Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2018

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of FireEye, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”), and following the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), for interim reporting. As permitted under those rules, certain footnotes or other financial information that are normally required by U.S. GAAP can be condensed or omitted. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as our annual consolidated financial statements and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, that are necessary for a fair statement of our financial information. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2018 or for any other interim period or for any other future year. The balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 has been derived from audited consolidated financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information required by U.S. GAAP for annual consolidated financial statements.

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and related financial information should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2017 included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.

The Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), effective January 1, 2018 using the full retrospective method. The cumulative effect of the adoption was recognized as an increase to accumulated deficit of $113 million on January 1, 2018 and impacted certain other prior period amounts. Certain amounts and disclosures set forth in this Form 10-Q have been updated to comply with the new standards.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of 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 financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Such management estimates include, but are not limited to, determining the nature and timing of satisfaction of performance obligations, determining the standalone selling price ("SSP") of performance obligations, subscriptions and services, commissions expense including the period of benefit of customer acquisition cost, bonus expense, future taxable income, contract manufacturer liabilities, litigation and settlement costs and other loss contingencies, fair value of our equity awards, achievement of targets for performance stock units, fair value of the liability and equity components of convertible senior notes and the purchase price allocation of acquired businesses. We base our estimates on historical experience and also on assumptions that we believe are reasonable. Changes in facts or circumstances may cause us to change our assumptions and estimates in future periods, and it is possible that actual results could differ from current or revised future estimates.

Revenue from Contracts with Customers

Deferred Revenue (Contract Liabilities) and Contract Assets

Deferred revenue consists of amounts that have been invoiced and for which the Company has the right to bill, but that have not been recognized as revenue because the related goods or services have not been transferred. Deferred revenue that will be realized during the succeeding 12 month period is recorded as current, and the remaining deferred revenue is recorded as non-current. Deferred revenue presented in the consolidated balance sheet and notes thereto is net of contract assets. Our contract assets consist of assets typically resulting when revenue recognized exceeds the amount billed or billable to the customer due to allocation of transaction price.

Deferred Costs of Revenue

Deferred costs of revenue consists of appliance related direct and incremental costs that are capitalized and will be amortized on a systematic basis that is consistent with the pattern of transfer to which the asset relates. Deferred costs of revenue that will be realized within the succeeding 12 month period are classified as current, and included in prepaid expenses and other current assets on the consolidated balance sheets. The remaining balance is classified as non-current, and included in deposits and other long-term assets.

In instances where the timing of revenue recognition differs from the timing of invoicing, we have determined our contracts generally do not include a significant financing component. The primary purpose of our invoicing terms is to provide customers with simplified and predictable ways of purchasing our products and services, not to receive financing from our customers or to provide customers with financing. Examples include invoicing at the beginning of a subscription term with revenue recognized ratably over the contract period.

Deferred Commissions

Our customer acquisition costs are primarily related to sales commissions and related payroll taxes earned by our sales force and such costs are considered incremental costs to obtain a contract. Sales commissions for initial contracts are deferred and then amortized taking into consideration the pattern of transfer to which asset relate and may include expected renewal periods where renewal commissions are not commensurate with the initial commissions period. We typically recognize the initial commissions over the longer of the customer relationship (generally estimated to be four years) or over the same period as the initial revenue arrangement to which these costs relate. Renewal commissions not commensurate with the initial commissions paid are generally amortized over the renewal period. Deferred commissions that will amortize within the succeeding 12 month period are classified as current, and included in prepaid expenses and other current assets on the consolidated balance sheet. The remaining balance is classified as non-current, and included in deposits and other long-term assets.

Revenue from Contracts with Customers

Revenue is recognized when all of the following criteria are met:

•Identification of the contract, or contracts, with a customer - A contract with a customer exists when (i) we enter into an enforceable contract with a customer that defines each party’s rights regarding the goods or services to be transferred and identifies the payment terms related to these goods or services, (ii) the contract has commercial substance and the parties are committed to perform and, (iii) we determine that collection of substantially all consideration to which it will be entitled in exchange for goods or services that will be transferred is probable based on the customer’s intent and ability to pay the promised consideration.

•Identification of the performance obligations in the contract - Performance obligations promised in a contract are identified based on the goods or services that will be transferred to the customer that are both capable of being distinct, whereby the customer can benefit from the goods or service either on its own or together with other resources that are readily available from third parties or from us, and are distinct in the context of the contract, whereby the transfer of the goods or services is separately identifiable from other promises in the contract. To the extent a contract includes multiple promised goods or services, we apply judgment to determine whether promised goods or services are capable of being distinct and distinct in the context of the contract. If these criteria are not met the promised goods or services are accounted for as a combined performance obligation.

•Determination of the transaction price - The transaction price is determined based on the consideration to which we will be entitled in exchange for transferring goods or services to the customer adjusted for estimated variable consideration, if any. We typically estimate the transaction price impact of discounts offered to the customers for early payments on receivables or rebates based on sales target achievements. Constraints are applied when estimating variable considerations based on historical experience where applicable.

•Allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract - If the contract contains a single performance obligation, the entire transaction price is allocated to the single performance obligation. Contracts that contain multiple performance obligations require an allocation of the transaction price to each performance obligation based on a relative SSP basis. Determination of SSP requires judgement. We determine standalone selling price taking into account available information such as historical selling prices of the performance obligation, geographic location, overall strategic pricing objective, market conditions and internally approved pricing guidelines related to the performance obligations.

•Recognition of revenue when, or as, we satisfy performance obligation - We satisfy performance obligations either over time or at a point in time as discussed in further detail below. Revenue is recognized at or over the time the related performance obligation is satisfied by transferring a promised good or service to a customer.

Nature of products and services

We generate revenue from the sales of security appliances (products), subscriptions, support and maintenance and professional services, primarily through our indirect relationships with our partners or direct relationships with end customers through our direct sales force. We account for our performance obligations in accordance with the ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), and all related interpretations.

All of our security appliance deliverables include proprietary operating system software, which together with regular security intelligence updates deliver the essential functionality of our appliance-based security products. We combine intelligence dependent appliances and software licenses with the related intelligence subscription and support as a single performance obligation. As a result, we recognize intelligence dependent appliance and software license revenue ratably over the longer of the life of the related appliance and license when our contracts contain material right of renewal options or the contractual term, rather than recognizing revenue at the time of shipping. For the contracts where the term is less than the life of the appliance and license, the intelligence subscription and support revenue is recognized ratably over the contractual term with the allocated value of the material right performance obligations recognized in the period between the end of the contractual term and the useful life. Where our contracts do not contain material right of renewal options, or the contractual term is longer than the useful life, we expect to recognize intelligence dependent appliance and software license revenue ratably over the contractual term. Significant judgement is required in estimating the useful life of our security appliances that are dependent on intelligence and assessing the material rights associated with it.

Revenue from subscriptions to cloud-based services, which allow customers to use our hosted security software over a contracted period without taking possession of the software and managed services where FireEye manages security for the customer are recognized over the contractual term. We also have a small portion of our revenue from appliances and software that are not dependent on regular threat intelligence updates. Revenue from these appliances and software is therefore recognized at a point in time when ownership is transferred to our customers.

Professional services, which include incident response, compromise assessments, and other security consulting services are offered on a time and materials basis or through a fixed fee arrangement, and we recognize the associated revenue as the services are delivered.

Accounts Receivable

Trade accounts receivable are recorded at the billable amount where we have the unconditional right to bill, net of allowances for doubtful accounts. The allowance for doubtful accounts is based on our assessment of the collectability of accounts. Management regularly reviews the adequacy of the allowance for doubtful accounts by considering the age of each outstanding invoice, each customer's expected ability to pay and collection history, when applicable, to determine whether a specific allowance is appropriate. Accounts receivable deemed uncollectible are charged against the allowance for doubtful accounts when identified.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2018, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2018-02 that provides companies with an option to reclassify stranded tax effects resulting from enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("TCJA") from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings. The guidance will be effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of 2019 with early adoption permitted, and would be applied either in the period of adoption or retrospectively to each period (or periods) in which the effect of the change in the tax rate as a result of TCJA is recognized. The Company has not made a determination as to which alternative methods it will use when it adopts this standard, but does not expect the adoption of this ASU to have a material impact on its results of operations, financial position and cash flows.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. This standard eliminates the requirement to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill to measure a goodwill impairment charge (i.e. Step 2 of the current guidance), instead measuring the impairment charge as the excess of the reporting unit's carrying amount over its fair value (i.e. Step 1 of the current guidance). The guidance is effective for us beginning in the first quarter of 2020, and should be applied prospectively. Early adoption is permitted for impairment testing dates after January 1, 2017. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. This standard changes the impairment model for most financial assets and certain other instruments by introducing a current expected credit loss (CECL) model. The CECL model is a more forward-looking approach based on expected losses rather than incurred losses, requiring entities to estimate and record losses expected over the remaining contractual life of an asset. The guidance is effective for us beginning in the first quarter of 2020. Early adoption beginning in 2019 is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact the adoption of this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). This standard is intended to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. The guidance is effective for us beginning in the first quarter of 2019, and should be applied on a modified retrospective basis. Early adoption is permitted. We expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

Fair Value Measurements

The accounting guidance for fair value measurements provides a framework for measuring fair value on either a recurring or nonrecurring basis, whereby the inputs used in our valuation techniques are assigned a hierarchical level. The following are the three levels of inputs to measure fair value:


•	Level 1: Observable inputs that reflect quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets.

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Level 2: Inputs that reflect quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in less active markets; quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; benchmark yields, reported trades, broker/dealer quotes, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the assets or liabilities; or inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means.


•	Level 3: Unobservable inputs that reflect our own assumptions incorporated in valuation techniques used to measure fair value. These assumptions are required to be consistent with market participant assumptions that are reasonably available.

We consider an active market to be one in which transactions for the asset or liability occur with sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis, and consider an inactive market to be one in which there are infrequent or few transactions for the asset or liability, the prices are not current, or price quotations vary substantially either over time or among market makers. Where appropriate, our own or the counterparty’s non-performance risk is considered in measuring the fair values of assets.

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for trade and other accounts receivable, and finance, loan and lease receivables, including those classified as held for investment and held for sale. This disclosure may include (1) the basis at which such receivables are carried in the entity's statements of financial position (2) how the level of the valuation allowance for receivables is determined (3) when impairments, charge-offs or recoveries are recognized for such receivables (4) the treatment of origination fees and costs, including the amortization method for net deferred fees or costs (5) the treatment of any premiums or discounts or unearned income (6) the entity's income recognition policies for such receivables, including those that are impaired, past due or placed on nonaccrual status and (7) the treatment of foreclosures or repossessions (8) the nature and amount of any guarantees to repurchase receivables.

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