Balance Sheet Components (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 30, 2018

Balance Sheet Related Disclosures [Abstract]

Schedule of Accounts Receivable

	As of
(In thousands)	December 30, 2018			December 31, 2017
Accounts receivable, gross1,2,3	$	193,980		$	242,327
Less: allowance for doubtful accounts4	(16,906		)	(35,387		)
Less: allowance for sales returns	(1,469		)	(1,974		)
Accounts receivable, net	$	175,605		$	204,966

¹Includes short-term financing receivables held for sale associated with solar power systems leased of $1.3 million and $19.1 million as of December 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively (see "Note 7. Leasing").

²We pledged accounts receivable of zero and $1.7 million as of December 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively, to third-party investors as security for our contractual obligations.

³On December 10, 2018, we entered into a one-year factoring arrangement and sold to BPI France our Euro denominated accounts receivable related to our French customers for an amount of approximately $26.3 million. Under this arrangement, we provided the bank full recourse for any loss should customers fail to pay when payment is due. The advance payment amount under this program is limited at face value of the sold invoices. We have accounted for this arrangement as a sale of financial assets as effective control over these financial assets has been surrendered and are excluded from our Consolidated Balance Sheet. Total cost associated with this arrangement was $0.1 million during the year ended December 30, 2018. As of December 30, 2018, uncollected accounts receivable from the end customers under this arrangement were $21.0 million.

⁴ For the year ended December 30, 2018, we recognized an allowance for losses of$4.7 million on the short-term financing receivables associated with solar power systems leased (see "Note 7. Leasing"). For the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company recognized an allowance for losses of $5.8 million on the short-term financing receivables associated with solar power systems leased.

(In thousands)	Balance at Beginning of Period		Charges (Releases) to Expenses / Revenues			Deductions			Balance at End of Period
Allowance for doubtful accounts:
Year ended December 30, 2018	$	28,895	$	12,519		$	(24,508	)	$	16,906
Year ended December 31, 2017	20,380		15,609			(7,094		)	28,895
Year ended January 1, 2017	15,505		7,319			(2,445		)	20,380
Allowance for sales returns:
Year ended December 30, 2018	1,974		(505		)	—			1,469
Year ended December 31, 2017	2,433		(459		)	—			1,974
Year ended January 1, 2017	1,907		526			—			2,433
Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets:
Year ended December 30, 2018	448,723		(43,800		)	—			404,923
Year ended December 31, 2017	297,530		151,193			—			448,723
Year ended January 1, 2017	83,370		214,160			—			297,530

Schedule of Inventory

Inventories

	As of
(In thousands)	December 30, 2018		December 31, 2017
Raw materials	$	58,378	$	59,288
Work-in-process	86,639		111,164
Finished goods	163,129		182,377
Inventories	$	308,146	$	352,829

Schedule of Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets

Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets

	As of
(In thousands)	December 30, 2018		December 31, 2017
Deferred project costs1	$	30,394	$	33,534
VAT receivables, current portion	9,506		11,561
Deferred costs for solar power systems to be leased	17,805		25,076
Derivative financial instruments	729		2,612
Other receivables	48,062		49,015
Prepaid taxes	853		426
Other prepaid expenses	23,568		23,434
Other current assets	266		551
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	$	131,183	$	146,209

¹As of December 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, we had pledged deferred project costs of zero, and $2.9 million, respectively, to third-party investors as security for our contractual obligations.

Schedule of Project Assets

Project Assets - Plants and Land

	As of
(In thousands)	December 30, 2018		December 31, 2017
Project assets — plants	$	10,334	$	90,879
Project assets — land	666		12,184
Project assets — plants and land	$	11,000	$	103,063
Project assets — plants and land, current portion	$	10,796	$	103,063
Project assets — plants and land, net of current portion	$	204	$	—

Schedule of Property, Plant and Equipment

	As of
(In thousands)	December 30, 2018			December 31, 2017
Manufacturing equipment	$	112,904		$	406,026
Land and buildings	161,299			197,084
Leasehold improvements	119,597			297,522
Solar power systems2	544,139			451,678
Computer equipment	98,274			111,183
Furniture and fixtures	10,594			12,621
Construction-in-process	9,678			14,166
Property, plant and equipment, gross	1,056,485			1,490,280
Less: accumulated depreciation	(216,614		)	(342,435		)
Property, plant and equipment, net1	$	839,871		$	1,147,845

¹Includes a non-cash impairment charge of $369.2 million recorded in fiscal 2018 associated with SunPower Technologies segment, which excludes all solar power systems as these are part of the SunPower Energy Services segment.

²Includes $519.6 million and $419.0 million of solar power systems associated with sale-leaseback transactions under the financing method as of December 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively, which are depreciated using the straight-line method to their estimated residual values over the lease terms of up to 25 years (see "Note 7. Leasing").

Schedule of Property, Plant and Equipment by Geographic Region

Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Geography

	As of
(In thousands)	December 30, 2018		December 31, 2017
United States	$	575,451	$	488,970
Philippines	104,639		325,601
Malaysia	126,056		233,824
Mexico	21,566		80,560
Europe	12,043		18,767
Other	116		123
Property, plant and equipment, net, by geography1	$	839,871	$	1,147,845

¹Property, plant and equipment, net by geography is based on the physical location of the assets.

Schedule of Other Long-Term Assets

	As of
(In thousands)	December 30, 2018		December 31, 2017
Equity investments with readily determinable fair value	$	36,225	$	—
Equity investments without readily determinable fair value	8,810		35,840
Equity method investments1	43,659		450,000
Other2	73,339		60,858
Other long-term assets	$	162,033	$	546,698

¹On June 19, 2018, we completed the sale of our equity interest in the 8point3 Group. As of December 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, our investment in the 8point3 Group had a carrying value of zero and $382.7 million, respectively (see "Note 11. Equity Investments").

²As of December 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, we had pledged deferred project costs of zero and $6.4 million, respectively, to third-party investors as security for our contractual obligations.

Schedule of Accrued Liabilities

	As of
(In thousands)	December 30, 2018		December 31, 2017
Employee compensation and employee benefits	$	44,337	$	53,225
Deferred revenue1	4,251		5,805
Interest payable	11,786		15,396
Short-term warranty reserves	38,161		25,222
Restructuring reserve	6,310		3,886
VAT payables	8,325		8,691
Derivative financial instruments	1,161		1,452
Legal expenses	12,442		48,503
Taxes payable	19,146		21,307
Liability due to supply agreement	28,045		21,389
Other	61,288		26,895
Accrued liabilities	$	235,252	$	231,771

¹Consists of advance consideration received from customers under the residential lease program which is accounted for in accordance with the lease accounting guidance.

Schedule of Other Long-Term Liabilities

	As of
(In thousands)	December 30, 2018		December 31, 2017
Deferred revenue1	$	55,764	$	105,221
Long-term warranty reserves	134,105		156,082
Long-term sale-leaseback financing	583,418		479,597
Unrecognized tax benefits	16,815		19,399
Long-term pension liability	2,567		4,465
Derivative financial instruments	152		1,174
Long-term liability due to supply agreement	28,198		57,611
Other	18,117		18,793
Other long-term liabilities	$	839,136	$	842,342

¹Consists of advance consideration received from customers under the residential lease program which is accounted for in accordance with the lease accounting guidance.

Schedule of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss

	As of
(In thousands)	December 30, 2018			December 31, 2017
Cumulative translation adjustment	$	(11,121	)	$	(6,631	)
Net unrealized gain (loss) on derivatives	(145		)	(541		)
Net gain on long-term pension liability adjustment	7,066			4,164
Deferred taxes	50			—
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	$	(4,150	)	$	(3,008	)