Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Other Investment Securities (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2014

Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Other Investment Securities

Schedule of marketable investment securities, restricted cash and other investment securities

	As of
	September 30,		December 31,
	2014		2013
	(In thousands)
Marketable investment securities:
Current marketable investment securities - VRDNs	$	21,870	$	116,570
Current marketable investment securities - strategic	575,063		534,449
Current marketable investment securities - other	3,924,616		4,388,363
Total current marketable investment securities	4,521,549		5,039,382
Restricted marketable investment securities (1)	79,100		81,371
Noncurrent marketable investment securities - ARS and other (2)	135,408		133,652
Total marketable investment securities	4,736,057		5,254,405
Restricted cash and cash equivalents (1)	13,674		13,490
Other investment securities:
Investment in EchoStar preferred tracking stock - cost method (2)	228,795		—
Investment in HSSC preferred tracking stock - cost method (2)	87,409		—
Other investment securities - cost method (2)	13,546		17,621
Total other investment securities	329,750		17,621
Total marketable investment securities, restricted cash and cash equivalents, and other investment securities	$	5,079,481	$	5,285,516

(1) Restricted marketable investment securities and restricted cash and cash equivalents are included in “Restricted cash and marketable investment securities” on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

(2) Noncurrent marketable investment securities — auction rate securities (“ARS”) and other investment securities are included in “Marketable and other investment securities” on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Schedule of unrealized gain (loss) on marketable investment securities

	As of September 30, 2014										As of December 31, 2013
	Marketable										Marketable
	Investment		Unrealized								Investment		Unrealized
	Securities		Gains		Losses			Net			Securities		Gains		Losses			Net
	(In thousands)
Debt securities:
VRDNs	$	21,870	$	—	$	—		$	—		$	116,570	$	—	$	—		$	—
ARS and other	41,828		1,617		(3,201		)	(1,584		)	45,030		1,188		(5,138		)	(3,950		)
ARS Fair Value Option	93,580		—		—			—			88,622		—		—			—
Other (including restricted)	4,190,657		78,374		(1,344		)	77,030			4,668,532		83,363		(4,741		)	78,622
Equity securities	388,122		93,360		(4,659		)	88,701			335,651		106,684		—			106,684
Total	$	4,736,057	$	173,351	$	(9,204	)	$	164,147		$	5,254,405	$	191,235	$	(9,879	)	$	181,356

Schedule of available-for-sale securities in continuous unrealized loss position by length of time and their fair value

	As of
	September 30, 2014					December 31, 2013
	Fair		Unrealized			Fair		Unrealized
	Value		Loss			Value		Loss
	(In thousands)
Debt Securities:
Less than 12 months	$	1,979,006	$	(1,322	)	$	2,208,930	$	(3,106	)
12 months or more	219,053		(3,223		)	84,915		(6,773		)
Equity Securities:
Less than 12 months	56,365		(4,659		)	—		—
12 months or more	—		—			—		—
Total	$	2,254,424	$	(9,204	)	$	2,293,845	$	(9,879	)

Schedule of fair value measurements

	As of
	September 30, 2014								December 31, 2013
	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
	(In thousands)
Cash equivalents (including restricted)	$	4,539,145	$	73,936	$	4,465,209	$	—	$	4,387,252	$	323,638	$	4,063,614	$	—
Debt securities:
VRDNs	$	21,870	$	—	$	21,870	$	—	$	116,570	$	—	$	116,570	$	—
ARS and other	135,408		—		218		135,190		133,652		—		678		132,974
Other (including restricted)	4,190,657		39,834		4,144,970		5,853		4,668,532		11,015		4,644,471		13,046
Equity securities	388,122		388,122		—		—		335,651		335,651		—		—
Subtotal	4,736,057		427,956		4,167,058		141,043		5,254,405		346,666		4,761,719		146,020
Derivative financial instruments	251,030		—		251,030		—		292,507		—		292,507		—
Total	$	4,987,087	$	427,956	$	4,418,088	$	141,043	$	5,546,912	$	346,666	$	5,054,226	$	146,020

Schedule of changes in Level 3 instruments

	Level 3 Investment Securities
	(In thousands)
Balance as of December 31, 2013	$	146,020
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) included in earnings	(3,068		)
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss)	3,465
Purchases	—
Settlements	(5,374		)
Issuances	—
Transfers into or out of Level 3	—
Balance as of September 30, 2014	$	141,043

Schedule of gains and losses on sales and changes in carrying values of investments

	For the Three Months					For the Nine Months
	Ended September 30,					Ended September 30,
Other Income (Expense):	2014			2013		2014			2013
	(In thousands)
Marketable investment securities - gains (losses) on sales/exchanges	$	168		$	49,223	$	6,358		$	63,405
Marketable investment securities - unrealized gains (losses) on investments accounted for using the Fair Value Option	(2,060		)	8,689		4,958			19,175
Derivative financial instruments - net realized and/or unrealized gains (losses)	(41,302		)	52,505		(41,476		)	137,703
Marketable investment securities - other-than-temporary impairments	(1,951		)	—		(8,081		)	(1,919		)
Costs related to early redemption of debt (Note 9)	(7,257		)	—		(7,257		)
Other	(3,687		)	80		(6,946		)	231
Total	$	(56,089	)	$	110,497	$	(52,444	)	$	218,595