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1. THE COMPANY AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2022
The Company And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies  
NOTE 1-THE COMPANY AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

NOTE 1—THE COMPANY AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The Company

GSI Technology, Inc. (the “Company”) was incorporated in California in March 1995 and reincorporated in Delaware on June 9, 2004. The Company is a provider of high-performance semiconductor memory solutions to networking, industrial, medical, aerospace and military customers. The Company’s products are incorporated primarily in high-performance networking and telecommunications equipment, such as routers, switches, wide area network infrastructure equipment, wireless base stations and network access equipment. In addition, the Company serves the ongoing needs of the military, industrial, test equipment and medical markets for high-performance SRAMs. The Company’s in-place associative computing product is targeted for markets including computer vision, synthetic aperture radar, drug discovery, cybersecurity, and service markets such as NoSQL, Elasticsearch, and OpenSearch, which the Company plans to support with a SaaS solution.

Accounting principles

The consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes were prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).

Basis of consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company’s four wholly-owned subsidiaries, GSI Technology Holdings, Inc., GSI Technology (BVI), Inc., GSI Technology Israel Ltd. and GSI Technology Taiwan, Inc. All inter-company transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Significant estimates are inherent in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements and include revenue recognition, obsolete and excess inventory, the valuation allowance on deferred tax assets, stock-based compensation, contingent consideration and the valuation of intangibles and goodwill. The uncertainty created by the COVID-19 global pandemic and efforts to contain it, has made such estimates more difficult and subjective. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

Risk and uncertainties

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many of the countries in which the Company, its customers, suppliers, and other business partners conduct business. Governments in affected regions have implemented, and may continue to implement, safety precautions which include quarantines, travel restrictions, business closures, cancellations of public gatherings and other measures as they deem necessary. Many organizations and individuals, including the Company and its employees, are taking additional steps to avoid or reduce infection, including limiting travel and working from home. These measures are disrupting normal business operations both in and outside of affected areas and have had significant negative impacts on businesses and financial markets worldwide.

The Company continues to monitor its operations and government recommendations and has made modifications to its normal operations because of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The Company has instituted many preventative measures and is regularly evaluating those measures and others as it continues to better understand its current and future operating environment. From March 2020 through April 2022, except for the

Company’s employees located in Taiwan, the majority of its employees worked from home around the world. In May 2021, due to a surge in COVID-19 infections in Taiwan, the Company’s Taiwan employees worked from home under alternating schedules, and returned to their offices in July 2021. The Company maintained a substantial portion of its manufacturing operational capacity at its primary manufacturing support facility located in Hsin Chu, Taiwan where the Company’s suppliers are located and where all of the Company’s products are manufactured. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, aside from the lengthening of lead times for wafers and assembly services and some price increases, including a 20% increase in the cost of wafers received in early calendar 2022, the Company has experienced minimal impact, and continues to experience minimal impact, on its manufacturing operations in Taiwan. Final testing of the Company’s products is conducted in house. Shipping and receiving operations were maintained by a skeleton crew with minimal impact. The Company’s revenues were impacted by changes in customer buying patterns and communication limitations related to COVID-19 restrictions that required a significant number of its customer contacts to work from home. The Company’s results for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2022 and 2021 demonstrate the challenges that the Company has faced during the COVID-19 global pandemic, which has restricted the activities of the Company’s sales force and distributors, reduced customer demand and caused the postponement of investment in certain customer sectors. These challenges have also impacted the Company as it entered new markets and engaged with target customers to sell its new APU product. Industry conferences and on-site training workshops, which are typically used for building a sales pipeline, were unavailable due to COVID-19 related restrictions. The Company adapted its sales strategies for the COVID-19 environment, where it could not do face-to-face meetings and conduct secure meetings with government and defense customers. In addition to the continuing COVID-19 global pandemic, the recent military conflict in Ukraine and the rapid rise in energy prices may have an adverse impact on the Company’s business and financial condition.

The disruption to the marketplace that resulted from the COVID-19 global pandemic that the Company continues to experience is unlike anything the Company has ever had to deal with. While the Company continues to monitor the business metrics that it has historically used to predict its financial performance, the Company is uncertain as to whether these metrics will operate consistently with its historical experience.

The Company believes that during the next 12 months the COVID-19 pandemic could impact general economic activity and demand in its end markets. In addition, supply chain constraints have had an impact on our ability to fulfill all of our orders. While there has been some improvement, the situation remains fluid, and we do not expect significant relief from these constraints before the end of calendar year 2022. Although the Company cannot estimate the length or gravity of the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is expected to have an adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial position, including potential impairments, and liquidity in fiscal year 2023. This includes results from new information that may emerge concerning COVID-19, the effectiveness of vaccines and any actions taken to contain or treat COVID-19, as well as the economic impact on local, regional, national, and international customers and markets. The Company has made estimates of the impact of COVID-19 within its financial statements and there may be changes to those estimates in future periods that could be material.

The Company buys all of its SRAM wafers, an integral component of its products, from a single supplier and is also dependent on independent suppliers to assemble and test its products. During the years ended March 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, all of the wafers used in the Company’s SRAM products were supplied by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, or TSMC. If this supplier fails to satisfy the Company’s requirements on a timely basis at competitive prices, the Company could suffer manufacturing delays, a possible loss of revenues, or higher cost of revenues, any of which could adversely affect operating results.

A majority of the Company’s net revenues come from sales to customers in the networking and telecommunications equipment industry. A decline in demand in this industry could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s operating results and financial condition.

Because much of the manufacturing and testing of the Company’s products is conducted in Taiwan, its business performance may be affected by changes in Taiwan’s political, social and economic environment. For example, any political instability resulting from the relationship among the United States, Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China could damage the Company’s business. Moreover, the role of the Taiwanese government in the Taiwanese economy is significant. Taiwanese policies toward economic liberalization, and laws and policies affecting technology companies, foreign investment, currency exchange rates, taxes and other matters could change, resulting in greater restrictions on the Company’s and its suppliers' ability to do business and operate facilities in Taiwan. If any of these risks were to occur, the Company’s business could be harmed.

Some of the Company’s suppliers and the Company’s two principal operations are located near fault lines. In the event of a major earthquake, typhoon or other natural disaster near the facilities of any of these suppliers or the Company, the Company’s business could be harmed.

From time to time, the Company is involved in legal actions. There are many uncertainties associated with any litigation, and the Company may not prevail. If information becomes available that causes us to determine that a loss in any of the Company’s pending litigation, or the settlement of such litigation, is probable, and we can reasonably estimate the loss associated with such events, we will record the loss in accordance with GAAP. However, the actual liability in any such litigation may be materially different from the Company’s estimates, which could require us to record additional costs.

Revenue recognition

The Company recognizes revenue when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to its customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. Under this criteria, revenue from the sale of products is generally recognized upon shipment according to the Company’s shipping terms, net of accruals for estimated variable consideration resulting from sales returns and allowances based on historical experience. When consignment warehouses purchase products from the Company for use by contract manufacturers, revenues are recognized upon delivery to the contract manufacturer.

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in demand accounts and highly liquid investments purchased with an original or remaining maturity of three months or less at the date of purchase, stated at cost, which approximates their fair value.

Short-term and long-term investments

All of the Company’s short-term and long-term investments are classified as available-for-sale. Available-for-sale debt securities with maturities greater than twelve months are classified as long-term investments when they are not intended for use in current operations. Investments in available-for-sale securities are reported at fair value with unrecognized gains (losses), net of tax, as a component of “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company monitors its investments for impairment periodically and records appropriate reductions in carrying values when the declines in fair value are determined to be other-than-temporary.

Concentration of credit risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to a concentration of credit risk consist primarily of cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments and accounts receivable. The Company places its cash primarily in checking, certificate of deposit, and money market accounts with reputable financial institutions, and by policy, limits the amount of credit exposure with any one financial institution or commercial issuer. The

Company’s accounts receivables are derived primarily from revenue earned from customers located in the U.S. 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. There were no write offs of accounts receivable in the years ended March 31, 2022, 2021 or 2020.

At March 31, 2022, three customers accounted for 34%, 28% and 19% of accounts receivable, and for the year then ended, four customers accounted for 38%, 17%, 16% and 11% of net revenues. At March 31, 2021, four customers accounted for 36%, 28%, 15% and 12% of accounts receivable, and for the year then ended, four customers accounted for 30%, 22%, 21% and 15% of net revenues. For the year ended March 31, 2020, four customers accounted for 34%, 17%, 15% and 15% of net revenues.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value, cost being determined on a weighted average basis. Inventory write-down allowances are established when conditions indicate that the selling price could be less than cost due to physical deterioration, obsolescence, changes in price levels, or other causes. These allowances, once recorded, result in a new cost basis for the related inventory. These allowances are also considered for excess inventory generally based on inventory levels in excess of 12 months of forecasted demand, as estimated by management, for each specific product. The allowance is not reversed until the inventory is sold or disposed.

The Company recorded write-downs of excess and obsolete inventories of $402,000, $466,000 and $343,000, respectively, in fiscal 2022, 2021 and 2020.

Property and equipment, net

Property and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets as presented below:

Software

    

3 to 5 years

Computer and other equipment

 

5 to 10 years

Building and building improvements

10 to 25 years

Furniture and fixtures

 

7 years

Leasehold improvements are amortized using the straight-line method over the shorter of the estimated useful lives of the assets or the remaining lease term of the respective assets. Gains or losses on disposals of property and equipment are recorded within income from operations. Costs of repairs and maintenance are included as part of operating expenses unless they are incurred in relation to major improvements to existing property and equipment, at which time they are capitalized.

Operating Leases

The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception. Operating leases are included in operating lease right-of-use ("ROU") assets, lease liabilities, current and lease liabilities, non-current on the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company did not identify any finance leases as of March 31, 2022 and 2021.

Operating lease ROU assets and operating lease liabilities are recognized based on the present value of the future minimum lease payments over the lease term at commencement date. As the Company’s leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company uses an estimate of its incremental borrowing rate based on observed market data and other information available at the lease commencement date. The operating lease ROU assets also include any lease payments made and exclude lease incentives. Lease terms may include options to extend or terminate the

lease when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise such options. The Company does not record leases on the Consolidated Balance Sheet with a term of one year or less. The Company does not separate lease and non-lease components but rather account for each separate component as a single lease component for all underlying classes of assets. Variable lease payments are expensed as incurred and are not included within the operating lease ROU asset and lease liability calculation. Variable lease payments primarily include reimbursements of costs incurred by lessors for common area maintenance and utilities. Lease expense for minimum operating lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

Impairment of long-lived assets

Long-lived assets held and used by the Company are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their net book value may not be recoverable. If the sum of the expected future cash flows (undiscounted and before interest) from the use of the assets is less than the net book value of the asset an impairment could exist and the amount of the impairment loss, if any, will generally be measured as the difference between the net book value of the assets and their estimated fair values. There were no impairment losses recognized during the years ended March 31, 2022, 2021 or 2020.

Goodwill and intangible assets

Goodwill is not amortized but is tested for impairment on an annual basis or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of these assets may not be recoverable.

The Company assesses goodwill for impairment on an annual basis on the last day of February in the fourth quarter of its fiscal year and if certain events or circumstances indicate that an impairment loss may have been incurred, on an interim basis. The Company has one reporting unit. Impairment is recognized if the carrying value of the net assets of the reporting unit exceeds the fair value of the reporting unit, with the impairment loss not to exceed the amount of goodwill allocated to the reporting unit.

Intangible assets with finite useful lives are amortized over their estimated useful lives, generally on a straight-line basis over five to fifteen years. The Company reviews identifiable amortizable intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets may not be recoverable. Determination of recoverability is based on the lowest level of identifiable estimated undiscounted cash flows resulting from use of the asset and its eventual disposition. Measurement of any impairment loss is based on the excess of the carrying value of the asset over its fair value. The Company identified a potential impairment indicator for the finite lived intangible assets and performed a recoverability test by comparing the sum of the estimated undiscounted future cash flows of the asset group to the carrying amount as of March 31, 2022. The result of the recoverability test indicated that the sum of the expected future cash flows was greater than the carrying amount of the finite lived intangible assets. Based on the uncertainty of forecasts inherent with a new product, events such as the failure to generate forecasted revenue from the APU product could result in impairment in the future.

Research and development

Research and development expenses are related to new product designs, including, salaries, stock-based compensation, contractor fees, preproduction masks, and allocation of corporate costs and are charged to the statement of operations as incurred.

Income taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes under the liability method, whereby deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established when it is more likely than not that the deferred tax asset will not be realized. Due to historical losses in the U.S., the Company has a full valuation allowance on its U.S. federal and state deferred tax assets. As of March 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company’s net deferred tax assets of $16.2 and $13.0 million, respectively, were subject to a valuation allowance of $16.2 and $13.0 million, respectively. Management continues to evaluate the realizability of deferred tax assets and the related valuation allowance.

Authoritative guidance prescribes a comprehensive model for how a company should recognize, measure, present, and disclose in its financial statements uncertain tax positions that the Company has taken or expects to take on a tax return (including a decision whether to file or not to file a return in a particular jurisdiction). Under the guidance, the financial statements will reflect expected future tax consequences of such positions presuming the taxing Authorities’ full knowledge of the position and all relevant facts, but without considering time values. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation process, if any. The second step is to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement.

Shipping and handling costs

The Company records costs related to shipping and handling in cost of revenues.

Advertising expense

Advertising costs are charged to expense in the period incurred. Advertising expense was not material for the years ended March 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020.

Foreign currency transactions

The U.S. dollar is the functional currency for all of the Company’s foreign operations. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses, resulting from transactions denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars are included in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. These gains and losses were not material for the years ended March 31, 2022, 2021 or 2020.

Segments

Segment reporting is based on the “management approach,” following the method that management organizes the Company’s reportable segments for which separate financial information is made available to, and evaluated regularly by, the chief operating decision maker in allocating resources and in assessing performance. The Company’s chief operating decision maker is its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), who makes the decision on allocating resources and in assessing performance. The CEO reviews the Company's consolidated results as one operating segment. In making operating decisions, the CEO primarily considers consolidated financial information, accompanied by disaggregated information about revenues by customers and product. All of the Company’s principal operations and decision-making functions are located in the U.S. The Company’s CEO views its operations, manages its business, and uses one measurement of profitability for the one operating segment, which designs, develops and sells integrated circuits.

Accounting for stock-based compensation

Stock-based compensation expense recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations is based on options ultimately expected to vest, reduced by the amount of estimated forfeitures. The Company chose the straight-line method of allocating compensation cost over the requisite service period of the related award according to authoritative guidance. The Company calculates the expected term based on the historical average period of time that options were outstanding as adjusted for expected changes in future exercise patterns, which, for options granted in fiscal 2022, 2021 and 2020 resulted in an expected term of approximately five years. The Company uses its historical volatility to estimate expected volatility. The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yields in effect at the time of grant for periods corresponding to the expected life of the options. The dividend yield is 0%, based on the fact that the Company has never paid dividends and has no present intention to pay dividends. Changes to these assumptions may have a significant impact on the results of operations.

Authoritative guidance requires cash flows, if any, resulting from the tax benefits from tax deductions in excess of the compensation cost recognized for those options (excess tax benefits) to be classified as financing cash flows in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Comprehensive loss

Comprehensive loss is defined to include all changes in stockholders’ equity during a period except those resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners. For the years ended March 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, comprehensive loss was $16.5 million, $21.6 million and $10.2 million, respectively.

Accounting pronouncements recently adopted

In December 2019, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU No. 2019-12, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes” as part of its initiative to reduce complexity in the accounting standards. The standard eliminates certain exceptions related to the approach for intraperiod tax allocation, the methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. The standard also clarifies and simplifies other aspects of the accounting for income taxes. The Company adopted ASU No. 2019-12 in the quarter ended June 30, 2021. Implementation of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

Accounting pronouncements not yet effective for fiscal 2022

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” ASU 2016-13 replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology in current GAAP with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. For trade and other receivables, loans, and other financial instruments, the Company will be required to use a forward-looking expected loss model rather than the incurred loss model for recognizing credit losses which reflects losses that are probable. Credit losses relating to available-for-sale debt securities will also be recorded through an allowance for credit losses rather than as a reduction in the amortized cost basis of the securities. ASU 2016-13 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted beginning April 1, 2019. Application of the amendments is through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the effective date. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this standard on its consolidated financial statements.