Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Nov. 30, 2013

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation—The Company’s unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and applicable provisions of the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) regarding interim financial reporting. Certain information and disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted as permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC. Accordingly, these unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on November 26, 2013. The unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet as of August 31, 2013 included herein was derived from the audited consolidated financial statements as of that date.

The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited consolidated financial statements and include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of November 30, 2013, the statements of operations and comprehensive loss for the three months ended November 30, 2013 and 2012, the statement of changes in equity for the three months ended November 30, 2013, and the statements of cash flows for the three months ended November 30, 2013 and 2012. The results for the three months ended November 30, 2013 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending August 31, 2014.

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation—The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of SemiLEDs and its consolidated subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated during consolidation.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates—The preparation of unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include the collectibility of accounts receivable, inventory net realizable values, realization of deferred tax assets, valuation of stock-based compensation expense, the useful lives of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets, the recoverability of the carrying amount of property, plant and equipment, intangible assets, goodwill and investments in unconsolidated entities, the fair value of acquired tangible and intangible assets, income tax uncertainties, provision for potential litigation costs and other contingencies. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and also on assumptions that it believes are reasonable. Management assesses these estimates on a regular basis; however, actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

Certain Significant Risks and Uncertainties

Certain Significant Risks and Uncertainties—The Company is subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could have a material and adverse effect on the Company’s future financial position or results of operations, which risks and uncertainties include, among others: it has incurred significant losses over the last three fiscal years, any inability of the Company to compete in a rapidly evolving market and to respond quickly and effectively to changing market requirements, any inability of the Company to grow its revenue and/or maintain or increase its margins, it may experience fluctuations in its revenues and operating results, any inability of the Company to protect its intellectual property rights, claims by others that the Company infringes their proprietary technology, and any inability of the Company to raise additional funds in the future.

Concentration of Supply Risk

Concentration of Supply Risk—Some of the components and technologies used in the Company’s products are purchased and licensed from a limited number of sources and some of the Company’s products are produced by a limited number of contract manufacturers. The loss of any of these suppliers and contract manufacturers may cause the Company to incur transition costs to another supplier or contract manufacturer, result in delays in the manufacturing and delivery of the Company’s products, or cause it to carry excess or obsolete inventory. The Company relies on a limited number of such suppliers and contract manufacturers for the fulfillment of its customer orders. Any failure of such suppliers and contract manufacturers to perform could have an adverse effect upon the Company’s reputation and its ability to distribute its products or satisfy customers’ orders, which could adversely affect the Company’s business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Concentration of Credit Risk—Financial instruments that subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash, cash equivalents and accounts receivable.

The Company keeps its cash and cash equivalents in demand deposits with prominent banks of high credit quality and invests only in money market funds. Deposits held with banks may exceed the amount of insurance provided on such deposits. As of November 30, 2013 and August 31, 2013, cash and cash equivalents of the Company consisted of the following (in thousands):

Cash and Cash Equivalents by Location	November 30, 2013		August 31, 2013
United States:
Denominated in U.S. dollars	$	18,582	$	18,631
Taiwan:
Denominated in U.S. dollars	6,997		16,158
Denominated in New Taiwan dollars	1,403		445
Denominated in other currencies	332		264
China (including Hong Kong):
Denominated in U.S. dollars	377		345
Denominated in Renminbi	430		428
Denominated in H.K. dollars	1		1
Total cash and cash equivalents	$	28,122	$	36,272

The Company’s revenues are substantially derived from the sales of LED products. A significant portion of the Company’s revenues are derived from a limited number of customers and sales are concentrated in a few select markets. Management performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and generally does not require collateral on accounts receivable. Management evaluates the need to establish an allowance for doubtful accounts for estimated potential credit losses at each reporting period. The allowance for doubtful accounts is based on the management’s assessment of the collectibility of its customer accounts. Management regularly reviews the allowance by considering certain factors, such as historical experience, industry data, credit quality, age of accounts receivable balances and current economic conditions that may affect a customer’s ability to pay.

Net revenues generated from sales to the top ten customers represented 43% and 47% of the Company’s total net revenues for the three months ended November 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

The Company’s revenues have been concentrated in a few select markets, including Taiwan, the United States, China and Russia. Net revenues generated from sales to customers in these markets, in the aggregate, accounted for 61% and 62% of the Company’s total net revenues for the three months ended November 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Noncontrolling Interests

Noncontrolling Interests—Noncontrolling interests are classified in the consolidated statements of operations as part of consolidated net income (loss) and the accumulated amount of noncontrolling interests in the consolidated balance sheets as part of equity. Changes in ownership interest in a consolidated subsidiary that do not result in a loss of control are accounted for as an equity transaction. If a change in ownership of a consolidated subsidiary results in loss of control and deconsolidation, any retained ownership interests are remeasured with the gain or loss reported in net earnings.

Transactions with noncontrolling interests had the following effect on equity attributable to SemiLEDs stockholders (in thousands):

	Three Months Ended November30, 2013
Net loss attributable to SemiLEDs stockholders	$	(6,292	)
Transfers to noncontrolling interests:
Decrease in SemiLEDs additional paid in capital for purchase of common shares in Ning Xiang	(142		)
Change from net loss attributable to SemiLEDs stockholders and transfer to noncontrolling interests	$	(6,434	)

Recent Accounting Pronouncement

Recent Accounting Pronouncement

Presentation of Certain Unrecognized Tax Benefits—In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-11, “Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists,” which requires an entity to present an unrecognized tax benefit as a reduction of a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss (NOL) carryforward, or similar tax loss, or tax credit carryforward, rather than as a liability, when: (1) the uncertain tax position would reduce the NOL or other carryforward under the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction; and (2) the entity intends to use the deferred tax asset for that purpose. The ASU is effective prospectively for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. Early adoption and retrospective application are permitted. This ASU is effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2015. The Company has elected not to early adopt this ASU.