Investments

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2021

Investments

(4) Investments

Investments include primarily investment-grade corporate bonds and asset-backed securities having maturities of up to five years (the “bond portfolio”) and money market investments. Investments in the bond portfolio are reported as available-for-sale and are carried at fair value. Investments maturing less than one year from the balance sheet date are included in short-term investments and investments maturing more than one year from the balance sheet date are included in other assets in the consolidated balance sheets. Management performs an analysis of the nature of the unrealized losses on available-for-sale investments to determine whether an allowance for credit loss is necessary. Unrealized losses, representing the excess of the purchase price of an investment over its fair value as of the end of a period, considered to be a result of credit-related factors, are to be included as a charge in the statement of income, while unrealized losses considered to be a result of non-credit-related factors are to be included as a component of shareholders’ equity. Investments whose values are based on quoted market prices in active markets are classified within Level 1. Investments that trade in markets that are not considered to be active, but are valued based on quoted market prices, are classified within Level 2. As Level 2 investments include positions that are not traded in active markets, valuations may be adjusted to reflect illiquidity and/or non-transferability, which are generally based on available market information. Any transfers between levels are recognized as of the beginning of any reporting period. Fair value of the bond portfolio was determined using Level 1 inputs related to U.S. Treasury obligations and money market investments and Level 2 inputs related to investment-grade corporate bonds, asset-backed securities and direct obligations of government agencies. Unrealized gains, net of unrealized losses, on the investments in the bond portfolio were $144,000 and $3,578,000 at December 25, 2021 and December 26, 2020, respectively.

The amortized cost and fair values of available-for-sale investments are as follows at December 25, 2021 and December 26, 2020 (in thousands):    

	Amortized Cost		Gross Unrealized Gains		Gross Unrealized Losses		Fair Value
December 25, 2021
Money market investments	$	8,750	$	—	$	—	$	8,750
Asset-backed securities		22,441		—		346		22,095
Corporate bonds and direct obligations of government agencies		137,916		1,406		966		138,356
U.S. Treasury obligations		2,342		50		—		2,392
Total	$	171,449	$	1,456	$	1,312	$	171,593
December 26, 2020
Money market investments	$	17,867	$	—	$	—	$	17,867
Asset-backed securities		567		—		26		541
Corporate bonds and direct obligations of government agencies		98,241		3,551		72		101,720
U.S. Treasury obligations		2,338		125		—		2,463
Total	$	119,013	$	3,676	$	98	$	122,591

For those available-for-sale investments with unrealized losses at December 25, 2021 and December 26, 2020, the following table summarizes the duration of the unrealized loss (in thousands):

	Less than 12 months				12 months or longer				Total
	Fair Value		Unrealized Loss		Fair Value		Unrealized Loss		Fair Value		Unrealized Loss
December 25, 2021
Asset-backed securities	$	22,095	$	346	$	—	$	—	$	22,095	$	346
Corporate bonds and direct obligations of government agencies		72,526		966		—		—		72,526		966
Total	$	94,621	$	1,312	$	—	$	—	$	94,621	$	1,312
December 26, 2020
Asset-backed securities	$	541	$	26	$	—	$	—	$	541	$	26
Corporate bonds and direct obligations of government agencies		2,681		72		—		—		2,681		72
Total	$	3,222	$	98	$	—	$	—	$	3,222	$	98

The Company believes unrealized losses on investments were primarily caused by rising interest rates rather than changes in credit quality. The Company expects to recover, through collection of all of the contractual cash flows of each security, the amortized cost basis of these securities as it does not intend to sell, and does not anticipate being required to sell, these securities before recovery of the cost basis. For these reasons, no losses have been recognized in the Company’s consolidated statements of income.

Short-term investments include $31,729,000 in current maturities of investments and $4,049,000 in restricted cash held by the Company’s insurance segment at December 25, 2021. The non-current portion of the bond portfolio of $139,864,000 is included in other assets. The short-term investments, together with $44,069,000 of non-current investments, provide collateral for the $72,267,000 of letters of credit issued to guarantee payment of insurance claims.

Investment income represents the earnings on the insurance segment’s assets. Investment income earned from the assets of the insurance segment are included as a component of operating income as the investment of these assets is critical to providing collateral, liquidity and earnings with respect to the operation of the Company’s insurance programs.