Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Fair Value Measurements

v3.7.0.1
Fair Value Measurements
6 Months Ended
Mar. 25, 2017
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
Fair Value Measurements
Fair Value Measurements

ASC 820 establishes a single authoritative definition of fair value, a framework for measuring fair value and expands disclosure of fair value measurements. ASC 820 requires financial assets and liabilities to be categorized based on the inputs used to calculate their fair values as follows:
Level 1 - Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2 - Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly.
Level 3 - Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, which reflect the Company’s own assumptions about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability (including assumptions about risk).
The Company’s financial instruments include cash and equivalents, short term investments consisting of bank certificates of deposit, accounts receivable and payable, derivative instruments, short-term borrowings, and accrued liabilities. The carrying amount of these instruments approximates fair value because of their short-term nature.
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis
The following table presents the Company’s financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis based upon the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements fall, as of March 25, 2017 (in thousands):
 
 
 
Level 1
 
Level 2
 
Level 3
 
Total
Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Liability for contingent consideration (a)
 
$
0

 
$
0

 
$
4,420

 
$
4,420

Total liabilities
 
$
0

 
$
0

 
$
4,420

 
$
4,420

The following table presents the Company’s financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis based upon the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements fall, as of March 26, 2016 (in thousands):
 
 
 
Level 1
 
Level 2
 
Level 3
 
Total
Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Liability for contingent consideration (a)
 
$
0

 
$
0

 
$
6,215

 
$
6,215

Total liabilities
 
$
0

 
$
0

 
$
6,215

 
$
6,215

The following table presents our financial assets and liabilities at fair value on a recurring basis based upon the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements fall, as of September 24, 2016:
 
 
 
Level 1
 
Level 2
 
Level 3
 
Total
Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Liability for contingent consideration (a)
 
$
0

 
$
0

 
$
5,113

 
$
5,113

Total liabilities
 
$
0

 
$
0

 
$
5,113

 
$
5,113

 

(a)
The liability for contingent consideration relates to an earn-out for B2E, acquired in December 2012, and future performance-based contingent payments for Hydro-Organics Wholesale, Inc., acquired in October 2015. The fair value of the estimated contingent consideration arrangement is determined based on the Company’s evaluation as to the probability and amount of any earn-out that will be achieved based on expected future performance by the acquired entity. This is presented as part of long-term liabilities in the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheets.

The following table provides a summary of the changes in fair value of the Company's Level 3 financial instruments for the periods ended March 25, 2017 and March 26, 2016 (in thousands):
 
 
Amount
Balance September 24, 2016
$
5,113

Estimated contingent performance-based consideration established at the time of acquisition

Changes in the fair value of contingent performance-based payments established at the time of acquisition
201

Performance-based payments made
(894
)
Balance March 25, 2017
$
4,420

 
 
 
Amount
Balance September 26, 2015
$
3,625

Estimated contingent performance-based consideration established at the time of acquisition
2,590

Changes in the fair value of contingent performance-based payments established at the time of acquisition

Balance March 26, 2016
$
6,215


Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Non-Recurring Basis
The Company measures certain non-financial assets and liabilities, including long-lived assets, goodwill and intangible assets, at fair value on a non-recurring basis. Fair value measurements of non-financial assets and non-financial liabilities are used primarily in the impairment analyses of long-lived assets, goodwill and other intangible assets. During the periods ended March 25, 2017 and March 26, 2016, the Company was not required to measure any significant non-financial assets and liabilities at fair value.
Fair Value of Other Financial Instruments
In November 2015, the Company issued $400 million aggregate principal amount of 6.125% senior notes due November 2023 (the “2023 Notes”). The estimated fair value of the Company’s 2023 Notes as of March 25, 2017, March 26, 2016 and September 24, 2016 was $422.4 million, $416.1 million and $430.3 million, respectively, compared to a carrying value of $394.8 million, $394.0 million and $394.4 million, respectively.