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INVESTMENTS
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2024
INVESTMENTS [Abstract]  
INVESTMENTS 8. INVESTMENTS

The following is a summary of the Company’s investments (in thousands):

As of

March 31,

December 31,

2024

2023

Equity method investments

$

3,461

$

3,775

Nonmarketable equity investments without readily determinable fair values

12,532

12,617

Total investment securities

$

15,993

$

16,392

Equity Method Investments

The Company has an approximately 7% ownership stake in Monkey Spirit, LLC, which owns the IP license to distribute Howler Head branded products and beverages (together, “Howler Head”). The Company recognized equity losses of $0.3 million for each of the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, and the investment balance was $3.0 million and $3.3 million as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.

The Company recognized equity earnings of $0.3 million and equity losses of $0.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, from other equity method investments, which had a balance of $0.5 million as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023. During the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company received distributions of $0.3 million from these equity method investments.

Nonmarketable Equity Investments Without Readily Determinable Fair Values

As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company held various investments in nonmarketable equity instruments of private companies.

The Company did not record any impairment charges on these investments during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023. In addition, there were no observable price change events that were completed during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023.

The fair value measurements of the Company’s equity investments and nonmarketable equity investments without readily determinable fair values are classified within Level 3 as significant unobservable inputs are used as part of the determination of fair value. Significant unobservable inputs may include variables such as near-term prospects of the investees, recent financing activities of the investees, and the investees' capital structure, as well as other economic variables, which reflect assumptions market participants would use in pricing these assets. For equity investments without readily determinable fair values, the Company has elected to use the measurement alternative to fair value that will allow these investments to be recorded at cost, less impairment, and adjusted for subsequent observable price changes.