Fair Value Measures

12 Months Ended

Aug. 31, 2020

FAIR VALUE MEASURES

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received from selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., the "exit price") in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In determining fair value, the use of various valuation methodologies, including market, income and cost approaches is permissible. The Company considers the principal or most advantageous market in which it would transact and considers assumptions that market participants would use when pricing the asset or liability.

Fair Value Hierarchy

The accounting guidance for fair value measurements establishes a fair value hierarchy that requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. There are three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value based on the reliability of inputs. A financial instrument’s categorization within the fair value hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement requires judgment and may affect its placement within the fair value hierarchy levels. FactSet has categorized its cash equivalents, investments and derivatives within the fair value hierarchy as follows:

Level 1 - applies to assets or liabilities for which there are quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. These Level 1 assets and liabilities include the Company's corporate money market funds that are classified as cash equivalents.

Level 2 - applies to assets or liabilities for which there are inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in markets with insufficient volume or infrequent transactions (less active markets); or model-derived valuations in which significant inputs are observable or can be derived principally from, or corroborated by, observable market data. The Company’s certificates of deposit, mutual funds and derivative instruments are classified as Level 2.

Level 3 - applies to assets or liabilities for which there are unobservable inputs to the valuation methodology that are significant to the measurement of the fair value of the assets or liabilities. There were no Level 3 assets or liabilities held by the Company as of August 31, 2020 or 2019.

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

The following tables show, by level within the fair value hierarchy, the Company’s assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis at August 31, 2020 and 2019. The Company did not have any transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 fair value measurements during the periods presented.


(in thousands)	Fair Value Measurements at August 31, 2020
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Assets
Corporate money market funds(1)	$	276,852	$	—	$	—	$	276,852
Mutual Funds(2)	—		17,257		—		17,257
Certificates of deposit(3)	—		2,315		—		2,315
Derivative instruments(4)	—		3,644		—		3,644
Total assets measured at fair value	$	276,852	$	23,216	$	—	$	300,068

Liabilities
Derivative instruments(4)	$	—	$	5,773	$	—	$	5,773
Total liabilities measured at fair value	$	—	$	5,773	$	—	$	5,773


(in thousands)	Fair Value Measurements at August 31, 2019
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Assets
Corporate money market funds(1)	$	75,849	$	—	$	—	$	75,849
Mutual Funds(2)	—		18,583		—		18,583
Certificates of deposit(3)	—		7,090		—		7,090
Derivative instruments(4)	—		520		—		520
Total assets measured at fair value	$	75,849	$	26,193	$	—	$	102,042

Liabilities
Derivative instruments(4)	$	—	$	3,575	$	—	$	3,575
Total liabilities measured at fair value	$	—	$	3,575	$	—	$	3,575

(1)The Company’s corporate money market funds are readily convertible into cash and the net asset value of each fund on the last day of the quarter is used to determine its fair value. As such, the Company’s corporate money market funds are classified as Level 1 assets and included in Cash and cash equivalents within the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

(2)The Company’s mutual funds have a fair value based on the fair value of the underlying investments held by the mutual funds, allocated to each share of the mutual fund using a net asset value approach. The fair value of the underlying investments is based on observable inputs. As such, the Company’s mutual funds are classified as Level 2 and are classified as Investments (short-term) on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

(3)The Company’s certificates of deposit held for investment are not debt securities and are classified as Level 2 assets. These certificates of deposit have original maturities greater than three months but less than one year and, as such, are classified as Investments (short-term) within the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

(4)The Company utilizes the income approach to measure fair value for its foreign exchange forward contracts. The income approach uses pricing models that rely on market observable inputs such as spot, forward and interest rates, as well as credit default swap spreads, and are classified as Level 2 assets. To estimate fair value for the interest rate swap agreement, the Company utilizes a present value of future cash flows, leveraging a model-derived valuation that uses Level 2 observable inputs such as interest rate yield curves. Refer to Note 6, Derivative Instruments for more information on the Company's derivative instruments designed as cash flow hedges.

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Non-Recurring Basis

Assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis relate primarily to our tangible fixed assets, operating lease assets, goodwill and intangible assets. The fair values of these non-financial assets and liabilities are determined based on valuation techniques using the best information available, and may include quoted market prices, market comparable information, and discounted cash flow projections. The Company reviews goodwill and intangible assets for impairment annually, during the fourth quarter of each fiscal year, or as circumstances indicate the possibility for impairment. The Company monitors the carrying value of long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount may not be recoverable. During fiscal 2020 and 2019, no fair value adjustments or material fair value measurements were required for the Company’s non-financial assets or liabilities.

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value for Disclosure Purposes Only

As of each of August 31, 2020 and 2019, the fair value of the Company’s long-term debt was $575.0 million, which approximated its carrying amount given the application of a floating interest rate equal to LIBOR plus a spread using a debt leverage pricing grid. As the interest rate is a variable rate, adjusted based on market conditions, it approximates the current market-rate for similar instruments available to companies with comparable credit quality and maturity, and therefore, the long-term debt is categorized as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.