Significant Accounting Policies | 2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Principles of consolidation The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated upon consolidation. Use of estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingencies at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Such estimates and assumptions relate to the useful lives of fixed assets and identified intangible assets, recoverability of long-lived assets, fair value of short-term and long-term investments, allowances for doubtful accounts, potential excess, obsolete or unmarketable inventory, potential reserves relating to litigation matters, accrued liabilities, accrued taxes, deferred tax valuation allowances, assumptions pertaining to share-based payments, and other reserves. Actual results could differ from those based on these estimates and assumptions, and such differences may be material to the financial statements. Foreign currency translation The financial statements of Vicor Japan Company, Ltd. (“VJCL”), a majority-owned subsidiary, for which the functional currency is the Japanese Yen, have been translated into U.S. Dollars using the exchange rate in effect at the balance sheet date for balance sheet amounts and the average exchange rates in effect during the year for income statement amounts. The gains and losses resulting from the changes in exchange rates from year to year have been reported in other comprehensive income. Transaction gains and losses resulting from the remeasurement of foreign currency denominated assets and liabilities of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries where the functional currency is the U.S. Dollar are included in other income (expense), net. Foreign currency (losses) gains included in other income (expense), net, w e Investments The Company’s principal sources of liquidity are its existing balances of cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments, as well as cash generated from operations. Consistent with the guidelines of the Company’s investment policy, the Company can invest, and has historically invested, its cash balances in demand deposit accounts, money market funds, government debt securities, and auction rate securities meeting certain quality criteria. Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash and cash equivalents are highly liquid investments with insignificant interest rate risk and maturities of 90 days or less at the time of acquisition. Cash and cash equivalents include funds held in disbursement (i.e., checking) and money market accounts, certificates of deposit, and debt securities with maturities of less than three months at the time of purchase. Cash and cash equivalents are valued at cost, approximating market value. The Company’s money market securities are purchased and redeemed at par value. Their estimated fair value is equal to their cost, and, due to the nature of the securities and their classification as cash equivalents, there are no unrealized gains or losses recorded at the balance sheet dates. Short-term Investments The Company’s short-term investments, consisting of obligations of the U.S. Treasury, are debt securities with original maturities greater than three months but less than one year at the time of purchase. Long-term Investment The Company’s long-term investment is an auction rate debt security with a maturity of greater than one year and is subject to credit, liquidity, market, and interest rate risk. Available-For-Sale Certain of the cash and cash equivalents, all of the short-term investments and the long-term investment are classified as available-for-sale non-credit The Company periodically evaluates the long-term investment to determine if impairment is required, whether an impairment is other than temporary, and the measurement of an impairment loss. The Company considers a variety of impairment indicators such as, but not limited to, a significant deterioration in the earnings performance, credit rating, or asset quality of the investment. The amortized cost of the debt securities are adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity, the net amount of which, along with interest and realized gains and losses, is included in “Other income (expense), net” in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Fair value measurements The Company accounts for certain financial assets at fair value, defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. A three-level hierarchy is used to show the extent and level of judgment used to estimate fair value measurements: Level 1 Inputs used to measure fair value are unadjusted quoted prices available in active markets for the identical assets or liabilities as of the reporting date. Level 2 Inputs used to measure fair value, other than quoted prices included in Level 1, are either directly or indirectly observable as of the reporting date through correlation with market data, including quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets and quoted prices in inactive markets. Level 2 also includes assets and liabilities valued using models or other pricing methodologies that do not require significant judgment since the input assumptions used in the models, such as interest rates and volatility factors, are corroborated by readily observable data from actively quoted markets for substantially the full term of the financial instrument. Level 3 Inputs used to measure fair value are unobservable inputs supported by little or no market activity and reflect the use of significant management judgment. These values are generally determined using pricing models for which the assumptions utilize management’s estimates of market participant assumptions. The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, accounts receivable, and accounts payable approximate fair value because of the short maturities of these financial instruments. Inventories Inventories are valued at the lower of cost (determined using the first-in, first-out Inventory estimated to be excess, obsolete, or unmarketable is written down to net realizable value. The Company’s estimation process for assessing net realizable value is based upon management’s estimate of expected future utility which is derived based on backlog, historical consumption and expected market conditions. If the Company’s estimated demand and/or market expectations were to change or if product sales were to decline, the Company’s estimation process may cause larger inventory reserves to be recorded, resulting in larger charges to cost of revenues. Concentrations of risk Financial instruments potentially subjecting the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments, of which a significant portion are held by three financial institutions, its long-term investment, and trade accounts receivable. The Company maintains cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments and certain other financial instruments with high credit counterparties, and continuously monitors the amount of credit exposure to any one issuer and diversifies its investments in order to minimize its credit risk. Generally, amounts invested with these financial institutions are in excess of federal deposit insurance limits. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts, and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant credit risk. The Company’s long-term investment as of December 31, 2021 consists of a single auction rate security with a par value of $3,000,000, which is collateralized by student loans. It is a highly rated (Aaa/AA+) municipal and corporate debt security. Through December 31, 2021, auctions held for the Company’s auction rate security have failed. The funds associated with an auction rate security that has failed auction may not be accessible until a successful auction occurs, a buyer is found outside of the auction process, the security is called, or the underlying securities have matured. If the credit rating of the issuer of the auction rate security held deteriorates, the Company may be required to adjust the carrying value of the investment for an other-than-temporary decline in value through an impairment charge. The Company’s investment policy, approved by the Board of Directors, limits the amount the Company may invest in any issuer, thereby reducing credit risk concentrations. The Company’s products are sold worldwide to customers ranging from smaller, independent manufacturers of highly specialized electronic devices, to larger OEMs, ODMs and their contract manufacturers. See Note 17, Segment Information Components and materials used in the Company’s products are purchased from a variety of vendors. While most of the components are available from multiple sources, some key components for certain Advanced Products, in particular, are supplied by single vendors. In instances of single source items, the Company maintains levels of inventories management considers appropriate to enable meeting the delivery requirements of customers. If suppliers or subcontractors cannot provide their products or services on time or to the required specifications, the Company may not be able to meet the demand for its products and its delivery times may be negatively affected. Long-lived assets The Company reviews property, plant and equipment and finite-lived intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value of such assets may not be recoverable. Management determines whether the carrying value of an asset or asset group is recoverable based on comparison to the undiscounted expected future cash flows the assets are expected to generate over their remaining economic lives. If an asset value is not recoverable, the impairment loss is equal to the amount by which the carrying value of the asset exceeds its fair value, which is determined by either a quoted market price, if any, or a value determined by utilizing a discounted cash flow technique. Evaluation of impairment of long-lived assets requires estimates of future operating results that are used in the preparation of the expected future undiscounted cash flows. Actual future operating results and the remaining economic lives of our long-lived assets could differ from the estimates used in assessing the recoverability of these assets. These differences could result in impairment charges, which could be material. Intangible assets Values assigned to patents are amortized using the straight-line method over periods ranging from three to 20 years. Patents and other intangible assets are included in “Other assets” in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. Product warranties The Company generally offers a two-year Revenue recognition Revenue is recognized when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to a customer, in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. Sales, value add, and other taxes collected concurrent with revenue producing activities are excluded from revenue. The expected costs associated with product warranties continue to be recognized at the time product revenue is recognized. Shipping and handling costs associated with outbound freight after control over a product has transferred to a customer are accounted for as a fulfillment cost and are included in cost of revenues. The Company’s primary source of net revenue comes from the sale of products, which are modular power components and power systems for converting, regulating and controlling electric current. The principal customers for the Company’s power converters and systems are large OEMs, ODMs and the original design manufacturers and contract manufacturers serving them, and smaller, lower volume users, which are broadly distributed across several major market areas. The Company recognizes revenue for product sales at a point in time following the transfer of control of such products to the customer, including sales to stocking distributors, which typically occurs upon shipment or delivery, depending on the terms of the underlying contract. The Company establishes sales allowances on shipments to stocking distributors for estimated future product returns including distributor returns and price adjustment credits, primarily based upon historical and anticipated rates of product returns and allowances. Certain contracts with customers contain multiple performance obligations, which typically may include a combination of non-recurring The Company licenses its intellectual property under right to use licenses, in which royalties due to the Company are based upon a percentage of the licensee’s sales. The Company utilizes the exception under the revenue recognition guidance for the recognition of sales- or usage-based royalties, in which the royalties are not recognized until the later of when 1) the customer’s subsequent sales or usages occur, or 2) the performance obligation to which some or all of the sales- or usage-based royalty has been allocated is satisfied or partially satisfied. Accounts receivable includes amounts billed and currently due from customers. The amounts due are stated at their estimated realizable value. The Company’s payment terms vary by the type and location of its customers and the products or services offered, although terms generally include a requirement of payment within 30 to 60 days. The Company maintains allowances for doubtful accounts for estimated losses resulting from the inability of its customers to make required payments, based on assessments of customers’ credit-risk profiles and payment histories. If the financial condition of the Company’s customers were to deteriorate, resulting in an impairment of their ability to make payments, additional allowances may be required. The Company does not require collateral from its customers, although there have been circumstances when the Company has required cash in advance (i.e., a partial down-payment) to facilitate orders in excess of a customer’s established credit limit. To date, such amounts have not been material. The Company records deferred revenue, which represents a contract liability, when cash payments are received or due in advance of performance under a contract with a customer. During the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company recognized revenue of approximately $4,087,000 and $3,550,000, respectively, that was included in deferred revenue at the beginning of the respective period. The Company applies the practical expedient for the incremental costs of obtaining a contract for sales commissions, which are expensed when incurred because the amortization period is generally less than one year. These costs are included in selling, general and administrative expenses. The Company also applies another practical expedient and does not disclose the value of unsatisfied performance obligations for contracts with an original expected length of one year or less. Advertising expense The cost of advertising is expensed as incurred. The Company incurred approximately $2,994,000, $2,637,000, and $2,749,000 in advertising costs during 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively. Legal Costs Legal costs in connection with litigation are expensed as incurred. Stock-based compensation The Company uses the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to calculate the fair value of stock option awards, whether they possess time-based vesting provisions or performance-based vesting provisions, and awards granted under the Vicor Corporation 2017 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”), as of their grant date. For stock options with time-based vesting provisions, the calculated compensation expense, net of expected forfeitures, is recognized on a straight-line basis over the service period of the award, which is generally five years for stock options. For stock options with performance-based vesting provisions, recognition of compensation expense, net of expected forfeitures, commences if and when the achievement of the performance criteria is deemed probable. For stock options with performance-based vesting provisions, compensation expense, net of expected forfeitures, when recognized, is recognized over the relevant performance period. Income taxes Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using the enacted income tax rates and laws expected to be in effect when the temporary differences are expected to reverse. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance if management determines it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. All deferred tax assets and liabilities are classified as noncurrent. The Company follows a two-step “more-likely-than-not” “more-likely-than-not” Net income per common share The Company computes basic net income per share using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding and diluted net income per share using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding plus the effect of outstanding dilutive stock options, if any. The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted net income per share for the years ended December 31 (in thousands, except per share amounts): 2021 2020 2019 Numerator: Net income attributable to Vicor Corporation $ 56,625 $ 17,910 $ 14,098 Denominator: Denominator for basic net income per share- weighted average shares (1) 43,651 42,186 40,330 Effect of dilutive securities: Employee stock options (2) 1,315 1,683 1,347 Denominator for diluted net income per share- adjusted weighted-average shares and assumed conversions (3) 44,966 43,869 41,677 Basic net income per share $ 1.30 $ 0.42 $ 0.35 Diluted net income per share $ 1.26 $ 0.41 $ 0.34 (1) Denominator represents weighted average number of Common Shares and Class B Common Shares outstanding. (2) Options to purchase 60,736, 181,196 and 164,367 shares of Common Stock in 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively, were not included in the calculation of net income per share as the effect would have been antidilutive. (3) Denominator represents weighted average number of Common Shares and Class B Common Shares outstanding for the year, adjusted to include the dilutive effect, if any, of outstand i Comprehensive income (loss) The components of comprehensive income (loss) include, in addition to consolidated net income (loss), unrealized gains and losses on investments, net of tax and foreign currency translation adjustments related to VJCL, net of tax. Impact of recently issued accounting standards In December 2019, the FASB issued guidance designed to simplify the accounting for income taxes by eliminating certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740, Income Taxes Other new pronouncements issued but not effective until after December 31, 2021 are not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. |