Fair Value Measurements

9 Months Ended

May 07, 2011

Fair Value Measurements [Abstract]

Fair Value Measurements

Note C — Fair Value Measurements

The Company defines fair value as the price received to transfer an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Company uses a hierarchy of valuation inputs to measure fair value.

The hierarchy prioritizes the inputs into three broad levels:

Level 1 inputs—unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access. An active market for the asset or liability is one in which transactions for the asset or liability occur with sufficient frequency and volume to provide ongoing pricing information.

Level 2 inputs—inputs other than quoted market prices included in Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, for the asset or liability. Level 2 inputs include, but are not limited to, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in an active market, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active and inputs other than quoted market prices that are observable for the asset or liability, such as interest rate curves and yield curves observable at commonly quoted intervals, volatilities, credit risk and default rates.

Level 3 inputs—unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.

The Company’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis were as follows:

	May 7, 2011
(in thousands)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Fair Value
Other current assets	$	14,409	$	—	$	—	$	14,409
Other long-term assets		53,766		7,074		—		60,840
	$	68,175	$	7,074	$	—	$	75,249

	August 28, 2010
(in thousands)	Level 1		Level 2			Level 3		Fair Value
Other current assets	$	11,307	$	4,996		$	—	$	16,303
Other long-term assets		47,725		8,673			—		56,398
Accrued expenses and other		—		(9,979	)		—		(9,979	)
	$	59,032	$	3,690		$	—	$	62,722

At May 7, 2011, the fair value measurement amounts for assets and liabilities recorded in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet consisted of short-term marketable securities of $14.4 million, which are included within other current assets, and long-term marketable securities of $60.8 million, which are included in other long-term assets. The Company’s marketable securities are typically valued at the closing price in the principal active market as of the last business day of the quarter or through the use of other market inputs relating to the securities, including benchmark yields and reported trades. The fair values of the marketable securities, by asset class, are described in “Note D — Marketable Securities”.

The carrying value of certain of the Company’s financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, prepaid assets and accounts payable, approximate fair value because of their short maturities. A discussion of the carrying values and fair values of the Company’s debt is included in “Note H — Financing”.