Fair Value Measurements | 5. Fair Value Measurements Fair value measurements enable the reader of the financial statements to assess the inputs used to develop those measurements by establishing a hierarchy for ranking the quality and reliability of the information used to determine fair values. The Company classifies and discloses assets and liabilities carried at fair value in one of the following three categories: Level 1: Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Level 2: Observable market-based inputs or unobservable inputs that are corroborated by market data. Level 3: Unobservable inputs that are not corroborated by market data. The fair values of the Company’s cash equivalents and investments in marketable securities are based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets. The following tables summarize the carrying amounts and fair values of certain assets at March 22, 2020 and December 29, 2019: At March 22, 2020 Fair Value Estimated Using Carrying Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Amount Inputs Inputs Inputs Cash equivalents $ 173,317 $ 173,317 $ — $ — Restricted cash equivalents 106,225 106,225 — — Investments in marketable securities 10,989 10,989 — — Advertising fund cash equivalents, restricted 78,134 78,134 — — At December 29, 2019 Fair Value Estimated Using Carrying Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Amount Inputs Inputs Inputs Cash equivalents $ 180,459 $ 180,459 $ — $ — Restricted cash equivalents 126,963 126,963 — — Investments in marketable securities 11,982 11,982 — — Advertising fund cash equivalents, restricted 67,851 67,851 — — Management estimated the approximate fair values of the 2015 fixed rate notes, the 2017 fixed and floating rate notes, the 2018 fixed rate notes and the 2019 fixed rate notes as follows: March 22, 2020 December 29, 2019 Principal Amount Fair Value Principal Amount Fair Value 2015 Ten-Year $ 772,000 $ 711,784 $ 774,000 $ 804,960 2017 Five-Year Fixed Rate Notes 586,500 549,551 588,000 588,588 2017 Ten-Year 977,500 825,010 980,000 1,017,240 2017 Five-Year Floating Rate Notes 293,250 251,315 294,000 294,000 2018 7.5-Year 418,625 387,228 419,688 431,439 2018 9.25-Year 394,000 351,054 395,000 414,355 2019 Ten-Year 673,313 544,037 675,000 675,675 The Company’s variable funding notes are a variable rate loan and the fair value of this loan approximates book value based on the borrowing rates currently available for variable rate loans obtained from third party lending institutions. This fair value represents a Level 2 measurement. The Company did not have any outstanding borrowings under its variable funding notes at March 22, 2020 or December 29, 2019. Subsequent to the first quarter of 2020, the Company borrowed $158.0 million under its variable funding notes . The fair values in the table above represent the fair value of such notes at March 22, 2020 and December 29, 2019. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic (discussed further in Note 10), these fair values fluctuated significantly during the first quarter and may continue to fluctuate based on market conditions and other factors. The fixed and floating rate notes are classified as Level 2 measurements, as the Company estimates the fair value amount by using available market information. The Company obtained quotes from two separate brokerage firms that are knowledgeable about the Company’s fixed and floating rate notes and, at times, trade these notes. The Company also performed its own internal analysis based on the information gathered from public markets, including information on notes that are similar to those of the Company. However, considerable judgment is required to interpret market data to estimate fair value. Accordingly, the fair value estimates presented are not necessarily indicative of the amount that the Company or the debtholders could realize in a current market exchange. The use of different assumptions and/or estimation methodologies may have a material effect on the estimated fair values stated above. |