Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 28, 2013

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Fiscal Period, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Fiscal Year: The company’s fiscal years ended on December 28, 2013, December 29, 2012 and December 31, 2011 and contained 52 weeks each.

Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Basis of Presentation: The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Littelfuse, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The company’s Consolidated Financial Statements were prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America and include the assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses of all wholly-owned subsidiaries and majority-owned subsidiaries over which the company exercises control.

Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Use of Estimates: The process of preparing financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the Consolidated Financial Statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses and the accompanying notes. The company evaluates and updates its assumptions and estimates on an ongoing basis and may employ outside experts to assist in its evaluation, as considered necessary. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Cash Equivalents: All highly liquid investments, with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased, are considered to be cash equivalents.

Investment, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Short-Term and Long-Term Investments: The company has determined that certain of its investment securities are to be classified as available-for-sale. Available-for-sale securities are carried at fair value with the unrealized gains and losses reported as a component of “Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss).” Realized gains and losses and declines in unrealized value judged to be other-than-temporary on available-for-sale securities are included in other expense (income), net. The cost of securities sold is based on the specific identification method. Interest and dividends on securities classified as available-for-sale are included in interest income.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Fair Value of Financial Instruments: The company’s financial instruments include cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, investments and long-term debt. The carrying values of such financial instruments approximate their estimated fair values.

Receivables, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Accounts Receivable: The company performs credit evaluations of customers’ financial condition and generally does not require collateral. Credit losses are provided for in the financial statements based upon specific knowledge of a customer’s inability to meet its financial obligations to the company. Historically, credit losses have consistently been within management’s expectations and have not been a material amount. A receivable is considered past due if payments have not been received within agreed upon invoice terms. Write-offs are recorded at the time a customer receivable is deemed uncollectible.

The company also maintains allowances against accounts receivable for the settlement of rebates and sales discounts to customers. These allowances are based upon specific customer sales and sales discounts as well as actual historical experience.

Inventory, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Inventories: Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market (first in, first out method), which approximates current replacement cost. The company maintains excess and obsolete allowances against inventory to reduce the carrying value to the expected net realizable value. These allowances are based upon a combination of factors including historical sales volume, market conditions, lower of cost or market analysis and expected realizable value of the inventory.

Equity and Cost Method Investments, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Investment in Unconsolidated Affiliate: Investments in unconsolidated affiliates over which the company has significant influence over the investees’ operating and financing activities are accounted for under the equity method of accounting. Investments in affiliates over which the company does not have the ability to exert significant influence over the investees’ operating and financing activities are accounted for under the cost method.

Property, Plant and Equipment, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Property, Plant and Equipment: Land, buildings and equipment are carried at cost. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method with useful lives of 21 years for buildings, seven to nine years for equipment, seven years for furniture and fixtures, five years for tooling and three years for computer equipment.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Goodwill, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets: The company annually tests goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment on the first day of its fiscal fourth quarter or at other dates if there is an event or change in circumstances that indicates the asset may be impaired. The company has eight reporting units for testing purposes. Management determines the fair value of each of its reporting units by using a discounted cash flow model (which includes forecasted five-year income statement and working capital projections, a market-based weighted average cost of capital and terminal values after five years) to estimate market value. In addition, the company compares its derived enterprise value on a consolidated basis to the company’s market capitalization as of its test date to ensure its derived value approximates the market value of the company when taken as a whole.

As of the most recent annual test, the company concluded the fair value of each of the reporting units exceeded its carrying value of invested capital and therefore, no potential goodwill impairment existed. Specifically, the company noted that its headroom, defined as the excess of fair value over the carrying value of invested capital, was 61%, 97%, 67%, 158%, 42%, 57%, 244% and 151% for its electronics (non-silicon), electronics (silicon), passenger car, commercial vehicle products, sensors, relay, custom products and fuse reporting units, respectively, at September 29, 2013. Certain key assumptions used in the annual test included a discount rate of 12.5% and a long-term growth rate of 3.0% was used for all eight reporting units.

In addition, the company performed a sensitivity test that showed a 100 basis point increase in its discount rate or a 100 basis point decrease in the long-term growth rate for each reporting unit would not have changed the company’s conclusion that no potential goodwill impairment existed.

The company will continue to perform a goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment test as required on an annual basis and on an interim basis, if certain conditions exist. Factors the company considers important, which could result in changes to its estimates, include underperformance relative to historical or projected future operating results and declines in acquisitions and trading multiples. Due to the diverse end user base and non-discretionary product demand, the company does not believe its future operating results will vary significantly relative to its historical and projected future operating results.

Intangible Assets, Finite-Lived, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Other Intangible Assets: Trademarks and tradenames are amortized using the straight-line method over estimated useful lives that have a range of five to 20 years. Patents, licenses and software are amortized using the straight-line method or an accelerated method over estimated useful lives that have a range of seven to 12 years. The distribution networks are amortized on either a straight-line or accelerated basis over estimated useful lives that have a range of three to 20 years. Other intangible assets are also tested for impairment when there is a significant event that may cause the asset to be impaired.

Environmental Costs, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Environmental Liabilities: Environmental liabilities are accrued based on engineering studies estimating the cost of remediating sites. Expenses related to on-going maintenance of environmental sites are expensed as incurred. If actual or estimated probable future losses exceed the company’s recorded liability for such claims, the company would record additional charges during the period in which the actual loss or change in estimate occurred.

Pension and Other Postretirement Plans, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Pension and Other Post-retirement Benefits: Accounting for pensions requires estimating the future benefit cost and recognizing the cost over the employee’s expected period of employment with the company. Certain assumptions are required in the calculation of pension costs and obligations. These assumptions include the discount rate, salary scales and the expected long-term rate of return on plan assets. The discount rate is intended to represent the rate at which pension benefit obligations could be settled by purchase of an annuity contract. These assumptions are subject to change based on stock and bond market returns and other economic factors. Actual results that differ from the company’s assumptions are accumulated and amortized over future periods and therefore generally affect its recognized expense and accrued liability in such future periods. While the company believes that its assumptions are appropriate given current economic conditions and its actual experience, significant differences in results or significant changes in the company’s assumptions may materially affect its pension obligations and related future expense. During the fourth quarter of 2012, the company amended the Littelfuse Inc., Retirement Plan to allow participants who met certain requirements to elect to receive their vested retirement benefits in a lump sum on (or for certain participants annuity payments, on and after) December 1, 2012. This amendment resulted in a settlement charge of $5.1 million in 2012. See Note 12 for additional information.

Reclassification, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Reclassifications: Certain items in the 2012 and 2011 financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the 2013 presentations – specifically, the 2012 and 2011 presentation of the Foreign exchange (gain) or loss of $3.2 million and $1.2 million, respectively has been separately presented. This was previously included as part of Other expense (income), net. These reclassifications had no impact on net income or shareholders’ equity for any period.

Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Revenue Recognition: The company recognizes revenue on product sales in the period in which the sales process is complete. This generally occurs when products are shipped (FOB origin) to the customer in accordance with the terms of the sale, the risk of loss has been transferred, collectability is reasonably assured and the pricing is fixed and determinable. At the end of each period, for those shipments where title to the products and the risk of loss and rewards of ownership do not transfer until the product has been received by the customer, the company adjusts revenues and cost of sales for the delay between the time that the products are shipped and when they are received by the customer. The company’s distribution channels are primarily through direct sales and independent third party distributors.

Revenue Recognition and Billing, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Revenue and Billing: The company accepts orders from customers based on long term purchasing contracts and written sales agreements. Contract pricing and selling agreement terms are based on market factors, costs, and competition. Pricing normally is negotiated as an adjustment (premium or discount) from the company’s published price lists. The customer is invoiced when the company’s products are shipped to them in accordance with the terms of the sales agreement.

Revenue Recognition, Sales Returns [Policy Text Block]

Returns and Credits: Some of the terms of the company’s sales agreements and normal business conditions provide customers (distributors) the ability to receive price adjustments on products previously shipped and invoiced. This practice is common in the industry and is referred to as a ìship and debitî program. This program allows the distributor to debit the company for the difference between the distributors’ contracted price and a lower price for specific transactions. Under certain circumstances (usually in a competitive situation or large volume opportunity), a distributor will request authorization to reduce its price to its buyer. If the company approves such a reduction, the distributor is authorized to ìdebitî its account for the difference between the contracted price and the lower approved price. The company establishes reserves for this program based on historic activity and actual authorizations for the debit and recognizes these debits as a reduction of revenue.

The company has a return to stock policy whereby a customer with prior authorization from Littelfuse management can return previously purchased goods for full or partial credit. The company establishes an estimated allowance for these returns based on historic activity. Sales revenue and cost of sales are reduced to anticipate estimated returns.

The company properly meets all of the criteria for recognizing revenue when the right of return exists. Specifically, the company meets those requirements because:

1.	The company’s selling price is fixed or determinable at the date of the sale.
2.	The company has policies and procedures to accept only credit worthy customers with the ability to pay the company.
3.	The company’s customers are obligated to pay the company under the contract and the obligation is not contingent on the resale of the product. (All ìship and debitî and ìreturns to stockî require specific circumstances and authorization.)
4.	The risk ownership transfers to the company’s customers upon shipment and is not changed in the event of theft, physical destruction or damage of the product.
5.	The company bills at the ship date and establishes a reserve to reduce revenue from the in transit time until the product is delivered for FOB destination sales.
6.	The company’s customers acquiring the product for resale have economic substance apart from that provided by Littelfuse, and all distributors are independent of the company.
7.	The company does not have any obligations for future performance to bring about resale of the product by its customers.
8.	The company can reasonably estimate the amount of future returns.

Revenue Recognition, Rebates [Policy Text Block]

Volume Rebates: The company offers incentives to certain customers to achieve specific quarterly or annual sales targets. If customers achieve their sales targets, they are entitled to rebates. The company estimates the future cost of these rebates and recognizes this estimated cost as a reduction to revenue as products are sold.

Loans and Leases Receivable, Allowance for Loan Losses Policy [Policy Text Block]

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts: The company evaluates the collectability of its trade receivables based on a combination of factors. The company regularly analyzes its significant customer accounts and, when the company becomes aware of a specific customer’s inability to meet its financial obligations, the company records a specific reserve for bad debt to reduce the related receivable to the amount the company reasonably believes is collectible. The company also records allowances for all other customers based on a variety of factors including the length of time the receivables are past due, the financial health of the customer, macroeconomic considerations and past experience. Accounts receivable balances that are deemed to be uncollectible, are written off against the reserve on a case-by-case basis. Historically, the allowance for doubtful accounts has been adequate to cover bad debts. If circumstances related to specific customers change, the estimates of the recoverability of receivables could be further adjusted. However, due to the company’s diverse customer base and lack of credit concentration, the company does not believe its estimates would be materially impacted by changes in its assumptions.

Advertising Costs, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Advertising Costs: The company expenses advertising costs as incurred, which amounted to $1.6 million in 2013, $1.7 million in 2012 and $1.9 million in 2011, and are included as a component of selling, general and administrative expenses.

Shipping and Handling Cost, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Shipping and Handling Fees and Costs: Amounts billed to customers related to shipping and handling is classified as revenue. Costs incurred for shipping and handling of $6.5 million, $6.2 million and $5.9 million in 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, are classified in selling, general and administrative expenses.

Foreign Currency Transactions and Translations Policy [Policy Text Block]

Foreign Currency Translation: The company’s foreign subsidiaries use the local currency or the U.S. dollar as their functional currency, as appropriate. Assets and liabilities are translated using exchange rates at the balance sheet date, and revenues and expenses are translated at weighted average rates. The amount of foreign currency conversion recognized in the income statement related to currency translation was income of $5.2 million in 2013 and losses of $8.5 million and $0.9 million in 2012 and 2011, respectively. Adjustments from the translation process are recognized in “Shareholders’ equity” as a component of “Accumulated other comprehensive income.”

Share-based Compensation, Option and Incentive Plans Policy [Policy Text Block]

Stock-based Compensation: The company recognizes compensation expense for the cost of awards of equity compensation using a fair value method. Benefits of tax deductions in excess of recognized compensation expense are reported as both operating and financing cash flows. See Note 13 for additional information on stock-based compensation.

Other Income (Expense) [Policy Text Block]

Other Expense (Income), Net: Other expense (income), net consisting of interest income, royalties and non-operating income, was $4.6 million of income in 2013 compared to $5.4 million of income in 2012 and $4.1 million of income in 2011.

Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Income Taxes: The company accounts for income taxes using the liability method. Deferred taxes are recognized for the future effects of temporary differences between financial and income tax reporting using enacted tax rates in effect for the years in which the differences are expected to reverse. The company recognizes deferred taxes for temporary differences, operating loss carryforwards and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance if it is more likely than not that some portion, or all, of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Federal and state income taxes are provided on the portion of foreign income that is expected to be remitted to the U.S. and be taxable.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Accounting Pronouncements: In May 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (ìFASBî) issued authoritative guidance that provides a consistent definition of fair value and ensures that the fair value measurement and disclosure requirements are similar between U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. The new guidance changes certain fair value measurement principles and enhances the disclosure requirements particularly for Level 3 fair value measurements. The company adopted the new guidance on January 1, 2012. There was no significant impact on its consolidated financial statements upon adoption.

In June 2011, the FASB issued authoritative guidance that will require companies to present the components of net income and other comprehensive income either as one continuous statement or as two consecutive statements. It eliminates the option to present components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in equity. The guidance does not change the items which must be reported in other comprehensive income, how such items are measured or when they must be reclassified to net income. This guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The company adopted the new guidance on January 1, 2012, which resulted in a different presentation in its consolidated financial statements.

In September 2011, the FASB issued authoritative guidance on testing goodwill for impairment. Under the revised guidance, entities testing goodwill for impairment have the option of performing a qualitative assessment before calculating the fair value of the reporting unit (i.e., step 1 of the goodwill impairment test). If entities determine, on the basis of qualitative factors, that the fair value of the reporting unit is more likely than not less than the carrying amount, the two-step impairment test would be required. The guidance does not change how goodwill is calculated or assigned to reporting units, nor does it revise the requirement to test goodwill annually for impairment. In addition, the guidance does not amend the requirement to test goodwill for impairment between annual tests if events or circumstances warrant; however, it does revise the examples of events and circumstances that an entity should consider. The amendments are effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. The company adopted the new guidance on January 1, 2012. There was no significant impact on its consolidated financial statements upon adoption. Goodwill testing was completed as of September 29, 2013 using the previous methodology, as permitted.

In July 2012, the FASB issued authoritative guidance on testing indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment. Under the revised guidance, entities testing indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment will have the option first to assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events and circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that the indefinite-lived intangible asset is impaired. If, after assessing the totality of events and circumstances, an entity concludes that it is not more likely than not that the indefinite-lived intangible asset is not impaired, then the entity is not required to take further action. The amendment is effective for annual and interim indefinite-lived asset impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after September 15, 2012. The company adopted the new guidance on January 1, 2012. There was no significant impact on its consolidated financial statements upon adoption.

In February 2013, the FASB issued authoritative guidance on the reporting of amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income into net income or the balance sheet. Under the new guidance, in addition to the presentation of changes in accumulated balances, an entity shall present separately for each component of other comprehensive income, current period reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income and other amounts of current-period other comprehensive income. Both before-tax and net-of-tax presentations are permitted. The guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2013. The company believes the adoption of the new guidance will require additional disclosures but will have no significant effect on its consolidated financial statements.