AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC. - 10-K filing on 2017-12-21

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

12 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2017

11. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

The authoritative guidance defines fair value as the price that would be received from selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. When determining the fair value measurements for assets and liabilities required or permitted to be recorded at fair value, we consider the principal or most advantageous market and assumptions that market participants would use when pricing the asset or liability.

Fair Value Hierarchy

The guidance establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the use of inputs used in valuation techniques into three levels. A financial instrument's categorization within the fair value hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. There are three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:

Level 1 — applies to assets or liabilities for which there are quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2 — applies to assets or liabilities for which there are inputs other than quoted prices included within level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, for the asset or liability such as: quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in less active markets; or other inputs that can be derived principally from, or corroborated by, observable market data.

Level 3 — applies to assets or liabilities for which there are unobservable inputs to the valuation methodology that are significant to the measurement of the fair value of the assets or liabilities.

Financial Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

Financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of October 31, 2017 were as follows:



			Fair Value Measurement at October 31, 2017 Using
	October 31, 2017		Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
	(in millions)
Assets:
Short-term
Cash equivalents (money market funds)	$	1,659	$	1,659	$	—	$	—
Derivative instruments (foreign exchange contracts)	4		—		4		—
Long-term
Trading securities	32		32		—		—
Total assets measured at fair value	$	1,695	$	1,691	$	4	$	—
Liabilities:
Short-term
Derivative instruments (foreign exchange contracts)	$	6	$	—	$	6	$	—
Long-term
Deferred compensation liability	32		—		32		—
Total liabilities measured at fair value	$	38	$	—	$	38	$	—

Financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of October 31, 2016 were as follows:



			Fair Value Measurement at October 31, 2016 Using
	October 31, 2016		Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
	(in millions)
Assets:
Short-term
Cash equivalents (money market funds)	$	1,482	$	1,482	$	—	$	—
Derivative instruments (foreign exchange contracts)	9		—		9		—
Long-term
Trading securities	31		31		—		—
Total assets measured at fair value	$	1,522	$	1,513	$	9	$	—
Liabilities:
Short-term
Derivative instruments (foreign exchange contracts)	$	8	$	—	$	8	$	—
Long-term
Deferred compensation liability	31		—		31		—
Total liabilities measured at fair value	$	39	$	—	$	39	$	—

Our money market funds and trading securities are generally valued using quoted market prices and therefore are classified within level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. Our derivative financial instruments are classified within level 2, as there is not an active market for each hedge contract, but the inputs used to calculate the value of the instruments are tied to active markets. Our deferred compensation liability is classified as level 2 because although the values are not directly based on quoted market prices, the inputs used in the calculations are observable.

Trading securities, which is comprised of mutual funds, bonds and other similar instruments, and deferred compensation liability are reported at fair value, with gains or losses resulting from changes in fair value recognized currently in net income. Certain derivative instruments are reported at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, included in accumulated other comprehensive loss within stockholders' equity. Realized gains and losses from the sale of these instruments are recorded in net income.

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Non-Recurring Basis

Long-Lived Assets

For assets measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis, the following table summarizes the impairments included in net income for the years ended October 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015:



	Years Ended October 31,
	2017		2016		2015
	(in millions)
Long-lived assets held and used	$	—	$	4	$	3
Long-lived assets held for sale	$	—	$	—	$	—

For 2017, there were no impairments of long-lived assets held and used. Long-lived assets held and used with a carrying amount of $4 million were written down to their fair value of zero, resulting in an impairment charge of $4 million, which was included in net income for 2016. Long-lived assets held and used with a carrying amount of $3 million were written down to their fair value of zero, resulting in an impairment charge of $3 million, which was included in net income for 2015. The impairment charge in 2016 and 2015 of $4 million and $3 million, respectively, relates to IPR&D projects that were abandoned and written down to their fair value of zero.

There were no impairments of long-lived assets held for sale in 2017, 2016 and 2015.

Fair values for the impaired long-lived assets were measured using level 2 inputs.