4.  FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The Company applies fair value accounting guidelines for all financial assets and liabilities and non-financial assets and liabilities that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis (at least annually). Under these guidelines, fair value is defined as the price that would be received for the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e. an exit price) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The guidance establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value as follows:

Level 1 - Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2 - Observable inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets or quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in inactive markets.

Level 3 - Unobservable inputs that are supported by little, infrequent, or no market activity and reflect the Company’s own assumptions about inputs used in pricing the asset or liability.

The fair value hierarchy also requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value.

The Company’s valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of marketable equity securities were derived from quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Contingent consideration and newly acquired intangible assets are measured at fair value using level 3 inputs. The valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of all other financial instruments were valued based on quoted market prices or model driven valuations using significant inputs derived from or corroborated by observable market data.

The Company’s short-term investments have been classified and accounted for as available-for-sale. Management determines the appropriate classification of its investments at the time of purchase and reevaluates the designation at each balance sheet date. The Company may or may not hold securities with stated maturities greater than 12 months until maturity. As management views these securities as available to support current operations, the Company classifies securities with maturities beyond 12 months as current assets under the caption short-term investments in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company’s short-term investments are carried at fair value, with the unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, reported as a component of shareholder’s equity. Realized gains and losses on sales of short-term investments are generally determined using the specific identification method, and are included in miscellaneous expense, net in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

The following tables provide information regarding the Company’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis at September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016. The fair value of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, other current assets, accounts payable and accrued expenses and other liabilities approximates their carrying value, due to their short-term nature.

The Company recognized a net realized loss on investments during the nine months ended September 30, 2017 of $259 and a net realized loss of $296 during the nine months ended October 1, 2016. As of September 30, 2017, gross unrealized losses related to individual securities that had been in a continuous loss position for 12 months or longer were not significant. The Company considers these unrealized losses in market value of its investments to be temporary in nature. When evaluating an investment for other-than-temporary impairment, the Company reviews factors such as the length of time and extent to which fair value has been below its cost basis, the financial condition of the issuer and any changes thereto, and the Company’s intent to sell, or whether it is more likely than not it will be required to sell, the investment before recovery of the investment’s cost basis. During the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and October 1, 2016, the Company recognized impairment charges of $220 and $276, respectively, which are included in the net realized losses for the period.

Maturities of investments at September 30, 2017 are as follows:

A summary of the changes in the estimated fair value of contingent consideration at September 30, 2017 is as follows:

The fair value of the contingent consideration arrangement was estimated using a risk-adjusted probability analysis. During the second quarter of 2017 management completed the valuation of the Acquisition Date fair value of contingent consideration resulting in a measurement period adjustment which increased the fair value of the liability and goodwill by $6,314. During the nine months ended September 30, 2017, adjustments to the fair value of contingent consideration were recorded based on Enovation Controls’ results of operations during the period and managements revision of revenue and EBITDA forecasts. The adjustments were not considered measurement period adjustments and were therefore recognized in earnings for the period.