Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Organization [Policy Text Block]

Organization:

Ceva, Inc. (“Ceva” or the “Company”) was incorporated in Delaware on November 22, 1999. The Company was formed through the combination of Parthus Technologies plc (“Parthus”) and the digital signal processor (DSP) cores licensing business and operations of DSP Group, Inc. in November 2002. The Company had no business or operations prior to the combination.

Ceva is the leader in innovative silicon and software IP solutions that enable smart edge products to connect, sense, and infer data more reliably and efficiently. With the industry’s only portfolio of comprehensive communications and scalable edge AI IP, Ceva powers the connectivity, sensing, and inference in today’s most advanced smart edge products across consumer IoT, mobile, automotive, infrastructure, industrial, and personal computing. Many of the world’s most innovative smart edge products from AI-infused smartwatches, IoT devices and wearables to autonomous vehicles, 5G mobile networks and more are powered by Ceva.

Ceva’s wireless communications, sensing and Edge AI technologies are at the heart of some of today’s most advanced smart edge products. From Bluetooth connectivity, Wi-Fi, ultra-wide band (UWB) and 5G platform IP for ubiquitous, robust communications, to scalable Edge AI neural processing unit (NPU) IPs, sensor fusion processors and embedded application software that make devices smarter.

We license our portfolio of wireless communications and scalable edge AI IP to our customers, breaking down barriers to entry and enabling them to bring new cutting-edge products to market faster, more reliably, efficiently, and economically.

Ceva is a trusted partner to many of the leading semiconductor and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) companies targeting a wide variety of cellular and IoT end markets, including mobile, PC, consumer, automotive, smart-home, surveillance, robotics, industrial and medical. The customers incorporate our IP into application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and application-specific standard products (ASSPs) that they manufacture, market and sell to consumer electronics companies. Our application software IP is licensed primarily to OEMs who embed it in their System on Chip (SoC) designs to enhance the user experience, and OEMs also license our hardware IP products and solutions for their SoC designs to create power-efficient, intelligent, secure and connected devices.

Business Combinations Policy [Policy Text Block]

Acquisitions, Held For Sale And Discontinued Operation:

a. Intrinsix Corp. (“Intrinsix”)

On May 31, 2021, (the “closing date”), the Company acquired 100% of the equity shares of Intrinsix, a leading chip design specialist. The Company acquired Intrinsix pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, made and entered into on May 9, 2021 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among the Company, Northstar Merger Sub, Inc., Intrinsix and Shareholder Representative Services LLC, for $33,096 in cash (“the Merger Consideration”), with $26,704 paid at closing, $4,260 delivered to escrow to satisfy indemnification claims, if any, and $2,605 payable to certain Intrinsix executives held back as described below (the “Holdback Merger Consideration”), and after giving effect to post-closing adjustments resulting in a $473 repayment to the Company during the third quarter of 2021. As part of the Merger Agreement, the Company entered into agreements with the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Technology Officer of Intrinsix pursuant to which the Holdback Merger Consideration, representing 25% of the Merger Consideration payable to each of them in respect of their equity in Intrinsix, is being held back and, subject to their respective continued employment with the Company, released to them over a period of twenty-four (24) months after closing of the acquisition.

In addition, the Company incurred acquisition-related costs in an amount of $970, which were included in general and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2021.

The acquisition has been accounted in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) No. 805, “Business Combinations” (“ASC 805”). Under the acquisition method of accounting, the total purchase price is allocated to the net tangible and intangible assets of Intrinsix acquired in the acquisition, based on their fair values on the closing date.

The results of operations of the combined business, including the acquired business, have been included in the consolidated financial statements as of the closing date. The primary rationale for this acquisition was (1) extending the Company’s market reach into the sustainable and sizeable aerospace and defense space, (2) increasing the Company’s content in customers’ designs and accordingly increasing the license and royalty revenue opportunity by offering turnkey IP platforms that can combine the Company’s off-the-shelf connectivity and smart sensing IP with Intrinsix’s NRE design capabilities and IP in RF, mixed-signal, security, high complexity digital design, chiplets and more, and (3) expanding the Company’s IP portfolio with secure processor IP for IoT devices and Heterogeneous SoC interface IP for the growing adoption of chiplets, which offer a faster and less expensive alternative to the high R&D costs and complexities associated with monolithic IC developments. A significant portion of the acquisition price was recorded as goodwill due to the synergies with Intrinsix.

The intangible assets are amortized based on the pattern upon which the economic benefits of the intangible assets are to be utilized.

On September 14, 2023, the Company and Intrinsix, then its wholly owned subsidiary, entered into a Share Purchase Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (“Cadence”), pursuant to which Cadence agreed to purchase all of the issued and outstanding capital shares of Intrinsix from the Company for $35,000 in cash, subject to other certain purchase price adjustments as provided for in the Agreement (the “Transaction”). The closing of the Transaction occurred on October 2, 2023. At the closing, an amount of $300 from the consideration was deposited with a third-party escrow agent for the purposes of satisfying any additional post-closing purchase price adjustments owed by the Company to Cadence and a further amount of $3,500 of the consideration was deposited with the same escrow agent for a period of 18 months as security for the Company’s indemnification obligations to Cadence in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the Agreement. The Agreement includes certain representations, warranties and covenants of the parties, and the Company also agreed to certain non-competition and non-solicitation terms, which are subject to certain exceptions.

Under ASC 205-20, "Discontinued Operation" when a component of an entity, as defined in ASC 205-20, has been disposed of or is classified as held for sale, the results of its operations, including the gain or loss on its component are classified as discontinued operations and the assets and liabilities of such component are classified as assets and liabilities attributed to discontinued operations; that is, provided that the operations, assets and liabilities and cash flows of the component have been eliminated from the Company’s consolidated operations and the Company will have no significant continuing involvement in the operations of the component.

As a result of the Transaction, Intrinsix's results of operations and asset and liability balances are disclosed as a discontinued operation, including the resulting income from the sale. All prior periods comparable results of operation, assets and liabilities have been retroactively included in discontinued operations.

The following assets and liabilities allocated to the discontinued operation are reflected as discontinued operation assets and liabilities in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet for the periods presented. Since the Company operates as one reporting unit, the Company allocated goodwill to the discontinued operation using relative fair value method. The major classes of assets and liabilities included as part of the discontinued operation as of December 31, 2022, are presented in the following table:

	December 31, 2022
Assets of discontinued operation
Current assets of discontinued operation:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	1,169
Trade receivables		1,420
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		107
Total current assets of discontinued operation		2,696
Long-term assets of discontinued operation:
Deferred tax assets		115
Property and equipment, net		475
Operating lease right-of-use assets		1,798
Goodwill		17,983
Intangible assets, net		4,288
Total long-term assets of discontinued operation		24,659
Total assets of discontinued operation	$	27,355
Liabilities of discontinued operation
Current liabilities of discontinued operation:
Trade payables	$	136
Deferred revenues		70
Accrued expenses and other payables		115
Accrued payroll and related benefits		969
Operating lease liabilities		302
Total current liabilities of discontinued operation		1,592
Long-term liabilities of discontinued operation:
Operating lease liabilities		1,496
Total long-term liabilities of discontinued operation		1,496
Total liabilities of discontinued operation	$	3,088

The following table shows the Company's results of discontinued operation for years ended December 31, 2021, 2022 and 2023:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2021			2022			2023
Revenues	$	8,874		$	14,065		$	7,909
Cost of revenues		6,449			11,921			4,976
Gross profit		2,425			2,144			2,933
Operating expenses:
Research and development, net		3,415			8,184			5,489
Sales and marketing		628			1,427			662
General and administrative		1,506			1,139			757
Amortization of intangible assets		408			699			373
Total operating expenses		5,957			11,449			7,281
Operating loss		(3,532	)		(9,305	)		(4,348	)
Financial income, net		—			—			3
Gain on sale		—			—			10,892
Total gain (loss) from discontinued operations before taxes on income		(3,532	)		(9,305	)		6,547
Income tax benefit		(1,531	)		—			(12	)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	$	(2,001	)	$	(9,305	)	$	6,559

The following table presents the gain associated with the sale, presented in the results of discontinued operations for the year ended December 31, 2023:

Gross purchase price	$	35,154
Transaction costs		(690	)
Net assets sold		(23,572	)
Total gain on sale	$	10,892

The carrying value of the net assets sold are as follows:

Cash and cash equivalents	$	525
Trade receivables		931
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		354
Operating lease right-of-use assets		1,590
Property and equipment, net		364
Goodwill		18,463
Intangible assets, net		3,323
Trade payables		(44	)
Deferred revenues		(123	)
Accrued payroll and related benefits		(221	)
Operating lease liabilities		(1,590	)
Total net assets sold	$	23,572

The following table presents cash flows from discontinued operations: 

	Year Ended December 31,
	2021			2022			2023
Net cash flows used in operating activities (*)	$	(3,092	)	$	(3,116	)	$	(2,235	)
Net cash flows (used in) provided by investing activities	$	(29,997	)	$	(436	)	$	29,919

(*) Amortization and depreciation allocated to discontinued operation for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2022 and 2023 amounted to $1,257, $2,205 and $1,081, respectively.

b. VisiSonics 

In May 2023, the Company entered into an agreement to acquire the VisiSonics 3D spatial audio business (“VisiSonics”). Under the terms of the agreement, the Company agreed to pay an aggregate of $3,600 at closing, and each of VisiSonics’ two founders will be entitled to an additional payment of $100 payable in equal monthly installments over the 12-month period following the closing in connection with their provision of consulting services. The main strategic driver for the acquisition is that VisiSonics’ spatial audio R&D team and software, which has close ties to the Company’s sensor fusion R&D development center, extend the Company’s application software portfolio for embedded systems, bolstering the Company’s strong market position in hearables where spatial audio is quickly becoming a must-have feature.

In addition, the Company incurred acquisition-related expenses associated with the VisiSonics transaction in a total amount of $117, which were included in general and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2023. Acquisition-related costs included legal and accounting fees. 

The results of VisiSonics's operations have been included in the consolidated financial statements since May 5, 2023. Pro forma results of operations related to this acquisition have not been prepared because they are not material to the Company's consolidated statement of income.

The acquisition of the VisiSonics business has been accounted in accordance with ASC  805. Under the acquisition method of accounting, the total purchase price is allocated to the intangible assets based on their fair values on the closing date. The excess of the purchase price over the identifiable intangible assets was recorded as goodwill. 

Goodwill generated from this business combination is attributed to synergies between the Company's and VisiSonics's respective products and services.

The purchase price allocation for the acquisition has been determined as follows:

Intangible assets:
Technologies	$	1,174
Customer relationships		432
Goodwill		1,994
Total assets	$	3,600

Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Basis of presentation:

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared according to U.S Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“U.S. GAAP”).

Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Use of estimates:

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates, judgments and assumptions. The Company’s management believes that the estimates, judgments and assumptions used are reasonable based upon information available at the time they are made. These estimates, judgments and assumptions can affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the dates of the financial statements, the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period, and amounts classified as a discontinued operation. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Foreign Currency Transactions and Translations Policy [Policy Text Block]

Financial statements in U.S. dollars:

A majority of the revenues of the Company and its subsidiaries is generated in U.S. dollars (“dollars”). In addition, a portion of the Company and its subsidiaries’ costs are incurred in dollars. The Company’s management has determined that the dollar is the primary currency of the economic environment in which the Company and its subsidiaries principally operate. Thus, the functional and reporting currency of the Company and its subsidiaries is the dollar.

Accordingly, monetary accounts maintained in currencies other than the dollar are remeasured into dollars in accordance with FASB ASC No. 830, “Foreign Currency Matters.” All transaction gains and losses from remeasurement of monetary balance sheet items are reflected in the consolidated statements of income (loss) as financial income or expenses, as appropriate, which is included in “financial income, net.” The foreign exchange gains and losses arose principally on the EURO and the NIS monetary balance sheet items as a result of the currency fluctuations of the EURO and the NIS against the dollar.

Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Principles of consolidation:

The consolidated financial statements incorporate the financial statements of the Company and all of its subsidiaries. All inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated on consolidation.

Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Cash equivalents:

Cash equivalents are short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to cash with original maturities of three months or less from the date acquired.

Short-term Deposit [Policy Text Block]

Short-term bank deposits:

Short-term bank deposits are deposits with maturities of more than three months but less than one year from the balance sheet date. The deposits are presented at their cost, including accrued interest. The deposits bear interest annually at an average rate of 1.12%, 1.54% and 3.95% during 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Marketable Securities, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Marketable securities:

Marketable securities consist mainly of corporate bonds. The Company determines the appropriate classification of marketable securities at the time of purchase and re-evaluates such designation at each balance sheet date. In accordance with FASB ASC No. 320 “Investments- Debt Securities,” the Company classifies marketable securities as available-for-sale. Available-for-sale securities are stated at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses reported in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), a separate component of stockholders’ equity, net of taxes. Realized gains and losses on sales of marketable securities, as determined on a specific identification basis, are included in financial income, net. The amortized cost of marketable securities is adjusted for amortization of premium and accretion of discount to maturity, both of which, together with interest, are included in financial income, net. The Company has classified all marketable securities as short-term, even though the stated maturity date may be one year or more beyond the current balance sheet date, because these securities are available to support current operations and the company may sell these debt securities prior to their stated maturities.

The Company determines realized gains or losses on sale of marketable securities on a specific identification method and records such gains or losses as financial income, net.

For each reporting period, the Company evaluates whether declines in fair value below the amortized cost are due to expected credit losses, as well as the Company's ability and intention to hold the investment until a forecasted recovery occurs, in accordance with ASC 326. Allowance for credit losses on available for sale debt securities are recognized as a charge in financial income on the consolidated statements of income, and any remaining unrealized losses, net of taxes, are included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). For the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, credit losses were immaterial.

Long-term Investments [Policy Text Block]

Long-term bank deposits:

Long-term bank deposits are deposits with maturities of more than one year as of the balance sheet date. The deposits presented at their cost, including accrued interest. The deposits bear interest annually at an average rate of 1.15% and 3.8% during 2021 and 2022, respectively. There were no long-term bank deposits as of December 31, 2023.

Trade Receivables and Allowance Policy [Policy Text Block]

Trade receivables and allowances:

Trade receivables are recorded and carried at the original invoiced amount less an allowance for any potential uncollectible amounts. The Company makes estimates of expected credit losses for the allowance for doubtful accounts and allowance for unbilled receivables based upon its assessment of various factors, including historical experience, the age of the trade receivable balances, credit quality of its customers, current economic conditions, reasonable and supportable forecasts of future economic conditions, and other factors that may affect its ability to collect from customers. The estimated credit loss allowance is recorded as general and administrative expenses on the Company’s consolidated statements of income (loss).

Property, Plant and Equipment, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Property and equipment, net:

Property and equipment are stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, at the following annual rates:

	%
Computers, software and equipment	15	-	33
Office furniture and equipment	7	-	33
Leasehold improvements	10	-	33
	(the shorter of the expected lease term or useful economic life)

The Company’s long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment in accordance with FASB ASC No. 360-10-35, “Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets,” whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of the carrying amount of an asset to be held and used is measured by a comparison of its carrying amount to the future undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by such asset (asset group). If such asset (asset group) is considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of such asset exceeds its fair value. In determining the fair value of long-lived assets for purposes of measuring impairment, the Company's assumptions include those that market participants would consider in valuations of similar assets.

No impairment was recorded during the years ended 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Lessee, Leases [Policy Text Block]

Leases:

The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception. The Company’s assessment is based on: (1) whether the contract includes an identified asset, (2) whether the Company obtains substantially all of the economic benefits from the use of the asset throughout the period of use, and (3) whether the Company has the right to direct how and for what purpose the identified asset is used throughout the period of use.

Leases are classified as either finance leases or operating leases. A lease is classified as a finance lease if any one of the following criteria are met: the lease transfers ownership of the asset by the end of the lease term, the lease contains an option to purchase the asset that is reasonably certain to be exercised, the lease term is for a major part of the remaining useful life of the asset, the present value of the lease payments equals or exceeds substantially all of the fair value of the asset, or the underlying asset is of such a specialized nature that it is expected to have no alternative use to the lessor at the end of lease term. A lease is classified as an operating lease if it does not meet any one of these criteria. Since all of the Company’s lease contracts do not meet any of the criteria above, the Company concluded that all of its lease contracts should be classified as operation leases.

Operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and liabilities are recognized on the commencement date based on the present value of remaining lease payments over the lease term. The lease term may include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise such options. For this purpose, the Company considers only payments that are fixed and determinable at the time of commencement. As the Company's leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on information available on the commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. The ROU asset also includes any lease payments made prior to commencement and is recorded net of any lease incentives received. All ROU assets are reviewed for impairment. In 2022, the Company abandoned one of its offices, and as a result $439 was written off. In 2023, the Company abandoned another office before the end of the lease period, and as a result $144 was written off.

The Company elected to not recognize a lease liability and a ROU asset for lease with a term of twelve months or less.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Goodwill, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Goodwill:

Goodwill is carried at cost and is not amortized but rather is tested for impairment at least annually or between annual tests in certain circumstances. The Company conducts its annual test of impairment for goodwill on October 1st of each year.

The Company operates in one operating segment and this segment comprises only one reporting unit.

ASC 350, "Intangibles – Goodwill and Other" ("ASC 350") allows an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative goodwill impairment test. If the qualitative assessment does not result in a more likely than not indication of impairment, no further impairment testing is required. If the Company elects not to use this option, or if the Company determines that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, then the Company prepares a quantitative analysis to determine whether the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value. If the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value, the Company recognizes an impairment of goodwill for the amount of this excess. For each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2023, no impairment of goodwill has been recorded.

Intangible Assets, Finite-Lived, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Intangible assets, net:

Acquired intangible assets with finite lives are amortized over their estimated useful lives. The Company amortizes intangible assets with finite lives over periods ranging from half a year to seven and a half years, using the straight-line method, unless another method is more appropriate.

The Company’s long-lived assets and intangible assets with finite lives are reviewed for impairment in accordance with ASC 360 whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of the carrying amount of an asset to be held and used is measured by a comparison of its carrying amount to the future undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by such asset (asset group). If such asset (asset group) is considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of such asset exceeds its fair value. In determining the fair value of long-lived assets for purposes of measuring impairment, the Company's assumptions include those that market participants would consider in valuations of similar assets.

The Company did not record any impairments during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2023. In 2022, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $3,556 in operating expenses with respect to Immervision technology acquired in August 2019, as the Company decided to cease the development of this product line. In 2022, the Company also recorded in cost of revenues an impairment charge of prepaid expenses as follows: (1) an impairment charge of $479 relating to an agreement to acquire certain NB-IoT technologies, and (2) an impairment charge of $1,479 relating to an agreement to purchase certain assets and services from Immervision.

Investment, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Investments in marketable equity securities:

The Company holds an equity interest in Cipia Vision Ltd (CPIA.TA) ("Cipia"), a publicly traded company listed on the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange. As such, the Company measures its Cipia investment at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in remeasurement of marketable equity securities in the consolidated statements of income (loss). As of December 31, 2023, the investment fair value amounted to $406. The Company recorded a gain of $1,983, a loss of $2,511 and a loss of $2 for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively from the remeasurement of the investment.

Revenue from Contract with Customer [Policy Text Block]

Revenue recognition:

The following is a description of principal activities from which the Company generates revenue. Revenues are recognized when control of the promised goods or services are transferred to the customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that the Company expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services.

The Company determines revenue recognition through the following steps:

● Identification of the contract with a customer;

● Identification of the performance obligations in the contract;

● Determination of the transaction price;

● Allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and

● Recognition of revenue when, or as, the Company satisfies a performance obligation.

The Company enters into contracts that can include various combinations of products and services, as detailed below, which are generally capable of being distinct and accounted for as separate performance obligations.

The Company generates its revenues from (1) licensing intellectual properties, which in certain circumstances are modified for customer-specific requirements, (2) royalty revenues, and (3) other revenues, which include revenues from support, training and sale of development systems and chips, which are included in licensing and related revenue in the accompanying consolidated statements of income (loss).

The Company accounts for its IP license revenues and related services, which provide the Company's customers with rights to use the Company's IP, in accordance with ASC 606, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers" (ASC 606"). A license may be perpetual or time limited in its application. In accordance with ASC 606, the Company will recognize revenue from IP license at the time of delivery when the customer obtains control of the IP, as the IP is functional without professional services, updates and technical support. The Company has concluded that its IP licenses are distinct as the customer can benefit from the licenses on their own.

Revenues from contracts that involve significant customization of the Company’s IP to customer-specific specifications are considered as one performance obligation satisfied over-time. Revenue related to these projects is recognized over time, usually based on a percentage that incurred labor effort to date bears to total projected labor effort. Incurred effort represents work performed, which corresponds with, and thereby best depicts, the transfer of control to the customer. Provisions for estimated losses on uncompleted contracts are made during the period in which such losses are first determined, in the amount of the estimated loss on the entire contract. Significant judgment is required when estimating total labor effort and progress to completion on these arrangements, as well as whether a loss is expected to be incurred on the project.

Most of the Company’s contracts with customers contain multiple performance obligations. For these contracts, the Company accounts for individual performance obligations separately, if they are distinct. The transaction price is allocated to the separate performance obligations on a relative standalone selling price basis. Standalone selling prices of IP license are typically estimated using the residual approach. Standalone selling prices of services are typically estimated based on observable transactions when these services are sold on a standalone basis. Standalone selling prices of significant customization of the Company’s IP to customer-specific specifications are typically estimated based on expected cost plus approach.

Revenues that are derived from the sale of a licensee’s products that incorporate the Company’s IP are classified as royalty revenues. Royalty revenues are recognized during the quarter in which the sale of the product incorporating the Company’s IP occurs. Royalties are calculated either as a percentage of the revenues received by the Company’s licensees on sales of products incorporating the Company’s IP or on a per unit basis, as specified in the agreements with the licensees. Royalty revenues are recognized during the quarter in which the Company receives the actual sales data from its customers after the quarter ends and accounts for it as unbilled receivables. When the Company does not receive actual sales data from the customer prior to the finalization of its financial statements, royalty revenues are recognized based on the Company’s estimation of the customer’s sales during the quarter.

Contracts with customers generally contain an agreement to provide for training and post contract support, which consists of telephone or e-mail support, correction of errors (bug fixing) and unspecified updates and upgrades. Fees for post contract support, which takes place after delivery to the customer, are specified in the contract and are generally mandatory for the first year. After the mandatory period, the customer may extend the support agreement on similar terms, usually on an annual basis. The Company considers the post contract support performance obligation as a distinct performance obligation that is satisfied over time, and as such, it recognizes revenue for post contract support on a straight-line basis over the period for which technical support is contractually agreed to be provided to the licensee, typically twelve months.

Revenues from the sale of development systems and chips are recognized when control of the promised goods or services are transferred to the customers.

When contracts involve a significant financing component, the Company adjusts the promised amount of consideration for the effects of the time value of money if the timing of payments agreed to by the parties to the contract (either explicitly or implicitly) provide the customer with a significant benefit of financing, unless the financing period is under one year and only after the products or services were provided as the Company elected to use the practical expedient under ASC 606.

Deferred revenues, which represent a contract liability, include unearned amounts received under license agreements, unearned technical support and amounts paid by customers not yet recognized as revenues.

The Company capitalizes sales commission as costs of obtaining a contract when they are incremental and, if they are expected to be recovered, amortized in a manner consistent with the pattern of transfer of the good or service to which the asset relates. If the expected amortization period is one year or less, the commission fee is expensed when incurred.

Revenue from Contract with Customer, Cost of Sales [Policy Text Block]

Cost of revenue:

Cost of revenue includes the costs of products, services and royalty expense payments to the Israeli Innovation Authority of the Ministry of Economy and Industry in Israel (the “IIA“) (refer to Note 16 for further details). Cost of product revenue includes materials, subcontractors, amortization of acquired assets and the portion of development costs associated with product development arrangements. Cost of service revenue includes salary and related costs for personnel engaged in services, training and customer support, and travel, office expenses and other support costs.

Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Income taxes:

The Company recognizes income taxes under the liability method. It recognizes deferred income tax assets and liabilities for the expected future consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities. These differences are measured using the enacted statutory tax rates that are expected to apply to taxable income for the years in which differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred income taxes is recognized in the statements of income (loss) during the period that includes the enactment date.

Valuation allowance is recorded to reduce the deferred tax assets to the net amount that the Company believes is more likely than not to be realized. The Company considers all available evidence, both positive and negative, including historical levels of income, expectations and risks associated with estimates of future taxable income and ongoing tax planning strategies, in assessing the need for a valuation allowance.  

The Company accounts for uncertain tax positions in accordance with ASC 740, “Income Taxes” (“ASC 740”). ASC 740-10 contains a two-step approach to recognizing and measuring uncertain tax positions. The first step is to evaluate the tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that, on an evaluation of the technical merits, the tax position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes. The second step is to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 50% (cumulative probability) likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement. The Company accrues interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits under taxes on income.

Research and Development Expense, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Research and development, net:

Research and development costs are charged to the consolidated statements of income (loss) as incurred and are presented net of government grants (see note Government grants and tax credits)..

Government Grants and Tax Credits [Policy Text Block]

Government grants and tax credits:

Government grants received by the Company relating to categories of operating expenditures are credited to the consolidated statements of income (loss) during the period in which the expenditure to which they relate is charged. Royalty and non-royalty-bearing grants from the IIA for funding certain approved research and development projects are recognized at the time when the Company is entitled to such grants, on the basis of the related costs incurred, and included as a deduction from research and development expenses in the consolidated statements of income (loss).

The Company recorded grants in the amounts of $, $ and $ for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively. The Company’s Israeli subsidiary is obligated to pay royalties amounting to 3%-3.5% of the sales of certain products the development of which received grants from the IIA in previous years. The obligation to pay these royalties is contingent on actual sales of the products. Grants received from the IIA may become repayable if certain criteria under the grants are not met.

The French Research Tax Credit, Crédit d’Impôt Recherche (“CIR”), is a French tax incentive to stimulate research and development (“R&D”) which is relevant for the Company's French subsidiaries (RivieraWaves SAS and Ceva France). Generally, the CIR offsets the income tax to be paid and the remaining portion (if any) can be refunded. The CIR is calculated based on the claimed volume of eligible R&D expenditures by the Company. As a result, the CIR is presented as a deduction from “research and development expenses” in the consolidated statements of income (loss). During the years ended December 31, 2021, 2022 and 2023, the Company recorded CIR benefits in the amount of $2,299, $2,152 and $2,509, respectively.

The research & development (R&D) tax credit in the UK is designed to encourage innovation and increase spending on R&D activities for companies operating in the UK. This is relevant to the Company’s subsidiary R&D centers in the UK. Generally, the UK R&D tax credit offsets the income tax to be paid and the remaining portion (if any) will be refunded. The R&D tax credit is calculated based on the claimed volume of eligible R&D expenditures by the Company. As a result, the R&D tax credit is presented as a deduction from “research and development expenses” in the consolidated statements of income (loss). During the years ended December 31, 2021, 2022 and 2023, the Company recorded R&D tax credit benefits in the amount of $248, $164 and $107, respectively.

Pension and Other Postretirement Plans, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Employee benefit plan:

Certain of the Company’s employees are eligible to participate in a defined contribution pension plan (the “Plan”). Participants in the Plan may elect to defer a portion of their pre-tax earnings into the Plan, which is run by an independent party. The Company makes pension contributions at rates varying up to 10% of the participant’s pensionable salary. Contributions to the Plan are recorded as an expense in the consolidated statements of income (loss).

The Company’s U.S. operations maintain a retirement plan (the “U.S. Plan”) that qualifies as a deferred salary arrangement under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. Participants in the U.S. Plan may elect to defer a portion of their pre-tax earnings, up to the Internal Revenue Service annual contribution limit. The Company matches 50% of each participant’s contributions up to a maximum of 6% of the participant’s base pay. Each participant may contribute up to 15% of base remuneration. Contributions to the U.S. Plan are recorded during the year contributed as an expense in the consolidated statements of income (loss).

Total contributions for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2022 and 2023 were $1,155, $1,034 and $1,371, respectively.

Severance Pay [Policy Text Block]

Accrued severance pay:

Effective July 1, 2021, the Israeli subsidiary’s agreements with employees hired prior to August 1, 2016, are under Section 14 of the Severance Pay Law, 1963. Up to July 1, 2021, the liability of Ceva’s Israeli subsidiary for severance pay for employees hired prior to August 1, 2016, was calculated pursuant to Israeli severance pay law based on the most recent salary of each employee multiplied by the number of years of employment for these employee as of June 30, 2021. The Israeli subsidiary’s liability for the period until June 30, 2021, is fully provided for by monthly deposits with severance pay funds, insurance policies and an accrual. The deposited funds include profits and losses accumulated up to December 31, 2023. The deposited funds may be withdrawn only upon the fulfillment of the obligation pursuant to Israeli severance pay law or labor agreements. The value of these policies is recorded as an asset on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

Effective August 1, 2016, the Israeli subsidiary’s agreements with new employees in Israel are under Section 14 of the Severance Pay Law, 1963, and effective July 1, 2021, also with employees hired prior to August 1, 2016. The Israeli subsidiary’s contributions for severance pay have extinguished its severance obligation. Upon contribution of the full amount based on the employee’s monthly salary for each year of service, no additional obligation exists regarding the matter of severance pay, and no additional payments is made by the Israeli subsidiary to the employee. Furthermore, the related obligation and amounts deposited on behalf of the employee for such obligation are not stated on the balance sheet, as the Israeli subsidiary is legally released from any obligation to employees once the required deposit amounts have been paid.

Severance pay expenses, net of related income, for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2022 and 2023, were $1,943, $2,706 and $2,117, respectively.

Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Policy Text Block]

Equity-based compensation:

The Company accounts for equity-based compensation in accordance with FASB ASC No. 718, “Stock Compensation” which requires the recognition of compensation expenses based on estimated fair values for all equity-based awards made to employees and non-employee directors. Equity-based compensation primarily includes restricted stock units (“RSUs”), as well as options, stock appreciation right (“SAR”), performance-based stock units (“PSUs”) and employee stock purchase plan awards.

The Company use the straight-line recognition method for awards subject to graded vesting based only on a service condition and the accelerated method for awards that are subject to performance or market conditions. The fair value of each RSU and PSU (excluding PSUs based on market condition awards) is the market value as determined by the closing price of the common stock on the day of grant. The Company estimates the fair value of PSU based on market condition awards on the date of grant using the Monte-Carlo simulation model. The Company estimates the fair value of stock option awards on the date of grant using the Black & Scholes model.

The fair value for rights to purchase shares of common stock under the Company’s employee stock purchase plan was estimated on the date of grant using the following assumptions:

	2021					2022					2023
Expected dividend yield			0	%				0	%				0	%
Expected volatility	39	%	-	60	%	38	%	-	50	%	45	%	-	47	%
Risk-free interest rate	0.1	%	-	1.7	%	0.5	%	-	3.0	%	4.8	%	-	5.5	%
Expected forfeiture				0	%			0	%				0	%
Contractual term of up to (in months)	6					6					6

During the years ended December 31, 2021, 2022 and 2023, the Company recognized equity-based compensation expense related to stock options, SARs, RSUs, PSUs and employee stock purchase plan as follows:

	Year ended December 31,
	2021		2022		2023
Cost of revenue	$	513	$	687	$	826
Research and development, net		7,187		8,259		9,133
Sales and marketing		1,608		1,503		1,776
General and administrative		3,291		2,888		3,795
Total equity-based compensation expense from continuing operations		12,599		13,337		15,530
Equity-based compensation expense included in discontinued operations		456		1,168		668
Total equity-based compensation expense	$	13,055	$	14,505	$	16,198

As of December 31, 2023, there was $20,839 of unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested RSUs and PSUs. This amount is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.5 years. As of December 31, 2023, there was $275 of unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested stock option and employee stock purchase plan. This amount is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.0 years. There was no unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested SARs.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Fair value of financial instruments:

The carrying amount of cash and cash equivalents, short-term bank deposits, trade receivables, prepaid expenses and other accounts receivable, trade payables, deferred revenues, accrued expenses and other accounts payable and accrued payroll and related benefits approximates fair value due to the short-term maturities of these instruments. Marketable securities, marketable equity securities and derivative instruments are carried at fair value. See Note 5 for more information.

Comprehensive Income, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Comprehensive income (loss):

The Company accounts for comprehensive income (loss) in accordance with FASB ASC No. 220, “Comprehensive Income.” This statement establishes standards for the reporting and display of comprehensive income (loss) and its components in a full set of general purpose financial statements. Comprehensive income (loss) generally represents all changes in stockholders’ equity during the period except those resulting from investments by, or distributions to, stockholders. The Company’s items of other comprehensive income (loss) relate to unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, on hedging derivative instruments and marketable securities.

Concentration Risk, Credit Risk, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Concentration of credit risk:

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash, cash equivalents, bank deposits, marketable securities, foreign exchange contracts and trade receivables. The Company invests its surplus cash in cash deposits and marketable securities in financial institutions and has established guidelines relating to diversification and maturities to maintain safety and liquidity of the investments.

The majority of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents are invested in high grade certificates of deposits with major U.S., European and Israeli banks. Generally, cash and cash equivalents and bank deposits may be redeemed on demand and therefore minimal credit risk exists with respect to them. Nonetheless, deposits with these banks exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insurance limits or similar limits in foreign jurisdictions, to the extent such deposits are even insured in such foreign jurisdictions. Generally, these cash equivalents may be redeemed upon demand and, therefore management believes that it bears a lower risk. The short-term and long-term bank deposits are held in financial institutions which management believes are institutions with high credit standing, and accordingly, minimal credit risk from geographic or credit concentration. Furthermore, the Company holds an investment portfolio consisting principally of corporate bonds. The Company has the ability to hold such investments until recovery of temporary declines in market value or maturity.

The Company’s trade receivables are geographically diverse, mainly in the Asia Pacific, and also in the United States and Europe. Concentration of credit risk with respect to trade receivables is limited by credit limits, ongoing credit evaluation and account monitoring procedures. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and to date has not experienced any material losses. The Company makes estimates of expected credit losses for based upon its assessment of various factors, including historical experience, the age of the trade receivable balances, credit quality of its customers, current economic conditions, reasonable and supportable forecasts of future economic conditions, and other factors that may affect its ability to collect from customers.

	Balance at beginning of period		Additions		Deduction			Balance at end of period
Year ended December 31, 2023
Allowance for credit losses	$	313	$	—	$	(25	)	$	288
Year ended December 31, 2022
Allowance for credit losses	$	288	$	25	$	—		$	313
Year ended December 31, 2021
Allowance for credit losses	$	300	$	152	$	(164	)	$	288

The Company has no off-balance-sheet concentration of credit risk.

Derivatives, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Derivative and hedging activities:

The Company follows the requirements of FASB ASC No. 815,” Derivatives and Hedging” which requires companies to recognize all of their derivative instruments as either assets or liabilities in the statement of financial position at fair value. The accounting for changes in fair value (i.e., gains or losses) of a derivative instrument depends on whether it has been designated and qualifies as part of a hedging transaction and further, on the type of hedging transaction. For those derivative instruments that are designated and qualify as hedging instruments, a company must designate the hedging instrument, based upon the exposure being hedged, as a fair value hedge, cash flow hedge, or a hedge of a net investment in a foreign operation. Due to the Company’s global operations, it is exposed to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations in the normal course of its business. The Company’s treasury policy allows it to offset the risks associated with the effects of certain foreign currency exposures through the purchase of foreign exchange forward or option contracts (“Hedging Contracts”). The policy, however, prohibits the Company from speculating on such Hedging Contracts for profit. To protect against the increase in value of forecasted foreign currency cash flow resulting from salaries paid in currencies other than the U.S. dollar during the year, the Company instituted a foreign currency cash flow hedging program. The Company hedges portions of the anticipated payroll of its non-U.S. employees denominated in the currencies other than the U.S. dollar for a period of one to twelve months with Hedging Contracts. Accordingly, when the dollar strengthens against the foreign currencies, the decline in present value of future foreign currency expenses is offset by losses in the fair value of the Hedging Contracts. Conversely, when the dollar weakens, the increase in the present value of future foreign currency expenses is offset by gains in the fair value of the Hedging Contracts. These Hedging Contracts are designated as cash flow hedges.

For derivative instruments that are designated and qualify as a cash flow hedge (i.e., hedging the exposure to variability in expected future cash flows that is attributable to a particular risk), the gain or loss on the derivative instrument is reported as a component of other comprehensive income (loss) and reclassified into earnings in the same period or periods during which the hedged transaction affects earnings.

As of December 31, 2022, and 2023, the notional principal amount of the Hedging Contracts to sell U.S. dollars held by the Company was $12,200 and $16,500, respectively.

Advertising Cost [Policy Text Block]

Advertising expenses:

Advertising expenses are charged to consolidated statements of income (loss) as incurred. Advertising expenses for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2022 and 2023 were $596, $734 and $780, respectively.

Treasury Stock [Policy Text Block]

Treasury stock:

The Company repurchases its common stock from time to time pursuant to a board-authorized share repurchase program through open market purchases and repurchase plans.

The repurchases of common stock are accounted for as treasury stock, and result in a reduction of stockholders’ equity. When treasury shares are reissued, the Company accounts for the reissuance in accordance with FASB ASC No. 505-30, “Treasury Stock” and charges the excess of the repurchase cost over issuance price using the weighted average method to retained earnings. The purchase cost is calculated based on the specific identified method. In the case where the repurchase cost over issuance price using the weighted average method is lower than the issuance price, the Company credits the difference to additional paid-in capital.

Earnings Per Share, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Net income (loss) per share of common stock:

Basic net income (loss) per share is computed based on the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during each year. Diluted net income (loss) per share is computed based on the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during each year, plus dilutive potential shares of common stock considered outstanding during the year, in accordance with FASB ASC No. 260, “Earnings Per Share.”

	Year ended December 31,
	2021			2022			2023
Numerator:
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	$	2,397		$	(13,878	)	$	(18,437	)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations		(2,001	)		(9,305	)		6,559
Net income (loss)	$	396		$	(23,183	)	$	(11,878	)
Denominator (in thousands):
Basic weighted-average common stock outstanding		22,819			23,172			23,484
Effect of stock-based awards		432			—			—
Diluted weighted-average common stock outstanding		23,251			23,172			23,484
Basic net income (loss) per share from continuing operations	$	0.11		$	(0.60	)	$	(0.79	)
Basic net income (loss) per share from discontinued operations	$	(0.09	)	$	(0.40	)	$	0.28
Basic net income (loss) per share	$	0.02		$	(1.00	)	$	(0.51	)
Diluted net income (loss) per share from continuing operations	$	0.10		$	(0.60	)	$	(0.79	)
Diluted net income (loss) per share from discontinued operations	$	(0.08	)	$	(0.40	)	$	0.28
Diluted net income (loss) per share	$	0.02		$	(1.00	)	$	(0.51	)

The weighted-average number of shares related to outstanding equity-based awards excluded from the calculation of diluted net income (loss) per share, since their effect was anti-dilutive, were 65,073 shares for the year ended December 31, 2021. The total number of shares related to outstanding equity-based awards excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share, since their effect was anti-dilutive, was 985,277 for the year ended December 31, 2022. The total number of shares related to outstanding equity-based awards excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share, since their effect was anti-dilutive, was 1,381,176 for the year ended December 31, 2023.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Accounting Standards Recently Issued, Not Yet Adopted by the Company:

In June 2022, the FASB issued ASU No. 2022-03, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Fair Value Measurement of Equity Securities Subject to Contractual Sale Restrictions, which clarifies the guidance when measuring the fair value of an equity security subject to contractual restrictions that prohibit the sale of an equity security and introduces new disclosure requirements for equity securities subject to contractual sale restrictions that are measured at fair value in accordance with Topic 820. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2023, with early adoption permitted. The adoption of this standard is not expected to result in a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures, which requires public entities to disclose information about their reportable segments’ significant expenses and other segment items on an interim and annual basis. Public entities with a single reportable segment are required to apply the disclosure requirements in ASU 2023-07, as well as all existing segment disclosures and reconciliation requirements in ASC 280 on an interim and annual basis. ASU 2023-07 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and for interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2023-07.

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, which requires public entities, on an annual basis, to provide disclosure of specific categories in the rate reconciliation, as well as disclosure of income taxes paid disaggregated by jurisdiction. ASU 2023-09 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2023-09.