NOTE 5 - PDMCX JOINT VENTURE

In January 2018, Photronics, through its wholly-owned Singapore subsidiary (hereinafter, within this Note “we”, or “Photronics”), and Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd., through its wholly owned subsidiary “DNP Asia Pacific PTE, Ltd.” (hereinafter, within this Note “DNP”) entered into a joint venture under which DNP obtained a 49.99% interest in our recently established IC business in Xiamen, China, which includes the facility currently under construction. The joint venture, known as “Photronics DNP Mask Corporation Xiamen” (hereinafter, “PDMCX”), was established to develop and manufacture photomasks for leading edge and advanced generation semiconductors. We entered into this joint venture to enable us to compete more effectively for the merchant photomask business in China and to benefit from the additional resources and investment that DNP will provide to enable us to offer advanced process technology to our customers. No gain or loss was recorded upon the formation of the joint venture.

As of July 29, 2018, Photronics and DNP have each contributed cash of approximately $18.0 million to the joint venture, including contributions of $6.0 million each during the three month period ended July 29, 2018. We estimate that, over the next several years and per the PDMCX joint venture operating agreement (“the Agreement”), DNP and Photronics will each contribute additional cash and capital of $62 million, including any additional amounts which may be obtained through local borrowings to satisfy the terms of the Xiamen investment agreement (referenced below).

Under the Agreement, DNP is afforded, under certain circumstances, the right to put its interest in PDMCX to Photronics. These circumstances include disputes regarding the strategic direction of PDMCX that arise after the initial two year term of the Agreement and cannot be resolved between the two parties. In addition, both Photronics and DNP have the option to purchase, or put, their interest from, or to, the other party, should their ownership interest fall below 20% for a period of more than six consecutive months. Under all such circumstances, the sales of ownership interests would be at the exiting party’s ownership percentage of the joint venture’s net book value, with closing to take place within three business days of obtaining required approvals and clearance.

We recorded net losses from the operations of the PDMCX joint venture of approximately $0.2 million, and $0.9 million in the three and nine month periods ended July 29, 2018, respectively. General creditors of PDMCX do not have recourse to the assets of Photronics, Inc., and the maximum exposure to loss for Photronics from PDMCX at July 29, 2018, was $16.1 million.

As required by the guidance in Topic 810 - “Consolidation” of the Accounting Codification Standards, we evaluated our involvement in PDMCX for the purpose of determining whether we should consolidate its results in our financial statements. The initial step of our evaluation was to determine whether PDMCX was a variable interest entity (“VIE”). Due to its lack of sufficient equity at risk to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support, we determined that it is a VIE. Having made this determination, we then assessed whether we were the primary beneficiary of the VIE, and concluded that we were the primary beneficiary during the current reporting period; thus, as required, the PDMCX financial results should be consolidated with Photronics, Inc. Our conclusion was based on the fact that we held a controlling financial interest in PDMCX, which resulted from our having the power to direct the activities that most significantly impacted its economic performance, the obligation to absorb losses, and the right to receive benefits that could potentially be significant to PDMCX. Our conclusion that we had the power to direct the activities that most significantly affected the economic performance of PDMCX during the current period was based on our right to appoint the majority of its board of directors, which has, among others, the powers to manage the business (through its rights to appoint and evaluate PDMCX’s management), incur indebtedness, enter into agreements and commitments, and acquire and dispose of PDMCX’s assets. In addition, as a result of the 50.01% variable interest we held during the current period, we had the obligation to absorb losses and the right to receive benefits that could potentially be significant to PDMCX.

The carrying amounts of PDMCX assets and liabilities included in our condensed consolidated balance sheet as of July 29, 2018, are presented in the following table, together with the maximum exposure to loss of Photronics due to its interests in the net assets of this joint venture.

Classification	Carrying Amount		Photronics Interest

Current assets	$	14,943	$	7,472
Non-current assets		21,500		10,750

Total assets		36,443		18,222

Current liabilities		4,144		2,072
Non-current liabilities		15		8

Total liabilities		4,159		2,080

Net assets	$	32,284	$	16,142