Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair Value Estimates

The fair value estimates of the following financial instruments have been determined using available market information and appropriate valuation methodologies. The carrying values of cash and cash equivalents, trade receivables, and trade payables approximate the fair values of those instruments due to the short-term nature of the instruments. The fair value of receivables on preneed contracts are impracticable to estimate because of the lack of a trading market and the diverse number of individual contracts with varying terms.

The fair value of our debt instruments at September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 was as follows:



	September 30, 2017		December 31, 2016
	(In thousands)
7.625% Senior Notes due October 2018	$	264,375	$	272,353
4.5% Senior Notes due November 2020	202,750		205,000
8.0% Senior Notes due November 2021	177,563		175,500
5.375% Senior Notes due January 2022	436,726		444,614
5.375% Senior Notes due May 2024	907,205		884,000
7.5% Senior Notes due April 2027	240,200		231,590
Term Loan due March 2021	647,500		673,750
Bank Credit Facility due March 2021	470,000		350,000
Mortgage notes and other debt, maturities through 2050	6,134		3,753
Total fair value of debt instruments	$	3,352,453	$	3,240,560

The fair value of our long-term, fixed-rate loans were estimated using market prices for those loans, and therefore they are classified within Level 2 of the fair value measurements hierarchy. The Term Loan, Bank Credit Facility agreement, and the mortgage and other debt are classified within Level 3 of the fair value measurements hierarchy. The fair value of these instruments has been estimated using a discounted cash flow analysis based on our incremental borrowing rate for similar borrowing arrangements. An increase (decrease) in the inputs results in a directionally opposite change in the fair value of the instruments.