Fair Value Measurements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Note 3. Fair Value Measurements

Accounting standards define fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. The standards also establish a fair value hierarchy, which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. There are three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:

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Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

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Level 2—Assets and liabilities valued based on observable market data for similar instruments, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities.

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Level 3—Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity; instruments valued based on the best available data, some of which is internally developed, and considers risk premiums that a market participant would require.

We applied the following methods and assumptions in estimating our fair value measurements:

Cash equivalents—Cash equivalents are comprised of highly liquid investments, including money market funds, foreign government securities and certificates of deposit, with original maturities of less than three months. The fair value measurement of these assets is based on quoted market prices in active markets and these assets are recorded at fair value.

Investments—Our investments consist of fixed income securities, which include U.S. and foreign government agency securities, corporate notes and bonds, municipal securities, commercial paper and certificates of deposit. The fair value measurement of these assets is based on observable market-based inputs or inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means.

Restricted cash—Our restricted cash consists primarily of certificates of deposit held as collateral in our name at a financial institution related to certain of our operating leases. The fair value measurement of these assets is based on observable market-based inputs.

The following table presents the balances of assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis, by level within the fair value hierarchy, as of December 31, 2015 (in thousands):


	December 31, 2015
	Total		Level 1		Level 2
Cash equivalents:
Money market funds	$	195,870	$	195,870	$	—
Certificates of deposit		1,622		—		1,622
Short-term investments:
U.S. government agency securities		194,636		194,636		—
Corporate notes and bonds		41,314		—		41,314
Municipal securities		39,853		—		39,853
Certificates of deposit		11,837		—		11,837
Foreign government securities		3,511		—		3,511
Restricted cash		3,015		—		3,015

Total	$	491,658	$	390,506	$	101,152

The following table presents the fair value, by level within the fair value hierarchy, of our cash equivalents and investments as of December 31, 2014 (in thousands):


	December 31, 2014
	Total		Level 1		Level 2
Cash equivalents:
Money market funds	$	98,645	$	98,645	$	—
Foreign government securities		9,035		—		9,035
Certificates of deposit		2,975		—		2,975
Short-term investments:
U.S. government agency securities		118,342		118,342		—
Corporate notes and bonds		78,746		—		78,746
Municipal securities		26,256		—		26,256
Foreign government securities		8,570		—		8,570
Commercial paper		7,987		—		7,987
Certificates of deposit		6,928		—		6,928
Long-term investments:
U.S. government agency securities		63,515		63,515		—
Municipal securities		12,917		—		12,917
Corporate notes and bonds		6,694		—		6,694
Certificates of deposit		200		—		200

Total	$	440,810	$	280,502	$	160,308

See Note 12 for the carrying amount and estimated fair value of the Company’s convertible senior notes.

We did not have any Level 3 assets as of December 31, 2015 or 2014. There were no liabilities measured at fair value as of December 31, 2015 or 2014.

- 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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