:
Foreign currency derivatives	4,162		—		4,162		—
Total liabilities	$	4,162	$	—	$	4,162	$	—

The Company’s fixed income available-for-sale security portfolio generally consists of high quality, investment grade securities from diverse issuers with a minimum credit rating of A-/A3 and a minimum weighted-average credit rating of AA-/Aa3. The Company values these securities based on pricing from the Service, whose sources may use quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1 inputs) or inputs other than quoted prices that are observable either directly or indirectly (Level 2 inputs) in determining fair value, and accordingly, the Company classifies all of its fixed income available-for-sale securities as Level 2.

The Company measures its cash flow hedges, which are classified as Prepaid expenses and other current assets and Accrued expenses and other current liabilities, at fair value based on indicative prices in active markets (Level 2 inputs).

Assets Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)

The Company has invested in convertible debt securities of certain early-stage entities that are classified as available-for-sale investments. As quoted prices in active markets or other observable inputs were not available for these investments, in order to measure them at fair value, the Company utilized a discounted cash flow model using a discount rate reflecting the market risk inherent in holding securities of an early-stage enterprise, adjusted by the probability-weighted exit possibilities associated with the convertible debt securities. This methodology required the Company to make assumptions that were not directly or indirectly observable regarding the fair value of the convertible debt securities; accordingly they are a Level 3 valuation and included in the table below.




	Investments
	(in thousands)
Balance at December 31, 2012	$	3,341
Purchases of Level 3 securities	9,700
Transfers out of Level 3	(2,750		)
Balance at December 31, 2013	$	10,291

Transfers out of Level 3 relate to certain of the Company's investments in convertible debt securities of early-stage entities that were previously classified as available-for-sale investments to cost method investments upon conversion to equity ownership, which are included in Other assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

Assets Measured at Fair Value on a Non-recurring Basis Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)

During 2013 and 2012, certain cost method investments with a combined carrying value of $9.3 million and $13.0 million, respectively, were determined to be impaired and have been written down to their fair values of $5.6 million and $9.5 million, respectively, resulting in impairment charges of $3.7 million and $3.5 million, respectively. The impairment charges are included in Other (expense) income, net in the accompanying consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012. In determining the fair value of cost method investments, the Company considers many factors including but not limited to operating performance of the investee, the amount of cash that the investee has on-hand, the ability to obtain additional financing and the overall market conditions in which the investee operates. The fair value of the cost method investment represents a Level 3 valuation as the assumptions used in valuing this investment were not directly or indirectly observable. See Note 4 for more information regarding cost method investments.

Additional Disclosures Regarding Fair Value Measurements

The carrying value of accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses and other current liabilities approximate their fair value due to the short maturity of these items.

- 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.

+ References+ Details