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SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
NOTE 2:-
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The consolidated financial statements are prepared according to United States generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”).

a.
Principles of consolidation:

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. Intercompany transactions and balances including profits from intercompany sales not yet realized outside the Company have been eliminated upon consolidation.

b.
Use of estimates:

The preparation of financial statements, in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. The Company evaluates its assumptions on an ongoing basis. The Company’s management believes that the estimates, judgment, and assumptions used are reasonable based upon information available at the time they are made.

These estimates, judgments, and assumptions can affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

c.
Financial statements in U.S. dollars:

The functional currency of the Company and most of its foreign subsidiaries is the U.S. dollar, as the U.S. dollar is the currency of the primary economic environment in which the Company has operated and expects to continue to operate in the foreseeable future. Currently, the operations of these subsidiaries and the Company are primarily conducted in Israel, and a significant portion of its expenses are paid in U.S. dollars. Financing activities, including cash investments are primarily made in U.S. dollars.

Accordingly, monetary accounts maintained in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are translated into U.S. dollars in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) No. 830 “Foreign Currency Matters”. All transaction gains and losses of the re-measurement of monetary balance sheet items are reflected in the statements of operations as financial income or expenses, as appropriate.

The financial statements of other Company’s subsidiaries whose functional currency is other than the U.S. dollar have been translated into U.S dollars. Assets and liabilities have been translated using the exchange rates in effect on the balance sheet date. Statements of operations amounts have been translated using the average exchange rate for the relevant periods.

The resulting translation adjustments are reported as a component of stockholders’ equity in accumulated other comprehensive loss.

Accumulated other comprehensive gains (losses) related to foreign currency translation adjustments, net amounted to $132, $(178) and $(207) as of December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

d.
Basic and Diluted Net Earnings Per Share Attributable to SolarEdge Technologies, Inc.:

Basic net earnings per share is computed by dividing the net earnings attributable to SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period.

Diluted net earnings per share is computed by giving effect to all potential shares of common stock, including stock options, to the extent dilutive, all in accordance with ASC No. 260, "Earnings Per Share."

No shares were excluded from the calculation of diluted net earnings per share due to their anti-dilutive effect for the year ended December 31, 2018.

The total weighted average number of shares related to the outstanding stock options,  excluded from the calculation of diluted net earnings per share due to their anti-dilutive effect was 197,516, 374,156 and 16,208 for the years ended December 31, 2017, the six months ended December 31, 2016 and the year ended June 30, 2016, respectively.

The following table presents the computation of basic and diluted net earnings per share attributable to SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. for the periods presented (in thousands, except share and per share data):
 
   
Year ended December 31,
   
Six months
ended
December 31,
   
Year ended
June 30,
 
   
2018
   
2017
   
2016
   
2016
 
                         
Numerator:
                       
Net income
 
$
128,046
   
$
84,172
   
$
25,381
   
$
76,609
 
 Net loss attributable to Non-controlling interests
   
787
     
-
     
-
     
-
 
Net income attributable to SolarEdge Technologies, Inc.
 
$
128,833
   
$
84,172
   
$
25,381
   
$
76,609
 
                                 
Denominator:
                               
Shares used in computing net earnings per share of common stock, basic
   
45,235,310
     
42,209,238
     
41,026,926
     
39,987,935
 
 Effect of stock-based awards
   
2,744,692
     
3,216,069
     
2,812,416
     
4,388,140
 
Shares used in computing net earnings per share of common stock, diluted
   
47,980,002
     
45,425,307
     
43,839,342
     
44,376,075
 


e.
Cash and cash equivalents:

Cash equivalents are short-term, highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to cash, with original maturities of three months or less at the date acquired.

f.
Short-term bank deposits:

Short-term bank deposits are deposits with an original maturity of more than three months from the date of investment and which do not meet the definition of cash equivalents. The deposits are presented according to their term deposits.

g.
Marketable Securities:

Marketable securities consist of corporate and governmental bonds. The Company determines the appropriate classification of marketable securities at the time of purchase and re-evaluates such designation at each balance sheet date. In accordance with FASB ASC No. 320 “Investments - Debt and Equity Securities”, the Company classifies marketable securities as available-for-sale. Available-for-sale securities are stated at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses reported in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), a separate component of stockholders’ equity, net of taxes.

Realized gains and losses on sales of marketable securities, as determined on a specific identification basis, are included in financial income (expenses), net. The amortized cost of marketable securities is adjusted for amortization of premium and accretion of discount to maturity, both of which, together with interest, are included in financial income (expenses), net.

The Company classifies its marketable securities as either short-term or long-term based on each instrument’s underlying contractual maturity date. Marketable securities with maturities of 12 months or less are classified as short-term and marketable securities with maturities greater than 12 months are classified as long-term.

The Company recognizes an impairment charge when a decline in the fair value of its investments in debt securities below the cost basis of such securities is judged to be other-than-temporary. Factors considered in making such a determination include the duration and severity of the impairment, the reason for the decline in value, the potential recovery period, and the Company’s intent to sell, including whether it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the investment before recovery of cost basis. If the Company does not intend to sell the security or it is not more likely than not that it will be required to sell the security before it recovers in value, the Company must estimate the net present value of cash flows expected to be collected. If the amortized cost exceeds the net present value of cash flows, such excess is considered a credit loss and an other-than-temporary impairment has occurred.  For securities that are deemed other-than-temporarily impaired (“OTTI”), the amount of impairment is recognized in the statement of operations and is limited to the amount related to credit losses, while impairment related to other factors is recognized in other comprehensive income (loss). The Company did not recognize OTTI on its marketable securities during the years ended December 31, 2018, and December 31, 2017, the six months ended December 31, 2016, and the year ended June 30, 2016.

h.
Restricted cash:

Restricted cash is primarily invested in short-term bank deposits, which are primarily used as a guarantee to the Company’s landlords for its office leases and as security for the Company’s credit cards.

i.
Inventories:

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market value. Cost includes depreciation, labor, material and overhead costs. Inventory reserves are provided to cover risks arising from slow-moving items or technological obsolescence.

The Company periodically evaluates the quantities on hand relative to historical, current, and projected sales volume. Based on this evaluation, an impairment charge is recorded when required to write-down inventory to its market value. Cost of finished goods and raw materials is determined using the moving average cost method.

j.
Property, plant and equipment:

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation. Machinery and equipment in progress is the construction or development of property and equipment that have not yet been placed in service for the Company's intended use. Depreciation is calculated by the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, at the following rates:

   
%
     
Buildings and plants
 
2.5 – 5 (mainly 2.5)
Computers and peripheral equipment
 
15 – 33 (mainly 33)
Office furniture and equipment
 
7 – 25 (mainly 7)
Machinery and equipment
 
7 – 33 (mainly 20)
Laboratory equipment
 
15 – 25 (mainly 15)
Leasehold improvements
 
over the shorter of the lease term
or useful economic life


k.
Business Combination:

The Company allocates the fair value of purchase consideration to the tangible assets acquired, liabilities assumed and intangible assets acquired based on their estimated fair value. The excess of the fair value of purchase consideration over the fair values of these identifiable assets and liabilities is recorded as goodwill. Such valuations require management to make significant estimates and assumptions, especially with respect to intangible assets. Significant estimates in valuing certain intangible assets include, but are not limited to, future expected cash flows from acquired technology, useful lives and discount rates.

Management’s estimates of fair value are based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable, but which are inherently uncertain and unpredictable and, as a result, actual results may differ from estimates. During the measurement period, which is not to exceed one year from the acquisition date, the Company may record adjustments to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed, with the corresponding offset to goodwill. Upon the conclusion of the measurement period, any subsequent adjustments are recorded to earnings.

l.
Intangible Assets:

The Company evaluates the recoverability of finite-lived intangible assets for possible impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable. The evaluation is performed at the lowest level for which identifiable cash flows are largely independent of the cash flows of other assets and liabilities. Recoverability of these assets is measured by a comparison of the carrying amounts to the future undiscounted cash flows the assets are expected to generate. If such review indicates that the carrying amount of intangible assets is not recoverable, the carrying amount of such assets is reduced to fair value. The Company has not recorded any impairment charges during the year ended December 31, 2018.

Acquired identifiable finite-lived intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis or accelerated method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. The Company believes the basis of amortization approximates the pattern in which the assets are utilized, over their estimated useful lives. The Company routinely reviews the remaining estimated useful lives of finite-lived intangible assets. If the Company reduces the estimated useful life assumption for any asset, the remaining unamortized balance is amortized or depreciated over the revised estimated useful life (see Note 9).

m.
     Goodwill:

The Company evaluates goodwill for impairment annually, or more frequently when an event occurs or circumstances change that indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. In testing goodwill for impairment, the Company may elect to utilize a qualitative assessment to evaluate whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If the qualitative assessment indicates that goodwill impairment is more likely than not, than a two-step impairment test is performed. The Company tests goodwill for impairment under the two-step impairment test by first comparing the book value of net assets to the fair value of the reporting unit. If the fair value is determined to be less than the book value or qualitative factors indicate that it is more likely than not that goodwill is impaired, a second step is performed to compute the amount of impairment as the difference between the estimated fair value of goodwill and the carrying value. The Company estimates the fair value of the reporting units using discounted cash flows. Forecasts of future cash flows are based on the Company's management best estimate of future net sales and operating expenses that are based primarily on expected category expansion, pricing, and general economic conditions.

The Company completes the required annual testing of goodwill for impairment for the reporting units on October 1 of each year and accordingly, determines whether goodwill should be impaired.

As of December 31, 2018, no impairment of goodwill has been identified.

n.
Impairment of long-lived assets:

The Company’s long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment in accordance with ASC 360 “Property, Plants and Equipment”, whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset (or asset group) may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset (or asset group) to the future undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the assets (or asset group).

If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds their fair value. For the years ended December 31, 2018, December 31, 2017, the six months ended December 31, 2016, and the year ended June 30, 2016, no impairment losses have been identified.

o.         Severance pay:

Pursuant to Israel’s Severance Pay Law, Israeli employees are entitled to severance pay equal to one month’s salary for each year of employment, or a portion thereof. The employees of the Company’s Israeli subsidiary have elected to be included under section 14 of the Severance Pay Law, 1963, under which these employees are entitled only to monthly deposits made in their name with insurance companies, at a rate of 8.33% of their monthly salary. These payments cause the Company to be released from any future obligation under the Israeli Severance Pay Law to make severance payments in respect of those employees; therefore, related assets and liabilities are not presented in the balance sheet.

For the years ended December 31, 2018, December 31, 2017, the six months ended December 31, 2016, and the year ended June 30, 2016, the Company recorded $4,331, $2,995, $1,131, and $1,761, in severance expenses related to its employees in Israel, respectively.

Severance expenses related to all other employees are immaterial to the Company’s consolidated statements of operations.

p.
Revenue recognition:

The Company adopted Accounting Standards Codification 606, Revenue from Contracts    with Customers (ASC 606), effective as of January 1, 2018, which changed the Company’s revenue recognition accounting policy, as detailed below.

The Company’s products consist mainly of (i) power optimizers, (ii) inverters, (iii) a related cloud-based monitoring platform, (iv) a storage solution, (v) UPS units and (vi) Lithium-ion cells, batteries and energy storage solutions.

The Company recognizes revenue under the core principle that transfer of control to the Company’s customers should be depicted in an amount reflecting the consideration the Company expects to receive in revenue. In order to achieve that core principle, the Company applies the following five-step approach: (1) identify the contract with a customer, (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract, (3) determine the transaction price, (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract, and (5) recognize revenue when a performance obligation is satisfied.

Revenue disaggregated by revenue source for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, the six months ended December 31, 2016 and the year ended June 30, 2016 consists of the following:
 
   
Year ended December 31,
   
Six months
ended
December 31,
   
Year ended
June 30,
 
   
2018
   
2017
   
2016
   
2016
 
                         
Solar
 
$
914,285
   
$
607,045
   
$
239,997
   
$
489,843
 
Non-solar
   
22,952
     
-
     
-
     
-
 
Total revenues
 
$
937,237
   
$
607,045
   
$
239,997
   
$
489,843
 


(1)
Identify the contract with a customer

A contract is an agreement between two or more parties that creates enforceable rights and obligations. In evaluating the contract, the Company analyzes the customer’s intent and ability to pay the amount of promised consideration (credit risk) and considers the probability of collecting substantially all of the consideration.

The Company determines whether collectability is reasonably assured on a customer-by-customer basis pursuant to its credit review policy. The Company typically sells to customers with whom it has a long-term business relationship and a history of successful collection. For a new customer, or when an existing customer substantially expands its commitments, the Company evaluates the customer’s financial position, the number of years the customer has been in business, the history of collection with the customer, and the Customer’s ability to pay, and typically assigns a credit limit based on that review.

(2)
Identify the performance obligations in the contract

At a contract’s inception, the Company assesses the goods or services promised in a contract with a customer and identifies the performance obligations.

The main performance obligations are the provisions of the following:
 
Power optimizers; Inverters; UPS devices; Lithium-ion cells, batteries and energy storage solutions; cloud based monitoring services; extended warranty services and communication services.

(3)
Determine the transaction price

The transaction price is the amount of consideration to which the Company is entitled in exchange for transferring promised goods or services to a customer, excluding amounts collected on behalf of third parties.

Generally, the Company does not provide price protection, stock rotation, and/or right of return. The Company determines the transaction price for all satisfied and unsatisfied performance obligations identified in the contract from contract inception to the beginning of the earliest period presented.

Rebates or discounts on goods or services are accounted for as variable consideration. The rebate or discount program is applied retrospectively for future purchases. Provisions for rebates, sales incentives, and discounts to customers are accounted for as reductions in revenue in the same period the related sales are recorded.

When a contract provides a customer with payment terms of more than a year, the Company considers whether those terms create variability in the transaction price and whether a significant financing component exists.

The performance obligations that extend for a period greater than one year are those that include a financial component: (i) warranty extension services, (ii) cloud-based monitoring, and (iii) communication services.

(4)
Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract

The Company performs an allocation of the transaction price to each separate performance obligation, in proportion to their relative standalone selling prices.

(5)
Recognize revenue when a performance obligation is satisfied

Revenue is recognized when or as performance obligations are satisfied by transferring control of a promised good or service to a customer. Control either transfers over time or at a point in time, which affects when revenue is recorded.

Revenues from sales of products are recognized when control is transferred (based on the agreed International Commercial terms, or “INCOTERMS”). Revenues related to warranty extension services, cloud-based monitoring, and communication services are recognized over time on a straight-line basis.

Deferred revenues consist of deferred cloud-based monitoring services, communication services, warranty extension services and advance payments received from customers for the Company’s products. Deferred revenues are classified as short-term and long-term deferred revenues based on the period in which revenues are expected to be recognized.

The Company recognizes financing component expenses in its consolidated statement of income in relation to advance payments for performance obligations that extend for a period greater than one year. These financing component expenses are reflected in the Company’s deferred revenues balance. The application of the new standard includes reference to such performance obligations that include a financing component, specifically: (i) warranty extension services, (ii) cloud-based monitoring, and (iii) communication services.

The effect of the changes made to the consolidated January 1, 2018 balance sheets following the adoption of ASC 606, Revenue - Revenue from Contracts with Customers were as follows:

   
Balance as of
December 31, 2017
   
Adjustments due
following adoption
of ASC 606
   
Balance as of
January 1, 2018
 
                   
Deferred Revenues - Current term
 
$
2,559
   
$
(89
)
 
$
2,470
 
Deferred Revenues -  Long term
   
31,453
     
3,961
     
35,414
 
Retained earnings
 
$
66,172
   
$
(3,872
)
 
$
62,300
 

In accordance with the new revenue standard requirements, the disclosure of the impact of adoption on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations, cash flows, and balance sheets were as follows:

   
Year ended December 31, 2018
 
   
As Reported
   
Balances before
adoption of
ASC 606
   
Effect of change
 
Statements of operations
                 
Revenues
 
$
937,237
   
$
937,168
   
$
69
 
Financial expenses (income), net
   
2,297
     
(122
)     
2,419
 
Net income
   
128,046
     
130,396
     
(2,350
)
                         
Cash flows
                       
Net income
   
128,046
     
130,396
     
(2,350
)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
                       
Deferred revenues
   
37,041
     
34,789
     
2,252
 
                         
   
As of December 31, 2018
 
   
As Reported
   
Balances before
adoption of
ASC 606
   
Effect of change
 
Balance Sheets
                       
Deferred Revenues - Current
   
14,351
     
14,559
     
(208
)
Deferred Revenues -  Long term
   
60,670
     
54,240
     
6,430
 
Retained earnings
 
$
191,133
   
$
195,005
   
$
(3,872
)

q.
Cost of revenues:

Cost of revenues sold includes the following: product costs consisting of purchases from contract manufacturers and other suppliers, direct and indirect manufacturing costs, shipping and handling costs, support, warranty expenses and changes in warranty provision, provision for losses related to slow moving and dead inventory, personnel and logistics costs, and royalty expense payments to the Israel Innovation Authority (“IIA”).

r.
Shipping and handling costs:

Shipping and handling costs, which amounted to $45,821, $29,693, $8,131 and $21,922, for the years ended December 31, 2018, December 31, 2017, the six months ended December 31, 2016, and the year ended June 30, 2016, respectively, are included in cost of revenues in the consolidated statements of operations. Shipping and handling costs include all costs associated with the distribution of finished goods from the Company’s point of sale directly to its customers.

s.
Warranty obligations:

The Company provides a warranty for its solar related products as follows: a 10-year limited warranty for StorEdge products, a minimum 12-year limited warranty for inverters, and a 25-year limited warranty for power optimizers. In certain cases, the Company provides extended warranties for inverters that brings the warranty period up to 25 years. The Company maintains reserves to cover the expected costs that could result from these warranties. The warranty liability is generally in the form of product replacement and associated costs. Warranty reserves are based on the Company’s best estimate of such costs and are included in cost of revenues. The reserve for the related warranty expenses is based on various factors including assumptions about the frequency of warranty claims on product failures, derived from results of accelerated lab testing, field monitoring, analysis of the history of product field failures, and the Company’s reliability estimates.

The Company has established a reliability measurement system based on the units’ estimated mean time between failure, or MTBF, a metric that equates to a steady-state failure rate per year for each product generation. The MTBF predicts the expected failure rate of each product within the Company's products installed base during the expected product warranted lifetime.

The Company performs accelerated life cycle testing, which simulates the service life of the product in a short period of time.

The accelerated life cycle tests incorporate test methodologies derived from standard tests used by solar module vendors to evaluate the period over which solar modules wear out. Corresponding replacement costs are updated periodically to reflect changes in the Company’s actual and estimated production costs for its products, rate of usage of refurbished units as a replacement of faulty units, and other costs related to logistic and subcontractors’ services associated with the replacement products.

In addition, through the collection of actual field failure statistics, the Company has identified several additional failure causes that are not included in the MTBF model. Such causes, which mostly consist of design errors, workmanship errors caused during the manufacturing process and, to a lesser extent, replacement of non-faulty units by installers, are generating additional replacement costs to the replacement costs projected under the MTBF model. The Company identified those causes, its failure pattern and the relative ratio compared to the pattern of malfunctions identified under the MTBF model and accrued additional provisions for the occurrence of such malfunctioning. For the major causes of failures, the Company evaluates the continuation of these occurrences and the appearance of potential additional malfunctioning cases beyond the MTBF pattern and accrues additional expenses accordingly.

For other products the Company accrued for warranty costs based on the Company’s best estimate of product and associated costs. The Company’s other products are sold with a standard limited warranties that typically range in duration from one to ten years, and in some cases for a longer period.

Warranty obligations are classified as short-term and long-term obligations based on the period in which the warranty is expected to be claimed.

t.
Research and development costs:

Research and development costs, net of grants received, are charged to the consolidated statement of operations as incurred.

u.
Concentrations of credit risks:

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, short-term bank deposits, trade receivables, other accounts receivable, and marketable securities.

Cash and cash equivalents are mainly invested in major banks in the U.S., Israel, Korea, Germany, Australia and Japan. Management believes that the financial institutions that hold the Company’s investments are financially sound and, accordingly, minimal credit risk exists with respect to these investments.

The Company’s marketable securities consist of corporate and governmental bonds.

The Company's marketable securities include investments in highly-rated corporate debentures (mainly of U.S., UK, Australia, Cayman Islands, Canada, and other countries) and governmental bonds. The financial institutions that hold the Company's marketable securities are major financial institutions located in the United States. Management believes that the Company's marketable securities portfolio is a diverse portfolio of highly-rated securities and the Company's investment policy limits the amount the Company may invest in each issuer, and accordingly, management believes that minimal credit risk exists from geographic or credit concentration with respect to these securities.

The trade receivables of the Company derive from sales to customers located primarily in North America, Europe, and Australia.

The Company generally does not require collateral, however, in certain circumstances, the Company may require letters of credit, other collateral, or additional guarantees.

An allowance for doubtful accounts is determined with respect to specific receivables that are doubtful of collection. The Company accrued $427, $128, and $226 as allowance for doubtful accounts as of December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

In addition, an accrual for rebates is allocated to specific receivables. The Company accrued $39,018, $17,428, and $9,089 for rebates as of December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

The Company and its subsidiaries have no off-balance sheet concentration of credit risk except for certain derivative instruments as mentioned below.

v.         Fair value of financial instruments:

The following methods and assumptions were used by the Company in estimating the fair value of its financial instruments:

The carrying value of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, short-term bank deposits, trade receivables, short and long term bank loans, prepaid expenses and other current assets, trade payables, employee and payroll accruals and accrued expenses and other current liabilities approximate their fair values due to the short-term maturities of such instruments.

Assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 are comprised of money market funds, foreign currency derivative contracts and marketable securities (see Note 4).

The Company applies ASC 820 “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures”, with respect to fair value measurements of all financial assets and liabilities.

Fair value is an exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. 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 a liability.

A three-tiered fair value hierarchy is established as a basis for considering such assumptions and for inputs used in the valuation methodologies in measuring fair value:

Level 1-
Observable inputs that reflect quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets.

Level 2-
Include other inputs that are directly or indirectly observable in the marketplace.

Level 3-
Unobservable inputs which are supported by little or no market activity.

The fair value hierarchy also requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value.

w.
Accounting for stock-based compensation:

The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with ASC 718 “Compensation-Stock Compensation”. ASC 718 requires companies to estimate the fair value of equity-based payment awards on the date of grant using an Option-Pricing Model (“OPM”). The value of the portion of the award that is ultimately expected to vest is recognized as an expense over the requisite service periods in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations.

The Company recognizes compensation expenses for the value of its awards granted based on the straight-line method over the requisite service period of each of the awards, net of estimated forfeitures. ASC 718 requires forfeitures to be estimated at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates. Estimated forfeitures are based on actual historical pre-vesting forfeitures (pursuant to the adoption of ASU 2016-09, the Company made a policy election to estimate the number of awards that are expected to vest).

The Company selected the Black-Scholes-Merton option-pricing model as the most appropriate fair value method for its stock-option awards and Employee Stock Purchase Plan. The option-pricing model requires a number of assumptions, of which the most significant are the fair market value of the underlying common stock, expected stock price volatility, and the expected option term. Expected volatility for stock-option awards was calculated until December 31, 2017 based upon certain peer companies that the Company considered to be comparable and starting January 1, 2018 based upon the Company’s actual historical stock price movements over the most recent periods. Expected volatility for Employee Stock Purchase Plan was calculated based upon the Company’s stock prices. The expected option term represents the period of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding. The expected option term is determined based on the simplified method in accordance with SAB No. 110, as adequate historical experience is not available to provide a reasonable estimate. The simplified method will continue to apply until enough historical experience is available to provide a reasonable estimate of the expected term. The risk-free interest rate is based on the yield from U.S. treasury bonds with an equivalent term.

The Company has not declared or paid any dividends on its common stock and does not expect to pay any dividends in the foreseeable future.

The fair value for options granted to employees and executive directors and Employee Stock Purchase Plan in the years ended December 31, 2018, December 31, 2017, the six months ended December 31, 2016, and the year ended June 30, 2016, are estimated at the date of grant using a Black-Scholes-Merton option-pricing model with the following assumptions:
 
   
Year ended December 31,
   
Six months
ended December
31, 2016
   
Year Ended
June
30, 2016
 
   
2018
   
2017
         
                         
Employee Stock Options
                       
Risk-free interest
   
2.32
%
   
2.14% - 2.17
%
   
1.28% - 1.34
%
   
1.39% - 1.97
%
Dividend yields
   
0
%
   
0
%
   
0
%
   
0
%
Volatility
   
56.53
%
   
58.08% - 58.10
%
   
55.33% - 55.34
%
   
55.45%-56.03
%
Expected option term in years
   
6.06
     
6.06
     
6.06
     
5.50-6.11
 
Estimated forfeiture rate
   
0
%
   
0
%
   
0
%
   
10.3
%
                                 
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
                               
Risk-free interest
   
2.10% - 2.52
%
   
0.60% - 1.07
%
   
0.60
%
   
0.40
%
Dividend yields
   
0
%
   
0
%
   
0
%
   
0
%
Volatility
   
54.13% - 56.67
%
   
45.60% - 48.08
%
   
48.08
%
   
62.84
%
Expected term
 
6 months
   
6 months
   
6 months
   
6 months
 
 
The following table set forth the parameters used in computation of the options compensation to non-employee consultants in the years ended December 31, 2018,  December 31, 2017, the six months ended December 31, 2016 and the year ended June 30, 2016, using a Black-Scholes-Merton option-pricing model with the following assumptions:

   
Year ended
December
31, 2018
   
Year ended
December
31, 2017
   
Six months
ended December
31, 2016
   
Year ended
June
30, 2016
 
                         
Risk-free interest
   
2.81%-2.84
%
   
2.12% - 2.42
%
   
1.16% - 2.45
%
   
1.15%-2.21
%
Dividend yields
   
0
%
   
0
%
   
0
%
   
0
%
Volatility
   
58.18%-59.33
%
   
61.21% - 62.62
%
   
55.33% - 58.57
%
   
55.37%-55.75
%
Contractual life in years
   
6-10
     
6-10
     
6 - 10
     
6.4-10
 

The Company recognizes compensation expenses for the value of its restricted stock unit (“RSU”) awards, based on the straight-line method over the requisite service period of each of the awards, net of estimated forfeitures. The fair value of each RSU is the market value of the Company’s stock as determined by the closing price of the common stock on the day of grant.

x.
Income taxes:

The Company and its subsidiaries account for income taxes in accordance with ASC 740, “Income Taxes.” ASC 740 prescribes the use of the liability method, whereby deferred tax asset and liability account balances are determined based on differences between financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using the enacted tax rates that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse.

Deferred income tax balances reflect the effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their tax bases and are stated at enacted tax rates expected to be in effect when taxes are actually paid or recovered.

Deferred tax assets are evaluated for future realization and reduced by a valuation allowance to the extent we believe they will not be realized.

The Company may incur additional tax liability in the event of intercompany dividend distributions by some of its subsidiaries. Such additional tax liability in respect of these subsidiaries has not been provided when the Company intends to permanently reinvest earnings of foreign subsidiaries indefinitely.

Tax liabilities that would apply in the event of disposal of investments in subsidiaries have not been taken into account in computing the deferred taxes, as it is the Company’s intention to hold, and not to realize, these investments.

The Company accounts for uncertain tax positions in accordance with ASC 740. ASC 740-10 contains a two-step approach to recognizing and measuring uncertain tax positions. The first step is to evaluate the tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that, on an evaluation of the technical merits, the tax position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes. The second step is to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 50% (cumulative probability) likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement.

The Company records reserves for uncertain tax positions to the extent it is more likely than not that the tax position will not be sustained on audit, based on the technical merits of the position.

y.
Derivative financial instruments:

The Company accounts for derivatives and hedging based on ASC 815 “Derivatives and Hedging”. ASC 815 requires the Company to recognize all derivatives on the balance sheet at fair value. The accounting for changes in the fair value (i.e., gains or losses) of a derivative instrument depends on whether it has been designated and qualifies as part of a hedging relationship and further, on the type of hedging relationship.

To protect against the increase in value of forecasted foreign currency cash flows resulting from salary and lease payments of its Israeli facilities denominated in the Israeli currency, the New Israeli Shekel (“NIS”), the Company instituted a foreign currency cash flow hedging program. The Company hedges portions of the anticipated payroll and lease payments denominated in NIS for a period of one to twelve months with hedging contracts. These hedging contracts are designated as cash flow hedges, as defined by ASC 815 and are all effective hedges.

In accordance with ASC 815, for derivative instruments that are designated and qualify as a cash flow hedge (i.e. hedging the exposure to variability in expected future cash flows that is attributable to a particular risk), the effective portion of the gain or loss on the derivative instrument is reported as a component of other comprehensive income and reclassified into earnings in the same period or periods during which the hedged transaction affects earnings. Any gain or loss on a derivative instrument in excess of the cumulative change in the present value of future cash flows of the hedged item is recognized in current earnings during the period of change.

In addition to the above-mentioned cash flow hedges transactions, the Company also entered into derivative instrument arrangements to hedge the Company’s exposure to currencies other than the U.S. dollar. These derivative instruments are not designated as cash flow hedges, as defined by ASC 815, and therefore all gains and losses, resulting from fair value remeasurement, were recorded immediately in the statement of operations, as financial income (expenses).

As of December 31, 2018, the Company had no outstanding derivative instruments.

As of December 31, 2017, the Company entered into forward contracts and put and call options to sell Euros for U.S. dollars in the amount of €54 million.

As of December 31, 2017, the Company had no derivative instruments that were designated as cash flow hedges.

As of December 31, 2016, the Company entered into forward contracts to sell U.S. dollars for NIS in the amount of $5,098. These hedging contracts do not contain any credit-risk-related contingency features. See Note 4 for information on the fair value of these hedging contracts.

As of December 31, 2016, the Company had no derivative instruments that were not designated as cash flow hedges.

The fair value of derivative assets and derivative liabilities as of December 31, 2017, was $221 and $401, respectively, which was recorded at net amount in accrued expenses and other current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.

The fair value of derivative assets as of December 31, 2016 was $19, which was recorded in prepaid expenses and other current assets in the consolidated balance sheets.

The Company recorded changes in the fair value (i.e., gains or losses) of the derivatives in the accompanying consolidated statements of cash flows as changes in operating activities.

z.
Comprehensive income:

The Company reports comprehensive income in accordance with ASC 220 (“Comprehensive Income”). ASC 220 establishes standards for the reporting and presentation of comprehensive income and its components in a full set of general purpose financial statements.

Total comprehensive income and the components of accumulated other comprehensive income are presented in the consolidated statements of stockholders’ equity. Accumulated other comprehensive income consists of foreign currency translation effects, unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale marketable securities and hedging contracts.

aa.
New accounting pronouncements not yet effective:

In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02 (Topic 842) "Leases". Topic 842 supersedes the lease requirements in Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 840, "Leases". Under Topic 842, lessees are required to recognize assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for most leases and provide enhanced disclosures. ASU No. 2016-02 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018. In July 2018, the FASB issued amendments in ASU 2018-11, which provide a transition election to not restate comparative periods for the effects of applying the new standard. This transition election permits entities to change the date of initial application to the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented, or retrospectively at the beginning of the period of adoption through a cumulative-effect adjustment. The Company has elected to apply the standard retrospectively at the beginning of the period of adoption through a cumulative-effect adjustment. The Company also expects to elect certain relief options offered in ASU 2016-02 including certain available transitional practical expedients. Based on the Company's current portfolio of leases, approximately $32 million of lease assets (net of lease incentive) and $34 million lease liabilities would be recognized on its balance sheet, primarily relating to real estate. The Company has established a cross-functional team and it is continuing to evaluate the new standard and prepare for implementation. The Company will adopt Topic 842 effective January 1, 2019.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, "Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment". ASU 2017-04 was issued to simplify how an entity is required to test goodwill for impairment by eliminating Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Step 2 measures a goodwill impairment loss by comparing the implied fair value of a reporting unit’s goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. The amendments in ASU 2017-04 are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company is evaluating the potential impact of this pronouncement.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. ASU 2016-13 amends the impairment model to utilize an expected loss methodology in place of the currently used incurred loss methodology, which will result in the more timely recognition of losses. ASU 2016-13 also applies to employee benefit plan accounting, with an effective date of the first quarter of fiscal 2022. The Company is currently assessing the impact that adopting this new accounting standard will have on its consolidated balance sheets, statements of operations and cash flows.

ab.
Recently issued and adopted pronouncements:

In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). The Company adopted the new standard, effective January 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective method applied to those contracts which were not substantially completed as of the adoption date (see Note 2p).

In November 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash (ASU 2016-18), which requires companies to include amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in cash and cash equivalents when reconciling beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. The Company adopted ASU 2016-18 during the first quarter of 2018. The adoption of this new guidance had no material impact on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets, statements of operations and cash flows.

In June 2018, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2018-07, "Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting" (ASU 2018-07). ASU 2018-07 was issued to simplify several aspects of the accounting for nonemployee share-based payment transactions resulting from expanding the scope of Topic 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation, to include share-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from nonemployees. The amendments specify that Topic 718 applies to all share-based payment transactions in which a grantor acquires goods or services to be used or consumed in a grantor’s own operations by issuing share-based payment awards. The Company adopted ASU 2018-07 effective July 1, 2018. The adoption of this new guidance had no material impact on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets, statements of operations and cash flows.

Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 ("SAB 118") was issued to address the application of U.S. GAAP in situations when a registrant does not have the necessary information available, prepared, or analyzed (including computations) in reasonable detail to complete the accounting for certain income tax effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. December 22, 2018 marked the end of the measurement period for purposes of SAB 118.

In October 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers Other than Inventory (ASU 2016-16), which requires companies to recognize the income-tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory when the transfer occurs, rather than when the asset has been sold to an outside party. The Company adopted ASU 2016-16 during the first quarter of 2018. The adoption of this new guidance had no material impact on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets, statements of operations and cash flows.

ac.
Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.