Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Fair Value

v3.8.0.1
Fair Value
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
FAIR VALUE
FAIR VALUE
The following tables set forth the Company's assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis, by level within the fair value hierarchy, as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017:
 
March 31, 2018
 
 
 
Fair Value
 
Total
 
Level 1
 
Level 2
 
Level 3
Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other equity securities
$
2,972,281

 
$

 
$

 
$
2,972,281

Total Assets
$
2,972,281

 
$

 
$

 
$
2,972,281

 
December 31, 2017
 
 
 
Fair Value
 
Total
 
Level 1
 
Level 2
 
Level 3
Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other equity securities
$
2,958,315

 
$

 
$

 
$
2,958,315

Total Assets
$
2,958,315

 
$

 
$

 
$
2,958,315

At March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the only assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis were the Company's equity securities.
The changes for all Level 3 securities measured at fair value on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 are as follows:
Level 3 Rollforward
For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2018
 
Fair Value Beginning Balance
 
Acquisitions
 
Disposals
 
Total Realized and Unrealized Gains/(Losses) Included in Net Income
 
Return of Capital Adjustments Impacting Cost Basis of Securities
 
Fair Value Ending Balance
 
Changes in Unrealized Gains/(Losses), Included In Net Income, Relating to Securities Still Held (1)
Other equity securities
 
$
2,958,315

 
$

 
$

 
$
13,966

 
$

 
$
2,972,281

 
$
13,966

Total
 
$
2,958,315

 
$

 
$

 
$
13,966

 
$

 
$
2,972,281

 
$
13,966

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2017
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other equity securities
 
$
9,287,209

 
$

 
$

 
$
(544,208
)
 
$
(179,704
)
 
$
8,563,297

 
$
(544,208
)
Total
 
$
9,287,209

 
$

 
$

 
$
(544,208
)
 
$
(179,704
)
 
$
8,563,297

 
$
(544,208
)
(1) Located in Net realized and unrealized gain on other equity securities in the Consolidated Statements of Income

The Company utilizes the beginning of reporting period method for determining transfers between levels. There were no transfers between levels 1, 2 or 3 for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017.
Valuation Techniques and Unobservable Inputs
The Company's other equity securities, which represent securities issued by private companies, are classified as Level 3 assets and the Company has elected to report at fair value under the fair value option. Significant judgment is required in selecting the assumptions used to determine the fair values of these investments.
As of both March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the Company's investment in Lightfoot and Arc Terminal Joliet Holdings are its only remaining private company investments. The Company's Lightfoot investment consists of a 6.6 percent and 1.5 percent equity interest in Lightfoot LP and Lightfoot GP, respectively. As of both March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, Lightfoot's only material asset consists of its remaining investment in Gulf LNG, a 1.5 billion cubic feet per day ("bcf/d") receiving, storage, and regasification terminal in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Additionally, the Company owns a 0.6 percent interest in Arc Terminal Joliet Holdings, which was acquired in conjunction with the terms of Zenith's acquisition of Arc Logistics discussed below.
On December 21, 2017, Zenith closed its acquisition of Arc Logistics, except for terms pending with respect to the Gulf LNG arbitration with ENI USA. Under the terms of the agreement, Zenith will purchase the remaining 4.16 percent of Lightfoot's Gulf LNG interest ("the Conditional Interest") for an additional $27.3 million upon a successful outcome (as defined) of the Gulf LNG arbitration with Eni USA.
On March 1, 2016, an affiliate of Gulf LNG received a Notice of Disagreement and Disputed Statements and a Notice of Arbitration from Eni USA, one of the two companies that had entered into a terminal use agreement for capacity of the liquefied natural gas facility owned by Gulf LNG and its subsidiaries. Should Eni USA be successful in terminating its agreement with Gulf LNG, it could significantly impact the Company's remaining investment in Lightfoot.
The Company's remaining private company investments in Lightfoot and Arc Terminal Joliet holdings represent less than 0.5 percent of its total assets. The fair value of the Company's private company investments at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 were approximately $3.0 million, which were determined using recent transaction data and expected proceeds, discounted using a risk-free rate through the expected receipt date. Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the Company's investment may fluctuate from period to period. Additionally, the fair value of the Company's investment may differ from the values that would have been used had a ready market existed for such investment and may differ materially from the values that the Company may ultimately realize.
The following section describes the valuation methodologies used by the Company for estimating fair value for financial instruments not recorded at fair value, but fair value is included for disclosure purposes only, as required under disclosure guidance related to the fair value of financial instruments.
Cash and Cash Equivalents — The carrying value of cash, amounts due from banks, federal funds sold and securities purchased under resale agreements approximates fair value.
Financing Notes Receivable — The financing notes receivable are valued on a non-recurring basis. The financing notes receivable are reviewed for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable. Financing Notes with carrying values that are not expected to be recovered through future cash flows are written-down to their estimated net realizable value. Estimates of realizable value are determined based on unobservable inputs, including estimates of future cash flow generation and value of collateral underlying the notes.
Secured Credit Facilities — The fair value of the Company's long-term variable-rate and fixed-rate debt under its secured credit facilities approximates carrying value.
Unsecured Convertible Senior Notes — The fair value of the unsecured convertible senior notes is estimated using quoted market prices.
Carrying and Fair Value Amounts
 
Level within fair value hierarchy
 
March 31, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
 
 
Carrying
    Amount (1)
 
Fair Value
 
Carrying
    Amount (1)
 
Fair Value
Financial Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents
Level 1
 
$
17,330,097

 
$
17,330,097

 
$
15,787,069

 
$
15,787,069

Financing notes receivable (Note 5)
Level 3
 
$
1,000,000

 
$
1,000,000

 
$
1,500,000

 
$
1,500,000

Financial Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Secured Credit Facilities
Level 2
 
$
39,867,493

 
$
39,867,493

 
$
40,745,354

 
$
40,745,354

Unsecured convertible senior notes
Level 1
 
$
112,228,880

 
$
135,421,740

 
$
112,032,083

 
$
139,101,660

(1) The carrying value of debt balances are presented net of unamortized original issuance discount and debt issuance costs.