Fair Value Measurements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

2. Fair Value Measurements

The following were the financial instruments held by the Company at December 31, 2016 and 2015, and the methods and assumptions used to estimate the instruments’ fair values:

Cash and cash equivalents

Carrying value approximated fair value because of the short maturity of the instruments.

Derivative assets and liabilities

Derivative assets and liabilities included the foreign currency exchange and interest rate contracts discussed in Note 3. Fair value and carrying value were the same because the contracts were recorded at fair value. The fair values of the foreign currency contracts were calculated as the difference between the applicable forward foreign exchange rates at the reporting date and the contracted foreign exchange rates multiplied by the contracted notional amounts. The fair values of the interest rate swaps were calculated as the difference between the contracted swap rate and the current market replacement swap rate multiplied by the present value of one basis point for the notional amount of the contract. See the table that follows the financial instrument descriptions for the reported fair values of derivative assets and liabilities.

Long-term investments

Long-term investments included the mutual fund assets the Company held to fund a portion of its deferred compensation liabilities and all of its non-qualified supplemental executive defined contribution obligations (see the defined contribution plans section of Note 13). Fair value and carrying value were the same because the mutual fund assets were recorded at fair value in accordance with the FASB’s fair value option guidance. Fair values for the mutual funds were calculated using the published market price per unit at the reporting date multiplied by the number of units held at the reporting date. See the table that follows the financial instrument descriptions for the reported fair value of long-term investments.

Debt obligations

The fair value of debt with original maturities greater than one year comprised the combined present values of scheduled principal and interest payments for each of the various loans, individually discounted at rates equivalent to those which could be obtained by the Company for new debt issues with durations equal to the average life to maturity of each loan. The fair values of the remaining Company debt obligations approximated their carrying values due to the short-term nature of the debt. The Company’s fair value measurements for debt fall in level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

At December 31, 2016 and 2015, the fair values and related carrying values of debt, including current maturities, were as follows (the fair value and carrying value amounts are presented without regard to unamortized debt issuance costs of $1,141,000 and $1,269,000 as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively):

(In thousands)	December 31
	2016		2015
Fair value	$	316,364	$	331,183

Carrying value		318,154		332,623

The following tables present financial assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis at fair value as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, and the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurement falls:

(In thousands)	December 2016		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Mutual fund assets	$	24,055	$	24,055	$	—	$	—
Derivative assets:
Foreign currency contracts		453		—		453		—
Total assets at fair value	$	24,508	$	24,055	$	453	$	—

Derivative liabilities:
Foreign currency contracts	$	469	$	—	$	469	$	—

(In thousands)	December 2015		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Mutual fund assets	$	20,910	$	20,910	$	—	$	—
Derivative assets:
Foreign currency contracts		112		—		112		—
Total assets at fair value	$	21,022	$	20,910	$	112	$	—

Derivative liabilities:
Foreign currency contracts	$	305	$	—	$	305	$	—
Interest rate contracts		53		—		53		—
Total liabilities at fair value	$	358	$	—	$	358	$	—

- 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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