| THE COMPANY AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | THE COMPANY AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES: Company Mellanox Technologies, Ltd., an Israeli corporation (the "Company" or "Mellanox"), was incorporated and commenced operations in March 1999. Mellanox is a supplier of high-performance interconnect products for computing, storage and communications applications. Principles of presentation The consolidated financial statements include the Company's accounts as well as those of its wholly owned subsidiaries after the elimination of all intercompany balances and transactions. On February 23, 2016, the Company completed its acquisition of EZchip Semiconductor, Ltd. ("EZchip"), a public company formed under the laws of the State of Israel and specializing in network-processing semiconductors. Upon the consummation of the acquisition, EZchip became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. The consolidated financial statements include the results of operations of EZchip commencing as of the acquisition date. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2017 presentation. Risks and uncertainties The Company is subject to all of the risks inherent in a company which operates in the dynamic and competitive semiconductor industry. Significant changes in any of the following areas could have a material adverse impact on the Company's financial position and results of operations; unpredictable volume or timing of customer orders; ordered product mix; the sales outlook and purchasing patterns of the Company's customers based on consumer demands and general economic conditions; loss of one or more of the Company's customers; decreases in the average selling prices of products or increases in the average cost of finished goods; the availability, pricing and timeliness of delivery of components used in the Company's products; reliance on a limited number of subcontractors to manufacture, assemble, package and production test the Company's products; the Company's ability to successfully develop, introduce and sell new or enhanced products in a timely manner; product obsolescence and the Company's ability to manage product transitions; the timing of announcements or introductions of new products by the Company's competitors, and the Company's ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses. Use of estimates The preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, ("GAAP") requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the dates of the financial statements and the reported amounts of net revenue and expenses in the reporting periods. The Company regularly evaluates estimates and assumptions related to revenue recognition, allowances for doubtful accounts, allowances for price adjustments, investment valuation, warranty reserves, inventory reserves, share-based compensation expense, long-term asset valuations, useful lives of property, equipment, and intangibles, accounting for business combinations, goodwill and purchased intangible asset valuation, investments in privately-held companies, accounting and fair value of financial instruments and derivatives, deferred income tax asset valuation, uncertain tax positions, litigation and other loss contingencies. These estimates and assumptions are based on current facts, historical experience and various other factors that the Company believes to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities and the recording of revenue, costs and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. The actual results that the Company experiences may differ materially and adversely from the Company's original estimates. To the extent there are material differences between the estimates and actual results, the Company's future results of operations will be affected. Cash and cash equivalents The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less from the date of purchase to be cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on deposit with banks and money market funds. Restricted cash The Company maintains certain cash amounts that are restricted as to withdrawal or use over the long-term. The cash is securing bank guarantees primarily issued against long-term tenancy agreements. The long-term restricted cash balance of $8.0 million was reported in other long-term assets on the balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 , and was included in the ending balance of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash in the statement of cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2017 . There was no restricted cash as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 . The following table provides a reconciliation of the cash and cash equivalents balances reported on the balance sheets and the cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash balances reported in the statements of cash flows: December 31, 2017 2016 2015 (In thousands) Cash and cash equivalents, as reported on the balance sheets $ 62,473 $ 56,780 $ 263,199 Restricted cash in other long-term assets, as reported on the balance sheets 8,025 — — Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, as reported in the statements of cash flows $ 70,498 $ 56,780 $ 263,199 Short-term investments The Company's short-term investments are classified as available-for-sale securities and are reported at fair value. Unrealized gains or losses are recorded in shareholders' equity and included in other comprehensive income ("OCI"). The Company views its available-for-sale portfolio as available for use in its current operations. Accordingly, the Company has classified all investments in available for sale securities with readily available markets as short-term, even though the stated maturity date may be one year or more beyond the current balance sheet date, because of the intent and ability to sell these securities prior to maturity to meet liquidity needs or as part of a risk management program. The Company regularly reviews its investment portfolio and charges unrealized losses against net income when a decline in fair value is determined to be other-than-temporary. The Company reviews several factors to determine whether a loss is other-than-temporary. These factors include but are not limited to: (1) the length of time a security is in an unrealized loss position, (2) the extent to which fair value is less than cost, (3) the financial condition and near term prospects of the issuer and (4) our intent and ability to hold the security for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery in fair value. Fair value of financial instruments The Company's financial instruments consist of cash equivalents, restricted cash, short-term investments and foreign currency derivative contracts. The fair value of a financial instrument is the amount that would be received in an asset sale or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between unaffiliated market participants. When there is no readily available market data, fair value estimates may be made by the Company, which may not necessarily represent the amounts that could be realized in a current or future sale of these assets. Derivatives The Company enters into foreign currency forward and option contracts with financial institutions to protect against foreign exchange risks, mainly the exposure to changes in the exchange rate of the NIS against the U.S. dollar that are associated with forecasted future cash flows and existing assets and liabilities. The Company's primary objective in entering into these arrangements is to reduce the volatility of earnings and cash flows associated with changes in foreign currency exchange rates. The program is not designated for trading or speculative purposes. The Company's derivative instruments expose the Company to credit risk to the extent that the counter-parties may be unable to meet the terms of the agreement. The Company seeks to mitigate such risk by limiting its counter-parties to major financial institutions and by spreading the risk across a number of major financial institutions. In addition, the potential risk of loss with any one counter-party resulting from this type of credit risk is monitored on an ongoing basis. The Company accounts for its derivative instruments as either assets or liabilities and carries them at fair value. The accounting for changes in the fair value of a derivative depends on the intended use of the derivative and the resulting designation. For derivative instruments that hedge the exposure to variability in expected future cash flows that are designated as cash flow hedges, the effective portion of the unrealized gains or losses on the derivative instruments is reported as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income ("AOCI") in shareholders’ equity and reclassified into earnings in the same period or periods during which the hedged transaction affects earnings. The ineffective portion of the gains or losses on the derivative instruments, if any, is recognized in earnings in the current period. The derivative instruments that hedge the exposure to variability in the fair value of assets or liabilities are not currently designated as hedges for financial reporting purposes, and thus the gains or losses on such derivative instruments are recognized in earnings in the current period. Concentration of credit risk Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to a concentration of credit risk consist of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, short-term investments and accounts receivable. Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term investment balances are maintained with high quality financial institutions, the composition and maturities of which are regularly monitored by management. The Company's accounts receivable are derived from revenue earned from customers primarily located in North America, Europe 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. The Company reviews its allowance for doubtful accounts quarterly by assessing individual accounts receivable over a specific aging and amount, and all other balances based on historical collection experience and an economic risk assessment. If the Company determines that a specific customer is unable to meet its financial obligations to the Company, the Company provides an allowance for credit losses to reduce the receivable to the amount management reasonably believes will be collected. The following table summarizes the revenues from customers (including original equipment manufacturers) in excess of 10% of the total revenues: Year Ended December 31, 2017 2016 2015 HPE 13 % 16 % 14 % Dell 11 % * * ____________________ * Less than 10% The following table summarizes accounts receivable balances in excess of 10% of total accounts receivable: December 31, 2017 December 31, 2016 HPE 13 % 11 % Inventory Inventory includes finished goods, work-in-process and raw materials. Inventory is stated at the lower of cost (principally standard cost which approximates actual cost on a first-in, first-out basis) or net realizable value. Reserves for potentially excess and obsolete inventory are made based on management's analysis of inventory levels, future sales forecasts and market conditions. Once established, the original cost of the Company's inventory less the related inventory reserve represents the new cost basis of such products. Property and equipment Property and equipment are stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is generally calculated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the related assets, which is three years for computer equipment and software, seven years for lab equipment, and seven years for office furniture and fixtures. Leasehold improvements and assets acquired under capital leases are amortized on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease, or the useful lives of the assets, whichever is shorter. Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred, and improvements are capitalized. When assets are retired or otherwise disposed of, the cost and accumulated depreciation or amortization are removed from the accounts and any resulting gain or loss is reflected in the results of operations in the period realized. During the fourth quarter of 2017, the Company retired fully depreciated assets that were no longer in use. As a result, $72.8 million of cost and accumulated depreciation was removed from the accounts. No gain or loss was recognized. The Company capitalizes certain costs incurred in connection with internal use of inventory items in the Company's data centers and laboratories. Capitalized inventory costs are included in Property and equipment, net and amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the asset. Business combinations The Company accounts for business combinations using the acquisition method of accounting. The Company determines the recognition of intangible assets based on the following criteria: (i) the intangible asset arises from contractual or other rights; or (ii) the intangible asset is separable or divisible from the acquired entity and capable of being sold, transferred, licensed, returned or exchanged. The Company allocates the purchase price of business combinations to the tangible assets, liabilities and intangible assets acquired, including in-process research and development ("IPR&D"), based on their estimated fair values. The excess purchase price over those fair values is recorded as goodwill. The process of estimating the fair values requires significant estimates, especially with respect to intangible assets. Critical estimates in valuing certain intangible assets include, but are not limited to, future expected cash flows from customer contracts, customer lists and distribution agreements, acquired developed technologies, expected costs to develop IPR&D into commercially viable products, estimated cash flows from projects when completed and discount rates. The Company estimates fair value based upon assumptions that are believed to be reasonable, but which are inherently uncertain and unpredictable and, as a result, actual results may differ from estimates. Goodwill and intangible assets Goodwill represents the excess of the cost of acquired businesses over the fair market value of their identifiable net assets. The Company conducts a goodwill impairment qualitative assessment during the fourth quarter of each fiscal year or more frequently if facts and circumstances indicate that goodwill may be impaired. The goodwill impairment qualitative assessment requires the Company to perform an assessment to determine if it is more likely than not that the fair value of the business is less than its carrying amount. The qualitative assessment considers various factors, including the macroeconomic environment, industry and market specific conditions, market capitalization, stock price, financial performance, earnings multiples, budgeted-to-actual revenue performance from prior year, gross margin and cash flow from operating activities and issues or events specific to the business. If adverse qualitative trends are identified that could negatively impact the fair value of the business, the Company performs a "two step" goodwill impairment test. "Step one" is the identification of potential impairment. This involves comparing the fair value of each reporting unit, which the Company has determined to be the entity itself, with its carrying amount including goodwill. If the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, the goodwill of the reporting unit is considered not impaired and "Step two" of the impairment test is unnecessary. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, "Step two" is performed. This involves comparing the carrying amount of goodwill to its implied fair value, which is determined to be the excess of the reporting unit's fair value over the fair value of its identifiable net assets other than goodwill. If the carrying amount of goodwill exceeds its implied fair value, an impairment exists and is recorded. As of December 31, 2017 , the Company's qualitative assessment of goodwill impairment indicated that goodwill was not impaired. Intangible assets represent acquired intangible assets including developed technology, customer relationships and IPR&D, as well as licensed technology. The Company amortizes its finite lived intangible assets over their useful lives using a method that reflects the pattern in which the economic benefits of the intangible assets are consumed or otherwise used, or, if that pattern cannot be reliably determined, using a straight-line amortization method. The Company capitalizes IPR&D projects acquired as part of a business combination as intangible assets with indefinite lives. On completion of each project, IPR&D assets are reclassified to developed technology and amortized over their estimated useful lives. If any of the IPR&D projects are abandoned, the Company would impair the related IPR&D asset. Indefinite-lived intangible assets are tested for impairment annually or more frequently when indicators of impairment exist. The Company first assesses qualitative factors to determine if it is more likely than not that an indefinite-lived intangible asset is impaired and whether it is necessary to perform a quantitative impairment test. The qualitative assessment considers various factors, including reductions in demand, the abandonment of IPR&D projects or significant economic slowdowns in the semiconductor industry and macroeconomic environment. If adverse qualitative trends are identified that could negatively impact the fair value of the asset, then quantitative impairment tests are performed to compare the carrying value of the asset to its undiscounted expected future cash flows. If this test indicates that there is impairment, the impaired asset is written down to fair value, which is typically calculated using: (i) quoted market prices or (ii) discounted expected future cash flows utilizing an appropriate discount rate. Impairment is based on the excess of the carrying amount over the fair value of those assets. The Company performed an impairment test on the IPR&D during the fourth quarter of 2017 when the project reached technological feasibility and was transferred to developed technology, and concluded that the asset was not impaired. Intangible assets with finite lives are tested for impairment in accordance with our policy for long-lived assets. Equity investments in privately-held companies The Company has equity investments in privately-held companies. These investments are recorded at cost reduced by any impairment write-downs because the Company does not have the ability to exercise significant influence over the operating and financial policies of the company. The investments are included in other long-term assets on the accompanying balance sheets. The Company monitors the investments and if facts and circumstances indicate an investment may be impaired, then it conducts an impairment test of its investment. To determine if the investment is recoverable, it reviews the privately-held company's revenue and earnings trends relative to pre-defined milestones and overall business prospects, the general market conditions in its industry and other factors related to its ability to remain in business, such as liquidity and receipt of additional funding. Impairment of long-lived assets Long-lived assets include equipment and furniture and fixtures and finite-lived intangible assets. Long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable. If the sum of the expected future cash flows (undiscounted and without interest charges) from the long-lived assets is less than the carrying amount of such assets, an impairment loss would be recognized, and the assets would be written down to their estimated fair values. The Company reviews for possible impairment on a regular basis. While performing the review for impairment for the fourth quarter of 2017, the Company noted an impairment indicator associated with the potential sale or discontinuation of the 1550nm silicon photonics line of business. As a result, the Company recorded impairment charges totaling $12.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2017, of which $7.7 million were related to property and equipment and $4.3 million were related to intangible assets. See Note 16 for more details about the impairment charges. Revenue recognition The Company recognizes revenue from the sales of products when all of the following criteria are met: (1) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists; (2) delivery has occurred; (3) the price is fixed or determinable; and (4) collection is reasonably assured. The Company uses a binding purchase order or a signed agreement as evidence of an arrangement. Delivery occurs when goods are shipped and title and risk of loss transfer to the customer. The Company's standard arrangement with its customers typically includes freight-on-board shipping point, no right of return and no customer acceptance provisions. The revenues from fixed-price support or maintenance contracts, including extended warranty contracts and software post-contract customer support agreements, are recognized ratably over the contract period and the costs associated with these contracts are recognized as incurred. The customer's obligation to pay and the payment terms are set at the time of shipment and are not dependent on the subsequent resale of the product. The Company determines whether collectability is reasonably assured on a customer-by-customer basis. When assessing the probability of collection, the Company considers the number of years the customer has been in business and the history of the Company's collections. Customers are subject to a credit review process that evaluates the customers' financial positions and ultimately their ability to pay. If it is determined at the outset of an arrangement that collection is not reasonably assured, no product is shipped and no revenue is recognized unless cash is received in advance. The Company maintains inventory, or hub arrangements with certain customers. Pursuant to these arrangements the Company delivers products to a customer or a designated third party warehouse based upon the customer's projected needs, but does not recognize product revenue unless and until the customer reports it has removed the Company's product from the warehouse to be incorporated into its end products. Multiple Element Arrangements For revenue arrangements that contain multiple deliverables, judgment is required to properly identify the accounting units of the transactions and to determine the manner in which revenue should be allocated among the accounting units. Moreover, judgment is used in interpreting the commercial terms and determining when all criteria of revenue recognition have been met for each deliverable in order for revenue recognition to occur in the appropriate accounting period. While changes in the allocation of the arrangement consideration between the units of accounting will not affect the amount of total revenue recognized for a particular sales arrangement, any material changes in these allocations could impact the timing of revenue recognition, which could affect our results of operations. For multiple element arrangements that include a combination of hardware, services, such as post-contract customer support, and software, the arrangement consideration is first allocated among the accounting units before revenue recognition criteria are applied. The allocation is derived based on vendor specific objective evidence ("VSOE"). When VSOE or third party evidence is unavailable, we use management's best estimate of selling price. Distributor Revenue A portion of the Company's sales are made to distributors under agreements which contain price protection provisions. Currently, the Company recognizes revenues from sales to distributors based on the sell-through method using inventory and point of sale information provided by the distributors, net of estimated allowances for price adjustments. Upon the adoption of the new revenue standards effective January 1, 2018, the Company will recognize revenues from sales to distributors upon shipment and transfer of control (known as “sell-in” revenue recognition), net of the estimated allowances for price adjustments. Deferred Revenue and Income The Company defers revenue and income when advance payments are received from customers before performance obligations have been completed and/or services have been performed. Shipping and Handling Costs incurred for shipping and handling expenses to customers are recorded as cost of revenues. To the extent these amounts are billed to the customer in a sales transaction, the Company records the shipping and handling fees as revenue. Product warranty The Company typically offers a limited warranty for its products for periods up to three years . The Company accrues for estimated returns of defective products at the time revenue is recognized based on historical activity. The determination of these accruals requires the Company to make estimates of the frequency and extent of warranty activity and estimated future costs to either replace or repair the products under warranty. If the actual warranty activity and/or repair and replacement costs differ significantly from these estimates, adjustments to record additional cost of revenues may be required in future periods. Changes in the Company's liability for product warranty were as follows: Year Ended December 31, 2017 2016 (In thousands) Balance, beginning of the period $ 1,474 $ 1,641 Assumed warranty liability from acquisition — 290 New warranties issued during the period 1,459 1,727 Reversal of warranty reserves (565 ) (856 ) Settlements during the period (1,479 ) (1,328 ) Balance, end of the period 889 1,474 Less: long-term portion of product warranty liability (183 ) (211 ) Balance, end of the period $ 706 $ 1,263 Research and development Costs incurred in research and development are charged to operations as incurred. The Company expenses all costs for internally developed patents as incurred. Advertising Costs related to advertising and promotion of products are charged to sales and marketing expense as incurred. Advertising expense was approximately $2.9 million , $2.1 million and $2.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2017 , 2016 and 2015 , respectively. Share-based compensation The Company accounts for share-based compensation expense based on the estimated fair value of the equity awards as of the grant dates. The fair value of restricted stock units ("RSUs"), is based on the closing market price of our ordinary shares on the date of grant. The Company estimates the fair value of share options and the Employee Share Purchase Plan ("ESPP") using the Black-Scholes option valuation model, which requires the input of subjective assumptions including the expected share price volatility and the calculation of expected term, as well as the fair value of the underlying ordinary share on the date of grant, among other inputs. The Company bases its estimate of expected volatility on the historical volatility of the Company's shares. The Company did not grant share options in 2017 , 2016 , and 2015 . Share-based compensation expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over each recipient's requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period. Share-based compensation expense is recorded in full during the vesting period, and the effect of forfeitures will be recorded as they actually occur. Comprehensive income (loss) Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax on the consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2017 and 2016 , represents the accumulated unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities, and the accumulated unrealized gains (losses) related to derivative instruments accounted for as cash flow hedges. The amount of income tax expense allocated to unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities and derivative instruments was immaterial at December 31, 2017 and 2016 . Foreign currency translation and remeasurement The Company uses the U.S. dollar as its functional currency. Foreign currency assets and liabilities are remeasured into U.S. dollars at the end-of-period exchange rates except for non-monetary assets and liabilities, which are remeasured at historical exchange rates. The Company derives all revenues in U.S. dollars. Expenses are remeasured at the exchange rate in effect on the day the transaction occurred, except for those expenses related to non-monetary assets and liabilities, which are remeasured at historical exchange rates. Gains or losses from foreign currency transactions are included in the Consolidated Statements of Operations as part of "Other income (loss), net." Net income (loss) per share Basic net income (loss) per share is computed by dividing the net income (loss) by the weighted-average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net income (loss) per share is computed by dividing the net income (loss) by the weighted-average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period increased to include the number of additional shares that would have been outstanding if the potentially dilutive shares had been issued. Potentially dilutive shares include unvested RSUs, outstanding stock options, and shares to be purchased by employees under the Company’s employee stock purchase plan. The dilutive effect of potentially dilutive shares is reflected in diluted net income (loss) per share by application of the treasury stock method. The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted net income (loss) per share for the periods indicated: Year Ended December 31, 2017 2016 2015 (In thousands, except per share data) Net income (loss) $ (19,425 ) $ 18,518 $ 92,894 Basic and diluted shares: Weighted average ordinary shares outstanding 50,310 48,145 46,365 Effect of dilutive shares — 1,381 1,413 Shares used to compute diluted net income (loss) per share 50,310 49,526 47,778 Net income (loss) per share—basic $ (0.39 ) $ 0.38 $ 2.00 Net income (loss) per share—diluted $ (0.39 ) $ 0.37 $ 1.94 The Company excluded 4.5 million potentially dilutive share options and RSUs from the computation of diluted net loss per share for the year ended December 31, 2017 , 0.5 million and 0.5 million potentially dilutive shares from the computation of diluted net income per share for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 , respectively, because including them would have had an anti-dilutive effect. Segment reporting The Company has one reportable segment: the development, manufacturing, marketing and sales of interconnect products. Income taxes To prepare the Company's consolidated financial statements, the Company estimates its income taxes in each of the jurisdictions in which it operates. This process involves estimating the Company's actual tax exposure together with assessing temporary differences resulting from the differing treatment of certain items for tax and accounting purposes. These differences result in deferred tax assets and liabilities, which are calculated using tax rates expected to be in effect during the period these temporary differences would reverse, and are included within the Company's consolidated balance sheet. The Company must also make judgments regarding the realizability of deferred tax assets. The carrying value of the Company's net deferred tax assets is based on its belief that it is more likely than not that the Company will generate sufficient future taxable income in certain jurisdictions to realize these deferred tax assets. A valuation allowance has been established for deferred tax assets which the Company does not believe meet the "more likely than not" criteria. The Company's judgments regarding future taxable income may change due to changes in market conditions, changes in tax laws, tax planning strategies or other factors. If the Company's assumptions and consequently its estimate |
