SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation

These unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all normal recurring adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary to state fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Atmel Corporation (the “Company” or “Atmel”) and its subsidiaries as of September 30, 2012 and the results of operations and comprehensive income (loss) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011 and cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011. All intercompany balances have been eliminated. Because all of the annual disclosures required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles are not included, as permitted by the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), these interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. The December 31, 2011 year-end balance sheet data was derived from the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements, which are included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 and do not include all of the disclosures required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). The condensed consolidated statements of operations for the periods presented are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for any future period, or for the entire year.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, the 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. Significant estimates in these financial statements include provisions for excess and obsolete inventory, sales reserves and allowances, stock-based compensation expense, allowances for doubtful accounts receivable, estimates for useful lives associated with long-lived assets, recoverability of goodwill and intangible assets, restructuring charges, liabilities for uncertain tax positions and deferred tax asset valuation allowances. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (on a first-in, first-out basis) or market. Market is based on estimated net realizable value. Determining market value of inventories involves numerous judgments, including estimating average selling prices and sales volumes for future periods. The Company establishes provisions for lower of cost or market and excess and obsolescence write-downs, which are charged to cost of revenue. The Company makes a determination regarding excess and obsolete inventory on a quarterly basis. This determination requires an estimation of the future demand for the Company’s products and involves an analysis of historical and forecasted sales levels by product, competitiveness of product offerings, market conditions, product lifecycles, as well as other factors. Excess and obsolete inventory write-downs are recorded when the inventory on hand exceeds management’s estimate of future demand for each product and are charged to cost of revenue.

The Company’s inventories include parts that have a potential for rapid technological obsolescence and are sold in a highly competitive industry. The Company writes down inventory that is considered excess or obsolete. When the Company recognizes a loss on such inventory, it establishes a new, lower-cost basis for that inventory, and subsequent changes in facts and circumstances will not result in the restoration or increase in that newly established cost basis. If inventory with a lower-cost basis is subsequently sold, it will result in higher gross margin for the products making up that inventory.

Inventories are comprised of the following:



	September 30, 2012		December 31, 2011
	(in thousands)
Raw materials and purchased parts	$	19,493	$	23,415
Work-in-progress	214,118		251,933
Finished goods	102,140		102,085
	$	335,751	$	377,433

As a result of the sale of the Company's serial flash product lines on September 28, 2012 to an affiliate of Adesto Technologies Corporation ("Adesto"), inventories were reduced by $25.6 million. The Company has also granted Adesto an exclusive option, exercisable prior to November 15, 2012, to purchase the Company's remaining $7.0 million of serial flash inventory. The Company has, therefore, classified the remaining $7.0 million of serial flash inventory as assets held-for-sale, which are presented as part of other current assets on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2012.

Grant Recognition

From time to time, the Company receives economic incentive grants and allowances from European governments, agencies and research organizations targeted at preserving employment at specific locations. The subsidy grant agreements typically contain economic incentive, headcount, capital and research and development expenditures and other conditions that must be met to receive and retain grant benefits. Noncompliance with the conditions of the grants could result in the forfeiture of all or a portion of any future amounts to be received, as well as the repayment of all or a portion of amounts previously received. In addition, the Company may need to record charges to reverse grant benefits recorded in prior periods as a result of changes to its plans for headcount, project spending, or capital investment at any of these specific locations. If the Company is unable to comply with any of the conditions in the grant agreements, the Company may face adverse actions from the government agencies providing the grants. If the Company were required to repay grant benefits, its results of operations and financial position could be materially adversely affected by the amount of such repayments.

In March 2012, the Greek government executed a ministerial decision related to an outstanding state grant previously made to a Greek subsidiary of the Company. Based on the execution of the ministerial decision and the subsequent publication of that decision by the Greek government, the Company determined that its Greek subsidiary would not be required to repay the full amount of that grant. As a result, the Company recognized a benefit of $10.7 million in its results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2012 resulting from the reversal of a reserve previously established for that grant.