MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS INC Fair Value Disclosure
5. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
Fair Value Hierarchy
The Company has estimated the fair value of its financial assets by applying the following hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value into three levels and bases the categorization within the hierarchy upon the lowest level of input that is available and significant to the fair value measurement:
| ● | Level 1—includes instruments with quoted prices in active markets for identical assets. |
| ● | Level 2—includes instruments for which the valuations are based upon quoted market prices in active markets involving similar assets or inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the assets. The market inputs used to value these instruments generally consist of market yields, recently executed transactions, broker/dealer quotes or alternative pricing sources with reasonable levels of price transparency. Pricing sources may include industry standard data providers, security master files from large financial institutions, and other third-party sources used to determine a daily market value. |
| ● | Level 3—includes instruments for which the valuations are based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement. |
Financial Assets Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis
The following tables detail the fair value of the Company’s financial assets measured on a recurring basis (in thousands):
| December 31, 2025 | ||||||||||||||||
| Total | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | |||||||||||||
| Money market funds | $ | 129,674 | $ | 129,674 | $ | - | $ | - | ||||||||
| Certificates of deposit | 157,243 | - | 157,243 | - | ||||||||||||
| Auction-rate securities backed by student-loan notes | 49 | - | - | 49 | ||||||||||||
| Mutual funds and money market funds under deferred compensation plan | 75,484 | 75,484 | - | - | ||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 362,450 | $ | 205,158 | $ | 157,243 | $ | 49 | ||||||||
| December 31, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||
| Total | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | |||||||||||||
| Money market funds | $ | 11,867 | $ | 11,867 | $ | - | $ | - | ||||||||
| Certificates of deposit | 164,418 | - | 164,418 | - | ||||||||||||
| Corporate debt securities | 6,712 | - | 6,712 | - | ||||||||||||
| Auction-rate securities backed by student-loan notes | 148 | - | - | 148 | ||||||||||||
| Mutual funds and money market funds under deferred compensation plan | 65,337 | 65,337 | - | - | ||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 248,482 | $ | 77,204 | $ | 171,130 | $ | 148 | ||||||||
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Feb 27, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Mar 3, 2025 | |
| 2023 | Feb 29, 2024 | |
| 2022 | Feb 24, 2023 | |
| 2021 | Feb 25, 2022 | |
| 2020 | Mar 1, 2021 | |
| 2019 | Feb 28, 2020 | |
| 2018 | Mar 1, 2019 | |
| 2017 | Mar 1, 2018 | |
| 2016 | Mar 1, 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.