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 March 31, 2014 and the results of operations and comprehensive income (loss) for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 and cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013. All intercompany balances have been eliminated. Because all of the annual disclosures required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") 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, 2013. The December 31, 2013 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, 2013. 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, share-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 estimate 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:



	March 31, 2014		December 31, 2013
	(in thousands)
Raw materials and purchased parts	$	9,489	$	9,547
Work-in-progress	168,679		200,434
Finished goods	69,211		64,986
	$	247,379	$	274,967

Grant Recognition

Subsidy grants from government organizations are amortized as a reduction of expenses over the period the related obligations are fulfilled. Recognition of future subsidy benefits will depend on the Company's achievement of certain technical milestones, capital investment, spending goals, employment goals and other requirements.

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.

Change in Accounting Estimate

During the first quarter of 2014, the Company revised its accounting estimate for the expected useful life of manufacturing equipment from five years to seven years. In reviewing the useful life of the Company's remaining manufacturing equipment during the fourth quarter of 2013, the Company determined that the adoption of its manufacturing light strategy, the consolidation of its back-end subcontracting activities during the prior several years and the transition of its business to common test platforms had resulted in an extension of the economic life of those assets. Management believes that this change better reflects the expected economic benefits from the use of its manufacturing equipment over time based on an analysis of historical experience and general industry practices. The revised useful life of the manufacturing equipment decreased the Company's depreciation by approximately $4.6 million for the first quarter of 2014, but did not have any impact on the consolidated statement of operations for the first quarter of 2014 as the reduction in depreciation for the quarter was capitalized into inventory. As the inventory turns, the quarterly benefit of the depreciation change will be recognized over the remainder of the year. The savings from the change in depreciation decreases to zero by the end of 2015.