Note 3 - Fair Value of Financial Instruments

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Note 3. Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The inputs used to measure fair value are summarized in the three broad levels listed below:

•

Level 1 — Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities;

•

Level 2 — Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices in active markets for similar securities); and

•

Level 3 — Significant unobservable inputs (including the Company’s own assumptions in determining fair value of investments).

The following table sets forth by level, within the fair value hierarchy, financial assets and liabilities accounted for at fair value as of March 31, 2012. As required by ASC 820-10, assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

	March 31, 2012		Quoted Prices in Active Market for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Money market funds	$	684,840	$	684,840	$	—	$	—
Option to purchase interest in affiliated company	$	5,742		—		—		5,742

Option to Purchase Interest in Affiliated Company. The Company estimated the fair value of the option to purchase an interest in an affiliated company to be $5,742 and $12,362 at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, using the multiple of earnings method based on a number of factors and assumptions regarding the affiliated company’s potential future revenue and projected earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA). The decrease in fair value of $6,620 was recorded in the statement of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2012.

Financial Instruments. The carrying amount of the Company’s cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued compensation and benefits, and accrued expenses approximated their estimated fair values at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011 because of the short-term nature of these instruments.

- 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.

+ References

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+ Details

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