Related Parties and Strategic Investments

6 Months Ended

Jul. 01, 2012

Related Party Transactions [Abstract]

Related Parties and Strategic Investments

Related Parties and Strategic Investments

Flash Ventures with Toshiba. The Company owns 49.9% of each entity within Flash Ventures and accounts for its ownership position under the equity method of accounting. The Company’s obligations with respect to the Flash Ventures master lease agreements, take-or-pay supply arrangements and research and development cost sharing are described in Note 11, “Commitments, Contingencies and Guarantees.” The financial and other support provided by the Company in all periods presented was either contractually required or the result of a joint decision to expand wafer capacity, transition to new technologies or refinance existing equipment lease commitments. Flash Ventures are variable interest entities. The Company evaluated whether it is the primary beneficiary of any of the entities within Flash Ventures for all periods presented and determined that it is not the primary beneficiary of any of the entities within Flash Ventures because it does not have a controlling financial interest in any of those entities. In determining whether the Company is the primary beneficiary, the Company analyzed the primary purpose and design of Flash Ventures, the activities that most significantly impact Flash Ventures’ economic performance, and whether the Company had the power to direct those activities. The Company concluded based upon its 49.9% ownership in Flash Ventures, the voting structure of Flash Ventures and the manner in which the day-to-day operations of Flash Ventures are conducted that the Company lacked the power to direct most of the activities that most significantly impact Flash Ventures’ economic performance.

The Company purchased NAND flash memory wafers from Flash Ventures and made prepayments, investments and loans to Flash Ventures totaling $746.1 million, $1.43 billion, $746.8 million and $1.56 billion in the three and six months endedJuly 1, 2012 and July 3, 2011, respectively. The Company received loan repayments from Flash Ventures of $148.0 million, $211.8 million, zero and $85.1 million in the three and six months endedJuly 1, 2012 and July 3, 2011, respectively. At July 1, 2012 and January 1, 2012, the Company had accounts payable balances due to Flash Ventures of $234.6 million and $275.8 million, respectively.

The Company’s maximum reasonably estimable loss exposure (excluding lost profits), based upon the exchange rate at each respective balance sheet date, as a result of its involvement with Flash Ventures is presented below (in millions).

	July 1, 2012		January 1, 2012
Notes receivable	$	1,188	$	1,297
Equity investments	683		646
Operating lease guarantees	950		732
Prepayments	36		50
Maximum loss exposure	$	2,857	$	2,725

Solid State Storage Solutions LLC. During the second quarter of fiscal year 2007, the Company formed Solid State Storage Solutions LLC (“S4”), a venture with third parties to license intellectual property. S4 qualifies as a variable interest entity. The Company is considered the primary beneficiary of S4 and the Company consolidates S4 in its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for all periods presented. The Company considered multiple factors in determining it was the primary beneficiary, including its overall involvement with the venture, contributions and participation in operating activities. S4’s assets and liabilities were not material to the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of July 1, 2012 and January 1, 2012.