Fair Value Measurements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Measurements

(3)   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. In determining fair value, various methods are used including market, income and cost approaches. Based on these approaches, certain assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability are used, including assumptions about risk and/or the risks inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique. These inputs can be readily observable, market-corroborated, or generally unobservable firm inputs. Valuation techniques that are used maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. Based on the observability of the inputs used in the valuation techniques, fair value measured financial instruments are categorized according to the fair value hierarchy prescribed by ASC 820,Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures. The fair value hierarchy ranks the quality and reliability of the information used to determine fair values. Financial assets and liabilities carried at fair value are classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories:

•           Level 1: Fair value measurements using unadjusted quoted market prices in active markets for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities.

•           Level 2: Fair value measurements using correlation with (directly or indirectly) observable market-based inputs, unobservable inputs that are corroborated by market data, or quoted prices in markets that are not active.

•           Level 3: Fair value measurements using inputs that are significant and not readily observable in the market.

        Level 1 consists of financial instruments whose value is based on quoted market prices such as exchange-traded mutual funds and listed equities.

        Level 2 includes financial instruments that are valued based upon observable market-based inputs.

        Level 3 is comprised of financial instruments whose fair value is estimated based on internally developed models or methodologies utilizing significant inputs that are generally less readily observable.

        Fair value measurements for those items measured on a recurring basis are as follows (dollars in thousands):

December 31, 2015	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents:
Tax free money market mutual funds	$	33	$	33	$	—	$	—
Money market mutual funds		—		—		—		—
Securities owned, at fair value:
Corporate stocks-trading securities		2,571		2,571		—		—
Mutual funds		3,027		3,027		—		—
Total	$	5,631	$	5,631	$	—	$	—
Liabilities
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value:
Corporate stocks-trading securities		2,637		2,637		—		—
Total	$	2,637	$	2,637	$	—	$	—

December 31, 2014	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents:
Tax free money market mutual funds	$	33	$	33	$	—	$	—
Money market mutual funds		6,965		6,965		—		—
Securities owned, at fair value:
Corporate stocks-trading securities		8,160		8,160		—		—
Mutual funds		3,913		3,913		—		—
Total	$	19,071	$	19,071	$	—	$	—
Liabilities
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value:
Corporate stocks-trading securities		8,253		8,253		—		—
Total	$	8,253	$	8,253	$	—	$	—

        Cash and cash equivalents other than bank deposits are measured at fair value and primarily include U.S. government money market mutual funds and other money market mutual funds.

        Securities owned, at fair value and securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value include corporate stocks, equity index mutual funds and bond mutual funds, all of which are exchange traded.

        Certain of the Company's assets and liabilities are carried at contracted amounts that approximate fair value. Assets and liabilities that are recorded at contracted amounts approximating fair value consist primarily of receivables from and payables to brokers, dealers, clearing organizations and customers. These receivables and payables to brokers, dealers and clearing organizations are short-term in nature, and following December 31, 2015, substantially all have settled at the contracted amounts.

        The Company believes the carrying amounts of its term-debt obligations at December 31, 2015 and 2014 approximate fair value because the interest rates on these instruments change with, or approximate, market interest rates.