Quarterly report pursuant to sections 13 or 15(d)

Securities Owned and Securities Sold, But Not Yet Purchased

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Securities Owned and Securities Sold, But Not Yet Purchased
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Securities Owned and Securities Sold, But Not Yet Purchased
2.
Securities Owned and Securities Sold, But Not Yet Purchased
 
The components of securities owned and securities sold, but not yet purchased, at fair value at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010 were as follows:
 
   
Securities
owned
   
Securities sold,
but not yet purchased
 
September 30, 2011
           
Common stock and warrants
  $ 254     $ 10  
Restricted common stock and warrants
    1,330        
Total
  $ 1,584     $ 10  
                 
December 31, 2010
               
Common stock and warrants
  $ 577     $ 10  
Restricted common stock and warrants
    2,085        
Total
  $ 2,662     $ 10  
 
As of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, approximately $364 and $666, respectively, of securities owned were deposited with the Company’s subsidiaries’ clearing broker. Under the clearing agreements with such clearing broker, the securities may be sold or hypothecated by such clearing broker.
 
Securities sold, but not yet purchased, at fair value represent obligations of the Company’s subsidiaries to purchase the specified financial instrument at the then current market price.  Accordingly, these transactions result in off-balance-sheet risk as the Company's subsidiaries’ ultimate obligation to repurchase such securities may exceed the amount recognized in the condensed consolidated statements of financial condition.
 
The fair value hierarchy, established under authoritative accounting guidance, ranks the quality and reliability of the information used to determine fair values. Financial assets and liabilities carried at fair value are classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories:
 
 
Level 1 — Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

 
Level 2 — Inputs other than quoted prices in active markets, which are directly or indirectly observable for the asset or liability.

 
Level 3 — Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability where there is little or no market data, which requires the reporting entity to develop its own assumptions.

Securities are carried at fair value and classified as follows:

As of September 30, 2011:

Securities owned, at fair value
 
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
Common stock and warrants
  $ 254     $ 1,330     $     $ 1,584  
Total
  $ 254     $ 1,330     $     $ 1,584  

Securities sold, but not yet purchased, at fair value
 
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
Common stock and warrants
  $     $ 10     $     $ 10  
Total
  $     $ 10     $     $ 10  
 
As of December 31, 2010:

Securities owned, at fair value
 
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
Common stock and warrants
  $ 577     $ 2,085     $     $ 2,662  
Total
  $ 577     $ 2,085     $     $ 2,662  

Securities sold, but not yet purchased, at fair value
 
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
Common stock and warrants
  $     $ 10     $     $ 10  
Total
  $     $ 10     $     $ 10  

Warrants are carried at a discount to fair value as determined by using the Black-Scholes option pricing model due to illiquidity.  This model takes into account the underlying securities' current market value, the market volatility of the underlying securities, the term of the warrants, exercise price, and risk-free rate of return.  As of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, the fair value of the warrants was $1,075 and $1,907, respectively, and is included in common stock and warrants (level 2) above.