| Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies | Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies Nature of Operations Lattice Semiconductor (“Lattice,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a Delaware company that engages in smart connectivity solutions, providing intellectual property and low-power, small form-factor devices that enable global customers to quickly deliver innovative and differentiated cost and power efficient products. The Company's broad end-market exposure extends from consumer electronics to industrial equipment, communications infrastructure, and licensing. We do not manufacture our own silicon wafers. We maintain strategic relationships with large semiconductor foundries to source our finished silicon wafers in Asia. In addition, all of our assembly operations and most of our test and logistics operations are performed by outside suppliers in Asia. We perform certain test operations and reliability and quality assurance processes internally. We place substantial emphasis on new product development and believe that continued investment in this area is required to maintain and improve our competitive position. Our product development activities emphasize new proprietary products, advanced packaging, enhancement of existing products and process technologies, and improvement of software development tools. Research and development activities occur primarily in: Hillsboro, Oregon; San Jose and Sunnyvale, California; Shanghai, China; Alabang, Philippines; and Hyderabad, India. Fiscal Reporting Period We report based on a 52 or 53-week fiscal year ending on the Saturday closest to December 31. Our fiscal 2015 was a 52-week year that ended January 2, 2016 . Our fiscal 2014 was a 53-week year, with a 14-week fourth quarter, that ended January 3, 2015. Our fiscal 2013, 2012, and 2011 were 52-week years that ended December 28, 2013, December 29, 2012, December 31, 2011, respectively. Our fiscal 2016 will be a 52-week year and will end on December 31, 2016 . All references to quarterly or yearly financial results are references to the results for the relevant fiscal period. Principles of Consolidation and Presentation The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Lattice and its subsidiaries after the elimination of all intercompany balances and transactions. Our results for the year ended January 2, 2016 include the results of Silicon Image for the approximately 10 -month period from March 11, 2015 through January 2, 2016 . Results presented for prior fiscal years are those historically reported for Lattice only. Certain balances in prior fiscal years have been reclassified to conform to the presentation adopted in the current year. Interest expense has been reclassified to be reported separately from Other (expense) income, net. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("U.S. GAAP") requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and classification of assets, such as marketable securities, accounts receivable, inventory, goodwill (including the assessment of reporting unit), intangible assets, current and deferred income taxes, accrued liabilities (including restructuring charges and bonus arrangements), deferred income and allowances on sales to sell-through distributors, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, amounts used in acquisition valuations and purchase accounting, and the reported amounts of product revenue, licensing and services revenue, and expenses during the fiscal periods presented. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities We consider all investments that are readily convertible into cash and have original maturities of three months or less, to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents consist primarily of highly liquid investments in time deposits or money market accounts and are carried at cost. We account for marketable securities as available-for-sale investments, as defined by U.S. GAAP, and record unrealized gains or losses to Accumulated other comprehensive loss on our Consolidated Balance Sheets, unless losses are considered other than temporary, in which case, those are recorded directly to the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Statements of Comprehensive (Loss) Income. Deposits with financial institutions at times exceed Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance limits. Fair Value of Financial Instruments We invest in various financial instruments including corporate and government bonds, notes, and commercial paper. In the past we have also invested in auction rate securities. We value these instruments at their fair value and monitor the portfolio for impairment on a periodic basis. In the event that the carrying value of an investment exceeds its fair value and the decline in value is determined to be other than temporary, we record an impairment charge and establish a new carrying value. We assess other than temporary impairment of marketable securities in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 820, “Fair Value Measurements.” The framework under the provisions of ASC 820 establishes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value. Each level of input has different levels of subjectivity and difficulty involved in determining fair value. Level 1 instruments are characterized generally by quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets. Therefore, determining fair value for Level 1 instruments generally does not require significant management judgment, and the estimation is not difficult. Level 2 instruments include inputs other than Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices for identical instruments in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities. Level 3 instruments include unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities. Our auction rate securities were classified as Level 3 instruments. Management used a combination of the market and income approach to derive the fair value of auction rate securities, which included third party valuation results, investment broker provided market information and available information on the credit quality of the underlying collateral. As a result, the determination of fair value for Level 3 instruments requires significant management judgment and subjectivity. Our Level 3 instruments were classified as Long-term marketable securities on our Consolidated Balance Sheets and were entirely made up of auction rate securities that consisted of student loan asset-backed notes. During fiscal 2014 we sold our Level 3 instruments, which consisted entirely of auction rate securities. Foreign Exchange and Translation of Foreign Currencies We have international subsidiary and branch operations. In addition, a portion of our silicon wafer and other purchases are denominated in Japanese yen, we bill certain Japanese customers in yen and collect a Japanese consumption tax refund in yen. Gains or losses from foreign exchange rate fluctuations on balances denominated in foreign currencies are reflected in Other (expense) income, net. Realized and unrealized gains or losses on foreign currency transactions were not significant for the periods presented. We translate accounts denominated in foreign currencies in accordance with ASC 830, “Foreign Currency Matters,” using the current rate method under which asset and liability accounts are translated at the current rate, while stockholders' equity accounts are translated at the appropriate historical rates, and revenue and expense accounts are translated at average monthly exchange rates. Translation adjustments related to the consolidation of foreign subsidiary financial statements are reflected in Accumulated other comprehensive loss in Stockholders' equity. Derivative Financial Instruments We mitigate foreign currency exchange rate risk by entering into foreign currency forward exchange contracts. We had forward contracts for Japanese yen of $3.3 million and $4.2 million at January 2, 2016 and January 3, 2015, respectively. Two contracts outstanding at January 2, 2016 settled in January 2016 and the other four contracts will settle in June 2016 . One of the contracts outstanding at January 3, 2015 settled in January 2015 and the other five contracts settled in June 2015 . Although such hedges mitigate our foreign currency exchange rate exposure from an economic perspective they were not designated as "effective" hedges for accounting purposes and are adjusted to fair value through Other (expense) income, net, with an impact of less than $0.1 million and approximately $0.4 million for the years end January 2, 2016 and January 3, 2015, respectively. Concentration Risk Potential exposure to concentration risk may impact revenue, trade receivables, marketable securities, and supply of wafers for our new products. Customer concentration risk may impact revenue. For fiscal years 2015, 2014, and 2013, our top five end customers constituted approximately 32% , 45% , and 44% , respectively, of our revenue. Our largest end customer in fiscal year 2015 accounted for 9% of total revenue. Our two largest end customers in fiscal year 2014 and our largest end customer in fiscal year 2013 accounted for 19% , 12% , and 22% , respectively, of total revenue. No other end customers accounted for more than 10% of total revenue during these periods. Sales through distributors have historically accounted for a significant portion of our total revenue. For each of the fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013, revenue attributable to resale of products by sell-through distributors as a percentage of our total revenue was 45% . Our two largest distributor groups also account for a substantial portion of our trade receivables. At January 2, 2016 and January 3, 2015, one distributor group accounted for 29% and 45% , respectively, and the other accounted for 15% and 16% , respectively, of gross trade receivables. No other distributor groups or end customers accounted for more than 10% of gross trade receivables at these dates. Concentration of credit risk with respect to trade receivables is mitigated by our credit and collection process including active management of collections, credit limits, routine credit evaluations for essentially all customers and secure transactions with letters of credit or advance payments where appropriate. Accounts receivable do not bear interest and are shown net of allowances for doubtful accounts of $0.6 million and $0.9 million at January 2, 2016 and January 3, 2015 , respectively. We regularly review our allowance for doubtful accounts and the aging of our accounts receivable. Write-offs for uncollected trade receivables have not been significant to date. We place our investments primarily through one financial institution and mitigate the concentration of credit risk by limiting the maximum portion of the investment portfolio which may be invested in any one instrument. Our investment policy defines approved credit ratings for investment securities. Investments on-hand in marketable securities consisted primarily of money market instruments, “AA” or better corporate notes and bonds and commercial paper, and U.S. government agency obligations. See Note 3 for a discussion of the liquidity attributes of our marketable securities. We rely on a limited number of foundries for our wafer purchases including Fujitsu Limited, Seiko Epson Corporation, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd, and United Microelectronics Corporation. Revenue Recognition and Deferred Income Product Revenue We sell our products directly to end customers, through a network of independent manufacturers' representatives, and indirectly through a network of independent sell-in and sell-through distributors. Distributors provide periodic data regarding the product, price, quantity, and end customer when products are resold, as well as the quantities of our products they still have in stock. Revenue from sales to original equipment manufacturers ("OEMs") and sell-in distributors is generally recognized upon shipment. Reserves for sell-in stock rotations, where applicable, are estimated primarily from historical experience and provided for at the time of shipment. Revenue from sales by our sell-through distributors is recognized at the time of reported resale. Under both types of revenue recognition, persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the price is fixed or determinable, title has transferred, collection of resulting receivables is reasonably assured, and there are no remaining customer acceptance requirements and no remaining significant performance obligations. Orders from our sell-through distributors are initially recorded at published list prices; however, for a majority of our sales, the final selling price is determined at the time of resale and in accordance with a distributor price agreement. In certain circumstances, we allow sell-through distributors to return unsold products. At times, we protect our sell-through distributors against reductions in published list prices. For these reasons, we do not recognize revenue until products are resold by sell-through distributors to an end customer. For sell-through distributors, at the time of shipment to distributors, we (a) record Accounts receivable at published list price since there is a legally enforceable obligation from the distributor to pay us currently for product delivered, (b) relieve inventory for the carrying value of goods shipped since legal title has passed to the distributor, and (c) record deferred revenue and deferred cost of sales in Deferred income and allowances on sales to sell-through distributors in the liability section of our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The final price is set at the time of resale and is determined in accordance with a distributor price agreement. Revenue and cost of sales to sell-through distributors are deferred until either the product is resold by the distributor or, in certain cases, return privileges terminate, at which time Revenue and Cost of products sold are reflected in Net (loss) income, and Accounts receivable, net are adjusted to reflect the final selling price. The components of Deferred income and allowances on sales to sell-through distributors are presented in the following table: (In thousands) January 2, 2016 January 3, 2015 Inventory valued at published list price and held by sell-through distributors with right of return $ 47,086 $ 50,854 Allowance for distributor advances (22,290 ) (29,490 ) Deferred cost of sales related to inventory held by sell-through distributors (6,930 ) (6,418 ) Total Deferred income and allowances on sales to sell-through distributors $ 17,866 $ 14,946 A significant portion of our revenue in fiscal 2015 was from sell-through distributors. For the fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013, resale of products by sell-through distributors as a percentage of our total revenue was 45% in each year. We must use estimates and apply judgment to reconcile sell-through distributors' reported inventories to their activities. Errors in our estimates or judgments could result in inaccurate reporting of our Revenue, Cost of product revenue, Deferred income and allowances on sales to sell-through distributors, and Net (loss) income. Licensing and Services Revenue Our licensing and services revenue is comprised of revenue from our intellectual property ("IP") core licensing activity, patent monetization activities, device management system and remote support services, and royalty and adopter fee revenue from our standards activities. These activities are complementary to our product sales and help us monetize our intellectual property and accelerate market adoption curves associated with our technology and standards. From time to time we enter into patent sale and licensing agreements to monetize and license a broad portfolio of our patented inventions. Such licensing agreements may include upfront license fees and ongoing royalties. The contractual terms of the agreements generally provide for payments of upfront license fees over an extended period of time. Revenue from such license fees is recognized when payments become due and payable as long as all other revenue recognition criteria are met, while revenue from royalties is recognized when reported. We enter into IP licensing agreements that generally provide licensees the right to incorporate our IP components into their products pursuant to terms and conditions that vary by licensee. Revenue earned under these agreements is classified as Licensing and services revenue. Our IP licensing agreements generally include multiple elements, which may include one or more off-the-shelf or customized IP licenses bundled with support services covering a fixed period of time, generally one year. If the different elements of a multiple-element arrangement qualify as separate units of accounting, we allocate the total arrangement consideration to each element based on relative selling price. Amounts allocated to off-the-shelf IP licenses are recognized at the time of sale provided the other conditions for revenue recognition have been met. Amounts allocated to the support services are deferred and recognized on a straight-line basis over the support period, generally one year. Certain licensing agreements provide for royalty payments based on agreed-upon royalty rates, which may be fixed or variable depending on the terms of the agreement. The amount of revenue we recognize is based on a specified time period or on the agreed-upon royalty rate multiplied by the number of units shipped by the customer. From time to time, we enter into IP licensing agreements that involve significant modification, customization or engineering services. Revenues derived from these contracts are accounted for using the percentage-of-completion method or completed contract method. The completed contract method is used for contracts where there is a risk of final acceptance by the customer or for short-term contracts. HDMI royalty revenue is determined by a contractual allocation formula agreed to by the members of the HDMI consortium. Evidence of an arrangement, as to HDMI royalty revenue, is deemed complete when all of the members of the HDMI consortium agree on the royalty sharing formula. Inventories Inventories are recorded at the lower of actual cost determined on a first-in-first-out basis or market. We establish provisions for inventory if it is obsolete or we hold quantities which are in excess of projected customer demand. The creation of such provisions results in a write-down of inventory to net realizable value and a charge to Cost of product revenue. Property and Equipment Property and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation and amortization are computed using the straight-line method for financial reporting purposes over the estimated useful lives of the related assets, generally three to five years for equipment and software, one to three years for tooling and thirty years for buildings. Upon disposal of Property and equipment, the accounts are relieved of the costs and related accumulated depreciation and amortization, and resulting gains or losses are reflected in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for recognized gains and losses, or in the Consolidated Balance Sheets for deferred gains and losses. Repair and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred. Equity Investments in Privately Held Companies Equity investments in privately-held companies are reviewed on a quarterly basis to determine if their values have been impaired and adjustments are recorded as necessary. We assess the potential impairment of these investments by considering available evidence such as the investee’s historical and projected operating results, progress towards meeting business milestones, ability to meet expense forecasts, and the prospects for industry or market in which the investee operates. Upon disposition of these investments, the specific identification method is used to determine the cost basis in computing realized gains or losses. Declines in value that are judged to be other-than-temporary are reported in interest income and other, net in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations. The accounting method for equity investments in privately-held companies is assessed under ASC 323-10, Equity Method and Joint Ventures . Investments for which we have the ability to exert significant influence on the investee are accounted for under the equity method with our proportionate share of the investee’s operating results recognized through the Consolidated Statements of Operations, along with a commensurate increase or decrease in the carrying value of the investment. Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Long-lived assets, including amortizable intangible assets, are carried on our financial statements based on their cost less accumulated depreciation or amortization. We monitor the carrying value of our long-lived assets for potential impairment and test the recoverability of such assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amounts may not be recoverable. These events or changes in circumstances, including management decisions pertaining to such assets, are referred to as impairment indicators. If an impairment indicator occurs, we perform a test of recoverability by comparing the carrying value of the asset group to its undiscounted expected future cash flows. If the carrying values are in excess of undiscounted expected future cash flows, we measure any impairment by comparing the fair value of the asset group to its carrying value. Fair value is generally determined by considering (i) internally developed discounted projected cash flow analysis of the asset group; (ii) actual third-party valuations; and/or (iii) information available regarding the current market for similar asset groups. If the fair value of the asset group is determined to be less than the carrying amount of the asset group, an impairment in the amount of the difference is recorded in the period that the impairment indicator occurs and is included in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. Estimating future cash flows requires significant judgment and projections may vary from the cash flows eventually realized, which could impact our ability to accurately assess whether an asset has been impaired. The results of our current year assessment are detailed in Note 9. Valuation of Goodwill Goodwill is an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized. We review goodwill for impairment annually during the fourth quarter and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value of goodwill may not be recoverable. When evaluating whether goodwill is impaired, we make a qualitative assessment to determine if it is more likely than not that the reporting unit's fair value is less than the carrying amount. If the qualitative assessment determines that it is more likely than not that the fair value is less than the carrying amount, the fair value of the reporting unit is compared with its carrying value (including goodwill). If the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying value, an indication of goodwill impairment exists for the reporting unit and we must measure the impairment loss. The impairment loss, if any, is recognized for any excess of the carrying amount of the reporting unit's goodwill over the implied fair value of the goodwill. The implied fair value of goodwill is determined by allocating the fair value of the reporting unit in a manner similar to purchase price allocation and the residual fair value after this allocation is the implied fair value of the reporting unit goodwill. Fair value of the reporting unit is determined using a discounted cash flow analysis. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds its carrying value, no further impairment analysis is needed. For purposes of testing goodwill for impairment, the Company operates as two reporting units: the core Lattice ("Core") business, which includes intellectual property and semiconductor devices, and Qterics, a discrete software-as-a-service business unit in the Lattice legal entity structure. Although these two operating segments constitute two reportable segments, we combine Qterics with our Core business and report them together as one reportable segment due to the immaterial nature of the Qterics segment. The results of our current year assessment are detailed in Note 9. Leases We lease office space and classify our leases as either operating or capital lease arrangements in accordance with the criteria of ASC 840, “Leases.” Certain of our office space operating leases contain provisions under which monthly rent escalates over time and certain leases may also contain provisions for reimbursement of a specified amount of leasehold improvements. When lease agreements contain escalating rent clauses, we recognize expense on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. When lease agreements provide allowances for leasehold improvements, we capitalize the leasehold improvement assets and amortize them on a straight-line basis over the lesser of the lease term or the estimated useful life of the asset, and reduce rent expense on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease by the amount of the asset capitalized. Restructuring Charges Expenses associated with exit or disposal activities are recognized when incurred under ASC 420, “Exit or Disposal Cost Obligations,” for everything but severance. Because the Company has a history of paying severance benefits, the cost of severance benefits associated with a restructuring plan is recorded when such costs are probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated in accordance with ASC 712, “Compensation - Nonretirement Postemployment Benefits.” When leased facilities are vacated, an amount equal to the total future lease obligations from the date of vacating the premises through the expiration of the lease, net of any future sublease income, is recorded as a part of restructuring charges. Research and Development Research and development expenses include costs for compensation and benefits, development masks, engineering wafers, depreciation, licenses, and outside engineering services. These expenditures are for the design of new products, intellectual property cores, processes, packaging, and software to support new products. Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Accounting for Income Taxes Our provision for income tax is comprised of our current tax liability and changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected tax consequences of temporary differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the financial statements using enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the difference is expected to reverse. Valuation allowances are provided to reduce deferred tax assets to an amount that in management’s judgment is more-likely-than-not to be recoverable against future taxable income. At January 2, 2016, U.S. income taxes were not provided on approximately $3.2 million of the undistributed earnings of our Chinese subsidiary as we intend to reinvest these earnings indefinitely. If these earnings were distributed to the U.S. in the form of dividends or otherwise, these earnings would be subject to Chinese withholding taxes and would be subject to additional U.S. income taxes but offset by net operating loss carryforwards which have been fully reserved. Our income tax calculations are based on application of the respective U.S. federal, state or foreign tax law. Our tax filings, however, are subject to audit by the relevant tax authorities. Accordingly, we recognize tax liabilities based upon our estimate of whether, and the extent to which, additional taxes will be due when such estimates are more-likely-than-not to be sustained. An uncertain income tax position will not be recognized if it has less than a 50% likelihood of being sustained. To the extent the final tax liabilities are different than the amounts originally accrued, the increases or decreases as well as any interest or penalties are recorded as income tax expense or benefit in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. In assessing the ability to realize deferred tax assets, the Company evaluates both positive and negative evidence that may exist and consider whether it is more-likely-than-not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. Any adjustment to the net deferred tax asset valuation allowance is recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the period that the adjustment is determined to be required. Stock-Based Compensation We use the Black-Scholes option pricing model to estimate the fair value of substantially all share-based awards consistent with the provisions of ASC 718, “Compensation - Stock Compensation.” Option pricing models, including the Black-Scholes model, require the use of input assumptions, including expected volatility, expected term, expected dividend rate, and expected risk-free rate of return. The assumptions for expected volatility and expected term most significantly affect the grant date fair value. We have also used a lattice-based option-pricing model to determine and fix the fair value of stock options with a market condition granted to certain executives. This valuation model incorporates a Monte-Carlo simulation, and considered the likelihood that we would achieve the market condition. The options have a two year vesting and vest between 0% and 200% of the target amount, based on the Company's relative Total Shareholder Return ("TSR") when compared to the TSR of a component of companies of the PHLX Semiconductor Sector Index over a two year period. TSR is a measure of stock price appreciation plus dividends paid, if any, in the performance period. Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests Noncontrolling interests that are redeemable at the option of the holder are classified as temporary equity in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Differences between the carrying value and the estimated redemption value are accreted through a charge to additional paid-in capital over the redemption period using the effective interest method. New Accounting Pronouncements In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers , which requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. The ASU will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance under U.S. GAAP when it becomes effective. While ASU 2014-09 was to be effective for annual periods and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2016, in August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-14 deferring the effective date of ASU 2014-09 to periods beginning on or after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within that year. With the deferral, we intend to adopt ASU 2014-09 on December 31, 2017. The standard permits the use of either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2014-09 on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures and have not yet selected a transition method. In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-02, Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis , which focuses on the consolidation evaluation for reporting organizations and requires the evaluation of whether or not certain legal entities should be consolidated. All legal entities are subject to reevaluation under the revised consolidation model. The new standard will become effective for us on January 3, 2016. Early adopt |
