UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C.  20549

 

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FORM 10-Q

 

☒QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2015

 

OR

 

☐TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

Commission File Number: 001-35092

 

EXACT SCIENCES CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

(608) 284-5700 (Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes  ☒  No  ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).  Yes ☒    No ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).  Yes  ☐  No  ☒

 

As of October 28, 2015, the registrant had 96,338,000  shares of common stock outstanding.

 

 

 

EXACT SCIENCES CORPORATION

 

INDEX

 

 

 

Part I — Financial Information

 

EXACT SCIENCES CORPORATION

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Amounts in thousands, except share data - unaudited)

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

EXACT SCIENCES CORPORATION

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

(Amounts in thousands, except per share data - unaudited)

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

 

EXACT SCIENCES CORPORATION

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss

(Amounts in thousands - unaudited)

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

 

 

EXACT SCIENCES CORPORATION

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(Amounts in thousands, except share data - unaudited)

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

EXACT SCIENCES CORPORATION

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

(Amounts in thousands, except share and per share data, unless otherwise noted or instances where expressed in millions)

 

(1) ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

 

Organization

 

Exact Sciences Corporation (together with its subsidiaries, “Exact”, “we”, “us” or the “Company”) was incorporated in February 1995. Exact is a molecular diagnostics company focused on the early detection and prevention of some of the deadliest forms of cancer. The Company has developed an accurate, non-invasive, patient-friendly screening test for the early detection of colorectal cancer and pre-cancer, and is currently working on the development of tests for lung cancer, pancreatic cancer and esophageal cancer.

 

 

Basis of Presentation

 

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements, which include the accounts of Exact Sciences Corporation and those of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Exact Sciences Laboratories, LLC, Exact Sciences Finance Corporation, Exact Sciences Europe LTD, Beijing Exact Sciences Medical Technology Company Limited, and variable interest entities are unaudited and have been prepared on a basis substantially consistent with the Company’s audited financial statements and notes as of and for the year ended December 31, 2014 included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (the “2014 Form 10-K”). These condensed financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and follow the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for interim reporting. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting only of adjustments of a normal and recurring nature) considered necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations have been included. The results of the Company’s operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results of the Company’s operations for any other interim period or for a full fiscal year. The statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and related notes included in the 2014 Form 10-K.  Management has evaluated subsequent events for disclosure or recognition in the accompanying financial statements up to the filing of this report.

 

(2) SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries, Exact Sciences Laboratories, LLC, Exact Sciences Finance Corporation, Exact Sciences Europe LTD, Beijing Exact Sciences Medical Technology Company Limited, and variable interest entities. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

References to “Exact”, “we”, “us”, “our”, or the “Company” refer to Exact Sciences Corporation and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers cash on hand, demand deposits in bank, money market funds, and all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of 90 days or less to be cash and cash equivalents. The Company had no restricted cash at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014.

 

Marketable Securities

 

Management determines the appropriate classification of debt securities at the time of purchase and re-evaluates such designation as of each balance sheet date. Debt securities carried at amortized cost are classified as held-to-maturity when the Company has the positive intent and ability to hold the securities to maturity. Marketable equity securities and debt securities not classified as held-to-maturity are classified as available-for-sale. Available-for-sale securities are carried at fair value, with the unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, reported in other comprehensive loss. The amortized cost of debt securities in this category is adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity computed under the straight-line method, which approximates the effective interest method. Such amortization is included in investment income. Realized gains and losses and declines in value judged to be other-than-temporary on available-for-sale securities are included in investment income. The cost of securities sold is based on the specific identification method. Interest and dividends on securities classified as available-for-sale are included in investment income.

 

At September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the Company’s investments were comprised of fixed income investments and all were deemed available-for-sale. The objectives of the Company’s investment strategy are to provide liquidity and safety of principal while striving to achieve the highest rate of return consistent with these two objectives.  The Company’s investment policy limits investments to certain types of instruments issued by institutions with investment grade credit ratings and places restrictions on maturities and concentration by type and issuer. Investments in which the Company has the ability and intent, if necessary, to liquidate in order to support its current operations (including those with a contractual term greater than one year from the date of purchase) are classified as current. All of the Company’s investments are considered current. There were no realized losses for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014.  Realized gains were $7.7 thousand and $11.1 thousand for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

 

We periodically review our investments in unrealized loss positions for other-than-temporary impairments. This evaluation includes, but is not limited to, significant quantitative and qualitative assessments and estimates regarding credit ratings, collateralized support, the length of time and significance of a security’s loss position, our intent not to sell the security, and whether it is more likely than not that we will have to sell the security before recovery of its cost basis. For the nine months ended September 30, 2015, no investments were identified with other-than-temporary declines in value.

 

Available-for-sale securities at September 30, 2015 consisted of the following:

 

 

 

Available-for-sale securities at December 31, 2014 consisted of the following:

 

 

Changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

The amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (AOCI) for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 were as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

The amounts recognized in AOCI for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 were as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

Amounts reclassified from AOCI for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 were as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

Property and Equipment

 

Property and equipment are stated at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method over the assets’ estimated useful lives. Maintenance and repairs are expensed when incurred; additions and improvements are capitalized. The estimated useful lives of fixed assets are as follows:

 

 

 

At September 30, 2015, the Company had $7.1 million of assets under construction which consisted of $4.6 million related to building and leasehold improvements, $1.6 million of capitalized costs related to software projects and $0.9 million of costs related to machinery and equipment. Depreciation will begin on these assets once they are placed into service. At September 30, 2015, the Company has incurred $2.2 million in building improvement costs, of which, $0.1 million has been paid through financing at the period end and an additional $1.3 million will be financed in October 2015. The Company expects to incur minimal costs to complete the leasehold improvements, machinery and equipment, and the software projects, and these projects are expected to be completed in 2015.

 

 

Software Capitalization Policy

Software development costs related to internal use software are incurred in three stages of development: the preliminary project stage, the application development stage, and the post-implementation stage. Costs incurred during the preliminary project and post-implementation stages are expensed as incurred. Costs in the application development stage that meet the criteria for capitalization are capitalized and amortized, when the software is ready for its intended use, using the straight-line basis over the estimated economic useful life of the software.

 

Net Loss Per Share

 

Basic net loss per common share was determined by dividing net loss applicable to common stockholders by the weighted average common shares outstanding during the period.  Basic and diluted net loss per share are the same because all outstanding common stock equivalents have been excluded, as they are anti-dilutive due to the Company’s losses.

 

The following potentially issuable common shares were not included in the computation of diluted net loss per share because they would have an anti-dilutive effect due to net losses for each period:

 

 

 

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Revenue Recognition

 

Laboratory Service Revenue. The Company’s revenues are generated by the Cologuard® test. Revenues are recognized when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred or services have been rendered, the price is fixed and determinable, and collectability is reasonably assured. The Company assesses whether the fee is fixed or determinable and if the collectability is reasonably assured based on the nature of the fee charged for the laboratory services delivered and whether there are existing contractual arrangements with customers, third-party

commercial payors (insurance carriers and health plans) or coverage of the test by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). In addition, when evaluating collectability, the Company considers factors such as collection experience for the healthcare industry, the financial standing of customers or third-party commercial payors, and whether it has sufficient collection history to reliably estimate a payor's individual payment patterns.

 

A portion of laboratory service revenues earned by the Company will be initially recognized on a cash basis because the above criteria will not have been met at the time the test results are delivered. The Company generally bills third-party payors upon generation and delivery of a test result to the ordering physician following completion of a test.  Patients may have out-of-pocket costs for amounts not covered by their insurance carrier and the Company bills the patient directly for these amounts in the form of co-pays and deductibles in accordance with their insurance carrier and health plans. Some third-party payors may not fully cover the Cologuard test under their reimbursement policies. Consequently, in such cases, the Company pursues reimbursement on a case-by-case basis directly from the patient.

 

For laboratory services performed, where the collectability is not reasonably assured, the Company will continue to recognize revenues upon cash collection until it can reliably estimate the amount that will be ultimately collected for the Cologuard test. In order to begin to record revenue on an accrual basis in these scenarios, the Company expects to use at least several months of payment history, review the number of tests paid against the number of tests billed, and consider the payor's outstanding balance for unpaid tests to determine whether payments are being made for a consistently high percentage of tests billed and at appropriate amounts given the contracted or historical payment amount. With regard to Cologuard tests covered by Medicare, the national coverage determination for Cologuard was released by CMS on October 9, 2014 and for these tests, revenue is recognized on an accrual basis once the services have been performed as the price is fixed or determinable, and collectability is reasonably assured.

 

The Company recognized approximately $12.6 million and $25.0 million in laboratory service revenue for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015.

License fees.  License fees for the licensing of product rights are recorded as deferred revenue upon receipt of cash and recognized as revenue on a straight-line basis over the license period. As more fully described in the 2014 Form 10-K, in connection with the Company’s January 2009 strategic transaction with Genzyme Corporation, the Company deferred the initial $16.65 million in cash received at closing and amortized that up-front payment on a straight-line basis into revenue over the initial five-year collaboration period which ended in January 2014. In addition, in 2010 the Company received holdback amounts of $1.85 million, which were deferred at the time of receipt and were amortized on a straight-line basis into revenue over the then remaining term of the collaboration period.

 

In addition, the Company deferred $1.53 million premium related to common stock purchased by Genzyme and amortized that amount on a straight-line basis into revenue over the initial five-year collaboration period which ended in January 2014.

 

The Company did not recognize revenue in connection with the amortization of the up-front payments from Genzyme during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015. The Company recognized approximately $0.3 million in license fee revenue in connection with the amortization of the up-front payments from Genzyme during the nine months ended September 30, 2014. There was no license fee revenue recognized during the three months ended September 30, 2014.

Inventory

 

Inventory is stated at the lower of cost or market value (net realizable value). The Company determines the cost of inventory using the first-in, first out method (FIFO). The Company estimates the recoverability of inventory by reference to internal estimates of future demands and product life cycles, including expiration. The Company periodically analyzes its inventory levels to identify inventory that may expire prior to expected sale or has a cost basis in excess of its estimated realizable value, and records a charge to cost of sales for such inventory as appropriate. In addition, the Company's products are subject to strict quality control and monitoring which the Company performs throughout the manufacturing process. If certain batches or units of product no longer meet quality specifications or become obsolete due to expiration, the Company records a charge to cost of sales to write down such unmarketable inventory to its estimated realizable value.

 

Direct and indirect manufacturing costs incurred during process validation and for other research and development activities, which are not permitted to be sold, have been expensed to research and development. 

 

Inventory consist of the following (amount in thousands):

 

 

Foreign Currency Translation

 

For the Company’s international subsidiaries, the local currency is the functional currency. Assets and liabilities of these subsidiaries are translated into United States dollars at the period-end exchange rate or historical rates as appropriate. Consolidated statements of operations amounts are translated at average exchange rates for the period. The cumulative translation adjustments resulting from changes in exchange rates are included in the consolidated balance sheet as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income in total Exact Sciences Corporation’s shareholders’ equity. Transaction gains and losses are included in the consolidated statement of operations in 2015.

 

Reclassifications

 

Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

 

 

(3) MAYO LICENSE AGREEMENT

 

Overview

 

As more fully described in the 2014 Form 10-K, in June 2009 the Company entered into a license agreement (the “MAYO Agreement”) with MAYO Foundation for Medical Education and Research (“MAYO”). Pursuant to the MAYO Agreement, the Company granted MAYO two common stock purchase warrants with an exercise price of $1.90 per share covering 1,000,000 and 250,000 shares of common stock, respectively. The MAYO Agreement required the Company to make payments to MAYO for up-front fees, fees upon the achievement of certain milestones, and certain other payments. In addition to the license to intellectual property owned by MAYO, MAYO agreed to make available personnel to provide the Company product development and research and development assistance. The Company agreed to make royalty payments to MAYO on potential future net sales of any products developed from the licensed technology. The Company sought rights to the MAYO intellectual property for the specific purpose of developing a non-invasive, stool-based DNA screening test for colorectal cancer.  At the time the MAYO Agreement was executed, the Company’s sole focus was the development of such a test.  Accordingly, the Company recognized the initial payments and expenses related to the warrants at the time of the transaction and the amounts were expensed to research and development as there were no anticipated alternative future uses associated with the intellectual property.

 

Warrants

 

The warrants granted to MAYO were valued based on a Black-Scholes pricing model at the date of the grant. The warrants were granted with an exercise price of $1.90 per share of common stock. The grant to purchase 1,000,000 shares was immediately exercisable and the grant to purchase 250,000 shares vested and became exercisable over a four year period.

 

MAYO exercised the warrant to purchase 1,000,000 shares through several partial exercises. As of September 2011, the warrant covering 1,000,000 shares was fully exercised.

 

MAYO exercised the warrant to purchase 250,000 shares through partial exercises, the last of which occurred in June 2014. In June 2014, MAYO exercised the remaining shares of this warrant by utilizing the cashless exercise provision contained in the warrant. As a result of this exercise for a gross amount of 80,000 shares, in lieu of paying a cash exercise price, MAYO forfeited its right with respect to 10,587 shares leaving it with a net amount of 69,413 shares. Following this exercise, all of MAYO’s warrants to purchase the Company’s common stock were fully exercised.

 

Royalty Payments

 

Under the MAYO Agreement, the Company agreed to make royalty payments to MAYO based on a percentage of net sales of products developed from the licensed technology starting in the third year of the agreement.  Starting in 2012, minimum royalty payments were $10,000 per year.  For each year from 2015 through 2033 (the year the last patent expires), the minimum royalty payments are $25,000 per year.

 

Other Payments

 

Other payments under the MAYO Agreement include an upfront payment of $80,000, a milestone payment of $250,000 on the commencement of patient enrollment in a human cancer screening clinical trial, and a $500,000 payment upon FDA approval of the Company’s Cologuard test.  The upfront payment of $80,000 was made in the third quarter of 2009 and expensed to research and development in the second quarter of 2009. The Company began enrollment in human cancer screening clinical trial in June 2011 and the milestone payment of $250,000 was made and expensed to research and development in June 2011.  The Company received FDA approval for its Cologuard test in August 2014, and the milestone payment of $500,000 was made and expensed to research and development in August 2014.

 

In addition, the Company pays MAYO for research and development efforts.  During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, the Company made payments of $0.9 million and $2.4 million, respectively. At September 30, 2015 the Company recorded an estimated liability in the amount of $0.4 million for MAYO’s research and development efforts.  During the three months ended September 30, 2014, the Company did not make research and development payments to MAYO. During the nine months ended September 30, 2014, the Company made research and development payments to MAYO of $0.7 million. At September 30, 2014 the Company recorded an estimated liability in the amount of $1.6 million for research and development efforts.

 

May 2012 Amendment

 

In May 2012 the Company expanded the relationship with MAYO through an amendment to the MAYO Agreement. As part of the amendment, MAYO expanded the Company’s license to include all gastrointestinal cancers and diseases, and new cancer screening applications of stool- and blood-based testing.

 

As part of the amendment, the Company agreed to make restricted stock grants to MAYO upon the achievement of certain milestones with respect to commercial launch of the Company’s second and third licensed products. Additionally, the Company agreed to make milestone payments once certain sales levels are reached on licensed products. It is uncertain as to when or if these milestones will be met; therefore, the milestone payments have not been recorded as a liability. The Company evaluates the status of the milestone payments at each reporting date to determine if a liability should be recorded for the milestone payment.

 

February 2015 Amendment

 

In February 2015 the Company amended and restated the MAYO Agreement to extend the Company’s arrangement with MAYO for an additional five years and to broaden the Company’s and MAYO’s collaboration efforts to develop screening, surveillance and diagnostic tests and tools for use in connection with gastrointestinal cancers, precancers, diseases and conditions.  Under the amended and restated agreement (the “Restated MAYO Agreement”), MAYO agreed to continue to make personnel available during the additional five year period to provide the Company product development and research and development assistance. The Restated MAYO Agreement defines “gastrointestinal” to include certain airway organs (including the pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs) and

certain head and neck organs (including nasal passages, mouth and throat).  The Restated MAYO Agreement also reflects an expanded list of patent rights that MAYO licenses to the Company.

Pursuant to the Restated MAYO Agreement, the Company agreed to pay MAYO an additional $5.0 million, payable in five annual $1.0 million installments, the first of which was due February 10, 2015. The first $1.0 million payment was made to MAYO in February 2015 and was capitalized to pre-paid assets and will be amortized to research and development expenses straight-line over the initial 12 month research period.  Additionally, the Company will make milestone payments once certain sales levels are reached on licensed products. It is uncertain as to when or if these milestones will be met; therefore, the milestone payments have not been recorded as a liability. The Company evaluates the status of the milestone payments at each reporting date to determine if a liability should be recorded for the milestone payment.

 

 

(4) MD ANDERSON LICENSE AGREEMENT

 

Overview

 

On April 10, 2015, the Company entered into a Joint Development and License Agreement (“MD Anderson Agreement”) with the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (“MD Anderson”) to jointly develop, clinically validate and obtain FDA approval and CMS coverage and reimbursement for in-vitro diagnostic and screening tools for the early detection of lung cancer (the “IVD Assays”). Under the MD Anderson Agreement, MD Anderson assigned certain patent rights to the Company and granted the Company an exclusive license to certain intellectual property rights for the purpose of developing, manufacturing and marketing IVD Assays. In addition, MD Anderson agreed to make personnel available to provide the Company product development and research and development assistance. Pursuant to the MD Anderson Agreement, the Company is obligated to reimburse IVD Assay development expenses incurred by the staff at MD Anderson, up to a maximum of $1.0 million per year for the first two years of the MD Anderson Agreement. At September 30, 2015 the Company recorded an estimated liability in the amount of $0.5 million for IVD Assay development efforts. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, the Company made payments for IVD Assay development costs to MD Anderson of $0.3 million. Beginning on April 30, 2015 and continuing through December 31, 2016, the Company is required to pay a quarterly fee of $0.3 million for the use of samples already collected prior to the effective date of the agreement which will be utilized in the continued research and development of IVD Assays. Further, the Company has agreed to pay MD Anderson a low single digit royalty on the Company’s net sales of licensed products covered by specified patent rights. As of September 30, 2015 there have been no commercial sales of such product. 

 

 

(5) STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

 

Stock-Based Compensation Plans

 

The Company’s stock-based compensation plans include the 2010 Omnibus Long-Term Incentive Plan (As Amended and Restated Effective April 28, 2015), the 2010 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, the 2015 Inducement Grant Plan and the 2000 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (collectively, the “Stock Plans”).

 

Stock-Based Compensation Expense

 

The Company recorded $4.9 million and $13.1 million in stock-based compensation expense during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 in connection with the amortization of restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards, stock purchase rights granted under the Company’s employee stock purchase plan and stock options granted to employees, non-employee consultants and non-employee directors.   The Company recorded $4.1 million and $8.6 million in stock-based compensation expense during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively, in connection with the amortization of restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards, stock purchase rights granted under the Company’s employee stock purchase plan and stock options granted to employees, non-employee consultants and non-employee directors.  

 

Determining Fair Value

 

Valuation and Recognition – The fair value of each option award is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model based on the assumptions in the table below. The estimated fair value of employee stock options is recognized to expense using the straight-line method over the vesting period.

 

Expected Term – Expected term is based on the Company’s historical life data and is determined using the average of the vesting period and the contractual life of the stock options granted.

 

Expected Volatility - Expected volatility is based on the Company’s historical stock volatility data over the expected term of the awards.

 

Risk-Free Interest Rate - The Company bases the risk-free interest rate used in the Black-Scholes valuation model on the implied yield currently available on U.S. Treasury zero-coupon issues with an equivalent expected term.

 

Forfeitures - The Company records stock-based compensation expense only for those awards that are expected to vest.  A forfeiture rate is estimated at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from initial estimates.  The Company’s forfeiture rate used in the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 was 4.99%.

 

The fair value of each restricted stock and restricted stock unit award is determined on the date of grant using the closing stock price on that day.

 

 

 

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Stock Option and Restricted Stock Activity

 

A summary of stock option activity under the Stock Plans during the nine months ended September 30, 2015 is as follows:

 

 

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As of September 30, 2015, there was $39.5 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested share-based compensation arrangements granted under all Stock Plans.  Total unrecognized compensation cost will be adjusted for future changes in forfeitures.  The Company expects to recognize that cost over a weighted average period of 2.9 years.

 

A summary of restricted stock activity under the Stock Plans during the nine months ended September 30, 2015 is as follows:

 

 

 

 

(6) FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

 

The FASB has issued authoritative guidance which requires that fair value should be based on the assumptions market participants would use when pricing an asset or liability and establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the information used to develop those assumptions.  Under the standard, fair value measurements are separately disclosed by level within the fair value hierarchy.  The fair value hierarchy establishes and prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs.  Observable inputs are inputs that reflect the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Company.  Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the Company’s assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances.

 

The three levels of the fair value hierarchy established are as follows:

 

 

Fixed-income securities and mutual funds are valued using a third party pricing agency. The valuation is based on observable inputs including pricing for similar assets and other observable market factors. There has been no material change from period to period.  The estimated fair value of the Company’s long-term debt based on a market approach was approximately $3.5 million and $1.0 million as of September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively, and represent Level 2 measurements.  When determining the estimated fair value of the Company’s long-term debt, the Company used market-based risk measurements, such as credit risk.

 

The following table presents the Company’s fair value measurements as of September 30, 2015 along with the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements in their entirety fall.  Amounts in the table are in thousands.

 

The following table presents the Company’s fair value measurements as of December 31, 2014 along with the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements in their entirety fall.  Amounts in the table are in thousands.

 

The following table summarizes gross unrealized losses and fair values of our investments in an unrealized loss position as of September 30, 2015, aggregated by investment category and length of time that individual securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position: