NOTE 1 - FINANCIAL STATEMENT PREPARATION

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

NOTE 1 - FINANCIAL STATEMENT PREPARATION

Data I/O prepared the financial statements as of September 30, 2012 and September 30, 2011 according to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). These statements are unaudited but, in the opinion of management, include all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments and accruals) necessary to present fairly the results for the periods presented.  The balance sheet at December 31, 2011 has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date. We have condensed or omitted certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America according to such SEC rules and regulations.  Operating results for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2012 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2012.   These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the annual audited financial statements and the accompanying notes included in the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011.

Revenue Recognition

Data I/O generally recognizes revenue at the time products are shipped.  We have determined that our programming equipment has reached a point of maturity and stability such that product acceptance can be assured by testing at the factory prior to shipment and that the installation meets the criteria to be considered a separate element.  These systems are standard products with published product specifications and are configurable with standard options.  The evidence that these systems could be deemed as accepted was based upon having standardized factory production of the units, results from batteries of tests of product performance to our published specifications, quality inspections and installation standardization, as well as past product operation validation with the customer and the history provided by our installed base of products upon which the current versions were based. 

The amount of revenue recognized is affected by our judgments as to the collectability of the transaction, the existence of an acceptance clause or whether an arrangement includes multiple elements and if so, whether specific objective evidence of selling price exists for those elements.  Allocation between multiple elements is done based on objective evidence of selling price based on a selling price hierarchy, including discounts.  

Installation that is considered perfunctory includes any installation that can be performed by other parties, such as distributors, other vendors, or in most cases the customers themselves.  This takes into account the complexity, skill and training needed as well as customer expectations regarding installation.  The revenue related to products requiring installation that is perfunctory is recognized at the time of shipment provided that persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, shipment has occurred, the price is fixed or determinable, and collectability is reasonably assured.  The measure of standalone fair value of the product versus the service installation value component is by the amount we pay to independent representative service groups or the amount of additional discount given to independent distributors to provide the service installation (published price).

We record revenue from the sale of service and update contracts as deferred revenue and we recognize it on a straight-line basis over the contractual period, which is typically one year.  We establish a reserve for sales returns based on historical trends in product returns and estimates for new items.  We have a stated return policy that customers can return standard products for any reason within 30 days after delivery, provided that the returned product is received in its original condition, including all packaging materials, for a refund of the price paid less a restocking charge of 30% of the total amount invoiced for the product returned, unless such restocking charge is waived by us.  We recognize revenue when the price is fixed or determinable, the buyer has paid or is obligated to pay and the obligation is not contingent on resale of the product, the buyer’s obligation would not be changed in the event of theft, physical destruction or damage to the product, the buyer acquiring the product for resale has economic substance apart from Data I/O and we do not have significant obligations for future performance to directly bring about the resale of the product by the buyer. 

When we sell software separately, we recognize software revenue upon shipment provided that no significant obligations remain on our part, substantive acceptance conditions, if any, have been met and when the fee is fixed and determinable and when collection is deemed probable.

Certain fixed-price engineering services contracts that require significant production, modification, or customization of software, are accounted for using the percentage-of-completion method.  We use the percentage-of-completion method of accounting because it is the most accurate method to recognize revenue based on the nature and scope of certain of our fixed-price engineering services contracts.  It is a better measure of periodic income results than other methods and it better matches revenue recognized with the cost incurred.  Percentage-of-completion is measured based primarily on input measures such as hours incurred to date compared to estimated total hours at completion, with consideration given to output measures, such as contract milestones, when applicable.  Significant judgment is required when estimating total hours and progress to completion on these arrangements which determines the amount of revenue we recognize as well as whether a loss is recognized if expected to be incurred upon project completion.  Revisions to hour and cost estimates are incorporated in the period the amounts are recognized if the results of the period have not been reported; otherwise, the revision of estimates are recognized in the period in which the facts that give rise to the revision become known.

Data I/O transfers certain products out of service from their internal use and makes them available for sale.  The products transferred are our standard products in one of the following areas: service loaners, rental or test units; engineering test units; or sales demonstration equipment.  Once transferred, the equipment is sold by our regular sales channels as used equipment inventory.  These product units often involve refurbishing and an equipment warranty, and are conducted as sales in our normal and ordinary course of business.  The transfer amount is the product unit’s net book value and the sale transaction is accounted for as revenue and cost of goods sold.

Stock-Based Compensation Expense

Data I/O measures and recognizes compensation expense as required for all share-based payment awards, including employee stock options and restricted stock awards, based on estimated fair values on the grant dates. Total share-based compensation is as follows:  

	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2012		September 30, 2011		September 30, 2012		September 30, 2011
(in thousands)
Total share-based compensation	$	123	$	135	$	405	$	344

Income Tax

Historically when accounting for uncertainty in income taxes, Data I/O has not incurred any interest or penalties associated with tax matters and no interest or penalties were recognized during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012.  However, the Company has adopted a policy whereby amounts related to penalties associated with tax matters are classified as general and administrative expense when incurred and amounts related to interest associated with tax matters are classified as interest income or interest expense.

Data I/O has incurred net operating losses in the current and certain past years.  We continue to maintain a valuation allowance for the full amount of the net deferred tax asset balance associated with our net operating losses and credit carryforwards, as sufficient uncertainty exists regarding our ability to realize such tax assets in the future. There was $138,000  unrecognized tax benefits related to uncertain tax positions and related valuation allowance as of September 30, 2012.

Tax years that remain open for examination include 2009, 2010 and 2011 in the United States of America. In addition, tax years from 2000 to 2008 may be subject to examination in the event that the Company utilizes the net operating losses and credit carryforwards from those years in its current or future year tax returns.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In July 2012, the FASB issued ASU No. 2012-02, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350) - Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment. The objective of this update is to reduce the cost and complexity of performing an impairment test for indefinite-lived intangible assets. The amendments in the update permit an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that an indefinite-lived intangible asset is impaired as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform a quantitative impairment test. The amendments in this update are effective for annual and interim impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after September 15, 2012, and early adoption is permitted.  We believe the adoption of this update will not impact our financial statements.

In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-04, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in US GAAP and International Reporting Standards (“ASU No. 2011-04”)  which amended the guidance regarding fair value measurement and disclosure. The amended guidance clarifies the application of existing fair value measurement and disclosure requirements. The amendment was effective for us at the beginning of January 2012.  The adoption of this amendment did not materially affect our financial statements.