| NOTE 1 - THE COMPANY AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | NOTE 1—THE COMPANY AN
The Company
GSI Technology, Inc. (the “Company”) was incorporated in California in March 1995 and reincorporated in Delaware on June 9, 2004. The Company is a provider of high performance semiconductor memory solutions to networking, industrial, medical, aerospace and military customers. The Company’s products are incorporated primarily in high-performance networking and telecommunications equipment, such as routers, switches, wide area network infrastructure equipment, wireless base stations and network access equipment. In addition, the Company serves the ongoing needs of the military, industrial, test equipment and medical markets for high-performance SRAMs. The Company’s in-place associative computing product is targeted for markets including big data, computer vision and cyber security.
Accounting principles
The consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes were prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).
Basis of consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company’s four wholly-owned subsidiaries, GSI Technology Holdings, Inc., GSI Technology (BVI), Inc., GSI Technology Israel Ltd. and GSI Technology Taiwan, Inc. All inter-company transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.
Use of estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Significant estimates are inherent in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements and include revenue recognition, obsolete and excess inventory, the valuation allowance on deferred tax assets, stock-based compensation, contingent consideration and the valuation of goodwill. The uncertainty created by the COVID-19 global pandemic and efforts to contain it, has made such estimates more difficult and subjective. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.
Risk and uncertainties
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization announced that COVID-19, a respiratory illness, caused by a novel coronavirus is a pandemic. COVID-19 has spread to many of the countries in which the Company, its customers, suppliers and other business partners conduct business. Governments in affected regions have implemented, and may continue to implement, safety precautions which include quarantines, travel restrictions, business closures, cancellations of public gatherings and other measures as they deem necessary. Many organizations and individuals, including the Company and its employees, are taking additional steps to avoid or reduce infection, including limiting travel and working from home. These measures are disrupting normal business operations both in and outside of affected areas and have had significant negative impacts on businesses and financial markets worldwide.
The Company continues to monitor its operations and government recommendations and have made modifications to its normal operations because of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The Company has instituted many preventative measures and is regularly evaluating those measures and others as it continues to better understand its current and future operating environment. Except for the Company’s employees located in Taiwan, the majority of its employees are working from home around the world, and productivity remains high. The Company has maintained a substantial portion of its manufacturing operational capacity at its primary manufacturing support facility located in Hsin Chu, Taiwan where the Company’s suppliers are located and where all of the Company’s products are manufactured. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, aside from the lengthening of lead times for wafers and assembly services, the Company has experienced minimal impact on its manufacturing operations in Taiwan. Final testing of the Company’s products are conducted in house. Shipping and receiving operations are being maintained by a skeleton crew with minimal impact. The Company’s revenues may be impacted by possible changes in customer buying patterns and communication limitations related to shelter in place restrictions that require a significant number of its customer contacts to work from home.
The disruption to the marketplace resulting from the COVID-19 global pandemic that the Company is currently experiencing is unlike anything the Company has ever had to deal with. While the Company continues to monitor the business metrics that it has historically used to predict its financial performance, the Company is uncertain as to whether these metrics will operate consistently with its historical experience.
The Company believes that during the next 12 months the COVID-19 pandemic could impact general economic activity and demand in its end markets. Although the Company cannot estimate the length or gravity of the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak at this time, if the pandemic continues, it may have an adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial position, and liquidity in fiscal year 2021.
On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was enacted. The CARES Act is an approximate $2 trillion emergency economic stimulus package passed in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The CARES Act includes direct financial assistance to Americans in the form of one-time payments to individuals, aid to small businesses in the form of loans and grants and other efforts to stabilize the U.S. economy and keep Americans employed. The Company has not filed, and currently does not intend to file, for funding related to the CARES Act due to its strong balance sheet and liquidity position with $70.7 million in cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments and long-term investments and no debt outstanding as of March 31, 2020. The Company currently has no plans to defer payroll taxes, to layoff or furlough employees or to modify leases and stock compensation plans. Also included in the CARES Act are numerous income tax provisions including changes to the net operating loss rules which the Company believes will not have a significant impact.
The Company buys all of its SRAM wafers, an integral components of its products, from a single supplier and is also dependent on independent suppliers to assemble and test its products. During the years ended March 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 , all of the wafers used in the Company’s SRAM products were supplied by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, or TSMC. If this supplier fails to satisfy the Company’s requirements on a timely basis at competitive prices, the Company could suffer manufacturing delays, a possible loss of revenues, or higher cost of revenues, any of which could adversely affect operating results.
A majority of the Company’s net revenues come from sales to customers in the networking and telecommunications equipment industry. A decline in demand in this industry could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s operating results and financial condition.
Because much of the manufacturing and testing of the Company’s products is conducted in Taiwan, its business performance may be affected by changes in Taiwan’s political, social and economic environment. For example, any political instability resulting from the relationship among the United States, Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China could damage the Company’s business. Moreover, the role of the Taiwanese government in the Taiwanese economy is significant. Taiwanese policies toward economic liberalization, and laws and policies affecting technology companies, foreign investment, currency exchange rates, taxes and other matters could change, resulting in greater restrictions on the Company’s and its suppliers' ability to do business and operate facilities in Taiwan. If any of these risks were to occur, the Company’s business could be harmed.
Some of the Company’s suppliers and the Company’s two principal operations are located near fault lines. In the event of a major earthquake, typhoon or other natural disaster near the facilities of any of these suppliers or the Company, the Company’s business could be harmed.
From time to time, the Company is involved in legal actions. There are many uncertainties associated with any litigation, and the Company may not prevail. If information becomes available that causes us to determine that a loss in any of our pending litigation, or the settlement of such litigation, is probable, and we can reasonably estimate the loss associated with such events, we will record the loss in accordance with GAAP. However, the actual liability in any such litigation may be materially different from our estimates, which could require us to record additional costs .
Revenue recognition
The Company implemented ASU No. 2014-09, “ Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606 )” and several supplemental and/or clarifying ASUs (collectively, "ASC 606") in fiscal 2019. T he Company recognizes revenue when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to its customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. Under this criteria, revenue from the sale of products is generally recognized upon shipment according to the Company’s shipping terms, net of accruals for estimated variable consideration resulting from sales returns and allowances based on historical experience. For sales to consignment warehouses, who purchase products from the Company for use by contract manufacturers, revenues are recognized upon delivery to the contract manufacturer. Prior to implementation of ASC 606, sales to certain distributors were made under agreements allowing for returns or credits under certain circumstances. We therefore deferred recognition of revenue on sales to those distributors under these terms until products were resold by the distributor. During fiscal 2018, we revised our distribution agreements to these distributors to eliminate ship from stock and debits and price protection. Under these revised distribution agreements, selling prices were fixed and determinable on the date of shipment and revenue was recognized upon shipment. Additionally, we recognized additional revenue of $2.0 million in fiscal 2018 on the dates that the distribution agreements were revised for product held by our distributors as the price became fixed and determinable.
Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in demand accounts and highly liquid investments purchased with an original or remaining maturity of three months or less at the date of purchase, stated at cost, which approximates their fair value.
Short-term and long-term investments
All of the Company’s short-term and long-term investments are classified as available-for-sale. Available-for-sale debt securities with maturities greater than twelve months are classified as long-term investments when they are not intended for use in current operations. Investments in available-for-sale securities are reported at fair value with unrecognized gains (losses), net of tax, as a component of “Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company monitors its investments for impairment periodically and records appropriate reductions in carrying values when the declines in fair value are determined to be other-than-temporary.
Concentration of credit risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to a concentration of credit risk consist primarily of cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments and accounts receivable. The Company places its cash primarily in checking, certificate of deposit, and money market accounts with reputable financial institutions, and by policy, limits the amount of credit exposure with any one financial institution or commercial issuer. The Company’s accounts receivables are derived primarily from revenue earned from customers located in the U.S. and Asia. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition and, generally, requires no collateral from its customers. The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts receivable based upon the expected collectability of accounts receivable. There were no write offs of accounts receivable in the years ended March 31, 2020, 2019 or 2018.
At March 31, 2020, three customers accounted for 33%, 20% and 19% of accounts receivable, and for the year then ended, four customers accounted for 34%, 17%, 15% and 15% of net revenues. At March 31, 2019, three customers accounted for 44%, 22% and 17% of accounts receivable, and for the year then ended, four customers accounted for 31%, 22%, 18% and 15% of net revenues. For the year ended March 31, 2018, four customers accounted for 35%, 16%, 16% and 13% of net revenues.
Inventories
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value, cost being determined on a weighted average basis. Inventory write-down allowances are established when conditions indicate that the selling price could be less than cost due to physical deterioration, obsolescence, changes in price levels, or other causes. These allowances, once recorded, result in a new cost basis for the related inventory. These allowances are also considered for excess inventory generally based on inventory levels in excess of 12 months of forecasted demand, as estimated by management, for each specific product. The allowance is not reversed until the inventory is sold or disposed.
The Company recorded write-downs of excess and obsolete inventories of $343,000, $1.2 million and $1.6 million, respectively, in fiscal 2020, 2019 and 2018.
Property and equipment, net
Property and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets as presented below:
Software
3 to 5 years
Computer and other equipment
5 to 10 years
Building and building improvements
10 to 25 years
Furniture and fixtures
7 years
Leasehold improvements are amortized using the straight-line method over the shorter of the estimated useful lives of the assets or the remaining lease term of the respective assets. Gains or losses on disposals of property and equipment are recorded within income from operations. Costs of repairs and maintenance are included as part of operating expenses unless they are incurred in relation to major improvements to existing property and equipment, at which time they are capitalized.
Impairment of long-lived assets
Long-lived assets held and used by the Company are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their net book value may not be recoverable. If the sum of the expected future cash flows (undiscounted and before interest) from the use of the assets is less than the net book value of the asset an impairment could exist and the amount of the impairment loss, if any, will generally be measured as the difference between the net book value of the assets and their estimated fair values. There were no impairment losses recognized during the years ended March 31, 2020, 2019 or 2018 .
Goodwill and intangible assets
Goodwill is not amortized but is tested for impairment on an annual basis or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of these assets may not be recoverable.
The Company assesses goodwill for impairment on an annual basis on the last day of February in the fourth quarter of its fiscal year and if certain events or circumstances indicate that an impairment loss may have been incurred, on an interim basis. The Company has one reporting unit. In accordance with ASU 2011-08, “ Testing Goodwill for Impairment ,” qualitative factors can be assessed to determine whether it is necessary to perform the current two-step test for goodwill impairment. If an entity believes, as a result of its qualitative assessment, that it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, the quantitative impairment test is required. Otherwise, no further testing is required.
Intangible assets with finite useful lives are amortized over their estimated useful lives, generally on a straight-line basis over five to fifteen years. The Company reviews identifiable amortizable intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets may not be recoverable. Determination of recoverability is based on the lowest level of identifiable estimated undiscounted cash flows resulting from use of the asset and its eventual disposition. Measurement of any impairment loss is based on the excess of the carrying value of the asset over its fair value.
Research and development
Research and development expenses are related to new product designs, including, salaries, stock-based compensation, contractor fees, and allocation of corporate costs and are charged to the statement of operations as incurred.
Income taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes under the liability method, whereby deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established when it is more likely than not that the deferred tax asset will not be realized. Because the Company recorded a cumulative three-year loss on a U.S. tax basis for the years ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company has recorded a tax provision reflecting substantially a full valuation allowance of its $9.4 million and $6.7 million of net deferred tax assets at March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
Authoritative guidance prescribes a comprehensive model for how a company should recognize, measure, present, and disclose in its financial statements uncertain tax positions that the company has taken or expects to take on a tax return (including a decision whether to file or not to file a return in a particular jurisdiction). Under the guidance, the financial statements will reflect expected future tax consequences of such positions presuming the taxing authorities full knowledge of the position and all relevant facts, but without considering time values. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation process, if any. The second step is to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement .
Shipping and handling costs
The Company records costs related to shipping and handling in cost of revenues.
Advertising expense
Advertising costs are charged to expense in the period incurred. Advertising expense was not material for the years ended March 31, 2020 , 2019 and 2018 .
Foreign currency transactions
The U.S. dollar is the functional currency for all of the Company’s foreign operations. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses, resulting from transactions denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars are included in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. These gains and losses were not material for the years ended March 31, 2020, 2019 or 2018 .
Segments
Segment reporting is based on the “management approach,” following the method that management organizes the Company’s reportable segments for which separate financial information is made available to, and evaluated regularly by, the chief operating decision maker in allocating resources and in assessing performance. The Company’s chief operating decision maker is its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), who makes the decision on allocating resources and in assessing performance. The CEO reviews the Company's consolidated results as one operating segment. In making operating decisions, the CEO primarily considers consolidated financial information, accompanied by disaggregated information about revenues by customers and product. All of the Company’s principal operations and decision-making functions are located in the U.S. The Company’s CEO views its operations, manages its business, and uses one measurement of profitability for the one operating segment, which designs, develops and sells integrated circuits.
Accounting for stock-based compensation
Stock-based compensation expense recognized in the Consolidated Statement of Operations is based on options ultimately expected to vest, reduced by the amount of estimated forfeitures. The Company chose the straight-line method of allocating compensation cost over the requisite service period of the related award according to authoritative guidance. The Company calculates the expected term based on the historical average period of time that options were outstanding as adjusted for expected changes in future exercise patterns, which, for options granted in fiscal 2020, 2019 and 2018 resulted in an expected term of approximately five years. The Company uses its historical volatility to estimate expected volatility. The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yields in effect at the time of grant for periods corresponding to the expected life of the options. The dividend yield is 0%, based on the fact that the Company has never paid dividends and has no present intention to pay dividends. Changes to these assumptions may have a significant impact on the results of operations.
Authoritative guidance requires cash flows, if any, resulting from the tax benefits from tax deductions in excess of the compensation cost recognized for those options (excess tax benefits) to be classified as financing cash flows in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
Comprehensive income (loss)
Comprehensive income (loss) is defined to include all changes in stockholders’ equity during a period except those resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners. For the years ended March 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 , comprehensive income (loss) was ($10.2) million, $268,000 and ($4.6) million, respectively.
Business combinations
The Company allocates the fair value of the purchase consideration of its acquisitions to the tangible assets, liabilities, and intangible assets acquired, based on their estimated fair values. Goodwill represents the excess of acquisition cost over the fair value of tangible and identified intangible net assets of businesses acquired. Transaction costs and costs to restructure the acquired company are expensed as incurred. The operating results of the acquired company are reflected in the Company’s consolidated financial statements after the closing date of the business combination.
Recent accounting pronouncements
In December 2019, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU No. 2019-12, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes.” as part of its initiative to reduce complexity in the accounting standards. The standard eliminates certain exceptions related to the approach for intraperiod tax allocation, the methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. The standard also clarifies and simplifies other aspects of the accounting for income taxes. The standard is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not anticipate the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
In August 2018, FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement.” The standard amends the disclosure requirements for recurring and nonrecurring fair value measurements by removing, modifying, and adding certain disclosures. The standard is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating how it will be impacted by Topic 820, but does not anticipate that the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
In August 2018, the SEC adopted the final rule under SEC Release No. 33-10532, “Disclosure Update and Simplification,” amending certain disclosure requirements that were redundant, duplicative, overlapping, outdated or superseded. In addition, the amendments expanded the disclosure requirements on the analysis of stockholders' equity for interim financial statements. Under the amendments, an analysis of changes in each caption of stockholders' equity presented in the balance sheet must be provided in a note or separate statement. The analysis should present a reconciliation of the beginning balance to the ending balance of each period for which a statement of comprehensive income is required to be filed. The Company’s first presentation of changes in stockholders' equity was included in the Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2019.
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, " Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment." The standard eliminates the second step in the goodwill impairment test which requires an entity to determine the implied fair value of the reporting unit’s goodwill. Instead, an entity should recognize an impairment loss if the carrying value of the net assets assigned to the reporting unit exceeds the fair value of the reporting unit, with the impairment loss not to exceed the amount of goodwill allocated to the reporting unit. The standard is effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests conducted in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. The Company does not anticipate the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13 , “Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” ASU 2016-13 replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology in current GAAP with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. For trade and other receivables, loans, and other financial instruments, the Company will be required to use a forward-looking expected loss model rather than the incurred loss model for recognizing credit losses which reflects losses that are probable. Credit losses relating to available-for-sale debt securities will also be recorded through an allowance for credit losses rather than as a reduction in the amortized cost basis of the securities. ASU 2016-13 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted beginning April 1, 2019. Application of the amendments is through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the effective date. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this standard on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842) .” The core principle of Topic 842 is that a lessee should recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from leases. All leases create an asset and a liability for the lessee in accordance with FASB Concepts Statement No. 6, “ Elements of Financial Statements ,” and, therefore, recognition of those lease assets and lease liabilities represents a change of previous GAAP, which did not require lease assets and lease liabilities to be recognized for most leases. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11, "Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements," which provides clarifications and improvements to ASU 2016-02 including allowing entities to elect an additional transition method, a modified retrospective approach, that permits changes to be applied by means of a cumulative-effect adjustment recorded in retained earnings as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. Consequently, an entity’s reporting for the comparative periods presented in the year of adoption would continue to be in accordance with Leases (Topic 840) ("ASC 840"), including the disclosure requirements of ASC 840. The Company adopted Topic 842 as of April 1, 2019 and applied the modified retrospective approach to all leases existing at, or entered into on or after, the date of adoption of April 1, 2019.
The Company did not restate comparative periods, as permitted by ASU 2018-11, and elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within the new standard and did not reassess whether any contracts that existed prior to adoption have or contain leases or the classification of existing leases. Further, the Company made an accounting policy election to keep leases with an initial term of 12 months or less off of the balance sheet. The Company will recognize those lease payments in the Consolidated Statements of Operations on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
As a result of adoption of this standard and election of the transition practical expedients, the Company recognized right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and lease liabilities for those leases classified as operating leases under ASC Topic 840 that continued to be classified as operating leases under ASC Topic 842 at the date of initial application. The Company does not have any leases classified as a capital lease under ASC 840 and therefore has no leases classified as a “finance lease” under the new standard.
In applying the alternative modified retrospective transition method, the Company measured lease liabilities at the present value of the sum of remaining minimum rental payments (as defined under ASC Topic 840). The present value of lease liabilities has been measured using the Company’s incremental borrowing rates as of April 1, 2019 (the date of initial application). Additionally, ROU assets for these operating leases have been measured as the initial measurement of applicable lease liabilities adjusted for any prepaid or accrued rent.
Upon adoption of Topic 842, the Company recognized ROU assets of approximately $1.1 million and lease liabilities of approximately $1.1 million on the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of April 1, 2019, with no material impact to its Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. |
