FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

12. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

The Company applies the methods of determining fair value as described in authoritative guidance, to value its financial assets and liabilities. As defined in the guidance, fair value is based on the price that would be received from the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In order to increase consistency and comparability in fair value measurements, the guidance establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes observable and unobservable inputs used to measure fair value into three broad levels, which are described below:

Level 1: Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for assets or liabilities. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to Level 1 inputs.

Level 2: Observable prices that are based on inputs not quoted on active markets, but corroborated by market data.

Level 3: Unobservable inputs are used when little or no market data is available. The fair value hierarchy gives the lowest priority to Level 3 inputs.

In determining fair value, the Company utilizes valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs, to the extent possible, as well as considering counterparty credit risk in its assessment of fair value.

The fair values of financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, accounts receivable, other financial instruments included in other assets, accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities approximate their respective carrying values at March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022.

The following table summarizes the carrying value and estimated fair value of the Company’s debt as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022:

	March 31, 2023		December 31, 2022
		(in thousands)
Carrying value	$	2,996,496	$	2,996,168
Fair value		2,657,699		2,568,103

The fair value of debt estimates were based on a discounted cash flow analysis assuming market interest rates for comparable obligations at March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2021. The Company estimates the fair value of its fixed-rate debt and the credit spreads over variable market rates on its variable-rate debt by discounting the future cash flows of each instrument at estimated market rates or credit spreads consistent with the maturity of the debt obligation with similar credit policies, which is classified within level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. Rates and credit spreads take into consideration general market conditions and maturity.