
C.	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. Financial assets and liabilities measured and reported at fair value are classified and disclosed in one of the following categories:


•	Level 1 – Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Short-term and long-term investments with active markets or known redemption values are reported at fair value utilizing Level 1 inputs.


•	Level 2 – Observable market-based inputs (either directly or indirectly) such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or inputs that are corroborated by market data.

•

Level 3 – Unobservable inputs that are not corroborated by market data and are projections, estimates, or interpretations that are supported by little or no market activity and are significant to the fair value of the assets. The Company has concluded that certain of its ARS represent Level 3 valuation. A discounted cash flow analysis was used to value these investments. The assumptions used in preparing the discounted cash flow model include estimates for interest rates, timing and amount of cash flows, and expected holding periods of the ARS. As of January 28, 2017, the unobservable inputs used by the Company and its independent third-party valuation consultant in valuing its Level 3 investments in ARS included:


◦	Duration until redemption of 6.7 years.


◦	Discount rate of 3.66%.

As of January 28, 2017 and January 30, 2016, the Company held certain assets that are required to be measured at fair value on a recurring basis including available-for-sale and trading securities. The Company’s available-for-sale securities include its investments in ARS, as further described in Note B. The failed auctions, beginning in February 2008, related to the Company’s investments in ARS have limited the availability of quoted market prices. The Company has determined the fair value of its ARS using Level 1 inputs for known or anticipated subsequent redemptions at par value, Level 2 inputs using observable inputs, and Level 3 using unobservable inputs where the following criteria were considered in estimating fair value:


•	Pricing was provided by the custodian or third-party broker for ARS;


•	Sales of similar securities;


•	Quoted prices for similar securities in active markets;


•	Quoted prices for similar assets in markets that are not active - including markets where there are few transactions for the asset, the prices are not current, or price quotations vary substantially either over time or among market makers, or in which little information is released publicly;


•	Pricing was provided by a third-party valuation consultant (using Level 3 inputs).

In addition, the Company considers other factors including, but not limited to, the financial condition of the investee, the credit rating, insurance, guarantees, collateral, cash flows, and the current and expected market and industry conditions in which the investee operates. Management believes it has used information that was reasonably obtainable in order to complete its valuation process and determine if the Company’s investments in ARS had incurred any temporary and/or other-than-temporary impairment as of January 28, 2017 and January 30, 2016.

Future fluctuations in fair value of ARS that the Company judges to be temporary, including any recoveries of previous write-downs, would be recorded as an adjustment to “accumulated other comprehensive loss.” The value and liquidity of ARS held by the Company may be affected by continued auction-rate failures, the credit quality of each security, the amount and timing of interest payments, the amount and timing of future principal payments, and the probability of full repayment of the principal. Additional indicators of impairment include the duration and severity of the decline in market value. The interest rates on these investments will be determined by the terms of each individual ARS. The risks associated with the ARS held by the Company include those stated above as well as the current economic environment, downgrading of credit ratings on investments held, and the volatility of the entities backing each of the issues.

The Company’s financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis are as follows:



	Fair Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using
	Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets		Significant Observable Inputs		Significant Unobservable Inputs
January 28, 2017	(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)		Total
Available-for-sale securities:
Auction-rate securities	$	—	$	45	$	1,625	$	1,670
Trading securities (including mutual funds)	13,092		—		—		13,092
Total	$	13,092	$	45	$	1,625	$	14,762



	Fair Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using
	Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets		Significant Observable Inputs		Significant Unobservable Inputs
January 30, 2016	(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)		Total
Available-for-sale securities:
Auction-rate securities	$	—	$	185	$	7,265	$	7,450
Trading securities (including mutual funds)	12,849		—		—		12,849
Total	$	12,849	$	185	$	7,265	$	20,299

Securities included in Level 1 represent securities which have a known or anticipated upcoming redemption as of the reporting date and those that have publicly traded quoted prices. ARS included in Level 2 represent securities which have not experienced a successful auction subsequent to the end of fiscal 2007. The fair market value for these securities was determined by applying a discount to par value based on auction prices for similar securities and by utilizing a discounted cash flow model, using market-based inputs, to determine fair value. The Company used a discounted cash flow model to value its Level 3 investments, using estimates regarding recovery periods, yield, and liquidity. The assumptions used are subjective based upon management’s judgment and views on current market conditions, and resulted in $125 of the Company’s recorded temporary impairment as of January 28, 2017. The use of different assumptions would result in a different valuation and related temporary impairment charge.

Changes in the fair value of the Company’s financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis are as follows:



	Fifty-two Weeks Ended January 28, 2017
	Fair Value Measurements Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
	Available-for-Sale Securities			Trading Securities
	Auction-rate Securities			Mutual Funds		Total

Balance, beginning of year	$	7,265		$	—	$	7,265
Total gains and losses:
Included in net income	(45		)	—		(45		)
Included in other comprehensive income	385			—		385
Purchases, Issuances, Sales, and Settlements:
Sales	(5,980		)	—		(5,980		)
Balance, end of year	$	1,625		$	—	$	1,625



	Fifty-two Weeks Ended January 30, 2016
	Fair Value Measurements Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
	Available-for-Sale Securities			Trading Securities
	Auction-rate Securities			Mutual Funds		Total

Balance, beginning of year	$	7,186		$	—	$	7,186
Total gains and losses:
Included in other comprehensive income	154			—		154
Purchases, Issuances, Sales, and Settlements:
Sales	(75		)	—		(75		)
Balance, end of year	$	7,265		$	—	$	7,265

There were no transfers of securities between Levels 1, 2, or 3 during the fiscal years ended January 28, 2017 or January 30, 2016. The Company’s policy is to recognize transfers in and transfers out as of the beginning of the reporting period in which the transfer occurred.

The carrying value of cash equivalents approximates fair value due to the low level of risk these assets present and their relatively liquid nature, particularly given their short maturities. The Company also holds certain financial instruments that are not carried at fair value on the consolidated balance sheets, including held-to-maturity securities. Held-to-maturity securities consist primarily of state and municipal bonds. The fair values of these debt securities are based on quoted market prices and yields for the same or similar securities, which the Company determined to be Level 2 inputs. As of January 28, 2017, the fair value of held-to-maturity securities was $53,316 compared to the carrying amount of $53,324. As of January 30, 2016, the fair value of held-to-maturity securities was $50,123 compared to the carrying amount of $49,992.

The carrying values of receivables, accounts payable, accrued expenses, and other current liabilities approximates fair value because of their short-term nature. From time to time, the Company measures certain assets at fair value on a non-recurring basis, specifically long-lived assets evaluated for impairment. These are typically store specific assets, which are reviewed for impairment when circumstances indicate impairment may exist due to the questionable recoverability of the carrying values of long-lived assets. If expected future cash flows related to a store’s assets are less than their carrying value, an impairment loss would be recognized for the difference between the carrying value and the estimated fair value of the store's assets. The fair value of the store's assets is estimated utilizing an income-based approach based on the expected cash flows over the remaining life of the store's lease. The amount of impairment related to long-lived assets was immaterial as of both January 28, 2017 and January 30, 2016.