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Fair Value of Financial Instruments
9 Months Ended
Sep. 25, 2011
Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Thousands of Dollars) [Abstract] 
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
(6) Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company measures certain financial instruments at fair value. The fair value hierarchy consists of three levels: Level 1 fair values are based on quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the entity has the ability to access; Level 2 fair values are those based on quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities; and Level 3 fair values are based on inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.

Accounting standards permit entities to measure many financial instruments and certain other items at fair value and establish presentation and disclosure requirements designed to facilitate comparisons between entities that choose different measurement attributes for similar assets and liabilities. The Company has elected the fair value option for certain available-for-sale investments. At September 25, 2011, September 26, 2010 and December 26, 2010, these investments totaled $20,095, $21,354 and $21,767 respectively, and are included in prepaid expenses and other current assets in the consolidated balance sheet. The Company recorded net (losses) gains of $(24) and $499 on these investments in other (income) expense, net for the quarter and nine months ended September 25, 2011, respectively, related to the change in fair value of such investments. For the quarter and nine months ended September 26, 2010, the Company recorded net gains of $416 and $799, respectively, on these investments in other (income) expense, net, related to the change in fair value of such investments.

 
At September 25, 2011, September 26, 2010 and December 26, 2010, the Company had the following assets and liabilities measured at fair value in its consolidated balance sheets:

   
Fair Value Measurements Using:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fair
Value
Quoted
Prices in
Active
Markets
for
Identical
Assets
(Level 1)
 
 
 
Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)
 
 
 
 
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
 
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September 25, 2011
       
---------------------
       
Available-for-sale securities
$  20,119       
24         
20,095        
-     
Derivatives
28,084       
-         
25,204        
2,880     
 
--------       
-------         
---------        
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Total
$  48,203       
24         
45,299        
2,880     
 
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September 26, 2010
       
---------------------
       
Available-for-sale securities
$  21,395       
41         
21,354        
-     
Derivatives
28,547       
-         
22,566        
5,981     
 
--------       
-------         
---------        
-------     
Total
$  49,942       
41         
43,920        
5,981     
 
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December 26, 2010
       
---------------------
       
Available-for-sale securities
$  21,791       
24         
21,767        
-      
Derivatives
38,092       
-         
28,937        
9,155     
 
--------       
-------         
---------        
-------     
Total
$  59,883       
24         
50,704        
9,155     
 
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For certain of the Company’s available-for-sale securities, the Company is able to obtain quoted prices from stock exchanges to measure the fair value of these securities (level 1). Certain other available-for-sale securities held by the Company are valued at the net asset value which is quoted on a private market that is not active; however, the unit price is predominantly based on underlying investments which are traded on an active market. The Company’s derivatives consist primarily of interest rate swap agreements and foreign currency forward contracts. The Company uses current forward rates of the respective foreign currencies to measure the fair value of these contracts. The fair values of the interest rate swaps are measured based on the present value of future cash flows using the swap curve as of the valuation date. The remaining derivative securities consist of warrants to purchase common stock of unrelated companies. The Company uses the Black-Scholes model to value these warrants. One of the inputs used in the Black-Scholes model, historical volatility, is considered an unobservable input in that it reflects the Company’s own assumptions about the inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. The Company believes that this is the best information available for use in the fair value measurement. There were no changes in these valuation techniques during 2011.

The following is a reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of the fair value measurements of the Company’s warrants to purchase common stock that use significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) for the nine months ended September 25, 2011 and September 26, 2010:

 
2011
2010
 
-----------
-----------
Balance at beginning of year
$  9,155    
6,808    
Loss from change in fair value
(6,275)   
(827)   
 
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Balance at end of period
$  2,880    
5,981    
 
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