Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Fair Value Measurements

v2.4.0.6
Fair Value Measurements
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS [Abstract]  
Fair Value Disclosures [Text Block]
4.      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, the Company uses various methods, including market, income and cost approaches.  Based on these approaches, the Company often utilizes certain assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, 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 inputs.  The Company utilizes valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs.  Based upon observable inputs used in the valuation techniques, the Company is required to provide information according to the fair value hierarchy.  The fair value hierarchy ranks the quality and reliability of the information used to determine fair values into three broad levels as follows:
 

Level 1:
Valuations for assets and liabilities traded in active markets from readily available pricing sources for market transactions involving identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2:
Valuations for assets and liabilities traded in less active dealer or broker markets.  Valuations are obtained from third-party pricing services for identical or similar assets or liabilities.
Level 3:
Valuations for assets and liabilities traded in less active dealer or broker markets.  Valuations are obtained from third-party pricing services for identical or similar assets or liabilities.
 
In instances where the determination of the fair value measurement is based on inputs from different levels of the fair value hierarchy, the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the entire fair value measurement falls is based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety.  The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, and considers factors specific to the asset or liability.
 
A description of the valuation methodologies used for the Company’s financial instruments measured on a recurring basis at fair value, including the general classification of such instruments pursuant to the valuation hierarchy, is set forth below.
 
The fair value of marketable securities is valued using market prices in active markets (level 1).  As of December 31, 2011, the Company did not have any marketable securities in less active markets (level 2) or without observable market values that would require a high level of judgment to determine fair value (level 3).
 
The following table summarizes the Company’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2011:
 
 
As of December 31, 2011
 
Fair Value Measurements
 
Carrying
 
Fair
 
As of December 31, 2011
 
Amount
 
Value
 
Level 1
 
Level 2
 
Level 3
Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash
$
22,506

 
$
22,506

 
$
22,506

 
$
—

 
$
—

Money market funds
41,831

 
41,831

 
41,831

 
—

 
—

 
$
64,337

 
$
64,337

 
$
64,337

 
$
—

 
$
—

Marketable securities:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Money market funds
$
62

 
$
62

 
$
62

 
$
—

 
$
—

Mutual funds
65

 
65

 
65

 
—

 
—

U.S. Treasury securities
4,293

 
4,293

 
4,293

 
—

 
—

Government agency securities
871

 
871

 
871

 
—

 
—

 
$
5,291

 
$
5,291

 
$
5,291

 
$
—

 
$
—


In connection with the November 3, 2010 acquisition of Group DCA, the Company recorded $1.6 million of contingent consideration. The Company determined the fair value of the contingent consideration based on a probability-weighted income approach derived from revenue estimates and a probability assessment with respect to the likelihood of achieving the various earn-out criteria. The fair value measurement was based on significant inputs not observable in the market and thus represents a Level 3 measurement.  During the year ended December 31, 2011, the contingent consideration was written-off as part of the Group DCA contingent earn-out fee buyout and was netted in the DCA buyout and related costs line item in the consolidated statement of operations. See Note 3, Acquisition, for further information.
 
The Company considers carrying amounts of accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses to approximate fair value due to the short-term nature of these financial instruments.  There is no fair value ascribed to the letters of credit as management does not expect any material losses to result from these instruments because performance is not expected to be required.