Fair Value Measurement

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2014

3.	Fair Value Measurement

Fair value is the price that would be received from selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Fair value is estimated by applying the following hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value into three levels and bases the categorization within the hierarchy upon the lowest level of input that is available and significant to the fair value measurement:

Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities.

Level 2 – Observable inputs other than those included in Level 1. For example, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets or quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in inactive markets.

Level 3 – Unobservable inputs reflecting management’s own assumptions about the inputs used in pricing the asset or liability.

The fair values of our derivative assets and liabilities are categorized as follows (in thousands):


	September 30, 2014								December 31, 2013
	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Derivative assets ¹	$	65	$	—	$	65	$	—	$	259	$	—	$	259	$	—

Derivative liabilities ¹	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	105	$	—	$	105	$	—

¹	Based on observable market transactions of spot and forward rates.

Our derivative assets and liabilities represent foreign exchange contracts that are measured at fair value using observable market inputs such as forward rates, interest rates, our own credit risk and our counterparties’ credit risks. Based on these inputs, the derivative assets and liabilities are classified as Level 2.

Our financial instruments consist of cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued liabilities and our revolving credit facility. The carrying value of these instruments approximates fair value as a result of the short duration of such instruments or due to the variability of interest cost associated with such instruments.

The carrying amounts and fair values of our long-term debt obligations are as follows (in thousands):


	September 30, 2014				December 31, 2013
	Carrying Amount		Fair Value		Carrying Amount		Fair Value
Long-term debt	$	250,000	$	260,000	$	250,000	$	250,000

The following methods were used to estimate the fair value of each class of financial instruments:

Long-term debt. The fair value of long-term debt obligations, which are infrequently traded, is based on quoted market prices. Based on these inputs, our long-term debt is classified as Level 2.

- 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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