XML 42 R6.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.0.8
Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

1. Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

TASER International, Inc. (the “Company” or “TASER” or “we” or “our”) is a developer and manufacturer of advanced conducted electrical weapons (“CEWs”) designed for use in law enforcement, federal, military, corrections, private security and personal defense. In addition, the Company has developed full technology solutions for the capture, storage and management of video/audio evidence as well as other tactical capabilities for use in law enforcement. The Company sells its products worldwide through its direct sales force, distribution partners, online store and third-party resellers. The Company was incorporated in Arizona in September 1993, and reincorporated in Delaware in January 2001. The Company’s corporate headquarters and manufacturing facilities are located in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Company’s software development business unit facilities are located in Santa Barbara, California, and Seattle, Washington.

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, and its wholly owned subsidiaries, including TASER International Europe SE (“TASER Europe”). TASER Europe was established in 2009 to facilitate sales and provide customer service to our customers in the European region. All material intercompany accounts, transactions, and profits have been eliminated.

a. Basis of presentation, preparation and use of estimates

These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Certain information related to the Company’s organization, significant accounting policies and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“US GAAP”) has been condensed or omitted. The accounting policies followed in the preparation of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are consistent with those followed in the Company’s annual consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2013, as filed on Form 10-K. In the opinion of management, these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contain all material adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary to fairly state our financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented and the presentations and disclosures herein are adequate when read in conjunction with the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year (or any other period). Significant estimates and assumptions in these condensed consolidated financial statements include:

 

    product warranty reserves,

 

    inventory valuation reserves,

 

    revenue recognition allocated in multiple-deliverable revenue recognition,

 

    valuation of goodwill, intangibles and long-lived assets,

 

    recognition, measurement and valuation of current and deferred income taxes,

 

    fair value of stock awards issued, the estimated vesting period for performance-based stock awards and forfeiture rates, and

 

    recognition and measurement of contingencies and accrued litigation expense.

Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

b. Segment information

The Company is comprised of two reportable segments: the sale of CEWs, accessories and other related products and services (the “TASER Weapons” segment); and the video business which includes the TASER Cam, AXON video products and EVIDENCE.com (the “EVIDENCE.com & Video” segment). Reportable segments are determined based on discrete financial information reviewed by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer who is the Chief Operating Decision Maker (the “CODM”) for the Company. The Company organizes and reviews operations based on products and services, and currently, there are no operating segments that are aggregated. The Company performs an annual analysis of its reportable segments. Additional information related to the Company’s segments is summarized in Note 13.

 

c. Geographic information and major customers

For the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, net sales by geographic area were as follows:

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
     2014     2013  

United States

   $ 25,576         71   $ 27,314         90

Other Countries

     10,609         29        3,120         10   
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 36,185         100   $ 30,434         100
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Sales to customers outside of the United States are typically denominated in U.S. dollars and are attributed to each country based on the shipping address of the distributor or customer. For the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, no individual country outside of the United States represented greater than 10% of total net sales. Sales in the international market generally are larger and occur more intermittently than in the domestic market due to the profile of the Company’s customers.

For the three months ended March 31, 2014, no customers represented more than 10% of total net sales. In the three months ended March 31, 2013, one distributor represented approximately 13.7% of total net sales. At March 31, 2014, the Company had receivables from two customers comprising approximately 11.0% and 10.3% of its aggregate accounts receivable balance, respectively. At December 31, 2013, the Company had a receivable from one customer comprising 17.4% of the aggregate accounts receivable balance.

d. Income per common share

Basic income per common share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the periods presented. Diluted income per share is calculated based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period plus the dilutive effect of stock options and restricted stock units using the treasury stock method. The calculation of the weighted average number of shares outstanding and income per share are as follows (in thousands except per share data):

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
     2014      2013  

Numerator for basic and diluted earnings per share:

     

Net income

   $ 3,391       $ 3,298   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Denominator:

     

Weighted average shares outstanding—basic

     53,190         52,746   

Dilutive effect of stock-based awards

     1,934         1,854   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Diluted weighted average shares outstanding

     55,124         54,600   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Anti-dilutive stock-based awards excluded

     315         1,232   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income per common share:

     

Basic

   $ 0.06       $ 0.06   

Diluted

   $ 0.06       $ 0.06   

e. Revenue recognition

The Company derives revenue from two primary sources: (1) the sale of physical products, including our CEWs, AXON cameras, corresponding extended warranties, and related accessories such as cartridges and batteries, and (2) subscription to our EVIDENCE.com digital evidence management Software-as-a-Solution (“SaaS”) (including data storage fees and other ancillary services), which includes varying levels of support. To a lesser extent, the Company also recognizes training and other revenue. Revenue is recognized when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred or services have been rendered, title has transferred, the price is fixed and collectability is reasonably assured. Extended warranty revenue, SaaS revenue and related data storage revenue are recognized ratably over the term of the contract beginning on the commencement date of each contract.

 

Revenue arrangements with multiple deliverables are divided into separate units and revenue is allocated using the relative selling price method based upon vendor-specific objective evidence of selling price, or third-party evidence of the selling prices if vendor-specific objective evidence of selling prices does not exist. If neither vendor-specific objective evidence nor third-party evidence exists, management uses its best estimate of selling price.

The Company offers customers the right to purchase extended warranties that include additional services and coverage beyond the limited warranty for certain products. Revenue for extended warranty purchases is deferred at the time of sale and recognized over the warranty period commencing on the date of sale. Extended warranties range from one to five years.

EVIDENCE.com and AXON cameras are sold separately, but in most instances are purchased together. In these instances, customers typically purchase and pay for the equipment and one year of EVIDENCE.com in advance. Additional years of service are generally billed annually over a specified service term, which has typically ranged from one to five years. AXON equipment has stand-alone value and represents a deliverable that is provided to the customer at the time of sale, while EVIDENCE.com services are provided over the specified term of the contract. The Company recognizes revenue for the AXON equipment at the time of the sale consistent with the discussion of multiple deliverable arrangements above. Revenue for EVIDENCE.com is deferred at the time of the sale and recognized over the service period. In certain circumstances, not all requirements are met for the recognition of revenue relative to equipment sold in conjunction with EVIDENCE.com at the time the equipment is provided to customers. In such circumstances, based on limitations associated with the consideration, the revenue may be recognized ratably over the specified term of the contract, or when all conditions for revenue recognition are met, if sooner.

In 2012, the Company introduced a program, the TASER Assurance Program (“TAP”) whereby a customer purchasing a product and joining the program will have the right to trade-in the original product for a new product of the same or like model in the future. Upon joining TAP, customers also receive an extended warranty for the initial products purchased and spare inventory. Under this program the customer generally pays additional annual installments over the contract period, generally three to five years. The Company records consideration received related to the future purchase as deferred revenue until all revenue recognition criteria are met, which is generally at the end of the contract period.

Sales tax collected on sales is netted against government remittances and thus, recorded on a net basis. Training revenue is recorded as the service is provided.

Deferred revenue consists of billings and/or payments received in advance related to products and services for which the criteria for revenue recognition have not yet been met. Deferred revenue that will be recognized during the succeeding twelve month period is recorded as current deferred revenue and the remaining portion is recorded as long-term. Deferred revenue does not include future revenue from multi-year contracts for which no invoice has yet been created. Generally, customers are billed in annual installments. See Note 5 for further discussion of the Company’s deferred revenue.

Sales are typically made on credit and the Company generally does not require collateral. Management performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition and maintains an allowance for estimated potential losses. Uncollectable accounts are charged to expense when deemed uncollectible, and accounts and notes receivable are presented net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. This allowance represents management’s best estimate and is based on their judgment after considering a number of factors, including third-party credit reports, actual payment history, cash discounts, customer-specific financial information and broader market and economic trends and conditions.

The Company may, from time to time, enter into agreements with its customers to finance a customer’s purchases with a note receivable that may range in terms up to five years. Sales are recorded at the fair value of the note, which is generally sold and assigned to a third-party financing company. The terms of the assignments are such that the Company expects to receive payment within 30 days of the original sale. The assignments are non-recourse and the Company has no obligations or continuing involvement with the notes receivable. Prior to entering into an assignment, the Company evaluates the credit quality and financial condition of the third-party financing company. As of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 there was $0.2 million and $0 in accounts and notes receivable related to such arrangements, respectively. The Company did not record any interest income on notes receivable due to minimal holding periods, nor has the Company recognized gains or losses upon the assignment of the notes.

 

f. Warranty costs

The Company warrants its CEWs, StrikeLight, AXON cameras and Evidence Transfer Management systems (“ETMs”) from manufacturing defects on a limited basis for a period of one year after purchase and, thereafter, will replace any defective unit for a fee. Estimated costs for the standard warranty are charged to cost of products sold and services delivered when revenue is recorded for the related product. Future warranty costs are estimated based on historical data related to returns and warranty costs on a quarterly basis and this rate is applied to current product sales. Historically, reserve amounts have been increased if management becomes aware of a component failure that could result in larger than anticipated returns from customers. The accrued warranty liability expense is reviewed quarterly to verify that it sufficiently reflects the remaining warranty obligations based on the anticipated expenditures over the balance of the warranty obligation period, and adjustments are made when actual warranty claim experience differs from estimates. Costs related to extended warranties are charged to cost of products sold and services delivered when incurred.

The reserve for warranty returns is included in accrued liabilities on the condensed consolidated balance sheets. The three months ended March 31, 2014 includes additional expense due to a change in estimate regarding the Company’s first generation ETM as a result of an updated version launched in the first quarter. Changes in the Company’s estimated product warranty liabilities are as follows (in thousands):

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
     2014     2013  

Balance, January 1,

   $ 955      $ 484   

Utilization of accrual

     (174     (157

Warranty expense

     306        169   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance, March 31,

   $ 1,087      $ 496   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

g. Fair value of financial instruments

The Company uses the fair value framework that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques for measuring financial assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis and for non-financial assets and liabilities when these items are re-measured. Fair value is considered to be the exchange price in an orderly transaction between market participants, to sell an asset or transfer a liability at the measurement date. The hierarchy below lists three levels of fair value based on the extent to which inputs used in measuring fair value are observable in the market. The Company categorizes each of its fair value measurements in one of these three levels based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. These levels are:

 

    Level 1 – Valuation techniques in which all significant inputs are unadjusted quoted prices from active markets for assets or liabilities that are identical to the assets or liabilities being measured.

 

    Level 2 – Valuation techniques in which significant inputs include quoted prices from active markets for assets or liabilities that are similar to the assets or liabilities being measured and/or quoted prices for assets or liabilities that are identical or similar to the assets or liabilities being measured from markets that are not active. Also, model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs and significant value drivers are observable in active markets are Level 2 valuation techniques.

 

    Level 3 – Valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable. Unobservable inputs are valuation technique inputs that reflect our own assumptions about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability.

The Company has cash equivalents and investments, which at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, were comprised of money market funds, state and municipal obligations, corporate bonds, and certificates of deposits. See additional disclosure regarding the fair value of the Company’s cash equivalents and investments in Note 2. Included in the balance of other assets as of March 31, 2014 is $0.6 million related to corporate-owned life insurance policies which are used to fund the Company’s deferred compensation plan. The Company determines the fair value of its insurance contracts by obtaining the cash surrender value of the contracts from the issuer, a Level 2 valuation technique.

The Company’s financial instruments also include accounts and notes receivable, accounts payable and accrued liabilities. Due to the short-term nature of these instruments, their fair values approximate their carrying values on the balance sheet.

h. Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Management evaluates whether events and circumstances have occurred that indicate the remaining estimated useful life of long-lived assets and identifiable intangible assets may warrant revision or that the remaining balance of these assets may not be recoverable. Such circumstances could include, but are not limited to, a change in the product mix, a change in the way products are created, produced or delivered, or a significant change in the way products are branded and marketed. In performing the review for recoverability, management estimates the future undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use of the assets and their eventual disposition. The amount of the impairment loss, if impairment exists, is calculated based on the excess of the carrying amounts of the assets over their estimated fair value computed using discounted cash flows. No impairment losses were recorded in the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013.

 

i. Recently issued accounting guidance

In July 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an accounting standard update (“ASU”) to standardize the balance sheet presentation of unrecognized tax benefits. This update applies to all entities that have unrecognized tax benefits when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists at the reporting date. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2013, and early adoption is allowed. The adoption of this guidance resulted in an immaterial reclassification on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet.