Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Oct. 02, 2015

The preparation of the 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. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Significant Accounting Policies

The Company’s significant accounting policies are described in Note 2 to its audited Consolidated Financial Statements included in the 2014 Form 10-K. There have been no significant changes to these policies during the nine months ended October 2, 2015.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued new authoritative guidance for revenue recognition, requiring an entity to recognize the amount of revenue that reflects the consideration to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. The updated standard will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance in U.S. GAAP when it becomes effective and permits the use of either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. On August 12, 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standard update for the deferral of the effective date by one year to December 15, 2017 for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after that date and permitted early adoption of the standard, but not before the original effective date of December 15, 2016. The Company has not yet selected a transition method and it is currently evaluating the effect that the updated standard will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In August 2014, the FASB issued new authoritative guidance related to the disclosures around going concern. The new guidance specifies management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern and to provide related footnote disclosures. The new guidance will be effective for the Company beginning in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016 and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this new accounting standard but does not expect that it will have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements.

In November 2014, the FASB issued an accounting standard update for determining when separation of certain embedded derivative features in a hybrid financial instrument is required. An entity will continue to evaluate whether the economic characteristics and risks of the embedded derivative feature are clearly and closely related to those of the host contract, among other relevant criteria. The amendments clarify how current GAAP should be interpreted in evaluating the economic characteristics and risks of a host contract in a hybrid financial instrument that is issued in the form of a share. The accounting standard update will be effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2016 and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this accounting standard update on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standard update that changes the analysis that a reporting entity must perform to determine whether it should consolidate certain types of legal entities. This accounting standard update will be effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2016 and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this accounting standard update on its consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standard update on whether a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license. The guidance requires the accounting for a cloud computing arrangement that includes a software license element to be consistent with the accounting for acquisition of other software licenses. Cloud computing arrangement without software licenses are to be accounted for as a service contract. This accounting standard update will be effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2016 and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this accounting standard update on its consolidated financial statements.

In July 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standard update that requires inventory to be measured at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Net realizable value is the estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. This accounting standard update will be effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this accounting standard update on its consolidated financial statements.

Impairment of Investments

Impairment of Short-term Investments

The Company monitors its investment portfolio for impairment on a periodic basis. In the event that the carrying value of an investment exceeds its fair value and the decline in value is determined to be other-than-temporary, an impairment charge is recorded and a new cost basis for the investment is established. A decline of fair value below amortized costs of debt securities is considered other-than-temporary if the Company has the intent to sell the security or it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the security before recovery of the entire amortized cost basis. At the present time, the Company does not intend to sell its investments that have unrealized losses in accumulated other comprehensive loss. In addition, the Company does not believe that it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell its investments that have unrealized losses in accumulated other comprehensive loss before the Company recovers the principal amounts invested. The Company believes that the unrealized losses are temporary and do not require an other-than-temporary impairment, based on its evaluation of available evidence as of October 2, 2015.

As of October 2, 2015, there were no individual available-for-sale securities in a material unrealized loss position and the amount of unrealized losses on the total investment balance was insignificant.

Investments in Other Equity Securities

Each reporting period, the Company reviews all of its unconsolidated VIE investments to determine whether there are any reconsideration events that may result in the Company being a primary beneficiary of any unconsolidated VIE which would then require the Company to consolidate the VIE. The Company also reviews all of its cost-method investments in each reporting period to determine whether a significant event of change in circumstances has occurred that may have an adverse effect on the fair value of each investment.

Derivatives and Hedging Activities

The Company uses forward contracts to manage exposures to foreign currency exchange rates. The Company’s primary objective in holding derivative instruments is to reduce the volatility of earnings and cash flows associated with fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates and the Company does not use derivative instruments for trading purposes. The use of derivative instruments expose the Company to credit risk to the extent that the counterparties may be unable to meet their contractual obligations, as such, the potential risk of loss with any one counterparty is closely monitored by the Company.

Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments (Cash Flow Hedges)

Beginning in December 2014, the Company entered into forward currency contracts to hedge forecasted operating expenses and service costs related to employee salaries and benefits denominated in Israeli shekels (“ILS”) for its subsidiaries in Israel. These ILS forward contracts mature generally within 12 months and are designated as cash flow hedges. For derivatives that are designated as hedges of forecasted foreign currency denominated operating expenses and service costs, the Company assesses effectiveness based on changes in spot currency exchange rates. Changes in spot rates on the derivative are recorded as a component of “Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)” (“AOCI”) in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets until such time as the hedged transaction impacts earnings. The change in fair value of the forward points, which reflects the interest rate differential between the two countries on the derivative, is excluded from the effectiveness assessment. Gains or losses on the derivative representing either hedge ineffectiveness or hedge components excluded from the assessment of effectiveness are recognized in current earnings.

Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments (Balance Sheet Hedges)

Balance sheet hedges consist of foreign currency forward contracts, mature generally within three months, are carried at fair value and they are used to minimize the short-term impact of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuation on cash and certain trade and inter-company receivables and payables. Changes in the fair value of these foreign currency forward contracts are recognized in “Other income (expense), net” in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations and are largely offset by the changes in the fair value of the assets or liabilities being hedged.

Offsetting of Derivative Assets and Liabilities

The Company recognizes all derivative instruments on a gross basis in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. However, the arrangements with its counterparties allows for net settlement, which are designed to reduce credit risk by permitting net settlement with the same counterparty.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The applicable accounting guidance establishes a framework for measuring fair value and requires disclosure about the fair value measurements of assets and liabilities. This guidance requires the Company to classify and disclose assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis, as well as fair value measurements of assets and liabilities measured on a nonrecurring basis in periods subsequent to initial measurement, in a three-tier fair value hierarchy as described below.

The guidance defines fair value as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability, in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability, in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date.

Valuation techniques used to measure fair value must maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. The guidance describes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:


•	Level 1 — Observable inputs that reflect quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets.

•

Level 2 — Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities. The Company primarily uses broker quotes for valuation of its short-term investments. The forward exchange contracts are classified as Level 2 because they are valued using quoted market prices and other observable data for similar instruments in an active market.


•	Level 3 — Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.

The Company uses the market approach to measure fair value for its financial assets and liabilities. The market approach uses prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving identical or comparable assets or liabilities. During the nine months ended October 2, 2015, there were no nonrecurring fair value measurements of assets and liabilities subsequent to initial recognition.

Share-based Compensation Expense

Stock Options

The Company estimated the fair value of all employee stock options using a Black-Scholes valuation model with the following weighted average assumptions:



	Three months ended				Nine months ended
	October 2, 2015		September 26, 2014		October 2, 2015		September 26, 2014
Expected term (years)	4.60		4.70		4.70		4.70
Volatility	37	%	40	%	38	%	40	%
Risk-free interest rate	1.5	%	1.8	%	1.6	%	1.7	%
Expected dividends	0.0	%	0.0	%	0.0	%	0.0	%

The expected term represents the weighted-average period that the stock options are expected to remain outstanding. The computation of the expected term was determined based on historical experience of similar awards, giving consideration to the contractual terms of the stock-based awards, vesting schedules and expectations of future employee behavior. The Company uses its historical volatility for a period equivalent to the expected term of the options to estimate the expected volatility. The risk-free interest rate that the Company uses in the Black-Scholes option valuation model is based on U.S. Treasury zero-coupon issues with remaining terms similar to the expected term. The Company has never declared or paid any cash dividends and does not plan to pay cash dividends in the foreseeable future, and, therefore, used an expected dividend yield of zero in the valuation model.

The weighted-average fair value per share of options granted was $2.01 and $2.48 for the three months ended October 2, 2015 and September 26, 2014, respectively. The weighted-average fair value per share of options granted was $2.63 and $2.36 for the nine months ended October 2, 2015 and September 26, 2014, respectively.

The fair value of all stock options vested during each of the three months ended October 2, 2015 and September 26, 2014 was $0.6 million. The fair value of all stock options vested during the nine months ended October 2, 2015 and September 26, 2014 was $2.5 million and $2.6 million, respectively.

There were no realized tax benefits attributable to stock options exercised in jurisdictions where this expense is deductible for tax purposes for the nine months ended October 2, 2015. The total realized tax benefit attributable to stock options exercised during the nine months ended September 26, 2014 was $194,000.

Restricted Stock Units

The aggregate fair value of all RSUs issued during the three months ended October 2, 2015 and September 26, 2014 were $2.2 million and $2.7 million, respectively. The aggregate fair value of all RSUs issued during the nine months ended October 2, 2015 and September 26, 2014 were $9.9 million and $10.0 million, respectively.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

The value of the stock purchase rights under the ESPP consists of: (1) the 15% discount on the purchase of the stock; (2) 85% of the fair value of the call option; and (3) 15% of the fair value of the put option. The call option and put option were valued using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The weighted average fair value of the Company’s ESPP shares at purchase dates was estimated using the following weighted average assumptions during the nine months ended October 2, 2015 and September 26, 2014:



	Purchase Period Ending
	December 31, 2015		June 30, 2015		December 31, 2014		June 30, 2014
Expected term (years)	0.50		0.50		0.50		0.50
Volatility	32	%	35	%	33	%	28	%
Risk-free interest rate	0.1	%	0.1	%	0.1	%	0.1	%
Expected dividends	0.0	%	0.0	%	0.0	%	0.0	%
Estimated weighted average fair value per share at purchase date	$1.64		$1.75		$1.84		$1.70

The expected term represents the period of time from the beginning of the offering period to the purchase date. The Company uses its historical volatility for a period equivalent to the expected term of the options to estimate the expected volatility. The risk-free interest rate that the Company uses in the Black-Scholes option valuation model is based on U.S. Treasury zero-coupon issues with remaining terms similar to the expected term. The Company has never declared or paid any cash dividends and does not plan to pay cash dividends in the foreseeable future, and, therefore, used an expected dividend yield of zero in the valuation model.

Unrecognized Stock-Based Compensation

As of October 2, 2015, the Company had approximately $14.7 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to the unvested portion of its stock options and RSUs that is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 1.9 years.

Income Tax

As of October 2, 2015, the total amount of gross unrecognized tax benefits, including interest and penalties, was approximately $15.9 million, of which $4.3 million would affect the Company’s effective tax rate if the benefits are eventually recognized. The remaining gross unrecognized tax benefit does not affect the Company’s effective tax rate as it relates to positions that would be settled with tax attributes such as net operating loss carryforward or tax credits previously subject to a valuation allowance. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax positions in income tax expense. The Company had $0.6 million of gross interest and penalties accrued as of October 2, 2015. The Company will continue to review its tax positions and provide for, or reverse, unrecognized tax benefits as issues arise. As of October 2, 2015, the Company anticipates that the balance of gross unrecognized tax benefits will decrease up to approximately $1.4 million due to expiration of the applicable statues of limitations over the next 12 months.

Warranties and Indemnification

Harmonic is obligated to indemnify its officers and the members of its Board of Directors (the “Board”) pursuant to its bylaws and contractual indemnity agreements. Harmonic also indemnifies some of its suppliers and most of its customers for specified intellectual property matters pursuant to certain contractual arrangements, subject to certain limitations. The scope of these indemnities varies, but, in some instances, includes indemnification for damages and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees).

The Company accrues for estimated warranty costs at the time of product shipment. Management periodically reviews the estimated fair value of its warranty liability and records adjustments based on the terms of warranties provided to customers, historical and anticipated warranty claims experience, and estimates of the timing and cost of warranty claims.

Segment Information

Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise that engage in business activities for which separate financial information is available and evaluated by the Company’s Chief Operating Decision Maker ( “CODM”), which for Harmonic is its Chief Executive Officer, in deciding how to allocate resources and assess performance. Prior to the fourth quarter of 2014, the Company operated its business in one reportable segment. In connection with the 2015 annual planning process, the Company changed its operating segments to align with how the CODM expected to evaluate the financial information used to allocate resources and assess performance of the Company. The new reporting structure consists of two operating segments: Video and Cable Edge. As a result, the segment information presented has been conformed to the new operating segments for all prior periods.

The new operating segments were determined based on the nature of the products offered. The Video segment sells video processing and production and playout solutions and services worldwide to broadcast and media companies, streaming new media companies, cable operators, and satellite and telecommunications (telco) Pay-TV service providers. The Cable Edge segment sells cable edge solutions and related services to cable operators globally.

The Company does not allocate amortization of intangibles, stock-based compensation, restructuring and asset impairment charges, and certain other non-recurring charges to the operating income for each segment because management does not include this information in the measurement of the performance of the operating segments. A measure of assets by segment is not applicable as segment assets are not included in the discrete financial information provided to the CODM.