Fair Value Measurements

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2017

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received from the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. The accounting guidance establishes a three-level hierarchy for disclosure that is based on the extent and level of judgment used to estimate the fair value of assets and liabilities.


•	Level 1 — uses unadjusted quoted prices that are available in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Our Level 1 assets are comprised of money market funds and certain equity securities.

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Level 2 — uses inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are either directly or indirectly observable through correlation with market data. 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 inputs to valuation models or other pricing methodologies that do not require significant judgment because the inputs used in the model, such as interest rates and volatility, can be corroborated by readily observable market data. We do not have any assets that are valued using inputs identified under a Level 2 hierarchy as of September 30, 2017 and 2016.

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Level 3 — uses one or more significant inputs that are unobservable and supported by little or no market activity, and that reflect the use of significant management judgment. Level 3 assets and liabilities include those whose fair value measurements are determined using pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies or similar valuation techniques, and significant management judgment or estimation. We do not have any assets or liabilities that are valued using inputs identified under a Level 3 hierarchy as of September 30, 2017 and 2016.

The following table represents financial assets that we measured at fair value on a recurring basis at September 30, 2017 and 2016:



September 30, 2017	Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1)		Fair Value as of September 30, 2017
	(In thousands)
Assets:
Cash equivalents (1)	$	15,295	$	15,295
Marketable securities (2)	13,791		13,791
Total	$	29,086	$	29,086



September 30, 2016	Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1)		Fair Value as of September 30, 2016
	(In thousands)
Assets:
Cash equivalents (1)	$	440	$	440
Marketable securities (2)	11,016		11,016
Total	$	11,456	$	11,456


(1)	Included in cash and cash equivalents on our balance sheet at September 30, 2017 and 2016. Not included in this table are cash deposits of $90.3 million and $75.5 million at September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.


(2)	Represents securities held under a supplemental retirement and savings plan for certain officers and senior management employees, which are distributed upon termination or retirement of the employees. Included in long-term marketable securities on our balance sheet at September 30, 2017 and 2016.

Where applicable, we use quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities to determine fair value. This pricing applies to our Level 1 investments. To the extent quoted prices in active markets for assets or liabilities are not available, the valuation techniques used to measure the fair values of our financial assets incorporate market inputs, which include reported trades, broker/dealer quotes, benchmark yields, issuer spreads, benchmark securities and other inputs derived from or corroborated by observable market data. This methodology would apply to our Level 2 investments. We have not changed our valuation techniques in measuring the fair value of any financial assets and liabilities during the period.

For the fair value of our derivative instruments and senior notes, see Note 5 and Note 10, respectively.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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