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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation

The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Universal Display Corporation and its wholly owned subsidiaries, UDC, Inc., UDC Ireland Limited (UDC Ireland), Universal Display Corporation Hong Kong, Limited, Universal Display Corporation Korea, Y.H. (UDC Korea), Universal Display Corporation Japan GK, Universal Display Corporation China, Ltd., Adesis, Inc. (Adesis), UDC Ventures LLC, OVJP Corporation (OVJP Corp) and OLED Material Manufacturing Limited (OMM). All intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated.

Reclassification of Prior Year Presentation

Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.

Management's Use of Estimates

Management’s Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The estimates made are principally in the areas of revenue recognition including estimates of material unit sales and royalties, the useful life of acquired intangibles, lease liabilities, right-of-use assets, the use and recoverability of inventories, intangibles, investments and income taxes including realization of deferred tax assets, stock-based compensation and retirement benefit plan liabilities. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid debt instruments purchased with an original maturity (maturity at the purchase date) of three months or less to be cash equivalents. The Company classifies its remaining investments as available-for-sale. These securities are carried at fair market value, with unrealized gains and losses reported in shareholders’ equity. Gains or losses on securities sold are based on the specific identification method.

Trade Accounts Receivable

Trade Accounts Receivable

Trade accounts receivable are stated at the amount the Company expects to collect and do not bear interest. The Company considers the following factors when determining the collectability of specific customer accounts: customer credit-worthiness, past transaction history with the customer, current economic industry trends, and changes in customer payment terms. The Company’s accounts receivable balance is a result of chemical sales, royalties and license fees. These receivables have historically been paid timely. Due to the nature of the accounts receivable balance, the Company believes there is no significant collection risk. If the financial condition of the Company’s customers were to deteriorate, adversely affecting their ability to make payments, allowances for credit losses would be required. The allowance for credit losses was $279,000 at both December 31, 2022 and 2021.

Inventories

Inventories

Inventories consist of raw materials, work-in-process and finished goods, and are stated at the lower of cost, determined on a first-in, first-out basis, or net realizable value. Inventory valuation and firm committed purchase order assessments are performed on a quarterly basis and those items that are identified to be obsolete or in excess of forecasted usage are written down to their estimated realizable value. Estimates of realizable value are based upon management’s analyses and assumptions, including, but not limited to, forecasted sales levels by product, expected product lifecycle, product development plans and future demand requirements. A 12-month rolling forecast based on factors, including, but not limited to, production cycles, anticipated product orders, marketing forecasts, backlog, and shipment activities is used in the inventory analysis. If market conditions are less favorable than forecasts or actual demand from customers is lower than estimates, additional inventory write-downs may be required. If demand is higher than expected, inventories that had previously been written down may be sold.

Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost and depreciated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of 30 years for buildings, 15 years for building improvements, and three to seven years for office and lab equipment and furniture and fixtures. Repair and maintenance costs are charged to expense as incurred. Additions and betterments are capitalized.

Major renewals and improvements are capitalized and minor replacements, maintenance, and repairs are charged to current operations as incurred. Upon retirement or disposal of assets, the cost and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the Consolidated Balance Sheets and any gain or loss is reflected in other operating expenses.

Certain costs of computer software obtained for internal use are capitalized and amortized on a straight-line basis over three years. Costs for maintenance and training, as well as the cost of software that does not add functionality to an existing system, are expensed as incurred.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Company management continually evaluates whether events or changes in circumstances might indicate that the remaining estimated useful life of long-lived assets may warrant revision, or that the remaining balance may not be recoverable. When factors indicate that long-lived assets should be evaluated for possible impairment, the Company uses an estimate of the related undiscounted cash flows in measuring whether the long-lived asset should be written down to fair value. Measurement of the amount of impairment would be based on generally accepted valuation methodologies, as deemed appropriate. As of December 31, 2022, Company management believed that no revision to the remaining useful lives or write-down of the Company’s long-lived assets was required, and similarly, no such revisions were required for the years ended December 31, 2021 or 2020.

Goodwill and Purchased Intangible Assets

Goodwill and Purchased Intangible Assets

Goodwill is tested for impairment in the fourth fiscal quarter and, when specific circumstances dictate, between annual tests. Company management first assesses qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether a quantitative goodwill impairment test is necessary. If it is concluded it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, then a quantitative impairment assessment is not necessary. If it is determined that goodwill has been impaired, then its carrying value is written down to fair value. The goodwill impairment test involves a two-step process. The first step, identifying a potential impairment, compares the fair value of

a reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. If the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value, the second step would need to be conducted; otherwise, no further steps are necessary as no potential impairment exists. If necessary, the second step to measure the impairment loss would be to compare the implied fair value of the reporting unit goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. Any excess of the reporting unit goodwill carrying value over the respective implied fair value is recognized as an impairment loss. The Company performed its annual impairment assessment as of December 31, 2022 utilizing a qualitative evaluation and concluded that it was more likely than not that the fair value of Adesis is greater than its carrying value. Future impairment tests will continue to be performed annually in the fiscal fourth quarter, or sooner if a triggering event occurs. As of December 31, 2022, no indications of impairment existed.

Purchased intangible assets with finite lives are carried at cost, less accumulated amortization. Amortization is computed over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The carrying values of accounts receivable, other current assets, accounts payable and other current liabilities approximate fair value in the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements due to the short-term nature of those instruments. The Company’s other financial instruments, which include cash equivalents, investments, retirement plan benefit liability and other liabilities are carried at fair value.

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Measurements

Fair value is defined as an exit price, representing the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants based on the highest and best use of the asset or liability. The Company uses valuation techniques to measure fair value that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. Observable inputs are inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability and are based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Company. Unobservable inputs reflect assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on the best information available in the circumstances.

Minority Equity Investments

Minority Equity Investments

The Company accounts for minority equity investments in companies that are not accounted for under the equity method as equity securities without readily determinable fair values. The fair value of these securities is based on original cost less impairments, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or similar investment of the same issuer. Under this method, the share of income or loss of such companies is not included in the Consolidated Statements of Income. The carrying value of these investments is included in investments on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The Company’s policy is to recognize an impairment in the value of its minority equity investments when clear evidence of an impairment exists. Factors considered in the assessment include a significant adverse change in the regulatory, economic, or technological environment, the completion of new equity financing that may indicate a decrease in value, the failure to complete new equity financing arrangements after seeking to raise additional funds, or the commencement of proceedings under which the assets of the business may be placed in receivership or liquidated to satisfy the claims of debt and equity stakeholders. The impairment in the value of minority equity investments is included in the other (loss) income, net line item on the Consolidated Statements of Income.

Leases

Leases

The Company is a lessee in operating leases primarily incurred to facilitate manufacturing, research and development, and selling, general and administrative activities. At contract inception, the Company determines if an arrangement is or contains a lease, and if so recognizes a right-of-use asset and lease liability at the lease commencement date. For operating leases, the lease liability is measured at the present value of the unpaid lease payments at the lease commencement date, whereas for finance leases, the lease liability is initially measured at the present value of the unpaid lease payments and subsequently measured at amortized cost using the interest method. Operating lease right-of-use assets are included in other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The short-term portion of operating lease liabilities is included in other current liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and the long-term portion is included in other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of December 31, 2022, the Company had no leases that qualified as financing arrangements.

Key estimates and judgments include how the Company determines the discount rate used to discount the unpaid lease payments to present value and the lease term. The Company monitors for events or changes in circumstances that could potentially require recognizing an impairment loss.

Revenue Recognition and Deferred Revenue

Revenue Recognition and Deferred Revenue

Material sales relate to the Company’s sale of its OLED materials for incorporation into its customers’ commercial OLED products or for their OLED development and evaluation activities. Revenue associated with material sales is generally recognized at the time title passes, which is typically at the time of shipment or at the time of delivery, depending upon the contractual agreement between the parties. Revenue may be recognized after control of the material passes in the event the transaction price includes variable consideration. For example, a customer may be provided an extended opportunity to stock materials prior to use in mass production and given a general right of return not conditioned on breaches of warranties associated with the specific product. In such circumstances, revenue will be recognized at the earlier of the expiration of the customer’s general right of return or once it becomes unlikely that the customer will exercise its right of return.

The rights and benefits to the Company’s OLED technologies are conveyed to the customer through technology license agreements and material supply agreements. The Company believes that the licenses and materials sold under these combined agreements are not distinct from each other for financial reporting purposes and as such, they are accounted for as a single performance obligation. Accordingly, total contract consideration is estimated and recognized over the contract term based on material units sold at the estimated per unit fee over the life of the contract. Total contract consideration is allocated to material sales and royalty and licensing fees on the Consolidated Statements of Income based on contract pricing.

Various estimates are relied upon to recognize revenue. The Company estimates total material units to be purchased by its customers over the contract term based on historical trends, industry estimates and its forecast process. Management uses the expected value method to estimate the material per unit fee. Additionally, management estimates the sales-based portion of royalty revenue based on the estimated net sales revenue of its customers over the contract term.

Contract research services revenue is revenue earned by Adesis by providing chemical materials synthesis research, development and commercialization for non-OLED applications on a contractual basis. These services range from intermediates for structure-activity relationship studies, reference agents and building blocks for combinatorial synthesis, re-synthesis of key intermediates, specialty organic chemistry needs, and selective toll manufacturing. These services are provided to third-party pharmaceutical and life sciences firms and other technology firms at fixed costs or predetermined rates on a contract basis. Revenue is recognized as services are performed with billing schedules and payment terms negotiated on a contract-by-contract basis. Payments received in excess of revenue recognized are recorded as deferred revenue. In other cases, services may be provided and revenue is recognized before the customer is invoiced. In these cases, revenue recognized will exceed amounts billed and the difference, representing amounts which are currently unbillable to the customer pursuant to contractual terms, is recorded as an unbilled receivable.

Technology development and support revenue is revenue earned from development and technology evaluation agreements and commercialization assistance fees. Technology development and support revenue is included in contract research services on the Consolidated Statements of Income.

On December 2, 2022, the Company entered into a commercial patent license agreement with Samsung Display Co., Ltd. (SDC), replacing a previous license agreement that had been in place since 2018. This agreement, which covers the manufacture and sale of specified OLED display materials, was effective as of January 1, 2023 and lasts through the end of 2027 with an additional two-year extension option for SDC. Under this agreement, the Company is being paid a license fee, which includes quarterly and annual payments over the agreement term of five years. The agreement conveys to SDC the non-exclusive right to use certain of the Company's intellectual property assets for a limited period of time that is less than the estimated life of the assets.

At the same time the Company entered into the current commercial license agreement with SDC, the Company also entered into a new supplemental material purchase agreement with SDC, which lasts for the same term as the license agreement and is subject to the same extension option. This new material purchase agreement replaced a previous purchase agreement that had been in place since 2018. Under the supplemental material purchase agreement, SDC agrees to purchase red and green phosphorescent emitter materials from the Company for use in the manufacture of licensed products. This amount purchased is subject to SDC’s requirements for phosphorescent emitter materials and the Company’s ability to meet these requirements over the term of the supplemental agreement.

In 2015, the Company entered into an OLED patent license agreement and an OLED commercial supply agreement with LG Display Co., Ltd. (LG Display), which were effective as of January 1, 2015. The terms of these agreements were extended by a January 1, 2021 amendment through the end of 2025. The patent license agreement provides LG Display a non-exclusive, royalty bearing portfolio license to make and sell OLED displays under the Company's patent portfolio. The patent license calls for license fees, prepaid royalties and running royalties on licensed products. The OLED commercial supply agreement provides for the sale of materials for use by LG Display, which may include phosphorescent emitters and host materials. The agreements provide for certain other minimum obligations relating to the volume of material sales anticipated over the lives of the agreements as well as minimum royalty revenue.

In 2016, the Company entered into long-term, multi-year OLED patent license and material purchase agreements with Tianma Micro-electronics Co., Ltd. (Tianma). Under the license agreement, the Company has granted Tianma non-exclusive license rights under various patents owned or controlled by the Company to manufacture and sell OLED display products. The license agreement calls for license fees and running royalties on licensed products. Additionally, the Company supplies phosphorescent OLED materials to Tianma for use in its licensed products. In 2021, the parties extended the terms of both the patent license and material purchase agreements for an additional multi-year-term.

In 2017, the Company entered into long-term, multi-year agreements with BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd. (BOE). Under these agreements, the Company has granted BOE non-exclusive license rights under various patents owned or controlled by the Company to manufacture and sell OLED display products. The Company supplies phosphorescent OLED materials to BOE for use in its licensed products.

In 2018, the Company entered into long-term, multi-year OLED patent license and material purchase agreements with Visionox Technology, Inc. (Visionox). Under the license agreement, the Company granted certain of Visionox’s affiliates non-exclusive license rights under various patents owned or controlled by the Company to manufacture and sell OLED display products. The license agreement calls for license fees and running royalties on licensed products. Additionally, the Company supplies phosphorescent OLED materials to Visionox for use in its licensed products. In 2021, the Company announced that it had extended the Visionox agreement by entering into new five-year OLED material supply and license agreements with a new affiliate of Visionox, Visionox Hefei Technology Co. Ltd.

In 2019, the Company entered into an evaluation and commercial supply relationship with Wuhan China Star Optoelectronics Semiconductor Display Technology Co., Ltd. (CSOT). In 2020, the Company entered into long-term, multi-year agreements with CSOT. Under these agreements, the Company has granted CSOT non-exclusive license rights under various patents owned or controlled by the Company to manufacture and sell OLED display products. The Company also supplies phosphorescent OLED materials to CSOT for use in its licensed products.

All material sales transactions that are not variable consideration transactions are billed and due within 90 days and substantially all are transacted in U.S. dollars.

Cost of Sales

Cost of Sales

Cost of sales consists of labor and material costs associated with the production of materials processed at the Company's manufacturing partner's, and at the Company's internal, manufacturing processing facilities. The Company’s portion of cost of sales also includes depreciation of manufacturing equipment, as well as manufacturing overhead costs and inventory adjustments for excess and obsolete inventory.

Research and Development

Research and Development

Expenditures for research and development are charged to operations as incurred.

Patent Costs

Patent Costs

Costs associated with patent applications, patent prosecution, patent defense and the maintenance of patents are charged to expense as incurred. Costs to successfully defend a challenge to a patent are capitalized to the extent of an evident increase in the value of the patent. Costs that relate to an unsuccessful outcome are charged to expense.

Amortization of Acquired Technology

Amortization of Acquired Technology

Amortization costs primarily relate to technology acquired from BASF and Fujifilm. These acquisitions were completed in the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2012, respectively. Acquisition costs are being amortized over a period of 10 years for the BASF patents. The Fujifilm acquired technology was fully amortized over a period of 10 years that ended in July 2022.

Amortization of Other Intangible Assets

Amortization of Other Intangible Assets

Other intangible assets from the Adesis acquisition are being amortized over a period of 10 to 15 years. See Note 7 for further discussion.

Translation of Foreign Currency Financial Statements and Foreign Currency Transactions

Translation of Foreign Currency Financial Statements and Foreign Currency Transactions

The Company’s reporting currency is the U.S. dollar. The functional currency for the UDC Ireland and UDC Korea subsidiaries are also the U.S. dollar and the functional currency for the OMM subsidiary and each of the Company's other Asia-Pacific foreign subsidiaries is its local currency. The Company translates the amounts included in the Consolidated Statements of Income from OMM and its Asia-Pacific foreign subsidiaries into U.S. dollars at weighted-average exchange rates, which the Company believes are representative of the actual exchange rates on the dates of the transactions. The Company's OMM subsidiary and each of the Company's other Asia-Pacific foreign subsidiaries' assets and liabilities are translated into U.S. dollars from the local currency at the actual exchange rates as of the end of each reporting date, and the Company records the resulting foreign exchange translation adjustments in the Consolidated Balance Sheets as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss. The overall effect of the translation of foreign currency and foreign currency transactions to date has been insignificant.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. The Company recognizes the effect of income tax positions only if those positions are more likely than not of being sustained. Recognized income tax positions are measured at the largest amount of which the likelihood of realization is greater than 50%. Changes in recognition or measurement are reflected in the period in which the change in judgment occurs. The Company records interest and penalties, if any, related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of tax expense.

Share-Based Payment Awards

Share-Based Payment Awards

The Company recognizes in the Consolidated Statements of Income the grant-date fair value of equity-based awards such as shares issued under employee stock purchase plans, restricted stock awards, restricted stock units and performance unit awards issued to employees and directors.

The grant-date fair value of stock awards is based on the closing price of the stock on the date of grant. The fair value of share-based awards is recognized as compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, net of forfeitures. The Company issues new shares upon the respective grant, exercise or vesting of the share-based payment awards, as applicable.

Performance unit awards are subject to either a performance-based or market-based vesting requirement. For performance-based vesting, the grant-date fair value of the award, based on fair value of the Company's common stock, is recognized over the service period based on an assessment of the likelihood that the applicable performance goals will be achieved, and compensation expense is periodically adjusted based on actual and expected performance. Compensation expense for performance unit awards with market-based vesting is calculated based on the estimated fair value as of the grant date utilizing a Monte Carlo simulation model and is recognized over the service period on a straight-line basis.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Accounting Standards Issued But Not Yet Adopted

In September 2022, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2022-04, Liabilities—Supplier Finance Programs (Subtopic 450-50): Disclosure of Supplier Finance Program Obligations, which require disclosures about a buyer's supplier finance program. The adoption of ASU 2022-04, beginning on January 1, 2023, will not have a significant impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements and related disclosures.

In June 2022, the FASB issued ASU No. 2022-03, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Fair Value Measurement of Equity Securities Subject to Contractual Sale Restrictions. Under this standard, a contractual restriction on the sale of an equity security is not considered in measuring the security's fair value. The standard also requires certain disclosures for equity securities that are subject to contractual restrictions. ASU 2022-03 becomes effective January 1, 2024, and the Company is evaluating the potential impact of this standard on its investments.