Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

v3.19.3
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The Company makes estimates of fair value in accounting for certain transactions, in testing and measuring impairment and in providing disclosures of fair value in its condensed consolidated financial statements. The Company determines the fair values of its financial instruments for disclosure purposes by maximizing the use of observable inputs and minimizing the use of unobservable inputs. Fair value disclosures for assets and liabilities are grouped into three levels. The levels prioritize the inputs used to measure the fair value of the assets or liabilities. These levels are:
Level 1 - Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2 - Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for assets and liabilities, either directly or indirectly. These inputs include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets or quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are less active.
Level 3 - Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity for assets or liabilities and includes certain pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies and similar techniques.
The Company's financial instruments include cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, derivative instruments, accounts payable, earn-out liabilities, revolving line of credit, term loan, and equity investments.
Level 1 Financial Instruments
For short-term instruments, other than those required to be reported at fair value on a recurring basis and for which additional disclosures are included below, management concluded the historical carrying value is a reasonable estimate of fair value because of the short period of time between the origination of such instruments and their expected realization. Therefore, as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the carrying amounts for cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, the Company's revolving line of credit, which is based on a variable interest rate, and term loan approximate their fair value.
During the first nine months of 2019, the Company sold shares of its equity securities investments. Proceeds from the sale totaled $1,091,644 which resulted in a realized gain for the nine months of September 30, 2019 of $474,227, that is included in "Other expense (income)" on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Company also recorded a net unrealized loss of $180,000 and $281,125, respectively, on the investments in equity securities held, which is included in "Other expense (income)" on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.
The fair value of equity securities held by the Company as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 was $2,580,000 and $2,935,000, respectively, and is included in “Prepaid expenses and other current assets” on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Level 2 Financial Instruments
The Company has one interest rate swap contract, which is classified as a Level 2 financial instrument as it is not actively traded and is valued using pricing models that use observable market inputs. The fair value of the contract was an asset of $2,580 and $147,465 at September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively. The interest rate swap was priced using discounted cash flow techniques. Changes in its fair value were recorded to other income (expense) with corresponding offsetting entries to current assets or liabilities, as appropriate. Significant inputs to the discounted cash flow model include projected future cash flows based on projected one-month LIBOR and the average margin for companies with similar credit ratings and similar maturities.
To manage the impact on earnings of fluctuating nickel prices, the Company occasionally enters into six-month forward option contracts, which are classified as Level 2. At September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company did not have any such contracts in place.
Level 3 Financial Instruments
The fair value of contingent consideration ("earn-out") liabilities resulting from the 2017 MUSA-Stainless acquisition, 2018 MUSA-Galvanized acquisition, and 2019 American Stainless acquisition (see Note 9) are classified as Level 3. The fair value of the MUSA-Stainless earn-out was estimated by applying the Monte Carlo Simulation approach using management's projection of pounds to be shipped and future price per unit. The fair value of the MUSA-Galvanized earn-out and American Stainless earn-out were estimated by applying the probability-weighted expected return method, using management's projection of pounds to be shipped and future price per unit. Each quarter-end, the Company re-evaluates its assumptions for all earn-out liabilities and adjusts to reflect the updated fair values. Changes in the estimated fair value of the earn-out liabilities are reflected in the results of operations in the periods in which they are identified. Changes in the fair value of the earn-out liabilities may materially impact and cause volatility in the Company's operating results.
The following table presents a summary of changes in fair value of the Company's earn-out liabilities during the period:
 
MUSA-Stainless
 
MUSA-Galvanized
 
American Stainless
 
Total
Balance at December 31, 2018
$
4,251,584

 
$
3,357,800

 
$

 
$
7,609,384

Fair value of the earn-out liability associated with the American Stainless acquisition

 

 
6,366,324

 
6,366,324

Earn-out payments during the period
(1,186,666
)
 
(582,889
)
 
(1,174,566
)
 
(2,944,121
)
Changes in fair value during the period
(1,035,212
)
 
(894,288
)
 
286,518

 
(1,642,982
)
Balance at September 30, 2019
$
2,029,706

 
$
1,880,623

 
$
5,478,276

 
$
9,388,605


For the nine month period ended September 30, 2018 the Company recorded a $219,548 charge related to changes in the fair value of the MUSA-Stainless earn-out liability.
There were no transfers of assets or liabilities between Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 in the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2019 or year ended December 31, 2018. During the first nine months of 2019, there have been no changes in the fair value methodologies used by the Company.