10-Q 1 fnsr10qq2fy18.htm 10-Q Document


 
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
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 October 29, 2017
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 000-27999
 
Finisar Corporation
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware
 
94-3038428
(State or other jurisdiction of
 
(I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)
 
Identification No.)
 
1389 Moffett Park Drive
 
 
Sunnyvale, California
 
94089
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
(Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
408-548-1000

 
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 Exchange 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 corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T 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, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer”, “smaller reporting company”, and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer x
 
Accelerated filer o
 
Non-accelerated filer o
 
Smaller reporting company o
 
Emerging growth company o
 
 
 
 
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
 
 
 
 
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. o

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

Number of shares of the registrant's common stock, $.001 par value, outstanding as of December 1, 2017: 114,024,083




INDEX TO QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q
For the Quarter Ended October 29, 2017
 
 
 
Page
 
 
 
 




2

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We use words like “anticipates,” “believes,” “plans,” “expects,” “future,” “intends” and similar expressions to identify these forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events; however, our business and operations are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, and, consequently, actual results may materially differ from those projected by any forward-looking statements. As a result, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements since they may not occur.
Certain factors that could cause actual results to differ from those projected are discussed in “Part II. Other Information, Item 1A. Risk Factors.” We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events.


3

PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Financial Statements
FINISAR CORPORATION
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In thousands, except per share data)
 
October 29, 2017
 
April 30, 2017
 
(Unaudited)
 
 
ASSETS
Current assets:
 
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents
$
274,547

 
$
260,228

Short-term investments
958,216

 
976,595

Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $281 at October 29, 2017 and $756 at April 30, 2017
260,870

 
272,377

Inventories
369,078

 
331,388

Other current assets
61,517

 
68,269

Total current assets
1,924,228

 
1,908,857

Property, equipment and improvements, net
443,733

 
383,919

Purchased intangible assets, net
10,424

 
13,019

Goodwill
106,736

 
106,736

Other assets
21,423

 
20,126

Deferred tax assets
116,055

 
107,225

Total assets
$
2,622,599

 
$
2,539,882

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:
 
 
 
Accounts payable
$
152,047

 
$
140,568

Accrued compensation
36,614

 
54,520

Other accrued liabilities
40,130

 
43,698

Deferred revenue
17,716

 
13,015

Total current liabilities
246,507

 
251,801

Long-term liabilities:
 
 
 
Convertible debt
723,784

 
707,782

Other non-current liabilities
17,176

 
17,594

Total liabilities
987,467

 
977,177

Commitments and contingencies

 

Stockholders' equity:
 
 
 
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value, 5,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding at October 29, 2017 and April 30, 2017
—

 
—

Common stock, $0.001 par value, 750,000 shares authorized, 114,023 shares and 111,519 shares issued and outstanding at October 29, 2017 and April 30, 2017, respectively
114

 
112

Additional paid-in capital
2,814,713

 
2,784,204

Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income
(41,664
)
 
(57,864
)
Accumulated deficit
(1,138,031
)
 
(1,163,747
)
Total stockholders' equity
1,635,132

 
1,562,705

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity
$
2,622,599

 
$
2,539,882

See accompanying notes.

4

FINISAR CORPORATION
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited, in thousands, except per share data)
 
 
Three Months Ended
 
Six Months Ended
 
 
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
 
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Revenues
 
$
332,205

 
$
369,863

 
$
674,011

 
$
711,188

Cost of revenues
 
235,389

 
235,192

 
461,285

 
466,829

Amortization of acquired developed technology
 
611

 
990

 
1,222

 
2,513

Gross profit
 
96,205

 
133,681

 
211,504

 
241,846

Operating expenses:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Research and development
 
60,560

 
53,242

 
118,600

 
104,250

Sales and marketing
 
12,230

 
13,367

 
24,581

 
25,230

General and administrative
 
13,283

 
13,576

 
27,572

 
29,891

Amortization of purchased intangibles
 
665

 
668

 
1,372

 
1,336

Total operating expenses
 
86,738

 
80,853

 
172,125

 
160,707

Income from operations
 
9,467

 
52,828

 
39,379

 
81,139

Interest income
 
3,746

 
1,021

 
7,186

 
1,747

Interest expense
 
(9,131
)
 
(3,025
)
 
(18,144
)
 
(6,011
)
Other income (expense), net
 
1,111

 
795

 
(1,583
)
 
736

Income before income taxes
 
5,193

 
51,619

 
26,838

 
77,611

Provision for (benefit from) income taxes
 
(664
)
 
2,853

 
1,122

 
4,896

Net income
 
$
5,857

 
$
48,766

 
$
25,716

 
$
72,715

Net income per share:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic
 
$
0.05

 
$
0.44

 
$
0.23

 
$
0.66

Diluted
 
$
0.05

 
$
0.43

 
$
0.22

 
$
0.65

Shares used in computing net income per share:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic
 
113,960

 
110,407

 
113,252

 
109,614

Diluted
 
115,443

 
113,192

 
115,973

 
112,450


See accompanying notes.

5

FINISAR CORPORATION
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
(Unaudited, in thousands)


 
 
Three Months Ended
 
Six Months Ended
 
 
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
 
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
Net income
 
$
5,857

 
$
48,766

 
$
25,716

 
$
72,715

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Change in cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment
 
2,516

 
(11,663
)
 
16,200

 
(24,584
)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
 
2,516

 
(11,663
)
 
16,200

 
(24,584
)
Total comprehensive income
 
$
8,373

 
$
37,103

 
$
41,916

 
$
48,131


See accompanying notes.


6

FINISAR CORPORATION
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited, in thousands)
 
Six Months Ended
 
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
Operating activities
 
 
 
Net income
$
25,716

 
$
72,715

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
 
 
 
Depreciation
48,187

 
43,399

Amortization of intangible assets
2,594

 
3,849

Amortization of debt issuance costs
770

 
308

Stock-based compensation expense
28,677

 
25,829

Amortization of discount on held-to-maturity investments
(3,638
)
 
—

Loss (gain) on sale or retirement of assets
—

 
(27
)
Impairment of minority investment
2,347

 
—

Equity in losses of equity method investment
—

 
155

Amortization of discount on convertible debt
15,232

 
4,978

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
 
 
 
Accounts receivable
11,507

 
(28,410
)
Inventories
(31,418
)
 
(30,578
)
Other assets
(5,718
)
 
(2,586
)
Accounts payable
11,479

 
11,432

Accrued compensation
(17,906
)
 
9,129

Other accrued liabilities
(3,986
)
 
(6,937
)
Deferred revenue
4,701

 
4,289

Net cash provided by operating activities
88,544

 
107,545

Investing activities

 
 
Additions to property, equipment and improvements
(97,491
)
 
(49,625
)
Net proceeds from sale of property and equipment
—

 
365

Purchases of short-term investments
(887,780
)
 
(200,595
)
Maturities of short-term investments
909,860

 
120,355

Purchase of intangible assets
—

 
(1,800
)
Net cash used in investing activities
(75,411
)
 
(131,300
)
Financing activities

 
 
Repayments of term loans
—

 
(136
)
Proceeds from the issuance of shares under equity plans and employee stock purchase plan
7,609

 
11,460

Shares repurchased for tax withholdings on vesting of restricted stock units
(6,423
)
 
(3,827
)
Net cash provided by financing activities
1,186

 
7,497

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
14,319

 
(16,258
)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
260,228

 
299,221

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
$
274,547

 
$
282,963

Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information
 
 
 
Cash paid for interest
$
2,085

 
$
649

Cash paid for taxes
$
6,090

 
$
4,404


See accompanying notes.

7

FINISAR CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Unaudited)

1. Basis of Presentation
The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as of October 29, 2017 and for the three and six month periods ended October 29, 2017 and October 30, 2016 have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("U.S. GAAP") for interim financial statements and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and include the accounts of Finisar Corporation and its controlled subsidiaries (collectively, “Finisar” or the “Company”). Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. In the opinion of management, the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of the Company's financial position as of October 29, 2017, its operating results for the three and six month periods ended October 29, 2017 and October 30, 2016, and its cash flows for the six month periods ended October 29, 2017 and October 30, 2016. Operating results for the three and six month periods ended October 29, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year ending April 29, 2018. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of April 30, 2017 has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements as of that date, but does not include all the footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company's audited consolidated financial statements and notes included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2017.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
For a description of significant accounting policies, see Note 2, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, to the consolidated financial statements included in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2017. There have been no material changes to the Company's significant accounting policies since the filing of the annual report on Form 10-K.
Pending Adoption of New Accounting Standards
In May 2014, the FASB, jointly with the International Accounting Standards Board, issued a comprehensive new standard on revenue recognition from contracts with customers. The standard's core principle is that a reporting entity will recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. In applying this new guidance to contracts within its scope, an entity will: (1) identify the contract(s) with a customer, (2) identify the performance obligation in the contract, (3) determine the transaction price, (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract, and (5) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. Additionally, this new guidance would require significantly expanded disclosures about revenue recognition. Provisions of this new standard are effective for annual reporting periods (including interim reporting periods within those annual periods) beginning after December 15, 2016. In April 2015, the FASB proposed a deferral of this standard's effective date by one year. The proposed deferral allows early adoption at the original effective date. Entities have the option of using either a full retrospective or a modified retrospective approach to adopt this new guidance. The Company plans to adopt this standard using a modified retrospective approach. The Company's assessment has identified a change in revenue recognition timing on sales made to distributors. The Company expects to recognize revenue upon delivery of products to the distributor (in accordance with established shipping and delivery terms) rather than deferring recognition until the distributor sells the product to the end customer. On the date of the initial application, the Company will remove the deferred revenue on sales to distributors through a cumulative adjustment to retained earnings. The Company is continuing its evaluation of any additional potential effects, such as the timing of revenue recognition on licensing arrangements with respect to the Company’s intellectual property, on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows, as well as changes to its accounting policies and disclosures, from the adoption of this standard.
In February 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update which replaces the current lease accounting standard. The update will require lessees, among other items, to recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for most leases. The update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The new standard must be adopted using a modified retrospective transition, and provides for certain

8

optional practical expedients. Transition will require application of the new guidance at the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented. The Company expects to adopt this standard in the first quarter of its fiscal 2020. The Company is currently evaluating potential effects on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows from the adoption of this standard.
From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB, or other standards setting bodies, that are adopted by the Company as of the specified effective date. Unless otherwise discussed, the Company believes the impact of recently issued standards that are not yet effective will not have a material impact on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows upon adoption.

3. Earnings per Share
Basic net income per share has been computed using the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Diluted net income per share has been computed using the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period plus dilutive potential shares of common stock from (1) stock options and restricted stock units (under the treasury stock method) and (2) convertible debt (under the treasury stock method) outstanding during the period.
The following table presents the calculation of basic and diluted net income per share:
 
Three Months Ended
 
Six Months Ended
(in thousands, except per share amounts)
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
 
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
Numerator:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net income
$
5,857

 
$
48,766

 
$
25,716

 
$
72,715

Numerator for basic net income per share
5,857

 
48,766

 
25,716

 
72,715

Numerator for diluted net income per share
$
5,857

 
$
48,766

 
$
25,716

 
$
72,715

Denominator:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Denominator for basic net income per share - weighted average shares
113,960

 
110,407

 
113,252

 
109,614

Effect of dilutive securities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stock options and restricted stock units
1,483

 
2,785

 
2,721

 
2,836

Dilutive potential common shares
1,483

 
2,785

 
2,721

 
2,836

Denominator for diluted net income per share
115,443

 
113,192

 
115,973

 
112,450

Net income per share:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic
$
0.05

 
$
0.44

 
$
0.23

 
$
0.66

Diluted
$
0.05

 
$
0.43

 
$
0.22

 
$
0.65

The following table presents potential shares of common stock excluded from the calculation of diluted net income per share as their effect would have been anti-dilutive:
 
Three Months Ended
 
Six Months Ended
(in thousands)
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
 
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
Stock options and restricted stock units
2,185

 
271

 
1,629

 
569

0.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2033 and 0.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2036 were excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share under the treasury stock method for the periods when the conversion price exceeded the average market price for the Company's common stock.

4. Inventories
Inventories consist of the following:
As of
(in thousands)
October 29, 2017
 
April 30, 2017
Raw materials
$
79,297

 
$
66,560

Work-in-process
194,794

 
173,302

Finished goods
94,987

 
91,526

Total inventories
$
369,078

 
$
331,388


9

5. Investments
The Company's portfolio of fixed income securities consists of commercial paper notes and term bank certificates of deposit. All of the Company's investments in fixed income securities have original maturity (maturity at the purchase date) of less than 12 months and are reported as short-term investments in the consolidated balance sheets as of October 29, 2017 and April 30, 2017. All of the Company's investments in fixed income securities are classified as held-to-maturity since the Company has the positive intent and ability to hold these investments until maturity. These investments are carried at amortized cost.
The Company's investments in fixed income securities as of October 29, 2017 and April 30, 2017 were as follows:
 
 
October 29, 2017
 
April 30, 2017
 
 
 
 
Gross Unrealized
 
 
 
 
 
Gross Unrealized
 
 
(in thousands)
 
Amortized Cost
 
Gains
 
Losses
 
Fair Value
 
Amortized Cost
 
Gains
 
Losses
 
Fair Value
Commercial paper
 
$
548,479

 
$
—

 
$
—

 
$
548,479

 
$
571,592

 
$
—

 
$
—

 
$
571,592

Certificates of deposit
 
409,737

 
—

 
—

 
409,737

 
405,003

 
—

 
—

 
405,003

Total
 
$
958,216

 
$
—

 
$
—

 
$
958,216

 
$
976,595

 
$
—

 
$
—

 
$
976,595


During the three and six month periods ended October 29, 2017 and October 30, 2016, there were no gross unrealized gains or losses, no realized gains or losses, and no other-than-temporary impairments.

6. Debt

0.50% Convertible Senior Notes Due 2036
In December 2016, the Company issued and sold $575.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 0.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2036 (the "2036 Notes") at par. The terms of the notes are governed by an indenture by and between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee. The notes will mature on December 15, 2036, unless earlier repurchased, redeemed or converted. The notes are senior unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of the Company, and are effectively subordinated to the Company's secured indebtedness and the indebtedness and other liabilities of the Company's subsidiaries. The notes bear interest at a rate of 0.5% per year, payable semi-annually in arrears on June 15 and December 15 each year.

Holders of the notes may convert their notes at their option prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding June 15, 2036 only under the following circumstances: (1) during any fiscal quarter commencing after the fiscal quarter ending on January 29, 2017 (and only during such fiscal quarter), if the last reported sale price of the Company's common stock for at least 20 trading days (whether or not consecutive) during a period of 30 consecutive trading days ending on the last trading day of the immediately preceding fiscal quarter is greater than or equal to 130% of the applicable conversion price on each applicable trading day; (2) during the five business day period after any five consecutive trading day period ("measurement period"), in which the trading price per $1,000 principal amount of notes for each trading day of the measurement period was less than 98% of the product of the last reported sale price of the Company's common stock and the applicable conversion rate on each such trading day; or (3) upon the occurrence of specified corporate events. On or after June 15, 2036 until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately preceding the maturity date, holders may convert their notes at any time, regardless of whether any of the foregoing circumstances have occurred. The conversion rate will initially equal 22.6388 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount of notes (which is equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately $44.17 per share of common stock), subject to adjustment. Upon conversion of a note, the Company will pay or deliver, as the case may be, either cash, shares of its common stock or a combination of cash and shares of its common stock, at the Company's election, as provided in the indenture. If holders elect to convert their notes in connection with a "fundamental change" (as defined in the indenture) that occurs on or before December 22, 2021, the Company will, to the extent provided in the indenture, increase the conversion rate applicable to such notes ("make-whole feature").

Holders will have the option to require the Company to redeem for cash any notes held by them in the event of a fundamental change at a purchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date. Holders also have the option to require the Company to redeem for cash any notes held by them on December 15, 2021, December 15, 2026 and December 15, 2031 at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date. The Company may redeem the notes in whole or in part at any time on or after December 22, 2021 at 100% of the principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date.

10


The Company considered the features embedded in the notes, that is, the conversion feature, the holders' put feature, the Company's call feature, and the make-whole feature, and concluded that they are not required to be bifurcated and accounted for separately from the host debt instrument.

Because of its option to settle conversion of the notes in cash, the Company separated the liability and equity components of the notes. The carrying amount of the liability component at issuance date of $465.1 million was calculated by estimating the fair value of similar liabilities without a conversion feature. The residual principal amount of the notes of $109.9 million was allocated to the equity component. The resulting debt discount is amortized as interest expense. As of October 29, 2017, the remaining debt discount amortization period was 50 months.

As of October 29, 2017, the 2036 Notes consisted of the following (in thousands):
Liability component:
 
Principal
$
575,000

Unamortized debt discount
(93,014
)
Unamortized debt issuance costs
(3,820
)
Net carrying amount of the liability component
$
478,166

Carrying amount of the equity component
$
109,881


The Company incurred approximately $5.7 million in transaction costs in connection with the issuance of the notes. These costs were allocated to the liability and equity components in proportion to the allocation of proceeds. Transaction costs of $4.6 million, allocated to the liability component, were recognized as a debt discount and are amortized. Transaction costs of $1.1 million, allocated to the equity component, were recognized as a reduction of additional paid-in capital.

The following table sets forth interest expense information related to the 2036 Notes:
 
Three Months Ended
 
Six Months Ended
(in thousands, except percentages)
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
 
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
Contractual interest expense
$
719

 
n/a
 
$
1,438

 
n/a
Amortization of the debt discount
5,044

 
n/a
 
10,008

 
n/a
Amortization of issuance costs
231

 
n/a
 
462

 
n/a
Total interest cost
$
5,994

 
n/a
 
$
11,908

 
n/a
Effective interest rate on the liability component
4.85
%
 
n/a
 
4.85
%
 
n/a
The Company applies the treasury stock method to determine the potential dilutive effect of the 2036 Notes on net income per share as a result of the Company's intent and stated policy to settle the principal amount of the 2036 Notes in cash.

0.50% Convertible Senior Notes Due 2033
In December 2013, the Company issued and sold $258.8 million in aggregate principal amount of 0.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2033 (the "2033 Notes") at par. The terms of the notes are governed by an indenture by and between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee. The notes will mature on December 15, 2033, unless earlier repurchased, redeemed or converted. The notes are senior unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of the Company, and are effectively subordinated to the Company's secured indebtedness and the indebtedness and other liabilities of the Company's subsidiaries. The notes bear interest at a rate of 0.5% per year, payable semi-annually in arrears on June 15 and December 15 each year.

Holders of the notes may convert their notes at their option prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding June 15, 2033 only under the following circumstances: (1) during any fiscal quarter commencing after the fiscal quarter ending on January 26, 2014 (and only during such fiscal quarter), if the last reported sale price of the Company's common stock for at least 20 trading days (whether or not consecutive) during a period of 30 consecutive trading days ending on the last trading day of the immediately preceding fiscal quarter is greater than or equal to 130% of the applicable conversion price on each applicable trading day; (2) during the five business day period after any five consecutive trading day period ("measurement period"), in which the trading price per $1,000 principal amount of notes for each trading day of the measurement period was less than 98% of the product of the last reported sale price of the Company's common stock and the applicable conversion rate on each such trading day; or (3) upon the occurrence of specified corporate events. On or after

11

June 15, 2033 until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately preceding the maturity date, holders may convert their notes at any time, regardless of whether any of the foregoing circumstances have occurred. The conversion rate will initially equal 33.1301 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount of notes (which is equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately $30.18 per share of common stock), subject to adjustment. Upon conversion of a note, the Company will pay or deliver, as the case may be, either cash, shares of its common stock or a combination of cash and shares of its common stock, at the Company's election, as provided in the indenture. If holders elect to convert their notes in connection with a "fundamental change" (as defined in the indenture) that occurs on or before December 22, 2018, the Company will, to the extent provided in the indenture, increase the conversion rate applicable to such notes ("make-whole feature").

Holders will have the option to require the Company to redeem for cash any notes held by them in the event of a fundamental change at a purchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date. Holders also have the option to require the Company to redeem for cash any notes held by them on December 15, 2018, December 15, 2023 and December 15, 2028 at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date. The Company may redeem the notes in whole or in part at any time on or after December 22, 2018 at 100% of the principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date.

The Company considered the features embedded in the notes, that is, the conversion feature, the holders' put feature, the Company's call feature, and the make-whole feature, and concluded that they are not required to be bifurcated and accounted for separately from the host debt instrument.

Because of its option to settle conversion of the notes in cash, the Company separated the liability and equity components of the notes. The carrying amount of the liability component at issuance date of $209.1 million was calculated by estimating the fair value of similar liabilities without a conversion feature. The residual principal amount of the notes of $49.6 million was allocated to the equity component. The resulting debt discount is amortized as interest expense. As of October 29, 2017, the remaining debt discount amortization period was 13 months.

As of October 29, 2017, the 2033 Notes consisted of the following (in thousands):
Liability component:
 
Principal
$
258,750

Unamortized debt discount
(12,438
)
Unamortized debt issuance costs
(694
)
Net carrying amount of the liability component
$
245,618

Carrying amount of the equity component
$
49,648


The Company incurred approximately $3.8 million in transaction costs in connection with the issuance of the notes. These costs were allocated to the liability and equity components in proportion to the allocation of proceeds. Transaction costs of $3.1 million, allocated to the liability component, were recognized as a non-current asset and are amortized. Transaction costs of $725,000, allocated to the equity component, were recognized as a reduction of additional paid-in capital.

The following table sets forth interest expense information related to the 2033 Notes:
 
Three Months Ended
 
Six Months Ended
(in thousands, except percentages)
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
 
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
Contractual interest expense
$
324

 
$
324

 
$
648

 
$
648

Amortization of the debt discount
2,633

 
2,509

 
5,224

 
4,978

Amortization of issuance costs
154

 
154

 
308

 
308

Total interest cost
$
3,111

 
$
2,987

 
$
6,180

 
$
5,934

Effective interest rate on the liability component
4.87
%
 
4.87
%
 
4.87
%
 
4.87
%
The Company applies the treasury stock method to determine the potential dilutive effect of the 2033 Notes on net income per share as a result of the Company's intent and stated policy to settle the principal amount of the 2033 Notes in cash.


12

7. Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The Company's financial instruments not measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of October 29, 2017 and April 30, 2017 were as follows:
 
October 29, 2017
 
April 30, 2017
 
Carrying
 
Fair Value
 
Carrying
 
Fair Value
(in thousands)
Amount
 
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total
 
Amount
 
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total
Commercial paper
$
548,479

 
$
—

$
548,479

$
—

$
548,479

 
$
571,592

 
$
—

$
571,592

$
—

$
571,592

Certificates of deposit
$
409,737

 
$
—

$
409,737

$
—

$
409,737

 
$
405,003

 
$
—

$
405,003

$
—

$
405,003

2033 Notes
$
245,618

 
$
268,777

$
—

$
—

$
268,777

 
$
240,085

 
$
273,628

$
—

$
—

$
273,628

2036 Notes
$
478,166

 
$
539,063

$
—

$
—

$
539,063

 
$
467,697

 
$
534,391

$
—

$
—

$
534,391


The fair values of the Company's investments in commercial papers and certificates of deposit are based on quoted market prices for similar instruments or non-binding market prices that are corroborated by observable market data. The fair values of the 2033 Notes and the 2036 Notes are based on the price in the open market as of or close to the respective balance sheet dates. The difference between the carrying value and the fair value is primarily due to the spread between the conversion price and the market value of the shares underlying the conversion as of each respective balance sheet date.

8. Legal Matters
The Company accrues a liability for legal contingencies when it believes that it is both probable that a liability has been incurred and that it can reasonably estimate the amount of the loss. The Company reviews these accruals and adjusts them to reflect ongoing negotiations, settlements, rulings, advice of legal counsel and other relevant information. To the extent new information is obtained and the Company's views on the probable outcomes of claims, suits, assessments, investigations or legal proceedings change, changes in the Company's accrued liabilities would be recorded in the period in which such determination is made. For the matters referenced below, the amount of liability is not probable or the amount cannot be reasonably estimated; and, therefore, accruals have not been made. In addition, in accordance with the relevant authoritative guidance, for matters which the likelihood of material loss is at least reasonably possible, the Company provides disclosure of the possible loss or range of loss; however, if a reasonable estimate cannot be made, the Company will provide disclosure to that effect.
Due to the nature of the Company's business, it is subject to claims alleging infringement by various Company products and services. The Company believes that it has meritorious defenses to the allegations made in its pending cases and intends to vigorously defend these lawsuits; however, it is currently unable to determine the ultimate outcome of these or similar matters. In addition, the Company is a defendant in various litigation matters generally arising out of the normal course of business. Although it is difficult to predict the ultimate outcomes of these cases, the Company believes that it is not reasonably possible that the ultimate outcomes will materially and adversely affect its business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Class Action and Shareholder Derivative Litigation
Several securities class action lawsuits related to the Company's March 8, 2011 earnings announcement alleging claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 have been filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California on behalf of a purported class of persons who purchased stock between December 2, 2010 through March 8, 2011. The named defendants are the Company and Jerry Rawls, its Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, and Eitan Gertel, its former Chief Executive Officer. To date, no specific amount of damages has been alleged. The cases were consolidated, lead plaintiff was appointed and a consolidated complaint was filed. The Company filed a motion to dismiss the case. On January 16, 2013, the District Court granted the Company's motion to dismiss and granted the lead plaintiffs leave to amend the consolidated complaint. An amended consolidated complaint was filed on February 6, 2013. Thereafter, the Company filed a renewed motion to dismiss the case. On September 30, 2013, the District Court granted the Company's motion and dismissed the case with prejudice, and plaintiff appealed. On January 8, 2016, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the judgment in part for further proceedings in the District Court. On July 15, 2016, lead plaintiff filed a Second Amended Complaint in the District Court. On August 19, 2016, the Company moved to dismiss. On May 1, 2017, the District Court denied the motion and a case scheduling order has been issued. On December 5, 2017, the District Court issued an order denying class certification.


13

In addition, two purported shareholder derivative lawsuits related to the Company's March 8, 2011 earnings announcement have been filed in the California Superior Court for the County of Santa Clara, and a third derivative lawsuit has been filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The complaints assert claims for alleged breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, and waste on behalf of the Company. Named as defendants are the members of the Company's board of directors and certain officers, including Jerry Rawls, the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, Eitan Gertel, the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer, and Kurt Adzema, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer. No specific amount of damages has been alleged and, by the derivative nature of the lawsuits, no damages will be alleged, against the Company. The state court cases have been consolidated and a lead plaintiff has been appointed to file a consolidated complaint. The derivative cases were stayed pending a ruling in the federal class action case. On August 7, 2017, the plaintiff in the federal case filed an amended complaint.

9. Guarantees and Indemnifications
Upon issuance of a guarantee, the guarantor must recognize a liability for the fair value of the obligations it assumes under that guarantee. As permitted under Delaware law and in accordance with the Company's Bylaws, the Company indemnifies its officers and directors for certain events or occurrences, subject to certain limits, while the officer or director is or was serving in such capacity at the Company's request. The term of the indemnification period is for the officer's or director's lifetime. The Company may terminate the indemnification agreements with its officers and directors upon 90 days written notice, but termination will not affect claims for indemnification relating to events occurring prior to the effective date of termination. The maximum amount of potential future indemnification is unlimited; however, the Company has a director and officer liability insurance policy that may enable it to recover a portion of any future amounts paid.
The Company enters into indemnification obligations under its agreements with other companies in its ordinary course of business, including agreements with customers, business partners and insurers. Under these provisions the Company generally indemnifies and holds harmless the indemnified party for losses suffered or incurred by the indemnified party as a result of the Company's activities or the use of the Company's products. These indemnification provisions generally survive termination of the underlying agreement. In some cases, the maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these indemnification provisions is unlimited.
The Company believes the fair value of these indemnification obligations is immaterial. Accordingly, the Company has not recorded any liabilities for these agreements as of October 29, 2017. To date, the Company has not incurred material costs to defend lawsuits or settle claims related to these indemnification agreements.


14

Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We use words like “anticipates,” “believes,” “plans,” “expects,” “future,” “intends” and similar expressions to identify these forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events; however, our business and operations are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, and, consequently, actual results may materially differ from those projected by any forward-looking statements. As a result, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements since they may not occur.

Certain factors that could cause actual results to differ from those projected are discussed in “Part II. Other Information, Item 1A. Risk Factors.” We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events.

The following discussion should be read together with our condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto included elsewhere in this report.

Business Overview

We are a leading provider of optical subsystems and components that are used in data communication and telecommunication applications. Our optical subsystems consist primarily of transmitters, receivers, transceivers, transponders and active optical cables, which provide the fundamental optical-electrical, or optoelectronic interface for interconnecting the electronic equipment used in these networks, including the switches, routers, and servers used in wireline networks as well as the antennas and base stations used in wireless networks. These products rely on the use of semiconductor lasers and photodetectors in conjunction with integrated circuits and novel optoelectronic packaging to provide a cost-effective means for transmitting and receiving digital signals over fiber optic cable at speeds ranging from less than 1 gigabit per second, or Gbps, to more than 200 Gbps, over distances of less than 10 meters to more than 2,000 kilometers, using a wide range of network protocols and physical configurations.

We also provide products known as wavelength selective switches, or WSS. In long-haul and metro networks, each fiber may carry 50 to more than 100 different high-speed optical wavelengths. WSS are switches that are used to dynamically switch network traffic from one optical fiber to multiple other fibers without first converting to an electronic signal. The wavelength selective feature means that WSS enable any wavelength or combination of wavelengths to be switched from the input fiber to the output fibers. WSS products are sometimes combined with other components and sold as linecards that plug into a system chassis referred to as a reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers, or ROADM.

Our line of optical components consists primarily of packaged lasers and photodetectors for data communication and telecommunication applications. We are also developing laser and photodetector products for use in emerging consumer applications.

Demand for our products is largely driven by the continually growing need for additional network bandwidth created by the ongoing proliferation of data and video traffic from video downloads, Internet protocol TV, social networking, on-line gaming, file sharing, enterprise IP/Internet traffic, cloud computing, and data center virtualization that must be handled by both wireline and wireless networks. Mobile traffic is increasing as the result of proliferation of smartphones, tablet computers, and other mobile devices.

Our manufacturing operations are vertically integrated and we produce many of the key components used in making our products, including lasers, photodetectors and integrated circuits, or ICs, designed by our internal IC engineering teams. We also have internal assembly and test capabilities that make use of internally designed equipment for the automated testing of our optical subsystems and components.

We sell our products primarily to manufacturers of storage systems, networking equipment and telecommunication equipment such as Brocade, Ciena, Cisco Systems, Dell EMC, Ericsson, FiberHome, Fujitsu, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Huawei, IBM, Juniper, Nokia, QLogic, and ZTE, and to their contract manufacturers. These customers, in turn, sell their systems to businesses and to wireline and wireless telecommunication service providers and cable TV operators, collectively referred to as carriers. We also sell products to end-users.


15

Our cost of revenues consists of materials, salaries and related expenses for manufacturing personnel, manufacturing overhead, warranty expense, inventory adjustments for obsolete and excess inventory and the amortization of acquired developed technology associated with acquisitions that we have made. As a result of building a vertically integrated business model, our manufacturing cost structure has become more fixed. While this can be beneficial during periods when demand is strong, it can be more difficult to reduce costs during periods when demand for our products is weak, product mix is unfavorable or selling prices are generally lower. While we have undertaken measures to reduce our operating costs, there can be no assurance that we will be able to reduce our cost of revenues sufficiently to achieve or sustain profitability.

Since October 2000, we have completed the acquisition of two publicly-held companies. We have also completed the acquisition of 13 privately-held companies and certain businesses and assets from seven other companies in order to broaden our product offerings and provide new sources of revenue, production capabilities and access to advanced technologies that we believe will enable us to reduce our product costs and develop innovative and more highly integrated product platforms while accelerating the timeframe required to develop such products.

Critical Accounting Policies

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make judgments, estimates and assumptions in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. We believe there have been no significant changes in our critical accounting policies from those described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2017.

Results of Operations

Revenues (by market application)
Three Months Ended
 
 
 
 
(in thousands, except percentages)
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
 
Change
 
% Change
Datacom revenue
$
256,625

 
$
262,255

 
$
(5,630
)
 
(2
)%
Telecom revenue
75,580

 
107,608

 
(32,028
)
 
(30
)%
Total revenues
$
332,205

 
$
369,863

 
$
(37,658
)
 
(10
)%
Revenues (by market application)
Six Months Ended
 
 
 
 
(in thousands, except percentages)
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
 
Change
 
% Change
Datacom revenue
$
514,939

 
$
505,668

 
$
9,271

 
2
 %
Telecom revenue
159,072

 
205,520

 
(46,448
)
 
(23
)%
Total revenues
$
674,011

 
$
711,188

 
$
(37,177
)
 
(5
)%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Datacom revenue for the three month period ended October 29, 2017 decreased compared to the three month period ended October 30, 2016 primarily due to a decline in market demand for our 10 Gbps transceivers. Telecom revenue for the three month period ended October 29, 2017 decreased compared to the three month period ended October 30, 2016 primarily due to a decline in market demand for our 100 Gbps transceivers. Datacom revenue for the six month period ended October 29, 2017 increased compared to the six month period ended October 30, 2016 primarily due to an increase in market demand for our 100 Gbps transceivers, partially offset by a decline in market demand for our 10 Gbps transceivers. Telecom revenue for the six month period ended October 29, 2017 decreased compared to the six month period ended October 30, 2016 primarily due to a decline in market demand for our 100 Gbps transceivers.

Amortization of Acquired Developed Technology
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(in thousands, except percentages)
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
 
Change
 
% Change
Three months ended
$
611

 
$
990

 
$
(379
)
 
(38
)%
Six months ended
$
1,222

 
$
2,513

 
$
(1,291
)
 
(51
)%

Amortization of acquired developed technology for the three and six month periods ended October 29, 2017 decreased compared to the three and six month periods ended October 30, 2016 primarily due to the roll-off of amortization of certain intangible assets related to our prior acquisitions.

16

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gross Profit
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(in thousands, except percentages)
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
 
Change
 
% Change
Three months ended
$
96,205

 
$
133,681

 
$
(37,476
)
 
(28
)%
As a percentage of revenues
29
%
 
36
%
 
 
 
 
Six months ended
$
211,504

 
$
241,846

 
$
(30,342
)
 
(13
)%
As a percentage of revenues
31
%
 
34
%
 
 
 
 

Gross profit is calculated as revenues less cost of revenues, amortization of acquired developed technology, and, if applicable, impairment of long-lived assets. Gross margin is gross profit reflected as a percentage of revenues. Our cost of revenues consists of materials, salaries and related expenses for manufacturing personnel, manufacturing overhead, warranty expense, and inventory adjustments for excess and obsolete inventory. Gross margin for the three and six month periods ended October 29, 2017 decreased compared to the three and six month periods ended October 30, 2016 primarily due to a decline in average selling prices for our products.

Research and Development Expenses
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(in thousands, except percentages)
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
 
Change
 
% Change
Three months ended
$
60,560

 
$
53,242

 
$
7,318

 
14
%
Six months ended
$
118,600

 
$
104,250

 
$
14,350

 
14
%

Research and development expenses consist primarily of salaries and related costs of employees engaged in research and design activities, including stock-based compensation charges related to those employees, costs of design tools and computer hardware, costs related to prototyping, and allocated facilities and IT support costs. Research and development expenses for the three and six month periods ended October 29, 2017 increased compared to the three and six month periods ended October 30, 2016 primarily due to an increase in employee compensation related expenses.

Sales and Marketing Expenses
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(in thousands, except percentages)
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
 
Change
 
% Change
Three months ended
$
12,230

 
$
13,367

 
$
(1,137
)
 
(9
)%
Six months ended
$
24,581

 
$
25,230

 
$
(649
)
 
(3
)%

Sales and marketing expenses consist primarily of salaries and related costs of employees engaged in sales and marketing functions, including stock-based compensation charges related to those employees, commissions for our external sales representatives, costs related to marketing and promotional activities, and allocated facilities and IT support costs. Sales and marketing expenses for the three and six month periods ended October 29, 2017 decreased compared to the three and six month periods ended October 30, 2016 primarily due to a decrease in commissions for our external sales representatives.

General and Administrative Expenses
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(in thousands, except percentages)
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
 
Change
 
% Change
Three months ended
$
13,283

 
$
13,576

 
$
(293
)
 
(2
)%
Six months ended
$
27,572

 
$
29,891

 
$
(2,319
)
 
(8
)%

General and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries and related costs of employees engaged in general and administrative functions, including stock-based compensation charges related to those employees, legal, audit and other professional fees, insurance costs, human resources and other corporate costs, and allocated facilities and IT support costs. General and administrative expenses for the three month period ended October 29, 2017 decreased compared to the three month period ended October 30, 2016 primarily due to a decrease in employee compensation related expenses. General and administrative expenses for the six month period ended October 29, 2017 decreased compared to the six month period ended October 30, 2016 primarily due to higher legal service fees related to on-going litigations in fiscal 2017.


17

Interest Income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(in thousands, except percentages)
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
 
Change
 
% Change
Three months ended
$
3,746

 
$
1,021

 
$
2,725

 
267
%
Six months ended
$
7,186

 
$
1,747

 
$
5,439

 
311
%

Interest income for the three and six month periods ended October 29, 2017 increased compared to the three and six month periods ended October 30, 2016 primarily due to an increase in cash and short-term investments balances primarily as a result of the issuance of $575.0 million in aggregate principal amount of our 0.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2036 in December 2016.

Interest Expense
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(in thousands, except percentages)
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
 
Change
 
% Change
Three months ended
$
9,131

 
$
3,025

 
$
6,106

 
202
%
Six months ended
$
18,144

 
$
6,011

 
$
12,133

 
202
%

Interest expense for the three and six month periods ended October 29, 2017 increased compared to the three and six month periods ended October 30, 2016 primarily due to the amortization of the debt discount on our 0.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2036 issued in December 2016.

Other Income (Expense), Net
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(in thousands, except percentages)
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
 
Change
 
% Change
Three months ended
$
1,111

 
$
795

 
$
316

 
40
 %
Six months ended
$
(1,583
)
 
$
736

 
$
(2,319
)
 
(315
)%

The change in other income (expense), net for the three month period ended October 29, 2017 as compared to the three month period ended October 30, 2016 was primarily due to fluctuations of foreign currency exchange rates. The change in other income (expense), net for the six month period ended October 29, 2017 as compared to the six month period ended October 30, 2016 was primarily due to a $2.4 million impairment of one of our minority investments, recognized during the three month period ended July 30, 2017, due to this investee's prolonged negative results of operations and cash flows.

Provision for (Benefit from) Income Taxes
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(in thousands, except percentages)
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
 
Change
 
% Change
Three months ended
$
(664
)
 
$
2,853

 
$
(3,517
)
 
(123
)%
Six months ended
$
1,122

 
$
4,896

 
$
(3,774
)
 
(77
)%

The income tax provision for the three and six month periods ended October 29, 2017 decreased compared to the three and six month periods ended October 30, 2016 primarily due to a decrease in the pre-tax income in a jurisdiction with higher effective tax rate that was recorded as a deferred tax asset due to the impact of the fourth quarter fiscal 2017 valuation allowance release, and the impact of a discrete tax benefit of stock based compensation.

Liquidity and Capital Resources
 
Six Months Ended
(in millions)
October 29, 2017
 
October 30, 2016
Net cash provided by operating activities
$
88.5

 
$
107.5

Net cash used in investing activities
$
(75.4
)
 
$
(131.3
)
Net cash provided by financing activities
$
1.2

 
$
7.5


Operating Cash Flows
Net cash provided by operating activities in the six month period ended October 29, 2017 primarily consisted of our net income, as adjusted to exclude depreciation, amortization and other non-cash items totaling $94.2 million. Net cash provided

18

by operating activities in the six month period ended October 30, 2016 primarily consisted of our net income, as adjusted to exclude depreciation, amortization and other non-cash items totaling $78.5 million.

Investing Cash Flows
Net cash used in investing activities in the six month period ended October 29, 2017 primarily consisted of expenditures for capital assets. Net cash used in investing activities in the six month period ended October 30, 2016 primarily consisted of net purchases of short-term investments.

Financing Cash Flows
Net cash provided by financing activities in the six month period ended October 29, 2017 primarily consisted of proceeds from the issuance of shares under our employee stock option and stock purchase plans, offset by share repurchases for tax withholdings on vesting of restricted stock units. Net cash provided by financing activities in the six month period ended October 30, 2016 primarily consisted of proceeds from the issuance of shares under our employee stock option and stock purchase plans, offset by share repurchases for tax withholdings on vesting of restricted stock units.

Sources of Liquidity and Capital Resource Requirements

At October 29, 2017, our principal sources of liquidity consisted of approximately $1.2 billion of cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments, of which approximately $132 million was held by our foreign subsidiaries.

We believe that our existing balances of cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, together with the cash expected to be generated from future operations, will be sufficient to meet our cash needs for working capital and capital expenditures for at least the next 12 months. We may, however, require additional financing to fund our operations in the future, to finance future acquisitions that we may propose to undertake or to repay or otherwise retire all of our outstanding 2033 Notes, in the aggregate principal amount of $258.8 million, which are subject to redemption by the holders in December 2018, 2023 and 2028, or our 2036 Notes, in the aggregate principal amount of $575.0 million, which are subject to redemption by the holders in December 2021, 2026 and 2031. A significant contraction in the capital markets, particularly in the technology sector, may make it difficult for us to raise additional capital if and when it is required, especially if we experience disappointing operating results. If adequate capital is not available to us as required, or is not available on favorable terms, our business, financial condition and results of operations will be adversely affected.

Off-Balance-Sheet Arrangements

At October 29, 2017 and April 30, 2017, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements or relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, such as entities often referred to as structured finance or special purpose entities, which are typically established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements or other contractually narrow or limited purposes.


Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

For quantitative and qualitative disclosures about market risk affecting Finisar, see Item 7A: “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2017. Our exposure related to market risk has not changed materially since April 30, 2017.


Item 4. Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of Effectiveness of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, we evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures, as such term is defined under Rule 13a-15(e) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Based upon that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the end of the period covered by this quarterly report.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting


19

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the quarter ended October 29, 2017 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

20


PART II — OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

Reference is made to “Part I, Item 1, Financial Statements - Note 8. Legal Matters” for a description of pending legal proceedings, including material developments in certain of those proceedings during the quarter ended October 29, 2017.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

OUR FUTURE PERFORMANCE IS SUBJECT TO A VARIETY OF RISKS, INCLUDING THOSE DESCRIBED BELOW. IF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING RISKS ACTUALLY OCCUR, OUR BUSINESS COULD BE HARMED AND THE TRADING PRICE OF OUR COMMON STOCK COULD DECLINE. YOU SHOULD ALSO REFER TO THE OTHER INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS REPORT, INCLUDING OUR CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND THE RELATED NOTES. THE RISK FACTORS DESCRIBED BELOW DO NOT CONTAIN ANY MATERIAL CHANGES FROM THOSE PREVIOUSLY DISCLOSED IN ITEM 1A OF OUR ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED APRIL 30, 2017.

Our quarterly revenues and operating results fluctuate due to a variety of factors, which may result in volatility or a decline in the price of our stock.

Our quarterly operating results have varied significantly due to a number of factors, including:

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fluctuation in demand for our products;
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the timing of new product introductions or enhancements by us and our competitors;
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the level of market acceptance of new and enhanced versions of our products;
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the timing of acquisitions that we have undertaken;
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the timing or cancellation of large customer orders;
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changes in levels of our customers' forecasted demand;
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the length and variability of the sales cycle for our products;
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pricing policy changes by us and our competitors and suppliers;
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the availability of development funding;
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changes in the mix of products sold;
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increased competition in product lines, and competitive pricing pressures; and
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the evolving and unpredictable nature of the markets for products incorporating our optical components and subsystems.

We expect that our operating results will continue to fluctuate in the future as a result of these factors and a variety of other factors, including:

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fluctuations in manufacturing yields;
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the emergence of new industry standards;
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failure to anticipate changing customer product requirements;
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the loss or gain of important customers;
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product obsolescence; and
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the amount of research and development expenses associated with new product introductions.

Our operating results could also be harmed by:

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adverse changes in economic conditions in various geographic areas where we or our customers do business;
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acts of terrorism and international conflicts or domestic crises;
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other conditions affecting the timing of customer orders or our ability to fill orders of customers subject to export control or U.S. economic sanctions; or
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a downturn in the markets for our customers' products, particularly the data storage and networking and telecommunication components markets.

We may experience a delay in generating or recognizing revenues for a number of reasons. Open orders at the beginning of each quarter are typically lower than expected revenues for that quarter and are generally cancelable with minimal notice. Accordingly, we depend on obtaining orders during each quarter for shipment in that quarter to achieve our revenue objectives.

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Failure to ship these products by the end of a quarter may adversely affect our operating results. Furthermore, our customer agreements typically provide that the customer may delay scheduled delivery dates and cancel orders within specified timeframes without significant penalty. Because we base our operating expenses on anticipated revenue trends and a high percentage of our expenses are fixed in the short term, any delay in generating or recognizing forecasted revenues or changes in levels of our customers' forecasted demand could significantly harm our business. It is likely that in some future quarters our operating results will again decrease from the previous quarter or fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors.

As a result of these factors, our operating results may vary significantly from quarter to quarter. Accordingly, we believe that period-to-period comparisons of our results of operations should not be relied upon as indications of future performance. Any shortfall in revenues or net income from the previous quarter or from levels expected by the investment community could cause a decline in the trading price of our stock.

We may lose sales if our suppliers or independent contract manufacturers fail to meet our needs or go out of business.

We currently purchase a number of key components used in the manufacture of our products from single or limited sources, and we rely on several independent contract manufacturers to supply us with certain key components and subassemblies, including lasers, modulators, and printed circuit boards. We depend on these sources to meet our production needs. Moreover, we depend on the quality of the components and subassemblies that they supply to us, over which we have limited control. Several of our suppliers are or may become financially unstable as the result of current global market conditions. In addition, from time to time we have encountered shortages and delays in obtaining components, and we may encounter additional shortages and delays in the future. If we cannot supply products due to a lack of components, or are unable to redesign products with other components in a timely manner, our business will be significantly harmed. We generally have no long-term contracts with any of our component suppliers or contract manufacturers. As a result, a supplier or contract manufacturer can discontinue supplying components or subassemblies to us without penalty. If a supplier were to discontinue supplying a key component or cease operations, the resulting product manufacturing and delivery delays could be lengthy, and our business could be substantially harmed. We are also subject to potential delays in the development by our suppliers of key components which may affect our ability to introduce new products. Similarly, disruptions in the operations of our key suppliers or in the services provided by our contract manufacturers, including disruptions due to natural disasters, or the transition to other suppliers of these key components or services could lead to supply chain problems or delays in the delivery of our products. These problems or delays could damage our relationships with our customers and adversely affect our business.

We use rolling forecasts based on anticipated product orders to determine our component and subassembly requirements. Lead times for materials and components that we order vary significantly and depend on factors such as specific supplier requirements, contract terms and current market demand for particular components. If we overestimate our component requirements, we may have excess inventory, which would increase our costs. If we underestimate our component requirements, we may have inadequate inventory, which could interrupt our manufacturing and delay delivery of our products to our customers. Any of these occurrences could significantly harm our business.

If we are unable to realize anticipated cost savings from the transfer of certain manufacturing operations to our overseas locations and increased use of internally-manufactured components our results of operations could be harmed.

As part of our ongoing initiatives to reduce the cost of revenues, we expect to realize significant cost savings through (i) the transfer of certain product manufacturing operations to lower cost off-shore locations and (ii) product engineering changes to enable the broader use of internally-manufactured components. The transfer of production to overseas locations may be more difficult and costly than we currently anticipate which could result in increased transfer costs and time delays. Further, following transfer, we may experience lower manufacturing yields than those historically achieved in our U.S. manufacturing locations. In addition, the engineering changes required for the use of internally-manufactured components may be more technically-challenging than we anticipate and customer acceptance of such changes could be delayed. Adverse changes in currency exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the applicable local currency and/or unanticipated increases in labor costs at our lower cost manufacturing locations could limit the anticipated benefits of the transfer of certain product manufacturing operations to such lower cost locations. If we fail to achieve the planned product manufacturing transfer and increase in internally-manufactured component use within our currently anticipated timeframe, or if our manufacturing yields decrease as a result, we may be unsuccessful in achieving cost savings or such savings will be less than anticipated, and our results of operations could be harmed.

Continued competition in our markets may lead to an accelerated reduction in our prices, revenues and market share.


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The end markets for optical products have experienced significant industry consolidation during the past few years while the industry that supplies these customers has experienced less consolidation. As a result, the markets for optical subsystems and components are highly competitive. Our current competitors include a number of domestic and international companies, many of which have substantially greater financial, technical, marketing and distribution resources and brand name recognition than we have. Increased consolidation in our industry, should it occur, will reduce the number of our competitors, but would be likely to further strengthen surviving industry participants. We may not be able to compete successfully against either current or future competitors. Companies competing with us may introduce products that are competitively priced, have increased performance or functionality, or incorporate technological advances and may be able to react quicker to changing customer requirements and expectations. There is also the risk that network systems vendors may re-enter the subsystem market and begin to manufacture the optical subsystems incorporated in their network systems. Increased competition could result in significant price erosion, reduced revenue, lower margins or loss of market share, any of which would significantly harm our business. Our principal competitors for data communication applications include Applied Optoelectronics, Foxconn, Innolight, Lumentum, Oclaro, and Sumitomo. Our principal competitors for telecommunication applications include Acacia Communications, Fujitsu Optical Components, Lumentum, Oclaro, and Sumitomo. Our competitors continue to introduce improved products and we will have to do the same to remain competitive.

Decreases in average selling prices of our products may reduce our gross margins.

The market for optical subsystems is characterized by declining average selling prices resulting from factors such as increased competition, overcapacity, the introduction of new products and increased unit volumes as manufacturers continue to deploy network and storage systems. We have in the past experienced, and in the future may experience, substantial period-to-period fluctuations in operating results due to declining average selling prices. We anticipate that average selling prices will decrease in the future in response to product introductions by competitors or us, or by other factors, including pricing pressures from significant customers. In particular, we typically conduct pricing negotiations for our existing products with some of our largest telecommunication OEM customers in the last several months of the calendar year. Decreases in our average selling prices resulting from these negotiations typically become effective at the beginning of the next calendar year and generally have an adverse impact on our gross margins in future quarters. This impact is typically most pronounced in our fourth fiscal quarter ending in April, when the impact of the new pricing is first felt over a full quarter. In order to sustain profitable operations, we must continue to develop and introduce on a timely basis new products that incorporate features that can be sold at higher average selling prices. Failure to do so could cause our revenues and gross margins to decline, which would result in additional operating losses and significantly harm our business.

We may be unable to reduce the cost of our products sufficiently to enable us to compete with others. Our cost reduction efforts may not allow us to keep pace with competitive pricing pressures and could adversely affect our margins. In order to remain competitive, we must continually reduce the cost of manufacturing our products through design and engineering changes. We may not be successful in redesigning our products or delivering our products to market in a timely manner. We cannot assure you that any redesign will result in sufficient cost reductions to allow us to reduce the price of our products to remain competitive or improve our gross margins.

Shifts in our product mix may result in declines in gross margins.

Gross margins on individual products fluctuate over the product's life cycle. Our overall gross margins have fluctuated from period to period as a result of shifts in product mix, the introduction of new products, decreases in average selling prices for older products and our ability to reduce product costs. These fluctuations are expected to continue in the future.

Failure to accurately forecast our revenues could result in additional charges for obsolete or excess inventories or non-cancelable purchase commitments.

We base many of our operating decisions, and enter into purchase commitments, on the basis of anticipated revenue trends which are highly unpredictable. Some of our purchase commitments are not cancelable, and in some cases we are required to recognize a charge representing the amount of material or capital equipment purchased or ordered which exceeds our actual requirements. In the past, we have periodically experienced significant growth followed by a significant decrease in customer demand such as occurred in fiscal 2001, when revenues increased by 181% followed by a decrease of 22% in fiscal 2002. Based on projected revenue trends during these periods, we acquired inventories and entered into purchase commitments in order to meet anticipated increases in demand for our products, which did not materialize. As a result, we recorded significant charges for obsolete and excess inventories and non-cancelable purchase commitments which contributed to substantial operating losses in fiscal 2002. Should revenues in future periods again fall substantially below our expectations, or should we fail again to accurately forecast changes in demand mix, we could again be required to record substantial charges for obsolete or excess inventories or non-cancelable purchase commitments.

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If we encounter sustained yield problems or other delays in the production or delivery of our internally-manufactured components or in the final assembly and test of our products, we may lose sales and damage our customer relationships.

Our manufacturing operations are highly vertically integrated. In order to reduce our manufacturing costs, we have acquired a number of companies, and business units of other companies that manufacture optical components incorporated in our optical subsystem products and have developed our own facilities for the final assembly and testing of our products. For example, we design and manufacture many critical components incorporated in transceivers used for data communication and telecommunication applications, including all of the short wavelength VCSEL lasers, at our wafer fabrication facility in Allen, Texas and manufacture a portion of our internal requirements for longer wavelength lasers at our wafer fabrication facility in Fremont, California. We assemble and test most of our transceiver products at our facilities in Ipoh, Malaysia and Wuxi, China. As a result of this vertical integration, we have become increasingly dependent on our internal production capabilities. The manufacture of critical components, including the fabrication of wafers, and the assembly and testing of our products, involve highly complex processes. For example, minute levels of contaminants in the manufacturing environment, difficulties in the fabrication process or other factors can cause a substantial portion of the components on a wafer to be nonfunctional. These problems may be difficult to detect at an early stage of the manufacturing process and often are time-consuming and expensive to correct. From time to time, we have experienced problems achieving acceptable yields at our wafer fabrication facilities, resulting in delays in the availability of components. Moreover, an increase in the rejection rate of products during the quality control process before, during or after manufacture, results in lower yields and margins. In addition, changes in manufacturing processes required as a result of changes in product specifications, changing customer needs and the introduction of new product lines have historically significantly reduced our manufacturing yields, resulting in low or negative margins on those products. Poor manufacturing yields over a prolonged period of time could adversely affect our ability to deliver our subsystem products to our customers and could also affect our sale of components to customers in the merchant market. Our inability to supply components to meet our internal needs could harm our relationships with customers and have an adverse effect on our business.

The markets for our products are subject to rapid technological change, and to compete effectively we must continually introduce new products that achieve market acceptance.

The markets for our products are characterized by rapid technological change, frequent new product introductions, substantial capital investment, changes in customer requirements and evolving industry standards with respect to the protocols used in data communication and telecommunication networks. Our future performance will depend on the successful development, introduction and market acceptance of new and enhanced products that address these changes as well as current and potential customer requirements. For example, the market for optical subsystems is currently characterized by a trend toward the adoption of “pluggable” modules and subsystems that do not require customized interconnections and by the development of more complex and integrated optical subsystems. We expect that new technologies will emerge as competition and the need for higher and more cost-effective bandwidth increases. The introduction of new and enhanced products may cause our customers to defer or cancel orders for existing products. In addition, a slowdown in demand for existing products ahead of a new product introduction could result in a write-down in the value of inventory on hand related to existing products and/or a charge for the impairment of long-lived assets related to such products. We have in the past experienced a slowdown in demand for existing products and delays in new product development and such slowdown in demand and delays may occur in the future. To the extent customers defer or cancel orders for existing products due to a slowdown in demand or in the expectation of a new product release or if there is any delay in development or introduction of our new products or enhancements of our products, our operating results would be adversely affected. We also may not be able to develop the underlying core technologies necessary to create new products and enhancements, or to license these technologies from third parties. Product development delays may result from numerous factors, including:

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changing product specifications and customer requirements;
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unanticipated engineering complexities;
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expense reduction measures we have implemented, and others we may implement, to conserve our cash and attempt to achieve and sustain profitability;
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difficulties in hiring and retaining necessary technical personnel;
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difficulties in reallocating engineering resources and overcoming resource limitations; and
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changing market or competitive product requirements.

The development of new, technologically advanced products is a complex and uncertain process, requiring high levels of innovation and highly skilled engineering and development personnel, as well as the accurate prediction of technological and market trends. The introduction of new products also requires significant investment to ramp up production capacity, for which benefit will not be realized if customer demand does not develop as expected. Ramping of production capacity also entails risks

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of delays which can limit our ability to realize the full benefit of the new product introduction. We cannot assure you that we will be able to identify, develop, manufacture, market or support new or enhanced products successfully, if at all, or on a timely basis. Further, we cannot assure you that our new products will gain market acceptance or that we will be able to respond effectively to product announcements by competitors, technological changes or emerging industry standards. Many of these factors are beyond our control. Any failure to respond to technological change would significantly harm our business.

In addition, in order to achieve widespread market acceptance, we must differentiate ourselves from our competition through product offerings and brand name recognition. We cannot assure you that we will be successful in making this differentiation or achieving widespread acceptance of our products. Failure of our existing or future products to maintain and achieve widespread levels of market acceptance will significantly impair our revenue growth.

Our future success ultimately depends on the continued growth of the communications industry and, in particular, the continued expansion of global information networks, particularly those directly or indirectly dependent upon a fiber optics infrastructure.

We are relying on increasing demand for voice, video and other data delivered over high-bandwidth network systems as well as commitments by network systems vendors to invest in the expansion of the global information network. As network usage and bandwidth demand increase, so does the need for advanced optical networks to provide the required bandwidth. Without network and bandwidth growth, the need for optical subsystems and components, and hence our future growth as a manufacturer of these products, will be jeopardized, and our business would be significantly harmed.

We depend on large purchases from a few significant customers, and any loss, cancellation, reduction or delay in purchases by these customers could harm our business.

A small number of customers have consistently accounted for a significant portion of our revenues. Our success will depend on our continued ability to develop and manage relationships with our major customers. Although we are attempting to expand our customer base, we expect that significant customer concentration will continue for the foreseeable future. We may not be able to offset any decline in revenues from our existing major customers with revenues from new customers, and our quarterly results may be volatile because we are dependent on large orders from these customers that may be reduced, delayed, or cancelled.

The markets in which we have historically sold our optical subsystems and components products are dominated by a relatively small number of systems manufacturers, thereby limiting the number of our potential customers. Recent consolidation of portions of our customer base, including telecommunication systems manufacturers, and potential future consolidation, may have a material adverse impact on our business. Our dependence on large orders from a relatively small number of customers makes our relationship with each customer critically important to our business. We cannot assure you that we will be able to retain our major customers, attract additional customers, or that our customers will be successful in selling their products that incorporate our products. We have in the past experienced delays and reductions in orders from some of our major customers. In addition, our customers have in the past sought price concessions from us, and we expect that they will continue to do so in the future. Expense reduction measures that we have implemented over the past several years, and additional action we are taking to reduce costs, may adversely affect our ability to introduce new and improved products which may, in turn, adversely affect our relationships with some of our key customers. Further, some of our customers may in the future shift their purchases of products from us to our competitors or to joint ventures between these customers and our competitors, or may in certain circumstances produce competitive products themselves. The loss of one or more of our major customers, any reduction or delay in sales to these customers, our inability to successfully develop relationships with additional customers, or future price concessions that we may make could significantly harm our business.

Because we do not have long-term contracts with our customers, our customers may cease purchasing our products at any time if we fail to meet our customers' needs.

Typically, we do not have long-term contracts with our customers. As a result, our agreements with our customers do not provide any assurance of future sales. Accordingly:

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our customers can stop purchasing our products at any time without penalty;
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our customers are free to purchase products from our competitors; and
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our customers are not required to make minimum purchases.

Sales are typically made pursuant to inventory hub arrangements under which customers may draw down inventory to satisfy their demand as needed or pursuant to individual purchase orders, often with extremely short lead times. If we are

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unable to fulfill these orders in a timely manner, it is likely that we will lose sales and customers. If our major customers stop purchasing our products for any reason, our business, financial condition, and results of operations would be harmed.

Our customers often evaluate our products for long and variable periods, which causes the timing of our revenues and results of operations to be unpredictable.

The period of time between our initial contact with a customer and the receipt of an actual purchase order typically spans over a year. During this time, customers may perform, or require us to perform, extensive and lengthy evaluation and testing of our products before purchasing and using the products in their equipment. These products often take substantial time to develop because of their complexity and because customer specifications sometimes change during the development cycle. Our customers do not typically share information on the duration or magnitude of these qualification procedures. The length of these qualification processes also may vary substantially by product and customer, and, thus, cause our results of operations to be unpredictable. While our potential customers are qualifying our products and before they place an order with us, we may incur substantial research and development and sales and marketing expenses and expend significant management effort. Even after incurring such costs, we ultimately may not be able to sell any products to such potential customers. In addition, these qualification processes often make it difficult to obtain new customers, as customers are reluctant to expend the resources necessary to qualify a new supplier if they have one or more existing qualified sources. Once our products have been qualified, the agreements that we enter into with our customers typically contain no minimum purchase commitments. Failure of our customers to incorporate our products into their systems would significantly harm our business.

Our products may contain defects that may cause us to incur significant costs, divert our attention from product development efforts and result in a loss of customers.

Our products are complex and defects may be found from time to time. Networking products frequently contain undetected software or hardware defects when first introduced or as new versions are released. In addition, our products are often embedded in or deployed in conjunction with our customers' products, which incorporate a variety of components produced by third parties. As a result, when problems occur, it may be difficult to identify the source of the problem. These problems may cause us to incur significant damages or warranty and repair costs, divert the attention of our engineering personnel from our product development efforts and cause significant customer relation problems or loss of customers, all of which would harm our business.

We may not be able to obtain additional capital in the future, and failure to do so may harm our business.

We believe that our existing balances of cash and cash equivalents, together with the cash expected to be generated from future operations, will be sufficient to meet our cash needs for working capital and capital expenditures for at least the next 12 months. We may, however, require additional financing to fund our operations in the future, to finance future acquisitions that we may propose to undertake or to repay or otherwise retire our outstanding 2033 Notes, in the aggregate principal amount of $258.8 million, which are subject to redemption by the holders in December 2018, 2023 and 2028, or our 2036 Notes, in the aggregate principal amount of $575.0 million, which are subject to redemption by the holders in December 2021, 2026 and 2031. Due to the unpredictable nature of the capital markets, particularly in the technology sector, we cannot assure you that we will be able to raise additional capital if and when it is required, especially if we experience disappointing operating results. If adequate capital is not available to us as required, or is not available on favorable terms, we could be required to significantly reduce or restructure our business operations. If we do raise additional funds through the issuance of equity or convertible debt securities, the percentage ownership of our existing stockholders could be significantly diluted, and these newly-issued securities may have rights, preferences or privileges senior to those of existing stockholders.

Our international business and operations expose us to additional risks.

Products shipped to customers located outside the United States account for a majority of our revenues. In addition, we have significant tangible assets located outside the United States. Our principal manufacturing facilities are located in Malaysia and China. We currently operate smaller facilities in Australia, Israel, Korea, Sweden and Germany, and we are further expanding one of our manufacturing facilities in China. We also rely on several contract manufacturers located in Asia for our supply of key subassemblies. Conducting business outside the United States subjects us to a number of additional risks and challenges, including:

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periodic changes in a specific country's or region's economic conditions, such as recession;
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compliance with a wide variety of domestic and foreign laws and regulations (including those of municipalities or provinces where we have operations) and unexpected changes in those laws and regulatory requirements, including

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uncertainties regarding taxes, social insurance contributions and other payroll taxes and fees to governmental entities, tariffs, quotas, export controls, export licenses and other trade barriers;
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unanticipated restrictions on our ability to sell to foreign customers where sales of products and the provision of services may require export licenses;
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certification requirements;
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environmental regulations;
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fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates;
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inadequate protection of intellectual property rights in some countries;
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potential political, legal and economic instability, foreign conflicts, and the impact of regional and global infectious illnesses in the countries in which we and our customers, suppliers and contract manufacturers are located;
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preferences of certain customers for locally produced products;
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difficulties and costs of staffing and managing international operations across different geographic areas and cultures, including assuring compliance with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other U. S. and foreign anticorruption laws;
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seasonal reductions in business activities in certain countries or regions; and
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fluctuations in freight rates and transportation disruptions.

These factors, individually or in combination, could impair our ability to effectively operate one or more of our foreign facilities or deliver our products, result in unexpected and material expenses, or cause an unexpected decline in the demand for our products in certain countries or regions. Our failure to manage the risks and challenges associated with our international business and operations could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Our future operating results may be subject to volatility, as a result of exposure to foreign exchange risks.

We are exposed to foreign exchange risks. Foreign currency fluctuations may affect both our revenues and our costs and expenses, which would significantly affect our operating results. More than 99% of our sales worldwide are denominated in U.S. dollars. If there is a significant devaluation of the currency in a specific country relative to the dollar, the prices of our products will increase relative to that country's currency, our products may be less competitive in that country and our revenues may be adversely affected.

Although we price our products in U.S. dollars, portions of both our cost of revenues and operating expenses are incurred in foreign currencies, principally the Malaysian ringgit, the Chinese yuan, the Australian dollar, the Israeli shekel, the Swedish krona, and the Euro. As a result, we bear the risk that the rate of inflation in one or more countries will exceed the rate of the devaluation of that country's currency in relation to the U.S. dollar, which would increase our costs as expressed in U.S. dollars. To date, we have not engaged in currency hedging transactions to decrease the risk of financial exposure from fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.

Our failure to protect our intellectual property may significantly harm our business.

Our success and ability to compete is dependent in part on our proprietary technology. We rely on a combination of patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret laws, as well as confidentiality agreements to establish and protect our proprietary rights. We license certain of our proprietary technology, including our digital diagnostics technology, to customers who include current and potential competitors, and we rely largely on provisions of our licensing agreements to protect our intellectual property rights in this technology. We have obtained a number of issued patents, acquired certain other patents as a result of our acquisitions, and we have filed applications for additional patents; however, we cannot assure you that any pending patent applications will result in issued patents, any issued patents will include claims that are sufficiently broad to cover our products and technologies or to provide sufficient protection from our competitors, or that our issued patents will be upheld. Additionally, significant technology used in our product lines is not the subject of any patent protection, and we may be unable to obtain patent protection on such technology in the future. Any infringement of our proprietary rights could result in significant litigation costs, and any failure to adequately protect our proprietary rights could result in our competitors offering similar products, which could result in loss of competitive advantages and decreased revenues to us.

Despite our efforts to protect our proprietary rights, existing patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret laws afford only limited protection. In addition, the laws of some foreign countries do not protect our proprietary rights to the same extent as do the laws of the United States. Attempts may be made to copy or reverse engineer aspects of our products or to obtain and use information that we regard as proprietary. Accordingly, we may not be able to prevent misappropriation of our technology or deter others from developing similar technology. Furthermore, policing the unauthorized use of our products is difficult and expensive. We are currently engaged in pending litigation to enforce certain of our patents, and additional litigation may be necessary in the future to enforce our intellectual property rights or to determine the validity and scope of the proprietary rights

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of others. In connection with the pending litigation, substantial management time has been, and will continue to be, expended. In addition, we have incurred, and we expect to continue to incur, substantial legal expenses in connection with these pending lawsuits. These costs and this diversion of resources could significantly harm our business.

Claims that we or any user of our products infringe third-party intellectual property rights could result in significant expenses or restrictions on our ability to sell our products.

Our industry is characterized by the existence of a large number of patents and frequent litigation based on allegations of patent infringement. We are currently involved as a defendant in patent infringement litigation and have been involved in the past as a defendant in such lawsuits. From time to time, we have also been accused of patent infringement that is not subject to current lawsuit, some of which accusations are unresolved. In the future, we may be subject to additional litigation alleging infringement of patent, copyright, trademark and other intellectual property rights to technologies and in various jurisdictions that are important to our business. Any claims asserting that our products infringe or may infringe proprietary rights of third parties, if determined adversely to us, could significantly harm our business. Further, claims against a customer and/or end user of our products that the re-sale or use of our products, either alone or in combination with other products, infringes proprietary rights of third parties could cause customers or users to choose to not or be required to not utilize our products alone or in such combination, which could harm our sales of such products. Any claims, against us or any customer or user of our products, with or without merit, could be time-consuming, result in costly litigation, divert the efforts of our technical and management personnel, cause product shipment delays or require us to enter into royalty or licensing agreements, any of which could significantly harm our business. In addition, our agreements with our customers typically require us to indemnify our customers from any expense or liability resulting from claimed infringement of third party intellectual property rights. In the event a claim against us was successful and we could not obtain a license to the relevant technology on acceptable terms or license a substitute technology or redesign our products to avoid infringement, our business would be significantly harmed.

Numerous patents in our industry are held by others, including academic institutions, competitors and non-practicing entities. Optical subsystem suppliers may seek to gain a competitive advantage or other third parties may seek an economic return on their intellectual property portfolios by making infringement claims against us. In the future, we may need to obtain license rights to patents or other intellectual property held by others to the extent necessary for our business. Unless we are able to obtain those licenses on commercially reasonable terms, patents or other intellectual property held by others could inhibit our development of new products. Licenses granting us the right to use third party technology may not be available on commercially reasonable terms, if at all. Generally, a license, if granted, would include payments of up-front fees, ongoing royalties or both. These payments or other terms could have a significant adverse impact on our operating results.

If we are unable to retain our key management and technical personnel and attract and retain additional key personnel as required, our business could be significantly harmed.

Our future success is substantially dependent upon the continued contributions of the members of our senior management team, many of whom have years of management, engineering, sales, marketing and manufacturing experience that would be difficult to replace. We also believe our future success will depend in large part upon our ability to attract and retain additional highly skilled managerial, technical, sales and marketing, finance and manufacturing personnel. In particular, we will need to increase the number of our technical staff members with experience in high-speed networking applications as we further develop our product lines. Competition for these highly skilled employees in our industry is intense. In making employment decisions, particularly in the high-technology industries, job candidates often consider the value of the equity they are to receive in connection with their employment. Therefore, significant volatility in the price of our common stock may adversely affect our ability to attract or retain key management and technical personnel. The loss of service of any our key management or technical employees, our inability to attract or retain qualified personnel in the future or delays in hiring key personnel, as required, could significantly harm our business. In addition, employees may leave our company and subsequently compete against us. Moreover, companies in our industry whose employees accept positions with competitors frequently claim that their competitors have engaged in unfair hiring practices. We have been subject to claims of this type and may be subject to such claims in the future as we seek to hire qualified personnel. Some of these claims may result in material litigation. We could incur substantial costs in defending ourselves against these claims, regardless of their merits.

Our business and future operating results are subject to a wide range of uncertainties arising out of the continuing threat of terrorist attacks and ongoing military actions in the Middle East.

Like other U.S. companies, our business and operating results are subject to uncertainties arising out of the continuing threat of terrorist attacks on United States' interests, including U.S. companies, in locations worldwide and ongoing military actions in the Middle East, including the economic consequences of the war in Afghanistan or additional terrorist activities and

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associated political instability, and the impact of heightened security concerns on domestic and international travel and commerce. In particular, due to these uncertainties we are subject to:

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increased risks related to the operations of our manufacturing facilities in Malaysia;
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greater risks of disruption in the operations of our China, Singapore and Israeli facilities and our Asian contract manufacturers, including contract manufacturers located in Thailand, and more frequent instances of shipping delays; and
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the risk that future tightening of immigration controls may adversely affect the residence status of non-U.S. engineers and other key technical employees in our U.S. facilities or our ability to hire new non-U.S. employees in such facilities.

Future acquisitions could be difficult to integrate, disrupt our business, dilute stockholder value and harm our operating results.

In addition to our combination with Optium in August 2008 and our acquisitions of Ignis in May 2011, Red-C in July 2012 and u2t Photonics AG ("u2t") in January 2014, we have completed the acquisition of 11 privately-held companies and certain businesses and assets from seven other companies since October 2000. We continue to review opportunities to acquire other businesses, product lines or technologies that would complement our current products, expand the breadth of our markets or enhance our technical capabilities, or that may otherwise offer growth opportunities, and we from time to time make proposals and offers, and take other steps, to acquire businesses, products and technologies.

The Optium merger and several of our other past acquisitions have been material, and acquisitions that we may complete in the future may be material. In 13 of our 22 acquisitions, we issued common stock or notes convertible into common stock as all or a portion of the consideration. The issuance of common stock or other equity securities by us in connection with any future acquisition would dilute our stockholders' percentage ownership.

Other risks associated with acquiring the operations of other companies include:

•
problems assimilating the purchased operations, technologies or products;
•
unanticipated costs associated with the acquisition;
•
diversion of management's attention from our core business;
•
adverse effects on existing business relationships with suppliers and customers;
•
risks associated with entering markets in which we have no or limited prior experience; and
•
potential loss of key employees of purchased organizations.

Not all of our past acquisitions have been successful. In the past, we have subsequently sold some of the assets acquired in prior acquisitions, discontinued product lines and closed acquired facilities. As a result of these activities, we incurred significant restructuring charges and charges for the write-down of assets associated with those acquisitions. Through the second quarter of fiscal 2018, we have written off all of the goodwill associated with our past acquisitions with the exception of the more recently completed acquisitions of Ignis, Red-C and u2t. We cannot assure you that we will be successful in overcoming problems encountered in connection with our past acquisitions or potential future acquisitions, and our inability to do so could significantly harm our business. In addition, to the extent that the economic benefits associated with our past acquisitions or any of our future acquisitions diminish in the future, we may be required to record additional write downs of goodwill, intangible assets or other assets associated with such acquisitions, which would adversely affect our operating results.

We have made and may continue to make strategic investments which may not be successful, may result in the loss of all or part of our invested capital and may adversely affect our operating results.

Since inception, we have made minority equity investments in a number of early-stage technology companies, totaling approximately $61.9 million. Our investments in these early stage companies were primarily motivated by our desire to gain early access to new technology. We intend to review additional opportunities to make strategic equity investments in pre-public companies where we believe such investments will provide us with opportunities to gain access to important technologies or otherwise enhance important commercial relationships. We have little or no influence over the early-stage companies in which we have made or may make these strategic, minority equity investments. Each of these investments in pre-public companies involves a high degree of risk. We may not be successful in achieving the financial, technological or commercial advantage upon which any given investment is premised, and failure by the early-stage company to achieve its own business objectives or to raise capital needed on acceptable economic terms could result in a loss of all or part of our invested capital. Between fiscal 2003 and the second quarter of fiscal 2018, we wrote off an aggregate of $28.6 million in eight investments which became impaired and reclassified $4.2 million of another investment to goodwill as the investment was deemed to have no value. We

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may be required to write off all or a portion of the $605,000 of such equity investments remaining on our balance sheet as of October 29, 2017 in future periods.

Our ability to utilize certain net operating loss carryforwards and tax credit carryforwards may be limited under Sections 382 and 383 of the Internal Revenue Code.

As of April 30, 2017, the Company had federal, state and foreign net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $276.8 million, $13.2 million and $34.3 million, respectively, and federal and state tax credit carryforwards of approximately $34.3 million and $26.8 million, respectively. With the exception of California R&D credit, which can be carried forward indefinitely, the net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards will expire at various dates beginning in fiscal 2020 through 2037, if not utilized. $2.3 million of such net operating loss carryforwards and $1.5 million of such tax credit carryforwards will expire in the next five years. Utilization of the Company's U.S. net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards may be subject to a substantial annual limitation due to the ownership change limitations set forth in Internal Revenue Code Section 382 and similar state provisions. Such an annual limitation could result in the expiration of the net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards before utilization.

Changes in the application of tax policies may harm our results of operations.

A number of factors may negatively impact the manner in which our existing NOLs are applied as well as our future effective tax rates including, but not limited to:

•
the jurisdictions in which profits are determined to be earned and taxed;
•
changes in valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities;
•
increases in expenses not deductible for tax purposes;
•
changes in available tax credits;
•
changes in stock-based compensation; and
•
changes in tax laws or the interpretation of such tax laws, including by authorities in municipalities where we are subject to social insurance and other payroll taxes and fees, and changes in generally accepted accounting principles in the United States or other countries in which we operate.

An adverse change that impacts our tax position could negatively impact our operating results. In addition, we are the recipient of tax incentives that provide that certain income earned by our subsidiary in Malaysia is subject to a tax holiday for a limited period of time under the laws of that country. This Malaysian tax holiday is subject to expiration in August 2021. Our ability to realize benefits from tax initiatives could be materially affected if, among other things, applicable requirements are not met, the incentives are substantially modified, or if we incur losses for which we cannot take a deduction. In addition, although we have successfully received tax holiday extensions in the past, there can be no assurance that future extensions will be granted. If we are not able to extend a tax holiday, our total tax paid on a consolidated basis would be materially increased.

We will lose sales if we are unable to obtain government authorization to export certain of our products, and we would be subject to legal and regulatory consequences if we do not comply with applicable export control laws and regulations.

Exports of certain of our products are subject to export controls imposed by the U.S. Government and administered by the United States Departments of State and Commerce. In certain instances, these regulations may require pre-shipment authorization from the administering department. For products subject to the Export Administration Regulations, or EAR, administered by the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security, the requirement for a license is dependent on the type and end use of the product, the final destination, the identity of the end user and whether a license exception might apply. Virtually all exports of products subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, or ITAR, administered by the Department of State's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, require a license. Certain of our fiber optics products are subject to EAR and certain of our RF-over-fiber products, as well as certain products developed with government funding, are currently subject to ITAR. Products developed and manufactured in our foreign locations are subject to export controls of the applicable foreign nation.

Given the current global political climate, obtaining export licenses can be difficult and time-consuming. Failure to obtain export licenses for these shipments could significantly reduce our revenue and materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Compliance with U.S. Government regulations also subjects us to additional fees and costs. The absence of comparable restrictions on competitors in other countries may adversely affect our competitive position.


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We have previously been the subject of inquiries from the Department of State and the Department of Justice regarding compliance with ITAR. Although these inquiries were closed with no action being taken, we expended significant time and resources to resolve them, and future inquiries of this type could also be costly to resolve.

We are subject to pending securities class action and shareholder derivative legal proceedings.

Several securities class action lawsuits were filed against us and our Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer following our March 8, 2011 announcement of unaudited financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2011 and our financial outlook for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011. We also have been named as a nominal defendant in several shareholder derivative lawsuits filed in 2011 concerning our March 8, 2011 earnings announcement. No specific amounts of damages have been alleged in the class action lawsuits and, by the nature of the lawsuits, no damages will be alleged against Finisar in the derivative lawsuits.

We will continue to incur legal fees in connection with these pending cases, including expenses for the reimbursement of legal fees of present and former officers and directors under indemnification obligations. The expense of continuing to defend such litigation may be significant. We intend to defend these lawsuits vigorously, however there can be no assurance that we will be successful in any defense. If any of the lawsuits related to our earnings announcement are adversely decided, we may be liable for significant damages directly or under our indemnification obligations, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations and cash flows. Further, the amount of time that will be required to resolve these lawsuits is unpredictable and these actions may divert management's attention from the day-to-day operations of our business, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations and cash flows.

Our business and future operating results may be adversely affected by events outside our control.

Our business and operating results are vulnerable to events outside of our control, such as earthquakes, floods, fire, power loss, telecommunication failures and uncertainties arising out of terrorist attacks in the United States and overseas. Our corporate headquarters and a portion of our manufacturing operations are located in California, and our principal manufacturing operations and those of most of our key suppliers and contract manufacturers are located in Asia. These areas have been vulnerable to natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods and fires, and other risks which at times have disrupted the local economy and posed physical risks to our property. We are also dependent on communications links with our overseas manufacturing locations and would be significantly harmed if these links were interrupted for any significant length of time. We presently do not have adequate redundant, multiple site capacity if any of these events were to occur, nor can we be certain that the insurance we maintain against these events would be adequate.

The conversion of our outstanding convertible notes would result in substantial dilution to our current stockholders.

As of October 29, 2017, we had outstanding an aggregate principal amount of $258.8 million of our 2033 Notes and an aggregate principal amount of $575.0 million of our 2036 Notes. The 2033 Notes are convertible at the option of the holder, under certain circumstances, into shares of our common stock at an initial conversion price of $30.18 per share, subject to adjustments, and the 2036 Notes are convertible at the option of the holder, under certain circumstances, into shares of our common stock at an initial conversion price of $44.17 per share, subject to adjustments. An aggregate of approximately 8,572,413 and 13,017,885 shares of common stock would be issued upon the conversion of all outstanding 2033 Notes and all outstanding 2036 Notes, respectively, at these conversion prices, which would dilute the voting power and ownership percentage of our existing stockholders. We have previously entered into privately negotiated transactions with certain holders of our convertible notes for the repurchase of notes in exchange for a greater number of shares of our common stock than would have been issued had the principal amount of the notes been converted at the original conversion rate specified in the notes, thus resulting in more dilution. We may enter into similar transactions in the future and, if we do so, there will be additional dilution to the voting power and percentage ownership of our existing stockholders.

Delaware law, our charter documents and our stockholder rights plan contain provisions that could discourage or prevent a potential takeover, even if such a transaction would be beneficial to our stockholders.

Some provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, as well as provisions of Delaware law, may discourage, delay or prevent a merger or acquisition that a stockholder may consider favorable. These include provisions:

•
authorizing the board of directors to issue additional preferred stock;
•
prohibiting cumulative voting in the election of directors;
•
limiting the persons who may call special meetings of stockholders;
•
prohibiting stockholder actions by written consent;

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•
creating a classified board of directors pursuant to which our directors are elected for staggered three-year terms;
•
permitting the board of directors to increase the size of the board and to fill vacancies;
•
requiring a super-majority vote of our stockholders to amend our bylaws and certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation; and
•
establishing advance notice requirements for nominations for election to the board of directors or for proposing matters that can be acted on by stockholders at stockholder meetings.

We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law which limit the right of a corporation to engage in a business combination with a holder of 15% or more of the corporation's outstanding voting securities, or certain affiliated persons.

Although we believe that these charter and bylaw provisions and provisions of Delaware law provide an opportunity for the board to assure that our stockholders realize full value for their investment, they could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control, even under circumstances that some stockholders may consider beneficial.

We do not currently intend to pay dividends on Finisar common stock and, consequently, a stockholder's ability to achieve a return on such stockholder's investment will depend on appreciation in the price of the common stock.

We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on Finisar common stock and we do not currently intend to do so for the foreseeable future. We currently intend to invest our future earnings, if any, to fund our growth. Therefore, a stockholder is not likely to receive any dividends on such stockholder's common stock for the foreseeable future.

Our stock price has been and is likely to continue to be volatile.

The trading price of our common stock has been and is likely to continue to be subject to large fluctuations. Our stock price may increase or decrease in response to a number of events and factors, including:

•
trends in our industry and the markets in which we operate;
•
changes in the market price of the products we sell;
•
changes in financial estimates and recommendations by securities analysts;
•
acquisitions and financings;
•
quarterly variations in our operating results;
•
the operating and stock price performance of other companies that investors in our common stock may deem comparable; and
•
purchases or sales of blocks of our common stock.

Part of this volatility is attributable to the current state of the stock market, in which wide price swings are common. This volatility may adversely affect the prices of our common stock, regardless of our operating performance. If any of the foregoing occurs, our stock price could fall and we may be exposed to class action lawsuits that, even if unsuccessful, could be costly to defend and a distraction to management.

Our business and operations would be adversely impacted in the event of a failure of our information technology infrastructure.

We rely upon the capacity, reliability and security of our information technology infrastructure and our ability to expand and continually update this infrastructure in response to our changing needs. In some cases, we may rely upon third-party hosting and support services to meet these needs. Any failure to manage, expand and update our information technology infrastructure, including our Enterprise Resource Planning ("ERP") system and other applications, any failure in the extension or operation of this infrastructure, or any failure by our hosting and support partners in the performance of their services could materially and adversely harm our business. Despite our implementation of security measures, our systems are vulnerable to damage from computer viruses, natural disasters, unauthorized access and other similar disruptions. Any system failure, accident or security breach could result in disruptions to our operations. To the extent that any disruption or security breach results in a loss or damage to our data or in inappropriate disclosure of confidential information, it could cause significant damage to our reputation, affect our relationships with our customers, and ultimately harm our business. In addition, we may be required to incur significant costs to protect against or mitigate damage caused by these disruptions or security breaches in the future.

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Item 6. Exhibits
Exhibit Number
 
Exhibit Description
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
101.INS
 
XBRL Instance Document
101.SCH
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema
101.CAL
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase
101.DEF
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase
101.LAB
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase
101.PRE
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase
* Compensatory plan or management contract.
(1) Incorporated by reference to Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on August 18, 2017



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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
 
FINISAR CORPORATION

 
By:
/s/ JERRY S. RAWLS
 
 
Jerry S. Rawls
 
 
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)
 
 
 
By:
/s/ KURT ADZEMA
 
 
Kurt Adzema
 
 
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) 

Dated: December 7, 2017


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