BOSTON BEER CO INC Fair Value Disclosure
N. Fair Value Measurements
The Company defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or be paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Company applies the following fair value 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. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements).
The Company’s investments in money market funds are measured at fair value on a recurring basis (at least annually) and are classified within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy because they are valued using quoted market prices. The money market funds are invested substantially in United States Treasury and government securities. The Company does not adjust the quoted market price for such financial instruments. Cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and accrued expenses are carried at their cost, which approximates fair value, because of their short-term nature.
At December 27, 2025 and December 28, 2024, the Company had funds invested in a “Triple A” rated money market fund. The Company considers the “Triple A” rated money market fund to be a large, highly-rated investment-grade institution. As of December 27, 2025 and December 28, 2024, the Company’s cash and cash equivalents balance was $223.4 million and $211.8 million, respectively, including money market funds amounting to $216.7 million and $203.1 million, respectively.
Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurement
The fair value as of the issuance date of the Company's note receivable as discussed further in Note I is classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy as the fair value was partially derived from publicly quoted inputs of market interest rates for a loan of similar terms, provisions, and maturity.
The fair value of the Company's Dogfish Head trademark intangible assets as of the 2024 impairment assessment date is classified within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy because there are no observable inputs of market activity. When performing a quantitative assessment for impairment of the trademark asset, the Company measures the amount of impairment by calculating the amount by which the carrying value of the trademark asset exceeds its estimated fair value. The estimated fair value is determined based on an income approach using the relief from royalty method, which assumes that, in lieu of ownership, a third party would be willing to pay a royalty in order to exploit the related benefits of the trademark asset. The cash flow projections the Company uses to estimate the fair value of its Dogfish Head trademark intangible asset involves several assumptions, including (i) projected revenue growth, (ii) an estimated royalty rate, (iii) after-tax royalty savings expected from ownership of the trademark and (iv) a discount rate used to derive the estimated fair value of the trademark asset.
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Feb 24, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Feb 25, 2025 | |
| 2023 | Feb 27, 2024 | |
| 2022 | Feb 22, 2023 | |
| 2021 | Feb 22, 2022 | |
| 2020 | Feb 17, 2021 | |
| 2019 | Feb 19, 2020 | |
| 2018 | Feb 20, 2019 | |
| 2017 | Feb 21, 2018 | |
| 2016 | Feb 22, 2017 | |
| 2015 | Feb 18, 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.