Fair Value of Financial Instruments

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2018

9. Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurement), then priority to quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active and model-based valuation techniques for which all significant assumptions are observable in the market (Level 2 measurement), then the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurement).

The following table shows CRA's financial instruments as of March 31, 2018 and December 30, 2017 that are measured and recorded in the financial statements at fair value on a recurring basis (in thousands):

	March 31, 2018
	Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets or Liabilities		Significant Other Observable Inputs		Significant Unobservable Inputs
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Assets:
Money market funds	$	24	$	—	$	—

Total Assets	$	24	$	—	$	—


Liabilities:
Contingent consideration liability	$	—	$	—	$	5,030

Total Liabilities	$	—	$	—	$	5,030

	December 30, 2017
	Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets or Liabilities		Significant Other Observable Inputs		Significant Unobservable Inputs
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Assets:
Money market funds	$	5,006	$	—	$	—

Total Assets	$	5,006	$	—	$	—


Liabilities:
Contingent consideration liability	$	—	$	—	$	5,137

Total Liabilities	$	—	$	—	$	5,137

The fair values of CRA's money market funds are based on quotes received from third-party banks.

The contingent consideration liabilities in the tables above are for estimated future contingent consideration payments related to prior acquisitions. The fair value measurement of this liability is based on significant inputs not observed in the market and thus represents a Level 3 measurement. The significant unobservable inputs used in the fair value measurements of this contingent consideration liability are CRA's measures of the estimated payouts based on internally generated financial projections and discount rates. The fair value of the contingent consideration liability is reassessed on a quarterly basis by CRA using additional information as it becomes available and any change in the fair value estimate is recorded in the earnings of that period.

The following table summarizes the changes in the contingent consideration liability over the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2018 and the fiscal year ended December 30, 2017 (in thousands):

	March 31, 2018			December 30, 2017
Beginning balance	$	5,137		$	549
Acquisitions		—			2,357
Remeasurement of acquisition-related contingent consideration		(264	)		1,155
Accretion		157			1,328
Payments		—			(299	)
Effects of foreign currency translation		—			47

Ending balance	$	5,030		$	5,137

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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