Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Fair Value Measurements

v3.20.4
Fair Value Measurements
6 Months Ended
Nov. 30, 2020
Fair Value Measurements [Abstract]  
Fair Value Measurements Note F: Fair Value Measurements

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The accounting standards related to fair value measurements include a hierarchy for information and valuations used in measuring fair value that is broken down into three levels based on reliability, as follows:

Level 1 valuations are based on quoted prices in active markets for identical instruments that the Company can access at the measurement date.

Level 2 valuations are based on inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the instrument, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset or liability including the following:

oquoted prices for similar, but not identical, instruments in active markets;

oquoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active;

oinputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the instrument; or

oinputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means.

Level 3 valuations are based on information that is unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement.

The carrying values of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents, accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts, PEO unbilled receivables, net of advance collections, accounts payable and short-term borrowings, when used by the Company, approximate fair value due to the short maturities of these instruments. Marketable securities included in funds held for clients and corporate investments consist primarily of securities classified as AFS and are recorded at fair value on a recurring basis.

The Company’s financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis were as follows:

November 30, 2020

Quoted

Significant

prices in

other

Significant

Carrying

active

observable

unobservable

value

markets

inputs

inputs

In millions

(Fair value)

(Level 1)

(Level 2)

(Level 3)

Assets:

Restricted and unrestricted cash equivalents:

Money market securities

$

17.3

$

17.3

$

$

Total restricted and unrestricted cash equivalents

$

17.3

$

17.3

$

$

AFS securities:

Asset-backed securities

$

77.7

$

$

77.7

$

Corporate bonds

665.7

665.7

Municipal bonds

1,744.0

1,744.0

U.S. government agency and treasury securities

556.5

556.5

VRDNs

142.9

142.9

Total AFS securities

$

3,186.8

$

$

3,186.8

$

Other

$

32.0

$

32.0

$

$

Liabilities:

Other long-term liabilities

$

30.1

$

30.1

$

$

May 31, 2020

Quoted

Significant

prices in

other

Significant

Carrying

active

observable

unobservable

value

markets

inputs

inputs

In millions

(Fair value)

(Level 1)

(Level 2)

(Level 3)

Assets:

Restricted and unrestricted cash equivalents:

Money market securities

$

43.5

$

43.5

$

$

Total restricted and unrestricted cash equivalents

$

43.5

$

43.5

$

$

AFS securities:

Asset-backed securities

$

69.7

$

$

69.7

$

Corporate bonds

683.6

683.6

Municipal bonds

1,409.6

1,409.6

U.S. government agency and treasury securities

594.3

594.3

Total AFS securities

$

2,757.2

$

$

2,757.2

$

Other

$

27.2

$

27.2

$

$

Liabilities:

Other long-term liabilities

$

26.8

$

26.8

$

$

In determining the fair value of its assets and liabilities, the Company predominately uses the market approach. Money market securities, which are cash equivalents, are considered Level 1 investments as they are valued based on quoted market prices in active markets. AFS securities, including asset-backed securities, corporate bonds, municipal bonds, U.S. government agency and treasury securities, and VRDNs, are included in Level 2 and are valued utilizing inputs obtained from an independent pricing service. To determine the fair value of the Company’s Level 2 AFS securities, the independent pricing service uses a variety of inputs, including benchmark yields, reported trades, non-binding broker/dealer quotes, issuer spreads, two-sided markets, benchmark securities, bids, offers, reference data, new issue data, and monthly payment information. The Company has not adjusted the prices obtained from the independent pricing service because it believes that they are appropriately valued.

Assets included as other are mutual fund investments, consisting of participants’ eligible deferral contributions under the Company’s non-qualified and unfunded deferred compensation plans. The related liability is reported as other long-term liabilities. The mutual funds are considered Level 1 investments as they are valued based on quoted market prices in active markets.

The Company’s long-term borrowings are accounted for under historical cost. As of November 30, 2020 and May 31, 2020, the fair value of long-term borrowings, net of debt issuance costs was $458.9 million and $441.9 million for the Senior Notes, Series A, respectively, and $474.9 million and $448.7 million for the Senior Notes, Series B, respectively.

The Company’s long-term borrowings are not traded in active markets and as a result its fair values were estimated using a market approach employing Level 2 valuation inputs, including borrowing rates the Company believes are currently available based on loans with similar terms and maturities.

The preceding methods described may produce a fair value calculation that may not be indicative of net realizable value or reflective of future fair values. Furthermore, although the Company believes its valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with other market participants, the use of different methodologies or assumptions to determine the fair value of certain financial instruments could result in a different fair value measurement at the reporting date.