SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES:

Interim Financial Information

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements contain all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position as of September 30, 2020 and results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, and cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019. While management believes that the disclosures presented are adequate to make the information not misleading, these unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the audited Consolidated Financial Statements and the notes thereto in the Company’s latest year-end Consolidated Financial Statements, which are included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. The results of the Company’s operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations for any other interim period or for the full year.

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., Universal Display Corporation Japan GK, Universal Display Corporation China, Ltd., Adesis, Inc. (Adesis), UDC Ventures LLC and OVJP Corporation (OVJP Corp). All intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated.

In June 2020, a wholly-owned subsidiary, OVJP Corp was formed as a Delaware corporation. Based out of California, OVJP Corp was founded to advance the commercialization of the Company’s proprietary Organic Vapor Jet Printing (OVJP) technology.

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.

Inventories

Inventories consist of raw materials, work-in-process and finished goods, including inventory consigned to customers, 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.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The carrying values of accounts receivable, other current assets, and accounts payable 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 and investments, are carried at fair value.

Leases

The Company is a lessee in operating leases primarily incurred to facilitate the expansion of 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 current 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 September 30, 2020, 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.

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.

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, are accounted for as a single performance obligation. Accordingly, total contract consideration, including material, license and royalty fees, 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.

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 total sales-based royalties 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 on an annual 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, along with, to a minimal extent, government contracts. Relating to the Company’s government contracts, the Company may receive reimbursements by government entities for all or a portion of the research and development costs the Company incurs. Revenues are recognized as services are performed, proportionally as research and development costs are incurred, or as defined milestones are achieved.

In 2018, the Company entered into a commercial license agreement with Samsung Display Co., Ltd. (SDC). This agreement, which covers the manufacture and sale of specified OLED display materials, was effective as of January 1, 2018 and lasts through the end of 2022 with an additional two-year extension option. Under this agreement, the Company is being paid a license fee, payable in quarterly installments 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. Under the supplemental material purchase agreement, SDC agrees to purchase from the Company a minimum amount of phosphorescent emitter materials for use in the manufacture of licensed products. This minimum commitment 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 and superseded the existing 2007 commercial supply agreement between the parties. The new agreements have a term that is set to expire by the end of 2022. 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 agreements include customary provisions relating to warranties, indemnities, confidentiality, assignability and business terms. The agreements provide for certain other minimum obligations relating to the volume of material sales anticipated over the life of the agreements as well as minimum royalty revenue to be generated under the patent license agreement. The Company generates revenue under these

agreements that are predominantly tied to LG Display’s sales of OLED 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.

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 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 has granted Visionox 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 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 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 consists of labor and material costs associated with the production of materials processed at the Company's manufacturing partners and at the Company's internal manufacturing processing facility. 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

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

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 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 both the BASF and Fujifilm patents.

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

The Company's reporting currency is the U.S. dollar. The functional currency for the Company's Ireland subsidiary is also the U.S. dollar and the functional currency for each of the Company's Asia-Pacific foreign subsidiaries is its local currency. The Company translates the amounts included in the Consolidated Statements of Income from 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 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 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

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

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test of Goodwill Impairment, eliminating the requirement to calculate the implied fair value, essentially eliminating step two from the goodwill impairment test. The new standard requires goodwill impairment to be based upon the results of step one of the impairment test, which is defined as the excess of the carrying value of a reporting unit over its fair value. The impairment charge will be limited to the amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. The standards update is effective prospectively for annual and interim goodwill impairment testing performed in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. The adoption of ASU 2017-04, beginning on January 1, 2020, did not have a significant impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements and related disclosures.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments: Credit Losses (Topic 326), which requires measurement and recognition of expected losses for financial assets held. The new standard changes the impairment model for most financial instruments, including debt investments and trade receivables, from an incurred loss method to a new-forward looking approach, based on expected losses. The estimate of expected credit losses will require organizations to incorporate considerations of historical information, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts. The standards update is effective prospectively for annual and interim periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. The adoption of ASU 2016-13, beginning on January 1, 2020, did not have a significant impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements and related disclosures.