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FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Notes to Financial Statements  
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

 

Effective October 1, 2008, the Company adopted the provisions of Codification 820-10, “Fair Value Measurements,” which defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value, and expands disclosures about such measurements that are permitted or required under other accounting pronouncements. While topic 820-10 may change the method of calculating fair value, it does not require any new fair value measurements. The adoption of Codification 820-10 did not have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations, financial position or cash flows.

 

In accordance with the topic, the Company determines fair value 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. The Company generally applies the income approach to determine fair value. This method uses valuation techniques to convert future amounts to a single present amount. The measurement is based on the value indicated by current market expectations about those future amounts.

 

Codification 820-10 establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to active markets for identical assets and liabilities (Level 1 measurement) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurement). The Company classifies fair value balances based on the observability of those inputs. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:

 

o   Level 1 – Observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities

o   Level 2 – Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. These include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active and amounts derived from valuation models where all significant inputs are observable in active markets

o   Level 3 – Unobservable inputs that reflect management’s assumptions

 

For disclosure purposes, assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety in the fair value hierarchy level based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the overall fair value measurement. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement requires judgment and may affect the placement within the fair value hierarchy levels.

 

The table below sets forth the assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis, by input level, in the condensed consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2011:

 

   Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets or Liabilities (Level 1)  Significant Other Observable Inputs
(Level 2)
  Significant Unobservable inputs
(Level 3)
  Total
                     
Derivative Instruments   —      —      7,261,073    7,261,073 

 

 

The table below sets forth the assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis, by input level, in the condensed consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2010:

 

  Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets or Liabilities (Level 1) Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) Significant Unobservable inputs (Level 3) Total
         
Derivative Instruments  $                                           -   $                                        -    $         6,946,051  $        6,946,051

 

 

The following sets forth the reconciliation of beginning and ending balances related to fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), as of September 30, 2011 and 2010:

 

   2011  2010
           
Beginning balance  $6,946,051   $35,113,970 
 Issuances   9,000,000    6,186,343 
 Settlements   (4,252,830)   (5,510,490)
 Realized and unrealized gains recorded in Earnings   (4,432,148)   (28,843,772)
           
Ending balance  $7,261,073   $6,946,051 

 

The fair values of the Company’s derivative instruments disclosed above are primarily derived from valuation models where significant inputs such as historical price and volatility of the Company’s stock as well as U.S. Treasury Bill rates are observable in active markets.