Fair Value Measurements

The FASB authoritative guidance regarding fair value measurements establishes a fair-value hierarchy and prioritizes the inputs used in valuation techniques that measure fair value. Those inputs are prioritized into three levels. Level 1 inputs are unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for assets or liabilities that the Company can access at the measurement date. Level 2 inputs are inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly at the measurement date. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability at the measurement date. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement requires judgment, and may affect the valuation of fair value assets and liabilities and their placement within the fair value hierarchy levels.

The following table sets forth, by level within the fair value hierarchy, the Company's financial assets and liabilities (as applicable) that were accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis as of June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2016. Financial assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The fair value presentation for over the counter swaps combines gas and oil swaps because a significant number of the counterparties enter into both gas and oil swap agreements with the Company.



Recurring Fair Value Measures	At fair value as of June 30, 2017
(Thousands of Dollars)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Netting Adjustments⁽¹⁾			Total⁽¹⁾
Assets:
Cash Equivalents – Money Market Mutual Funds	$	257,721	$	—	$	—	$	—		$	257,721
Derivative Financial Instruments:
Commodity Futures Contracts – Gas	1,354		—		—		(1,125		)	229
Over the Counter Swaps – Gas and Oil	—		67,890		—		(3,895		)	63,995
Foreign Currency Contracts	—		336		—		(1,524		)	(1,188		)
Other Investments:
Balanced Equity Mutual Fund	36,107		—		—		—			36,107
Fixed Income Mutual Fund	45,547		—		—		—			45,547
Common Stock – Financial Services Industry	3,859		—		—		—			3,859
Hedging Collateral Deposits	2,142		—		—		—			2,142
Total	$	346,730	$	68,226	$	—	$	(6,544	)	$	408,412

Liabilities:
Derivative Financial Instruments:
Commodity Futures Contracts – Gas	$	1,125	$	—	$	—	$	(1,125	)	$	—
Over the Counter Swaps – Gas and Oil	—		4,817		—		(3,895		)	922
Foreign Currency Contracts	—		1,524		—		(1,524		)	—
Total	$	1,125	$	6,341	$	—	$	(6,544	)	$	922
Total Net Assets/(Liabilities)	$	345,605	$	61,885	$	—	$	—		$	407,490



Recurring Fair Value Measures	At fair value as of September 30, 2016
(Thousands of Dollars)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Netting Adjustments⁽¹⁾			Total⁽¹⁾
Assets:
Cash Equivalents – Money Market Mutual Funds	$	114,895	$	—	$	—	$	—		$	114,895
Derivative Financial Instruments:
Commodity Futures Contracts – Gas	2,623		—		—		(2,276		)	347
Over the Counter Swaps – Gas and Oil	—		119,654		—		(3,860		)	115,794
Foreign Currency Contracts	—		—		—		(2,337		)	(2,337		)
Other Investments:
Balanced Equity Mutual Fund	36,658		—		—		—			36,658
Fixed Income Mutual Fund	31,395		—		—		—			31,395
Common Stock – Financial Services Industry	2,902		—		—		—			2,902
Hedging Collateral Deposits	1,484		—		—		—			1,484
Total	$	189,957	$	119,654	$	—	$	(8,473	)	$	301,138

Liabilities:
Derivative Financial Instruments:
Commodity Futures Contracts – Gas	$	2,276	$	—	$	—	$	(2,276	)	$	—
Over the Counter Swaps – Gas and Oil	—		5,322		—		(3,860		)	1,462
Foreign Currency Contracts	—		2,337		—		(2,337		)	—
Total	$	2,276	$	7,659	$	—	$	(8,473	)	$	1,462
Total Net Assets/(Liabilities)	$	187,681	$	111,995	$	—	$	—		$	299,676


⁽¹⁾	Netting Adjustments represent the impact of legally-enforceable master netting arrangements that allow the Company to net gain and loss positions held with the same counterparties. The net asset or net liability for each counterparty is recorded as an asset or liability on the Company’s balance sheet.

Derivative Financial Instruments

At June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2016, the derivative financial instruments reported in Level 1 consist of natural gas NYMEX and ICE futures contracts used in the Company’s Energy Marketing segment. Hedging collateral deposits were $2.1 million at June 30, 2017 and $1.5 million at September 30, 2016, which were associated with these futures contracts and have been reported in Level 1 as well. The derivative financial instruments reported in Level 2 at June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2016 consist of natural gas price swap agreements used in the Company’s Exploration and Production and Energy Marketing segments, crude oil price swap agreements used in the Company’s Exploration and Production segment and foreign currency contracts used in the Company's Exploration and Production segment. The derivative financial instruments reported in Level 2 at June 30, 2017 also include basis hedge swap agreements used in the Company's Energy Marketing segment. The fair value of the Level 2 price swap agreements is based on an internal, discounted cash flow model that uses observable inputs (i.e. LIBOR based discount rates and basis differential information, if applicable, at active natural gas and crude oil trading markets). The fair value of the Level 2 foreign currency contracts is determined using the market approach based on observable market transactions of forward Canadian currency rates.

The accounting rules for fair value measurements and disclosures require consideration of the impact of nonperformance risk (including credit risk) from a market participant perspective in the measurement of the fair value of assets and liabilities. At June 30, 2017, the Company determined that nonperformance risk would have no material impact on its financial position or results of operation. To assess nonperformance risk, the Company considered information such as any applicable collateral posted, master netting arrangements, and applied a market-based method by using the counterparty's (assuming the derivative is in a gain position) or the Company’s (assuming the derivative is in a loss position) credit default swaps rates.

For the nine months ended June 30, 2017, there were no assets or liabilities measured at fair value and classified as Level 3. The Company's Exploration and Production segment had a small portion of their crude oil price swap agreements reported as Level 3 at October 1, 2015 that settled during the first quarter of fiscal 2016. For the quarters and nine months ended June 30, 2017 and June 30, 2016, no transfers in or out of Level 1 or Level 2 occurred.