Fair Value Measurements

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

5. Fair Value Measurements

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Valuation techniques must maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. When determining fair value measurements for assets and liabilities recorded at fair value, we consider the principal or most advantageous market in which we would transact and consider assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.

The classification of a financial asset or liability within the hierarchy is based upon the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement as of the measurement date as follows:

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Level 1 - Inputs are unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

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Level 2 - Inputs are quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets or inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly through market corroboration, for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

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Level 3 - Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity.

The following table presents information about our financial assets that are measured at fair value and indicates the fair value hierarchy of the valuation inputs used (dollars in thousands) as of:


	September 30, 2023
	Fair Value		Cash and Cash Equivalents		Marketable Securities
Level 1:
Money market funds $66,349 at cost (a)	$	66,349	$	66,349	$	-
Government securities $4,421 at cost (b)		4,375		-		4,375
Level 2:
Government securities $5,046 at cost (b)		5,000		-		5,000
Time deposits, $8,536 at cost (a)		8,536		8,536
Commercial paper, $496 at cost (b)		496		-		496
Corporate bonds, $10,073 at cost (b)		9,947		-		9,947
Debt securities, $2,000 at cost (c)		2,847		-		-
Total assets	$	97,550	$	74,885	$	19,818


	September 30, 2022
	Fair Value		Cash and Cash Equivalents		Marketable Securities
Level 1:
Money market funds $59,146 at cost (a)	$	59,138	$	59,138	$	-
Government securities $4,976 at cost (b)		4,892		-		4,892
Level 2:
Government securities $2,377 at cost (b)		2,361		-		2,361
Time deposits, $1,472 at cost (a)		1,472		1,472		-
Commercial paper, $7,648 at cost (b)		7,647		-		7,647
Corporate bonds, $17,328 at cost (b)		17,001		-		17,001
Debt securities, $2,000 at cost (c)		2,000		-		-
Total assets	$	94,511	$	60,610	$	31,901

(a)

Money market funds and other highly liquid investments with original maturities of 90 days or less are included within Cash and cash equivalents in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

(b)

Government securities, commercial paper and corporate bonds with original maturities greater than 90 days are included within Marketable securities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and classified as current or noncurrent based upon whether the maturity of the financial asset is less than or greater than 12 months.

(c)

Debt securities are classified as current within the Consolidated Balance Sheet based upon whether the maturity of the financial asset is less than or greater than 12 months. During the second quarter of fiscal year 2023, we obtained debt securities in a privately held company as part of a non-cash transaction.

During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, we recorded unrealized gains (losses) related to our marketable securities of $0.2 million and ($0.4) million, respectively, within Accumulated other comprehensive loss. During the fiscal years ended September 30, 2021, we recorded an immaterial amount of unrealized losses related to our marketable securities.

The carrying amounts of certain financial instruments, including cash held in banks, accounts receivable, and accounts payable, approximate fair value due to their short-term maturities and are excluded from the fair value tables above.

Derivative financial instruments are recognized at fair value using quoted forward rates and prices and classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. See Note 6 – Derivative Financial Instruments for additional details.

Long-term debt

The estimated fair value of our Long-term debt is determined by Level 2 inputs and is based on observable market data including prices for similar instruments. As of September 30, 2023 and 2022, the estimated fair value of our Notes was $257.4 million and $155.3 million, respectively. The Notes are recorded at face value less unamortized debt discount and transaction costs on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The carrying amount of the Senior Credit Facilities (as defined in Note 17) approximates fair value given the underlying interest rate applied to such amounts outstanding is currently set to the prevailing market rate.

Equity securities

During the second quarter of fiscal year 2023, we obtained equity securities in a privately held company as part of a non-cash transaction. These equity securities are recognized at fair value and are classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

We have non-controlling equity investment in privately held companies. We evaluated the equity investments under the voting model and concluded consolidation was not applicable. We accounted for the investments by electing the measurement alternative for investments without readily determinable fair values and for which we do not have the ability to exercise significant influence. The non-marketable equity securities are carried at cost less any impairment, plus or minus adjustments resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer, which is recorded within the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Investments without readily determinable fair values were $2.6 million and $3.1 million as of September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. These investments are included within Other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Impairment related to investments without readily determinable fair values was $0.5 million during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2023. No impairment was recorded for the fiscal years ended September 2022 and 2021.

- 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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