Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities

Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities

U.S. GAAP guidance establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:

•Level 1 measurements—Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities.

•Level 2 measurements—Quoted prices in markets that are not active or financial instruments for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly.

•Level 3 measurements—Prices or valuations that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable.

As required by U.S. GAAP guidance, assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The following table sets forth by level within the fair value hierarchy financial assets and liabilities accounted for at fair value under U.S. GAAP guidance (in thousands):

	As of December 31, 2021
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Assets:
Marketable securities	$	524,569	$	—	$	—	$	524,569
Loans held for sale, at fair value	—		1,072,479		—		1,072,479
Rate lock commitments	—		—		3,957		3,957
Nasdaq Forwards	—		—		—		—
Forward sale contracts	—		—		4,544		4,544
Total	$	524,569	$	1,072,479	$	8,501	$	1,605,549
Liabilities:
Contingent consideration	—		—		12,338		12,338
Rate lock commitments	—		—		2,836		2,836
Forward sale contracts	—		—		2,180		2,180
Total	$	—	$	—	$	17,354	$	17,354

	As of December 31, 2020
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Assets:
Marketable securities	$	33,283	$	—	$	—	$	33,283
Loans held for sale, at fair value	—		1,086,805		—		1,086,805
Debt securities	—		12,754		—		12,754
Rate lock commitments	—		—		21,034		21,034
Nasdaq Forwards	—		—		12,822		12,822
Forward sale contracts	—		—		7,632		7,632
Total	$	33,283	$	1,099,559	$	41,488	$	1,174,330
Liabilities:
Contingent consideration	$	—	$	—	$	31,481	$	31,481
Rate lock commitments	—		—		2,977		2,977
Forwards sale contracts	—		—		14,971		14,971
Total	$	—	$	—	$	49,429	$	49,429

There were no transfers among Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively

Level 3 Financial Assets and Liabilities: Changes in Level 3 Nasdaq Forwards, rate lock commitments, forward sale contracts and contingent consideration measured at fair value on recurring basis were as follows (in thousands):

	As of December 31, 2021
	Opening Balance		Total realized and unrealized gains (losses) included in Net income		Issuances		Settlements		Closing Balance		Unrealized gains (losses) outstanding
Assets:
Rate lock commitments	$	21,034	$	3,957	$	—	$	(21,034)	$	3,957	$	3,957
Forward sale contracts	7,632		4,544		—		(7,632)		4,544		4,544
Nasdaq Forwards	12,822		(12,822)		—		—		—		—
Total	$	41,488	$	(4,321)	$	—	$	(28,666)	$	8,501	$	8,501
	Opening Balance		Total realized and unrealized gains (losses) included in Net income		Issuances		Settlements		Closing Balance		Unrealized gains (losses) outstanding
Liabilities:
Contingent consideration	$	31,481	$	(1,351)	$	—	$	(17,792)	$	12,338	$	12,338
Rate lock commitments	2,977		2,836		—		(2,977)		2,836		2,836
Forward sale contracts	14,971		2,180		—		(14,971)		2,180		2,180
Total	$	49,429	$	3,665	$	—	$	(35,740)	$	17,354	$	17,354

	As of December 31, 2020
	Opening Balance		Total realized and unrealized gains (losses) included in Net income		Issuances		Settlements		Closing Balance		Unrealized gains (losses) outstanding
Assets:
Rate lock commitments	$	32,035	$	21,034	$	—	$	(32,035)	$	21,034	$	21,034
Forward sale contracts	14,389		7,632		—		(14,389)		7,632		7,632
Nasdaq Forwards	26,502		(13,680)		—		—		12,822		12,822
Total	$	72,926	$	14,986	$	—	$	(46,424)	$	41,488	$	41,488
	Opening Balance		Total realized and unrealized gains (losses) included in Net income		Issuances		Settlements		Closing Balance		Unrealized gains (losses) outstanding
Liabilities:
Contingent consideration	$	45,172	$	(11,063)	$	2,221	$	(4,849)	$	31,481	$	(408)
Rate lock commitments	12,124		2,977				(12,124)		2,977		2,977
Forward sale contracts	13,537		14,971				(13,537)		14,971		14,971
Total	$	70,833	$	6,885	$	2,221	$	(30,510)	$	49,429	$	17,540

Quantitative Information About Level 3 Fair Value Measurements

The following tables present quantitative information about the significant unobservable inputs utilized by Newmark in the fair value measurement of Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis:

December 31, 2021
Level 3 assets and liabilities	Assets		Liabilities		Significant Unobservable Inputs	Range		Weighted Average
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities:
Contingent consideration	$	—	$	12,338	Discount rate	4.0% - 10.2%	(1)	8.1%
					Probability of meeting earnout and contingencies	0.0%- 99.0%	(1)	91.6%
					Financial forecast information
Derivative assets and liabilities:
Nasdaq Forwards	$	—	$	—	Implied volatility	N/A		N/A
Forward sale contracts	$	4,544	$	2,180	Counterparty credit risk	N/A		N/A
Rate lock commitments	$	3,957	$	2,836	Counterparty credit risk	N/A		N/A

December 31, 2020
Level 3 assets and liabilities	Assets		Liabilities		Significant Unobservable Inputs	Range		Weighted Average
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities:
Contingent consideration	$	—	$	31,481	Discount rate	0.3% - 10.4%		7.1%
					Probability of meeting earnout and contingencies	0% - 100%	(1)	93.9%
					Financial forecast information
Derivative assets and liabilities:
Nasdaq Forwards	$	12,822	$	—	Implied volatility	42.4% - 42.6%	(2)	42.5%
Forward sale contracts	$	7,632	$	14,971	Counterparty credit risk	N/A		N/A
Rate lock commitments	$	21,034	$	2,977	Counterparty credit risk	N/A		N/A

(1)Newmark’s estimate of contingent consideration as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 was based on the acquired business’ projected future financial performance, including revenues.

(2)The volatility of Newmark’s Nasdaq Forwards is primarily based on the volatility of the underlying Nasdaq stock price.

Valuation Processes - Level 3 Measurements

Both the rate lock commitments to borrowers and the forward sale contracts to investors are derivatives and, accordingly, are marked to fair value on the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. The fair value of Newmark’s rate lock commitments to borrowers and loans held for sale and the related input levels includes, as applicable:

•The assumed gain loss of the expected loan sale to the investor, net of employee benefits;

•The expected net future cash flows associated with servicing the loan;

•The effects of interest rate movements between the date of the rate lock and the balance sheet date; and

•The nonperformance risk of both the counterparty and Newmark.

The fair value of Newmark’s forward sales contracts to investors considers effects of interest rate movements between the trade date and the balance sheet date. The market price changes are multiplied by the notional amount of the forward sales contracts to measure the fair value.

The fair value of Newmark’s rate lock commitments and forward sale contracts is adjusted to reflect the risk that the agreement will not be fulfilled. Newmark’s exposure to nonperformance in rate lock and forward sale contracts is represented by the contractual amount of those instruments. Given the credit quality of Newmark’s counterparties, the short duration of rate lock commitments and forward sales contracts, and Newmark’s historical experience with the agreements, management does not believe the risk of nonperformance by Newmark’s counterparties to be significant.

The Nasdaq Forwards are derivatives and, accordingly, are marked to fair value on the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. The fair value of the Nasdaq Forwards are determined utilizing the following inputs, as applicable:

•The underlying number of shares and the related strike price;

•The maturity date; and

•The implied volatility of Nasdaq’s stock price.

The fair value of Newmark’s Nasdaq Forwards considers the effects of Nasdaq’s stock price volatility between the balance sheet date and the maturity date. The fair value is determined by the use of a Black-Scholes put option valuation model.

Information About Uncertainty of Level 3 Fair Value Measurements

The significant unobservable inputs used in the fair value of Newmark’s contingent consideration are the discount rate and forecasted financial information. Significant increases (decreases) in the discount rate would have resulted in a significantly lower (higher) fair value measurement. Significant increases (decreases) in the forecasted financial information would have resulted in a significantly higher (lower) fair value measurement. As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the present value of expected payments related to Newmark’s contingent consideration was $12.3 million and $31.5 million, respectively (see Note 31 — “Commitments and Contingencies”). As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the undiscounted value of the payments, assuming that all contingencies are met, would be $13.2 million and $51.3 million, respectively.

Fair Value Measurements on a Non-Recurring Basis

Equity investments carried under the measurement alternative are remeasured at fair value on a non-recurring basis to reflect observable transactions which occurred during the period. Newmark applied the measurement alternative to equity securities with the fair value of $20.0 million and $9.9 million, which was included in “Other assets” on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. These investments are classified within Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy, because their estimated fair value is based on valuation methods using the observable transaction price at the transaction date.