AtriCure, Inc.ATRC
AtriCure, Inc. Fair Value Disclosure
FAIR VALUE
FASB ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures”, defines fair value as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an 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. Valuation techniques used to measure fair value must maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. The fair value hierarchy is based on three levels of inputs, of which the first two are considered observable and the last unobservable, that may be used to measure fair value:
•Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date. An active market for the asset or liability is a market in which transactions for the asset or liability occur with sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis. The valuation under this approach does not entail a significant degree of judgment.
•Level 2—Inputs other than Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, 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 for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities. The valuation technique for the Company’s Level 2 assets is based on quoted market prices for similar assets from observable pricing sources at the reporting date.
•Level 3—Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities. Unobservable inputs shall be used to measure fair value to the extent that observable inputs are not available, thereby allowing for situations in which there is little, if any, market activity for the asset or liability at the measurement date.
The following table represents the Company’s fair value hierarchy for its financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2025:
| Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Significant Other Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Assets: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Money market funds | $ | 156,491 | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 156,491 | |||||||||||||||
| Total assets | $ | 156,491 | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 156,491 | |||||||||||||||
The following table represents the Company’s fair value hierarchy for its financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2024:
| Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Significant Other Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Assets: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Money market funds | $ | 101,147 | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 101,147 | |||||||||||||||
| Total assets | $ | 101,147 | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 101,147 | |||||||||||||||
There were no changes in the levels or methodology of measurement of financial assets and liabilities during the year ended December 31, 2025. The estimated fair value of money market funds transferred from a Level 2 fair value measurement to a Level 1 fair value measurement during the year ended December 31, 2024.
Contingent Consideration-Business Combination. The Company's contingent consideration arrangements arising from the SentreHEART acquisition obligate the Company to pay certain defined amounts to former shareholders of SentreHEART if specified milestones are met related to the aMAZE IDE clinical trial, including PMA approval and reimbursement for the therapy involving SentreHEART's devices. The PMA approval milestone expired on December 31, 2023, while the achievement period for the reimbursement milestone expires on December 31, 2026. The contingent consideration liability is measured by applying the probability weighted scenario method using unobservable inputs, thus representing a Level 3 measurement within the fair value hierarchy. The Company continues to assess the projected probability of payment during the contractual achievement periods to be remote, resulting in no reported fair value as of December 31, 2025 and 2024.
The Company had no Level 3 fair value measurements using significant other unobservable inputs for contingent consideration in the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023.Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Feb 19, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Feb 14, 2025 | |
| 2023 | Feb 16, 2024 | |
| 2022 | Feb 22, 2023 | |
| 2021 | Feb 17, 2022 | |
| 2020 | Feb 26, 2021 | |
| 2019 | Feb 24, 2020 | |
| 2018 | Mar 1, 2019 | |
| 2017 | Feb 28, 2018 | |
| 2016 | Mar 8, 2017 | |
| 2015 | Feb 29, 2016 | |
About Fair Value Disclosures
Fair value disclosures classify all assets and liabilities measured at fair value into a three-level hierarchy: Level 1 (quoted market prices), Level 2 (observable inputs like yield curves), and Level 3 (unobservable inputs requiring management estimates). The proportion of Level 3 assets directly reflects how much of the balance sheet depends on internal models rather than market evidence.
Key signals: a growing Level 3 balance relative to total fair-value assets increases valuation uncertainty and earnings volatility risk. Watch for transfers between levels — assets moving from Level 2 to Level 3 often signal deteriorating market liquidity. Unrealized gains and losses on Level 3 positions flow through earnings or other comprehensive income, so large swings deserve scrutiny. For financial institutions, examine the sensitivity disclosures that show how Level 3 valuations change under alternative assumptions. Compare the fair value of debt against its carrying amount to gauge hidden leverage.