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FAIR VALUE MEASURMENT - Note 3
6 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Notes to Financial Statements 
FAIR VALUE MEASURMENT - Note 3

3. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. When determining the fair value measurements for assets and liabilities required or permitted to be recorded at fair value, the Company considers the principal market or the most advantageous market in which it would transact.

The accounting guidance for fair value measurement requires the Company to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. Observable inputs are inputs that reflect the assumptions market participants would use in valuing the asset or liability and are developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Company. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the Company's assumptions about the factors that market participants would use in valuing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances.

The standard establishes a fair value hierarchy based on the level of independent, objective evidence surrounding the inputs used to measure fair value by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. 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 fair value hierarchy is as follows:

  • Level 1 applies to assets or liabilities for which there are quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date.
  • Level 2 applies to assets or liabilities for which there are inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, 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).
  • Level 3 applies to assets or liabilities for which fair value is derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs are unobservable, including the Company's own assumptions.

The following table presents the Company's fair value hierarchy for assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis at September 30, 2011 (in thousands):

    Quoted Prices                  
    in Active                  
    Markets     Other     Significant      
    for Identical     Observable     Unobservable      
    Assets     Inputs     Inputs     Balance at
    (Level 1)     (Level 2)     (Level 3)     9/30/2011
                       
Cash equivalents:                      
     Money market funds $ 14,362    $ -     $ -     $ 14,362 
                       
Short-term investments:                      
     Mutual funds (1)   -       1,904      -       1,904 
                       
Total $ 14,362    $ 1,904    $ -     $ 16,266 

 

(1) The fair value of mutual funds is determined based on published net asset values. The Company uses such pricing data as the primary input to make its assessments and determinations as to the ultimate valuation of its investment portfolio.