Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements

Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements

Note 5. Financial instruments and fair value measurements

The estimated fair values of Woodward's financial instruments were as follows:

	At September 30, 2011						At September 30, 2010
	Estimated Fair						Estimated Fair
	Value			Carrying Cost			Value			Carrying Cost
Cash and cash equivalents	$	74,539		$	74,539		$	105,579		$	105,579
Investments in deferred compensation program		5,855			5,855			5,633			5,633
Short-term borrowings		—			—			(22,099	)		(22,099	)
Long-term debt, including current portion		(482,776	)		(425,246	)		(506,120	)		(443,673	)

The fair values of cash and cash equivalents, which include investments in money market funds, are assumed to be equal to their carrying amounts. Cash and cash equivalents have short-term maturities and market interest rates. Woodward's cash and cash equivalents include funds deposited or invested in the U.S. and overseas that are not insured by the FDIC. Woodward believes that its deposited and invested funds are held by or invested with credit worthy financial institutions or counterparties.

Investments related to the deferred compensation program used to provide deferred compensation benefits to certain employees are carried at market value.

The fair values of short-term borrowings at variable interest rates are assumed to be equal to their carrying amounts because such borrowings are expected to be repaid or settled for their carrying amounts within a short period of time.

The fair value of long-term debt at fixed interest rates was estimated based on a model that discounted future principal and interest payments at interest rates available to the Company at the end of the period for similar debt of the same maturity. The weighted-average interest rates used to estimate the fair value of long-term debt at fixed interest rates were as follows:

	At September 30,
	2011			2010
Weighted-average interest rate used to estimate fair value		2.6	%		2.9	%

Financial assets and liabilities recorded at fair value in the Consolidated Balance Sheet are categorized based upon a fair value hierarchy established by U.S. GAAP, which prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value into the following levels:

Level 1: Inputs based on quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities at the measurement date.

Level 2: Quoted prices included in Level 1, such as 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 other inputs that are observable and can be corroborated by observable market data.

Level 3: 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 table below presents information about Woodward's financial assets that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis and indicates the fair value hierarchy of the valuation techniques Woodward utilized to determine such fair value. Woodward had no financial liabilities required to be measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of September 30, 2011 or September 30, 2010.

	At September 30, 2011								At September 30, 2010
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Financial assets:
Investments in money market funds	$	10,823	$	—	$	—	$	10,823	$	50,360	$	—	$	—	$	50,360
Equity securities		5,855		—		—		5,855		5,633		—		—		5,633
Foreign exchange forward contract		—		—		—		—		—		579		—		579
Total financial assets	$	16,678	$	—	$	—	$	16,678	$	55,993	$	579	$	—	$	56,572

Investments in money market funds: Woodward sometimes invests excess cash in money market funds not insured by the FDIC. Woodward believes that the investments in money market funds are on deposit with creditworthy financial institutions and that the funds are highly liquid. The investments in money market funds are reported at fair value, with realized gains from interest income realized in earnings and are included in "Cash and cash equivalents." The fair values of Woodward's investments in money market funds are based on the quoted market prices for the net asset value of the various money market funds.

Equity securities: Woodward holds marketable equity securities, through investments in various mutual funds, related to its deferred compensation program. Based on Woodward's intentions regarding these instruments, marketable equity securities are classified as trading securities. The trading securities are reported at fair value, with realized gains and losses recognized in earnings. The trading securities are included in "Other current assets." The fair values of Woodward's trading securities are based on the quoted market prices for the net asset value of the various mutual funds.

Forward contracts: As of September 30, 2010, Woodward was a party to a forward contract. The fair value of the derivative instrument was derived from published foreign currency exchange rates as of September 30, 2010. The forward contract was settled in December 2010, resulting in a realized loss of $1,033.