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Fair Value Measurements
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Fair Value Measurements

2. Fair Value Measurements

The Company applies fair value accounting for all assets and liabilities that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in its financial statements on a recurring basis. Fair value represents the amount that would be received from selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. When determining the fair value measurements for assets and liabilities, the Company considers the principal or most advantageous market and the market-based risk measurements or assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.

The fair values of cash equivalents, trade accounts receivable, settlement assets and obligations, accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate the carrying values due to the short period of time to maturity. The fair values of interest rate hedge contracts are described in Note 7 and were based on valuation models using inputs which are available through third party dealers and are related to market price risk, such as the LIBOR interest rate curve, credit risk and time value (level 2 of the fair value hierarchy). The estimated fair value of total debt was $3.6 billion at June 30, 2012 and $3.5 billion at December 31, 2011 and was estimated using discounted cash flows based on the Company’s current incremental borrowing rates or quoted prices in active markets (level 2 of the fair value hierarchy).