Fair Value Measurements

9 Months Ended

Jul. 02, 2011

Fair Value Measurements [Abstract]

Fair Value Measurements

(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. The authoritative guidance for fair value measurements establishes a three-level fair value hierarchy that encourages an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. The three levels of inputs used to measure fair value are as follows:

Level 1 — Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2 — Observable inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1, such as quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets.

Level 3 — Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities, including certain pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies and similar techniques that use significant unobservable inputs.

     As of July 2, 2011, the Company held financial assets that are required to be measured at fair value on a recurring basis. The financial assets held by the Company and the fair value hierarchy used to determine their fair values are as follows:

			Quoted Prices
			in Active		Observable
			Markets		Inputs
(In thousands)	Total		(Level 1)		(Level 2)
Current assets:
Cash equivalents	$	3,540	$	3,540	$	—
Other assets:
Cash surrender value of life insurance policies		4,676		—		4,676
Total	$	8,216	$	3,540	$	4,676

     Cash equivalents, which include all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, are classified as Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. The carrying amount of the Company’s cash equivalents, which consist of investments in money market funds, approximates fair value due to their short maturities. Cash surrender value of life insurance policies are classified as Level 2. The fair value of the life insurance policies was determined by the underwriting insurance company’s valuation models and represents the guaranteed value the Company would receive upon surrender of these policies as of July 2, 2011.

     As of July 2, 2011, the Company had no nonfinancial assets that are required to be measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis other than the assets and liabilities acquired from Ivy (see Note 3 to the consolidated financial statements) that were acquired at fair value. The carrying amount for accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses approximates fair value due to the short-term maturities of these financial instruments. The Company believes that the carrying amount of the $13.5 million secured subordinated promissory note payable to Ivy approximates fair value based on comparable debt with similar terms, conditions and proximity to the issuance date, which would be considered a level 2 input.