Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements | Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements Fair value is defined as the price that would be received from selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Fair value measurements are classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories: Level 1 — Valuations based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Level 2 — Valuations based on other than quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in inactive markets, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities. Level 3 — Valuations based on inputs that are generally unobservable and typically reflect management’s estimates of assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the assets or liabilities. The following tables set forth by level within the fair value hierarchy the Company’s financial assets that were accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis: September 30, 2017 December 31, 2016 Level 1 Level 2 Total Level 1 Level 2 Total (in thousands) (in thousands) Cash equivalents: Money market funds $ 4,363 $ — $ 4,363 $ 2,733 $ — $ 2,733 Corporate notes and obligations — 17,327 17,327 — — — U.S. government and government agency obligations 6,575 14,829 21,404 151,660 149,976 301,636 Investments: Certificates of deposit — 8,140 8,140 — 12,088 12,088 Corporate notes and obligations — 73,713 73,713 — 28,892 28,892 Municipal obligations — 10,475 10,475 — 11,361 11,361 U.S. government and government agency obligations 51,021 88,852 139,873 4,579 30,852 35,431 $ 61,959 $ 213,336 $ 275,295 $ 158,972 $ 233,169 $ 392,141 The Company classifies its money market funds that are specifically backed by debt securities and U.S. government obligations as Level 1 instruments, due to the use of observable market prices for identical securities that are traded in active markets . Valuation of the Company’s marketable securities investments classified as Level 2 is achieved primarily through broker quotes when such investments exist in a non-active market. At September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 , the Company did not have any assets or liabilities that were valued using Level 3 inputs. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 , there were no transfers of financial instruments between the levels. Realized gains and losses from the sale of investments were not significant during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 . The carrying amounts, gross unrealized gains and losses and estimated fair value of cash and cash equivalents and both short-term and long-term investments consisted of the following: September 30, 2017 December 31, 2016 Amortized Cost Unrealized Gains Unrealized Losses Carrying or Fair Value Amortized Unrealized Gains Unrealized Losses Carrying or (in thousands) (in thousands) Cash and cash equivalents: Cash $ 203,738 $ — $ — $ 203,738 $ 76,538 $ — $ — $ 76,538 Money market funds 4,363 — — 4,363 2,733 — — 2,733 Corporate notes and obligations 17,327 — — 17,327 — — — — U.S. government and government agency obligations 21,403 1 — 21,404 301,631 8 (3 ) 301,636 $ 246,831 $ 1 $ — $ 246,832 $ 380,902 $ 8 $ (3 ) $ 380,907 Investments: Corporate notes and obligations $ 73,754 $ 26 $ (67 ) $ 73,713 $ 28,978 $ 1 $ (87 ) $ 28,892 Certificates of deposit 8,138 3 (1 ) 8,140 12,094 13 (19 ) 12,088 Municipal obligations 10,471 11 (7 ) 10,475 11,422 1 (62 ) 11,361 U.S. government and government agency obligations 140,050 2 (179 ) 139,873 35,502 8 (79 ) 35,431 $ 232,413 $ 42 $ (254 ) $ 232,201 $ 87,996 $ 23 $ (247 ) $ 87,772 The following table shows the gross unrealized losses and the related fair values of the Company’s investments that have been in a continuous unrealized loss position. The Company did not identify any investments as other-than-temporarily impaired at September 30, 2017 or December 31, 2016 based on its evaluation of available evidence, such as the Company’s intent to hold and whether it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the investment before recovery of the investment’s amortized basis. The Company expects to receive the full principal and interest on these investments. September 30, 2017 Less than 12 Months 12 Months or Greater Total Fair Value Unrealized Losses Fair Value Unrealized Losses Fair Value Unrealized Losses (in thousands) Corporate notes and obligations $ 31,732 $ (32 ) $ 7,710 $ (35 ) $ 39,442 $ (67 ) Certificates of deposit 2,452 — 245 (1 ) 2,697 (1 ) U.S. government, government agency, and municipal obligations 124,336 (154 ) 5,500 (32 ) 129,836 (186 ) $ 158,520 $ (186 ) $ 13,455 $ (68 ) $ 171,975 $ (254 ) December 31, 2016 Less than 12 Months 12 Months or Greater Total Fair Value Unrealized Losses Fair Value Unrealized Losses Fair Value Unrealized Losses (in thousands) Corporate notes and obligations $ 26,076 $ (87 ) $ — $ — $ 26,076 $ (87 ) Certificates of deposit 5,651 (19 ) — — 5,651 (19 ) U.S. government, government agency, and municipal obligations 180,138 (144 ) 385 — 180,523 (144 ) $ 211,865 $ (250 ) $ 385 $ — $ 212,250 $ (250 ) The following table summarizes the maturities of the Company’s investments at September 30, 2017 : Carrying or Fair Value (in thousands) Remainder of 2017 $ 28,276 2018 102,878 2019 72,308 2020 28,739 Total $ 232,201 Actual maturities may differ from the contractual maturities because borrowers may have the right to call or prepay certain obligations. |