9.        Fair Value Measurements

 

The Company follows ASC 825-10, Financial Instruments, which provides companies the option to report selected financial assets and liabilities at fair value. ASC 825-10 also establishes presentation and disclosure requirements designed to facilitate comparisons between companies that choose different measurement attributes for similar types of assets and liabilities and to more easily understand the effect of the company’s choice to use fair value on its earnings. ASC 825-10 also requires entities to display the fair value of the selected assets and liabilities on the face of the balance sheet. The Company has not elected the ASC 825-10 option to report selected financial assets and liabilities at fair value.

 

Financial assets and liabilities recorded at fair value in the consolidated balance sheets are categorized based upon a fair value hierarchy established by U.S. GAAP, which prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value into the following levels:

 

 

Fair Value on a Recurring Basis:

 

The following tables set forth the fair value of the Company’s financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value in the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, based on the three-tier fair value hierarchy.  

 

 

 

Level I assets and liabilities include money-market funds not insured by the FDIC, deferred compensation and 2019 Convertible Notes. The Company periodically invests excess cash in money-market funds not insured by the FDIC. The Company believes that the investments in money market funds are on deposit with creditworthy financial institutions and that the funds are highly liquid. These money-market funds are considered Level 1 and are included in cash and cash equivalents in the consolidated balance sheets. The fair value of the deferred compensation liability is based upon the daily quoted market prices for net asset value on the various funds selected by participants. The fair value of the 2019 Convertible Notes was calculated using observable market data.

 

Level II assets and liabilities consist of unrealized gain or loss on forward currency contracts, which are measured using the difference between the market quotes of trading currencies adjusted for forward points and the executed contract rate. For further details on the Company’s derivative financial instruments, refer to Note 22.

 

Level III assets and liabilities consist of the estimated fair value of contingent consideration as well as the deferred compensation asset. The fair market value of the deferred compensation asset is based upon the cash surrender value of the life insurance premiums.

 

The fair value of the contingent consideration liabilities related to the FinaConnect and Wheelhouse acquisitions were estimated using a discounted cash flow method with significant inputs that are not observable in the market and thus represents a Level III fair value measurement as defined in ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures. The significant inputs in the Level III measurement not supported by market activity included our assessments of expected future cash flows related to our acquisitions of FinaConnect and Wheelhouse during the subsequent periods from the date of acquisition, appropriately discounted considering the uncertainties associated with the obligation, and calculated in accordance with the terms of the agreement.

 

The Company utilized a discounted cash flow method with expected future performance of FinaConnect and Wheelhouse, and their ability to meet the target performance objectives as the main driver of the valuation, to arrive at the fair values of their respective contingent consideration. The Company will continue to reassess the fair value of the contingent consideration for each acquisition at each reporting date until settlement. Changes to the estimated fair values of the contingent consideration will be recognized in earnings of the Company and included in general and administration on the consolidated statements of operations.

 

The table below presents a reconciliation of contingent consideration liabilities of which the Company measured at fair value on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs (Level III) for the period from December 31, 2015 to December 31, 2016:

 

 

During 2016 the Company recognized a deferred compensation asset, identified as Level III, in the amount of $2,672 and recognized gains of $66 on general and administrative on the consolidated statements of operations which resulted in an asset value as of December 31, 2016 of $2,738.

 

The Company assesses categorization of assets and liabilities by level at each measurement date, and transfers between levels are recognized on the actual date of the event or change in circumstances that caused the transfer, in accordance with the Company’s accounting policy regarding the recognition of transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy. There were no transfers between Levels I, II and III during the year.

 

On December 15, 2014, the Company issued $172,500 of Convertible Notes. As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, the carrying value of the 2019 Convertible Notes equaled $152,575 and $146,418, respectively, and represents the aggregate principal amount outstanding less the unamortized discount and debt issuance costs. As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, the fair value of the Convertible Notes was $164,824 and $152,878, respectively.  The Company considers the Convertible Notes to be a Level II liability and uses a market approach to calculate the fair value of the Convertible Notes.  The estimated fair value was determined based on the estimated or actual bids and offers of the Notes in an over-the-counter market on December 31, 2016.

 

As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, there was $142,000 and $150,000, respectively, of Term Notes and no revolving credit amounts outstanding under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement.  The outstanding value of our Term Notes and revolving credit facility approximated fair value as they bear interest at variable rates and we believe our credit risk quality is consistent with when the debt originated. As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, the carrying value of the Term Notes equaled $138,335 and $144,399, respectively, and represents the aggregate principal amount outstanding less the unamortized debt issuance costs. The Company considers the Term Notes and revolving credit facility to be a Level II liability as of December 31, 2016.  As of December 31, 2015 the Company considered the Term Notes to be a Level I liability, due to the proximity to the date of origination.

 

We consider the recorded value of our other financial assets and liabilities, which consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable, to approximate the fair value of the respective assets and liabilities at December 31, 2016 based upon the short-term nature of the assets and liabilities.