FAIR VALUE MEASURMENTS

6 Months Ended

May 29, 2011

Notes to Financial Statements [Abstract]

Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Table Text Block]

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Fair value is 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 (exit price). The Company utilizes market data or assumptions that the Company believes market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk and the risks inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique. These inputs can be readily observable, market corroborated or generally unobservable.

The Company primarily applies the market approach for recurring fair value measurements and endeavors to utilize the best available information. Accordingly, the Company utilizes valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. The Company is able to classify fair value balances based on the observability of those inputs.

A fair value hierarchy prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurement) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurement). Level 2 measurements utilize inputs which are observable, either directly or indirectly, but are not based on quoted market prices for identical assets or liabilities.

The fair value methodology and fair value of debt is outlined in Note (9), herein. Assets and/or liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis included the following as of May 29, 2011:



	Fair Value Measurements Using						Assets
(In thousands)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		At Fair Value
Assets
Money market funds	$	83,892	$	—	$	—	$	83,892
Time deposits	—		72,991		—		72,991
Cash surrender value of insurance policies	—		23,025		—		23,025
Total assets	$	83,892	$	96,016	$	—	$	179,908



	Fair Value Measurements Using						Liabilities
(In thousands)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		At Fair Value
Liabilities
Derivative liabilities	$	—	$	15	$	—	$	15
Total liabilities	$	—	$	15	$	—	$	15

Additional assets and/or liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis included the following as of November 30, 2010:



	Fair Value Measurements Using						Assets
(In thousands)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		At Fair Value
Assets
Money market funds	$	169,621	$	—	$	—	$	169,621
Time deposits	—		46,050		—		46,050
Cash surrender value of insurance policies	—		27,541		—		27,541
Total assets	$	169,621	$	73,591	$	—	$	243,212



	Fair Value Measurements Using						Liabilities At Fair Value
(In thousands)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Liabilities At Fair Value
Liabilities
Derivative liabilities	$	—	$	16	$	—	$	16
Total liabilities	$	—	$	16	$	—	$	16

Cash Equivalents

Cash equivalents are comprised of money market funds and time deposits. The net carrying amount of cash equivalents approximates fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments.

Cash Surrender Value of Insurance Policies

The Company owns life insurance policies on certain current and former executives. The fair value of these policies is equal to the cash surrender value as determined by the insurance companies.

Derivatives

The Company and its subsidiaries complete transactions in currencies other than their functional currencies. The Company's primary objective with respect to currency risk is to reduce volatility that would otherwise occur due to exchange-rate fluctuations. In order to minimize the risk of gain or loss due to exchange rates, the Company may from time to time use foreign currency derivatives. As of May 29, 2011, the Company held five foreign currency forward contracts comprised of two foreign currency contracts aggregating in the notional amount of $29,700,000 U.S. dollars, hedging Singapore dollars; one contract in the notional amount of $1,223,000 Singapore dollars, hedging Malaysian Ringgit; and two contracts in the notional amount of $1,003,000 U.S. dollars, hedging Euros. As of November 30, 2010, the Company held four foreign currency forward contracts comprised of two foreign currency contracts aggregating in the notional amount of $11,000,000 U.S. dollars, hedging Singapore dollars; one contract in the notional amount of $1,250,000 Singapore dollars, hedging Malaysian Ringgit; and one contract in the notional amount of $388,000 U.S. dollars, hedging Euros. Such instruments had a combined fair value loss of $16,000 as of May 29, 2011 and November 30, 2010, respectively, based on quotations from financial institutions. Derivatives are recorded as receivables and or liabilities on the balance sheet, and the related gains and losses are recognized as other income, net on the income statement.

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of the fair value measurement of assets and liabilities which includes [financial] instruments measured at fair value that are classified in stockholders' equity. Such assets and liabilities may be measured on a recurring or nonrecurring basis. The disclosures which may be required or desired include: (1) for assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis, disclosure may include: (a) the fair value measurements at the reporting date; (b) the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements in their entirety fall, segregating fair value measurements using quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1), significant other observable inputs (Level 2), and significant unobservable inputs (Level 3); (c) for fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), a reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances, separately presenting changes during the period attributable to the following: (i) total gains or losses for the period (realized and unrealized), segregating those gains or losses included in earnings (or changes in net assets), and a description of where those gains or losses included in earnings (or changes in net assets) are reported in the statement of income (or activities); (ii) purchases, sales, issuances, and settlements (net); (iii) transfers in and transfers out of Level 3 (for example, transfers due to changes in the observability of significant inputs); (d) the amount of the total gains or losses for the period in subparagraph (c) (i) above included in earnings (or changes in net assets) that are attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to those assets and liabilities still held at the reporting date and a description of where those unrealized gains or losses are reported in the statement of income (or activities); (e) the valuation technique(s) used to measure fair value and a discussion of changes in valuation techniques, if any, during the period and (2) for assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis (for example, impaired assets) disclosure may include, in addition to (a) above: (a) the reasons for the fair value measurements recorded; (b) the same as (b) above; (c) for fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), a description of the inputs and the information used to develop the inputs; and (d) the valuation technique(s) used to measure fair value and a discussion of changes, if any, in the valuation technique(s) used to measure similar assets and/or liabilities in prior periods. Where the quoted price in an active market for the identical liability is not available, the Level 1 input is the quoted price of an identical liability when traded as an asset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6925170&loc=d3e19279-110258

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 157
-Paragraph 32
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 157
-Paragraph 33
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 107
-Paragraph 10
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6925170&loc=d3e19296-110258

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6925170&loc=d3e19207-110258

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 157
-Paragraph 6
-Footnote 4
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6925170&loc=d3e19190-110258

+ Details