Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Fair Value Measurements

v3.19.3.a.u2
Fair Value Measurements
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
Fair Value Measurements 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 sheets. 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 GAAP, which prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value into the following levels:
 
Level I:
 
Inputs based on quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities at the measurement date.
 
 
 
Level II:
 
Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets and liabilities in markets that are not active; or inputs that are observable and can be corroborated by observable market data.
 
 
 
Level III:
 
Inputs reflect management’s best estimates and assumptions of what market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date. The inputs are unobservable in the market and significant to the valuation of the instruments.
 
The following tables set forth the fair value of the Company’s financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis in the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, based on the three-tier fair value hierarchy:
 
 
December 31, 2019
 
 
Fair Value
 
Level I
 
Level II
 
Level III
Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Money market funds
 
$
37,730

 
$
37,730

 
$

 
$

Assets used to fund deferred compensation liability
 
8,390

 

 

 
8,390

Total assets
 
$
46,120


$
37,730

 
$

 
$
8,390

Liabilities:
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Contingent consideration liability
 
$
9,045

 
$

 
$

 
$
9,045

Deferred compensation liability
 
8,208

 
8,208

 

 

Total liabilities
 
$
17,253

 
$
8,208

 
$

 
$
9,045

 
 
 
December 31, 2018
 
 
Fair Value
 
Level I
 
Level II
 
Level III
Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Money market funds
 
$
265,554

 
$
265,554

 
$

 
$

Assets used to fund deferred compensation liability
 
6,346

 

 

 
6,346

Total assets
 
$
271,900

 
$
265,554

 
$

 
$
6,346

Liabilities:
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Contingent consideration liability
 
$
732

 
$

 
$

 
$
732

Deferred compensation liability
 
6,196

 
6,196

 

 

Total liabilities
 
$
6,928

 
$
6,196


$


$
732



Level I assets and liabilities include money-market funds not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) and deferred compensation liability. 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 I and are included in cash and cash equivalents in the consolidated balance sheets. The fair values of the Company’s investments in money-market funds are based on the daily quoted market prices for the net asset value of the various money market funds. The fair market value of the deferred compensation liability is based on the daily quoted market prices for the net asset value of the various funds in which the participants have selected, and is included in other non-current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.
Level III assets and liabilities consist of the estimated fair values of contingent consideration as well as the assets to fund the Company's deferred compensation liability. The fair market value of the assets used to fund the Company's deferred compensation liability approximates the cash surrender value of the Company's life insurance premiums and is included in other non-current assets in the consolidated balance sheets.
The fair values of the contingent consideration liabilities related to certain of the Company's 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 Company's Level III fair value measurement not supported by market activity included its assessments of expected future cash flows related to these acquisitions and their ability to meet the target performance objectives during the subsequent periods from the date of acquisition, which management believes are appropriately discounted considering the uncertainties associated with these obligations, and are calculated in accordance with the terms of their respective agreements.
The Company will continue to reassess the fair values of the contingent consideration liabilities at each reporting date until settlement. Changes to these estimated fair values will be recognized in the Company's earnings and included in general and administration expenses in the consolidated statements of operations. During 2019 and 2018, the Wheelhouse Analytics LLC contingent consideration liability was settled in the amounts of $749 and $2,193, respectively. The discounted amount of the private AI company contingent consideration liability was estimated to be $7,580. In December 2019, the Company determined that revenue targets related to the private AI company acquisition would not be met. As a result, the Company reduced the contingent consideration liability plus accrued interest associated with this acquisition by $8,126 and recorded this as a reduction to general and administration expenses.
 
The table below presents a reconciliation of the Company's contingent consideration liabilities, which were measured at fair value on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs (Level III) for the period from December 31, 2018 to December 31, 2019
 
 
Fair Value of
 
 
Contingent
 
 
Consideration
 
 
Liabilities
Balance at December 31, 2018
 
$
732

Private AI company acquisition
 
7,580

PortfolioCenter acquisition
 
8,200

Settlement of contingent consideration liability
 
(749
)
Fair market value adjustment on contingent consideration liability
 
(8,126
)
Accretion on contingent consideration liabilities
 
1,408

Balance at December 31, 2019
 
$
9,045



The table below presents a reconciliation of assets used to fund deferred compensation liability, which was measured at fair value on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs (Level III) for the period from December 31, 2018 to December 31, 2019:
 
 
Fair Value of
 
 
Assets Used to
 
 
Fund Deferred
 
 
Compensation
 
 
Liability
Balance at December 31, 2018
 
$
6,346

Contributions and fair value adjustments
 
2,044

Balance at December 31, 2019
 
$
8,390

 
 
The value of the assets used to fund the Company's deferred compensation liability, which are included in other non-current assets in the consolidated balance sheets, increased due to funding of the plan and gains on the underlying investment vehicles.
 
The Company assesses the 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 when changes in circumstances cause 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 ended December 31, 2019.
 
On December 15, 2014, the Company issued $172,500 of Convertible Notes due 2019. As of December 31, 2018, the carrying value of the Convertible Notes due 2019 equaled $165,711, and represented the aggregate principal amount outstanding less the unamortized discount and debt issuance costs. As of December 31, 2018, the estimated fair value of the Convertible Notes due 2019 was $174,101. The Company considered the Convertible Notes due 2019 to be a Level II liability as of December 31, 2018, and used a market approach to calculate the fair value. Upon maturity, the Company settled the Convertible Notes due 2019 for $184,751, which included $172,500 of principal and $12,251 of additional premium payable to note holders who tendered their conversion notice.

On May 25, 2018, the Company issued $345,000 of Convertible Notes due 2023. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the carrying value of the Convertible Notes due 2023 equaled $305,513 and $294,725, respectively, and represented the aggregate principal amount outstanding less the unamortized discount and debt issuance costs. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the estimated fair value of the Convertible Notes due 2023 was $414,852 and $339,024, respectively.  The Company considered the Convertible Notes due 2023 to be a Level II liability as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, and used a market approach to calculate the fair value. The estimated fair value was determined based on the estimated or actual bids and offers of the Convertible Notes due 2023 in an over-the-counter market on December 31, 2019. See “Note 9—Debt”.
 
As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, there was $260,000 and $0, respectively, outstanding on the revolving credit facility under the Amended Credit Agreement. As of December 31, 2019, the outstanding balance on the revolving credit facility approximated fair value as borrowings under the revolving credit facility bore interest at variable rates and the Company believes its credit risk quality was consistent with when the debt originated. The Company considered the revolving credit facility to be a Level I liability as of December 31, 2019 and 2018. See “Note 9—Debt”.
 
The Company considered the recorded value of our other financial assets and liabilities, which consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, fees receivable and accounts payable, to approximate the fair value of the respective assets and liabilities at December 31, 2019 based upon the short-term nature of these assets and liabilities.