Basis of Presentation

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Basis of Presentation [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Note 1. Basis of Presentation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements of AXT, Inc. ("AXT," the "Company," "we," "us," and "our" refer to AXT, Inc. and all of its consolidated subsidiaries) are unaudited, and have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") in the United States of America for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, the year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from our audited consolidated financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP. In the opinion of our management, the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, considered necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of AXT and our consolidated subsidiaries for all periods presented.

Our management has made certain estimates, judgments and assumptions to prepare these condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP. We believe that the estimates, judgments, and assumptions upon which it relies are reasonable based on information available at the time that these estimates, judgments, and assumptions are made. These estimates, judgments, and assumptions can affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the periods presented. To the extent there are material differences between these estimates and actual results, our condensed consolidated financial statements would be affected.

The results of operations are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected in the future or for the full fiscal year. It is recommended that these condensed consolidated financial statements be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in our 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on March 15, 2012 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2012 and June 30, 2012 filed with the SEC on May 10, 2012 and August 9, 2012, respectively.

The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of AXT and our majority-owned subsidiaries.  All significant inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Investments in business entities in which we do not have control, but have the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies (generally 20-50% ownership), are accounted for by the equity method. For majority-owned subsidiaries, we reflect the noncontrolling interests of the portion we do not own on our condensed consolidated balance sheets in equity and in our condensed consolidated statements of operations.