AXT INC - Quarter Report: 2014 March (Form 10-Q)

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

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FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

x	Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2014

Or

o	Transition report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

for the transition period from                 to

Commission File Number 000-24085

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AXT, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

4281 Technology Drive, Fremont, California 94538

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

(510) 683-5900

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes x No o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).  Yes x No o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).  Yes o No x

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.

 

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AXT, INC.

FORM 10-Q

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1.

Financial Statements (Unaudited)

AXT, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Unaudited, in thousands, except per share data)

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

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AXT, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(Unaudited, in thousands, except per share data)

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

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AXT, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

(Unaudited, in thousands)

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

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AXT, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited, in thousands)

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

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AXT, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Unaudited)

Note 1. Basis of Presentation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements of AXT, Inc. (“AXT,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to AXT, Inc. and all of its consolidated subsidiaries) are unaudited, and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, the year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from our audited consolidated financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. In the opinion of our management, the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, considered necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of AXT and our consolidated subsidiaries for all periods presented.

Our management has made a number of estimates and assumptions relating to the reporting of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities to prepare these condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

The results of operations are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected in the future or for the full fiscal year. It is recommended that these condensed consolidated financial statements be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in our 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 14, 2014.

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of AXT, our wholly-owned subsidiary, Beijing Tongmei Xtal Technology Co, Ltd. and our majority‑owned subsidiaries, Beijing JiYa Semiconductor Material Co., Ltd., Nanjing Jin Mei Gallium Co., Ltd. and Beijing BoYu Semiconductor Vessel Craftwork Technology Co., Ltd. All significant inter‑company accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Investments in business entities in which we do not have control, but have the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies (generally 20-50% ownership), are accounted for by the equity method. For majority-owned subsidiaries, we reflect the noncontrolling interest of the portion we do not own on our condensed consolidated balance sheets in stockholders’ equity and in our condensed consolidated statements of operations.

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Note 2. Investments and Fair Value Measurements

Our cash, cash equivalents and investments are classified as follows (in thousands):

We manage our investments as a single portfolio of highly marketable securities that is intended to be available to meet our current cash requirements. We have no investments in auction rate securities. There were no sales of available-for-sales securities and no realized gains and losses for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013.

Also included in short-term investments at March 31, 2014 is our investment in the common stock of Intelligent Epitaxy Technology, Inc (IntelliEPI), a Taiwan publicly-traded company. We began classifying this asset as an available-for- sale security upon its initial public offering (IPO) in 2013. Prior to the IPO in 2013, we sold some of our stock in IntelliEPI and realized a gain of approximately $800,000. An unrealized gain of $1.6 million net of tax was recorded as of March 31, 2014. These securities are valued at fair market value at March 31, 2014. There is no assurance that the Company will realize this value when the securities are sold in the future.

The gross unrealized losses related to our portfolio of available-for-sale securities were primarily due to changes in interest rates and market and credit conditions of the underlying securities. We have determined that the gross unrealized losses on some of our available-for-sale securities as of March 31, 2014 are temporary in nature. We periodically review our investment portfolio to identify and evaluate investments that have indications of possible impairment. Factors considered in determining whether a loss is temporary include the magnitude of the decline in market value, the length of time the market value has been below cost (or adjusted cost), credit quality, and our ability and intent to hold the securities for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery in market value.

The following table summarizes the fair value and gross unrealized losses related to available-for-sale securities, aggregated by investment category and length of time that individual securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position as of March 31, 2014 (in thousands):

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The following table summarizes the fair value and gross unrealized losses related to available-for-sale securities, aggregated by investment category and length of time that individual securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position as of December 31, 2013 (in thousands):

 

Investments in Privately-held Companies

We have made strategic investments in private companies located in China in order to gain access at a competitive cost to raw materials that are critical to our substrate business (see Note 6). The investment balances for all of these companies, including minority investments indirectly in privately-held companies made by our consolidated joint ventures, accounted for under the equity method are included in “other assets” in the consolidated balance sheets and totaled $11.0 million and $10.9 million as of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively.

We also maintain minority investments in one company which is accounted for under the cost method as we do not have the ability to exercise significant influence over their operations. Our investments under the cost method are reviewed for other than temporary declines in value on a quarterly basis. We monitor our investments for impairment and record reductions in carrying value when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. As of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, our investments in this unconsolidated company had a carrying value of $200,000 and were also included in “other assets” in the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

 

Fair Value Measurements

ASC topic 820, Fair value measurement (“ASC 820”) establishes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value. Level 1 instrument valuations are obtained from real-time quotes for transactions in active exchange markets involving identical assets. Level 2 instrument valuations are obtained from readily-available pricing sources for comparable instruments. Level 3 instrument valuations are obtained from unobservable inputs in which there is little or no market data, which require us to develop our own assumptions. As of March 31, 2014, we did not have any Level 3 assets or liabilities. On a recurring basis, we measure certain financial assets and liabilities at fair value, primarily consisting of our short-term and long-term investments.

The type of instrument valued based on quoted market prices in active markets include our money market funds, which are generally classified within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. Other than corporate equity securities which are based on quoted market prices and classified as Level 1, we classify our available-for-sale securities including certificates of deposit, corporate bonds as having Level 2 inputs. The valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of these financial instruments having Level 2 inputs were derived from quoted market prices, broker or dealer quotations, or alternative pricing sources with reasonable levels of price transparency. There were no changes in valuation techniques or related inputs in the three months ended March 31, 2014. There have been no transfers between fair value measurement levels during the three months ended March 31, 2014.

 

The following table summarizes our financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis in accordance with ASC 820 as of March 31, 2014 (in thousands):

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The following table summarizes our financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis in accordance with ASC 820 as of December 31, 2013 (in thousands):

 

 

Items Measured at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis

Certain assets that are subject to nonrecurring fair value measurements are not included in the table above. These assets include investments in privately-held companies accounted for by equity and cost method (See Note 6). We did not record other-than-temporary impairment charges for either of these investments during the three months ended March 31, 2014 or 2013.

Note 3. Inventories

The components of inventories are summarized below (in thousands):

 

As of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, carrying values of inventories were net of inventory reserve of $11.5 million and $11.0 million, respectively, for excess and obsolete inventory.

Note 4. Accrued Liabilities

 

The components of accrued liabilities are summarized below (in thousands):

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Note 5. Related Party Transactions

In August 2011, our consolidated joint venture, Beijing JiYa Semiconductor Material Co., Ltd. (JiYa), entered into a non-interest bearing note agreement in the amount of $1.7 million (Rmb 10,485,200) with one of its equity investment entities The original term of the loan was for two years and ten months with 3 periodic principal payments required.  After various amendments to the terms of the note, in December 2013 the parties agreed to delay all principal repayment until December 2016. As of March 31, 2014, and December 31, 2013, we included $1.7 million (Rmb 10,485,200) in “Related party notes receivable – long term” in our consolidated balance sheets.

 

Beginning in 2012, JiYa is contractually obligated under an agency sales agreement to sell raw material on behalf of one of its equity investment entities. Jiya bills the customers and remits the receipts, net of its portions of sales commission, to this equity investment entity. For the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, JiYa has recorded $0 and $10,000 of income from agency sales respectively, which was included in “other expense, net” in our condensed consolidated statements of operations. As of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, there were no amounts payable to this equity investment entity.

JiYa also purchases raw materials from one of its equity investment entities for production in the ordinary course of business. As of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, amounts payable of $1.2 million and $1.5 million, respectively, were included in “accounts payable” in our condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Beginning in 2012, our consolidated joint venture, Nanjing Jin Mei Gallium Co., Ltd (Jin Mei) is contractually obligated under an agency sales agreement to sell raw material on behalf of its equity investment entity. Jin Mei bills the customers and remits the receipts, net of its portions of sales commission, to this equity investment entity. For the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, Jin Mei has recorded $5,000 and $65,000 income from agency sales, respectively, which were included in “other income (expense), net” in the consolidated statements of operations.

In March 2012, our wholly-owned subsidiary, Beijing Tongmei Xtal Technology Co., Ltd. (Tongmei), entered into an operating lease for the land it owns with our consolidated joint venture Beijing BoYu Semiconductor Vessel Craftwork Technology Co., Ltd. The lease agreement for the land of approximately 22,081 square feet commenced on January 1, 2012 for a term of 10 years with annual lease payments of $24,000  (Rmb 150,000) subject to a 5% increase at each third year anniversary. The annual lease payment is due by January 31 of each year.

Tongmei has paid $120,000 (Rmb 740,924) on behalf of Donghai County Dongfang High Purity Electronic Materials Co., Ltd. its equity investment entity, to purchase materials. As of March 31, 2014, this balance was included in "prepaid expenses and other current assets" in our consolidated balance sheets.

 

Our Related Party Transactions Policy seeks to prohibit all conflicts of interest in transactions between related parties and us, unless they have been approved by our Board of Directors. This policy applies to all of our employees and directors, our subsidiaries and our joint ventures. Our executive officers retain board seats on the board of directors of the companies in which we have invested in our China joint ventures. See Note 6 for further details.

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Note 6. Investments in Privately-held Companies

We have made strategic investments in private companies located in China in order to gain access at a competitive cost to raw materials  that are critical to our substrate business.

Our investments are summarized below (in thousands):

 

Our ownership of Beijing JiYa Semiconductor Material Co., Ltd. (JiYa) is 46%. We continue to consolidate JiYa as we have significant influence in management and have majority control of the board. Our Chief Executive Officer is chairman of the JiYa board, while our president of China operations, our vice president of China administration and our vice president of wafer production are also members of the board.

Our ownership of Nanjing Jin Mei Gallium Co., Ltd. (Jin Mei) is 83%. We continue to consolidate Jin Mei as we have significant influence in management and have majority control of the board. Our Chief Executive Officer is chairman of the Jin Mei board, while our president of China operations and our vice president of China administration are also members of the board.

Our ownership of Beijing BoYu Semiconductor Vessel Craftwork Technology Co., Ltd. (BoYu) is 70%. We continue to consolidate BoYu as we have a significant influence in management and have majority control of the board. Our Chief Executive Officer is chairman of the BoYu board, while our president of China operations and our vice president of China administration are also members of the board.

Although we have representation on the boards of directors of each of these companies, the daily operations of each of these companies are managed by local management and not by us. Decisions concerning their respective short term strategy and operations, any capacity expansion and annual capital expenditures, and decisions concerning sales of finished product, are made by local management with some inputs from us.

During the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, the three consolidated joint ventures generated $0.8 million and $1.3 million of income, respectively, of which $205,000 and $441,000, respectively, were allocated to minority interests, resulting in $548,000 and $852,000 of income, respectively, to our net income (loss).

For the three minority investment entities that are not consolidated, the investment balances are included in “other assets” in our condensed consolidated balance sheets and totaled $7.6 million and $7.5 million as of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013. We own 46% of the ownership interests in one of these companies and 25% in each of the other two companies.  These three companies are not considered variable interest entities because:

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all three companies have sustainable businesses of their own;

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our voting power is proportionate to our ownership interests;

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we only recognize our respective share of the losses and/or residual returns generated by the companies if they occur; and

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we do not have controlling financial interest in, do not maintain operational or management control of, do not control the board of directors of, and are not required to provide additional investment or financial support to any of these companies.

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We also maintain minority investments in privately-held companies made indirectly through our consolidated joint ventures.  These minority investments are accounted for under the equity method in the books of our consolidated joint ventures. As of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, our consolidated joint ventures included these minority investments in “other assets” in the condensed consolidated balance sheets with a carrying value of $3.4 million.

All of the minority investment entities that are not consolidated and accounted for under the equity method had the following summarized income information (in thousands) for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013.

Our gross entity earnings from all the minority investment entities that are not consolidated and accounted for under the equity method were $487,000 and $282,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

We also maintain minority investments directly in one privately-held companies accounted for under the cost method and we do not have the ability to exercise significant influence over their operations. As of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, our investments in this unconsolidated privately-held company had a carrying value of $200,000 and are included in “other assets” in the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Note 7. Stockholders’ Equity and Stock Repurchase Program

 

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity

There were no reclassification adjustments from accumulated other comprehensive income for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and March 31, 2013.

Stock Repurchase Program

On February 21, 2013, our Board of Directors approved a stock repurchase program pursuant to which we may repurchase up to $6.0 million of our outstanding common stock through February 27, 2014. These purchases can be made from time to time in the open market and are funded from our existing cash balances and cash generated from operations. During 2013, we repurchased approximately 285,000 shares at an average price of $2.51 per share for a total purchase price of $716,000 under the stock repurchase program.

As of December 31, 2013, approximately $5.3 million remained available for future repurchases under this program. No shares were repurchased in the three months ended March 31, 2014 under this program. This repurchase plan expired on February 27, 2014. See Item 2, Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds in Part II, Other Information, for additional information.

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Note 8. Stock-Based Compensation

We account for stock-based compensation in accordance with the provisions of FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) topic 718, Compensation-Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”), which established accounting for stock-based awards exchanged for employee services. Stock-based compensation cost is measured at each grant date, based on the fair value of the award, and is recognized as expense over the employee’s requisite service period of the award. All of our stock compensation is accounted for as an equity instrument.

The following table summarizes compensation costs related to our stock-based awards (in thousands, except per share data):

 

As of March 31, 2014, the unamortized compensation costs related to unvested stock options granted to employees under our stock option plans were approximately $1.4 million, net of estimated forfeitures of $92,000. These costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over a weighted-average period of approximately 2.6 years and will be adjusted for subsequent changes in estimated forfeitures. We elected not to capitalize any stock-based compensation to inventory as of March 31, 2014 due to the immateriality of the amount.

 

We estimate the fair value of stock options using a Black-Scholes valuation model, consistent with the provisions of ASC 718. There were no stock options granted in the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013.

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The following table summarizes our stock option activities during the three months ended March 31, 2014 (in thousands, except per share data):

The aggregate intrinsic value in the table above represents the total pretax intrinsic value, based on our closing price of $2.20 on March 31, 2014, which would have been received by the option holder had all option holders exercised their options on that date.

Restricted stock awards

A summary of activity related to restricted stock awards for the three months ended March 31, 2014 is presented below:

As of March 31, 2014, the unamortized compensation costs related to unvested restricted stock awards was approximately $581,000, which is to be amortized on a straight-line basis over a weighted average period of approximately 2.3 years.

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Note 9. Net Income (loss) Per Share

Basic net income (loss) per share is computed using the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the periods less shares of common stock subject to repurchase and non-vested stock awards. Diluted net income (loss) per share is computed using the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding and potentially dilutive common shares outstanding during the periods. The dilutive effect of outstanding stock options and restricted stock awards is reflected in diluted earnings per share by application of the treasury stock method. Potentially dilutive common shares consist of common shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options. Potentially dilutive common shares are excluded in net loss periods, as their effect would be anti-dilutive.

 

A reconciliation of the numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted net loss per share calculations is as follows (in thousands, except per share data):

The 883,000 shares of $0.001 par value Series A preferred stock issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, valued at $3,532,000, are non-voting and non-convertible preferred stock with a 5.0% cumulative annual dividend rate payable when declared by the board of directors and a $4 per share liquidation preference over common stock, which must be paid before any distribution is made to common stockholders. These preferred shares were issued to Lyte Optronics, Inc. stockholders in connection with the completion of our acquisition of Lyte Optronics, Inc. on May 28, 1999.

 

Note 10. Segment Information and Foreign Operations

Segment Information

We operate in one segment for the design, development, manufacture and distribution of high-performance compound semiconductor substrates and sale of materials. In accordance with ASC topic 280, Segment Reporting, our chief operating decision-maker has been identified as our Chief Executive Officer, who reviews operating results to make decisions about allocating resources and assessing performance for the Company. Since we operate in one segment, all financial segment and product line information can be found in our condensed consolidated financial statements.

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The following table represents revenue amounts (in thousands) by product type:

The following table represents revenue amounts (in thousands) reported for products shipped to customers in the corresponding geographic region:

Long-lived assets consist primarily of property, plant and equipment, and are attributed to the geographic location in which they are located. Long-lived assets by geographic region were as follows (in thousands):

Significant Customers

No customer represented more than 10% of our revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013. Our top five customers, although not the same five customers for each period, represented 39% and 34% of our revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

We perform ongoing credit evaluations of our customers’ financial condition, and limit the amount of credit extended when deemed necessary, but generally do not require collateral. No customer accounted for over 10% of our trade accounts receivable balance as of March 31, 2014 while one customer accounted for 20% of our trade accounts receivable balance as of December 31, 2013.

Note 11. Commitments and Contingencies

Indemnification Agreements

We enter into standard indemnification arrangements with our customers in the ordinary course of business. Pursuant to these arrangements, we indemnify, hold harmless, and agree to reimburse the indemnified parties for losses suffered or incurred by the indemnified party, generally their business partners or customers, in connection with any U.S. patent, or any copyright or other intellectual property infringement claim by any third party with respect to our products. The term of these indemnification agreements is generally perpetual anytime after the execution of the agreement. The maximum potential amount of future payments we could be required to make under these agreements is unlimited. We have never incurred costs to defend lawsuits or settle claims related to these indemnification agreements. As a result, we believe the estimated fair value of these agreements is minimal.

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We have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and officers that require us to (i) indemnify our directors and officers against liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service as directors or officers, other than liabilities arising from willful misconduct of a culpable nature, (ii) advance their expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified; and (iii) obtain directors’ and officers’ insurance if available on reasonable terms, which we currently have in place.

Product Warranty

We provide warranties for our products for a specific period of time, generally twelve months, against material defects. We provide for the estimated future costs of warranty obligations in cost of sales when the related revenue is recognized. The accrued warranty costs represent the best estimate at the time of sale of the total costs that we expect to incur to repair or replace product parts that fail while still under warranty. The amount of accrued estimated warranty costs are primarily based on historical experience as to product failures as well as current information on repair costs. On a quarterly basis, we review the accrued balances and update these based on the historical warranty cost trends. The following table reflects the change in our warranty accrual which is included in “accrued liabilities” on the condensed consolidated balance sheets, during the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 (in thousands):

Contractual Obligations

We lease certain office space, manufacturing facilities and equipment under long-term operating leases expiring at various dates through February 2023. The majority of our lease obligations relates to our lease agreement for the facility at Fremont, California with approximately 27,760 square feet, which commenced on December 1, 2008 for a term of seven years, with an option by us to cancel the lease after five years, upon forfeiture of the security deposit and payment of one-half of the fifth year’s rent. On June 28, 2013, we sent a notice to terminate the lease effective November 30, 2013 with an early termination penalty of $142,000 which was recorded as an expense in the third quarter of 2013. On August 2, 2013, we signed a new lease agreement for the current facility with reduced footage of 20,767 square feet, which commenced on December 1, 2013 for a term of two years. The reduced square footage, the reduced rate per square foot, and the expected reduced operating costs, would save us approximately total $382,000 during 2014 and 2015.

We entered into a royalty agreement with a vendor effective December 3, 2010 with a term of eight years, terminating December 31, 2018.  We and our related companies are granted a worldwide, nonexclusive, royalty bearing, irrevocable license to certain patents for the term of the agreement. We shall pay a total of $7.0 million royalty payment over eight years beginning in 2011 based on future royalty bearing sales. This agreement contains a clause that allows us to make a claim for credit, starting in 2013, in the event that the royalty bearing sales for the year is lower than a pre-determined amount set forth in this agreement.

 

Outstanding contractual obligations as of March 31, 2014 are summarized as follows (in thousands):

Purchase Obligations

In the normal course of business, we purchase or place orders for the necessary materials of our products from various suppliers and we commit to purchase products where we may incur a penalty if the agreement was canceled. As of March 31, 2014, we do not have any outstanding material purchase obligations.

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Legal Proceedings

From time to time we may be involved in judicial or administrative proceedings concerning matters arising in the ordinary course of business. We do not expect that any of these matters, individually or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows or results of operation.

Note 12. Foreign Exchange Transaction Losses

We incurred foreign currency transaction exchange gains of $17,000 and losses of $593,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. These amounts are included in “Other expense, net” on our condensed consolidated statements of operations.

Note 13. Income Taxes

We account for income taxes in accordance with ASC topic 740, Income Taxes (“ASC 740”) which requires that deferred tax assets and liabilities be recognized using enacted tax rates for the effect of temporary differences between the book and tax bases of recorded assets and liabilities. ASC 740 also requires that deferred tax assets be reduced by a valuation allowance if it is more likely than not that a portion of the deferred tax asset will not be realized.

 

Provision for income taxes for three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 was mostly related to our China subsidiary and our China joint venture operations. We have made a tax election in China whereby certain minimum foreign withholding taxes are treated as an expense and not a tax credit. Besides the state taxes liabilities, no federal income tax benefit or expense has been provided for the three months ended March 31, 2014 or 2013 due to our net loss, our valuation allowance being utilized and uncertainty of future profits in the U.S.

Note 14. Restructuring Charges

On February 25, 2014, we announced a restructuring plan with respect to our wholly-owned subsidiary, Beijing Tongmei Xtal Technology Co, Ltd. (“Tongmei”) in order to better align demand with manufacturing capacity.  Under the restructuring plan, Tongmei would implement certain workforce reductions with respect to its manufacturing facility in China.  We also announced that the restructuring plan would be completed by March 31, 2014, depending on local legal requirements.

In the first quarter of 2014, we reduced the workforce at Tongmei by approximately 93 positions that are no longer required to support production and operations, or approximately 11 percent of the workforce. Accordingly, we recorded a restructuring charge of approximately $907,000 related to the reduction in force for severance-related expenses. As of March 31, 2014 we have completed this restructuring plan and the reduction in force.

 

Note 15. Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

There have been no new accounting pronouncements during the three months ended March 31, 2014, as compared to the recent accounting pronouncements described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, that are of material significance, or potential significance, to the Company.

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ITEM 2.

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

This quarterly report on Form 10-Q, including the following sections, contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, particularly statements relating to our expectations regarding results of operations, customer demand, our ability to expand our markets and increase sales, industry trends, customer qualifications of our products, gross margins, the impact of the adoption of certain accounting pronouncements, our investments in capital projects, and our belief that we have adequate cash and investments to meet our needs over the next 12 months. These forward-looking statements are based upon management’s current views with respect to future events and financial performance, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include those set forth under the section entitled “Risk Factors” below, which identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted in any such forward-looking statements. We caution investors that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of certain risk factors identified in this Form 10-Q and other filings we have made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of terms such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” and similar expressions. Statements concerning our future or expected financial results and condition, business strategy and plans or objectives for future operations are forward-looking statements.

These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward‑looking statements in order to reflect any event or circumstance that may arise after the date of this report. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made in this report, which attempt to advise interested parties of the risks and factors that may affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. This discussion should be read in conjunction with Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 and the condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this report.

Overview

We are a leading worldwide developer and producer of high-performance compound and single element semiconductor substrates, including substrates made from gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium phosphide (InP) and germanium (Ge). We currently sell the following substrate products in the sizes and for the applications indicated:

We manufacture all of our semiconductor substrates using our proprietary vertical gradient freeze (VGF) technology. Most of our revenue is from sales of GaAs substrates. We manufacture all of our products in the People’s Republic of China (PRC or China), which generally has favorable costs for facilities and labor compared to comparable facilities in the United States, Europe or Japan. We also have joint ventures in China, which provide us with pricing advantages, reliable supply and enhanced sourcing lead-times for key raw materials that are central to our final manufactured products. These joint ventures produce products including 99.99% pure gallium (4N Ga), high purity gallium, arsenic, germanium, germanium dioxide, pyrolytic boron nitride (pBN) crucibles and boron oxide (B2O3). Our ownership interest in these entities ranges from 20% to 83%. We consolidate, for accounting purposes, the joint ventures in which we have majority or controlling financial interest and significant influence on management, and employ equity accounting for the joint ventures in which we have a smaller ownership interest. We purchase portions of the materials produced by these joint ventures for our own use and the joint ventures sell the remainder of their production to third parties. We use our direct sales force in the United States and China and independent sales representatives in Europe and other parts of Asia to market and sell our substrates.

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Restructuring Charges

On February 25, 2014, we announced a restructuring plan with respect to our wholly-owned subsidiary, Beijing Tongmei Xtal Technology Co, Ltd. (“Tongmei”) in order to better align demand with manufacturing capacity.  Under the restructuring plan, Tongmei would implement certain workforce reductions with respect to its manufacturing facility in China.  We also announced that the restructuring plan would be completed by March 31, 2014, depending on local legal requirements.

In the first quarter of 2014, we reduced the workforce at Tongmei by approximately 93 positions that are no longer required to support production and operations, or approximately 11 percent. Accordingly, we recorded a restructuring charge of approximately $907,000 related to the reduction in force for severance-related expenses. As of March 31, 2014 we have completed this restructuring plan and reduction in force.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

We prepared our condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. As such, we make estimates, assumptions and judgments that affect the amounts reported on our financial statements. These estimates, assumptions and judgments about future events and their effects on our results cannot be determined with certainty, and are made based upon our historical experience and on other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. These estimates may change as new events occur or additional information is obtained, and we may periodically be faced with uncertainties, the outcomes of which are not within our control and may not be known for a prolonged period of time. The discussion and analysis of our results of operations and financial condition are based upon these condensed consolidated financial statements.

We have identified the policies below as critical to our business operations and understanding of our financial condition and results of operations. A critical accounting policy is one that is both material to the presentation of our financial statements and requires us to make difficult, subjective or complex judgments that could have a material effect on our financial condition and results of operations. They may require us to make assumptions about matters that are highly uncertain at the time of the estimate, and different estimates that we could have used, or changes in the estimate that are reasonably likely to occur, may have a material impact on our financial condition or results of operations.

Revenue Recognition

We manufacture and sell high-performance compound semiconductor substrates and sell certain raw materials including gallium, germanium dioxide, and pBN crucibles. After we ship our products, there are no remaining obligations or customer acceptance requirements that would preclude revenue recognition. Our products are typically sold pursuant to a purchase order placed by our customers, and our terms and conditions of sale do not require customer acceptance. We recognize revenue upon shipment and transfer of title of products to our customers, which is either upon shipment from our dock, receipt at the customer’s dock, or removal from consignment inventory at the customer’s location, provided that we have received a signed purchase order, the price is fixed or determinable, title and risk of ownership have transferred, collection of resulting receivables is probable, and product returns are reasonably estimable. We do not provide training, installation or commissioning services.

We provide allowance for future returns based on historical experience, current economic trends and changes in customer demand at the time revenue is recognized.

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

We periodically review the likelihood of collection on our accounts receivable balances and provide an allowance for doubtful accounts receivable primarily based upon the age of these accounts. We evaluate receivables from U.S. customers with an emphasis on balances in excess of 90 days and for receivables from customers located outside the U.S. with an emphasis on balances in excess of 120 days and reserve allowance on the receivable balances if needed. The reason for the difference in the evaluation of receivables between foreign and U.S. customers is that U.S. customers have historically made payments in a shorter period of time than foreign customers. Foreign business practices generally require us to allow customer payment terms that are longer than those accepted in the United States. We assess the probability of collection based on a number of factors, including the length of time a receivable balance has been outstanding, our past history with the customer and their creditworthiness.

As of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, our accounts receivable, net, balance was $16.4 million and $14.9 million, respectively, which was net of an allowance for doubtful accounts of $570,000 and $869,000, respectively. If actual uncollectible accounts differ substantially from our estimates, revisions to the estimated allowance for doubtful accounts would be required, which could have a material impact on our financial results for the future periods.

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The allowance for sales returns is also deducted from gross accounts receivable. As of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, our allowance for sales returns was $221,000 and $186,000, respectively.

Warranty Reserve

We maintain a warranty reserve based upon our claims experience during the prior twelve months. Warranty costs are accrued at the time revenue is recognized. As of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, accrued product warranties totaled $1.2 million and $1.0 million, respectively. If actual warranty costs differ substantially from our estimates, revisions to the estimated warranty liability would be required, which could have a material impact on our financial condition and results of operations for future periods.

Inventory Valuation

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. Cost is determined using the weighted-average cost method. Our inventory consists of raw materials as well as finished goods and work-in-process that include material, labor and manufacturing overhead costs. Given the nature of our substrate products, and the materials used in the manufacturing process, the wafers and ingots comprising work-in-process may be held in inventory for up to two years and three years, respectively, as the risk of obsolescence for these materials is low. We routinely evaluate the levels of our inventory in light of current market conditions in order to identify excess and obsolete inventory, and we provide a valuation allowance for certain inventories based upon the age and quality of the product and the projections for sale of the completed products. As of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, we had an inventory reserve of $11.5 million and $11.0 million, respectively, for excess and obsolete inventory. If actual demand for our products were to be substantially lower than estimated, additional inventory adjustments for excess or obsolete inventory might be required, which could have a material impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Impairment of Investments

We classify our investments in debt and equity securities as available-for-sale securities in accordance with ASC topic 320, Investments - Debt and Equity Securities (“ASC 320”). All available-for-sale securities with a quoted market value below cost (or adjusted cost) are reviewed in order to determine whether the decline is other-than-temporary. Factors considered in determining whether a loss is temporary include the magnitude of the decline in market value, the length of time the market value has been below cost (or adjusted cost), credit quality, and our ability and intent to hold the securities for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery in market value.

We invest in equity instruments of privately-held companies in China for business and strategic purposes. These investments are classified as other assets and are accounted for under the cost method as we do not have the ability to exercise significant influence over their operations. We monitor our investments for impairment and record reductions in carrying value when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. Determination of impairment is highly subjective and is based on a number of factors, including an assessment of the strength of investee’s management, the length of time and extent to which the fair value has been less than our cost basis, the financial condition and near-term prospects of the investee, fundamental changes to the business prospects of the investee, share prices of subsequent offerings, and our intent and ability to hold the investment for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery in our carrying value. We had no write‑downs for the three months ended March 31, 2014 or 2013.

 

Fair Value of Investments

ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement (“ASC 820”) establishes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value.

Level 1 instruments represent quoted prices in active markets. Therefore, determining fair value for Level 1 instruments does not require significant management judgment, and the estimation is not difficult.

Level 2 instruments include observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for identical instruments in markets with insufficient volume or infrequent transactions (less active markets), issuer credit ratings, non-binding market consensus prices that can be corroborated with observable market data, model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs are observable or can be derived principally from or corroborated with observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities, or quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities. These Level 2 instruments require more management judgment and subjectivity compared to Level 1 instruments, including:

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·

Determining which instruments are most similar to the instrument being priced requires management to identify a sample of similar securities based on the coupon rates, maturity, issuer, credit rating, and instrument type, and subjectively select an individual security or multiple securities that are deemed most similar to the security being priced.

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Determining which model-derived valuations to use in determining fair value requires management judgment. When observable market prices for identical securities or similar securities are not available, we price our marketable debt instruments using non-binding market consensus prices that are corroborated with observable market data or pricing models, such as discounted cash flow models, with all significant inputs derived from or corroborated with observable market data.

Level 3 instruments include unobservable inputs to the valuation methodology that are significant to the measurement of fair value of assets or liabilities. The determination of fair value for Level 3 instruments requires the most management judgment and subjectivity. As of March 31, 2014, we did not have any assets or liabilities without observable market values that would require a high level of judgment to determine fair value (Level 3 assets). There have been no transfers between fair value measurement levels during the three months ended March 31, 2014.

 

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

We evaluate the recoverability of property, equipment and intangible assets in accordance with ASC topic 360, Property, Plant and Equipment (“ASC 360”). When events and circumstances indicate that long-lived assets may be impaired, we compare the carrying value of the long-lived assets to the projection of future undiscounted cash flows attributable to these assets. In the event that the carrying value exceeds the future undiscounted cash flows, we record an impairment charge against income equal to the excess of the carrying value over the assets’ fair value. Fair values are determined based on quoted market values, discounted cash flows or internal and external appraisals, as applicable. We had no “Assets held for sale” on the condensed consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2014 or December 31, 2013.

Stock-based Compensation

We account for stock-based compensation in accordance with ASC topic 718, Stock-based Compensation (“ASC 718”), using the modified prospective method. Share-based awards granted include stock options and restricted stock awards. We utilize the Black‑Scholes option pricing model to estimate the grant date fair value of stock options, which requires the input of highly subjective assumptions, including expected volatility and expected term. Historical volatility was used while the expected term for our options was estimated based on historical option exercise behavior and post-vesting forfeitures of options, and the contractual term, the vesting period and the expected term of the outstanding options. Further, we apply an expected forfeiture rate in determining the amount of share-based compensation. We use historical forfeitures to estimate the forfeitures for stock compensation awards that are not expected to vest. Changes in these inputs and assumptions can materially affect the measure of estimated fair value of our stock compensation. The cost of restricted stock awards is determined using the fair value of our common stock on the date of grant.

 

We recognize the compensation costs net of an estimated forfeiture rate over the requisite service period of the options award, which is generally the vesting term of four years. Compensation expense for restricted stock awards is recognized over the vesting period, which is generally three years or four years. Stock-based compensation expense is recorded in cost of revenue, research and development, and selling, general and administrative expenses.

Income Taxes

We account for income taxes in accordance with ASC topic 740, Income Taxes (“ASC 740”) which requires that deferred tax assets and liabilities be recognized using enacted tax rates for the effect of temporary differences between the book and tax bases of recorded assets and liabilities. ASC 740 also requires that deferred tax assets be reduced by a valuation allowance if it is more likely than not that a portion of the deferred tax asset will not be realized.

 

We provide for income taxes based upon the geographic composition of worldwide earnings and tax regulations governing each region, particularly China. The calculation of tax liabilities involves significant judgment in estimating the impact of uncertainties in the application of complex tax laws, particularly in foreign countries such as China.

 

See Note 13—“Income Taxes” in the notes to condensed financial statements for additional information.

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Results of Operations

Revenue

 

Revenue decreased $3.0 million, or 13.6%, to $19.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from $22.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013. Total GaAs substrate revenue decreased $3.2 million, or 27.6%, to $8.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from $11.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013. The decrease in GaAs substrate revenue was primarily due to the softer demand environment from our current customer base in both the wireless devices market and the light emitting diode (LED) market.

Sales of 2 inch, 3 inch and 4 inch diameter GaAs substrates, which are mainly semi-conducting substrates used in LED applications, decreased $1.4 million to $6.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from $7.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013. The decrease in revenue from smaller diameter substrates was primarily due to weaker demand from our current customers in the LED market.

Sales of 5 inch and 6 inch diameter GaAs substrates, which are mainly semi-insulating substrates used in wireless devices, decreased by $1.8 million to $2.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from $4.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013. The decrease in revenue from larger diameter substrates was primarily due to lower demand for semi-insulating GaAs substrate from customers in the wireless devices market compared to the same period of the prior year.

InP substrate revenue increased $331,000, or 17.9%, to $2.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from $1.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 as demand from customers in the optical networking industry increased. We continued to see renewed demand for these substrates as investment in high-speed optical communications increased worldwide.

Ge substrate revenue increased by $727,000, or 28.5%, to $3.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from $2.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 due to increased demand for concentrated photovoltaic solar applications from our German and Chinese customers.

Raw materials revenue decreased $863,000, or 13.8%, to $5.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from $6.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 primarily due to decreased selling prices and decreased tonnage sold of 4N gallium, partially offset by increased sales of pBN crucibles.

Revenue by Geographic Region

 

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Revenue from customers in Europe increased by $1.9 million, or 40.4%, to $6.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from $4.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 primarily due to increased raw materials revenue of 4N gallium and Ge substrate revenue partially offset by decreased GaAs substrate revenue.

Revenue from customers in China decreased by $1.9 million, or 30.9%, to $4.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from $6.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 primarily due to decreased raw materials revenue of 4N gallium and Ge substrate.

Revenue from customers in Asia Pacific (excluding China, Taiwan and Japan) increased by $257,000, or 12.1%, to $2.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from $2.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 primarily due to increased semi-insulating GaAs substrate revenue from customers in Malaysia.

Revenue from customers in Japan slightly increased by $31,000, or 1.4%, to $2.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from $2.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 primarily due to increased raw materials revenue partially offset by decreased Ge substrate revenue.

Revenue from customers in Taiwan decreased by $1.7 million, or 44.0%, to $2.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from $3.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 primarily due to decreased GaAs substrate revenue partially offset by increased InP substrate revenue.

Revenue from customers in North America decreased by $1.7 million, or 48.7%, to $1.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from $3.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 primarily due to decreased raw materials revenue and GaAs substrate revenue.

 

Gross Margin

Gross margin decreased to 14.1% of total revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from 15.6% of total revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2013. Lower revenue and lower average selling prices due to product mix and customer mix negatively impacted the gross margins for GaAs substrates. Although Ge substrate sales increased by $727,000, gross margins for Ge substrate was decreased due to higher priced raw material in our inventory and lower average selling prices. Gross margins for raw material sales also decreased due to decreased selling prices of 4N raw gallium.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased $489,000, or 12.5% to $3.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from $3.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013. The decrease was primarily due to the companywide cost saving efforts implemented in 2014 including lower personnel related costs, lower facility rent in Fremont and lower stock-based compensation expenses.

Research and Development

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Research and development expenses decreased $47,000, or 5.7% to $775,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from $822,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2013. The decrease was primarily due to lower depreciation expense at our facilities in China and product testing related costs from our joint ventures in China offset by higher personnel related costs.

Restructuring Charges

In the first quarter of 2014, we reduced the workforce at Tongmei by approximately 93 positions that are no longer required to support production and operations, or approximately 11 percent. Accordingly, we recorded a restructuring charge of approximately $907,000 related to the reduction in force for severance-related expenses. As of March 31, 2014 we have completed this restructuring plan and the reduction in force.

Interest Income, net

Interest income, net increased $96,000 to $127,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from $31,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2013. The increase was primarily due to higher returns from the mix of investment securities.

 

Equity in Earnings of Unconsolidated Joint Ventures

 

Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures increased $205,000 to $487,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from $282,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2013 primarily due to higher net income from our minority-owned joint ventures that are not consolidated.

 

Other Income (Expense), net

 

NM= % not meaningful

 

Other income (expense), net increased $835,000 to $10,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from net expense $825,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2013 primarily due to lower foreign exchange losses and lower withholding tax on foreign dividends from our consolidated joint ventures.

Provision for Income Taxes

Provision for income taxes was mostly related to our China subsidiary and our China joint venture operations and decreased by $125,000 to $59,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2014 from $184,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2013. The decrease in provision for income taxes was primarily due to decreased sales and net income of our foreign subsidiaries as well as lower taxable income for state tax purposes in the U.S. Besides the state tax liabilities, no federal income tax or benefit has been provided for U.S. operations due to our net loss, our available net operating loss carryforwards for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 and uncertainty of profits in the U.S.

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Noncontrolling interests