Note 7. Fair Value of Financial Instruments

FASB ASC 820-10 defines fair value as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. ASC 820-10 also establishes a framework for measuring the fair value of assets and liabilities according to a hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three broad levels. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities (Level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3). The hierarchy maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Company. Unobservable inputs are inputs that are derived from assumptions based on management’s estimate of assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on the best information available under the circumstances.

The hierarchy is broken down into the following three levels, based on the reliability of inputs:

Level 1: Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that are accessible at the measurement date.

Level 2: Significant other observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data.

Level 3: Significant unobservable inputs for assets or liabilities that are derived from assumptions based on management’s estimate of assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the assets or liabilities.

Fair value is determined on a recurring basis based on appraisals by qualified licensed appraisers and is adjusted for management’s estimates of costs to sell and holding period discounts.

The following table presents information as of December 31, 2018 about significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) used in the valuation of assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis:

The fair value of the convertible notes receivable (and related discount) at the date of issuance was determined using the Monte Carlo simulation, probability of conversion and comparable interest rates.

The assumptions used to measure the fair value of the convertible notes receivable as of original issuance date and, as of December 31, 2018 were as follows:

The Company has recorded a warrant asset in relation to the contingent call option upon the occurrence of a “fundamental transaction”, as defined in the SEA. The fair value of the warrant asset (and related discount) at the date of issuance was determined using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, which was deemed not to be materially different than the fair value as would have been determined using an open simulation model such as the Monte Carlo. The Black-Scholes model uses a combination of observable inputs (Level 2) and unobservable inputs (Level 3) in calculating fair value.

The assumptions used to measure the fair value of the warrants as of original issuance date and as of December 31, 2018 were as follows:

The balances and levels of the assets measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis at December 31, 2018 are presented in the following table:

In relation to the acquisition, the Company no longer held these investments at December 31, 2019. A gain was recorded for $427,282 related to an increase in fair value and is included in other income.

A summary of the changes in the Company’s convertible notes receivable at fair value using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) as of and for the year ended December 31, 2019 is as follows:

A summary of the changes in the Company’s investment in warrants measured at fair value using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) as of and for the year ended December 31, 2019 is as follows:

The values of the investment in warrants at issuance and as of December 31, 2019 were $152,000 and $0, respectively, with a gain from the change in fair value of $55,000 for the year ended December 31, 2019 and is a component of other income in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations.