FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

6 Months Ended

Apr. 30, 2014

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Fair Value Measurements [Text Block]

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

The following tables set forth by level within the fair value hierarchy, the Company’s assets and liabilities that were measured at fair value on a recurring basis (in thousands):

	As of April 30, 2014
	Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)		Total
Assets:
Deferred compensation plans:
Corporate owned life insurance		$—		$60,370		$—		$60,370
Equity securities	2,281		—		—		2,281
Mutual funds	2,183		—		—		2,183
Money market deposit accounts	913		—		—		913
Other	1,671		15		—		1,686
Total assets		$7,048		$60,385		$—		$67,433
Liabilities:
Contingent consideration		$—		$—		$20,015		$20,015

	As of October 31, 2013
	Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)		Total
Assets:
Deferred compensation plans:
Corporate owned life insurance		$—		$52,655		$—		$52,655
Equity securities	1,940		—		—		1,940
Mutual funds	1,529		—		—		1,529
Money market deposit accounts	1,470		—		—		1,470
Other	—		46		—		46
Total assets		$4,939		$52,701		$—		$57,640
Liabilities:
Contingent consideration		$—		$—		$29,310		$29,310

The Company maintains two non-qualified deferred compensation plans. The assets of the HEICO Corporation Leadership Compensation Plan (the “LCP”) principally represent cash surrender values of life insurance policies, which derive their fair values from investments in mutual funds that are managed by an insurance company and are classified within Level 2 and valued using a market approach. The assets of the Company’s other deferred compensation plan are principally invested in equity securities, mutual funds, and money market deposit accounts that are classified within Level 1. The assets of both plans are held within irrevocable trusts and classified within other assets in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and have an aggregate value of $67.4 million as of April 30, 2014 and $57.6 million as of October 31, 2013, of which the LCP related assets were $62.0 million and $52.7 million as of April 30, 2014 and October 31, 2013, respectively. The related liabilities of the two deferred compensation plans are included within other long-term liabilities in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and have an aggregate value of $66.4 million as of April 30, 2014 and $56.9 million as of October 31, 2013, of which the LCP related liability was $61.0 million and $51.9 million as of April 30, 2014 and October 31, 2013, respectively.

As part of the agreement to acquire a subsidiary by the ETG in fiscal 2013, the Company may have been obligated to pay contingent consideration of up to $20.0 million had the acquired entity met certain earnings objectives during the last three months of the calendar year of acquisition and may be obligated to pay contingent consideration of up to $30.0 million should the acquired entity meet certain earnings objectives during each of the next two calendar years (2014 and 2015). In December 2013, the acquired entity incurred unanticipated costs associated with certain contracts for which revenue is recognized on the percentage-of-completion method and as a result, did not meet its calendar 2013 related earnings objectives. Accordingly, the $7.0 million contingent consideration accrued as of October 31, 2013 was recorded as a reduction to selling, general and administrative expenses ("SG&A") in the Company's Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations in the first quarter of fiscal 2014. The estimated fair value of the contingent consideration for the calendar 2014 and 2015 earnings period was $11.4 million as of April 30, 2014 compared to $13.7 million as of October 31, 2013. The $2.3 million decrease is principally attributed to revised earnings estimates that reflect less favorable projected market conditions during the earnout period. The fair value adjustment was recorded as a reduction to SG&A expenses in the second quarter of fiscal 2014.

As part of the agreement to acquire a subsidiary by the ETG in fiscal 2012, the Company may be obligated to pay contingent consideration of up to $10.6 million in aggregate should the acquired entity meet certain earnings objectives during each of the next three years following the second anniversary date of the acquisition. As of April 30, 2014 and October 31, 2013, the estimated fair value of the contingent consideration was $8.6 million.

The estimated fair values of the contingent consideration arrangements described above are classified within Level 3 and were determined using a probability-based scenario analysis approach. Under this method, a set of discrete potential future subsidiary earnings was determined using internal estimates based on various revenue growth rate assumptions for each scenario. A probability of likelihood was assigned to each discrete potential future earnings estimate and the resultant contingent consideration was calculated. The resulting probability-weighted contingent consideration amounts were discounted using a weighted average discount rate reflecting the credit risk of a market participant. Changes in either the revenue growth rates, related earnings or the discount rate could result in a material change to the amount of contingent consideration accrued and such changes will be recorded in the Company's condensed consolidated statements of operations.

The Level 3 inputs used to derive the estimated fair values of the contingent consideration as of April 30, 2014 were as follows:

	Fiscal 2013 Acquisition	Fiscal 2012 Acquisition
Compound annual revenue growth rate range	(4%) - 29%	(5%) - 18%
Weighted average discount rate	2.8%	2.9%

Changes in the Company’s contingent consideration measured at fair value on a recurring basis using unobservable inputs (Level 3) for the six months ended April 30, 2014 are as follows (in thousands):

	Liabilities
Balance as of October 31, 2013		$29,310
Decrease in value of contingent consideration	(9,295		)
Balance as of April 30, 2014		$20,015
Included in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet under the following captions:
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities		$—
Other long-term liabilities	20,015
		$20,015

The Company did not have any transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 fair value measurements during the six months ended April 30, 2014.

The carrying amounts of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, trade accounts payable and accrued expenses and other current liabilities approximate fair value as of April 30, 2014 due to the relatively short maturity of the respective instruments. The carrying amount of long-term debt approximates fair value due to its variable interest rates.