Note 5 - Investments	12 Months Ended
Jan. 02, 2016
Notes to Financial Statements
Cost and Equity Method Investments Disclosure [Text Block]	5. Other I nvestment s The company’s other investments represent shares of Polytronics Technology Corporation Ltd. (“Polytronics”), a Taiwanese company and shares of Monolith Semiconductor, Inc. (“Monolith”), a Texas-based startup company. Polytronics The Polytronics investment was acquired as part of the Littelfuse GmbH acquisition. The company’s Polytronics shares held at the end of fiscal 2015 and 2014 represent approximately 7.2% of total Polytronics shares outstanding. The fair value of the Polytronics investment was €10.7 million (approximately $11.7 million) at January 2, 2016 and €9.9 million (approximately $12.1 million) at December 27, 2014. Included in 2015 other comprehensive income is an unrealized gain of $0.9 million, due to the increase in fair market value of the Polytronics investment. The remaining movement year over year was due to the impact of changes in exchange rates. Monolith In December 2015, the company invested $3.5 million in the preferred stock of Monolith, a U.S. start-up company developing silicon carbide (SiC) technology, which represents approximately 12% of the common stock of Monolith on an as-converted basis. The company accounts for its investment in Monolith under the cost method with any changes in value recorded in other comprehensive income. The value of the Monolith investment was $3.5 million at January 2, 2016.

Other I

nvestment

The company’s other investments represent shares of Polytronics Technology Corporation Ltd. (“Polytronics”), a Taiwanese company and shares of Monolith Semiconductor, Inc. (“Monolith”), a Texas-based startup company.

Polytronics

The Polytronics investment was acquired as part of the Littelfuse GmbH acquisition. The company’s Polytronics shares held at the end of fiscal 2015 and 2014 represent approximately 7.2% of total Polytronics shares outstanding. The fair value of the Polytronics investment was €10.7

million (approximately $11.7 million) at January 2, 2016 and €9.9

million (approximately $12.1 million) at December 27, 2014. Included in 2015 other comprehensive income is an unrealized gain of $0.9 million, due to the increase in fair market value of the Polytronics investment. The remaining movement year over year was due to the impact of changes in exchange rates.

Monolith

In December 2015, the company invested $3.5 million in the preferred stock of Monolith, a U.S. start-up company developing silicon carbide (SiC) technology, which represents approximately 12% of the common stock of Monolith on an as-converted basis. The company accounts for its investment in Monolith under the cost method with any changes in value recorded in other comprehensive income. The value of the Monolith investment was $3.5 million at January 2, 2016.