QUALCOMM Incorporated Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Fair Value Measurements (Notes)

Fair Value Measurements (Notes)

6 Months Ended

Mar. 26, 2017

Notes to Financial Statements [Abstract]

The following table presents the Company’s fair value hierarchy for assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis at March 26, 2017 (in millions):



	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Assets
Cash equivalents	$	3,270	$	2,939	$	—	$	6,209
Marketable securities
U.S. Treasury securities and government-related securities	319		772		—		1,091
Corporate bonds and notes	—		18,330		—		18,330
Mortgage- and asset-backed and auction rate securities	—		1,411		41		1,452
Equity and preferred securities and equity funds	70		176		—		246
Debt funds	—		615		—		615
Total marketable securities	389		21,304		41		21,734
Derivative instruments	—		24		—		24
Other investments	338		—		130		468
Total assets measured at fair value	$	3,997	$	24,267	$	171	$	28,435
Liabilities
Derivative instruments	—		28		—		28
Other liabilities	337		—		193		530
Total liabilities measured at fair value	$	337	$	28	$	193	$	558

Activity between Levels of the Fair Value Hierarchy. There were no significant transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 in the six months ended March 26, 2017 and March 27, 2016. The Company recognizes transfers into and out of levels within the fair value hierarchy at the end of the fiscal month in which the actual event or change in circumstances that caused the transfer occurs. Transfers of marketable securities out of Level 3 in the six months ended March 27, 2016 primarily consisted of debt securities with significant upgrades in credit ratings or for which there were observable inputs.

Other investments and other liabilities included in Level 3 at March 26, 2017 were comprised of convertible debt instruments issued by private companies and contingent consideration related to business combinations, respectively, in the six months ended March 26, 2017. There were no transfers of convertible debt instruments or contingent consideration amounts into or out of Level 3 during the six months ended March 26, 2017. When a determination is made to classify an asset or liability within Level 3, the determination is based upon the significance of the unobservable inputs to the overall fair value measurement. The fair value of convertible debt instruments is estimated by the Company based on the estimated timing and amount of future cash flows, as well as assumptions related to liquidity, default likelihood and recovery. The fair value of contingent consideration related to business combinations is estimated by the Company using a real options approach, which includes inputs, such as projected financial information, market volatility, discount rates and timing of contractual payments. The inputs used by the Company to estimate the fair values of the convertible debt instruments and contingent consideration are generally unobservable, and therefore, they are included in Level 3.

Nonrecurring Fair Value Measurements. The Company measures certain assets at fair value on a nonrecurring basis. These assets include cost and equity method investments when they are deemed to be other-than-temporarily impaired, assets acquired and liabilities assumed in an acquisition or in a nonmonetary exchange, and property, plant and equipment and intangible assets that are written down to fair value when they are held for sale or determined to be impaired. In the six months ended March 26, 2017 and March 27, 2016, the Company did not have any significant assets or liabilities that were measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis in periods subsequent to initial recognition.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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