Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 30, 2023

Notes to Financial Statements

Organization, Consolidation, Basis of Presentation, Business Description and Accounting Policies [Text Block]

Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation and Use of Estimates

The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("U.S. GAAP") and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). They include the accounts of Lattice and its subsidiaries after the elimination of all intercompany balances and transactions.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and judgments affecting the amounts reported in our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes. We base our estimates and judgments on historical experience, knowledge of current conditions, and our beliefs of what could occur in the future considering available information. While we believe that our estimates, assumptions, and judgments are reasonable, they are based on information available when made, and because of the uncertainty inherent in these matters, the actual results that we experience may differ materially from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. We evaluate our estimates and judgments on an ongoing basis.

Certain prior year balances have been reclassified to conform to the current year’s presentation.

Fiscal Reporting Periods

We report based on a 52 or 53-week fiscal year ending on the Saturday closest to December 31. Our fiscal 2023, 2022, and 2021 were all 52-week years that ended on December 30, 2023, December 31, 2022, and January 1, 2022, respectively. All references to quarterly or annual financial results are references to the results for the relevant fiscal period.

Concentrations of Risk

Potential exposure to concentrations of risk may impact revenue, accounts receivable, and supply of wafers for our new products.

Distributors have historically accounted for a significant portion of our total revenue. Certain of our largest distributors each account for more than 10% of our total revenue and our net accounts receivable. Revenue attributable to distributors as a percentage of total revenue is presented in the following table:

	Year Ended
	December 30,			December 31,			January 1,
	2023			2022			2022
Arrow		32	%		28	%		27	%
Weikeng		21			30			37
Future		13			8			6
Macnica		11			10			7
Other distributors		10			13			10
Revenue attributable to distributors		87	%		89	%		87	%

Three of these distributors each accounted for more than 10% of net accounts receivable at certain dates presented. At December 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, Arrow accounted for approximately 29% and 27%, respectively, Weikeng accounted for approximately 36% and 47%, respectively, and Future accounted for approximately 18% and 9%, respectively, of net accounts receivable.

Concentration of credit risk with respect to accounts receivable is mitigated by our credit and collection process including active management of collections, credit limits, routine credit evaluations for essentially all customers, and secure transactions with letters of credit or advance payments where appropriate. We regularly review our allowance for doubtful accounts and the aging of our accounts receivable.

We rely on a limited number of foundries for our wafer purchases. We seek to mitigate the concentration of supply risk by establishing, maintaining, and managing multiple foundry relationships; however, certain of our products are sourced from a single foundry and changing from one foundry to another can have a significant cost, or create delays in production or shipments, among other factors.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

We consider all investments that are readily convertible into cash and that have original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents consist primarily of highly liquid investments in time deposits or money market accounts and are carried at cost, which approximates fair value. Deposits with financial institutions at times exceed Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance limits.

Foreign Exchange and Translation of Foreign Currencies

While our revenues and the majority of our expenses are denominated in U.S. dollars, we also have international subsidiaries and branch operations that conduct some transactions in currencies that differ from the functional currency of that entity. Gains or losses from foreign exchange rate fluctuations on balances denominated in currencies that differ from the functional currencies are reflected in Other income (expense), net.

We translate accounts denominated in foreign currencies in accordance with ASC 830, “Foreign Currency Matters,” using the current rate method under which asset and liability accounts are translated at the current rate, while stockholders' equity accounts are translated at the appropriate historical rates, and revenue and expense accounts are translated at average monthly exchange rates. Translation adjustments related to the consolidation of foreign subsidiary financial statements are reflected in Accumulated other comprehensive loss in Stockholders' equity (See our Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity).

Revenue Recognition

Under the terms of ASC 606, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers", we recognize revenue when we satisfy performance obligations as evidenced by the transfer of control of our products or services to customers. For sales to distributors, we have concluded that our contracts are with the distributor, rather than with the distributor’s end customer, as we hold a contract bearing enforceable rights and obligations only with the distributor. Our revenue is derived primarily from sales of silicon-based products, with additional revenue from sales of silicon-enabling products. We consider customer purchase orders, which in some cases are governed by master sales agreements, to be the contracts with a customer. For each contract, we consider our promise to transfer each distinct product to be the identified performance obligations. Revenue for product sales is recognized at the time of product shipment, as determined by the agreed upon contract shipping terms.

Our Licensing and services revenue is comprised of revenue from our IP core licensing activity, patent monetization activities, design services, and royalty and adopter fee revenue from our standards activities. These activities are complementary to our product sales and help us to monetize our IP associated with our technology and standards. We consider licensing arrangements with our customers and agreements with the standards consortia of which we are a member to be the contract. For each contract, we consider the promise to deliver a license that grants the customer the right to use the IP, as well as any professional services provided under the contract, as distinct performance obligations. We recognize license revenue at the point in time that control of the license transfers to the customer, which is generally upon delivery, or as usage occurs.

We measure revenue based on the amount of consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for products or services. Variable consideration is estimated and reflected as an adjustment to the transaction price. We determine variable consideration, which consists primarily of various sales price concessions, by estimating the most likely amount of consideration we expect to receive from the customer based on an analysis of historical rebate claims over a period of time considered adequate to account for current pricing and business trends. Sales rebates earned by customers are offset against their receivable balances. Rebates earned by customers when they do not have outstanding receivable balances are recorded within Accrued liabilities. Revenue related to licensing and services, which includes HDMI and MHL standards revenue, as well as certain IP licenses, includes variable consideration in the form of usage-based royalties.

We generally provide an assurance warranty that our products will substantially conform to the published specifications for twelve months from the date of shipment. In some cases, the warranty period may be longer than twelve months. We do not separately price or sell the assurance warranty. Our liability is limited to either a credit equal to the purchase price or replacement of the defective part. Under the practical expedient provided by ASC 340, we generally expense sales commissions when incurred because the amortization period would be less than one year. We record these costs within Selling, general, and administrative expenses. Substantially all of our performance obligations are satisfied within twelve months.

Inventories and Cost of Revenue

Inventories are stated at the lower of actual cost (determined using the first-in, first-out method) or net realizable value. We review and set standard costs quarterly to approximate current actual manufacturing costs. Our manufacturing overhead standards for product costs are calculated assuming full absorption of actual spending over actual costs. The valuation of inventory requires us to estimate excess or obsolete inventory. Material assumptions we use to estimate necessary inventory carrying value adjustments can be unique to each product and are based on specific facts and circumstances. In determining provisions for excess or obsolete products, we consider assumptions such as changes in business and economic conditions, projected customer demand for our products, and changes in technology or customer requirements. The creation of such provisions results in a write-down of inventory to net realizable value and a charge to Cost of revenue. Lower of cost or net realizable value is based on assumptions such as recent historical sales activity and selling prices, as well as estimates of future sales activity and selling prices. Shipping and handling costs are included in Cost of revenue in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation and amortization are computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the related assets, generally three to five years for equipment and software, and one to three years for tooling. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the non-cancelable lease term or the estimated useful life of the assets. We capitalize costs for the fabrication of masks used by our foundry partners to manufacture our products. The capitalized mask costs begin depreciating to Cost of revenue once the products go into production, and depreciation is straight-lined over a three-year period, which is the expected useful life of the mask. Upon disposal of property and equipment, the accounts are relieved of the costs and related accumulated depreciation and amortization, and resulting gains or losses are reflected in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for recognized gains and losses. Repair and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred.

Business Combinations

Business combinations are accounted for using the acquisition method of accounting, under which we allocate the purchase price paid for a company to identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values at the date of acquisition. Goodwill is measured as the excess of purchase price over the fair value of identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed. Determining the fair value of identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed requires management to make assumptions, estimates, and judgments that are based on all available information, including comparable market data and information obtained from our management and the management of the acquired companies. The estimation of the fair values of the intangible assets requires significant judgment and the use of valuation techniques including primarily the income approach. Consideration is given to all relevant factors that might affect the fair value such as estimates of future revenues and costs, present value factors, and the estimated useful lives of intangible assets. We expense acquisition-related costs in the period incurred.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Long-lived assets, which consist primarily of property and equipment, amortizable intangible assets, and right-of-use assets, are carried on our financial statements based on their cost less accumulated depreciation or amortization. We monitor the carrying value of our long-lived assets for potential impairment and test the recoverability of such assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amounts may not be recoverable. These events or changes in circumstances, including management decisions pertaining to such assets, are referred to as impairment indicators. If an impairment indicator occurs, we perform a test of recoverability by comparing the carrying value of the asset group to its undiscounted expected future cash flows. If the carrying values are in excess of undiscounted expected future cash flows, we measure any impairment by comparing the fair value of the asset group to its carrying value. Fair value is generally determined by considering (i) internally developed discounted projected cash flow analysis of the asset group; (ii) actual third-party valuations; and/or (iii) information available regarding the current market for similar asset groups. If the fair value of the asset group is determined to be less than the carrying amount of the asset group, an impairment in the amount of the difference is recorded in the period that the impairment indicator occurs and is included in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. Estimating future cash flows requires significant judgment and projections may vary from the cash flows eventually realized, which could impact our ability to accurately assess whether an asset has been impaired.

Valuation of Goodwill

Goodwill is an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized. Goodwill is not amortized, but is instead tested for impairment annually during the fourth quarter and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value of goodwill may not be recoverable. When evaluating whether goodwill is impaired, we make a qualitative assessment to determine if it is more likely than not that the reporting unit's fair value is less than the carrying amount. If the qualitative assessment determines that it is more likely than not that the fair value is less than the carrying amount, the fair value of the reporting unit is compared with its carrying value (including goodwill). If the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying value, then goodwill impairment exists for the reporting unit. The impairment loss, if any, is recognized for the amount by which the carrying value exceeds the fair value. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds its carrying value, no further impairment analysis is needed. For purposes of testing goodwill for impairment, we currently operate as a single reporting unit.

Leases

We account for leases under the terms of ASC 842, "Leases," which requires lessees to record assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. Under this guidance, we apply the practical expedient to not separate lease and non-lease components for all asset classes.

Right-of-use ("ROU") assets represent our right to use an underlying asset for the lease term, and lease liabilities represent our obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating lease ROU assets and liabilities are recognized on the commencement date of the lease based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. As most of our leases do not provide an implicit rate, we determine the present value of lease payments using an incremental borrowing rate based on information from our commercial bank for an equivalent borrowing and term in the respective region as of the lease commencement date. At inception, we determine if an arrangement is a lease, if it includes options to extend or terminate the lease, and if it is reasonably certain that we will exercise the options. Lease cost, representing lease payments over the term of the lease and any capitalizable direct costs less any incentives received, is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term as lease expense. We have operating leases for corporate offices, sales offices, research and development facilities, storage facilities, and a data center.

The exercise of lease renewal options is at our sole discretion. When deemed reasonably certain of exercise, the renewal options are included in the determination of the lease term and lease payment obligation, respectively. For our leases that contain variable lease payments, residual value guarantees, or restrictive covenants, we have concluded that these inputs are not significant to the determination of the ROU asset and lease liability.

Research and Development

Research and development expenses include costs for compensation and benefits, engineering wafers, depreciation and amortization, licenses and masks, and outside engineering services. These expenditures are for the design of new products, intellectual property cores, processes, packaging, and software solutions. Research and development costs are generally expensed as incurred, with certain licensed technology agreements capitalized as intangible assets and amortized to Research and development expense over their estimated useful lives.

Restructuring

Expenses associated with exit or disposal activities are recognized when incurred under ASC 420, “Exit or Disposal Cost Obligations,” for everything except severance expenses and vacated leased facilities. Because we have a history of paying severance benefits, the cost of severance benefits associated with a restructuring plan is recorded when such costs are probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated in accordance with ASC 712, “Compensation - Nonretirement Postemployment Benefits.” When leased facilities are vacated, the amount of any ROU asset impairment is calculated in accordance with ASC 360, "Property, Plant, and Equipment" and recorded as a part of Restructuring. Expenses from other exit or disposal activities, including the cancellation of software contracts and engineering tools or the abandonment of long-lived assets, are recorded as a part of Restructuring.

Accounting for Income Taxes

We are required to estimate our provision for income taxes and amounts ultimately payable or recoverable in numerous tax jurisdictions around the world. These estimates involve significant judgment and interpretations of regulations and are inherently complex. Resolution of income tax treatments in individual jurisdictions may not be known for many years after completion of the applicable year. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected tax consequences of temporary differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the financial statements using enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the difference is expected to reverse. Valuation allowances are provided to reduce deferred tax assets to an amount that in management’s judgment is more-likely-than-not to be recoverable against future taxable income. The determination of a valuation allowance and when it should be released requires complex judgment.

In assessing the ability to realize deferred tax assets, we evaluate both positive and negative evidence that may exist and consider whether it is more-likely-than-not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. Any adjustment to the net deferred tax asset valuation allowance is recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the period that the adjustment is determined to be required.

Our income tax calculations are based on application of the respective U.S. federal, state or foreign tax law. Our tax filings, however, are subject to audit by the relevant tax authorities. Accordingly, we recognize tax liabilities based upon our estimate of whether, and the extent to which, additional taxes will be due when such estimates are more-likely-than-not to be sustained. An uncertain income tax position will not be recognized if it has less than a 50% likelihood of being sustained. To the extent the final tax liabilities are different than the amounts originally accrued, the increases or decreases as well as any interest or penalties are recorded as income tax expense or benefit in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. We recognize the tax impact of including certain foreign earnings in U.S. taxable income as a period cost.

Stock-Based Compensation

We estimate the fair value of share-based awards consistent with the provisions of ASC 718, “Compensation - Stock Compensation.” We value RSUs using the closing market price on the date of grant, and we value stock options using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. We have also granted RSUs with a market condition or a performance condition to certain executives. The terms of these grants, including achievement criteria and vesting schedules, are detailed under the heading "Market-Based and Performance-Based Awards — Grants" in "Note 10 - Stock-Based Compensation Plans." Our current practice is to issue new shares to satisfy option exercises. For RSUs, we issue new shares when awards vest and withhold a portion of these shares on behalf of employees to satisfy the minimum statutory tax withholding requirements.

Segment Information

As of December 30, 2023, we had one operating segment: the core Lattice business, which includes silicon-based and silicon-enabling products, evaluation boards, development hardware, and related intellectual property licensing, services, and sales. Our chief operating decision maker is the Chief Executive Officer, who reviews operating results and financial information presented on a consolidated basis for purposes of making operating decisions, allocating resources, and evaluating financial performance.