Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

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FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
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 instruments. 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 when measuring fair value. Fair value disclosures for assets and liabilities are grouped in 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.
Estimates of fair value using levels 2 and 3 may require judgments as to the timing and amount of cash flows, discount rates, and other factors requiring significant judgment, and the outcomes may vary widely depending on the selection of these assumptions. The Company's most significant fair value estimates as of March 31, 2017 relate to the purchase price allocation relating to the acquisition of the stainless steel operations of Marcegaglia USA, Inc. ("MUSA"), contingent consideration liability, testing goodwill for impairment, the interest rate swap and disclosures of the fair values of financial instruments.
As of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the carrying amounts for cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable and borrowings under the Company's bank debt, which are based on variable interest rates, approximate their fair value.
The Company has one Level 2 financial instrument. It is classified as Level 2 as it is not actively traded and is valued using pricing models that use observable market inputs. The fair value of the interest rate swap contract entered into on August 21, 2012 was an asset of $72,000 and $31,000 at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. The interest rate swap was priced using discounted cash flow techniques which are corroborated by using non-binding market prices. Changes in its fair value were recorded to other income (expense) with corresponding offsetting entries to long-term 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. The fair value of this interest rate swap contract approximates its carrying value.
The fair value of contingent consideration liabilities ("earn-out") resulting from the MUSA acquisition discussed in Note 9 is classified as Level 3. The fair value was estimated by applying the Monte Carlo Simulation approach using management's projection of pounds shipped and price per unit. Each quarter-end the Company re-evaluates its assumptions and adjusts to the estimated present value of the expected payments to be made.
The following table presents a summary of changes in fair value of the Company's Level 3 liability during the period:
 
 
Level 3 Inputs
Balance at December 31, 2016
 
$

Present value of the earn-out liability associated with the MUSA acquisition
 
3,604,330

Change in fair value during the period
 
17,286

Balance at March 31, 2017
 
$
3,621,616


There were no transfers of assets or liabilities between Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 in the three-month period ended March 31, 2017 or year ended December 31, 2016. During the first three months of 2017, there have been no changes in the fair value methodologies used by the Company.