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Equity Method Investments
6 Months Ended
Feb. 27, 2014
Disclosure Text Block [Abstract]  
Equity Method Investments
Equity Method Investments

As of
 
February 27, 2014
 
August 29, 2013
 
 
Investment Balance
 
Ownership Percentage
 
Investment Balance
 
Ownership Percentage
Inotera(1)
 
$
566

 
35
%
 
$
344

 
35
%
Tera Probe
 
41

 
40
%
 
40

 
40
%
Other
 
11

 
Various

 
12

 
Various

 
 
$
618

 
 
 
$
396

 
 
(1) Entity is a variable interest entity.

As of February 27, 2014, substantially all of our maximum exposure to loss from our VIEs that were not consolidated was our $566 million investment balance in Inotera.  We may also incur losses in connection with our rights and obligations to purchase substantially all of Inotera's wafer production capacity under a supply agreement with Inotera.

We recognize our share of earnings or losses from our equity method investments generally on a two-month lag.  Equity in net income (loss) of equity method investees, net of tax, included the following:

 
 
Quarter Ended
 
Six Months Ended
 
 
February 27,
2014
 
February 28,
2013
 
February 27,
2014
 
February 28,
2013
Inotera
 
$
131

 
$
(55
)
 
$
215

 
$
(108
)
Tera Probe
 
4

 

 
6

 

Other
 
(1
)
 
(3
)
 
(1
)
 
(2
)
 
 
$
134

 
$
(58
)
 
$
220

 
$
(110
)

Inotera

We have partnered with Nanya in Inotera, a Taiwan DRAM memory company, since the first quarter of 2009.  As of February 27, 2014, we held a 35% ownership interest, Nanya and its affiliates held a 36% ownership interest and the remaining ownership interest in Inotera was publicly held.

As of February 27, 2014, the market value of our equity interest in Inotera was $1.81 billion based on the closing trading price of its shares in an active market. As of February 27, 2014 and August 29, 2013, there were gains of $45 million and $44 million, respectively, in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) for cumulative translation adjustments from our equity investment in Inotera.

As of December 31, 2013, Inotera's current liabilities exceeded its current assets by $129 million, which exposes Inotera to liquidity risk. As of December 31, 2013, Inotera was not in compliance with certain loan covenants and had not been in compliance for the past several years. The terms of the loan covenants require Inotera to cure the noncompliance no later than June 30, 2014. Inotera has requested a waiver from complying with the December 31, 2013 financial covenants. For the year ended December 31, 2013, Inotera generated net income of $703 million, which has improved its liquidity.

Through December 2012, we had rights and obligations to purchase 50% of Inotera's wafer production capacity based on a margin-sharing formula among Nanya, Inotera and us. In the second quarter of 2013, we entered into agreements with Nanya and Inotera to amend the joint venture relationship involving Inotera. The amendments included a new supply agreement (the "Inotera Supply Agreement") with Inotera under which we were obligated to purchase for an initial period through December 2015 substantially all of Inotera's output at a purchase price based on a discount from market prices for our comparable components. The Inotera Supply Agreement contemplates annual negotiations with respect to potential successive one-year extensions, and if in any year the parties do not agree to an extension, the agreement will terminate following the end of the then-existing term plus a subsequent three-year wind-down period. Our share of Inotera's capacity would decline over the three year wind-down period. In the second quarter of 2014, we extended the initial period of the Inotera Supply Agreement through December 2016. Under the Inotera supply agreements, we purchased $714 million and $1,301 million of DRAM products in the second quarter and first six months of 2014, respectively, and $200 million and $401 million in the second quarter and first six months of 2013, respectively.

Pursuant to a cost-sharing arrangement with Nanya, which was effective through December 31, 2012, our research and development ("R&D") costs were reduced by $4 million and $19 million in the second quarter and first six months of 2013, respectively. Nanya ceased participating in the joint development program after December 31, 2012.

Tera Probe

In the fourth quarter of 2013, as part of the Elpida Acquisition, we acquired a 40% interest in Tera Probe, Inc. ("Tera Probe"), which provides semiconductor wafer testing and probe services to us and others. The initial net carrying value of our investment was less than our proportionate share of Tera Probe's equity and the difference is being amortized as a credit to earnings through equity in net income (loss) of equity method investees (the "Tera Probe Amortization"). As of February 27, 2014, the remaining balance of the Tera Probe Amortization was $32 million and is expected to be amortized over a weighted-average period of 6 years. As of February 27, 2014, based on the closing trading price of Tera Probe's shares in an active market, the market value of our equity interest was $42 million. Included in our cost of goods sold for the second quarter and first six months of 2014 is $31 million and $64 million, respectively, for services performed by Tera Probe.

Other

Aptina: Other equity method investments included a 30% equity interest in Aptina. The amount of cumulative loss we recognized from our investment in Aptina through the second quarter of 2012 reduced our investment balance to zero and we ceased recognizing our proportionate share of Aptina's results of operations.

In the second quarter and first six months of 2013, we recognized net sales of $48 million and $109 million, respectively, and cost of goods sold of $57 million and $138 million, respectively, from products sold to Aptina under a wafer supply agreement. In the third quarter of 2013, in connection with our sale of Micron Technology Italia, S.r.l. ("MIT") to LFoundry Marsica S.r.l. ("LFoundry"), we assigned to LFoundry our supply agreement with Aptina to manufacture image sensors at MIT. In 2013, we also loaned $45 million to Aptina under a short-term, interest-free, unsecured agreement which was repaid in the first six months of 2014.