Note 4 - Fair Value of Financial Instruments

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

Available for sale securities, trading securities and certain other assets are recorded at fair value. All changes in the fair value of trading securities and certain other assets are included in our condensed consolidated statements of operations. All changes in the fair value of available for sale securities are recorded in AOCI. There were no significant changes to our fair value methodologies during the three months ended March 31, 2017.

In accordance with GAAP, we established a three-level valuation hierarchy for disclosure of fair value measurements based on the transparency of inputs to the valuation of an asset or liability as of the measurement date. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level I measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level III measurements). The level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement falls is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the measurement in its entirety. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are defined below:


Level I	— Unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities;


Level II	— Prices or valuations based on observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities; and


Level III	— Prices or valuations that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable. Level III inputs are used to measure fair value only to the extent that observable inputs are not available.

The level of market activity used to determine the fair value hierarchy is based on the availability of observable inputs market participants would use to price an asset or a liability, including market value price observations. We provide a qualitative description of the valuation techniques and inputs used for recurring and non-recurring fair value measurements in our audited financial statements and notes thereto included in our 2016 Form 10-K. For a complete understanding of the valuation techniques and inputs used as of March 31, 2017, these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes thereto included in our 2016 Form 10-K.

The following is a list of assets that are measured at fair value by hierarchy level as of March 31, 2017:



(In thousands)	Level I		Level II		Level III		Total
Assets at Fair Value
Investment Portfolio:
U.S. government and agency securities	$	267,524	$	4,906	$	—	$	272,430
State and municipal obligations	—		341,197		—		341,197
Money market instruments	384,225		—		—		384,225
Corporate bonds and notes	—		2,115,001		—		2,115,001
RMBS	—		309,460		—		309,460
CMBS	—		473,505		—		473,505
Other ABS	—		488,340		—		488,340
Foreign government and agency securities	—		38,035		—		38,035
Equity securities	—		830		500		1,330
Other investments (1)	—		12,720		500		13,220
Total Investments at Fair Value (2)	651,749		3,783,994		1,000		4,436,743
Total Assets at Fair Value	$	651,749	$	3,783,994	$	1,000	$	4,436,743

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(1)	Comprising short-term certificates of deposit and commercial paper, included within Level II, and convertible notes of non-reporting issuers, included within Level III.


(2)	Does not include certain other invested assets ($1.0 million), primarily invested in limited partnerships, accounted for as cost-method investments and not measured at fair value.

The following is a list of assets that are measured at fair value by hierarchy level as of December 31, 2016:



(In thousands)	Level I		Level II		Level III		Total
Assets at Fair Value
Investment Portfolio:
U.S. government and agency securities	$	237,479	$	—	$	—	$	237,479
State and municipal obligations	—		358,536		—		358,536
Money market instruments	431,472		—		—		431,472
Corporate bonds and notes	—		2,024,205		—		2,024,205
RMBS	—		388,842		—		388,842
CMBS	—		507,273		—		507,273
Other ABS	—		450,128		—		450,128
Foreign government and agency securities	—		32,807		—		32,807
Equity securities	—		830		500		1,330
Other investments (1)	—		28,663		500		29,163
Total Investments at Fair Value (2)	668,951		3,791,284		1,000		4,461,235
Total Assets at Fair Value	$	668,951	$	3,791,284	$	1,000	$	4,461,235

______________________


(1)	Comprising short-term certificates of deposit and commercial paper, included within Level II, and convertible notes of non-reporting issuers, included within Level III.


(2)	Does not include certain other invested assets ($1.2 million), primarily invested in limited partnerships, accounted for as cost-method investments and not measured at fair value.

At both March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, total Level III assets of $1.0 million accounted for less than 0.1% of total assets measured at fair value. Within other investments is a Level III investment which was purchased during the three months ended June 30, 2016, and there were no related gains or losses recorded during the three months ended March 31, 2017 or the year ended December 31, 2016. Within equity securities is a Level III investment that was purchased during the three months ended June 30, 2015, and there were no related gains or losses recorded during the three months ended March 31, 2017 or the year ended December 31, 2016. There were no Level III liabilities at March 31, 2017 or December 31, 2016.

There were no transfers between Level I and Level II for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016. There were also no transfers involving Level III assets or liabilities for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016.

Other Fair Value Disclosure

The carrying value and estimated fair value of other selected assets and liabilities not carried at fair value on our condensed consolidated balance sheets were as follows as of the dates indicated:



	March 31, 2017				December 31, 2016
(In thousands)	Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value		Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value
Assets:
Other invested assets	$	973	$	3,751	$	1,195	$	3,789
Liabilities:
Long-term debt	1,008,777		1,104,711		1,069,537		1,214,471

- 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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