Table of Contents

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 ________________________________________
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
ý
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
For the fiscal year ended June 24, 2018
or
¨
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
For the transition period from              to             
Commission file number 0-21154
__________________________________________ 
CREE, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
North Carolina
 
56-1572719
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
 
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 
 
4600 Silicon Drive
Durham, North Carolina
 
27703
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
(Zip Code)
(919) 407-5300
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class
 
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.00125 par value
 
The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None
__________________________________________ 
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.    Yes   ý     No   ¨
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act.    Yes   ¨     No   ý
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes   ý     No   ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).    Yes   ý     No   ¨
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.   ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer
ý
Accelerated filer
¨
 
 
 
 
Non-accelerated filer
¨   (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
Smaller reporting company
¨
 
 
 
 
 
 
Emerging growth company
¨
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).    Yes   ¨     No   ý


Table of Contents

The aggregate market value of common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of December 22, 2017 , the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, was $3,728,836,361 (based on the closing sale price of $37.33 per share).
The number of shares of the registrant’s Common Stock, $0.00125 par value per share, outstanding as of August 16, 2018 was 101,758,035 .
__________________________________________ 
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions of the definitive Proxy Statement to be delivered to shareholders in connection with the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held October 22, 2018 are incorporated by reference into Part III.


Table of Contents

CREE, INC.
FORM 10-K
For the Fiscal Year Ended June 24, 2018
INDEX
 
 
Page
Part I
 
 
Item 1.
 
 
 
Item 1A.
 
 
 
Item 1B.
 
 
 
Item 2.
 
 
 
Item 3.
 
 
 
Item 4.
 
 
 
Part II
 
 
Item 5.
 
 
 
Item 6.
 
 
 
Item 7.
 
 
 
Item 7A.
 
 
 
Item 8.
 
 
 
Item 9.
 
 
 
Item 9A.
 
 
 
Item 9B.
 
 
 
Part III
 
 
Item 10.
 
 
 
Item 11.
 
 
 
Item 12.
 
 
 
Item 13.
 
 
 
Item 14.
 
 
 
PART IV
 
 
Item 15.
 
 

3

Table of Contents


Forward-Looking Information
Information set forth in this Annual Report on Form 10-K contains various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act). All information contained in this report relative to future markets for our products and trends in and anticipated levels of revenue, gross margins and expenses, as well as other statements containing words such as “believe,” “project,” “may,” “will,” “anticipate,” “target,” “plan,” “estimate,” “expect” and “intend” and other similar expressions constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to business, economic and other risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, and actual results may differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements we make are as of the date made, and except as required under the U.S. federal securities laws and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), we have no duty to update them if our views later change. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this Annual Report. Examples of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical performance and any forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those described in “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of this Annual Report.


4

Table of Contents

PART I

Item 1. Business
Overview
Cree, Inc. (Cree, we, our, or us) is an innovator of wide bandgap semiconductor products for power and radio-frequency (RF) applications, lighting-class light emitting diode (LED) products, and lighting products. Our products are targeted for applications such as transportation, power supplies, inverters, wireless systems, indoor and outdoor lighting, electronic signs and signals and video displays. As discussed more fully below, we operate in three reportable segments: Wolfspeed, LED Products, and Lighting Products.
Our Wolfspeed segment's products consists of silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) materials, power devices and RF devices based on silicon (Si) and wide bandgap semiconductor materials. Our materials products and power devices are used in solar, electric vehicles, motor drives, power supplies and transportation applications. Our materials products and RF devices are used in military communications, radar, satellite and telecommunication applications.
Our LED Products segment's products consist of LED chips and LED components. Our LED products enable our customers to develop and market LED-based products for lighting, video screens, automotive and specialty lighting applications.
Our Lighting Products segment's products primarily consist of LED lighting systems and lamps. We design, manufacture and sell lighting fixtures and lamps for the commercial, industrial and consumer markets.
The majority of our products are manufactured at our production facilities located in North Carolina, Wisconsin, California, Arkansas and China. We also use contract manufacturers for certain products and aspects of product fabrication, assembly and packaging. We operate research and development facilities in North Carolina, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Wisconsin, India, Italy and China (including Hong Kong).
Cree, Inc. is a North Carolina corporation established in 1987, and our headquarters are in Durham, North Carolina. For further information about our consolidated revenue and earnings, please see our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report.
Recent Developments
None.
Reportable Segments
Our three reportable segments are:
Wolfspeed
LED Products
Lighting Products
Reportable segments are components of an entity that have separate financial data that the entity’s Chief Operating Decision Maker (CODM) regularly reviews when allocating resources and assessing performance. Our CODM is the Chief Executive Officer.
For further information about our reportable segments, please refer to Note 15 , “Reportable Segments,” in our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report.
Products by Reportable Segment
Wolfspeed Segment
Wolfspeed revenue was $328.6 million , $221.2 million , and $176.3 million , representing 22% , 15% and 11% of our revenue for the fiscal years ended June 24, 2018 June 25, 2017 and June 26, 2016 , respectively. Wolfspeed gross profit was $158.5 million , $103.5 million and $94.6 million and gross margin was 48% , 47% and 54% for the fiscal years 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively.
Our Wolfspeed segment includes SiC materials, power devices and RF devices.

5

Table of Contents

SiC Materials
Our SiC materials products consist of crystals, bare and epitaxial wafers. Our SiC materials are targeted for customers who use them to manufacture products for RF, power switching, gemstones and other applications. Corporate, government and university customers also buy SiC materials for research and development directed at RF and power devices.
Power Devices
Our power device products consist of SiC Schottky diodes, metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), power modules and gate driver boards. Our SiC power products provide increased efficiency, faster switching speeds and reduced system size and weight over comparable silicon-based power devices. Power products are sold primarily to customers and distributors for use in applications such as electric vehicles, including charging infrastructure, server power supplies, solar inverters, uninterruptible power supplies, industrial power supplies and other applications.
RF Devices
Our RF devices consist of GaN die, high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs), and laterally diffused MOSFET (LDMOS) power transistors that are optimized for next generation telecommunications infrastructure, military and other commercial applications. Our RF devices are made from Si, SiC and GaN and can provide improved efficiency, bandwidths and frequency of operation as compared to silicon or GaAs. We also provide custom die manufacturing for GaN HEMTs and MMICs that allow a customer to design its own custom RF circuits to be fabricated by us, or have us design and fabricate products that meet their specific requirements.
During fiscal 2018, we expanded our RF product offerings through the acquisition of certain assets of Infineon Technologies AG (Infineon) Radio Frequency Power Business (RF Power) as discussed in Note 4 , "Acquisition", in our consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report.
LED Products Segment
LED Products revenue was $596.3 million , $550.3 million and $551.2 million representing 40% , 37% , and 34% of revenue for the fiscal years ended June 24, 2018 June 25, 2017 and June 26, 2016 , respectively. LED Products gross profit was $157.9 million , $151.7 million and $173.8 million and gross margin was 26% , 28% and 32% for the fiscal years 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively.
Our LED Products segment includes LED chips and LED components.
LED Chips
Our LED chip products include blue and green LED chips based on GaN and related materials. LED chips or die are solid state electronic components used in a number of applications and are currently available in a variety of brightness levels, wavelengths (colors) and sizes. We use our LED chips in the manufacturing of our LED components. Customers use our blue and green LED chips in a variety of applications including video screens, gaming displays, function indicator lights and automotive backlights, headlamps and directional indicators. Customers may also combine our blue LED chips with phosphors to create white LEDs, which are used in various applications for indoor and outdoor illumination and backlighting, full-color display screens, liquid crystal display (LCD) backlighting, white keypads and the camera flash function.
LED Components
Our LED components include a range of packaged LED products, from our XLamp ® LED components and LED modules for lighting applications to our high-brightness LED components.
Our XLamp LED components and LED modules are designed to meet a broad range of market needs for lighting applications including general illumination (both indoor and outdoor applications), portable, architectural, signal and transportation lighting. We use our XLamp LED components in our own lighting products. We also sell XLamp LED components externally to customers and distributors for use in a variety of products, primarily for lighting applications.
Our high-brightness LED components consist of surface mount (SMD) and through-hole packaged LED products. Our SMD LED component products are available in a full range of colors designed to meet a broad range of market needs, including video, signage, general illumination, transportation, gaming and specialty lighting. Our through-hole packaged LED component products are available in a full range of colors primarily designed for the signage market and provide users with color and brightness consistency across a wide viewing area.

6

Table of Contents

In 2018, Cree formed a joint venture, Cree Venture LED Company Limited (Cree Venture LED), with San'an Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. (San'an) to sell mid-power LED components. These mid-power components are focused on indoor general illumination applications where customers are more price sensitive.
Lighting Products Segment
Lighting Products revenue was $568.8 million , $701.5 million , and $889.1 million , representing 38% , 48% , and 55% of our revenue for the fiscal years ended June 24, 2018 June 25, 2017 and June 26, 2016 , respectively. Lighting Products gross profit was $108.9 million , $196.2 million and $238.2 million and gross margin was 19% , 28% and 27% for the fiscal years 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively.
Our Lighting Products segment primarily consists of LED lighting systems and lamps. We design, manufacture and sell lighting systems for indoor and outdoor applications, with our primary focus on LED lighting systems for the commercial, industrial and consumer markets. Lighting products are sold to distributors, retailers and direct to customers. Our portfolio of lighting products is designed for use in settings such as office and retail space, restaurants and hospitality, schools and universities, manufacturing, healthcare, airports, municipal, residential, street lighting and parking structures, among other applications.
Financial Information about Geographic Areas of Customers and Assets
We derive a significant portion of our revenue from product sales to international customers. For information concerning geographic areas of our customers and geographic information concerning our long-lived assets, please see Note 15 , “Reportable Segments,” in our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report. International operations expose us to risks that are different from operating in the United States, including foreign currency translation and transaction risk, risk of changes in tax laws, tariffs, application of import/export laws and regulations and other risks described further in Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” of this Annual Report.
Research and Development
We invest significant resources in research and development. Our research and development activity includes efforts to:
develop higher power diodes/switches and higher power/linearity RF devices;
increase the quality, performance and diameter of our substrate and epitaxial materials.
continually improve our manufacturing processes;
develop brighter, more efficient and lower cost LED chip and component products;
create new, and improve existing, LED components; and
improve existing LED lighting products and develop new LED lighting systems and related controls.
When our customers participate in funding our research and development programs, we recognize the amount funded as a reduction of research and development expenses to the extent that our customers’ funding does not exceed our respective research and development costs. Research and development expenses were $164.3 million , $158.5 million and $168.8 million for the fiscal years ended June 24, 2018 June 25, 2017 and June 26, 2016 , respectively. For further information about our research and development, see “Research and Development” in Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."
Sales and Marketing
We continue to make investments to expand our sales, marketing, technical applications support, and distribution capabilities to further enable new and existing customers to implement our power, RF, and LED technology into their products and sell our lighting products. We also continue to make investments to promote and build market awareness of the Cree brand. Our sales, marketing and technical applications teams include personnel throughout North America, Asia and Europe.

7

Table of Contents

Customers
We have historically had one key customer who represented more than 10% of our consolidated revenue. In fiscal 2018 , revenue from Arrow Electronics, Inc. (Arrow), a global distributor, accounted for 13% of our total consolidated revenue. In fiscal 2017 , revenue from Arrow accounted for 12% of our total consolidated revenue. In fiscal 2016 , revenue from Arrow accounted for 10% of our total consolidated revenue. Arrow is a customer of our Wolfspeed and LED Products segments. For further discussion regarding customer concentration, please see Note 16 , “Concentrations of Risk,” in our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report. The loss of any large customer could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Distribution
A substantial portion of our products are sold to distributors. Distributors stock inventory and sell our products to their own customer base, which may include: value added resellers, manufacturers who incorporate our products into their own manufactured goods and ultimate end users of our products. We also utilize third-party sales representatives who generally do not maintain a product inventory; instead, their customers place orders directly with us or through distributors. We also sell a portion of our products through retailers, which stock inventory and sell our products directly to consumers.
Seasonality
Our Wolfspeed segment is not generally subject to seasonality. Our LED Products segment historically has experienced, and in the future may experience, seasonally lower sales during our fiscal third quarter due to the Chinese New Year holiday. Our Lighting Products segment historically has experienced, and in the future may experience, seasonally lower lighting fixture sales due to winter weather, impacting our fiscal second and third quarters. In addition, the retail lighting industry has historically had seasonally lower sales of light bulbs in the summer, which has impacted our fiscal fourth quarter and which may impact our fiscal first quarter.
Our sales also vary based on other factors such as customer demand and government regulation.
If anticipated sales or shipments do not occur when expected, our results of operations for that quarter, and potentially for future quarters, may be adversely affected.
Backlog
Our backlog at June 24, 2018 was approximately $567.2 million , compared with a backlog of approximately $453.7 million at June 25, 2017 . Because of the generally short cycle time between order and shipment and occasional customer changes in delivery schedules or cancellation of orders (which at times may be made without significant penalty), we do not believe that our backlog, as of any particular date, is necessarily indicative of actual net revenue for any future period. Additionally, our June 24, 2018 backlog contained $24.1 million of research contracts signed with the U.S. Government, for which approximately $14.3 million had not been appropriated as of the last day of fiscal 2018 . Our June 25, 2017 backlog contained $36.3 million of research contracts signed with the U.S. Government, for which approximately $29.5 million was not appropriated as of the last day of fiscal 2017 . Our backlog could be adversely affected if the U.S. Government exercises its rights to terminate our government contracts or does not appropriate and allocate all of the funding contemplated by the contracts.
Sources of Raw Materials
We depend on a number of suppliers for certain raw materials, components and equipment used in manufacturing our products, including certain key materials and equipment used in critical stages of our manufacturing processes. We generally purchase these limited source items pursuant to purchase orders and have limited guaranteed supply arrangements with our suppliers. Our suppliers, located around the world, can be subject to many constraints limiting supply that are beyond our control. We believe our current supply of essential materials is sufficient to meet our needs. However, shortages have occurred from time to time and could occur again.
Competition by Reportable Segment
Our success depends on our ability to keep pace with the evolving technology standards of the industries we serve. These industries are characterized by rapid technological change, frequent introduction of new products, short product life cycles, changes in end user and customer requirements, and a competitive pricing environment. The evolving nature of these industries may render our existing or future products obsolete, noncompetitive or unmarketable. Any of these developments could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

8

Table of Contents

Wolfspeed Segment
SiC Materials
We have continued to maintain our well-established leadership position in the sale of SiC bulk material, SiC wafer and SiC and GaN epitaxy products.  As market adoption of the technology grows with rapidly expanding power and RF device designs, we are experiencing increased competition from companies such as Dow Corning, II-VI Advanced Materials, SiCrystal and Showa Denko.  We believe our leading technology and leveraged production scale position us to reliably supply production volumes to the device manufacturers in the market.
Power Devices
Our SiC-based power devices compete with SiC power semiconductor solutions offered by Infineon, Microsemi Corporation (Microsemi), Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (Mitsubishi), Rohm Co. Ltd., ON Semiconductor, and STMicroelectronics, Inc. (ST). Our SiC products also compete with other Si semiconductor devices offered by a variety of manufacturers. Our power products compete in the power semiconductor market on the basis of performance, reliability and overall system price.
RF Devices
Our RF devices compete with Ampleon, M/A-COM Technology Solutions Inc. (MACOM), Microsemi, Mitsubishi, NXP Semiconductor (NXP), Sumitomo Electric Device Innovations, Inc. and Qorvo, Inc. which all offer competing RF products and solutions. Our products also compete with a variety of companies offering silicon and GaAs-based products. Our products compete in the RF semiconductor market on the basis of reliability, performance, design predictability and overall system price.
LED Products Segment
Our LED Products segment’s primary competitors are Nichia Corporation (Nichia), OSRAM Opto Semiconductors GmbH (OSRAM), Samsung LED Company (Samsung), Seoul Semiconductor (SSC), Lumileds Holdings B.V. (Lumileds), and Nationstar.
LED Chips
The primary competition for our LED chip products comes from companies that manufacture and/or sell nitride-based LED chips. We consider Nichia to be a competitor because it sells LED chips to a select number of LED packaging companies and it sells packaged LEDs that most often compete directly with packaged LEDs made and sold by our chip customers. We believe, based on industry information, that Nichia currently has the largest market share for nitride-based LEDs. There are many other LED chip producers who sell blue, green and white LED chip products, including OSRAM, Epistar Corporation and San'an. These competitors make products for a variety of applications in a range of performance levels that compete directly with our LED products.
Overall, we believe that performance, price and strength of intellectual property are the most significant factors to compete successfully in the nitride LED market. We believe our products are well positioned to meet the market performance requirements; however, there is significant pricing pressure from a number of competitors, including new companies based in China. We continually strive to improve our competitive position by developing brighter and higher performing LED chips while focusing on lowering costs.
LED Components
The market for lighting class LED components is concentrated primarily in indoor and outdoor commercial lighting; specialty lighting, including torch lamps (flashlights); color changing architectural lighting; signs and signals; and transportation. Nichia, OSRAM, Lumileds, MLS, Everlight, SSC and Samsung are the main competitors in these markets. These companies sell LED components that compete indirectly with our target customers for LED chips and compete directly with our XLamp LED components and LED modules. There are a large number of other companies, primarily based in Asia, that offer products designed to compete both directly and indirectly with our LED components in lighting and other applications. We are positioning our XLamp LED components and LED modules to compete in this market based on performance, price and usability.
Our high-brightness LED components compete with a larger number of companies around the world in a variety of applications including signage, video, transportation, gaming and specialty lighting. We are positioning our high-brightness LED components to compete in this market based on performance, price, availability and usability.
Lighting Products Segment

9

Table of Contents

Our Lighting Products segment currently faces competition from lighting fixture companies and lamp manufacturers. Lighting companies such as Acuity Brands, Inc., the Cooper Lighting division of Eaton Corporation plc, General Electric Company, Hubbell Incorporated, Signify N.V. (formerly Philips Lighting) and OSRAM are the main competitors in this market, but there are also many small and medium sized lighting competitors.
Our LED lighting products compete against traditional lighting products that use incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, ceramic metal halide, high pressure sodium or other lighting technologies. Our LED lighting products compete against traditional lighting products based upon superior energy savings, extended life, improved lighting quality and lower total cost of ownership. We also compete with LED-based products from other lamp and fixture companies, some of which are customers for our LED chips and LED components. Our products compete on the basis of color quality and consistency, superior light output, reduced energy consumption, brand, customer service and lower total cost of ownership.
Patents and Other Intellectual Property Rights
We believe it is important to protect our investment in technology by obtaining and enforcing intellectual property rights, including rights under patent, trademark, trade secret and copyright laws. We seek to protect inventions we consider significant by applying for patents in the United States and other countries when appropriate. We have also acquired, through license grants, purchases and assignments, rights to patents on inventions originally developed by others. As of June 24, 2018 , we owned or were the exclusive licensee of 2,249 issued U.S. patents and approximately 3,261 foreign patents with various expiration dates extending up to 2041 . We do not consider our business to be materially dependent upon any one patent, and we believe our business will not be materially adversely affected by the expiration of any one patent. For proprietary technology that is not patented, we generally seek to protect the technology and related know-how and information as trade secrets by keeping confidential the information that we believe provides us with a competitive advantage. We attempt to create strong brands for our products and promote our products through trademarks that distinguish them in the market. We may license our customers to use our trademarks in connection with the sale of our products, and we monitor for the proper and authorized use of our marks.
Licensing activities and lawsuits to enforce intellectual property rights, particularly patent rights, are a common aspect of the semiconductor, LED and lighting industries, and we attempt to ensure respect for our intellectual property rights through appropriate actions. The breadth of our intellectual property rights and the extent to which they can be successfully enforced varies across jurisdictions. We both make and receive inquiries regarding possible patent infringements and possible violations of other intellectual property rights in the normal course of business. Depending on the circumstances, we may seek to negotiate a license or other acceptable resolution. If we are unable to achieve a resolution by agreement, we may seek to enforce our rights or defend our position through litigation. Patent litigation in particular is expensive and the outcome is often uncertain. We believe that the strength of our portfolio of patent rights is important in helping us resolve or avoid such disputes with other companies in our industry.
Environmental Regulation
We are subject to a variety of federal, state and local provisions regulating the discharge of materials into the environment or otherwise relating to the protection of the environment. These include statutory and regulatory provisions under which we are responsible for the management of hazardous materials we use and the disposition of hazardous wastes resulting from our manufacturing processes. Failure to comply with such provisions could result in fines and other liabilities to the government or third parties, injunctions requiring us to suspend or curtail operations or other remedies, and could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Working Capital
For a discussion of our working capital practices, see “Liquidity and Capital Resources” in Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."
Employees
As of June 24, 2018 , we employed 6,796 regular full and part-time employees. We also employ individuals on a temporary full-time basis and use the services of contractors as necessary. Certain of our employees in various countries outside of the United States are subject to laws providing representation rights.

10

Table of Contents

Available Information
Our website address is www.cree.com. We make available free of charge through our website our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, including Interactive Data Files, and Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to these reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish such material to, the SEC. These reports may be accessed from our website by following the links under “Investors,” then “SEC Filings.” The information found on our website is not part of this or any other report we file with or furnish to the SEC. We have no duty to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this Annual Report or in other reports filed with the SEC, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless we are required to do so by law. A copy of this Annual Report and our other reports is available without charge upon written request to Investor Relations, Cree, Inc., 4600 Silicon Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27703.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
Described below are various risks and uncertainties that may affect our business. If any of the risks described below actually occurs, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
Our operating results are substantially dependent on the acceptance of new products.
Our future success may depend on our ability to deliver new, higher performing and/or lower cost solutions for existing and new markets and for customers to accept those solutions. We must introduce new products in a timely and cost-effective manner, and we must secure volume purchase orders for those products from our customers. The development of new products is a highly complex process, and we have in some instances experienced delays in completing the development and introduction of new products which has impacted our results in the past. Our research and development efforts are aimed at solving increasingly complex problems, and we do not expect that all our projects will be successful. The successful development, introduction and acceptance of new products depend on a number of factors, including the following:
achievement of technology breakthroughs required to make commercially viable products;
the accuracy of our predictions for market requirements;
our ability to predict, influence and/or react to evolving standards;
acceptance of our new product and systems designs;
acceptance of new technology in certain markets;
the availability of qualified research and development personnel;
our timely completion of product designs and development;
our ability to develop repeatable processes to manufacture new products in sufficient quantities, with the desired specifications and at competitive costs;
our ability to effectively transfer increasingly complex products and technology from development to manufacturing;
our customers’ ability to develop competitive products incorporating our products; and
market acceptance of our products and our customers’ products.
If any of these or other similar factors becomes problematic, we may not be able to deliver and introduce new products in a timely or cost-effective manner.
We face significant challenges managing our growth strategy.
Our potential for growth depends significantly on the adoption of our products within the markets we serve and for other applications, and our ability to affect this rate of adoption. In order to manage our growth and business strategy effectively relative to the uncertain pace of adoption, we must continue to:
maintain, expand, construct and purchase adequate manufacturing facilities and equipment, as well as secure sufficient third-party manufacturing resources, to meet customer demand;

11

Table of Contents

integrate the personnel, operations, customers, and suppliers from our recent acquisition of the Infineon RF Power business;
manage an increasingly complex supply chain that has the ability to supply an increasing number of raw materials, subsystems and finished products with the required specifications and quality, and deliver on time to our manufacturing facilities, our third-party manufacturing facilities, or our logistics operations;
expand the capability of information systems to support a more complex business;
expand research and development, sales and marketing, technical support, distribution capabilities, manufacturing planning and administrative functions;
manage organizational complexity and communication;
expand the skills and capabilities of our current management team;
add experienced senior level managers and executives;
attract and retain qualified employees; and
adequately maintain and adjust the operational and financial controls that support our business.

While we intend to continue to focus on managing our costs and expenses, we expect to invest to support our growth and may have additional unexpected costs. Such investments take time to become fully operational, and we may not be able to expand quickly enough to exploit targeted market opportunities. For example, during calendar 2018 we target converting the majority of our Wolfspeed power production from 100mm to 150mm substrates. If we are unable to make this transition in a timely or cost-effective manner, our results could be negatively impacted. In connection with our efforts to cost-effectively manage our growth, we have increasingly relied on contractors for production capacity, logistics support and certain administrative functions including hosting of certain information technology software applications. If our contract manufacturers, original design manufacturers (ODMs) or other service providers do not perform effectively, we may not be able to achieve the expected cost savings and may incur additional costs to correct errors or fulfill customer demand. Depending on the function involved, such errors may also lead to business disruption, processing inefficiencies, the loss of or damage to intellectual property through security breach, or an impact on employee morale. Our operations may also be negatively impacted if any of these contract manufacturers, ODMs or other service providers do not have the financial capability to meet our growing needs. There are also inherent execution risks in starting up a new factory or expanding production capacity, whether one of our own factories or that of our contract manufacturers or ODMs, or moving production to different contract manufacturers or ODMs, that could increase costs and reduce our operating results, including design and construction cost overruns, poor production process yields and reduced quality control.

We are also increasingly dependent on information technology to enable us to improve the effectiveness of our operations and to maintain financial accuracy and efficiency. Allocation and effective management of the resources necessary to successfully implement, integrate, train personnel and sustain our IT platforms will remain critical to ensure that we are not subject to transaction errors, processing inefficiencies, loss of customers, business disruptions or loss of or damage to intellectual property through a security breach in the near term. Additionally, we face these same risks if we fail to allocate and effectively manage the resources necessary to build, implement, upgrade, integrate and sustain appropriate technology infrastructure over the longer term.
If we fail to evaluate and execute strategic opportunities successfully, our business may suffer.

From time to time, we evaluate strategic opportunities available to us for product, technology or business transactions, such as business acquisitions, investments, joint ventures, divestitures, or spin-offs. For example, during the first quarter of fiscal 2018 we formed Cree Venture LED, a joint venture between San'an and us to produce and supply to customers high-performance mid-power LED components, and in the third quarter of fiscal 2018, we acquired the Infineon RF Power business. If we choose to enter into such transactions, we face certain risks including:

the failure of an acquired business, investee or joint venture to meet our performance and financial expectations;
identification of additional liabilities relating to an acquired business;
loss of existing customers of our current and acquired businesses due to concerns that new product lines may be in competition with the customers’ existing product lines or due to regulatory actions taken by governmental agencies;

12

Table of Contents

that we are not able to enter into acceptable contractual arrangements with the significant customers of an acquired business;
difficulty integrating an acquired business's operations, personnel and financial and operating systems into our current business;
that we are not able to develop and expand customer bases and accurately anticipate demand from end customers, which can result in increased inventory and reduced orders as we experience wide fluctuations in supply and demand;
diversion of management attention;
difficulty separating the operations, personnel and financial and operating systems of a spin-off or divestiture from our current business;
the possibility we are unable to complete the transaction and expend substantial resources without achieving the desired benefit;
the inability to obtain required regulatory agency approvals;
reliance on a transaction counterparty for transition services for an extended period of time, which may result in additional expenses and delay the integration of the acquired business and realization of the desired benefit of the transaction;
uncertainty of the financial markets or circumstances that cause conditions that are less favorable and/or different than expected; and
expenses incurred to complete a transaction may be significantly higher than anticipated.
We may not be able to adequately address these risks or any other problems that arise from our prior or future acquisitions, investments, joint ventures, divestitures or spin-offs. Any failure to successfully evaluate strategic opportunities and address risks or other problems that arise related to any such business transaction could adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.
Global economic conditions could materially adversely impact demand for our products and services.
Our operations and performance depend significantly on worldwide economic conditions. Uncertainty about global economic conditions could result in customers postponing purchases of our products and services in response to tighter credit, unemployment, negative financial news and/or declines in income or asset values and other macroeconomic factors, which could have a material negative effect on demand for our products and services and, accordingly, on our business, results of operations or financial condition. For example, any economic and political uncertainty caused by the United States tariffs imposed on goods from China, among other potential countries, and any corresponding tariffs from China or such other countries in response, may negatively impact demand and/or increase the cost for our products.
Additionally, our international sales are subject to variability as our selling prices become less competitive in countries with currencies that are declining in value against the U.S. Dollar and more competitive in countries with currencies that are increasing in value against the U.S. Dollar. In addition, our international purchases can become more expensive if the U.S. Dollar weakens against the foreign currencies in which we are billed.
Our operations in foreign countries expose us to certain risks inherent in doing business internationally, which may adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.
We have revenue, operations, manufacturing facilities and contract manufacturing arrangements in foreign countries that expose us to certain risks. For example, fluctuations in exchange rates may affect our revenue, expenses and results of operations as well as the value of our assets and liabilities as reflected in our financial statements. We are also subject to other types of risks, including the following:
protection of intellectual property and trade secrets;
tariffs, customs, trade sanctions, trade embargoes and other barriers to importing/exporting materials and products in a cost-effective and timely manner, or changes in applicable tariffs or custom rules;
the burden of complying with and changes in U.S. or international taxation policies;

13

Table of Contents

timing and availability of export licenses;
rising labor costs;
disruptions in or inadequate infrastructure of the countries where we operate;
difficulties in collecting accounts receivable;
difficulties in staffing and managing international operations; and
the burden of complying with foreign and international laws and treaties.
For example, the United States tariffs imposed on Chinese goods, among other potential countries and any corresponding tariffs from China or such other countries in response may negatively impact demand and/or increase the costs for our products. In some instances, we have received and may continue to receive incentives from foreign governments to encourage our investment in certain countries, regions or areas outside of the United States. In particular, we have received and may continue to receive such incentives in connection with our operations in Asia, as Asian national and local governments seek to encourage the development of the technology industry. Government incentives may include tax rebates, reduced tax rates, favorable lending policies and other measures, some or all of which may be available to us due to our foreign operations. Any of these incentives could be reduced or eliminated by governmental authorities at any time or as a result of our inability to maintain minimum operations necessary to earn the incentives. Any reduction or elimination of incentives currently provided for our operations could adversely affect our business and results of operations. These same governments also may provide increased incentives to or require production processes that favor local companies, which could further negatively impact our business and results of operations.
Changes in regulatory, geopolitical, social, economic, or monetary policies and other factors, if any, may have a material adverse effect on our business in the future, or may require us to exit a particular market or significantly modify our current business practices. Abrupt political change, terrorist activity and armed conflict pose a risk of general economic disruption in affected countries, which could also result in an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
We are subject to risks related to international sales and purchases.
We expect that revenue from international sales will continue to represent a significant portion of our total revenue. As such, a significant slowdown or instability in relevant foreign economies or lower investments in new infrastructure, could have a negative impact on our sales. We also purchase a portion of the materials included in our products from overseas sources.
Our international sales and purchases are subject to numerous U.S. and foreign laws and regulations, including, without limitation, tariffs, trade sanctions, trade barriers, trade embargoes, regulations relating to import-export control, technology transfer restrictions, the International Traffic in Arms Regulation promulgated under the Arms Export Control Act, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the anti-boycott provisions of the U.S. Export Administration Act. For example, the U.S. Government's April 2018 export ban on Chinese technology company ZTE (lifted in July 2018) reduced our revenue and profit in at least the near term. If the U.S. Government reinstates the ban, it would reduce company revenue and profit related to that customer at least in the short term and could have a potential longer-term impact. Additionally, like many global manufacturers, we are in the process of addressing the short-term and potential long-term impact of the United States tariffs imposed on Chinese goods and corresponding Chinese tariffs in response. If we fail to comply with these laws and regulations, we could be liable for administrative, civil or criminal liabilities, and, in the extreme case, we could be suspended or debarred from government contracts or have our export privileges suspended, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
International sales and purchases are also subject to a variety of other risks, including risks arising from currency fluctuations, collection issues and taxes. We have entered and may in the future enter into foreign currency derivative financial instruments in an effort to manage or hedge some of our foreign exchange rate risk. We may not be able to engage in hedging transactions in the future, and, even if we do, foreign currency fluctuations may still have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
We operate in industries that are subject to significant fluctuation in supply and demand and ultimately pricing that affects our revenue and profitability.
The industries we serve are in different stages of adoption and are characterized by constant and rapid technological change, rapid product obsolescence and price erosion, evolving standards, short product life-cycles in the case of the LED industry and fluctuations in product supply and demand. The power, RF, and LED industries have experienced significant fluctuations, often in connection with, or in anticipation of, product cycles and changes in general economic conditions. The semiconductor industry is characterized by rapid technological change, high capital expenditures, short product life cycles and continuous advancements in process technologies and manufacturing facilities. As the markets for our products mature, additional fluctuations may result from variability

14

Table of Contents

and consolidations within the industry’s customer base. These fluctuations have been characterized by lower product demand, production overcapacity, higher inventory levels and increased pricing pressure. These fluctuations have also been characterized by higher demand for key components and equipment used in, or in the manufacture of, our products resulting in longer lead times, supply delays and production disruptions. We have experienced these conditions in our business and may experience such conditions in the future, which could have a material negative impact on our business, results of operations or financial condition.
In addition, as we diversify our product offerings and as pricing differences in the average selling prices among our product lines widen, a change in the mix of sales among our product lines may increase volatility in our revenue and gross margin from period to period.
Our results of operations, financial condition and business could be harmed if we are unable to balance customer demand and capacity.
As customer demand for our products changes, we must be able to adjust our production capacity to meet demand. We are continually taking steps to address our manufacturing capacity needs for our products. If we are not able to increase or decrease our production capacity at our targeted rate or if there are unforeseen costs associated with adjusting our capacity levels, we may not be able to achieve our financial targets. For example, our Wolfspeed business is currently experiencing demand in excess of our production capacity, which is resulting in longer manufacturing lead times to customers as we manage our constrained capacity. While we began making significant investments in fiscal 2016 to expand our materials, power and RF device capacity and continue to do so, these investments take time to be delivered, installed and become fully qualified. As a result, we may be unable to build or qualify such new capacity on a timely basis to meet customer demand and customers may fulfill their orders with one of our competitors instead. In addition, as we introduce new products and change product generations, we must balance the production and inventory of prior generation products with the production and inventory of new generation products, whether manufactured by us or our contract manufacturers, to maintain a product mix that will satisfy customer demand and mitigate the risk of incurring cost write-downs on the previous generation products, related raw materials and tooling.
Due to the proportionately high fixed cost nature of our business (such as facility costs), if demand does not materialize at the rate forecasted, we may not be able to scale back our manufacturing expenses or overhead costs to correspond to the demand.  This could result in lower margins and adversely impact our business and results of operations.  Additionally, if product demand decreases or we fail to forecast demand accurately, our results may be adversely impacted due to higher costs resulting from lower factory utilization, causing higher fixed costs per unit produced. Further, we may be required to recognize impairments on our long-lived assets or recognize excess inventory write-off charges, or excess capacity charges, which would have a negative impact on our results of operations.
In addition, our efforts to improve quoted delivery lead-time performance may result in corresponding reductions in order backlog. A decline in backlog levels could result in more variability and less predictability in our quarter-to-quarter net revenue and operating results.
If our products fail to perform or fail to meet customer requirements or expectations, we could incur significant additional costs, including costs associated with the recall of those items.
The manufacture of our products involves highly complex processes. Our customers specify quality, performance and reliability standards that we must meet. If our products do not meet these standards, we may be required to replace or rework the products. In some cases, our products may contain undetected defects or flaws that only become evident after shipment and installation. For example, during the second quarter of fiscal 2018 we determined that the quality of several of our commercial lighting products was possibly impacted by certain quality issues that could lower those products' reliability. Therefore, we increased our product warranty reserves for potential future warranty claims. Even if our products meet standard specifications, our customers may attempt to use our products in applications for which they were not designed or in products that were not designed or manufactured properly, resulting in product failures and creating customer satisfaction issues.
We have experienced product quality, performance or reliability problems from time to time and defects or failures may occur in the future. If failures or defects occur, they could result in significant losses or product recalls due to:
costs associated with the removal, collection and destruction of the product;
payments made to replace product;
costs associated with repairing the product;
the write-down or destruction of existing inventory;

15

Table of Contents

insurance recoveries that fail to cover the full costs associated with product recalls;
lost sales due to the unavailability of product for a period of time;
delays, cancellations or rescheduling of orders for our products; or
increased product returns.

A significant product recall could also result in adverse publicity, damage to our reputation and a loss of customer or consumer confidence in our products. We also may be the target of product liability lawsuits or regulatory proceedings by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and could suffer losses from a significant product liability judgment or adverse CPSC finding against us if the use of our products at issue is determined to have caused injury or contained a substantial product hazard.
We provide warranty periods ranging from 90 days to 10 years on our products. Although we believe our reserves are appropriate, we are making projections about the future reliability of new products and technologies, and we may experience increased variability in warranty claims. Increased warranty claims could result in significant losses due to a rise in warranty expense and costs associated with customer support.
If we are unable to effectively develop, manage and expand our sales channels for our products, our operating results may suffer.
We sell a substantial portion of our products to distributors. We rely on distributors to develop and expand their customer base as well as anticipate demand from their customers. If they are not successful, our growth and profitability may be adversely impacted. Distributors must balance the need to have enough products in stock in order to meet their customers’ needs against their internal target inventory levels and the risk of potential inventory obsolescence. The risks of inventory obsolescence are especially relevant to technological products. The distributors’ internal target inventory levels vary depending on market cycles and a number of factors within each distributor over which we have very little, if any, control. Distributors also have the ability to shift business to different manufacturers within their product portfolio based on a number of factors, including new product availability and performance. Similarly, we have the ability to add, consolidate, or remove distributors.
We typically recognize revenue on products sold to distributors when the item is shipped and title passes to the distributor (sell-in method). Certain distributors have limited rights to return inventory under stock rotation programs and have limited price protection rights for which we make estimates. We evaluate inventory levels in the distribution channel, current economic trends and other related factors in order to account for these factors in our judgments and estimates. As inventory levels and product return trends change or we make changes to our distributor roster, we may have to revise our estimates and incur additional costs, and our gross margins and operating results could be adversely impacted.
Additionally, our sales agents have in the past and may in the future choose to drop our product lines from their portfolio to avoid losing access to our competitors’ products, resulting in a disruption in the project pipeline and lower than targeted sales for our products. Our sales agents have the ability to shift business to different suppliers within their product portfolio based on a number of factors, including customer service and new product availability. We sell a portion of our lighting products through retailers who may alter their promotional pricing or inventory strategies, which could impact our targeted sales of these products. If we are unable to effectively penetrate these channels or develop alternate channels to ensure our products are reaching the intended customer base, our financial results may be adversely impacted. In addition, if we successfully penetrate or develop these channels, we cannot guarantee that customers will accept our products or that we will be able to manufacture and deliver them in the timeline established by our customers.
Variations in our production could impact our ability to reduce costs and could cause our margins to decline and our operating results to suffer.
All of our products are manufactured using technologies that are highly complex. The number of usable items, or yield, from our production processes may fluctuate as a result of many factors, including but not limited to the following:
variability in our process repeatability and control;
contamination of the manufacturing environment;
equipment failure, power outages, fires, flooding, information or other system failures or variations in the manufacturing process;
lack of consistency and adequate quality and quantity of piece parts, other raw materials and other bill of materials items;

16

Table of Contents

inventory shrinkage or human errors;
defects in production processes (including system assembly) either within our facilities or at our suppliers; and
any transitions or changes in our production process, planned or unplanned.
In the past, we have experienced difficulties in achieving acceptable yields on certain products, which has adversely affected our operating results. We may experience similar problems in the future, and we cannot predict when they may occur or their severity.
In some instances, we may offer products for future delivery at prices based on planned yield improvements or increased cost efficiencies from other production advances. Failure to achieve these planned improvements or advances could have a significant impact on our margins and operating results.
In addition, our ability to convert volume manufacturing to larger diameter substrates can be an important factor in providing a more cost-effective manufacturing process. During calendar 2018, we target converting the majority of our Wolfspeed power production from 100mm to 150mm substrates. If we are unable to make this transition in a timely or cost-effective manner, our results could be negatively impacted.
We rely on a number of key sole source and limited source suppliers and are subject to high price volatility on certain commodity inputs, variations in parts quality, and raw material consistency and availability.
We depend on a number of sole source and limited source suppliers for certain raw materials, components, services and equipment used in manufacturing our products, including key materials and equipment used in critical stages of our manufacturing processes. Although alternative sources generally exist for these items, qualification of many of these alternative sources could take up to six months or longer. Where possible, we attempt to identify and qualify alternative sources for our sole and limited source suppliers.
We generally purchase these sole or limited source items with purchase orders, and we have limited guaranteed supply arrangements with such suppliers. Some of our sources can have variations in attributes and availability which can affect our ability to produce products in sufficient volume or quality. We do not control the time and resources that these suppliers devote to our business, and we cannot be sure that these suppliers will perform their obligations to us. Additionally, general shortages in the marketplace of certain raw materials or key components may adversely impact our business. In the past, we have experienced decreases in our production yields when suppliers have varied from previously agreed upon specifications or made other modifications we do not specify, which impacted our cost of revenue.
Additionally, the inability of our suppliers to access capital efficiently could cause disruptions in their businesses, thereby negatively impacting ours. This risk may increase if an economic downturn negatively affects key suppliers or a significant number of our other suppliers. Any delay in product delivery or other interruption or variation in supply from these suppliers could prevent us from meeting commercial demand for our products. If we were to lose key suppliers, if our key suppliers were unable to support our demand for any reason or if we were unable to identify and qualify alternative suppliers, our manufacturing operations could be interrupted or hampered significantly.
We rely on arrangements with independent shipping companies for the delivery of our products from vendors and to customers both in the United States and abroad. The failure or inability of these shipping companies to deliver products or the unavailability of shipping or port services, even temporarily, could have a material adverse effect on our business. We may also be adversely affected by an increase in freight surcharges due to rising fuel costs and added security.
In our fabrication process, we consume a number of precious metals and other commodities, which are subject to high price volatility. Our operating margins could be significantly affected if we are not able to pass along price increases to our customers. In addition, production could be disrupted by the unavailability of the resources used in production such as water, silicon, electricity and gases. Future environmental regulations could restrict supply or increase the cost of certain of those materials.
The markets in which we operate are highly competitive and have evolving technical requirements.
The markets for our products are highly competitive. In the semiconductor market, we compete with companies that have greater market share, name recognition and/or technical resources than we do. Competitors continue to offer new products with aggressive pricing, additional features and improved performance. In the lighting market, we compete with companies that manufacture and sell traditional and LED lighting products, many of which have larger and more established sales channels. Competitive pricing pressures remain a challenge and continue to accelerate the rate of decline in our sales prices, particularly in our LED Products segment. Aggressive pricing actions by our competitors in our businesses could reduce margins if we are not able to reduce costs at an equal or greater rate than the sales price decline.

17

Table of Contents

As competition increases, we need to continue to develop new products that meet or exceed the needs of our customers. Therefore, our ability to continually produce more efficient and lower cost power, RF, LEDs and lighting products that meet the evolving needs of our customers will be critical to our success. Competitors may also try to align with some of our strategic customers. This could lead to lower prices for our products, reduced demand for our products and a corresponding reduction in our ability to recover development, engineering and manufacturing costs. Any of these developments could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition.
We will continue to face increased competition in the future across our businesses. If the investment in capacity exceeds the growth in demand, such as exists in the current LED market, the LED market is likely to become more competitive with additional pricing pressures. Additionally, new technologies could emerge or improvements could be made in existing technologies that may also reduce the demand for lighting and LEDs in certain markets. There are also technologies, such as organic LEDs (OLEDs), which could potentially reduce LED demand, thereby impacting the overall LED market.
We depend on a limited number of customers, including distributors and retailers, for a substantial portion of our revenue, and the loss of, or a significant reduction in purchases by, one or more of these customers could adversely affect our operating results.
We receive a significant amount of our revenue from a limited number of customers, including distributors and retailers, one of which represented 13% of our consolidated revenue in fiscal 2018. Most of our customer orders are made on a purchase order basis, which does not generally require any long-term customer commitments. Therefore, these customers may alter their purchasing behavior with little or no notice to us for various reasons, including developing, or, in the case of our distributors, their customers developing, their own product solutions; choosing to purchase or distribute product from our competitors; incorrectly forecasting end market demand for their products; or experiencing a reduction in their market share in the markets for which they purchase our products. In the case of retailers, these customers may alter their promotional pricing; increase promotion of competitors' products over our products; or reduce their inventory levels; all of which could negatively impact our financial condition and results of operations. If our customers alter their purchasing behavior, if our customers’ purchasing behavior does not match our expectations or if we encounter any problems collecting amounts due from them, our financial condition and results of operations could be negatively impacted.
Our results may be negatively impacted if customers do not maintain their favorable perception of our brands and products.
Maintaining and continually enhancing the value of our brands is critical to the success of our business.  Brand value is based in large part on customer perceptions.  Success in promoting and enhancing brand value depends in large part on our ability to provide high-quality products.  Brand value could diminish significantly due to a number of factors, including adverse publicity about our products (whether valid or not), a failure to maintain the quality of our products (whether perceived or real), the failure of our products or Cree to deliver consistently positive consumer experiences, the products becoming unavailable to consumers or consumer perception that we have acted in an irresponsible manner.  Damage to our brand, reputation or loss of customer confidence in our brand or products could result in decreased demand for our products and have a negative impact on our business, results of operations or financial condition.
Our revenue is highly dependent on our customers’ ability to produce, market and sell more integrated products.
Our revenue in our Wolfspeed and LED Products segments depends on getting our products designed into a larger number of our customers’ products and in turn, our customers’ ability to produce, market and sell their products. For example, we have current and prospective customers that create, or plan to create, power, RF and lighting products or systems using our substrates, die, components or modules. Even if our customers are able to develop and produce products or systems that incorporate our substrates, die, components or modules, there can be no assurance that our customers will be successful in marketing and selling these products or systems in the marketplace.
As a result of our continued expansion into new markets, we may compete with existing customers who may reduce their orders.
Through acquisitions and organic growth, we continue to expand into new markets and new market segments. Many of our existing customers who purchase our Wolfspeed substrate materials or LED products develop and manufacture products using those wafers, die and components that are offered into the same lighting, power and RF markets. As a result, some of our current customers perceive us as a competitor in these market segments. In response, our customers may reduce or discontinue their orders for our Wolfspeed substrate materials or LED products. This reduction in or discontinuation of orders could occur faster than our sales growth in these new markets, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.
In order to compete, we must attract, motivate and retain key employees, and our failure to do so could harm our results of operations.

18

Table of Contents

Hiring and retaining qualified executives, scientists, engineers, technical staff, sales personnel and production personnel is critical to our business, and competition for experienced employees in our industry can be intense. As a global company, this issue is not limited to the United States, but includes our other locations such as Europe and China. For example, there is substantial competition for qualified and capable personnel, particularly experienced engineers and technical personnel, which may make it difficult for us to recruit and retain qualified employees. If we are unable to staff sufficient and adequate personnel at our facilities, we may experience lower revenue or increased manufacturing costs, which would adversely affect our results of operations.
To help attract, motivate and retain key employees, we use benefits such as stock-based compensation awards. If the value of such awards does not appreciate, as measured by the performance of the price of our common stock or if our stock-based compensation otherwise ceases to be viewed as a valuable benefit, our ability to attract, retain and motivate employees could be weakened, which could harm our business and results of operations.
The adoption of or changes in government and/or industry policies, standards or regulations relating to the efficiency, performance, use or other aspects of our products could impact the demand for our products.
The adoption of or changes in government and/or industry policies, standards or regulations relating to the efficiency, performance or other aspects of our products may impact the demand for our products. Demand for our products may also be impacted by changes in government and/or industry policies, standards or regulations that discourage the use of certain traditional lighting technologies. For example, efforts to change, eliminate or reduce Energy Star ® or other standards could negatively impact our Wolfspeed power, LED and lighting businesses. These constraints may be eliminated or delayed by legislative action, which could have a negative impact on demand for our products. Our ability and the ability of our competitors to meet these new requirements could impact competitive dynamics in the market.
If governments, their agencies or utilities reduce their demand for our products or discontinue or curtail their funding, our business may suffer.
Changes in governmental budget priorities could adversely affect our business and results of operations.  U.S. and foreign government agencies have purchased products directly from us and products from our customers, and U.S. government agencies have historically funded a portion of our research and development activities.  When the government changes budget priorities, such as in times of war or financial crisis, or reallocates its research and development spending to areas unrelated to our business, our research and development funding and our product sales to government entities and government-funded customers are at risk.  For example, demand and payment for our products and our customers’ products may be affected by public sector budgetary cycles, funding authorizations or utility rebates. Funding reductions or delays could negatively impact demand for our products. If government or utility funding is discontinued or significantly reduced, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected. 
We are exposed to fluctuations in the market value of our investment portfolio and in interest rates, and therefore, impairment of our investments or lower investment income could harm our earnings.
We are exposed to market value and inherent interest rate risk related to our investment portfolio. We have historically invested portions of our available cash in fixed interest rate securities such as high-grade corporate debt, commercial paper, municipal bonds, certificates of deposit, government securities and other fixed interest rate investments. The primary objective of our cash investment policy is preservation of principal. However, these investments are generally not Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insured and may lose value and/or become illiquid regardless of their credit rating.
From time to time, we have also made investments in public and private companies that engage in complementary businesses. For example, during fiscal 2015 we made an investment in Lextar Electronics Corporation (Lextar), a publicly traded company based in Taiwan. An investment in another company is subject to the risks inherent in the business of that company and to trends affecting the equity markets as a whole. Investments in publicly held companies are subject to market risks and, like our investment in Lextar, may not be liquidated easily. As a result, we may not be able to reduce the size of our position or liquidate our investments when we deem appropriate to limit our downside risk. Should the value of any such investments we hold decline, the related write-down in value could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. For example, the value of our Lextar investment declined from the date of our investment in December 2014 through the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 with variability between quarters, and may continue to decline in the future. As required by Rule 3-09 of Regulation S-X, we filed Lextar’s financial statements, prepared by Lextar and audited by its independent public accounting firm, as of and for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 as an exhibit to this Annual Report.

19

Table of Contents

Litigation could adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.
We are often involved in litigation, primarily patent litigation. Defending against existing and potential litigation will likely require significant attention and resources and, regardless of the outcome, result in significant legal expenses, which could adversely affect our results unless covered by insurance or recovered from third parties. If our defenses are ultimately unsuccessful or if we are unable to achieve a favorable resolution, we could be liable for damage awards that could materially affect our results of operations and financial condition.
Where necessary, we may initiate litigation to enforce our patent or other intellectual property rights, which could adversely impact our relationship with certain customers. Any such litigation may require us to spend a substantial amount of time and money and could distract management from our day-to-day operations. Moreover, there is no assurance that we will be successful in any such litigation.
Our business may be impaired by claims that we, or our customers, infringe the intellectual property rights of others.
Vigorous protection and pursuit of intellectual property rights characterize our industry. These traits have resulted in significant and often protracted and expensive litigation. Litigation to determine the validity of patents or claims by third parties of infringement of patents or other intellectual property rights could result in significant legal expense and divert the efforts of our technical personnel and management, even if the litigation results in a determination favorable to us. In the event of an adverse result in such litigation, we could be required to:
pay substantial damages;
indemnify our customers;
stop the manufacture, use and sale of products found to be infringing;
incur asset impairment charges;
discontinue the use of processes found to be infringing;
expend significant resources to develop non-infringing products or processes; or
obtain a license to use third party technology.
There can be no assurance that third parties will not attempt to assert infringement claims against us, or our customers, with respect to our products. In addition, our customers may face infringement claims directed to the customer’s products that incorporate our products, and an adverse result could impair the customer’s demand for our products. We have also promised certain of our customers that we will indemnify them in the event they are sued by our competitors for infringement claims directed to the products we supply. Under these indemnification obligations, we may be responsible for future payments to resolve infringement claims against them.
From time to time, we receive correspondence asserting that our products or processes are or may be infringing patents or other intellectual property rights of others. If we believe the assertions may have merit or in other appropriate circumstances, we may take steps to seek to obtain a license or to avoid the infringement. We cannot predict, however, whether a license will be available; that we would find the terms of any license offered acceptable; or that we would be able to develop an alternative solution. Failure to obtain a necessary license or develop an alternative solution could cause us to incur substantial liabilities and costs and to suspend the manufacture of affected products.
There are limitations on our ability to protect our intellectual property.
Our intellectual property position is based in part on patents owned by us and patents licensed to us. We intend to continue to file patent applications in the future, where appropriate, and to pursue such applications with U.S. and certain foreign patent authorities.
Our existing patents are subject to expiration and re-examination and we cannot be sure that additional patents will be issued on any new applications around the covered technology or that our existing or future patents will not be successfully contested by third parties. Also, since issuance of a valid patent does not prevent other companies from using alternative, non-infringing technology, we cannot be sure that any of our patents, or patents issued to others and licensed to us, will provide significant commercial protection, especially as new competitors enter the market.
We periodically discover products that are counterfeit reproductions of our products or that otherwise infringe on our intellectual property rights. The actions we take to establish and protect trademarks, patents and other intellectual property rights may not be

20

Table of Contents

adequate to prevent imitation of our products by others, and therefore, may adversely affect our sales and our brand and result in the shift of customer preference away from our products. Further, the actions we take to establish and protect trademarks, patents and other intellectual property rights could result in significant legal expense and divert the efforts of our technical personnel and management, even if the litigation or other action results in a determination favorable to us.
We also rely on trade secrets and other non-patented proprietary information relating to our product development and manufacturing activities. We try to protect this information through appropriate efforts to maintain its secrecy, including requiring employees and third parties to sign confidentiality agreements. We cannot be sure that these efforts will be successful or that the confidentiality agreements will not be breached. We also cannot be sure that we would have adequate remedies for any breach of such agreements or other misappropriation of our trade secrets, or that our trade secrets and proprietary know-how will not otherwise become known or be independently discovered by others.
We may be required to recognize a significant charge to earnings if our goodwill or other intangible assets become impaired.
Goodwill and purchased intangible assets with indefinite lives are not amortized, but are reviewed for impairment annually and more frequently when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. We assess the recoverability of the unamortized balance of our finite-lived intangible assets when indicators of potential impairment are present. Factors that may indicate that the carrying value of our goodwill or other intangible assets may not be recoverable include a decline in our stock price and market capitalization and slower growth rates in our industry. The recognition of a significant charge to earnings in our consolidated financial statements resulting from any impairment of our goodwill or other intangible assets could adversely impact our results of operations.
We closely monitor the performance of our reporting units and perform ongoing assessments of potential impairment indicators related to our finite-lived and indefinite-lived intangible assets. Based on the updating of our long-range business strategy that we announced February 26, 2018, we performed an impairment test in connection with the preparation of our financial statements for the period ended March 25, 2018. From this testing, we concluded that we had an impairment of our Lighting Products reporting unit intangible assets as of March 25, 2018. As a result, we recorded a $247.5 million goodwill impairment charge during the fiscal quarter ending March 25, 2018.
We may be subject to confidential information theft or misuse, which could harm our business and results of operations.
We face attempts by others to gain unauthorized access to our information technology systems on which we maintain proprietary and other confidential information. Our security measures may be breached as the result of industrial or other espionage actions of outside parties, employees, employee error, malfeasance or otherwise, and as a result, an unauthorized party may obtain access to our systems. The risk of a security breach or disruption, particularly through cyber-attacks, or cyber intrusion, including by computer hackers, foreign governments, and cyber terrorists, has generally increased as cyber-attacks have become more prevalent and harder to detect and fight against. Additionally, outside parties may attempt to access our confidential information through other means, for example by fraudulently inducing our employees to disclose confidential information. We actively seek to prevent, detect and investigate any unauthorized access, which sometimes occurs. We might be unaware of any such access or unable to determine its magnitude and effects. The theft and/or unauthorized use or publication of our trade secrets and other confidential business information as a result of such an incident could adversely affect our competitive position and the value of our investment in research and development could be reduced. Our business could be subject to significant disruption and we could suffer monetary or other losses.
Our disclosure controls and procedures address cybersecurity and include elements intended to ensure that there is an analysis of potential disclosure obligations arising from security breaches. In addition, we are subject to data privacy, protection and security laws and regulations, including the European General Data Protection Act (GDPR) that governs personal information of European persons, which became effective on May 25, 2018. We also maintain compliance programs to address the potential applicability of restrictions against trading while in possession of material, nonpublic information generally and in connection with a cyber-security breach. However, a breakdown in existing controls and procedures around our cyber-security environment may prevent us from detecting, reporting or responding to cyber incidents in a timely manner and could have a material adverse effect on our financial position and value of our stock.

21

Table of Contents

Our business may be adversely affected by uncertainties in the global financial markets and our or our customers’ or suppliers’ ability to access the capital markets.
Global financial markets continue to reflect uncertainty. Given these uncertainties, there could be future disruptions in the global economy, financial markets and consumer confidence. If economic conditions deteriorate unexpectedly, our business and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. For example, our customers, including our distributors and their customers, may experience difficulty obtaining the working capital and other financing necessary to support historical or projected purchasing patterns, which could negatively affect our results of operations.
Although we believe we have adequate liquidity and capital resources to fund our operations internally and under our existing line of credit, our inability to access the capital markets on favorable terms in the future, or at all, may adversely affect our financial performance. The inability to obtain adequate financing from debt or capital sources in the future could force us to self-fund strategic initiatives or even forego certain opportunities, which in turn could potentially harm our performance.
Changes in our effective tax rate may affect our results.
Our future effective tax rates may be affected by a number of factors including:
the jurisdiction in which profits are determined to be earned and taxed;
changes in tax laws or interpretation of such tax laws and changes in generally accepted accounting principles, for example interpretations and U.S. regulations issued as a result of the significant changes to the U.S. tax law included within the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the Tax Legislation);
the resolution of issues arising from tax audits with various authorities;
changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities;
adjustments to estimated taxes upon finalization of various tax returns;
increases in expenses not deductible for tax purposes, including impairment of goodwill in connection with acquisitions;
changes in available tax credits;
the recognition and measurement of uncertain tax positions;
variations in realized tax deductions for certain stock-based compensation awards (such as non-qualified stock options and restricted stock) from those originally anticipated; and
the repatriation of non-U.S. earnings for which we have not previously provided for taxes or any changes in legislation that may result in these earnings being taxed, regardless of our decision regarding repatriation of funds, for example, the Tax Legislation, enacted in the second quarter of fiscal 2018, included a one-time tax on deemed repatriated earnings of non-U.S. subsidiaries.
Any significant increase or decrease in our future effective tax rates could impact net (loss) income for future periods. In addition, the determination of our income tax provision requires complex estimations, significant judgments and significant knowledge and experience concerning the applicable tax laws. To the extent our income tax liability materially differs from our income tax provisions due to factors, including the above, which were not anticipated at the time we estimated our tax provision, our net (loss) income or cash flows could be affected.
Failure to comply with applicable environmental laws and regulations worldwide could harm our business and results of operations.
The manufacturing, assembling and testing of our products require the use of hazardous materials that are subject to a broad array of environmental, health and safety laws and regulations. Our failure to comply with any of these applicable laws or regulations could result in:
regulatory penalties, fines, legal liabilities and the forfeiture of certain tax benefits;
suspension of production;
alteration of our fabrication, assembly and test processes; and

22

Table of Contents

curtailment of our operations or sales.
In addition, our failure to manage the use, transportation, emission, discharge, storage, recycling or disposal of hazardous materials could subject us to increased costs or future liabilities. Existing and future environmental laws and regulations could also require us to acquire pollution abatement or remediation equipment, modify our product designs or incur other expenses, such as permit costs, associated with such laws and regulations. Many new materials that we are evaluating for use in our operations may be subject to regulation under existing or future environmental laws and regulations that may restrict our use of one or more of such materials in our manufacturing, assembly and test processes or products. Any of these restrictions could harm our business and results of operations by increasing our expenses or requiring us to alter our manufacturing processes.
Our results could vary as a result of the methods, estimates and judgments that we use in applying our accounting policies, including changes in the accounting standards to be applied.
The methods, estimates and judgments that we use in applying our accounting policies have a significant impact on our results (see “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in Part II, Item 7 of this Annual Report). Such methods, estimates and judgments are, by their nature, subject to substantial risks, uncertainties and assumptions, and factors may arise over time that lead us to change our methods, estimates and judgments. Changes in those methods, estimates and judgments could significantly affect our results of operations or financial condition.
Likewise, our results may be impacted due to changes in the accounting standards to be applied, such as the increased use of fair value measurement standards and changes in revenue recognition requirements.
Catastrophic events may disrupt our business.
A disruption or failure of our systems or operations in the event of a natural disaster, health pandemic, such as an influenza outbreak within our workforce, or man-made catastrophic event could cause delays in completing sales, continuing production or performing other critical functions of our business, particularly if a catastrophic event occurred at our primary manufacturing locations or our subcontractors' locations. Any of these events could severely affect our ability to conduct normal business operations and, as a result, our operating results could be adversely affected. There may also be secondary impacts that are unforeseeable as well, such as impacts to our customers, which could cause delays in new orders, delays in completing sales or even order cancellations.
Our stock price may be volatile.
Historically, our common stock has experienced substantial price volatility, particularly as a result of significant fluctuations in our revenue, earnings and margins over the past few years, and variations between our actual financial results and the published expectations of analysts. For example, the closing price per share of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market ranged from a low of $22.21 to a high of $49.95 during the 12 months ended June 24, 2018 . If our future operating results or margins are below the expectations of stock market analysts or our investors, our stock price will likely decline.
Speculation and opinions in the press or investment community about our strategic position, financial condition, results of operations or significant transactions can also cause changes in our stock price. In particular, speculation on our go-forward strategy, competition in some of the markets we address such as electric vehicles and LED lighting, the ramp up of our Wolfspeed business, the potential or perceived potential impact of tariffs, and the expectations around our Lighting Products business recovery may have a dramatic effect on our stock price.
We have outstanding debt which could materially restrict our business and adversely affect our financial condition, liquidity and results of operations.
Our indebtedness currently consists of borrowings from our revolving line of credit. We may also incur additional indebtedness in the future. Our ability to pay interest and repay the principal for our currently outstanding indebtedness under our line of credit and any additional debt we incur in the future is dependent upon our ability to manage our business operations and generate sufficient cash flows to service such debt. There can be no assurance that we will be able to manage any of these risks successfully.
The level of our outstanding debt may adversely affect our operating results and financial condition by, among other things:
increasing our vulnerability to downturns in our business, to competitive pressures and to adverse general economic and industry conditions;

23

Table of Contents

requiring the dedication of an increased portion of our expected cash flows from operations to service our indebtedness, thereby reducing the amount of expected cash flow available for other purposes, including capital expenditures, research and development and stock repurchases;
limiting our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the industry in which we operate;
placing us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our peers that may have less indebtedness than we have by limiting our ability to borrow additional funds needed to operate and grow our business; and
increasing our interest expense if interest rates increase.
Our line of credit requires us to maintain compliance with certain financial ratios. In addition, our line of credit contains certain restrictions that could limit our ability to, among other things: incur additional indebtedness, dispose of assets, create liens on assets, make acquisitions or engage in mergers or consolidations, and engage in certain transactions with our subsidiaries and affiliates. These restrictions could limit our ability to plan for or react to changing business conditions, or could otherwise restrict our business activities and plans.
Our ability to comply with our loan covenants may also be affected by events beyond our control and if any of these restrictions or terms is breached, it could lead to an event of default under our line of credit. A default, if not cured or waived, may permit acceleration of our indebtedness. In addition, our lenders could terminate their commitments to make further extensions of credit under our line of credit. If our indebtedness is accelerated, we cannot be certain that we will have sufficient funds to pay the accelerated indebtedness or that we will have the ability to refinance accelerated indebtedness on terms favorable to us or at all.
Regulations related to conflict-free minerals may force us to incur additional expenses.
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act contains provisions to improve transparency and accountability concerning the supply of minerals originating from the conflict zones of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and adjoining countries. As a result, in August 2012 the SEC established new annual disclosure and reporting requirements for those companies who may use “conflict” minerals mined from the DRC and adjoining countries in their products. Our most recent disclosure regarding our due diligence was filed in May 2018 for calendar year 2017. These requirements could affect the sourcing and availability of certain minerals used in the manufacture of our products. As a result, we may not be able to obtain the relevant minerals at competitive prices and there will likely be additional costs associated with complying with the due diligence procedures as required by the SEC. In addition, because our supply chain is complex, we may face reputational challenges with our customers and other stakeholders if we are unable to sufficiently verify the origins of all minerals used in our products through the due diligence procedures, and we may incur additional costs as a result of changes to product, processes or sources of supply as a consequence of these requirements.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
Not applicable.

24

Table of Contents

Item 2. Properties
The table below sets forth information with respect to our significant owned and leased facilities as of June 24, 2018 . The sizes of the locations represent the approximate gross square footage of each site’s buildings.
 
 
 
Size (approximate gross square footage)
Location
Segment Utilization 1
 
Total
 
Production
 
Facility
Services and
Warehousing
 
Administrative
Function
 
Housing /
Other
Owned Facilities
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Durham, NC
All
 
999,170

 
520,354

 
14,037

 
464,779

 

Research Triangle Park, NC
1
 
203,995

 
91,063

 
62,855

 
50,077

 

Racine, WI
3
 
802,845

 
160,000

 
418,000

 
224,845

 

Huizhou, China
2
 
823,951

 
332,271

 
116,568

 
41,764

 
333,348

Total owned
 
 
2,829,961

 
1,103,688

 
611,460

 
781,465

 
333,348

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Leased Facilities
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Durham, NC
3
 
80,600

 

 
80,600

 

 

Morgan Hill, CA
1
 
83,828

 
54,488

 

 
29,340

 

Pleasant Prairie, WI
3

147,877




145,477


2,400



Fayetteville, AR
1
 
31,341

 
18,771

 

 
12,570

 
 
Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
2,3
 
63,670

 
20,672

 
24,998

 
18,000

 

Hong Kong
All
 
35,811

 

 
10,020

 
24,602

 
1,189

Misc. manufacturing, sales and support offices
All
 
111,397

 
3,002

 
15,352

 
93,043

 

Total leased
 
 
554,524

 
96,933

 
276,447

 
179,955

 
1,189

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total gross square footage
 
 
3,384,485

 
1,200,621

 
887,907

 
961,420

 
334,537

1 Segments listed in the “Segment Utilization” column above are identified as follows: 1) Wolfspeed; 2) LED Products and 3) Lighting Products.
In the United States, our corporate headquarters as well as our primary research and development and manufacturing operations are located at the Durham, North Carolina facilities that we own. These Durham facilities sit on 149 acres of land that we own. Our power and RF products are primarily produced at our owned manufacturing facility located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, which sits on 55 acres of land that we own, and a leased facility in Morgan Hill, California. Domestically, our lighting products are primarily produced at our owned facility in Racine, Wisconsin, which sits on 33 acres of land that we own.
LED products are produced at our owned manufacturing facilities located in Huizhou, Guangdong Province, China. We also own dormitories for housing our Chinese employees near and adjacent to the owned manufacturing facilities. The owned manufacturing facilities, dormitories, and support buildings are located on land that is leased from the Chinese government through two leases. The first land lease is for 12 acres that expires in June 2057 and supports the manufacturing facilities. The second land lease is for 5 acres that expires in December 2082 and is used for dormitory buildings.
We also maintain manufacturing, sales and support offices, through our subsidiaries, in leased office premises in North America, Asia, and Europe.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
The information required by this item is set forth under Note  14 , “Commitments and Contingencies,” in our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report, and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.

25

Table of Contents

PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Common Stock Market Information
Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market and is quoted under the symbol CREE. There were 304 holders of record of our common stock as of August 16, 2018 . The following table sets forth, for the quarters indicated, the high and low closing sales prices as reported by Nasdaq.
 
Fiscal 2018
 
Fiscal 2017
 
High
 
Low
 
High
 
Low
First Quarter

$26.51

 

$22.21

 

$28.98

 

$23.19

Second Quarter
39.63

 
26.20

 
27.58

 
21.12

Third Quarter
43.21

 
32.00

 
28.83

 
25.56

Fourth Quarter
49.95

 
37.32

 
27.24

 
21.70

We have never paid cash dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate that we will do so in the foreseeable future. Our credit agreement with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association and other lenders party thereto, contains certain dividend distribution restrictions. Applicable state laws may also limit the payment of dividends. Our present policy is to retain earnings, if any, to provide funds to invest in our business.

26

Table of Contents

Stock Performance Graph
The following information in this Item 5 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K is not deemed to be “soliciting material” or to be “filed” with the SEC or subject to Regulation 14A or 14C under the Exchange Act or to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, and will not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, except to the extent we specifically incorporate it by reference into such filing.
The following graph compares the cumulative total return on our common stock with the cumulative total returns of the Nasdaq Composite Index and the Nasdaq Electronic Components Index for the five-year period commencing June 30, 2013 . The stock price performance shown on the graph below is not necessarily indicative of future price performance.

Comparison of Five-Year Cumulative Total Return*
Among Cree, Inc., the Nasdaq Composite Index and the Nasdaq Electronic Components Index
    
*    Assumes (1) $100 invested on June 30, 2013 in Cree, Inc. Common Stock, the Nasdaq Composite Index and the             Nasdaq Electronic Components Index and (2) the immediate reinvestment of all dividends.
    
CHART-ECB2047E85A25C5080C.JPG
 
6/30/2013
 
6/29/2014
 
6/28/2015
 
6/26/2016
 
6/25/2017
 
6/24/2018
Cree, Inc.

$100.00

 

$75.95

 

$42.30

 

$36.33

 

$38.54

 

$72.45

Nasdaq Composite Index
100.00

 
130.85

 
152.90

 
139.99

 
188.49

 
233.90

Nasdaq Electronic Components Index
100.00

 
127.60

 
141.00

 
138.47

 
197.04

 
279.16


27

Table of Contents

Sale of Unregistered Securities
There were no unregistered securities sold during fiscal 2018 .
Stock Repurchase Program
On June 14, 2017, our Board of Directors approved our fiscal 2018 stock repurchase program authorizing us to repurchase shares of common stock having an aggregate purchase price not exceeding $200 million for all purchases from June 26, 2017 through the expiration of the program on June 24, 2018. There were no shares repurchased under the stock repurchase program in fiscal 2018 .
Since the inception of our stock repurchase program in January 2001 through June 24, 2018 , we have repurchased 38.7 million shares of our common stock at an average price of $28.66 per share with an aggregate value of $1.1 billion . Any repurchase program that may be authorized could be implemented through open market or privately negotiated transactions at the discretion of our management. 
Item 6. Selected Financial Data
The consolidated statement of (loss) income data set forth below with respect to the fiscal years ended June 24, 2018 , June 25, 2017 , and June 26, 2016 and the consolidated balance sheet data at June 24, 2018 and June 25, 2017 are derived from, and are qualified by reference to, the audited consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report and should be read in conjunction with those financial statements and notes thereto. The consolidated statement of (loss) income data for the fiscal years ended June 28, 2015 and June 29, 2014 and the consolidated balance sheet data at June 26, 2016 , June 28, 2015 , and June 29, 2014 are derived from audited consolidated financial statements not included herein.
Selected Consolidated Financial Data
(In thousands, except per share data)
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
 
June 28,
2015
 
June 29,
2014
Consolidated Statement of (Loss) Income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Revenue, net

$1,493,680

 

$1,473,000

 

$1,616,627

 

$1,632,505

 

$1,647,641

Operating (loss) income
(329,087
)
 
(18,672
)
 
(10,471
)
 
(73,550
)
 
133,236

Net (loss) income
(279,968
)
 
(98,118
)
 
(21,536
)
 
(64,692
)
 
123,490

(Loss) earnings per share
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic

($2.81
)
 

($1.00
)
 

($0.21
)
 

($0.57
)
 

$1.02

Diluted

($2.81
)
 

($1.00
)
 

($0.21
)
 

($0.57
)
 

$1.00

Weighted average shares used in per share calculation:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic
99,530

 
98,487

 
101,783

 
113,022

 
120,623

Diluted
99,530

 
98,487

 
101,783

 
113,022

 
122,914

 
 
 
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
 
June 28,
2015
 
June 29,
2014
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments

$387,085

 

$610,938

 

$605,305

 

$713,191

 

$1,162,466

Working capital
641,797

 
888,607

 
933,708

 
1,053,464

 
1,467,236

Total assets
2,637,545

 
2,649,867

 
2,766,060

 
2,948,033

 
3,338,981

Total long-term liabilities
317,171

 
215,039

 
175,237

 
231,295

 
45,943

Total shareholders’ equity
2,067,136

 
2,222,805

 
2,367,824

 
2,461,952

 
2,986,383


28

Table of Contents

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Executive Summary
The following discussion is designed to provide a better understanding of our audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto, including a brief discussion of our business and products, key factors that impacted our performance and a summary of our operating results. The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report. Historical results and percentage relationships among any amounts in the financial statements are not necessarily indicative of trends in operating results for any future periods.
Overview
Cree, Inc. (Cree, we, our, or us) is an innovator of wide bandgap semiconductor products for power and radio-frequency (RF) applications, lighting-class light emitting diode (LED) products, and lighting products. Our products are targeted for applications such as transportation, power supplies, inverters, wireless systems, indoor and outdoor lighting, electronic signs and signals, and video displays.
Our Wolfspeed segment's products consists of silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) materials, power devices and RF devices based on silicon (Si) and wide bandgap semiconductor materials. Our materials products and power devices are used in solar, electric vehicles, motor drives, power supplies and transportation applications. Our materials products and RF devices are used in military communications, radar, satellite and telecommunication applications.
Our LED Products segment’s products consist of LED chips and LED components. Our LED products enable our customers to develop and market LED-based products for lighting, video screens, automotive and specialty lighting applications.
Our Lighting Products segment’s products primarily consist of LED lighting systems and lamps. We design, manufacture and sell lighting fixtures and lamps for the commercial, industrial and consumer markets.
As discussed more fully in Note 1, “Business,” in our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report, on July 13, 2016, we executed a definitive agreement to sell the Wolfspeed business to Infineon. On March 6, 2017, the definitive agreement with Infineon was terminated.
During fiscal 2018, we expanded our RF product offerings through the acquisition of certain assets of Infineon's Radio Frequency Power Business (RF Power) as discussed in Note 4, "Acquisition", in our consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report.
The majority of our products are manufactured at our production facilities located in North Carolina, Wisconsin, California, Arkansas and China. We also use contract manufacturers for certain products and aspects of product fabrication, assembly and packaging. We operate research and development facilities in North Carolina, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Wisconsin, India, Italy and China (including Hong Kong).
Cree, Inc. is a North Carolina corporation established in 1987, and our headquarters are in Durham, North Carolina. For further information about our consolidated revenue and earnings, please see our consolidated financial statements included in Item 1 of this Quarterly Report.
Reportable Segments
Our three reportable segments are:
Wolfspeed
LED Products
Lighting Products
Reportable segments are components of an entity that have separate financial data that the entity’s Chief Operating Decision Maker (CODM) regularly reviews when allocating resources and assessing performance. Our CODM is the Chief Executive Officer.
Our CODM does not review inter-segment transactions when evaluating segment performance and allocating resources to each segment, and inter-segment transactions are not included in our segment revenue disclosure. As such, total segment revenue is equal to our consolidated revenue.
Our CODM reviews gross profit as the lowest and only level of segment profit. As such, all items below gross profit in the Consolidated Statements of Loss must be included to reconcile the consolidated gross profit to our consolidated loss before income taxes.

29


For financial results by reportable segment, please refer to Note 15 , “Reportable Segments,” in our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report.
Industry Dynamics and Trends
There are a number of industry factors that affect our business which include, among others:
Overall Demand for Products and Applications using SiC power devices, GaN and Si RF devices, and LEDs . Our potential for growth depends significantly on the adoption of SiC and GaN materials and device products in the power and RF markets, the continued use of Si devices in the RF telecommunications market, the continued adoption of LEDs and LED lighting, and our ability to win new designs for these applications. Demand also fluctuates based on various market cycles, continuously evolving industry supply chains, and evolving competitive dynamics in each of the respective markets. These uncertainties make demand difficult to forecast for us and our customers.
Intense and Constantly Evolving Competitive Environment. Competition in the industries we serve is intense. Many companies have made significant investments in product development and production equipment. Product pricing pressures exist as market participants often undertake pricing strategies to gain or protect market share, increase the utilization of their production capacity and open new applications in the power, RF, LED and lighting markets we serve. To remain competitive, market participants must continuously increase product performance, reduce costs and develop improved ways to serve their customers. To address these competitive pressures, we have invested in research and development activities to support new product development, lower product costs and deliver higher levels of performance to differentiate our products in the market. In addition, we invest in systems, people and new processes to improve our ability to deliver a better overall experience for our customers.
Technological Innovation and Advancement. Innovations and advancements in materials, power, RF, LEDs and lighting technologies continue to expand the potential commercial application for our products. However, new technologies or standards could emerge or improvements could be made in existing technologies that could reduce or limit the demand for our products in certain markets.
Intellectual Property Issues. Market participants rely on patented and non-patented proprietary information relating to product development, manufacturing capabilities and other core competencies of their business. Protection of intellectual property is critical. Therefore, steps such as additional patent applications, confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements, as well as other security measures are generally taken. To enforce or protect intellectual property rights, litigation or threatened litigation is common.
Governmental Trade and Regulatory Conditions . Our potential for growth, as with most multi-national companies, depends on a balanced and stable trade, political, economic and regulatory environment among the countries where we do business. Changes in trade policy such as the imposition of tariffs or export bans to specific customers or countries could reduce or limit demand for our products in certain markets.
Lighting Sales Channel Development. Commercial lighting is usually sold through lighting agents and distributors in the North American lighting market. The lighting agents typically have exclusive sales rights for a defined territory and are typically aligned with one large lighting company for a large percentage of their product sales. The size, quality and capability of the lighting agent has a significant effect on winning new projects and sales in any given geographic market. While these agents sell other lighting products, the large traditional lighting companies have taken steps to prevent their channel partners from selling competing product lines. We are constantly working to improve the capabilities of our existing channel partners and increase our share of their sales as well as develop new partners to improve our sales effectiveness in each geographic market.
Fiscal 2018 Overview
The following is a summary of our financial results for the year ended June 24, 2018 :
Our year-over-year revenue increased by $ 21 million to $1.5 billion .
Gross margin decreased to 27.3% from 29.5% . Gross profit decreased by $27 million to $408 million .
Operating loss was $329 million in fiscal 2018 , which includes impairment charges of $247 million attributable to our Lighting Products segment, compared to operating loss of $19 million in fiscal 2017 . Net loss per diluted share was $2.81 in fiscal 2018 compared to net loss per diluted share of $1.00 in fiscal 2017 .

30


Combined cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments decreased to $387 million at June 24, 2018 from $611 million at June 25, 2017 . Cash provided by operating activities was $167 million in fiscal 2018 , compared to $216 million in fiscal 2017 .
Purchases of property and equipment were $186 million in fiscal 2018 compared to $87 million in fiscal 2017 .
Business Outlook
We are uniquely positioned as an innovator in all three business segments. The strength of our balance sheet and operating cash flow provides us the ability to invest in our businesses, as we did with the recent asset acquisition of the Infineon RF Power business to aid in the growth of our Wolfspeed segment as discussed in Note 4 , "Acquisition" to our audited financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report.
We are focused on the following priorities to support our goals of delivering higher revenue and shareholder returns over time:
Wolfspeed - invest in the business to expand the scale, further develop the technologies, and accelerate the growth opportunities of SiC materials, SiC power devices and modules, and GaN and Si RF devices.
LED Products - focus our efforts where our best-in-class technology and application-optimized solutions are differentiated and valued while using Cree Venture LED to access the broader mid-power LED markets.
Lighting Products - modestly grow revenue and increase margins by improving product quality, investing in our channel relationships, improving execution, and delivering innovative lighting solutions focused on higher specification and intelligent features.
Improve the customer experience and service levels in all of our businesses.
Results of Operations
The following table sets forth certain consolidated statement of loss data for the periods indicated (in thousands, except per share amounts and percentages):
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
June 24, 2018
 
June 25, 2017
 
June 26, 2016
 
Dollars
 
% of
Revenue
 
Dollars
 
% of
Revenue
 
Dollars
 
% of
Revenue
Revenue, net

$1,493,680

 
100
 %
 

$1,473,000

 
100
 %
 

$1,616,627

 
100
 %
Cost of revenue, net
1,086,038

 
73
 %
 
1,038,428

 
70
 %
 
1,129,553

 
70
 %
Gross profit
407,642

 
27
 %
 
434,572

 
30
 %
 
487,074

 
30
 %
Research and development
164,321

 
11
 %
 
158,549

 
11
 %
 
168,848

 
10
 %
Sales, general and administrative
283,489

 
19
 %
 
277,175

 
19
 %
 
283,052

 
18
 %
Amortization or impairment of acquisition-related intangibles
30,772

 
2
 %
 
27,499

 
2
 %
 
28,732

 
2
 %
Loss on disposal or impairment of long-lived assets
10,692

 
1
 %
 
2,521

 
0
 %
 
16,913

 
1
 %
Goodwill impairment charges
247,455

 
17
 %
 

 
0
 %
 

 
0
 %
Wolfspeed transaction termination fee

 
 %
 
(12,500
)
 
(1
)%
 

 
 %
Operating loss
(329,087
)
 
(22
)%
 
(18,672
)
 
(1
)%
 
(10,471
)
 
(1
)%
Non-operating income (expense), net
11,642

 
1
 %
 
14,008

 
1
 %
 
(13,035
)
 
(1
)%
Loss before income taxes
(317,445
)
 
(21
)%
 
(4,664
)
 
 %
 
(23,506
)
 
(1
)%
Income tax (benefit) expense
(37,522
)
 
(3
)%
 
93,454

 
6
 %
 
(1,970
)
 
 %
Net loss
(279,923
)
 
(19
)%
 
(98,118
)
 
(7
)%
 
(21,536
)
 
(1
)%
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest
45

 
 %
 

 
 %
 

$—

 
 %
Net loss attributable to controlling interest

($279,968
)
 
(19
)%
 

($98,118
)
 
(7
)%
 

($21,536
)
 
(1
)%
Basic loss per share

($2.81
)
 
 
 

($1.00
)
 
 
 

($0.21
)
 
 
Diluted loss per share

($2.81
)
 
 
 

($1.00
)
 
 
 

($0.21
)
 
 

31


Lighting Business Restructuring
In April 2018, we approved a plan to restructure the Lighting Products business. The purpose is to restructure and realign our cost base with our long-range business strategy that was announced February 26, 2018. The restructuring activity is expected to be completed in the first quarter of fiscal 2019.
The following table summarizes the actual charges incurred (in thousands):
Capacity and overhead cost reductions
Total estimated charges
 
Cumulative amounts incurred through fiscal year 2018
 
Affected Line Item in the Consolidated Statements of Loss
Loss on disposal or impairment of long-lived assets

$227

 

$227

 
Loss on disposal or impairment of long-lived assets
Severance expense
5,470

 
4,682

 
Sales, general and administrative expenses
Lease termination and facility consolidation costs
2,182

 
156

 
Sales, general and administrative expenses
Increase in inventory reserves
897

 
897

 
Sales, general and administrative expenses
Total restructuring charges

$8,776

 

$5,962

 
 
LED Business Restructuring
In June 2015, our Board of Directors approved a plan to restructure the LED Products business. The restructuring reduced excess capacity and overhead in order to improve the cost structure moving forward. The primary components of the restructuring include the planned sale or abandonment of certain manufacturing equipment, facility consolidation and the elimination of certain positions. The restructuring activity ended in the second quarter of fiscal 2016. During fiscal 2016, we realized $18.8 million in LED restructuring charges, which were partially offset by a $1.1 million gain on the sale of long-lived assets related to the restructuring which were sold for a value in excess of their estimated net realizable value during fiscal 2016.
The following table summarizes the actual charges incurred (in thousands):
Capacity and overhead cost reductions
Amounts incurred during fiscal year 2015
 
Amounts incurred during fiscal year 2016
 
Cumulative amounts incurred through fiscal year 2016
 
Affected Line Item in the Consolidated Statements of Loss
Loss on disposal or impairment of long-lived assets

$42,716

 

$15,506

 

$58,222

 
Loss on disposal or impairment of long-lived assets
Severance expense
2,019

 
264

 
2,283

 
Sales, general and administrative expenses
Lease termination and facility consolidation costs
1,246

 
3,079

 
4,325

 
Sales, general and administrative expenses
Increase in channel inventory reserves
26,479

 

 
26,479

 
Revenue, net
Increase in inventory reserves
11,091

 

 
11,091

 
Cost of revenue, net
Total restructuring charges

$83,551

 

$18,849

 

$102,400

 
 

32


Revenue
Revenue was comprised of the following (in thousands, except percentages):
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
Year-Over-Year Change
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
 
2017 to 2018
 
2016 to 2017
Wolfspeed

$328,638

 

$221,231

 

$176,338

 

$107,407

 
49
 %
 

$44,893

 
25
 %
Percent of revenue
22
%
 
15
%
 
11
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
LED Products
596,284

 
550,302

 
551,156

 
45,982

 
8
 %
 
(854
)
 
 %
Percent of revenue
40
%
 
37
%
 
34
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lighting Products
568,758

 
701,467

 
889,133

 
(132,709
)
 
(19
)%
 
(187,666
)
 
(21
)%
Percent of revenue
38
%
 
48
%
 
55
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total revenue

$1,493,680

 

$1,473,000

 

$1,616,627

 

$20,680

 
1
 %
 

($143,627
)
 
(9
)%
Our consolidated revenue increased 1% in fiscal 2018 compared to fiscal 2017 . Wolfspeed revenue and LED Products revenue increased by 49% and 8% , respectively, while Lighting Products revenue decreased by 19% . For the fiscal year ended 2017, our consolidated revenue decreased 9% to $1.5 billion compared to $1.6 billion fiscal 2016. Wolfspeed revenue increased by 25% , while LED Products revenue remained flat and Lighting Products revenue decreased by 21% .
Wolfspeed Segment Revenue
Wolfspeed revenue represented approximately 22% , 15% , and 11% of our total revenue for fiscal 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively. Wolfspeed revenue was $328.6 million , $221.2 million , and $176.3 million for fiscal 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively.
Wolfspeed revenue increased 49% to $328.6 million in fiscal 2018 from $221.2 million in fiscal 2017 . This increase was primarily the result of a 30% increase in units sold, and a 21% increase in average selling price (ASP), which were partially offset by a decrease in contract revenue. The increase in units sold in fiscal 2018 compared to fiscal 2017 was the result of an increase in power products, substrate materials, and the new RF Power business sales. The increase in ASP in fiscal 2018 compared to fiscal 2017 was primarily due to a greater mix of higher priced products in all product lines.
Wolfspeed revenue increased 25% to $221.2 million in fiscal 2017 from $176.3 million in fiscal 2016 . This increase was primarily the result of a 29% increase in sales volume and a 2% increase in ASP, which were partially offset by a decrease in contract revenue. The increase in units sold in fiscal 2017 compared to fiscal 2016 was the result of higher sales volume across all products. The increase in ASP in fiscal 2017 compared to fiscal 2016 was primarily due to a greater mix of higher priced material substrate and RF products.
LED Products Segment Revenue
LED Products revenue represented 40% , 37% , and 34% of our total revenue for fiscal 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively. LED Products revenue was $596.3 million , $550.3 million , and $551.2 million for fiscal 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively.
LED Products revenue increased 8% to $596.3 million in fiscal 2018 from $550.3 million in fiscal 2017 . The number of units sold increased 11% which was partially offset by 2% decrease in ASPs. The increase in the units sold was primarily the result of higher demand in component product sales for the following applications: high power general lighting, video screen, specialty lighting applications and mid-power LED sales through Cree Venture LED. The decrease in ASP in fiscal 2018 compared to fiscal 2017 was due to competitive pricing pressures, which were partially offset by favorable product mix.
LED Products revenue decreased slightly to $550.3 million in fiscal 2017 from $ 551.2 million in fiscal 2016 . This decrease was primarily the result of a decrease in licensing revenue mostly offset by increased product sales. The number of units sold increased 7% which was partially offset by a 5% decrease in ASPs. The decrease in ASP in fiscal 2017 compared to fiscal 2016 was due to competitive pricing pressures.
Lighting Products Segment Revenue
Lighting Products revenue represented approximately 38% , 48% , and 55% of our total revenue for fiscal 2018 , 2017 and 2016 respectively. Lighting Products revenue was $568.8 million , $701.5 million , and $889.1 million for fiscal 2018 , 2017 and 2016 respectively.

33


Lighting Products revenue decreased 19% to $568.8 million in fiscal 2018 from $701.5 million in fiscal 2017 . This decrease was primarily the result of a 31% decrease in units sold, and the absence of the significant patent license issuance fee we received as part of the confidential Feit Electric Company Inc. license agreement in the fiscal quarter ended December 25, 2016, which was partially offset by a 21% increase in ASP. The decrease in units sold in fiscal 2018 compared to fiscal 2017 was primarily due to weakness in the North American commercial lighting market, lingering effects related to quality issues and holds which have lowered project win rates, and reduced consumer sales due to lower demand. The ASP increase in fiscal 2018 compared to fiscal 2017 was the result of a greater mix of commercial sales.
Lighting Products revenue decreased 21% to $701.5 million in fiscal 2017 from $889.1 million in fiscal 2016 . This decrease was the result of a 15% decrease in units sold and an 11% decrease in ASP, partially offset by the incremental revenue associated with a patent license issuance fee in connection with a new patent license agreement. The decrease in units sold in fiscal 2017 compared to fiscal 2016 was due to lower sales in both our commercial and consumer channels. The decrease in ASP in fiscal 2017 compared to fiscal 2016 was primarily due to lower consumer bulb prices year over year.
Gross Profit and Gross Margin
Gross profit and gross margin were as follows (in thousands, except percentages):  
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
Year-Over-Year Change
 
June 24, 2018
 
June 25, 2017
 
June 26, 2016
 
2017 to 2018
 
2016 to 2017
Wolfspeed gross profit

$158,455

 

$103,465

 

$94,622

 

$54,990

 
53
 %
 

$8,843

 
9
 %
Wolfspeed gross margin
48
%
 
47
%
 
54
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
LED Products
157,914

 
151,675

 
173,814

 
6,239

 
4
 %
 
(22,139
)
 
(13
)%
LED Products gross margin
26
%
 
28
%
 
32
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lighting Products gross profit
108,919

 
196,218

 
238,242

 
(87,299
)
 
(44
)%
 
(42,024
)
 
(18
)%
Lighting Products gross margin
19
%
 
28
%
 
27
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unallocated costs
(12,221
)
 
(16,786
)
 
(19,604
)

4,565

 
27
 %
 
2,818

 
14
 %
COGS acquisition related costs
(5,425
)




 
(5,425
)
 
100
 %
 

 
 %
Consolidated gross profit

$407,642

 

$434,572

 

$487,074

 

($26,930
)
 
(6
)%
 

($52,502
)
 
(11
)%
Consolidated gross margin
27
%
 
30
%
 
30
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Our consolidated gross profit decreased 6% to $407.6 million in fiscal 2018 from $434.6 million in fiscal 2017 . Our consolidated gross margin decreased to 27% in fiscal 2018 from 30% in fiscal 2017 . Our consolidated gross profit decreased 11% to $434.6 million in fiscal 2017 from $487.1 million in fiscal 2016 . Our consolidated gross margin remained flat at 30% in fiscal 2017 and 2016 .
Wolfspeed Segment Gross Profit and Gross Margin
Wolfspeed gross profit was $158.5 million , $103.5 million , and $94.6 million in fiscal 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively. Wolfspeed gross margin was 48% , 47% , and 54% in fiscal 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively.
Wolfspeed gross profit increased 53% to $158.5 million in fiscal 2018 from $103.5 million in fiscal 2017 . Wolfspeed gross margin increased to 48% in fiscal 2018 from 47% in fiscal 2017 . Wolfspeed gross profit increased primarily due to higher revenues, a more favorable product mix, higher factory utilization, and improved production yields. Wolfspeed gross margin increased primarily due to changes in product mix and improved production yields.
Wolfspeed gross profit increased 9% to $103.5 million in fiscal 2017 from $94.6 million in fiscal 2016 . Wolfspeed gross margin decreased to 47% in fiscal 2017 from 54% in fiscal 2016. Wolfspeed gross profit increased primarily due to higher revenue. Wolfspeed gross margin decreased primarily due to costs associated with new product ramp ups and changes in product mix.
LED Products Segment Gross Profit and Gross Margin
Our LED Products gross profit was $157.9 million , $151.7 million , and $173.8 million in fiscal 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively. LED Products gross margin was 26% , 28% , and 32% in fiscal 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively.

34


LED Products gross profit increased 4% to $157.9 million in fiscal 2018 from $151.7 million in fiscal 2017 . LED Products gross margin decreased to 26% in fiscal 2018 from 28% in fiscal 2017 . LED Products gross profit increased due to higher component sales while gross margin decreased due to lower pricing resulting from competitive pricing pressures and a less favorable mix of LED products sold.
LED Products gross profit decreased 13% to $151.7 million in fiscal 2017 from $173.8 million in fiscal 2016 , and LED Products gross margin decreased to 28% in fiscal 2017 from 32% in fiscal 2016 . LED Products gross profit and gross margin decreased due to lower licensing revenue, lower pricing resulting from the increased global competition for LED products and a less favorable mix of LED products sold.
Lighting Products Segment Gross Profit and Gross Margin
Lighting Products gross profit was $108.9 million , $196.2 million , and $238.2 million in fiscal 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively. Lighting Products gross margin was 19% , 28% , and 27% in fiscal 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively.
Lighting Products gross profit decreased 44% to $108.9 million in fiscal 2018 from $196.2 million in fiscal 2017 . Lighting Products gross margin decreased to 19% in fiscal 2018 from 28% in fiscal 2017 . Lighting Products gross profit and gross margin decrease was primarily due to lower lighting product sales which created lower factory utilization, higher commercial lighting product warranty reserves and the absence of the significant patent license issuance fee discussed above.
Lighting Products gross profit decreased 18% to $196.2 million in fiscal 2017 from $238.2 million in fiscal 2016 . Lighting Products gross margin increased to 28% in fiscal 2017 from 27% in fiscal 2016 . Lighting Products gross profit decreased primarily due to lower lighting product sales, higher commercial lighting product warranty reserves, and lower factory utilization, which were partially offset by a patent license issuance fee. Lighting Products gross margin increased due to the patent license issuance fee revenue, partially offset by the higher commercial lighting product warranty reserves and lower factory utilization from lower lighting product sales.
Unallocated Costs
Unallocated costs were $12.2 million , $16.8 million , and $19.6 million for fiscal 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively. These costs consisted primarily of manufacturing employees’ stock-based compensation, expenses for profit sharing and quarterly or annual incentive plans and matching contributions under our 401(k) plan. These costs were not allocated to the reportable segments’ gross profit because our CODM does not review them regularly when evaluating segment performance and allocating resources.
Unallocated costs decreased by $4.6 million in fiscal 2018 compared to fiscal 2017 , primarily due to lower stock-based compensation.
Unallocated costs decreased by $2.8 million in fiscal 2017 compared to fiscal 2016 , primarily due to lower stock-based compensation incurred as a result of our lower average share price.
For further information on the allocation of costs to segment gross profit, refer to Note 15 , “Reportable Segments,” in our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report.
COGS Acquisition Related Cost Adjustment
The cost of goods sold (COGS) acquisition related cost adjustment was $5.4 million and $0 million for fiscal 2018 , and 2017 , respectively. The COGS acquisition related cost adjustment includes inventory fair value amortization of the fair value increase to inventory recognized at the date of acquisition, and other RF Power acquisition costs, impacting cost of revenue for fiscal 2018 . These costs were not allocated to the reportable segments’ gross profit for fiscal 2018 because they represent an adjustment which does not provide comparability to the corresponding prior period and therefore were not reviewed by our CODM when evaluating segment performance and allocating resources.
Research and Development
Research and development expenses include costs associated with the development of new products, enhancements of existing products and general technology research. These costs consisted primarily of employee salaries and related compensation costs, occupancy costs, consulting costs and the cost of development equipment and supplies.

35


The following sets forth our research and development expenses in dollars and as a percentage of revenue (in thousands, except percentages):
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
Year-Over-Year Change
 
June 24, 2018
 
June 25, 2017
 
June 26, 2016
 
2017 to 2018
 
2016 to 2017
Research and development

$164,321

 

$158,549

 

$168,848

 

$5,772

 
4
%
 

($10,299
)
 
(6
)%
Percent of revenue
11
%
 
11
%
 
10
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Research and development expenses increased in fiscal 2018 to $164.3 million compared to $158.5 million in fiscal 2017 , which decreased from $168.8 million in fiscal 2016 . The increase in fiscal 2018 compared to fiscal 2017 was primarily due to an increase in Wolfspeed research and development to accelerate 150mm substrate development, next generation power and RF device research and development and the inclusion of the acquired RF Power business research and development spend for the last four months of fiscal 2018. The decrease in fiscal 2017 compared to fiscal 2016 was primarily due to cost management and the nature of the ongoing research and development projects.
Our research and development expenses vary significantly from year to year based on a number of factors, including the timing of new product introductions and the number and nature of our ongoing research and development activities.
Sales, General and Administrative
Sales, general and administrative expenses were comprised primarily of costs associated with our sales and marketing personnel and our executive and administrative personnel (for example, finance, human resources, information technology and legal) and consisted of salaries and related compensation costs; consulting and other professional services (such as litigation and other outside legal counsel fees, audit and other compliance costs); marketing and advertising expenses; facilities and insurance costs; and travel and other costs. The following table sets forth our sales, general and administrative expenses in dollars and as a percentage of revenue (in thousands, except percentages):  
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
Year-Over-Year Change
 
June 24, 2018
 
June 25, 2017
 
June 26, 2016
 
2017 to 2018
 
2016 to 2017
Sales, general and administrative

$283,489

 

$277,175

 

$283,052

 

$6,314

 
2
%
 

($5,877
)
 
(2
)%
Percent of revenue
19
%
 
19
%
 
18
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sales, general and administrative expenses in fiscal 2018 increased 2% to $283.5 million from $277.2 million in fiscal 2017 , which was a 2% decrease from $283.1 million in fiscal 2016 . The increase in fiscal 2018 compared to fiscal 2017 was primarily due to the additional costs assumed in running the business and operations acquired in the RF Power acquisition, which closed in March 2018, the additional non-recurring costs associated with completing and integrating the RF Power acquisition, and severance costs pursuant to our Lighting Products restructuring plan, partially offset by the decrease in Wolfspeed transaction expenses associated with the terminated sale to Infineon in fiscal 2017. The decrease in fiscal 2017 compared to fiscal 2016 was primarily due to lower spending on corporate sales and marketing expenses related to lower sales and a decrease in litigation spending partially offset by higher Wolfspeed transaction expenses referred to above.
Amortization or Impairment of Acquisition-Related Intangibles
As a result of our acquisitions, we have recognized various amortizable intangible assets, including customer relationships, developed technology, non-compete agreements and trade names.

36


Amortization of intangible assets related to our acquisitions was as follows (in thousands, except percentages):
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
Year-Over-Year Change
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
 
2017 to 2018
 
2016 to 2017
Customer relationships

$8,097

 

$6,235

 

$6,374

 

$1,862

 
30
%
 

($139
)
 
(2
)%
Developed technology
21,686

 
20,860

 
20,321

 
826

 
4
%
 
539

 
3
 %
Non-compete agreements
989

 
404

 
2,037

 
585

 
145
%
 
(1,633
)
 
(80
)%
Total

$30,772

 

$27,499

 

$28,732

 

$3,273

 
12
%
 

($1,233
)
 
(4
)%
Amortization of acquisition-related intangibles increased in fiscal 2018 compared to fiscal 2017 due to the acquisition of the RF Power business that was purchased during the third quarter of fiscal 2018. Amortization of acquisition-related intangibles decreased in fiscal 2017 compared to fiscal 2016 primarily due to less amortization expense for customer relationships and non-compete agreements in fiscal 2017. This decrease was partially offset by an increase in the amortization of developed technology related to the acquisition of Arkansas Power Electronics International, Inc. (APEI) that was placed in service in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016.
Impairment of Goodwill
Based on the updated long-range business strategy that was announced February 26, 2018, we determined there was a triggering event and performed an impairment test in connection with the preparation of our financial statements for the period ended March 25, 2018. As a result of this evaluation, we determined the remaining carrying value for the Lighting Products segment exceeded the fair value and therefore, we recorded a $247.5 million non-cash goodwill impairment charge attributable to our Lighting Products segment in our fiscal third quarter ended March 25, 2018. The impairment charge resulted from the inability to meet forecasted results and our new business strategy.
Loss on Disposal or Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
We operate a capital-intensive business. As such, we dispose of a certain level of our equipment in the normal course of business as our production processes change due to production improvement initiatives or product mix changes. Due to the risk of technological obsolescence or changes in our production process, we regularly review our equipment and capitalized patent costs for possible impairment. The following table sets forth our loss on disposal or impairment of long-lived assets (in thousands, except percentages):
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
Year-Over-Year Change
 
June 24, 2018
 
June 25, 2017
 
June 26, 2016
 
2017 to 2018
 
2016 to 2017
Loss on disposal or impairment of long-lived assets

$10,692

 

$2,521

 

$16,913

 

$8,171

 
324
%
 

($14,392
)
 
(85
)%
We recognized a net loss of $10.7 million , $2.5 million , and $16.9 million on the disposal of long-lived assets in fiscal years 2018 , 2017 , and 2016 , respectively. The increase in net loss in fiscal 2018 compared to fiscal 2017 was primarily due to demolition and moving costs associated with our current Wolfspeed manufacturing capacity expansion, closure of certain manufacturing facilities, and a fair value market write-down for a sold aircraft. The net losses in fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2016 were primarily due to the planned sale or abandonment of certain long-lived assets to reduce excess manufacturing capacity pursuant to our LED Products restructuring plan discussed above.
Wolfspeed Transaction Termination Fee
As discussed more fully in Note 1 , “Business”, in our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report, as a result of the termination of the agreement to sell the Wolfspeed business to Infineon, Infineon paid us a termination fee of $12.5 million in cash on March 10, 2017.

37


Non-Operating Income (Expense), net
The following table sets forth our non-operating income (expense), net (in thousands, except percentages):
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
Year-Over-Year Change
 
June 24, 2018
 
June 25, 2017
 
June 26, 2016
 
2017 to 2018
 
2016 to 2017
(Loss) gain on sale of investments, net

($86
)
 

$93

 

$238

 

($179
)
 
(192
)%
 

($145
)
 
(61
)%
Gain (loss) on equity investment
7,145

 
7,543

 
(15,357
)
 
(398
)
 
(5
)%
 
22,900

 
149
 %
Dividends from equity investment

 
16

 
1,655

 
(16
)
 
(100
)%
 
(1,639
)
 
(99
)%
Interest income, net
1,827

 
3,696

 
4,472

 
(1,869
)
 
(51
)%
 
(776
)
 
(17
)%
Foreign currency gain (loss), net
2,250

 
2,460

 
(4,500
)
 
(210
)
 
(9
)%
 
6,960

 
155
 %
Other, net
506

 
200

 
457

 
306

 
153
 %
 
(257
)
 
(56
)%
Non-operating income (expense), net

$11,642

 

$14,008

 

($13,035
)
 

($2,366
)
 
(17
)%
 

$27,043

 
207
 %
During fiscal 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , we were in a net interest income position. Our short-term investments consisted primarily of municipal bonds, corporate bonds, U.S. agency securities, and non-U.S. certificates of deposit. The primary objective of our investment policy is preservation of principal. Other long-term investments consisted of our approximately 16% common stock ownership interest in Lextar, which was completed in December 2014. This investment was accounted for under the equity method from the date of investment until June 2016 when we chose for our representative not to stand for re-election as a member of the Lextar board of directors. We utilize the fair value option in accounting for our investment in Lextar.
(Loss) gain on sale of investments, net . Loss on sale of investments, net was $86 thousand in fiscal 2018, compared to a gain on sale of investments of $93 thousand and $238 thousand in fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2016 , respectively. We had a loss on sale of investments, net in fiscal 2018 primarily due to losses realized on the sale of investments liquidated in order to partially fund the purchase of the RF Power business. Gain on sale of investments, net decreased in fiscal 2017 from fiscal 2016 primarily due to lower sales of investments.
Gain (loss) on equity investment . Gain on equity investment was $7.1 million in fiscal 2018, gain on equity investment was $7.5 million in fiscal 2017 and loss on equity investment was $15.4 million in fiscal 2016 . We had a gain on equity investment in fiscal 2018 and fiscal 2017 due to the increase in the fair value of our Lextar investment. We had a loss on equity investment in fiscal 2016 due to the decrease in the fair value of our Lextar investment. Lextar’s stock is publicly traded on the Taiwan Stock Exchange and its share price increased from 15.70 New Taiwanese Dollars (TWD) at June 26, 2016 to 18.40 TWD at June 25, 2017 and to 21.00 TWD at June 24, 2018. Lextar's share price decreased from 21.55 TWD at June 28, 2015 to 15.70 TWD at June 26, 2016. This volatile stock price trend may continue in the future given the risks inherent in Lextar’s business and trends affecting the Taiwan and global equity markets. Any future stock price changes will be recorded as further gains or losses on equity investment based on the increase or decrease, respectively, in the fair value of the investment during the applicable fiscal period. Further losses could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
Dividends from equity investment . Dividends from equity investment were $0.0 million , $0.0 million and $1.7 million in fiscal 2018 , fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2016 , respectively, due to our Lextar investment.
Interest income, net . Interest income, net was $1.8 million , $3.7 million and $4.5 million in fiscal 2018 , fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2016 , respectively. The decrease in interest income, net in fiscal 2018 compared to fiscal 2017 was primarily due to lower invested balances and higher interest expense due to overall higher borrowings associated with our line of credit, partially offset by higher investment yields. The decrease in interest income, net in fiscal 2017 compared to fiscal 2016 was primarily due to lower invested balances and higher interest expense due to overall higher borrowings associated with our line of credit, partially offset by higher investment yields.
Foreign currency gain (loss), net . Foreign currency gain (loss), net consisted primarily of remeasurement adjustments resulting from our Lextar investment and consolidating our international subsidiaries. The foreign currency gain, net in fiscal 2018 was primarily due to favorable fluctuations in the exchange rate between both the Chinese Yuan (CNY) and the Euro (EUR) and the United States Dollar (USD) which was partially offset by an unfavorable fluctuation in the exchange rate between the TWD and the USD related to our Lextar investment. The foreign currency gain, net in fiscal 2017 was primarily due to favorable fluctuation in the exchange rate between the CNY and the EUR and the USD which was partially offset by an unfavorable fluctuation in the exchange rate between the TWD and the USD related to our Lextar investment. The foreign currency loss, net for fiscal 2016 was primarily due to unfavorable fluctuation in the exchange rate between the TWD and the USD related to our Lextar investment and unfavorable fluctuation in the exchange rate between the CNY and the USD.

38


Other, net . Other, net was $506 thousand , $200 thousand and $457 thousand in fiscal 2018 , fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2016 , respectively.
Income Tax (Benefit) Expense
The following table sets forth our income tax (benefit) expense in dollars and our effective tax rate (in thousands, except percentages):
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
Year-Over-Year Change
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
 
2017 to 2018
 
2016 to 2017
Income tax (benefit) expense

($37,522
)
 

$93,454

 

($1,970
)
 
(130,976
)
 
(140
)%
 
95,424

 
4,844
%
Effective tax rate
12
%
 
(2,004
)%
 
8
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We recognized income tax benefit of $37.5 million in fiscal 2018 as compared to income tax expense of $93.5 million in fiscal 2017 . The increase in the effective tax rate from (2,004)% in fiscal 2017 to 12% in fiscal 2018 was primarily attributable to the tax benefit of remeasuring our U.S. deferred taxes as a result of the Tax Legislation enacted on December 22, 2017, and the establishment of a valuation allowance against our U.S. deferred tax assets during the fiscal year ended June 25, 2017 . The decrease in the effective tax rate from 8% in fiscal 2016 to (2,004)% in fiscal 2017 was primarily due to the establishment of a valuation allowance against our U.S. deferred tax assets and other deferred charges in a period of pre-tax loss.
In general, the variation between our effective income tax rate and the U.S. statutory rate of 28.3% (calculated as described in the following paragraph) is primarily due to: (i) changes in our valuation allowances against deferred tax assets in the U.S. and Luxembourg, (ii) income derived from international locations with lower tax rates than the U.S., and (iii) tax credits generated.
The Tax Legislation contains significant changes to U.S. tax law, including lowering the U.S. corporate income tax rate to 21%, implementing a territorial tax system, and imposing a one-time tax on deemed repatriated earnings of foreign subsidiaries. U.S. tax law requires that taxpayers with a fiscal year that begins before the effective date of a rate change and ends after the effective date calculate a blended tax rate for the year based on the pro rata number of days in the year before and after the effective date. As a result, for the fiscal year ending June 24, 2018 , our statutory income tax rate is 28.3%. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019 , our U.S. statutory income tax rate will be 21%. The Tax Legislation is discussed more fully in Note 13, “Income Taxes” to our audited financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report.

Liquidity and Capital Resources
Overview
We require cash to fund our operating expenses and working capital requirements, including outlays for research and development, capital expenditures, strategic acquisitions and investments. Our principal sources of liquidity are cash on hand, marketable securities, cash generated from operations and availability under our line of credit. Our ability to generate cash from operations has been one of our fundamental strengths and has provided us with substantial flexibility in meeting our operating, financing and investing needs. We have a $500 million line of credit as discussed in Note 9, “Long-term Debt,” in our consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report. The purpose of this facility is to provide short term flexibility to optimize returns on our cash and investment portfolio while funding share repurchases, capital expenditures and other general business needs.
Based on past performance and current expectations, we believe our current working capital, availability under our line of credit and anticipated cash flows from operations will be adequate to meet our cash needs for our daily operations and capital expenditures for at least the next 12 months. With our strong working capital position, we believe that we have the ability to continue to invest in further development of our products and, when necessary or appropriate, make selective acquisitions or other strategic investments to strengthen our product portfolio, secure key intellectual properties or expand our production capacity.
From time to time, we evaluate strategic opportunities, including potential acquisitions, joint ventures, divestitures, spin-offs or investments in complementary businesses, and we anticipate continuing to make such evaluations. We may also access capital markets through the issuance of debt or additional shares of common stock in connection with the acquisition of complementary businesses or other significant assets or for other strategic opportunities.


39


Contractual Obligations
At June 24, 2018 , payments to be made pursuant to significant contractual obligations are as follows (in thousands):
 
 
 
Payments Due by Period
 
Total
 
Less than
One Year
 
One to
Three Years
 
Three to
Five Years
 
More Than
Five Years
Operating lease obligations
25,369

 
7,022

 
11,299

 
6,260

 
788

Purchase obligations
227,637

 
209,246

 
6,380

 
4,003

 
8,008

Long-term debt
292,000

 

 

 
292,000

 

Interest payments on long-term debt 1
35,039

 
9,730

 
19,460

 
5,849

 

Other long-term liabilities 2

 

 

 

 

Total contractual obligations

$580,045

 

$225,998

 

$37,139

 

$308,112

 

$8,796

1 Interest payments on long-term debt are based on the interest rate at June 24, 2018 .
2 Other long-term liabilities as of June 24, 2018 included long-term tax contingencies and other tax liabilities of $3.0 million and other long-term contingent liabilities (for example, warranties) of $21.8 million . These liabilities were not included in the table above as they will either not be settled in cash and/or the timing of any payments is uncertain.
Operating lease obligations include rental amounts due on leases of certain office and manufacturing space under the terms of non-cancelable operating leases. These leases expire at various times through June 2027 . Most of the lease agreements provide for rental adjustments for increases in base rent, property taxes and general property maintenance that would be recognized as rent expense, if applicable.
Purchase obligations represent purchase commitments, including open purchase orders and contracts, and are generally related to the purchase of goods and services in the ordinary course of business such as raw materials, supplies and capital equipment.
Financial Condition
The following table sets forth our cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments (in thousands):  
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
Change
Cash and cash equivalents

$118,924

 

$132,597

 

($13,673
)
Short-term investments
268,161

 
478,341

 
(210,180
)
Total cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments

$387,085

 

$610,938

 

($223,853
)
Our liquidity and capital resources primarily depend on our cash flows from operations and our working capital. The significant components of our working capital are liquid assets such as cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, accounts receivable and inventories reduced by trade accounts payable.
The following table presents the components of our cash conversion cycle:  
 
Three Months Ended
 
 
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
Change
Days of sales outstanding (a)
34

 
37

 
(3
)
Days of supply in inventory (b)
91

 
98

 
(7
)
Days in accounts payable (c)
(46
)
 
(46
)
 

Cash conversion cycle
79

 
89

 
(10
)
a)
Days of sales outstanding (DSO) measures the average collection period of our receivables. DSO is based on the ending net trade receivables and the revenue, net for the quarter then ended. DSO is calculated by dividing ending accounts receivable, net of applicable allowances and reserves, by the average net revenue per day for the respective 90-day period.

40


b)
Days of supply in inventory (DSI) measures the average number of days from procurement to sale of our product. DSI is based on ending inventory and cost of revenue, net for the quarter then ended. DSI is calculated by dividing ending inventory by average cost of revenue, net per day for the respective 90-day period.
c)
Days in accounts payable (DPO) measures the average number of days our payables remain outstanding before payment. DPO is based on ending accounts payable and cost of revenue, net for the quarter then ended. DPO is calculated by dividing ending accounts payable by the average cost of revenue, net per day for the respective 90-day period.
The decrease in the cash conversion cycle was primarily driven by a decrease in days of supply in inventory.
As of June 24, 2018 , we had unrealized losses on our investments of $2.1 million . All of our investments had investment grade ratings, and any such investments that were in an unrealized loss position at June 24, 2018 were in such position due to interest rate changes, sector credit rating changes or company-specific rating changes. We intend and believe that we have the ability to hold such investments for a period of time that will be sufficient for anticipated recovery in market value, and we currently expect to receive the full principal or recover our cost basis in these securities. The declines in value of the securities in our portfolio are considered to be temporary in nature and, accordingly, we do not believe these securities are impaired as of June 24, 2018 .
Cash Flows
In summary, our cash flows were as follows (in thousands):  
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
Year-Over-Year Change
 
June 24, 2018
 
June 25, 2017
 
June 26, 2016
 
2017 to 2018
 
2016 to 2017
Cash provided by operating activities

$167,358

 

$215,900

 

$203,316

 

($48,542
)
 

$12,584

Cash used in investing activities
(423,887
)
 
(145,250
)
 
(7,903
)
 
(278,637
)
 
(137,347
)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities
242,671

 
(104,078
)
 
(167,859
)
 
346,749

 
63,781

Effect of foreign exchange changes
185

 
(129
)
 
(1,110
)
 
314

 
981

Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents

($13,673
)
 

($33,557
)
 

$26,444

 

$19,884

 

($60,001
)
The following is a discussion of our primary sources and uses of cash in our operating, investing and financing activities.
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities decreased to $167.4 million in fiscal 2018 from $215.9 million in fiscal 2017 , primarily due to a higher net loss in fiscal 2018 and lower cash generated from working capital in fiscal 2018 as compared to fiscal 2017 . Net cash provided by operating activities increased to $215.9 million in fiscal 2017 from $203.3 million in fiscal 2016 , primarily due to cash generated from working capital, partially offset by a higher net loss in fiscal 2017 as compared to fiscal 2016.
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
Our investing activities primarily relate to transactions within our purchase of the Infineon RF Power business, short-term investments, purchases of property and equipment and payments for patents and licensing rights. Net cash used in investing activities was $423.9 million in fiscal 2018 compared to $145.3 million in fiscal 2017 . During the third quarter of fiscal 2018, we had $429.2 million of net expenditures to acquire the Infineon RF Power business. Purchases of property, equipment and patent rights increased by $96.4 million in fiscal 2018 compared to fiscal 2017 . Net proceeds of short-term investments increased $247.8 million in fiscal 2018 compared to fiscal 2017 to help fund the Infineon RF Power acquisition.
Net cash used in investing activities was $145.3 million in fiscal 2017 compared to $7.9 million in fiscal 2016 . Purchases of property, equipment and patent rights decreased by $35.1 million in fiscal 2017 compared to fiscal 2016 . Net purchases of short-term investments increased $181.1 million in fiscal 2017 compared to fiscal 2016 . This year over year increase was primarily due to a decrease in proceeds from the sale and maturities of short-term investments, partially offset by a decrease in short-term investment purchase activity. Fiscal 2016 included $12.5 million in net expenditures to acquire APEI.
For fiscal 2019 , we target approximately $220 million of capital investment, which is primarily related to capacity and infrastructure projects to support our Wolfspeed segment longer-term growth and strategic priorities.

41


Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Net cash provided from financing activities was $242.7 million in fiscal 2018 compared to use of $104.1 million in fiscal 2017 . Our financing activities for fiscal 2018 primarily consisted a net draw on our line of credit of $147.0 million to support funding the Infineon RF Power acquisition, proceeds of $92.6 million from net issuances of common stock pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options and purchases under our employee stock purchase plan, including the excess tax benefit on those exercises, proceeds of $4.9 million from San'an's capital contribution to Cree Venture LED, which were slightly offset by payment of acquisition-related contingent consideration of $1.9 million in connection with our acquisition of APEI.
In fiscal 2017 , net cash used in financing activities was $104.1 million compared to $167.9 million in fiscal 2016 . Our financing activities in fiscal 2017 primarily consisted of repurchases of common stock of $104.0 million and net payments on long-term borrowings of $15.0 million on our line of credit, partially offset by proceeds of $17.7 million from net issuances of common stock pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options and purchases under our employee stock purchase plan, including the excess tax benefit on those exercises. Fiscal 2017 included payment of a $2.8 million for acquisition-related contingent consideration related to our fiscal 2016 acquisition of APEI.
On June 14, 2017, the Board of Directors approved our fiscal 2018 stock repurchase program, authorizing us to repurchase shares of our common stock having an aggregate purchase price not exceeding $200 million for all purchases from June 26, 2017 through the expiration of the program on June 24, 2018 . We did not make any stock repurchases in fiscal 2018. Since the inception of our stock repurchase program in 2001, we have repurchased 38.7 million shares of our common stock at an average price of $28.66 per share with an aggregate value of $1.1 billion . The repurchase program may be implemented through open market or privately negotiated transactions at the discretion of our management.
Fair Value
Under U.S. GAAP, fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., the exit price) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In determining fair value, we use various valuation approaches, including quoted market prices and discounted cash flows. U.S. GAAP also establishes a hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are obtained from independent sources and can be validated by a third party, whereas unobservable inputs reflect assumptions regarding what a third party would use in pricing an asset or liability. The fair value hierarchy is categorized into three levels based on the reliability of inputs as follows:
Level 1 - Valuations based on quoted prices in active markets for identical instruments that we are able to access. Since valuations are based on quoted prices that are readily and regularly available in an active market, valuation of these products does not entail a significant degree of judgment.
Level 2 - Valuations based on quoted prices in active markets for instruments that are similar, or quoted prices in markets that are not active for identical or similar instruments, and model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs and significant value drivers are observable in active markets.
Level 3 - Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement.
The financial assets for which we perform recurring fair value remeasurements are cash equivalents and short-term investments. As of June 24, 2018 , financial assets utilizing Level 1 inputs included money market funds and U.S. agency securities. Financial assets utilizing Level 2 inputs included municipal bonds, corporate bonds, certificates of deposit, commercial paper, and common stock of non-U.S. corporations . Level 2 assets are valued using a third-party pricing service's consensus price which is a weighted average price based on multiple sources. These sources determine prices utilizing market income models which factor in, where applicable, transactions of similar assets in active markets, transactions of identical assets in infrequent markets, interest rates, bond or credit default swap spreads and volatility. We do not currently hold financial assets requiring the use of Level 3 inputs. Please refer to Note 7 , “Fair Value of Financial Instruments,” to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report for further information.
Financial and Market Risks
We are exposed to financial and market risks, including changes in interest rates, currency exchange rates and commodities risk. We have entered, and may in the future enter, into foreign currency derivative financial instruments in an effort to manage or hedge some of our foreign exchange rate risk. We may not be able to engage in hedging transactions in the future, and even if we do, foreign currency fluctuations may still have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial performance. All of the potential changes noted below are based on sensitivity analysis performed on our financial positions at June 24, 2018 and June 25, 2017 . Actual results may differ materially.

42


Interest Rates
We maintain an investment portfolio principally composed of money market funds, municipal bonds, corporate bonds, U.S. agency securities, commercial paper and certificates of deposit . In order to minimize risk, our cash management policy permits us to acquire investments rated “A” grade or better. As of June 24, 2018 and June 25, 2017 , our cash equivalents and short-term investments had a fair value of $345.9 million and $482.1 million , respectively. If interest rates were to hypothetically increase by 100 basis points, the fair value of our short-term investments would decrease by $3.5 million at June 24, 2018 and $8.8 million at June 25, 2017 . We do not believe that a 10% change in interest rates would have a significant impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
As of June 24, 2018 , we maintained a secured revolving line of credit under which we can borrow, repay and reborrow loans from time to time prior to its scheduled maturity date of January 9, 2022. At June 24, 2018 and June 25, 2017 , we had $292 million and $145 million outstanding, respectively, under the line of credit. If interest rates were to increase by 100 basis points, the annual interest incurred under our line of credit would have increased by $2.9 million at June 24, 2018 and $1.5 million at June 25, 2017 .
Currency Exchange Rates
Because we operate internationally and have transactions denominated in foreign currencies, including the CNY and EUR, among others, we are exposed to currency exchange rate risks. As a result, fluctuations in exchange rates may adversely affect our expenses and results of operations as well as the value of our assets and liabilities. Our primary exposures relate to the exchange rates between (1) the USD and the CNY and (2) the USD and the TWD. A hypothetical 10% increase in the value of the USD compared to the CNY would result in a potential gain of approximately $0.1 million at June 24, 2018 and a potential gain of $0.4 million at June 25, 2017 . The potential loss in fair value resulting from a hypothetical 10% increase in the value of the USD compared to the TWD was approximately $5.8 million at June 24, 2018 and $5.0 million at June 25, 2017 .
Commodities
We utilize significant amounts of precious metals, gases and other commodities in our manufacturing processes. General economic conditions, market specific changes or other factors outside of our control may affect the pricing of these commodities. We do not use financial instruments to hedge commodity prices.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We do not use off-balance sheet arrangements with unconsolidated entities or related parties, nor do we use any other forms of off-balance sheet arrangements. Accordingly, our liquidity and capital resources are not subject to off-balance sheet risks from unconsolidated entities. As of June 24, 2018 , we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements, as defined in Item 303(a)(4)(ii) of SEC Regulation S-K.
We have entered into operating leases primarily for certain of our U.S. and international facilities in the normal course of business. Future minimum lease payments under our operating leases as of June 24, 2018 are detailed above in “Liquidity and Capital Resources” in the section entitled “Contractual Obligations.”
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. In the application of U.S. GAAP, we are required to make estimates that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in our consolidated financial statements. Changes in the accounting estimates from period to period are reasonably likely to occur. Accordingly, actual results could differ significantly from the estimates made by management. To the extent that there are material differences between these estimates and actual results, our future financial statement presentation of our financial condition or results of operations may be affected.
We evaluate our estimates on an ongoing basis, including those related to revenue recognition, product warranty obligations, valuation of inventories, tax related contingencies, valuation of stock-based compensation, valuation of long-lived and intangible assets, other contingencies and litigation, among others. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions, including expected trends that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources.
Our significant accounting policies are discussed in Note 2 , “Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report. We believe that the following are our most critical accounting policies and estimates, each of which is critical to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations and requires our most difficult, subjective and complex judgments. Our management has reviewed our critical accounting policies and the related disclosures with the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors.
Revenue Recognition
We recognize product revenue when the earnings process is complete, as evidenced by persuasive evidence of an arrangement (typically in the form of a purchase order), when the sales price is fixed or determinable, collection of revenue is reasonably assured, and title and risk of loss have passed to the customer.
We provide our customers with limited rights of return for non-conforming shipments and product warranty claims. We estimate an allowance for anticipated sales returns based upon an analysis of historical sales returns and other relevant data. We recognize an allowance for non-conforming returns at the time of sale as a reduction of product revenue. We recognize a liability for product warranty claims at the time of sale as an increase to cost of revenue.
For the year ended June 24, 2018 , 52% of our revenue was from sales to distributors. Distributors stock inventory and sell our products to their own customer base, which may include: value added resellers; manufacturers who incorporate our products into their own manufactured goods; or ultimate end users of our products. We recognize revenue upon shipment of our products to our distributors. This arrangement is often referred to as a “sell-in” or “point-of-purchase” model as opposed to a “sell-through” or “point-of-sale” model, where revenue is deferred and not recognized until the distributor sells the product through to their customer.
Our distributors may be provided limited rights that allow them to return a portion of inventory (product exchange rights or stock rotation rights) and receive credits for changes in selling prices (price protection rights) or customer pricing arrangements under our “ship and debit” program or other targeted sales incentives. When determining our net revenue, we make significant judgments and estimates corresponding with product shipments. We recognize a reserve for estimated future returns, changes in selling prices, and other targeted sales incentives when product ships. We also recognize an asset for the estimated value of product returns that we believe will be returned to inventory in the future and resold, and these estimates are based upon historical data, current economic trends, distributor inventory levels and other related factors. Our financial condition and operating results are dependent upon our ability to make reliable estimates. Actual results may vary and could have a significant impact on our operating results.
From time to time, we will issue a new price book for our products, and provide a credit to certain distributors for inventory quantities on hand if required by our agreement with the distributor. This practice is known as price protection. These credits are applied against the reserve that we establish upon initial shipment of product to the distributor.
Under the ship and debit program, products are sold to distributors at negotiated prices and the distributors are required to pay for the products purchased within our standard commercial terms. Subsequent to the initial product purchase, a distributor may request a price allowance for a particular part number(s) for certain target customers, prior to the distributor reselling that particular part to the customer. If we approve an allowance and the distributor resells the product to the target customer, we credit the distributor according to the allowance we approved. These credits are applied against a reserve we establish upon initial shipment of product to the distributor.
In addition, we run sales incentive programs with certain distributors and retailers, such as product rebates and cooperative advertising campaigns. We recognize these incentives at the time they are offered to customers and record a credit to their account with an offsetting expense as either a reduction to revenue, increase to cost of revenue, or marketing expense depending on the type of sales incentive.
Warranties
Product warranties are estimated and recognized at the time we recognize revenue. The warranty periods range from 90 days to 10 years . We estimate these warranty liabilities at the time of sale, based on historical and projected incident rates and expected future warranty costs. We estimate costs related to product recalls based on a formal campaign soliciting repair or return of that product when they are deemed probable and reasonably estimable. We evaluate our warranty reserves on a quarterly basis based on various factors including historical warranty claims, assumptions about the frequency of warranty claims, and assumptions about the frequency of product failures derived from quality testing, field monitoring and our reliability estimates. Actual product failure rates that materially differ from our estimates could have a significant impact on our operating results.

43


Inventories
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market, with cost determined on a first-in, first-out (FIFO) method or an average cost method; and with market not to exceed net realizable value. We write-down our inventories for estimated obsolescence equal to the difference between the cost of the inventory and its estimated market value based upon an aging analysis of the inventory on hand, specifically known inventory-related risks (such as technological obsolescence), and assumptions about future demand. We also analyze sales levels by product type, including historical and estimated future customer demand for those products to determine if any additional reserves are appropriate. For example, we adjust for items that are considered obsolete based upon changes in customer demand, manufacturing process changes or new product introductions that may eliminate demand for the product. Any adjustment to our inventories as a result of an estimated obsolescence or net realizable condition is reflected as a component of our cost of revenue. At the point of the loss recognition, a new, lower-cost basis for that inventory is established, and any subsequent improvements in facts and circumstances do not result in the restoration or increase in that newly established lower-cost basis.
In order to determine what costs can be included in the valuation of inventories, we determine normal capacity for our manufacturing facilities based on historical patterns. If our estimates regarding customer demand are inaccurate, or market conditions or technology change in ways that are less favorable than those projected by management, we may be required to take excess capacity charges in accordance with U.S. GAAP, which could have an adverse effect on our operating results.
Deferred Tax Asset Valuation Allowances
In assessing the adequacy of a recognized valuation allowance, we consider all available positive and negative evidence to estimate if sufficient future taxable income will be generated to utilize the existing deferred tax assets by jurisdiction. This consideration includes a variety of factors such as historical and projected future taxable income and prudent and feasible tax planning strategies. When we establish or increase a valuation allowance, our income tax expense increases in the period such determination is made. If we decrease a valuation allowance, our income tax expense decreases in the period such a determination is made.
Tax Contingencies
We are subject to periodic audits of our income tax returns by federal, state, local and foreign agencies. These audits typically include questions regarding our tax filing positions, including the timing and amount of deductions and the allocation of income among various tax jurisdictions. In accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 740, “Income Taxes” (ASC 740), we regularly evaluate the exposures associated with our various tax filing positions. ASC 740 states that a tax benefit should not be recognized for financial statement purposes for an uncertain tax filing position where it is not more likely than not (likelihood of greater than 50%) of being sustained by the taxing authorities based on the technical merits of the position.
In accordance with the provisions of ASC 740, we have established unrecognized tax benefits (as a reduction to the deferred tax asset or as an increase to other liabilities) to reduce some or all of the tax benefit of any of our tax positions at the time we determine that the positions become uncertain based upon one of the following: the tax position is not “more likely than not” to be sustained; the tax position is “more likely than not” to be sustained, but for a lesser amount; or the tax position is “more likely than not” to be sustained, but not in the financial period in which the tax position was originally taken. For purposes of evaluating whether or not a tax position is uncertain, we presume the tax position will be examined by the relevant taxing authority that has full knowledge of all relevant information; the technical merits of a tax position are derived from authorities such as legislation and statutes, legislative intent, regulations, rulings and case law and their applicability to the facts and circumstances of the tax position; and each tax position is evaluated without consideration of the possibility of offset or aggregation with other tax positions taken. We adjust these unrecognized tax benefits, including any impact on the related interest and penalties, in light of changing facts and circumstances, such as the progress of a tax audit.
A number of years may elapse before a particular matter for which we have established an unrecognized tax benefit is audited and fully resolved. To the extent we prevail in matters for which we have established an unrecognized benefit or are required to pay amounts in excess of what we have recognized, our effective tax rate in a given financial statement period could be materially affected. An unfavorable tax settlement might require use of our cash and/or result in an increase in our effective tax rate in the year of resolution. A favorable tax settlement would be recognized as a reduction in our effective tax rate in the year of resolution.

44


Stock-Based Compensation
We account for awards of stock-based compensation under our employee stock-based compensation plans using the fair value method. Accordingly, we estimate the grant date fair value of our stock-based awards and amortize this fair value to compensation expense over the requisite service period or vesting term. We currently use the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to estimate the fair value of our stock option and Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) awards. The determination of the fair value of stock-based awards on the date of grant using an option-pricing model is affected by our then current stock price as well as assumptions regarding a number of complex and subjective variables. These variables include the expected stock price volatility over the term of the awards, actual and projected employee stock option exercise behaviors, the risk-free interest rate and expected dividends.
Due to the inherent limitations of option-valuation models, future events that are unpredictable and the estimation process utilized in determining the valuation of the stock-based awards, the ultimate value realized by award holders may vary significantly from the amounts expensed in our financial statements. For restricted stock and stock unit awards, grant date fair value is based upon the market price of our common stock on the date of the grant. This fair value is then amortized to compensation expense over the requisite service period or vesting term.
We estimate expected forfeitures at the time of grant and revise this estimate, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from initial estimates. Our determination of an estimated forfeiture rate is primarily based upon a review of historical experience but may also include consideration of other facts and circumstances we believe are indicative of future activity. The assessment of an estimated forfeiture rate will not alter the total compensation expense to be recognized, only the timing of this recognition as compensation expense is adjusted to reflect instruments that actually vest.
If actual results are not consistent with our assumptions and judgments used in estimating key assumptions, we may be required to adjust compensation expense, which could be material to our results of operations.
Long-Lived Assets
We evaluate long-lived assets such as property, equipment and finite-lived intangible assets, such as patents, for impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets recognized in our financial statements may not be recoverable. Factors that we consider include whether there has been a significant decrease in the market value of an asset, a significant change in the way an asset is being used, or a significant change, delay or departure in our strategy for that asset. Our assessment of the recoverability of long-lived assets involves significant judgment and estimation. These assessments reflect our assumptions, which, we believe, are consistent with the assumptions hypothetical marketplace participants use. Factors that we must estimate when performing recoverability and impairment tests include, among others, the economic life of the asset, sales volumes, prices, cost of capital, tax rates, and capital spending. These factors are often interdependent and therefore do not change in isolation. If impairment is indicated, we first determine if the total estimated future cash flows on an undiscounted basis are less than the carrying amounts of the asset or assets. If so, an impairment loss is measured and recognized.
After an impairment loss is recognized, a new, lower cost basis for that long-lived asset is established. Subsequent changes in facts and circumstances do not result in the reversal of a previously recognized impairment loss.
Our impairment loss calculations require that we apply judgment in estimating future cash flows and asset fair values, including estimating useful lives of the assets. To make these judgments, we may use internal discounted cash flow estimates, quoted market prices when available and independent appraisals as appropriate to determine fair value.
If actual results are not consistent with our assumptions and judgments used in estimating future cash flows and asset fair values, we may be required to recognize additional impairment losses which could be material to our results of operations.
Goodwill
We test goodwill for impairment at least annually as of the first day of the fiscal fourth quarter, or when indications of potential impairment exist. We monitor for the existence of potential impairment indicators throughout the fiscal year. We conduct impairment testing for goodwill at the reporting unit level. Reporting units, as defined by FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 350, “Intangibles - Goodwill and Other” (ASC 350), may be operating segments as a whole or an operation one level below an operating segment, referred to as a component. We have determined that our reporting units are our three operating and reportable seg ments.

45


We may initiate goodwill impairment testing by considering qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that a reporting unit’s carrying value is greater than its fair value. Such factors may include the following, among others: a significant decline in the reporting unit’s expected future cash flows; a sustained, significant decline in our stock price and market capitalization; a significant adverse change in legal factors or in the business climate, unanticipated competition; and slower growth rates; as well as changes in management, key personnel, strategy, and customers. If our qualitative assessment indicates that goodwill impairment is more likely than not, we determine the amount by which the reporting unit's carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill.
We compare the fair value of the reporting unit to its carrying value, including goodwill. We derive a reporting unit s fair value through a combination of the market approach (a guideline transaction method) and the income approach (a discounted cash flow analysis). The income approach utilizes a discount rate from the capital asset pricing model. If all reporting units are analyzed during the goodwill impairment test, their respective fair values are reconciled back to our consolidated market capitalization.
If the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying value, then we conclude that no goodwill impairment has occurred. If the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeds the fair value, we recognize an impairment loss in an amount equal to the excess, not to exceed the carrying value of the reporting unit s goodwill. Once an impairment loss is recognized, the adjusted carrying value of the goodwill becomes the new accounting basis of the goodwill for the reporting unit.
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets
We test indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment at least annually in the fiscal fourth quarter, or when indications of potential impairment exist. We monitor for the existence of potential impairment indicators throughout the fiscal year. Our impairment test may begin with a qualitative test to determine whether it is more likely than not that an indefinite-lived intangible asset s carrying value is greater than its fair value. In performing this test, we may consider the following qualitative factors, among others: a significant decline in expected future cash flows; changes in industry and market conditions such as the deterioration in the environment in which we operate or an increased competitive environment; changes in management, key personnel, strategy, or customers; as well as other economic factors. If our qualitative assessment indicates that asset impairment is more likely than not, we perform a quantitative impairment test by comparing the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset to its carrying value. Alternatively, we may bypass the qualitative test and initiate impairment testing with the quantitative impairment test.
Determining the fair value of indefinite-lived intangible assets entails significant estimates and assumptions including, but not limited to, determining the timing and expected costs to complete development projects, estimating future cash flows from product revenue, developing appropriate discount rates, estimating probability rates for the successful completion of development projects, continuation of customer relationships and renewal of customer contracts, and approximating the useful lives of the intangible assets acquired.
If the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds its carrying value, we conclude that no impairment has occurred. If the carrying value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds its fair value, we recognize an impairment loss in an amount equal to the excess, not to exceed the carrying value. Once an impairment loss is recognized, the adjusted carrying value becomes the new accounting basis of the indefinite-lived intangible asset.
Contingent Liabilities
We provide for contingent liabilities in accordance with U.S. GAAP, under which a loss contingency is charged to income when (1) it is probable that an asset has been impaired or a liability has been incurred at the date of the financial statements, and (2) the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated.
Periodically, we review the status of each significant matter to assess the potential financial exposure. If a potential loss is considered probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated, we reflect the estimated loss in our results of operations. Significant judgment is required to determine the probability that a liability has been incurred or an asset impaired and whether such loss is reasonably estimable. Because of uncertainties related to these matters, accruals are based on the best information available at the time. Further, estimates of this nature are highly subjective, and the final outcome of these matters could vary significantly from the amounts that may have been included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. In determining the probability of an unfavorable outcome of a particular contingent liability and whether such liability is reasonably estimable, we consider the individual facts and circumstances related to the liability, opinions of legal counsel and recent legal rulings by the appropriate regulatory bodies, among other factors. As additional information becomes available, we reassess the potential liability related to our pending and threatened claims and litigation and may revise our estimates accordingly. Such revisions in the estimates of the potential liabilities could have a material impact on our results of operations and financial position. See also a discussion of specific contingencies in Note 14 , “Commitments and Contingencies,” to our consolidated financial statements in Item 8 of this Annual Report.

46


Recent Accounting Pronouncements
See Note 2 , “Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” to our consolidated financial statements in Item 8 of this Annual Report for a description of recent accounting pronouncements, including the expected dates of adoption and estimated effects, if any, on our consolidated financial statements.
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
See the section entitled “Financial and Market Risks” included in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in Item 7 of this Annual Report.

47


Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
Index to Consolidated Financial Statements


48


Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of Cree, Inc.

Opinions on the Financial Statements and Internal Control over Financial Reporting

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Cree, Inc. and its subsidiaries as of June 24, 2018 and June 25, 2017, and the related consolidated statements of loss, comprehensive loss, cash flows and shareholders’ equity for each of the three years in the period ended June 24, 2018, including the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). We also have audited the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of June 24, 2018, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of June 24, 2018 and June 25, 2017 , and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended June 24, 2018 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of June 24, 2018, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the COSO.

Basis for Opinions

The Company's management is responsible for these consolidated financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, appearing under Item 9A, Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express opinions on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud, and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.

Our audits of the consolidated financial statements included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.

As described in the Report of Management on Internal Control over Financial Reporting appearing under Item 9A, management has excluded the Radio Frequency Power Business from its assessment of internal control over financial reporting as of June 24, 2018 because it was acquired by the Company in a purchase business combination during 2018. We have also excluded the Radio Frequency Power Business from our audit of internal control over financial reporting. The Radio Frequency Power Business’ total assets and total revenues excluded from management’s assessment and our audit of internal control over financial reporting represent 1% and 2%, respectively, of the related consolidated financial statement amounts as of and for the year ended June 24, 2018.

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and

49


dispositions of the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
 
Raleigh, North Carolina
 
August 20, 2018
 

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2013.  


50


CREE, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
 
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
(In thousands, except par value)
ASSETS
 
 
 
Current assets:
 
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents

$118,924

 

$132,597

Short-term investments
268,161

 
478,341

Total cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments
387,085

 
610,938

Accounts receivable, net
153,875

 
148,392

Income tax receivable
2,434

 
8,040

Inventories
296,015

 
284,385

Prepaid expenses
28,310

 
23,305

Other current assets
20,191

 
23,390

Current assets held for sale
2,180

 
2,180

Total current assets
890,090

 
1,100,630

Property and equipment, net
661,319

 
581,263

Goodwill
620,330

 
618,828

Intangible assets, net
390,054

 
274,315

Other long-term investments
57,501

 
50,366

Deferred income taxes
6,451

 
11,763

Other assets
11,800

 
12,702

Total assets

$2,637,545

 

$2,649,867

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
 
 
 
Current liabilities:

 

Accounts payable, trade

$151,307

 

$133,185

Accrued salaries and wages
53,458

 
41,860

Other current liabilities
43,528

 
36,978

Total current liabilities
248,293

 
212,023

Long-term liabilities:
 
 
 
Long-term debt
292,000

 
145,000

Deferred income taxes
3,056

 
49,860

Other long-term liabilities
22,115

 
20,179

Total long-term liabilities
317,171

 
215,039

Commitments and contingencies (Note 14)

 

Shareholders’ equity:
 
 
 
Preferred stock, par value $0.01; 3,000 shares authorized at June 24, 2018 and June 25, 2017; none issued and outstanding

 

Common stock, par value $0.00125; 200,000 shares authorized at June 24, 2018 and June 25, 2017; 101,488 and 97,674 shares issued and outstanding at June 24, 2018 and June 25, 2017, respectively
127

 
121

Additional paid-in-capital
2,549,123

 
2,419,517

Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of taxes
596

 
5,909

Accumulated deficit
(482,710
)
 
(202,742
)
Total shareholders’ equity
2,067,136

 
2,222,805

Noncontrolling interest
4,945

 

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

$2,637,545

 

$2,649,867

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

51

Table of Contents

CREE, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF LOSS
 
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
 
(In thousands, except per share data)
Revenue, net

$1,493,680

 

$1,473,000

 

$1,616,627

Cost of revenue, net
1,086,038

 
1,038,428

 
1,129,553

Gross profit
407,642

 
434,572

 
487,074

Operating expenses:
 
 
 
 
 
Research and development
164,321

 
158,549

 
168,848

Sales, general and administrative
283,489

 
277,175

 
283,052

Amortization or impairment of acquisition-related intangibles
30,772

 
27,499

 
28,732

Goodwill impairment charges
247,455

 

 

Loss on disposal or impairment of long-lived assets
10,692

 
2,521

 
16,913

Wolfspeed transaction termination fee

 
(12,500
)
 

Total operating expenses
736,729

 
453,244

 
497,545

Operating loss
(329,087
)
 
(18,672
)
 
(10,471
)
Non-operating income (expense), net
11,642

 
14,008

 
(13,035
)
Loss before income taxes
(317,445
)
 
(4,664
)
 
(23,506
)
Income tax (benefit) expense
(37,522
)
 
93,454

 
(1,970
)
Net loss
(279,923
)
 
(98,118
)
 
(21,536
)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest
45

 

 

Net loss attributable to controlling interest

($279,968
)
 

($98,118
)
 

($21,536
)
Loss per share:
 
 
 
 
 
Basic
($2.81
)
 

($1.00
)
 

($0.21
)
Diluted
($2.81
)
 

($1.00
)
 

($0.21
)
Weighted average shares used in per share calculation:
 
 
 
 
 
Basic
99,530

 
98,487

 
101,783

Diluted
99,530

 
98,487

 
101,783

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

52

Table of Contents

CREE, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS

 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
 
(In thousands)
Net loss

($279,968
)
 

($98,118
)
 

($21,536
)
Other comprehensive (loss) income:
 
 
 
 
 
Currency translation gain (loss), net of tax benefit of $0, $0 and $0, respectively
604

 
(153
)
 
(362
)
Net unrealized (loss) gain on available-for-sale securities, net of tax expense of $0, $0, and $1,936, respectively
(5,917
)
 
(2,666
)
 
3,292

Other comprehensive (loss) income
(5,313
)
 
(2,819
)
 
2,930

Comprehensive loss

($285,281
)
 

($100,937
)
 

($18,606
)
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.



53

Table of Contents

CREE, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
 
 
Fiscal Years Ended

June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
 
(In thousands)
Cash flows from operating activities:
 
 
 
 
 
Net loss

($279,923
)
 

($98,118
)
 

($21,536
)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:
 
 
 
 
 
Depreciation and amortization
153,937

 
150,508

 
159,145

Stock-based compensation
43,203

 
47,725

 
58,728

Excess tax benefit from share-based payment arrangements

 
2

 
(12
)
Goodwill impairment charges
247,455

 

 

Loss on disposal or impairment of long-lived assets
10,692

 
2,521

 
16,913

Amortization of premium/discount on investments
4,809

 
5,427

 
5,314

(Gain)/loss on equity investment
(7,143
)
 
(7,543
)
 
15,357

Foreign exchange (gain)/loss on equity investment
(550
)
 
(2,644
)
 
2,057

Deferred income taxes
(40,038
)
 
74,918

 
(15,839
)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisition:
 
 
 
 
 
Accounts receivable, net
(4,764
)
 
16,955

 
21,800

Inventories
10,998

 
17,918

 
(23,269
)
Prepaid expenses and other assets
(5,358
)
 
17,438

 
8,103

Accounts payable, trade
14,296

 
(4,818
)
 
(12,090
)
Accrued salaries and wages and other liabilities
19,744

 
(4,389
)
 
(11,355
)
Net cash provided by operating activities
167,358

 
215,900

 
203,316

Cash flows from investing activities:
 
 
 
 
 
Purchases of property and equipment
(185,688
)
 
(86,928
)
 
(120,018
)
Purchases of patent and licensing rights
(10,115
)
 
(12,405
)
 
(14,443
)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment
614

 
1,392

 
5,296

Purchases of short-term investments
(200,688
)
 
(200,405
)
 
(220,823
)
Proceeds from maturities of short-term investments
224,171

 
125,922

 
312,524

Proceeds from sale of short-term investments
176,981

 
27,174

 
42,074

Purchase of acquired business, net of cash acquired
(429,162
)
 

 
(12,513
)
Net cash used in investing activities
(423,887
)
 
(145,250
)
 
(7,903
)
Cash flows from financing activities:
 
 
 
 
 
Proceeds from issuing Cree Venture LED to noncontrolling interest
4,900

 

 

Payment of acquisition-related contingent consideration
(1,850
)
 
(2,775
)
 

Proceeds from long-term debt borrowings
670,000

 
468,000

 
653,000

Payments on long-term debt borrowings
(523,000
)
 
(483,000
)
 
(693,000
)
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock
92,621

 
17,716

 
21,682

Excess tax benefit from share-based payment arrangements

 
(2
)
 
12

Repurchases of common stock

 
(104,017
)
 
(149,553
)
Net cash provided by (used) in financing activities
242,671

 
(104,078
)
 
(167,859
)
Effects of foreign exchange changes on cash and cash equivalents
185

 
(129
)
 
(1,110
)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents
(13,673
)
 
(33,557
)
 
26,444

Cash and cash equivalents:
 
 
 
 
 
Beginning of period
132,597

 
166,154

 
139,710

End of period

$118,924

 

$132,597

 

$166,154

Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
 
 
 
 
 
Cash paid for interest

$6,093

 

$3,588

 

$3,110

Cash paid for income taxes

$1,191

 

$8,494

 

$14,722

Significant non-cash transactions:
 
 
 
 
 
Accrued property and equipment

$15,028

 

$10,173

 

$3,721

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

54

Table of Contents

CREE, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
 
 
Common Stock
 
Additional
Paid-in
Capital
 
(Accumulated deficit)/Retained
Earnings
 
Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income
 
Total
Shareholders’
Equity
 
Non
controlling Interest
 
Total Equity
 
Number
of Shares
 
Par 
Value
 
 
 
(In thousands)
Balance at June 28, 2015
105,507

 

$131

 

$2,285,554

 

$170,469

 

$5,798

 

$2,461,952

 

$—

 

$2,461,952

Net loss

 

 

 
(21,536
)
 

 
(21,536
)
 

 
(21,536
)
Currency translation loss, net of tax benefit of $0

 

 

 

 
(362
)
 
(362
)
 

 
(362
)
Unrealized gain on available-for-sale securities, net of tax expense of $1,936

 

 

 

 
3,292

 
3,292

 

 
3,292

Comprehensive income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(18,606
)
 

 
(18,606
)
Income tax expense from stock option exercises

 

 
(3,525
)
 

 

 
(3,525
)
 

 
(3,525
)
Repurchased shares
(5,842
)
 
(7
)
 

 
(149,546
)
 


 
(149,553
)
 

 
(149,553
)
Stock-based compensation

 

 
58,425

 

 

 
58,425

 

 
58,425

Exercise of stock options and issuance of shares
1,164

 
1

 
19,130

 

 

 
19,131

 

 
19,131

Balance at June 26, 2016
100,829

 

$125

 

$2,359,584

 

($613
)
 

$8,728

 

$2,367,824

 

$—

 

$2,367,824

Net loss

 

 

 
(98,118
)
 

 
(98,118
)
 

 
(98,118
)
Currency translation loss, net of tax benefit of $0

 

 

 

 
(153
)
 
(153
)
 

 
(153
)
Unrealized loss on available-for-sale securities, net of tax expense of $0

 

 

 

 
(2,666
)
 
(2,666
)
 

 
(2,666
)
Comprehensive income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(100,937
)
 

 
(100,937
)
Income tax expense from stock option exercises

 

 
(253
)
 

 

 
(253
)
 

 
(253
)
Repurchased shares
(4,460
)
 
(6
)
 

 
(104,011
)
 

 
(104,017
)
 

 
(104,017
)
Stock-based compensation

 

 
46,813

 

 

 
46,813

 

 
46,813

Exercise of stock options and issuance of shares
1,305

 
2

 
13,373

 

 

 
13,375

 

 
13,375

Balance at June 25, 2017
97,674

 

$121

 

$2,419,517

 

($202,742
)
 

$5,909

 

$2,222,805

 

$—

 

$2,222,805

Net (loss) income

 

 

 
(279,968
)
 

 
(279,968
)
 
45

 
(279,923
)
Currency translation gain, net of tax benefit of $0

 

 

 

 
604

 
604

 

 
604

Unrealized loss on available-for-sale securities, net of tax expense of $0

 

 

 

 
(5,917
)
 
(5,917
)
 

 
(5,917
)
Comprehensive loss
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(285,281
)
 
45

 
(285,236
)
Income tax expense from stock option exercises

 

 
(6,217
)
 

 

 
(6,217
)
 

 
(6,217
)
Stock-based compensation

 

 
43,208

 

 

 
43,208

 

 
43,208

Exercise of stock options and issuance of shares
3,814

 
6

 
92,615

 

 

 
92,621

 

 
92,621

Contributions from noncontrolling interests

 

 

 

 

 

 
4,900

 
4,900

Balance at June 24, 2018
101,488

 

$127

 

$2,549,123

 

($482,710
)
 

$596

 

$2,067,136

 

$4,945

 

$2,072,081

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

55

Table of Contents

CREE, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Note 1 – Business
Overview
Cree, Inc. (the Company) is an innovator of wide bandgap semiconductor products for power and radio-frequency (RF) applications, lighting-class light emitting diode (LED) products, and lighting products. The Company's products are targeted for applications such as transportation, power supplies, inverters, wireless systems, indoor and outdoor lighting, electronic signs and signals, and video displays.
The Company's Wolfspeed segment's products consists of silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) materials, power devices and RF devices based on silicon (Si) and wide bandgap semiconductor materials. The Company's materials products and power devices are used in solar, electric vehicles, motor drives, power supplies and transportation applications. The Company's materials products and RF devices are used in military communications, radar, satellite and telecommunication applications.
The Company's LED Products segment's consist of LED chips and LED components. The Company's LED products enable its customers to develop and market LED-based products for lighting, video screens, automotive and specialty lighting applications.
The Company's Lighting Products segment's primarily consist of LED lighting systems and lamps. The Company designs, manufactures and sells lighting fixtures and lamps for the commercial, industrial and consumer markets.
The majority of the Company's products are manufactured at its production facilities located in North Carolina, Wisconsin, Arkansas, California and China. The Company also uses contract manufacturers for certain products and aspects of product fabrication, assembly and packaging. The Company operates research and development facilities in North Carolina, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Wisconsin, India, Italy and China (including Hong Kong).
Cree, Inc. is a North Carolina corporation established in 1987 and is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina.
The Company's three reportable segments are:
Wolfspeed
LED Products
Lighting Products
For financial results by reportable segment, please refer to Note 15 , “Reportable Segments.”
Termination of Wolfspeed Sale Transaction
On July 13, 2016, the Company executed an Asset Purchase Agreement (the APA) with Infineon Technologies AG (Infineon), in which Infineon agreed to purchase the assets comprising the Company’s power and RF product lines, certain related portions of the Company’s SiC materials and gemstones business previously included within the LED Products segment, and assume certain liabilities related to the Wolfspeed business.
On February 16, 2017, the Company announced that the APA would be terminated as the Company and Infineon were unable to identify alternatives to modify the transaction to address the national security concerns of, and obtain approval from, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, one of the closing conditions under the APA. On March 6, 2017, the Company and Infineon entered into a Termination Agreement pursuant to which the APA was terminated. Pursuant to the APA and the Termination Agreement, Infineon paid the Company a termination fee of $12.5 million in cash on March 10, 2017, which is included in Wolfspeed transaction termination fee in the Company’s consolidated statements of loss and in net cash provided by operating activities in the Company’s consolidated statements of cash flows.

56


Note 2 – Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, its wholly owned subsidiaries, and the joint venture. All material intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Fiscal Year
The Company’s fiscal year is a 52 or 53 -week period ending on the last Sunday in the month of June. The Company’s 2018 , 2017 and 2016 fiscal years were 52 -week fiscal years. The Company’s 2019 fiscal year will be a 53 -week fiscal year.
Reclassifications
Certain prior period amounts in the accompanying consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on previously reported net loss or shareholders’ equity.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses, and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. The Company evaluates its estimates on an ongoing basis, including those related to revenue recognition, product warranty obligations, valuation of inventories, tax related contingencies, valuation of stock-based compensation, valuation of long-lived and intangible assets, other contingencies and litigation, among others. The Company generally bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.
Segment Information
U.S. GAAP requires segmentation based on an entity’s internal organization and reporting of revenue and operating income based upon internal accounting methods commonly referred to as the “management approach.” Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate financial information is available that is evaluated regularly by the chief operating decision maker (CODM), or decision making group, in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. The Company’s CODM is its Chief Executive Officer. The Company has determined that it currently has three operating and reportable segments.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents consist of unrestricted cash accounts and highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased. Cash and cash equivalents are stated at cost, which approximates fair value. The Company holds cash and cash equivalents at several major financial institutions, which often exceed insurance limits set by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The Company has not historically experienced any losses due to such concentration of credit risk.
Investments
Investments in certain securities may be classified into three categories:
Held-to-Maturity – Debt securities that the entity has the positive intent and ability to hold to maturity, which are reported at amortized cost.
Trading – Debt and equity securities that are bought and held principally for the purpose of selling in the near term, which are reported at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses included in earnings.
Available-for-Sale – Debt and equity securities not classified as either held-to-maturity or trading securities, which are reported at fair value with unrealized gains or losses excluded from earnings and reported as a separate component of shareholders’ equity.

57


The Company reassesses the appropriateness of the classification (i.e. held-to-maturity, trading or available-for-sale) of its investments at the end of each reporting period.
When the fair value of an investment declines below its original cost, the Company considers all available evidence to evaluate whether the decline is other-than-temporary. Among other things, the Company considers the duration and extent of the decline and economic factors influencing the capital markets. For the fiscal years ended June 24, 2018 , June 25, 2017 , and June 26, 2016 , the Company had no other-than-temporary declines below the cost basis of its investments. The Company utilizes specific identification in computing realized gains and losses on the sale of investments. Realized gains and losses on the sale of investments are reported in other income and expense.
Investments in marketable securities with maturities beyond one year may be classified as short-term based on their highly liquid nature and because such marketable securities represent the investment of cash that is available for current operations.
Other long-term investments consist of the Company's approximately 16% common stock ownership interest in Lextar Electronics Corporation (Lextar), which the Company acquired in December 2014.  This investment was accounted for under the equity method from the date of investment until June 2016 when the Company chose for its representative not to stand for re-election as a member of the Lextar board of directors. The Company utilizes the fair value option in accounting for its investment in Lextar. The Company has determined that for its fiscal years ended June 26, 2016 and June 28, 2015, Lextar met the conditions of a significant subsidiary under Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X for which the Company is required, pursuant to Rule 3-09 of Regulation S-X, to file separate financial statements as an exhibit to its Annual Report on Form 10-K. As such, separate financial statements for Lextar , prepared by Lextar and audited by its independent public accounting firm, are filed as Exhibit 99.1 to the Company's Annual Report.
Inventories
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value, with cost determined on a first-in, first-out (FIFO) method or an average cost method. The Company writes down its inventory balances for estimates of excess and obsolete amounts. These write-downs are recognized as a component of cost of revenue. At the point of the write-down, a new lower cost basis for that inventory is established, and any subsequent improvements in facts and circumstances do not result in the restoration or increase in that newly established lower cost basis. If that inventory is subsequently sold, the sale is recorded at the actual selling price and the related costs of revenue is recorded at the new lower cost basis.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are stated at cost and depreciated on a straight-line basis over the assets’ estimated useful lives. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the lesser of the asset life or the life of the related lease. In general, the Company’s policy for useful lives is as follows:  
Machinery and equipment
  
3 to 15 years
Buildings and building improvements
  
5 to 40 years
Furniture and fixtures
  
3 to 5 years
Aircraft and vehicles
 
5 to 20 years
Leasehold improvements
  
Shorter of estimated useful life or lease term
Expenditures for repairs and maintenance are charged to expense as incurred. The costs for major renewals and improvements are capitalized and depreciated over their estimated useful lives. The cost and related accumulated depreciation of the assets are removed from the accounts upon disposition and any resulting gain or loss is reflected in operating income.

58


Shipping and Handling Costs
Shipping and handling costs are included in Cost of revenue, net in the Consolidated Statements of Loss and are recognized as a period expense during the period in which they are incurred.
Goodwill and Intangible Assets
The Company recognizes the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in business combinations at their respective fair values at the date of acquisition, with any excess purchase price recognized as goodwill. Valuation of intangible assets entails significant estimates and assumptions including, but not limited to, estimating future cash flows from product revenue, developing appropriate discount rates, continuation of customer relationships and renewal of customer contracts, and approximating the useful lives of the intangible assets acquired.
Goodwill
The Company recognizes goodwill as an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized. The Company tests goodwill for impairment at least annually as of the first day of the fiscal fourth quarter, or when indications of potential impairment exist. The Company monitors for the existence of potential impairment indicators throughout the fiscal year.
The Company conducts impairment testing for goodwill at the reporting unit level. Reporting units may be operating segments as a whole, or an operation one level below an operating segment, referred to as a component. The Company has determined that its reporting units are its three operating and reportable segments.
The Company may initiate goodwill impairment testing by considering qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that a reportable segment’s carrying value is greater than its fair value. Such factors may include the following, among others: a significant decline in the reporting unit s expected future cash flows; a sustained, significant decline in the Company s stock price and market capitalization; a significant adverse change in legal factors or in the business climate; unanticipated competition; and slower growth rates; as well as changes in management, key personnel, strategy and customers . If the Company's qualitative assessment indicates it is more likely than not that the estimated fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying value, no further analysis is required and goodwill is not impaired. Otherwise, the Company performs a quantitative goodwill impairment test to determine if goodwill is impaired. The quantitative test compares the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill.
If the fair value of the reportable segment exceeds the carrying value of the net assets associated with the segment, goodwill is not considered impaired. If the carrying value of the net assets associated with the reportable segment exceeds the fair value of the segment, the Company recognizes an impairment loss in an amount equal to the excess, not to exceed the carrying value of the reportable segment's goodwill. Once an impairment loss is recognized, the adjusted carrying value of the goodwill becomes the new accounting basis of the goodwill for the reporting unit. The Company derives a reportable segment s fair value through a combination of the market approach (a guideline transaction method) and the income approach (a discounted cash flow analysis). The income approach utilizes a discount rate from the capital asset pricing model. If all reportable segments are analyzed, their respective fair values are reconciled back to the Company s consolidated market capitalization.
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets
The Company s indefinite-lived intangible assets are tested for impairment at least annually in the fiscal fourth quarter or when indications of potential impairment exist. The Company monitors for the existence of potential impairment indicators throughout the fiscal year.

59


The Company s impairment test may begin with a qualitative test to determine whether it is more likely than not that an indefinite-lived intangible asset s carrying value is greater than its fair value. In performing this test, the Company may consider the following qualitative factors, among others: a significant decline in expected future cash flows; changes in industry and market conditions such as the deterioration in the environment in which the Company operates or an increased competitive environment; changes in management, key personnel, strategy, or customers; as well as other economic factors. If the Company’s qualitative assessment indicates that asset impairment is more likely than not, the Company performs a quantitative impairment test by comparing the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset to its carrying value. Alternatively, the Company may bypass the qualitative test and initiate impairment testing with the quantitative impairment test. Determining the fair value of indefinite-lived intangible assets entails significant estimates and assumptions including, but not limited to, determining the timing and expected costs to complete development projects, estimating future cash flows from product revenue, developing appropriate discount rates, estimating probability rates for the successful completion of development projects, continuation of customer relationships and renewal of customer contracts, and approximating the useful lives of the intangible assets acquired.
If the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds its carrying value, then the Company concludes that no impairment has occurred. If the carrying value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds its fair value, the Company recognizes an impairment loss in an amount equal to the excess, not to exceed the carrying value. Once an impairment loss is recognized, the adjusted carrying value becomes the new accounting basis of the indefinite-lived intangible asset.
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets
U.S. GAAP requires that intangible assets, other than goodwill and indefinite-lived intangibles, must be amortized over their useful lives. The Company is currently amortizing its acquired intangible assets with finite lives over periods ranging from one to 20 years .
Patent rights reflect costs incurred by the Company in applying for and maintaining patents owned by the Company and costs incurred in purchasing patents and related rights from third parties. Licensing rights reflect costs incurred by the Company in acquiring licenses under patents owned by others. The Company amortizes both on a straight-line basis over the expected useful life of the associated patent rights, which is generally the lesser of 20 years from the date of the patent application or the license period. Royalties payable under licenses for patents owned by others are generally expensed as incurred. The Company reviews its capitalized patent portfolio and recognizes impairment charges when circumstances warrant, such as when patents have been abandoned or are no longer being pursued.
Long-Lived Assets
The Company reviews long-lived assets such as property and equipment for impairment based on changes in circumstances that indicate their carrying amounts may not be recoverable. In making these determinations, the Company uses certain assumptions, including but not limited to: (1) estimations of the fair market value of the assets and (2) estimations of future cash flows expected to be generated by these assets, which are based on additional assumptions such as asset utilization, length of service the asset will be used in the Company’s operations and estimated salvage values.
Contingent Liabilities
The Company recognizes contingent liabilities when it is probable that an asset has been impaired or a liability has been incurred at the date of the financial statements and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Disclosure in the notes to the financial statements is required for loss contingencies that do not meet both these conditions if there is a reasonable possibility that a loss may have been incurred. See Note 14 , “Commitments and Contingencies,” for a discussion of loss contingencies in connection with pending and threatened litigation. The Company expenses as incurred the costs of defending legal claims against the Company.
Revenue Recognition
The Company recognizes product revenue when the earnings process is complete, as evidenced by persuasive evidence of an arrangement (typically in the form of a purchase order), when the sales price is fixed or determinable, collection of revenue is reasonably assured, and title and risk of loss have passed to the customer.
The Company provides its customers with limited rights of return for non-conforming shipments and product warranty claims. The Company estimates an allowance for anticipated sales returns based upon an analysis of historical sales returns and other relevant data. The Company recognizes an allowance for non-conforming returns at the time of sale as a reduction of product revenue. The Company recognizes a liability for product warranty claims at the time of sale as an increase to cost of revenue.

60


A substantial portion of the Company’s products are sold through distributors. Distributors stock inventory and sell the Company’s products to their own customer base, which may include: value added resellers; manufacturers who incorporate the Company’s products into their own manufactured goods; or ultimate end users of the Company’s products. The Company recognizes revenue upon shipment of its products to its distributors. This arrangement is often referred to as a “sell-in” or “point-of-purchase” model as opposed to a “sell-through” or “point-of-sale” model, where revenue is deferred and not recognized until the distributor sells the product through to their customer.
Certain of the Company’s distributors are provided limited rights that allow them to return a portion of inventory (product exchange rights or stock rotation rights) and receive credits for changes in selling prices (price protection rights) or customer pricing arrangements under the Company’s “ship and debit” program or other targeted sales incentives. These estimates are calculated based upon historical experience, product shipment analysis, current economic conditions, on-hand inventory at the distributor, and customer contractual arrangements. The Company believes that it can reasonably and reliably estimate the allowance for distributor credits at the time of sale. Accordingly, estimates for these rights are recognized at the time of sale as a reduction of product revenue and as a reduction to the related accounts receivable balance.
From time to time, the Company will issue a new price book for its products, and provide a credit to certain distributors for inventory quantities on hand if required by the Company’s agreement with the distributor. This practice is known as price protection. These credits are applied against the reserve that the Company establishes upon initial shipment of product to the distributor.
Under the ship and debit program, products are sold to distributors at negotiated prices and the distributors are required to pay for the products purchased within the Company’s standard commercial terms. Subsequent to the initial product purchase, a distributor may request a price allowance for a particular part number(s) for certain target customers, prior to the distributor reselling the particular part to that customer. If the Company approves an allowance and the distributor resells the product to the target customer, the Company credits the distributor according to the allowance the Company approved. These credits are applied against the reserve that the Company establishes upon initial shipment of product to the distributor.
In addition, the Company runs sales incentive programs with certain distributors and retailers, such as product rebates and cooperative advertising campaigns. The Company recognizes these incentives at the time they are offered to customers and records a credit to their account with an offsetting expense as either a reduction to revenue, increase to cost of revenue, or marketing expense depending on the type of sales incentive.
From time to time, the Company may enter into licensing arrangements related to its intellectual property. Revenue from licensing arrangements is recognized when earned and estimable. The timing of revenue recognition is dependent on the terms of each license agreement. Generally, the Company will recognize non-refundable upfront licensing fees related to patent licenses immediately upon receipt of the funds if the Company has no significant future obligations to perform under the arrangement. However, the Company will defer recognition for licensing fees where the Company has significant future performance requirements, the fee is not fixed (such as royalties earned as a percentage of future revenue), or the fees are otherwise contingent.
Accounts Receivable
For product revenue, the Company typically invoices its customers at the time of shipment for the sales order value of products shipped. Accounts receivable are recognized at the invoiced amount and are not subject to any interest or finance charges. The Company does not have any off-balance sheet credit exposure related to any of its customers.
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
The Company evaluates the collectability of accounts receivable based on a combination of factors. In cases where the Company becomes aware of circumstances that may impair a specific customer’s ability to meet its financial obligations subsequent to the original sale, the Company will recognize an allowance against amounts due, and thereby reduce the net recognized receivable to the amount the Company reasonably believes will be collected. For all other customers, the Company recognizes an allowance for doubtful accounts based on the length of time the receivables are past due and consideration of other factors such as industry conditions, the current business environment and the Company’s historical experience.
Advertising
The Company expenses the costs of producing advertisements at the time production occurs and expenses the cost of communicating the advertising in the period in which the advertising is used. Advertising costs are included in Sales, general and administrative expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Loss and amounted to approximately $7.6 million , $13.0 million , and $12.6 million for the years ended June 24, 2018 June 25, 2017 and June 26, 2016 , respectively.

61


Research and Development
Research and development activities are expensed when incurred.
Loss Per Share
Basic loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding for the applicable period. Diluted loss per share is determined in the same manner as basic loss per share except that the number of shares is increased to assume exercise of potentially dilutive stock options, nonvested restricted stock and contingently issuable shares using the treasury stock method, unless the effect of such increases would be anti-dilutive. Under the treasury stock method, the amount the employee must pay for exercising stock options, the amount of compensation cost for future service that the Company has not yet recognized, and the amount of tax benefits that would be recognized in additional paid-in capital when the award becomes deductible are assumed to be used to repurchase shares.
Stock-Based Compensation
The Company recognizes compensation expense for all share-based payments granted based on the fair value of the shares on the date of grant. Compensation expense is then recognized over the award’s vesting period.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
Cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, accounts and interest receivable, accounts payable and other liabilities approximate their fair values at June 24, 2018 and June 25, 2017 due to the short-term nature of these instruments.
Taxes
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to differences between the carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets are recognized for deductible temporary differences, along with net operating loss carryforwards and credit carryforwards, if it is more likely than not that the tax benefits will be realized. To the extent a deferred tax asset cannot be recognized under the preceding criteria, allowances are established. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled.
Taxes payable which are not based on income are accrued ratably over the period to which they apply. For example, payroll taxes are accrued each period end based upon the amount of payroll taxes that are owed as of that date; whereas taxes such as property taxes and franchise taxes are accrued over the fiscal year to which they apply if paid at the end of a period, or they are amortized ratably over the fiscal year if they are paid in advance.
Sales Taxes
The Company presents sales taxes collected from customers and remitted to governmental authorities on a net basis (i.e. excluded from revenue and expenses).
Foreign Currency Translation
Foreign currency translation adjustments are recognized in Other comprehensive (loss) income in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss for changes between the foreign subsidiaries’ functional currency and the United States (U.S.) dollar. Foreign currency translation gains and losses are included in the Company’s equity account balance of Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of taxes in the Consolidated Balance Sheets until such time that the subsidiaries are either sold or substantially liquidated.
Because the Company and its subsidiaries transact business in currencies other than the U.S. Dollar, the Company will continue to experience varying amounts of foreign currency exchange gains and losses for subsidiaries with U.S. dollar functional currency.

62


Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
Revenue from Contracts with Customers
In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-09: Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). The FASB has subsequently issued multiple ASUs which amend and clarify the guidance in Topic 606. The ASU establishes a principles-based approach for accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes existing revenue recognition guidance. The ASU provides that an entity should apply a five-step approach for recognizing revenue, including (1) identify the contract with a customer; (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (3) determine the transaction price; (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (5) recognize revenue when, or as, the entity satisfies a performance obligation. Also, the entity must provide various disclosures concerning the nature, amount and timing of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers.
The Company will adopt the modified retrospective method allowed by this standard effective June 25, 2018, and is continuing to evaluate the expected impact of the standard. The impact of the new standard will be finalized upon adoption in the first quarter of 2019 and is therefore subject to change. 
Leases
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02: Leases (Topic 842), and ASU 2018-10: Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases. These ASU’s require that a lessee recognize in its statement of financial position a liability to make lease payments (the lease liability) and a right-of-use asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term. The asset will be based on the liability, subject to adjustment, such as for initial direct costs. For leases with a term of 12 months or less, a lessee is permitted to make an accounting policy election by class of underlying asset not to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities. For income statement purposes, leases are still required to be classified as either operating or finance. Operating leases will result in straight-line expense while finance leases will result in a front-loaded expense pattern. The effective date will be the first quarter of the Company's fiscal year ending June 28, 2020, using a modified retrospective approach. The Company is currently analyzing the impact of this new pronouncement.
Stock Compensation
In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09: Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting.  The ASU simplifies the current stock compensation guidance for tax consequences.  The ASU requires an entity to recognize all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies as income tax expense or benefit in its income statement.  The ASU also eliminates the requirement to defer recognition of an excess tax benefit until the benefit is realized through a reduction to taxes payable. For cash flows statement purposes, excess tax benefits should be classified as an operating activity and cash payments made to taxing authorities on the employee’s behalf for withheld shares should be classified as financing activity.  The effective date was the first quarter of the Company's fiscal year ending June 24, 2018. 
The Company's adoption of this ASU did not have a material impact on its consolidated statements. All excess tax benefits and deficiencies in the current and future periods will be recognized as income tax expense in the Company's income statement for the reporting period in which they occur. This could result in increased volatility in the Company's effective tax rates. For the twelve months ended June 24, 2018, the Company did not recognize a discrete event related to the excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation due to a full U.S. valuation allowances on the impact. The Company plans to continue its existing practice of estimating expected forfeitures in determining compensation cost.
Goodwill Impairment Testing
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04: Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. The ASU simplifies the manner in which an entity is required to test for goodwill impairment by eliminating Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Additionally, the ASU removes the requirement for any reporting unit with a zero or negative carrying amount to perform a qualitative assessment and, if it fails such qualitative test, to perform Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test. The Company adopted this standard in the third quarter of the fiscal year ending June 24, 2018.

Note 3 – Joint Venture
Effective July 17, 2017, the Company entered into a Shareholders Agreement with San’an Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. (San’an) and Cree Venture LED Company Limited (Cree Venture LED) pursuant to which the Company and San’an funded their contributions

63


to Cree Venture LED and agreed upon the management and operation of Cree Venture LED.  The Company contributed $5.1 million of cash for a 51% ownership interest and San’an contributed $4.9 million of cash for a 49% ownership interest.  Cree Venture LED has a five-member board of directors, three of which were designated by the Company and two of which were designated by San’an. As a result of the Company's majority voting interest, the Company consolidates the operations of Cree Venture LED and reports its revenue and gross profit within the Company's LED Products segment. The Company classifies the 49% ownership interest held by San'an as "Noncontrolling interest" on the consolidated balance sheet. During the fiscal year ended June 24, 2018 , the noncontrolling interest increased by $45 thousand for its share of net income from Cree Venture LED. There were no other changes in the noncontrolling interest.
In connection with forming Cree Venture LED and entering into the Shareholders Agreement, Cree Venture LED and San’an also entered into a manufacturing agreement pursuant to which San'an will supply Cree Venture LED with mid-power LED products, and the Company and Cree Venture LED entered into a sales agency agreement pursuant to which the Company will be the independent sales representative of Cree Venture LED in the exclusive markets, among certain other ancillary agreements related to the transaction. Cree Venture LED will produce and deliver to market high performing, mid-power lighting class LEDs in an exclusive arrangement to serve the expanding markets of North and South America, Europe and Japan, and serve China and the rest of the world on a non-exclusive basis. Cree Venture LED recorded its first sales to customers during the first quarter of fiscal 2018.

Note 4 – Acquisition
Infineon Radio Frequency Power Business
On March 6, 2018 , the Company acquired certain assets of the Infineon Radio Frequency Power Business (RF Power) , pursuant to an asset purchase agreement with Infineon in exchange for a base purchase price of $429 million , subject to certain adjustments. As part of the agreement, the Company paid $427 million of cash on the purchase date and agreed to purchase certain additional non-U.S. property and equipment related to the RF Power business from Infineon for approximately $2 million , which was completed during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018. The acquisition allows the Company to expand its product portfolio into the wireless market.
The acquisition of the RF Power business from Infineon was accounted for as a business combination. The purchase price for this acquisition is preliminary and subject to change. The areas of the purchase price that are not yet finalized are primarily related to intangible assets, property and equipment, other long-term liabilities, amortization and depreciation lives. The purchase price has been preliminarily allocated to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values as follows (in thousands):
Assets:
 
Inventories

$22,500

Property and equipment
11,722

Other receivables
433

Intangible assets
149,000

Goodwill
248,957

Total Assets
432,612

Liabilities assumed:
 
Accounts payable
(39
)
Accrued expenses and liabilities
(3,411
)
Total liabilities assumed
(3,450
)
Net assets acquired

$429,162

As noted above, the valuation of acquired intangible assets is preliminary as of June 24, 2018. Similarly, the amortization periods are preliminary until the valuation is finalized. The preliminary amortization periods for intangible assets acquired are as follows (in thousands, except for years):

64


 
Asset Amount
 
Estimated Life in Years
Lease agreement

$1,000

 
10
Customer relationships
92,000

 
15
Developed technology
44,000

 
14
Non-compete agreements
12,000

 
4
Total identifiable intangible assets

$149,000

 
 
Goodwill largely consists of the manufacturing and other synergies of the combined companies, and the value of the assembled workforce. The weighted average amortization periods for intangibles was 13.8 years For tax purposes, in accordance with Section 197 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the IRC), $245.0 million of goodwill will be amortized over 15 years.
The assets, liabilities, and operating results of the RF Power business have been included in the Company's consolidated financial statements from the date of acquisition. Additionally, the RF Power business's results from operations are reported as part of the Company's Wolfspeed segment. The results of the RF Power business reflected in the Company's Consolidated Statements of Loss for the Fiscal Year ended June 24, 2018 from the date of acquisition (March 6, 2018) are as follows (in thousands):
 
Amount
Revenue

$28,953

Net loss

($11,735
)
The Company incurred total transaction costs related to the acquisition of approximately $3.7 million . Substantially all of these costs were included in Operating Expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Loss in fiscal 2018 in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
Pro Forma Financial Information
The following supplemental pro forma information (in thousands, except per share data) presents the consolidated financial results as if the RF Power transaction had occurred at the beginning of fiscal 2017:
 
 
Twelve Months Ended
 
 
June 24, 2018
 
June 25, 2017
Revenue

$1,559,099

$1,580,605
Net loss

(284,929
)

(108,750
)
Loss per share, basic

$
(2.86
)

$
(1.10
)
Loss per share, diluted

$
(2.86
)

$
(1.10
)
These amounts have been calculated after applying the Company's accounting policies and adjusting the results of the RF Power business to give effect to events and transactions that are directly attributable to the RF Power business transactions, including the elimination of sales by the Company to the RF Power business prior to acquisition, additional depreciation and amortization that would have been charged assuming the fair value adjustments primarily to property and equipment and intangible assets had been applied at the beginning of the 2017 fiscal year, together with the consequential tax effects. Excluded from the pro forma net loss and the loss per share amounts for the twelve months ended June 24, 2018 , but included in the pro forma net loss and the the loss per share amounts for the twelve months ended June 25, 2017 , are one-time acquisition costs attributable to the RF Power business of $3.7 million . This supplemental pro forma information has been prepared for comparative purposes and does not purport to be indicative of what would have occurred had the acquisition been made at the beginning of the 2017 fiscal year, nor is it indicative of any future results.

65


Arkansas Power Electronics International, Inc.
On July 8, 2015, the Company closed on the acquisition of Arkansas Power Electronics International, Inc. (APEI), a global leader in power modules and power electronics applications, pursuant to a merger agreement with APEI and certain shareholders of APEI, whereby the Company acquired all of the outstanding share capital of APEI in exchange for a base purchase price of $13.8 million , subject to certain adjustments.  In addition, if certain goals were achieved over the subsequent two years, additional cash payments totaling up to $4.6 million may be made to the former APEI shareholders.  Payments totaling $2.8 million were made to the former APEI shareholders in July 2016 based on achievement of the first-year goals. Payments totaling $1.9 million were made to the former APEI shareholders in July 2017 based on achievement of the second-year goals. In connection with this acquisition, APEI became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, renamed Cree Fayetteville, Inc. (Cree Fayetteville).  Cree Fayetteville is not considered a significant subsidiary of the Company and its results from operations are reported as part of the Company's Wolfspeed segment.
The total purchase price for this acquisition was as follows (in thousands):
Cash consideration paid to shareholders

$13,797

Post-closing adjustments
181

Contingent consideration
4,625

Total purchase price

$18,603

The purchase price for this acquisition has been allocated to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values as follows (in thousands):
Tangible assets:
 
Cash and cash equivalents

$1,284

Accounts receivable
1,006

Inventories
143

Property and equipment
935

Other assets
270

Total tangible assets
3,638

Intangible assets:
 
Patents
40

Customer relationships
4,500

Developed technology
11,403

In-process research & development
7,565

Non-compete agreements
231

Goodwill
2,483

Total intangible assets
26,222

Liabilities assumed:
 
Accounts payable
55

Accrued expenses and liabilities
1,911

Other long-term liabilities
9,291

Total liabilities assumed
11,257

Net assets acquired

$18,603


66


The identifiable intangible assets acquired as a result of the acquisition will be amortized over their respective estimated useful lives as follows (in thousands, except for years):
 
Asset Amount
 
Estimated Life in Years
Patents

$40

 
20
Customer relationships
4,500

 
4
Developed technology
11,403

 
10
In-process research and development 1
7,565

 
7
Non-compete agreements
231

 
3
Total identifiable intangible assets

$23,739

 
 
(1) In-process research and development (IPR&D) is initially classified as indefinite-lived assets and tested for impairment at least annually or when indications of potential impairment exist. The IPR&D was completed in January 2016.
Goodwill largely consists of expansion of product offerings of power modules and power electronics applications, manufacturing and other synergies of the combined companies, and the value of the assembled workforce. The weighted average amortization period for intangibles was 7.9 years .
The assets, liabilities and operating results of APEI have been included in the Company's consolidated financial statements from the date of acquisition and are not significant to the Company as a whole.
Note 5 – Financial Statement Details
Accounts Receivable, net
The following table summarizes the components of accounts receivable, net (in thousands): 
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
Billed trade receivables

$215,077

 

$205,516

Unbilled contract receivables
966

 
912

 
216,043

 
206,428

Allowance for sales returns, discounts and other incentives
(56,800
)
 
(49,425
)
Allowance for bad debts
(5,368
)
 
(8,611
)
Accounts receivable, net

$153,875

 

$148,392

The following table summarizes the changes in the Company’s allowance for sales returns, discounts and other incentives (in thousands):
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
Balance at beginning of period

$49,425

 

$48,710

 

$58,094

Current period claims
(184,022
)
 
(191,325
)
 
(163,523
)
Provision for sales returns, discounts and other incentives
191,397

 
192,040

 
154,139

Balance at end of period

$56,800

 

$49,425

 

$48,710


67


The following table summarizes the changes in the Company’s allowance for bad debts (in thousands):  
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
Balance at beginning of period

$8,611

 

$5,505

 

$4,941

Current period provision
1,060

 
3,541

 
564

Write-offs, net of recoveries
(4,303
)
 
(435
)
 

Balance at end of period

$5,368

 

$8,611

 

$5,505

Inventories
The following table summarizes the components of inventories (in thousands):  
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
Raw material

$95,890

 

$73,410

Work-in-progress
104,300

 
100,402

Finished goods
95,825

 
110,573

Inventories

$296,015

 

$284,385

Property and Equipment, net
The following table summarizes the components of property and equipment, net (in thousands):
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
Furniture and fixtures

$14,175

 

$14,567

Land and buildings
439,534

 
399,305

Machinery and equipment
1,229,857

 
1,185,119

Aircraft and vehicles
2,013

 
11,138

Computer hardware/software
54,024

 
46,677

Leasehold improvements and other
8,171

 
6,972

Construction in progress
211,758

 
162,450

Property and equipment, gross
1,959,532

 
1,826,228

Accumulated depreciation
(1,298,213
)
 
(1,244,965
)
Property and equipment, net

$661,319

 

$581,263

Depreciation of property and equipment totaled $110.6 million , $110.7 million and $118.8 million for the years ended June 24, 2018 June 25, 2017 and June 26, 2016 , respectively.
During the years ended June 24, 2018 June 25, 2017 and June 26, 2016 , the Company recognized approximately $7.9 million , $1.3 million and $10.3 million , respectively, as losses on disposals or impairments of property and equipment. These charges are reflected in Loss on disposal or impairment of long-lived assets in the Consolidated Statements of Loss.

68


Other Current Liabilities
The following table summarizes the components of other current liabilities (in thousands):
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
Accrued taxes

$8,053

 

$11,148

Accrued professional fees
4,911

 
5,545

Accrued warranty
15,752

 
13,631

Accrued other
14,812

 
6,654

Other current liabilities

$43,528

 

$36,978

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, net of taxes
The following table summarizes the components of accumulated other comprehensive income, net of taxes (in thousands):
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
Currency translation gain

$5,075

 

$4,471

Net unrealized (loss) gain on available-for-sale securities
(4,479
)
 
1,438

Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of taxes

$596

 

$5,909

Non-Operating Income (Expense), net
The following table summarizes the components of non-operating (expense) income, net (in thousands):
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
(Loss) gain on sale of investments, net

($86
)
 

$93

 

$238

Gain (loss) on equity investment
7,145

 
7,543

 
(15,357
)
Dividends from equity investment

 
16

 
1,655

Interest income, net
1,827

 
3,696

 
4,472

Foreign currency gain (loss), net
2,250

 
2,460

 
(4,500
)
Other, net
506

 
200

 
457

Non-operating income (expense), net

$11,642

 

$14,008

 

($13,035
)
Reclassifications Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income, net of taxes
The following table summarizes the amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income, net of taxes (in thousands):
Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income Component
 
Amount Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income
 
Affected Line Item in the Consolidated Statements of Loss
 
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
 
 
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
 
 
Net unrealized (loss) gain on available-for-sale securities, net of taxes
 

($86
)
 

$93

 

$238

 
Non-operating income (expense), net
 
 
(86
)
 
93

 
238

 
Loss before income taxes
 
 

 

 
20

 
Income tax (benefit) expense
 
 

($86
)
 

$93

 

$218

 
Net loss

69



Note 6 – Investments
Investments consist of municipal bonds, corporate bonds, U.S. agency securities, commercial paper and certificates of deposit . All short-term investments are classified as available-for-sale. Other long-term investments consist of the Company's ownership interest in Lextar.
The following table summarizes short-term investments (in thousands):
 
June 24, 2018
 
Amortized
Cost
 
Gross
Unrealized
Gains
 
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
 
Estimated
Fair Value
Municipal bonds

$110,198

 

$17

 

($939
)
 

$109,276

Corporate bonds
77,871

 
36

 
(1,150
)
 
76,757

U.S. agency securities
3,922

 

 
(38
)
 
3,884

Non-U.S. certificates of deposit
77,744

 

 

 
77,744

U.S. certificates of deposit
500

 

 

 
500

Commercial paper

 

 

 

Total short-term investments

$270,235

 

$53

 

($2,127
)
 

$268,161

The following table presents the gross unrealized losses and estimated fair value of the Company’s short-term investments, aggregated by investment type and the length of time that individual securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position (in thousands, except numbers of securities):  
 
June 24, 2018
 
Less than 12 Months
 
Greater than 12 Months
 
Total
 
Fair Value
 
Unrealized
Loss
 
Fair Value
 
Unrealized
Loss
 
Fair Value
 
Unrealized
Loss
Municipal bonds

$97,470

 

($861
)
 

$3,642

 

($78
)
 

$101,112

 

($939
)
Corporate bonds
61,453

 
(1,088
)
 
1,486

 
(62
)
 
62,939

 
(1,150
)
U.S. agency securities
3,884

 
(38
)
 

 

 
3,884

 
(38
)
Total

$162,807

 

($1,987
)
 

$5,128

 

($140
)
 

$167,935

 

($2,127
)
Number of securities with an unrealized loss
 
 
151

 
 
 
6

 
 
 
157


70


The following table summarizes short-term investments (in thousands):  
 
June 25, 2017
 
Amortized
Cost
 
Gross
Unrealized
Gains
 
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
 
Estimated
Fair Value
Municipal bonds

$177,890

 

$2,219

 

($68
)
 

$180,041

Corporate bonds
175,991

 
1,925

 
(195
)
 
177,721

U.S. agency securities

 

 

 

Non-U.S. certificates of deposit
120,379

 

 

 
120,379

U.S. certificates of deposit

 

 

 

Commercial paper
200

 

 

 
200

Total short-term investments

$474,460

 

$4,144

 

($263
)
 

$478,341

The following table presents the gross unrealized losses and estimated fair value of the Company’s short-term investments, aggregated by investment type and the length of time that individual securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position (in thousands, except numbers of securities):
 
June 25, 2017
 
Less than 12 Months
 
Greater than 12 Months
 
Total
 
Fair Value
 
Unrealized
Loss
 
Fair Value
 
Unrealized
Loss
 
Fair Value
 
Unrealized
Loss
Municipal bonds

$26,816

 

($68
)
 

$—

 

$—

 

$26,816

 

($68
)
Corporate bonds
57,404

 
(195
)
 

 

 
57,404

 
(195
)
U.S. agency securities

 

 

 

 

 

Total

$84,220

 

($263
)
 

$—

 

$—

 

$84,220

 

($263
)
Number of securities with an unrealized loss
 
 
67

 
 
 

 
 
 
67

The Company utilizes specific identification in computing realized gains and losses on the sale of investments. Realized losses on the sale of investments for the fiscal year ended June 24, 2018 of $86 thousand were included in Non-operating income (expense), net in the Consolidated Statements of Loss and unrealized gains and losses are included as a separate component of equity, net of tax, unless the loss is determined to be other-than-temporary.
The Company evaluates its investments for possible impairment or a decline in fair value below cost basis that is deemed to be other-than-temporary on a periodic basis. It considers such factors as the length of time and extent to which the fair value has been below the cost basis, the financial condition of the investee, and its ability and intent to hold the investment for a period of time that may be sufficient for an anticipated full recovery in market value. Accordingly, the Company considered declines in its investments to be temporary in nature, and did not consider its investments to be impaired as of June 24, 2018 and June 25, 2017 .
The contractual maturities of short-term investments at June 24, 2018 were as follows (in thousands):  
 
Within One
Year
 
After One,
Within Five
Years
 
After Five,
Within Ten
Years
 
After Ten
Years
 
Total
Municipal bonds

$24,700

 

$84,576

 

$—

 

$—

 

$109,276

Corporate bonds
22,534

 
54,223

 

 

 
76,757

U.S. agency securities

 
3,884

 

 

 
3,884

Non-U.S. certificates of deposit
77,744

 

 

 

 
77,744

U.S. certificates of deposit
500

 

 

 

 
500

Total short-term investments

$125,478

 

$142,683

 

$—

 

$—

 

$268,161


71



Note 7 – Fair Value of Financial Instruments
Under U.S. GAAP, fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., the exit price) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In determining fair value, the Company uses various valuation approaches, including quoted market prices and discounted cash flows. U.S. GAAP also establishes a hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are obtained from independent sources and can be validated by a third party, whereas unobservable inputs reflect assumptions regarding what a third party would use in pricing an asset or liability. The fair value hierarchy is categorized into three levels based on the reliability of inputs as follows:
Level 1 - Valuations based on quoted prices in active markets for identical instruments that the Company is able to access. Since valuations are based on quoted prices that are readily and regularly available in an active market, valuation of these products does not entail a significant degree of judgment.
Level 2 - Valuations based on quoted prices in active markets for instruments that are similar, or quoted prices in markets that are not active for identical or similar instruments, and model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs and significant value drivers are observable in active markets.
Level 3 - Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement.
The financial assets for which the Company performs recurring fair value remeasurements are cash equivalents, short-term investments and long-term investments. As of June 24, 2018 , financial assets utilizing Level 1 inputs included money market funds and U.S. agency securities, and financial assets utilizing Level 2 inputs included municipal bonds, corporate bonds, certificates of deposit, commercial paper, and common stock of non-U.S. corporations . Level 2 assets are valued based on quoted prices in active markets for instruments that are similar or using a third-party pricing service’s consensus price, which is a weighted average price based on multiple sources. These sources determine prices utilizing market income models which factor in, where applicable, transactions of similar assets in active markets, transactions of identical assets in infrequent markets, interest rates, bond or credit default swap spreads and volatility. The Company did not have any financial assets requiring the use of Level 3 inputs as of June 24, 2018 . There were no transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 during the year ended June 24, 2018 .

72


The following table sets forth financial instruments carried at fair value within the U.S. GAAP hierarchy (in thousands):
 
June 24, 2018
 
June 25, 2017
 
Level 1
 
Level 2
 
Level 3
 
Total
 
Level 1
 
Level 2
 
Level 3
 
Total
Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash equivalents
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Municipal bonds
$

 
$

 
$

 
$

 
$

 
$
1,802

 
$

 
$
1,802

Non-U.S. certificates of deposit

 
75,499

 

 
75,499

 

 
736

 

 
736

Money market funds
1,992

 

 

 
1,992

 
1,184

 

 

 
1,184

Commercial Paper

 
275

 

 
275

 

 

 

 

Total cash equivalents
1,992

 
75,774

 

 
77,766

 
1,184

 
2,538

 

 
3,722

Short-term investments:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Municipal bonds

 
109,276

 

 
109,276

 

 
180,042

 

 
180,042

Corporate bonds

 
76,757

 

 
76,757

 

 
177,721

 

 
177,721

U.S. agency securities
3,884

 

 

 
3,884

 

 

 

 

U.S. certificates of deposit

 
500

 

 
500

 

 

 

 

Commercial paper

 

 

 

 

 
200

 

 
200

Non-U.S. certificates of deposit

 
77,744

 

 
77,744

 

 
120,378

 

 
120,378

Total short-term investments
3,884

 
264,277

 

 
268,161

 

 
478,341

 

 
478,341

Other long-term investments
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Common stock of non-U.S. corporations

 
57,501

 

 
57,501

 

 
50,366

 

 
50,366

Total other long-term investments

 
57,501

 

 
57,501

 

 
50,366

 

 
50,366

Total assets

$5,876

 

$397,552

 

$—

 

$403,428

 

$1,184

 

$531,245

 

$—

 

$532,429


Note 8 – Goodwill and Intangible Assets
Goodwill
The Company’s reporting units for goodwill impairment testing are:
Wolfspeed
LED Products
Lighting Products
Based on the revision of the Company's long-range business strategy that was announced February 26, 2018, the Company determined there was a triggering event and performed an impairment test in connection with the preparation of its financial statements for the period ended March 25, 2018. The Company derived the Lighting Products reporting unit's fair value through a combination of the market approach (a guideline transaction method) and the income approach (a discounted cash flow analysis). The Company utilized a discount rate from the capital asset pricing model for the discounted cash flow analysis. The Company recognized a $247.5 million impairment charge in the fiscal third quarter as a result of the impairment test.
As of the first day of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 , the Company performed a qualitative impairment test for LED Products segment and Wolfspeed segment and concluded that it is more likely than not that the fair value of its reporting units exceed their carrying amounts and a quantitative test was not required.

73


The Company derived each reporting unit's fair value through a combination of the market approach (a guideline transaction method) and the income approach (a discounted cash flow analysis). The Company utilized a discount rate from the capital asset pricing model for the discounted cash flow analysis. Once the reporting unit fair values were calculated, the Company reconciled the reporting units' relative fair values to the Company's market capitalization as of the testing date.
Goodwill by reporting unit as of June 24, 2018 was as follows (in thousands):
 
Wolfspeed
 
LED Products
 
Lighting Products
 
Consolidated Total
Balance at June 25, 2017

$100,769

 

$180,278

 

$337,781

 

$618,828

Acquisition
248,957

 

 

 

$248,957

Goodwill impairment charges

 

 
(247,455
)
 

($247,455
)
Balance at June 24, 2018

$349,726

 

$180,278

 

$90,326

 

$620,330

Intangible Assets
The following table presents the components of intangible assets, net (in thousands):
 
June 24, 2018
 
June 25, 2017
 
Gross
 
Accumulated Amortization
 
Net
 
Gross
 
Accumulated Amortization
 
Net
Intangible assets with finite lives:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Customer relationships

$233,420

 

($92,770
)
 

$140,650

 

$141,420

 

($84,673
)
 

$56,747

Developed technology
226,728

 
(154,467
)
 
72,261

 
181,728

 
(132,747
)
 
48,981

Non-compete agreements
22,475

 
(11,386
)
 
11,089

 
10,475

 
(10,398
)
 
77

Trade names, finite-lived
520

 
(520
)
 

 
520

 
(520
)
 

Patent and licensing rights
159,297

 
(72,923
)
 
86,374

 
151,985

 
(63,155
)
 
88,830

Total intangible assets with finite lives
642,440

 
(332,066
)
 
310,374

 
486,128

 
(291,493
)
 
194,635

Trade names, indefinite-lived
79,680

 
 
 
79,680

 
79,680

 
 
 
79,680

Total intangible assets

$722,120

 

($332,066
)
 

$390,054

 

$565,808

 

($291,493
)
 

$274,315

Total amortization of finite-lived intangible assets was $43.3 million , $39.8 million and $40.4 million for the years ended June 24, 2018 June 25, 2017 and June 26, 2016 , respectively. Beginning in the third quarter of fiscal 2016, the Company started amortizing IPR&D assets acquired in the APEI acquisition that were completed during the respective period.
As of the first day of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 , the Company performed a step one quantitative impairment assessment on each of the Company’s indefinite-lived trade names.  The Company determined that the fair value of each indefinite-lived trade name was greater than its carrying value and therefore a step two quantitative impairment assessment was not required. 
The Company invested $10.1 million , $12.4 million and $14.4 million for the years ended June 24, 2018 June 25, 2017 and June 26, 2016 , respectively, for patent and licensing rights. For the fiscal years ended June 24, 2018 June 25, 2017 and June 26, 2016 , the Company recognized $1.0 million , $1.2 million and $6.7 million , respectively, in impairment charges related to its patent portfolio.

74


Total future amortization expense of finite-lived intangible assets is estimated to be as follows (in thousands):  
Fiscal Year Ending
 
June 30, 2019

$38,281

June 28, 2020
32,826

June 27, 2021
31,379

June 26, 2022
28,038

June 25, 2023
22,809

Thereafter
157,041

Total future amortization expense

$310,374

Note 9 – Long-term Debt
As of June 24, 2018 the Company had a $500 million secured revolving line of credit pursuant to a credit agreement (the Credit Agreement) with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (Wells Fargo) under which the Company can borrow, repay and reborrow loans from time to time prior to its scheduled maturity date of January 9, 2022 . The revolving line of credit was amended and restated during the fiscal year ended June 24, 2018 to extend the maturity date by two years to January 9, 2022.
The Company classifies balances outstanding under its line of credit as long-term debt in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. At June 24, 2018 , the Company had $292 million outstanding under the Credit Agreement and $167.4 million available for borrowing. For the year ended June 24, 2018 , the average interest rate under the Credit Agreement was 2.47% . The average commitment fee percentage for the Credit Agreement was 0.11% for the year ended June 24, 2018 . For the year ended June 25, 2017 , the average interest rate under the Credit Agreement was 1.56% . The average commitment fee percentage for the Credit Agreement was 0.11% for the year ended June 25, 2017 . The Company was in compliance with all covenants in the Credit Agreement at June 24, 2018 .
Note 10 – Shareholders’ Equity
On June 14, 2017, the Board of Directors approved the Company's fiscal 2018 stock repurchase program, authorizing the Company to repurchase shares of its common stock having an aggregate purchase price not exceeding $200 million for all purchases from June 26, 2017 through the expiration of the program on June 24, 2018 .
On August 24, 2016, the Board of Directors approved the Company's fiscal 2017 stock repurchase program, authorizing the Company to repurchase shares of its common stock having an aggregate purchase price not exceeding $300 million for all purchases from August 24, 2016 through the expiration of the program on June 25, 2017.
During fiscal 2018 , the Company repurchased no shares of its common stock under the program. The repurchase program could be implemented through open market or privately negotiated transactions at the discretion of the Company’s management. From the inception of the predecessor stock repurchase program in January 2001 through June 24, 2018 , the Company has repurchased 38.7 million shares of its common stock at an average price of $28.66 per share with an aggregate value of $1.1 billion .
On May 29, 2002, the Board adopted a shareholder rights plan, pursuant to which stock purchase rights were distributed to shareholders at a rate of one right with respect to each share of common stock held of record as of June 10, 2002. Subsequently issued shares of common stock also carried stock purchase rights under the plan. The rights plan was designed to enhance the Board’s ability to prevent an acquirer from depriving shareholders of the long-term value of their investment and to protect shareholders against attempts to acquire the Company by means of unfair or abusive takeover tactics. On January 29, 2013, the shareholder rights plan was amended solely to change the expiration date from September 30, 2018 to April 24, 2017. On April 24, 2017, the shareholder rights plan expired pursuant to its terms and is no longer in effect.

75


At June 24, 2018 , the Company had reserved a total of approximately 18.0 million shares of its common stock for future issuance as follows (in thousands):  
 
Number of
Shares
For exercise of outstanding common stock options
6,287

For vesting of outstanding stock units
3,631

For future equity awards under 2013 Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan
6,077

For future issuance under the Non-Employee Director Stock Compensation and Deferral Program
57

For future issuance to employees under the 2005 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
1,949

Total common shares reserved
18,001

Note 11 – Loss Per Share
The following table presents the computation of basic loss per share (in thousands, except per share amounts):
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
Basic:



Net loss

($279,968
)
 

($98,118
)
 

($21,536
)
Weighted average common shares
99,530

 
98,487

 
101,783

Basic loss per share

($2.81
)
 

($1.00
)
 

($0.21
)
The following computation reconciles the differences between the basic and diluted loss per share presentations (in thousands, except per share amounts):  
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
Diluted:
 
 
 
 
 
Net loss

($279,968
)
 

($98,118
)
 

($21,536
)
Weighted average common shares - basic
99,530

 
98,487

 
101,783

Weighted average common shares - diluted
99,530

 
98,487

 
101,783

Diluted loss per share

($2.81
)
 

($1.00
)
 

($0.21
)
Potential common shares that would have the effect of increasing diluted earnings per share or decreasing diluted loss per share are considered to be anti-dilutive and as such, these shares are not included in calculating diluted loss per share. For the fiscal years ended June 24, 2018 June 25, 2017 and June 26, 2016 , there were 4.1 million , 11.4 million and 11.4 million , respectively, of potential common shares not included in the calculation of diluted loss per share because their effect was anti-dilutive.
Note 12 – Stock-Based Compensation
Overview of Employee Stock-Based Compensation Plans
The Company currently has one equity-based compensation plan, the 2013 Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan (2013 LTIP), from which stock-based compensation awards can be granted to employees and directors. At June 24, 2018 , there were 6.3 million shares authorized for issuance under the plan and 6.1 million shares remaining for future grants. The 2013 LTIP provides for awards in the form of incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares, performance units and other awards. The Company has other equity-based compensation plans that have been terminated so that no future grants can be made under those plans, but under which stock options, restricted stock and restricted stock units are currently outstanding.

76


The Company’s stock-based awards can be either service-based or performance-based.  Performance-based conditions are generally tied to future financial and/or operating performance of the Company. The compensation expense with respect to performance-based grants is recognized if the Company believes it is probable that the performance condition will be achieved. The Company reassesses the probability of the achievement of the performance condition at each reporting period, and adjusts the compensation expense for subsequent changes in the estimate or actual outcome. As with non-performance based awards, compensation expense is recognized over the vesting period. The vesting period runs from the date of grant to the expected date that the performance objective is likely to be achieved.
The Company also has an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) that provides employees with the opportunity to purchase common stock at a discount. At June 24, 2018 , there were 7.0 million shares authorized for issuance under the ESPP, as amended, with 1.9 million shares remaining for future issuance. The ESPP limits employee contributions to 15% of each employee’s compensation (as defined in the plan) and allows employees to purchase shares at a 15% discount to the fair market value of common stock on the purchase date two times per year. The ESPP provides for a twelve-month participation period, divided into two equal six-month purchase periods, and also provides for a look-back feature. At the end of each six-month period in April and October, participants purchase the Company’s common stock through the ESPP at a 15% discount to the fair market value of the common stock on the first day of the twelve-month participation period or the purchase date, whichever is lower. The plan also provides for an automatic reset feature to start participants on a new twelve-month participation period if the fair market value of common stock declines during the first six-month purchase period.
Stock Option Awards
The following table summarizes option activity as of June 24, 2018 and changes during the fiscal year then ended (numbers of shares in thousands):  

Number of
Shares

Weighted Average
Exercise price

Weighted Average
Remaining
Contractual Term

Total
Intrinsic Value
Outstanding at June 25, 2017
10,604

 

$38.27

 
 
 
 
Granted
53

 
24.66

 
 
 
 
Exercised
(2,684
)
 
29.08

 
 
 
 
Forfeited or expired
(1,686
)
 
47.57

 
 
 
 
Outstanding at June 24, 2018
6,287

 

$39.58

 
3.13
 

$63,493

Vested and expected to vest at June 24, 2018
6,214

 

$39.75

 
3.10
 

$61,864

Exercisable at June 24, 2018
4,929

 

$43.59

 
2.64
 

$32,795

The total intrinsic value in the table above represents the total pretax intrinsic value, which is the total difference between the closing price of the Company’s common stock on June 22, 2018 (the last trading day of fiscal 2018 ) of $47.66 and the exercise price for in-the-money options that would have been received by the holders if all instruments had been exercised on June 24, 2018 . As of June 24, 2018 , there was $5.1 million of unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested stock options, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 0.90 years.
The following table summarizes information about stock options outstanding and exercisable at June 24, 2018 (shares in thousands):  
 
 
Options Outstanding

Options Exercisable
Range of Exercise Price
 
Number

Weighted Average
Remaining Contractual
Life (Years)

Weighted Average Exercise Price

Number

Weighted Average Exercise Price
$0.01 to $30.92
 
2,670

 
3.83
 

$25.92

 
1,314

 

$26.87

$30.93 to $43.94
 
100

 
2.97
 
36.72

 
98

 
36.85

$43.95 to $45.13
 
1,729

 
3.11
 
45.13

 
1,729

 
45.13

$45.14 to $54.26
 
95

 
2.47
 
48.63

 
95

 
48.63

$54.27 to $75.55
 
1,693

 
2.11
 
55.10

 
1,693

 
55.10

Total
 
6,287

 

 


 
4,929

 



77


Other information pertaining to the Company’s stock option awards is as follows (in thousands, except per share data):  
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
Weighted average grant date fair value per share of options

$8.02

 

$8.20

 

$8.79

Total intrinsic value of options exercised

$24,347

 

$344

 

$838

Restricted Stock Awards and Units
A summary of nonvested restricted stock awards (RSAs) and restricted stock unit awards (RSUs) outstanding as of June 24, 2018 and changes during the year then ended is as follows (in thousands, except number of shares and units):  
 
Number of
RSAs/RSUs
 
Weighted Average
Grant-Date Fair Value
Nonvested at June 25, 2017
2,412

 

$26.74

Granted
2,614

 
28.00

Vested
(700
)
 
29.12

Forfeited
(637
)
 
24.71

Nonvested at June 24, 2018
3,689

 

$27.53

As of June 24, 2018 , there was $63.7 million of unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested awards, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.53 years .
Stock-Based Compensation Valuation and Expense
The Company accounts for its employee stock-based compensation plans using the fair value method. The fair value method requires the Company to estimate the grant-date fair value of its stock-based awards and amortize this fair value to compensation expense over the requisite service period or vesting term.
The Company uses the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to estimate the fair value of the Company’s stock option and ESPP awards. The determination of the fair value of stock-based payment awards on the date of grant using an option-pricing model is affected by the Company’s stock price as well as assumptions regarding a number of complex and subjective variables. These variables include the expected stock price volatility over the term of the awards, actual and projected employee stock option exercise behaviors, the risk-free interest rate and expected dividends. Due to the inherent limitations of option-valuation models, future events that are unpredictable and the estimation process utilized in determining the valuation of the stock-based awards, the ultimate value realized by award holders may vary significantly from the amounts expensed in the Company’s financial statements.
For RSAs and RSUs, the grant-date fair value is based upon the market price of the Company’s common stock on the date of the grant. This fair value is then amortized to compensation expense over the requisite service period or vesting term.
Stock-based compensation expense is recognized net of estimated forfeitures such that expense is recognized only for those stock-based awards that are expected to vest. A forfeiture rate is estimated at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from initial estimates.

78


Total stock-based compensation expense was as follows (in thousands):
 
Fiscal Years Ended
Income Statement Classification:
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
Cost of revenue, net

$7,372

 

$10,427

 

$12,394

Research and development
8,383

 
10,619

 
13,842

Sales, general and administrative
27,448

 
26,679

 
32,492

Total stock-based compensation expense

$43,203

 

$47,725

 

$58,728

The weighted average assumptions used to value stock option grants were as follows:
 
Fiscal Years Ended
Stock Option Grants:
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
Risk-free interest rate
1.75
%
 
1.06
%
 
1.18
%
Expected life, in years
4.00

 
3.80

 
3.66

Expected volatility
38.6
%
 
42.4
%
 
43.3
%
Dividend yield

 

 

The following describes each of these assumptions and the Company’s methodology for determining each assumption:
Risk-Free Interest Rate
The Company estimates the risk-free interest rate using the U.S. Treasury bill rate with a remaining term equal to the expected life of the award.
Expected Life
The expected life represents the period that the stock option awards are expected to be outstanding. In determining the appropriate expected life of its stock options, the Company segregates its grantees into categories based upon employee levels that are expected to be indicative of similar option-related behavior. The expected useful lives for each of these categories are then estimated giving consideration to (1) the weighted average vesting periods, (2) the contractual lives of the stock options, (3) the relationship between the exercise price and the fair market value of the Company’s common stock, (4) expected employee turnover, (5) the expected future volatility of the Company’s common stock, and (6) past and expected exercise behavior, among other factors.
Expected Volatility
The Company estimates expected volatility giving consideration to the expected life of the respective award, the Company’s current expected growth rate, implied volatility in traded options for its common stock, and the historical volatility of its common stock.
Expected Dividend Yield
The Company estimates the expected dividend yield by giving consideration to its current dividend policies as well as those anticipated in the future considering the Company’s current plans and projections.
Note 13 – Income Taxes
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (Tax Legislation), enacted on December 22, 2017, contains significant changes to U.S. tax law, including lowering the U.S. corporate income tax rate to 21%, implementing a territorial tax system, and imposing a one-time tax on deemed repatriated earnings of foreign subsidiaries. In December 2017, the SEC staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin 118 (“SAB 118”), which provides guidance on accounting for the tax effects of the Tax Legislation. SAB 118 provides a measurement period that should not extend beyond one year from the Tax Legislation enactment date for companies to complete the accounting under ASC Topic 740 - Income Taxes. The Company has included preliminary estimates for the impact of the Tax Legislation, consistent with SAB 118, in our audited financial statements within this Annual Report. These preliminary estimates may be impacted by a number of additional considerations, including, but not limited to, the issuance of authoritative guidance

79


and final regulations and the Company's ongoing analysis of the new law. The Company will complete its accounting for the Tax Legislation consistent with the measurement period provided in SAB 118.
The Tax Legislation reduces the U.S. statutory tax rate from 35% to 21%, effective January 1, 2018. U.S. tax law requires that taxpayers with a fiscal year that begins before and ends after the effective date of a rate change calculate a blended tax rate based on the pro rata number of days in the fiscal year before and after the effective date. As a result, for the fiscal year ending June 24, 2018, the Company’s statutory income tax rate will be 28.3%. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, the Company’s statutory income tax rate will be 21%.
The Tax Legislation also implements a territorial tax system. Under the territorial tax system, in general, the Company’s foreign earnings will no longer be subject to tax in the U.S. As part of transitioning to the territorial tax system, the Tax Legislation includes a mandatory deemed repatriation of all undistributed foreign earnings that are subject to a U.S. income tax. As of June 24, 2018, the Company estimates the deemed repatriation will result in $13.3 million of additional U.S. income tax, a decrease of $0.8 million from the estimate as of March 25, 2018. There is no impact to the Company's effective income tax rate as a result of the change in estimated deemed repatriation tax as the Company continues to expect it will fully offset the additional tax through the utilization of tax credits. This preliminary estimate was impacted by the Company's actual earnings for the fiscal year ended June 24, 2018.
The following were the components of loss before income taxes (in thousands):  
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
Domestic

($348,117
)
 

($43,195
)
 

($45,278
)
Foreign
30,672

 
38,531

 
21,772

Total loss before income taxes

($317,445
)
 

($4,664
)
 

($23,506
)
The following were the components of income tax (benefit) expense (in thousands):
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
Current:
 
 
 
 
 
Federal

($2,263
)
 

$10,304

 

$5,347

Foreign
5,670

 
7,332

 
7,278

State
576

 
900

 
1,244

Total current
3,983

 
18,536

 
13,869

Deferred:
 
 
 
 
 
Federal
(44,070
)
 
68,199

 
(26,086
)
Foreign
5,536

 
190

 
12,340

State
(2,971
)
 
6,529

 
(2,093
)
Total deferred
(41,505
)
 
74,918

 
(15,839
)
Income tax (benefit) expense

($37,522
)
 

$93,454

 

($1,970
)
Actual income tax (benefit) expense differed from the amount computed by applying the U.S. federal tax rate of 28.3% to pre-tax earnings as a result of the following (in thousands, except percentages):  

80


 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
June 24,
2018
 
% of Loss
 
June 25,
2017
 
% of Loss
 
June 26,
2016
 
% of Income
Federal income tax provision at statutory rate

($89,863
)
 
28.3%
 

($1,632
)
 
35%
 

($8,227
)
 
35%
(Decrease) increase in income tax expense resulting from:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
State tax provision, net of federal benefit
(7,148
)
 
2%
 
(727
)
 
16%
 
(748
)
 
3%
State tax credits
(82
)
 
—%
 
(69
)
 
1%
 
(269
)
 
1%
Tax exempt interest
(1,182
)
 
—%
 
(1,243
)
 
27%
 
(2,019
)
 
9%
48C investment tax credit
(1,732
)
 
1%
 
(4,383
)
 
94%
 
(4,334
)
 
18%
Increase (decrease) in tax reserve
116

 
—%
 
(3,587
)
 
77%
 
(80
)
 
—%
Research and development credits
(2,168
)
 
1%
 
(1,728
)
 
37%
 
(2,138
)
 
9%
Foreign tax credit
(39,951
)

13%

(1,114
)

24%

(954
)

4%
Increase in valuation allowance
17,334

 
(5)%
 
108,077

 
(2,318)%
 
9,286

 
(39)%
Stock-based compensation
9,238

 
(3)%
 
1,389

 
(30)%
 
1,346

 
(6)%
Statutory rate differences
(2,255
)
 
1%
 
(5,162
)
 
111%
 
2,748

 
(12)%
Foreign earnings taxed in U.S.
52,699

 
(17)%
 
1,313

 
(28)%
 
1,165

 
(5)%
Foreign currency fluctuations
(1,288
)
 
—%
 
841

 
(18)%
 
748

 
(3)%
Other foreign adjustments
(554
)
 
—%
 
715

 
(15)%
 
13

 
—%
Net operating loss carryback
(138
)
 
—%

494

 
(11)%
 
238

 
(1)%
Provision to return adjustments
(41
)
 
—%
 
165

 
(4)%
 
(10
)
 
—%
Tax on distributable foreign earnings
5,408

 
(2)%
 

 
—%
 

 
—%
Impact of rate changes
11,183

 
(4)%
 

 
—%
 

 
—%
Expiration of state credits
1,350

 
—%
 

 
—%
 

 
—%
Goodwill impairment
11,060

 
(3)%
 

 
—%
 

 
—%
Other
492

 
—%
 
105

 
(2)%
 
1,265

 
(5)%
Income tax (benefit) expense

($37,522
)
 
12%
 

$93,454

 
(2,004)%
 

($1,970
)
 
8%

81


The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities were as follows (in thousands):  
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
Deferred tax assets:
 
 
 
Compensation

$3,259

 

$3,029

Inventories
16,868

 
21,042

Sales return reserve and allowance for bad debts
6,927

 
8,480

Warranty reserve
8,406

 
10,340

Federal and state net operating loss carryforwards 1
10,124

 
19,122

Federal credits
49,054

 
13,425

State credits
3,521

 
3,507

48C investment tax credits
28,007

 
23,525

Investments
695

 
796

Stock-based compensation
21,341

 
46,922

Deferred revenue
2,613

 
3,262

Other
1,552

 
2,522

Total gross deferred assets
152,367

 
155,972

Less valuation allowance
(127,443
)
 
(107,544
)
Deferred tax assets, net
24,924

 
48,428

Deferred tax liabilities:
 
 
 
Property and equipment
(15,052
)
 
(7,443
)
Intangible assets
(2,279
)
 
(73,692
)
Investments 1

 
(1,448
)
Prepaid taxes and other
(902
)
 
(1,461
)
Foreign earnings recapture
(1,888
)
 
(2,481
)
Taxes on unremitted foreign earnings
(1,408
)
 

Total gross deferred liability
(21,529
)
 
(86,525
)
Deferred tax asset (liability), net

$3,395

 

($38,097
)
(1) The deferred tax asset related to federal and state net operating loss carryforwards as of June 25, 2017 includes a $2.7 million deferred tax reclassified from the deferred tax liability related to Investments as of June 25, 2017.
The components giving rise to the net deferred tax assets (liabilities) have been included in the Consolidated Balance Sheets as follows (in thousands):  
 
Balance at June 24, 2018
 
Assets
 
Liabilities
 
Current
 
Noncurrent
 
Current
 
Noncurrent
U.S. federal income taxes

$—

 

$—

 

$—

 

($2,061
)
Foreign income taxes

 
6,451

 

 
(995
)
Total net deferred tax assets (liabilities)

$—

 

$6,451

 

$—

 

($3,056
)
 

82


 
Balance at June 25, 2017
 
Assets
 
Liabilities
 
Current
 
Noncurrent
 
Current
 
Noncurrent
U.S. federal income taxes

$—

 

$—

 

$—

 

($49,103
)
Foreign income taxes

 
11,763

 

 
(757
)
Total net deferred tax assets (liabilities)

$—

 

$11,763

 

$—

 

($49,860
)
The Company assesses all available positive and negative evidence to estimate if sufficient future taxable income will be generated to utilize the existing deferred tax assets by jurisdiction. The Company has concluded that it is necessary to recognize a full valuation allowance against its U.S. and Luxembourg deferred tax assets. The Company reassessed the need for a full valuation allowance against its U.S. deferred tax assets due to the Tax Legislation and the acquisition of the RF Power assets and concluded that a full valuation allowance is still necessary. As of June 25, 2017, the U.S. valuation allowance was $101.8 million . For the fiscal year ended June 24, 2018, the Company increased the U.S. valuation allowance by $20.4 million due to the impact of the Tax Legislation offset by the creation of U.S. deferred tax assets upon the impairment of goodwill. As of June 25, 2017, the Luxembourg valuation allowance was $5.8 million . For the fiscal year ended June 24, 2018, the Company reduced this valuation allowance by $0.6 million due to year-to-date income in Luxembourg.
As of June 24, 2018, the Company had approximately $25.2 million of foreign net operating loss carryovers, of which $20.3 million are offset by a valuation allowance. $24.8 million of the Company’s foreign net operating loss carryovers have no carry forward limitation. The remaining $0.4 million of the foreign net operating loss carryovers will begin to expire in fiscal 2023. As of June 24, 2018, the Company had approximately $96 million of state net operating loss carryovers which are fully offset by a valuation allowance. Additionally, the Company had $78.7 million of federal and $4.7 million of state income tax credit carryforwards which are fully offset by a valuation allowance. The state net operating loss carryovers will begin to expire in fiscal 2019. The federal and state income tax credit carryforwards will begin to expire in fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2019, respectively.
U.S. GAAP requires a two-step approach to recognizing and measuring uncertain tax positions. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation processes, if any. The second step is to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount that is cumulatively more than 50% likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement.
As of June 25, 2017 the Company’s liability for unrecognized tax benefits was $13.3 million . During the fiscal year ended June 24, 2018, the Company recognized a $4.7 million decrease to the liability for unrecognized tax benefits due to the U.S. statutory rate reduction. In addition, there was a $0.6 million increase in the unrecognized tax benefits due to uncertainty regarding state depreciation deductions and a $0.4 million decrease following statute expirations. As a result, the total liability for unrecognized tax benefits as of June 24, 2018 was $8.7 million . If any portion of this $8.7 million is recognized, the Company will then include that portion in the computation of its effective tax rate. Although the ultimate timing of the resolution and/or closure of audits is highly uncertain, the Company believes it is reasonably possible that approximately $0.8 million of gross unrecognized tax benefits will change in the next 12 months as a result of statute requirements.
The following is a tabular reconciliation of the Company’s change in uncertain tax positions (in thousands):  
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
Balance at beginning of period

$13,338

 

$17,727

 

$17,795

Decrease related to current year change in law
(4,731
)
 

 

Increases related to prior year tax positions
634

 

 
617

Decreases related to prior year tax positions
(73
)
 
(100
)
 
(530
)
Settlements with tax authorities
(54
)
 
(608
)
 

Expiration of statute of limitations for assessment of taxes
(369
)
 
(3,681
)
 
(155
)
Balance at end of period

$8,745

 

$13,338

 

$17,727


83


The Company’s policy is to include interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits within the Income tax (benefit) expense line item in the Consolidated Statements of Loss. Total interest and penalties accrued were as follows (in thousands):
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
Accrued interest and penalties

$25

 

$2

Total interest and penalties recognized were as follows (in thousands):
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
Recognized interest and penalties (benefit)

$23

 

$7

 

($15
)
The Company files U.S. federal, U.S. state and foreign tax returns. For U.S. federal purposes, the Company is generally no longer subject to tax examinations for fiscal years prior to 2015. For U.S. state tax returns, the Company is generally no longer subject to tax examinations for fiscal years prior to 2014. For foreign purposes, the Company is generally no longer subject to examination for tax periods 2008 and prior. Certain carryforward tax attributes generated in prior years remain subject to examination, adjustment and recapture.
The Company provides for income taxes on the earnings of foreign subsidiaries unless the subsidiaries’ earnings are considered indefinitely reinvested outside the United States. As of June 24, 2018, the Company has approximately $262.5 million of undistributed earnings for certain non-U.S. subsidiaries. During the fiscal year ended June 24, 2018, the Company reevaluated its assertion to reinvest a portion of its undistributed foreign earnings in foreign operations indefinitely considering the Tax Legislation and acquisition of the RF Power assets. For the fiscal year ended June 24, 2018, the Company has determined that $244.4 million of the $262.5 million of undistributed foreign earnings are expected to be repatriated in the foreseeable future. For the fiscal year ended June 24, 2018, the Company accrued a deferred tax liability of $1.4 million for foreign income taxes expected to be withheld upon repatriation of the foreign earnings. As of June 24, 2018, the Company has not provided income taxes on the remaining undistributed foreign earnings of $18.1 million as the Company continues to maintain its intention to reinvest these earnings in foreign operations indefinitely. If, at a later date, these earnings were repatriated to the U.S., the Company would be required to pay approximately $0.9 million in taxes on these amounts.
During the fiscal year ended June 26, 2011, the Company was awarded a tax holiday in Malaysia with respect to its manufacturing and distribution operations. This arrangement allows for 0% tax for 10 years starting in the fiscal year ended June 26, 2011. For the fiscal years 2016, 2017 and 2018, the Company did not meet the requirements for the tax holiday, and as such, no benefit has been recognized.
Note 14 – Commitments and Contingencies
Warranties
The following table summarizes the changes in the Company’s product warranty liabilities (in thousands):  
 
Fiscal Years Ended
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
 
June 26,
2016
Balance at beginning of period

$27,919

 

$21,531

 

$13,968

Warranties accrued in current period
23,451

 
32,024

 
19,866

Recall costs accrued in current period

 

 
5,756

Expenditures
(16,730
)
 
(25,636
)
 
(18,059
)
Balance at end of period

$34,640

 

$27,919

 

$21,531


84


Product warranties are estimated and recognized at the time the Company recognizes revenue. The warranty periods range from 90 days to 10 years . The Company accrues warranty liabilities at the time of sale, based on historical and projected incident rates and expected future warranty costs. The Company accrues estimated costs related to product recalls based on a formal campaign soliciting repair or return of that product when they are deemed probable and reasonably estimable. The warranty reserves, which are primarily related to Lighting Products segment, are evaluated quarterly based on various factors including historical warranty claims, assumptions about the frequency of warranty claims, and assumptions about the frequency of product failures derived from quality testing, field monitoring and the Company’s reliability estimates. As of June 24, 2018 , $18.9 million of the Company’s product warranty liabilities were classified as long-term.
Lease Commitments
The Company primarily leases manufacturing, office, housing and warehousing space under the terms of non-cancelable operating leases. These leases expire at various times through June 2027 . The Company recognizes net rent expense on a straight-line basis over the life of the lease. Rent expense associated with these operating leases totaled approximately $6.9 million , $7.0 million and $6.6 million for each of the fiscal years ended June 24, 2018 , June 25, 2017 and June 26, 2016 , respectively. Certain agreements require that the Company pay property taxes and general property maintenance in addition to the minimum rental payments.
Future minimum rental payments as of June 24, 2018 (under leases currently in effect) are as follows (in thousands):  
Fiscal Years Ending
Minimum Rental
Amount
June 30, 2019

$7,022

June 28, 2020
6,443

June 27, 2021
4,856

June 26, 2022
3,390

June 25, 2023
2,870

Thereafter
788

Total future minimum rental payments

$25,369

Litigation
The Company is currently a party to various legal proceedings.  While management presently believes that the ultimate outcome of such proceedings, individually and in the aggregate, will not materially harm the Company’s financial position, cash flows, or overall trends in results of operations, legal proceedings are subject to inherent uncertainties, and unfavorable rulings could occur.  An unfavorable ruling could include money damages or, in matters for which injunctive relief or other conduct remedies may be sought, an injunction prohibiting the Company from selling one or more products at all or in particular ways.  Were unfavorable final outcomes to occur, there exists the possibility of a material adverse impact on the Company’s business, results of operation, financial position and overall trends.  The outcomes in these matters are not reasonably estimable.
Note 15 - Reportable Segments
The Company’s operating and reportable segments are:
Wolfspeed
LED Products
Lighting Products
The Company’s CODM reviews segment performance and allocates resources based upon segment revenue and segment gross profit.

85


Reportable Segments Description
Wolfspeed Segment
The Company’s Wolfspeed segment includes SiC materials, power devices and RF devices.
SiC Materials
The Company’s SiC materials products consist of crystals, bare and epitaxial wafers. The Company’s SiC materials are targeted for customers who use them to manufacture products for RF, power switching, gemstones and other applications. Corporate, government and university customers also buy SiC materials for research and development directed at RF and high-power devices.
Power Devices
The Company’s power device products consist of SiC Schottky diodes, metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), power modules and gate driver boards. The Company's SiC power products provide increased efficiency, faster switching speeds and reduced system size and weight over comparable silicon-based power devices. Power products are sold primarily to customers and distributors for use in power supplies used in computer servers, solar inverters, uninterruptible power supplies, industrial power supplies and other applications.
RF Devices
The Company's RF devices consist of GaN die, high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs), and laterally diffused MOSFET (LDMOS) power transistors that are optimized for next generation telecommunications infrastructure, military and other commercial applications. The Company's RF devices are made from Si, SiC and GaN and can provide improved efficiency, bandwidths and frequency of operation as compared to silicon or GaAs. The Company also provides custom die manufacturing for GaN HEMTs and MMICs that allow a customer to design its own custom RF circuits to be fabricated by the Company, or have the Company design and fabricate products that meet their specific requirements.
LED Products Segment
The Company’s LED Products segment includes LED chips and LED components.
LED Chips
The Company's LED chip products include blue and green LED chips based on GaN and related materials. LED chips or die are solid-state electronic components used in a number of applications and are currently available in a variety of brightness levels, wavelengths (color) and sizes. The Company uses LED chips internally in the manufacturing of its LED components. Customers use the blue and green LED chips in a variety of applications including video screens, gaming displays, function indicator lights, and automotive backlights, headlamps and directional indicators. Customers may also combine blue LED chips with phosphors to create white LEDs, which are used in various applications for indoor and outdoor illumination and backlighting, full-color display screens, liquid crystal displays (LCD) backlighting, white keypads and the camera flash function.
LED Components
The Company's LED components include a range of packaged LED products from the Company’s XLamp ® LED components and LED modules for lighting applications to the Company’s high-brightness LED components.
The Company’s XLamp LED components and LED modules are designed to meet a broad range of market needs for lighting applications including general illumination (both indoor and outdoor applications), portable, architectural, signal and transportation lighting. The Company uses XLamp LED components in its own lighting products. The Company also sells XLamp LED components externally to customers and distributors for use in a variety of products, primarily for lighting applications.
The Company’s high-brightness LED components consist of surface mount (SMD) and through-hole packaged LED products. The SMD LED component products are available in a full range of colors designed to meet a broad range of market needs, including video, signage, general illumination, transportation, gaming and specialty lighting. The Company's through-hole packaged LED component products are available in a full range of colors, primarily designed for the signage market and provide users with color and brightness consistency across a wide viewing area.

86


Lighting Products Segment
The Company’s Lighting Products segment primarily consists of LED lighting systems and lamps. The Company designs, manufactures and sells lighting systems for indoor and outdoor applications, with its primary focus on LED lighting systems for the commercial, industrial and consumer markets. Lighting products are sold to distributors, retailers and direct to customers. The Company's portfolio of lighting products is designed for use in settings such as office and retail space, restaurants and hospitality, schools and universities, manufacturing, healthcare, airports, municipal, residential, street lighting and parking structures, among other applications.
Financial Results by Reportable Segment
The table below reflects the results of the Company’s reportable segments as reviewed by the CODM for fiscal 2018 , 2017 and 2016 . The Company used the same accounting policies to derive the segment results reported below as those used in the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
The Company’s CODM does not review inter-segment transactions when evaluating segment performance and allocating resources to each segment, and inter-segment transactions are not included in the segment revenue presented in the table below. As such, total segment revenue in the table below is equal to the Company’s consolidated revenue.
The Company’s CODM reviews gross profit as the lowest and only level of segment profit. As such, all items below gross profit in the consolidated statements of loss must be included to reconcile the consolidated gross profit presented in the table below to the Company’s consolidated loss before income taxes.
In order to determine gross profit for each reportable segment, the Company allocates direct costs and indirect costs to each segment’s cost of revenue. The Company allocates indirect costs, such as employee benefits for manufacturing employees, shared facilities services, information technology, purchasing, and customer service, when the costs are identifiable and beneficial to the reportable segment. The Company allocates these indirect costs based on a reasonable measure of utilization that considers the specific facts and circumstances of the costs being allocated.
Unallocated costs in the table below consisted primarily of manufacturing employees’ stock-based compensation, expenses for profit sharing and quarterly or annual incentive plans, and matching contributions under the Company’s 401(k) plan. These costs were not allocated to the reportable segments' gross profit because the Company’s CODM does not review them regularly when evaluating segment performance and allocating resources.
The cost of goods sold (COGS) acquisition related cost adjustment includes inventory fair value amortization of the fair value increase to inventory recognized at the date of acquisition, and other RF Power acquisition costs, impacting cost of revenue for fiscal 2018 . These costs were not allocated to the reportable segments’ gross profit for fiscal 2018 because they represent an adjustment which does not provide comparability to the corresponding prior period and therefore were not reviewed by the Company's CODM when evaluating segment performance and allocating resources.


87


Revenue, gross profit and gross margin for each of the Company's segments were as follows (in thousands, except percentages):
 
Revenue
 
Gross Profit and Gross Margin
 
Year Ended
 
Year Ended
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25, 2017
 
June 26, 2016
 
June 24, 2018
 
June 25, 2017
 
June 26, 2016
Wolfspeed

$328,638

 

$221,231

 

$176,338

 

$158,455

 

$103,465

 

$94,622

Wolfspeed gross margin
 
 
 
 
 
 
48
%
 
47
%
 
54
%
LED Products
596,284

 
550,302

 
551,156

 
157,914

 
151,675

 
173,814

LED Products gross margin
 
 
 
 
 
 
26
%
 
28
%
 
32
%
Lighting Products
568,758

 
701,467

 
889,133

 
108,919

 
196,218

 
238,242

Lighting Products gross margin
 
 
 
 
 
 
19
%
 
28
%
 
27
%
Total segment reporting

$1,493,680

 

$1,473,000

 

$1,616,627

 
425,288

 
451,358

 
506,678

Unallocated costs
 
 
 
 
 
 
(12,221
)
 
(16,786
)
 
(19,604
)
COGS acquisition related costs
 
 
 
 
 
 
(5,425
)




Consolidated gross profit
 
 
 
 
 
 

$407,642

 

$434,572

 

$487,074

Consolidated gross margin
 
 
 
 
 
 
27
%
 
30
%
 
30
%
Assets by Reportable Segment
Inventories are the only assets reviewed by the Company’s CODM when evaluating segment performance and allocating resources to the segments. The CODM reviews all of the Company's assets other than inventories on a consolidated basis. The following table sets forth the Company’s inventories by reportable segment for the fiscal years ended June 24, 2018 and June 25, 2017 .
Unallocated inventories in the table below were not allocated to the reportable segments because the Company’s CODM does not review them when evaluating performance and allocating resources to each segment. Unallocated inventories consisted primarily of manufacturing employees’ stock-based compensation, profit sharing and quarterly or annual incentive compensation, matching contributions under the Company’s 401(k) plan, and acquisition related costs.

88


Inventories for each of the Company's segments were as follows (in thousands):
 
June 24, 2018
 
June 25, 2017
Wolfspeed

$47,190

 

$26,453

LED Products
100,452

 
108,297

Lighting Products
144,193

 
145,710

Total segment inventories
291,835

 
280,460

Unallocated inventories
4,180

 
3,925

Consolidated inventories

$296,015

 

$284,385

Geographic Information
The Company conducts business in several geographic areas. Revenue is attributed to a particular geographic region based on the shipping address for the products. The following table sets forth the percentage of revenue from external customers by geographic area:
 
For the Years Ended
 
June 24, 2018
 
June 25, 2017
 
June 26, 2016
United States
46
%
 
56
%
 
59
%
China
26
%
 
22
%
 
20
%
Europe
14
%
 
10
%
 
8
%
South Korea
1
%
 
2
%
 
1
%
Japan
5
%
 
4
%
 
4
%
Malaysia
1
%
 
1
%
 
1
%
Taiwan
1
%
 
1
%
 
1
%
Other
6
%
 
4
%
 
6
%
Total percentage of revenue
100
%
 
100
%
 
100
%
The following table sets forth the Company’s tangible long-lived assets by country (in thousands):  
 
June 24,
2018
 
June 25,
2017
United States

$578,569

 

$483,953

China
76,386

 
94,022

Other
6,364

 
3,288

Total tangible long-lived assets

$661,319

 

$581,263

Note 16 – Concentrations of Risk
Financial instruments, which may subject the Company to a concentration of risk, consist principally of short-term investments, cash equivalents, and accounts receivable. Short-term investments consist primarily of municipal bonds, corporate bonds, U.S. agency securities, commercial paper and certificates of deposit at interest rates that vary by security. The Company’s cash equivalents consist primarily of money market funds. Certain bank deposits may at times be in excess of the FDIC insurance limits.
The Company sells its products on account to manufacturers, distributors, retailers and others worldwide and generally requires no collateral.
Revenue from Arrow Electronics, Inc. represented 13% , 12% and 10% of revenue for fiscal 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively. Arrow Electronics, Inc. is a customer of the LED Products and Wolfspeed segments.
No customers individually accounted for more than 10% of the consolidated accounts receivable balance at June 24, 2018 and June 25, 2017 .

89



Note 17 – Retirement Savings Plan
The Company sponsors one employee benefit plan (the 401(k) Plan) pursuant to Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. All U.S. employees are eligible to participate under the 401(k) Plan on the first day of a new fiscal month after the date of hire. Under the 401(k) Plan, there is no fixed dollar amount of retirement benefits; rather, the Company matches a defined percentage of employee deferrals, and employees vest in these matching funds over time. Employees choose their investment elections from a list of available investment options. During the fiscal years ended June 24, 2018 , June 25, 2017 and June 26, 2016 , the Company contributed approximately $7.5 million , $7.3 million and $7.0 million to the 401(k) Plan, respectively. The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation does not insure the 401(k) Plan.
Note 18 – Related Party Transactions
In July 2010, Mark Swoboda was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Intematix Corporation (Intematix) and subsequently resigned as Chief Executive Officer in 2017 when the company was sold. Mark Swoboda is the brother of the Company’s former Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, Charles M. Swoboda. For a number of years the Company has purchased raw materials from Intematix pursuant to standard purchase orders in the ordinary course of business.
During fiscal 2018 , the Company purchased $3.3 million of raw materials from Intematix, and the Company had $0.2 million outstanding payable to Intematix as of June 24, 2018 . During fiscal 2017 , the Company purchased $2.3 million of raw materials from Intematix, and the Company had $0.0 million outstanding payable to Intematix as of June 25, 2017 .
The Company currently owns approximately 16% of the common stock of Lextar, an investment that was purchased in December 2014. As discussed in Note 1, “Business,” this investment was accounted for under the equity method from the date of investment until June 2016 when the Company chose for its representative not to stand for re-election as a member of the Lextar board of directors. During fiscal 2016, the Company purchased approximately $31.7 million of inventory from Lextar and the Company had $7.6 million outstanding payable to Lextar as of June 26, 2016.
Note 19 - Restructuring
Lighting Business Restructuring
In April 2018, the Company approved a plan to restructure the Lighting Products business. The purpose is to restructure and realign the Company's cost base with the long-range business strategy that was announced February 26, 2018. The restructuring activity is expected to be completed in the first quarter of fiscal 2019.
The following table summarizes the actual charges incurred (in thousands):
Capacity and overhead cost reductions
Total estimated charges
 
Cumulative amounts incurred through fiscal year 2018
 
Affected Line Item in the Consolidated Statements of Loss
Loss on disposal or impairment of long-lived assets

$227

 

$227

 
Loss on disposal or impairment of long-lived assets
Severance expense
5,470

 
4,682

 
Sales, general and administrative expenses
Lease termination and facility consolidation costs
2,182

 
156

 
Sales, general and administrative expenses
Increase in inventory reserves
897

 
897

 
Sales, general and administrative expenses
Total restructuring charges

$8,776

 

$5,962

 
 

90


LED Business Restructuring
In June 2015, the Company's Board of Directors approved a plan to restructure the LED Products business. The restructuring reduced excess capacity and overhead in order to improve the cost structure moving forward. The primary components of the restructuring include the planned sale or abandonment of certain manufacturing equipment, facility consolidation and the elimination of certain positions. The restructuring activity ended in the second quarter of fiscal 2016. During fiscal 2016, the company realized $18.8 million in LED restructuring charges which were partially offset by a $1.1 million gain on the sale of long-lived assets related to the restructuring which were sold for a value in excess of their estimated net realizable value during fiscal 2016.
The following table summarizes the actual charges incurred (in thousands):
Capacity and overhead cost reductions
 
Amounts incurred during fiscal year 2016
 
Cumulative amounts incurred through fiscal year 2016
 
Affected Line Item in the Consolidated Statements of Loss
Loss on disposal or impairment of long-lived assets
 

$15,506

 

$58,222

 
Loss on disposal or impairment of long-lived assets
Severance expense
 
264

 
2,283

 
Sales, general and administrative expenses
Lease termination and facility consolidation costs
 
3,079

 
4,325

 
Sales, general and administrative expenses
Increase in channel inventory reserves
 

 
26,479

 
Revenue, net
Increase in inventory reserves
 

 
11,091

 
Cost of revenue, net
Total restructuring charges
 

$18,849

 

$102,400

 
 
In the table above, the lease termination costs relate to the relocation of certain manufacturing operations from a leased facility in Huizhou, China to a company-owned facility which is also in Huizhou, China.
In the table above, the severance expense relates to a reduction in manufacturing and support positions. There is not a significant retention period for impacted employees and all severance was paid in fiscal 2016.
Note 20 - Subsequent Event
None.

91


Note 21 – Quarterly Results of Operations - Unaudited
The following is a summary of the Company’s consolidated quarterly results of operations for each of the fiscal years ended June 24, 2018 and June 25, 2017 (in thousands, except per share data):
 
September 24,
2017
 
December 24, 2017
 
March 25, 2018
 
June 24,
2018
 
Fiscal Year 2018
Revenue, net

$360,398

 

$367,870

 

$355,958

 

$409,454

 

$1,493,680

Cost of revenue, net
260,066

 
275,267

 
256,902

 
293,803

 
1,086,038

Gross profit
100,332

 
92,603

 
99,056

 
115,651

 
407,642

Net (loss) income
(19,873
)
 
13,752

 
(240,533
)
 
(33,269
)
 
(279,923
)
Net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest
(16
)
 
31

 
44

 
(14
)
 
45

Net (loss) income
(19,857
)
 
13,721

 
(240,577
)
 
(33,255
)
 
(279,968
)
(Loss) earnings per share:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic

($0.20
)
 

$0.14

 

($2.40
)
 

($0.33
)
 

($2.81
)
Diluted

($0.20
)
 

$0.14

 

($2.40
)
 

($0.33
)
 

($2.81
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
September 25,
2016
 
December 25,
2016
 
March 26,
2017
 
June 25,
2017
 
Fiscal Year 2017
Revenue, net

$371,231

 

$401,325

 

$341,505

 

$358,939

 

$1,473,000

Cost of revenue, net
261,302

 
260,759

 
255,429

 
260,938

 
1,038,428

Gross profit
109,929

 
140,566

 
86,076

 
98,001

 
434,572

Net income (loss)
566

 
6,219

 
(99,013
)
 
(5,890
)
 
(98,118
)
Earnings (loss) per share:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic

$—

 

$0.06

 

($1.02
)
 

($0.06
)
 

($1.00
)
Diluted

$—

 

$0.06

 

($1.02
)
 

($0.06
)
 

($1.00
)
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
None.
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report. Based on such evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report, our disclosure controls and procedures are effective in that they provide reasonable assurances that the information we are required to disclose in the reports we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods required by the SEC’s rules and forms and that such information is accumulated and communicated to management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Changes to Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There have been no changes to our internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act, during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
In the course of our ongoing preparations for making management’s report on internal control over financial reporting as required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, from time to time we have identified areas in need of improvement and have taken remedial actions to strengthen the affected controls as appropriate. We make these and other changes to enhance the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting, which do not have a material effect on our overall internal control.

92

Table of Contents

We will continue to evaluate the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting on an ongoing basis and will take action as appropriate.
Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f). Our internal control system was designed to provide reasonable assurance to our management and Board of Directors regarding the preparation and fair presentation of published financial statements.
Our internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that:
(i)
pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of our assets;
(ii)
provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that our receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of our management and directors; and
(iii)
provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
All internal control systems, no matter how well designed, have inherent limitations. Therefore, even those systems determined to be effective can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation and presentation.
On March 6, 2018 we completed the acquisition of certain assets of the Infineon Radio Frequency Power Business (RF Power). As a result, management has excluded RF Power from its assessment of internal control over financial reporting. The total assets and total revenues, excluded from management's assessment, represent 1% and 2%, respectively, of the related consolidated financial statement amounts as of and for the year June 24, 2018 .
In making the assessment of internal control over financial reporting, our management used the criteria issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013 framework). Based on that assessment and those criteria, management has concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of June 24, 2018 .
The effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of June 24, 2018 has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report in Item 8 of this Annual Report.
Item 9B. Other Information
Not applicable.

93

Table of Contents

PART III
Certain information called for in Items 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 is incorporated by reference from our definitive proxy statement relating to our annual meeting of shareholders, which will be filed with the SEC within 120 days after the end of fiscal 2018 .
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
Item 11. Executive Compensation
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services

94

Table of Contents

PART IV

Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
(a)(1) and (2) The financial statements and reports of independent registered public accounting firm are filed as part of this Annual Report (see “Index to Consolidated Financial Statements” at Item 8). The financial statement schedules are not included in this item as they are either not applicable or are included as part of the consolidated financial statements.
(a)(3) The following exhibits have been or are being filed herewith and are numbered in accordance with Item 601 of Regulation S-K:  
EXHIBIT NO.
 
DESCRIPTION
 
 
 
 
Articles of Incorporation, as amended (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2002, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 19, 2002)
 
 
 
 
Bylaws, as amended and restated (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, dated January 27, 2015, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 28, 2015)
 
 
 
 
Specimen Common Stock Certificate (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended December 24, 2017, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 24, 2018)
 
 
 
 
2004 Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated October 23, 2012, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 25, 2012)
 
 
 
 
Addendum to Form of Master Stock Option Award Agreement Terms and Conditions for Grants of Nonqualified Stock Options to Non-Employee Directors (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 27, 2009, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 21, 2009)
 
 
 
 
Form of Nonqualified Stock Option Award Agreement for Non-Employee Directors (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 23, 2012, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 17, 2012)
 
 
 
 
Form of Master Stock Option Award Agreement for Grants of Nonqualified Stock Options (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 24, 2006, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 2, 2006)
 
 
 
 
Form of Master Stock Option Award Agreement for Grants of Nonqualified Stock Options (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended December 26, 2010, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 19, 2011)
 
 
 
 
Form of Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 23, 2012, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 17, 2012)
 
 
 
 
Form of Master Restricted Stock Award Agreement (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 24, 2006, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 2, 2006)
 
 
 
 
Form of Restricted Stock Award Agreement (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 23, 2012, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 17, 2012)
 
 
 
 
Non-Employee Director Stock Compensation and Deferral Program (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 27, 2009, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 21, 2009)
 
 
 
 
Amendment One to Non-Employee Director Stock Compensation and Deferral Program (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended December 26, 2010, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 19, 2011)
 
 
 

95

Table of Contents

 
Form of Cree, Inc. Indemnification Agreement for Directors and Officers (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, dated October 25, 2010, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 29, 2010)
 
 
 
 
Form of Master Performance Unit Award Agreement (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated August 30, 2013, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 5, 2013)
 
 
 
 
Form of Stock Unit Award Agreement (Time-Based) (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.7 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 29, 2013, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 23, 2013)
 
 
 
 
Form of Stock Unit Award Agreement (Performance-Based) (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.8 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 29, 2013, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 23, 2013)
 
 
 
 
2005 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated October 24, 2017, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 24, 2017)
 
 
 
 
Form of Nonqualified Stock Option Award Agreement (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended December 29, 2013, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 22, 2014)
 
 
 
 
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended December 29, 2013, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 22, 2014)
 
 
 
 
Form of Master Performance Unit Award Agreement (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.4 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, dated August 25, 2014, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 29, 2014)
 
 
 
 
2013 Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated October 25, 2016, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 28, 2016)
 
 
 
 
Credit Agreement, dated January 9, 2015, by and between Cree, Inc., Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent and lender, E-conolight LLC, a domestic subsidiary of the Company, as guarantor, and the other lenders party thereto (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated January 9, 2015, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 12, 2015)
 
 
 
 
First Amendment to the Credit Agreement, dated September 10, 2015, by and among Cree, Inc., Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent, E-conolight LLC, a domestic subsidiary of the Cree, Inc., as guarantor, and the other lenders party thereto (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended December 24, 2017, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 24, 2018)
 
 
 
 
Credit Agreement Consent, dated as of July 13, 2016, by and between Cree, Inc., Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent and lender, E-conolight LLC, a domestic subsidiary of the Company, as guarantor, and the other lenders party to the Credit Agreement (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 25, 2016, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 19, 2016)
 
 
 
 
Second Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated November 13, 2017, by and among Cree, Inc., Wells Fargo, National Association, as administrative agent, E-conolight LLC, a domestic subsidiary of the Cree, Inc., as guarantor, and the other lenders party thereto (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated November 13, 2017, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 16, 2017)
 
 
 
 
Notice of Grant to Charles M. Swoboda (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, dated August 28, 2017, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 1, 2017)
 
 
 
 
Notice of Grant to Michael E. McDevitt (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, dated August 28, 2017, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 1, 2017)
 
 
 

96

Table of Contents

 
Notice of Grant to Daniel J. Castillo (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 of the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated August 28, 2017, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 1, 2017)
 
 
 
 
Notice of Grant to David T. Emerson (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.4 of the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated August 28, 2017, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 1, 2017)
 
 
 
 
Management Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended and restated (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated August 23, 2016, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 25, 2016)
 
 
 
10.29*
 
Schedule of Compensation for Non-Employee Directors
 
 
 
 
Form of Performance Share Award Agreement - Section 16 Officer (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 27, 2015, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 21, 2015)
 
 
 
 
Termination Agreement, dated as of March 6, 2017, by and between Cree, Inc. and Infineon Technologies AG (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, March 6, 2017, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 7, 2017)
 
 
 
 
Separation, General Release and Consulting Agreement, dated May 18, 2017, between Cree, Inc. and Charles M. Swoboda (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated May 18, 2017, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 24, 2017)
 
 
 
 
Change in Control Agreement for Chief Executive Officer, dated September 22, 2017, between Cree, Inc. and Gregg A. Lowe (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated September 27, 2017, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 28, 2017)
 
 
 
 
First Amendment to Change in Control Agreement (for Chief Executive Officer), dated May 4, 2018 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated April 30, 2018, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 4, 2018)
 
 
 
 
Notice of Grant to Gregg A. Lowe, dated September 27, 2017 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated September 27, 2017, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 28, 2017)
 
 
 
 
Form of Stock Unit Award Agreement (Performance-Based) for Gregg A. Lowe (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated September 27, 2017, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 28, 2017)
 
 
 
 
Separation and General Release Agreement with Daniel J. Castillo, dated December 21, 2017 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended December 24, 2017, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 24, 2018)
 
 
 
 
Cree Severance Plan - Senior Leadership Team, Plan Document and Summary Plan Description, effective as of April 30, 2018 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated April 30, 2018, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 4, 2018)
 
 
 
 
Form of Participation Agreement Under Cree Severance Plan - Senior Leadership Team (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated April 30, 2018, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 4, 2018)
 
 
 
 
Separation, General Release and Consulting Agreement, dated June 7, 2018, between Cree, Inc. and Michael E. McDevitt (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated June 5, 2018, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 7, 2018)
 
 
 
                                  
Form of Stock Unit Award Agreement (Performance-Based)
 
 
 
 
Form of Stock Unit Award Agreement (Time-Based)
 
 
 
 
Subsidiaries of the Company
 
 
                       
 
Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
 
 
 
 
Consent of KPMG
 
 
 
 
Certification by Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

97

Table of Contents

 
 
 
 
Certification by Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
 
 
 
 
Certification by Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
 
 
 
 
Certification by Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
 
 
 
 
Audited financial statements of Lextar Electronics Corporation as of and for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014.
 
 
 
101
 
The following materials from Cree, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 24, 2018 formatted in XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language): (i) Consolidated Balance Sheets; (ii) Consolidated Statements of Loss; (iii) Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss; (iv) Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows; (v) Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity; and (vi) Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
*
Management contract or compensatory plan
 
 
**
The financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 of Lextar Electronics Corporation , prepared by Lextar and audited by its independent public accounting firm,  are included in this Annual Report pursuant to Rule 3-09 of Regulation S-X.

Item 16. Form 10-K Summary
None.

98

Table of Contents

SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
 
CREE, INC.
Date:
August 20, 2018
 
 
By:
/s/    Gregg A. Lowe         
 
Gregg A. Lowe
 
Chief Executive Officer and President
 
(Principal Executive Officer)
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.  
 
 
 
 
 
Signature
 
Title
 
Date
 
 
 
 
 
/s/    G REGG  A. L OWE
 
Chief Executive Officer and President
 
August 20, 2018
Gregg A. Lowe
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/    M ICHAEL  E. M C D EVITT
 
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
 
August 20, 2018
Michael E. McDevitt
 
(Principal Financial and Chief Accounting Officer)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/    R OBERT  A. I NGRAM
 
Chairman and Director
 
August 20, 2018
Robert A. Ingram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/    C LYDE  R. H OSEIN 
 
Director
 
August 20, 2018
Clyde R. Hosein
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/    D ARREN R. J ACKSON
 
Director
 
August 20, 2018
Darren R. Jackson
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/    C. H OWARD  N YE
 
Director
 
August 20, 2018
C. Howard Nye
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/    J OHN  B. R EPLOGLE
 
Director
 
August 20, 2018
John B. Replogle
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/    T HOMAS  H. W ERNER
 
Director
 
August 20, 2018
Thomas H. Werner
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/    A NNE  C. W HITAKER
 
Director
 
August 20, 2018
Anne C. Whitaker
 
 
 
 


99
PERFORMANCE SHARE AWARD AGREEMENT Draft 04.25.18 Participant: [Name] Award Number: PU_________ Plan: 2013 Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan Award Type: Performance Shares Grant Date: ______ __, 201_ Performance Period: ______ __, 201_to ______ __, 201_ Dear [_____]: I am pleased to inform you that Cree, Inc. (the “Company”) has awarded _____ Performance Shares (the “Performance Shares”) to you effective ______ __, 201_ (the “Grant Date”). The Performance Shares are subject to and governed by the terms of the Cree, Inc. 2013 Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2013 Plan”), the terms of the [Severance Plan – Senior Leadership Team] [Vice President] (the “Severance Plan”), dated April __, 2018, as it may be amended from time to time, and the terms of this Performance Share Award Agreement (the “Agreement”). Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Severance Plan, as applicable, you are eligible to earn the Performance Shares based on the Company’s “Relative Total Shareholder Return” (as defined in Exhibit A) in terms of percentile ranking as compared to the Peer Group (as defined in Exhibit A) over the period beginning on ______ __, 201_ and ending immediately prior to the third anniversary of the Grant Date (the “Vesting Date”) (such period between the Grant Date and the Vesting Date, the “Measurement Period”). The number of shares of the Company’s common stock (“Shares”) that will be issued in payment of the Performance Shares will be calculated in accordance with the schedule below: Relative Total Shareholder Return Ranking over Measurement Period Payout % Level 75th Percentile or Higher 150% 50th – 74th Percentile 100% 25th – 49th Percentile 50% 0 – 24th Percentile 0% The calculation of the number of Shares to be issued will be rounded down to the nearest whole number of Shares as necessary. As of the date of your death or on the effective date of the determination of your Disability (as defined below) by the Employee Benefits Committee of the Company (the “EBC”) or such other committee as may be designated by the Board of Directors of the Company or a committee thereof, any unvested Performance Shares shall be deemed to have vested in full and been achieved at the greater of (a) the target level and (b) the actual performance level (with the date of your death or on the effective date of the determination of your Disability being treated as the ending date for the measurement period). For purposes of this Agreement, “Disability” will have the meaning given to “LTD Disability” in the Severance Plan. The determination of whether or not you have a Disability will be made by the EBC in good faith in its sole discretion, and such determination shall be conclusive, final and binding upon all parties. The above definition of Disability applies in lieu of the definition of disability set out in the 2013 Plan. Except as otherwise provided in the terms of the Severance Plan, as applicable, you must be continuously in service with the Company or any Employer or any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company through the Vesting Date in order to have a right to payment of Performance Shares, the Performance Shares will not be considered earned until the Vesting Date, and except as may be specified otherwise in the Severance


 
Plan, if your employment is terminated prior to the Vesting Date, you will forfeit all of the Performance Shares. Capitalized terms defined in the 2013 Plan and used in this Agreement without definition have the meaning specified in the 2013 Plan. This award is intended to fulfill any and all agreements, obligations or promises, whether legally binding or not, previously made by the Company or any Employer under the 2013 Plan to grant you Performance Shares in connection with your sign-on award. By signing below, you accept such award, along with all prior awards received by you, in full satisfaction of any such agreement, obligation or promise. THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS ON THE PAGES FOLLOWING THIS SIGNATURE PAGE, INCLUDING ANY APPENDIX, ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS AGREEMENT AND ARE INCORPORATED HEREIN BY THIS REFERENCE. BY SIGNING BELOW YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTAND AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY SUCH TERMS AND CONDITIONS. FAILURE TO SIGN WILL RESULT IN FORFEITURE OF THE PERFORMANCE SHARES. Date: ______ __, 20__ CREE, INC.: ACCEPTED AND AGREED TO: Gregg Lowe [Name] President and Chief Executive Officer Page 2 of 13


 
PERFORMANCE AWARD AGREEMENT TERMS AND CONDITIONS 1. Forfeiture of Performance Shares for Awards Not Timely Accepted. The grant of the Performance Shares is conditioned upon and subject to your accepting the Performance Shares by signing and delivering to the Company this Agreement, or otherwise electronically accepting the Performance Shares, no later than the first date the Performance Shares are scheduled to vest pursuant to this Agreement. In the event of your death or incapacitation prior to accepting the Performance Shares, the Company will deem the Performance Shares as being accepted. If you fail to accept the Performance Shares within the time described above, you will forfeit the Performance Shares. 2. Payment. Subject to the terms of the 2013 Plan, this Agreement and, if applicable, the Severance Plan, within 30 days after the following date (except as provided otherwise in Section 19 below), the Company shall make payment to you of the vested portion of the Performance Shares on such date (if any), less any vested Performance Shares previously paid to you (if any): ______ __, 201_. The Company shall make payment to you by delivery to you (or, in the event of your death, to your estate or, if the Committee establishes a beneficiary designation procedure pursuant to Section 12 of the 2013 Plan, to any beneficiary that you have designated pursuant to such procedure) one or more certificates for a number of Shares equal to the number of vested Performance Shares payable to you on such date or in the Company's discretion may cause such Shares to be deposited in an account maintained by a broker designated by the Company. 3. Responsibility for Taxes. (a) For purposes of this Agreement, “Tax-Related Items” means any or all income tax, social insurance tax, payroll tax, payment on account or other tax-related items that may be applicable to the Performance Shares by law or regulation of any governmental authority, whether federal, state or local, domestic or foreign. Regardless of any action the Company takes with respect to withholding Tax-Related Items, you acknowledge that you are ultimately responsible for all Tax-Related Items and that such Tax-Related Items may exceed the amount actually withheld by the Company or the Employer. You further acknowledge that the Company and/or the Employer (1) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax- Related Items in connection with any aspect of the Performance Shares, including, without limitation, the grant, vesting or payment with respect to the Performance Shares, the subsequent sale of Shares and the receipt of any dividends or dividend equivalents; and (2) do not commit to and are under no obligation to structure the terms of the grant or any aspect of the Performance Shares to reduce or eliminate your liability for Tax-Related Items or to achieve any particular tax result. Furthermore, if you have become subject to tax in more than one jurisdiction between the Grant Date and the date of any relevant taxable event, you acknowledge that the Company and/or the Employer (or former Employer, as applicable) may be required to withhold or account for Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction. (b) Prior to any relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, you will pay or make adequate arrangements satisfactory to the Company and/or the Employer to satisfy all Tax- Related Items. If permissible under local law and at your election, the Company will satisfy this condition pursuant to the withholding of Shares consistent with the “Share Withholding” provisions under section 14.2 of the 2013 Plan. The Company, in its discretion, may authorize alternative arrangements, including, if permissible under local law, the Company's selling or arranging to sell Shares that you acquire under the 2013 Plan. In any event, to the extent this condition is not otherwise satisfied, you authorize the Employer to withhold all applicable Tax- Page 3 of 13


 
Related Items legally payable by you from your wages or other cash compensation paid to you by the Employer. (c) Depending upon the withholding method, the Company or the Employer may withhold or account for Tax-Related Items by considering applicable minimum or maximum statutory withholding amounts or other applicable withholding rates. In the event Tax-Related Items are over-withheld, you will receive a refund in cash for any over-withheld amounts and will have no entitlement to the Shares equivalent. If the obligation for Tax-Related Items is satisfied by withholding of Shares, you shall be deemed, for tax purposes, to have been issued the full number of Shares, notwithstanding that a number of Shares is held back solely for the purpose of paying the Tax-Related Items due as a result of any aspect of your participation in the 2013 Plan. (d) You shall pay to the Company or the Employer any amount of Tax-Related Items that the Company or the Employer may be required to withhold or account for as a result of your participation in the 2013 Plan that cannot be satisfied by the means previously described. The Company may refuse to make payment with respect to the Performance Shares if you fail to comply with your obligations in connection with the Tax-Related Items. 4. Transfer of Performance Shares. The Performance Shares and any rights under any Performance Share may not be assigned, pledged as collateral or otherwise transferred, except as permitted by the 2013 Plan, nor may they be subject to attachment, execution or other judicial process. In the event of any attempt to assign, pledge or otherwise dispose of a Performance Share or any rights under a Performance Share, except as permitted by the 2013 Plan, or in the event of the levy of any attachment, execution or similar judicial process upon the rights or interests conferred by a Performance Share, the Committee may in its discretion terminate a Performance Share by notice to you. 5. Rights Prior to Vesting of Shares. (a) You will have no rights as a shareholder with respect to any Shares issuable under the Performance Shares, including but not limited to voting rights or rights to dividends or dividend equivalents, until such Shares have been duly issued by the Company or its transfer agent pursuant to the vesting and payment of the Performance Shares. (b) In the event of a change in capitalization within the meaning of Section 4.4 of the 2013 Plan, the number and class of Shares or other securities that you are entitled to pursuant to this Agreement shall be appropriately adjusted or changed as determined by the Committee to reflect the change in capitalization, provided that any such additional Shares or additional or different shares of securities shall remain subject to the restrictions in this Agreement. 6. Termination of Service: For purposes of this Agreement, “Termination of Service” will have the meaning as prescribed by Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(h)(1)(ii) under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, as such meaning may be amended from time to time. Except as determined otherwise by the Committee or as provided in the Severance Plan, you will not be deemed to have incurred a Termination of Service if the capacity in which you provide services to the Company changes (for example, you change from being a non-employee director to being an employee or you change from being an employee to a consultant) or if you transfer employment among the various subsidiaries or affiliates of the Company constituting the Employer, so long as there is no interruption in your provision of services to the Company or other Employer as an employee or as a non-employee member of the Board of Directors of the Company. The Committee, Page 4 of 13


 
in its discretion, will determine whether you have incurred a Termination of Service. You will not be deemed to have incurred a Termination of Service during a period for which you are on military leave, sick leave, or other leave of absence approved by the Employer. 7. Detrimental Activity. The Committee in its sole discretion may cancel and cause to be forfeited any Performance Shares not previously vested or released under this Agreement if you engage in any "Detrimental Activity” (as defined below). In addition, if you engage in any Detrimental Activity prior to or within one (1) year after your Termination of Service, the Committee in its sole discretion may require you to pay to the Company the amount of all gain you realized from any vesting of the Performance Shares beginning six (6) months prior to your Termination of Service, provided that the Committee gives you notice of such requirement within one (1) year after your Termination of Service. In that event, the Company will be entitled to set off such amount against any amount the Company owes to you, in addition to any other rights the Company may have. For purposes of this section: (a) “Company” includes Cree, Inc. and all other Employers under the 2013 Plan. (b) “Detrimental Activity” means that you have engaged in activity that breaches the terms of any restrictive covenants in any agreement between you and the Company, including without limitation the most recent version of the Employee Agreement Regarding Confidential Information, Intellectual Property, and Noncompetition in effect for you as of the relevant date. If no such agreement exists, then “Detrimental Activity” shall mean any of the following conduct, as determined by the Committee in good faith: (i) the performance of services for any Competing Business (as defined below), whether as an employee, officer, director, consultant, agent, contractor or in any other capacity, except to the extent expressly permitted by any written agreement between you and the Company; (ii) the unauthorized disclosure or use of any trade secrets or other confidential information of the Company any attempt to induce an employee to leave employment with the Company to perform services elsewhere; (iii) any attempt to cause a customer or supplier of the Company to curtail or cancel its business with the Company; or (iv) or any act of fraud, misappropriation, embezzlement, or tortious or criminal behavior that adversely impacts the Company. (c) “Competing Business" as used in Section 7(b)(i) means any corporation, partnership, university, government agency or other entity or person (other than the Company) engaged in any part of the Company’s Business, including the development, manufacture, marketing, distribution, research, or sale of any product, service, or technology that Company is developing, manufacturing, marketing, distributing, researching, or selling as of the date of your Termination of Service. As of the date of this Agreement, you acknowledge that the Company’s Business includes the following products, services, and technologies: (1) silicon carbide (SiC) materials for electronic applications, (2) SiC materials for gemstone applications, (3) AIII nitride materials for electronic applications, (4) light emitting diode (LED) devices and components, (5) power semiconductor devices made using SiC and/or AIII nitride materials and components and Page 5 of 13


 
modules incorporating such devices, (6) radio frequency (RF) and microwave devices made using SiC and/or AIII nitride materials and components and modules incorporating such devices, (7) LED backlights for liquid crystal displays (LCDs), (8) lighting products, modules, fixtures or devices incorporating any of the above materials or technology, (9) sensors, drivers, networking, and controls related to lighting products, and (10) other semiconductor devices made using SiC and/or AIII nitride materials and components incorporating such devices. You acknowledge that during your employment or other relationship with the Company, the Company’s Business may expand or change and, you agree that any such expansions and changes shall expand or contract the definition of the Company’s Business accordingly. 8. Provisions of the 2013 Plan. The provisions of the 2013 Plan are incorporated by reference in this Agreement as if set out in full in this Agreement. To the extent that any conflict may exist between any other provision of this Agreement, a provision of the 2013 Plan, and the applicable provisions of the Severance Plan, if any, the applicable provisions of the Severance Plan shall control. To the extent that any conflict may exist between any other provision of this Agreement and a provision of the 2013 Plan, the applicable provisions of this Agreement shall control. All decisions of the Committee with respect to the interpretation, construction and application of the 2013 Plan or this Agreement shall be final, conclusive and binding upon you and the Company. 9. Data Privacy. By signing this Agreement, you explicitly and unambiguously consent to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of your personal data as described in this Agreement by and among, as applicable, the Employer, and the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing your participation in the 2013 Plan. You understand that the Employer holds certain personal information about you, including, but not limited to, your name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social insurance number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any shares of stock or directorships held in the Company, details of all Awards or any other entitlement to Shares of stock awarded, canceled, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding in your favor, for the purpose of implementing, administering and managing the 2013 Plan (“Data”). You understand that Data may be transferred to any third parties assisting in the implementation, administration and management of the 2013 Plan, that these recipients may be located in your country or elsewhere, and that the recipient's country may have different data privacy laws and protections than your country. You understand that you may request a list with the names and addresses of any potential recipients of the Data by contacting your local human resources representative. You authorize the recipients to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the purposes of implementing, administering and managing your participation in the 2013 Plan, including any requisite transfer of such Data as may be required to a broker or other third party with whom you may elect to deposit any Shares of stock acquired pursuant to this Agreement. You understand that Data will be held only as long as is necessary to implement, administer and manage your participation in the 2013 Plan. You understand that you may, at any time, view Data, request additional information about the storage and processing of Data, require any necessary amendments to Data or refuse or withdraw the consents above, in any case without cost, by contacting in writing your local human resources representative. You understand, however, that refusing or withdrawing your consent may affect your ability to participate in the 2013 Plan. For more information on the consequences of your refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, you understand that you may contact your local human resources representative. 10. Electronic Delivery. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to the Performance Shares granted under this Agreement by electronic means or to request Page 6 of 13


 
your consent to participate in the 2013 Plan by electronic means. By signing this Agreement, you consent to receive such documents by electronic delivery and, if requested, to agree to participate in the 2013 Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by Company. 11. General. (a) Nothing in this Agreement will be construed as constituting a commitment, agreement or understanding of any kind that the Employer will continue your service relationship nor to limit or restrict either party's right to terminate the service relationship. (b) This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of you and the Company and upon our respective heirs, executors, administrators, representatives, successors and permitted assigns. (c) Notices under this Agreement must be in writing and delivered either by hand or by certified or registered mail (return receipt requested and first-class postage prepaid), in the case of the Company, addressed to its principal executive offices to the attention of the Stock Plan Administrator, and, in your case, to your address as shown on the Employer's records. (d) This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of North Carolina without regard to the conflict of law provisions thereof, as if made and to be performed wholly within such State. For purposes of litigating any dispute that arises directly or indirectly from the relationship of the parties evidenced by the Performance Shares or this Agreement, the parties hereby submit to and consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the State of North Carolina, agree that such litigation shall be conducted in the courts of Durham County, North Carolina, or the federal courts for the United States for the Middle District of North Carolina, and no other courts, where the award of the Performance Shares is made and/or to be performed. (e) No amendment or modification of this Agreement shall be valid unless the same is in writing and signed by you and by an authorized executive officer of the Company. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid or unenforceable, such determination shall not affect the other provisions of the Agreement and the Agreement shall be construed as if the invalid or unenforceable provision were omitted and a valid and enforceable provision, as nearly comparable as possible, substituted in its place. (f) This Agreement, the 2013 Plan, and the applicable Severance Plan, if any, set forth all of the promises, agreements and understandings between you and Company relating to the Performance Shares evidenced by this Agreement. This Agreement supersedes any and all prior agreements or understandings, whether oral or written, with respect to the Performance Shares evidenced by this Agreement unless otherwise specified in the Agreement. (g) Shares issued upon settlement of the Performance Shares may be subject to such stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the rules, regulations and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any stock exchange or trading system upon which the Common Stock is listed or traded, and any applicable federal or state laws, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be placed on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions. Page 7 of 13


 
(h) You agree that each Performance Share evidenced by this Agreement serves as additional, valuable consideration for your obligations, if any, undertaken in any existing agreement between you and the Employer regarding confidential information, noncompetition, nonsolicitation or similar covenants, including without limitation the most recent version of the Employee Agreement Regarding Confidential Information, Intellectual Property, and Noncompetition in effect for you as the relevant date. (i) You acknowledge, represent and warrant to the Company, and agree with the Company, that, except for information provided in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and in the Company's current prospectus relating to the 2013 Plan: (i) you have not relied and will not rely upon the Committee, the Company, an Employer or any employee or agent of the Company or an Employer in determining whether to accept the Performance Shares, or in connection with any disposition of Shares obtained pursuant to settlement of the Performance Shares, or with respect to any tax consequences related to the grant of the Performance Shares or the disposition of Shares obtained pursuant to settlement of the Performance Shares; and (ii) you will seek from your own professional advisors such investment, tax and other advice as you believe necessary. (j) You acknowledge that you may incur a substantial tax liability as a result of the Performance Shares. You assume full responsibility for all such consequences and the filing of all tax returns and related elections you may be required or find desirable to file. If you are required to make any valuation of Performance Shares or Shares obtained pursuant to settlement of Performance Shares under any federal, state or other applicable tax law, and if the valuation affects any tax return or election of the Company or the Employer or affects the Company's financial statement reporting, you agree that the Company may determine the value and that you will observe any determination so made by the Company in all tax returns and elections filed by you. (k) You acknowledge that copies of the 2013 Plan and Plan prospectus are available upon written or telephonic request to the Company’s Stock Plan Administrator. 12. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement are severable and if any one of more provisions are determined to be illegal or otherwise unenforceable, in whole or in part, the remaining provisions shall nevertheless be binding and enforceable. 13. Nature of Grant. In accepting this grant, you acknowledge, understand and agree that: (a) the 2013 Plan is established voluntarily by the Company, is discretionary in nature and may be modified, amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time, unless expressly provided otherwise in the 2013 Plan or the Agreement; (b) the grant of the Performance Shares is voluntary and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future grants of Performance Shares, or benefits in lieu of Performance Shares, even if Performance Shares have been granted repeatedly in the past; (c) all decisions with respect to future grants of Performance Shares, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company; (d) your participation in the 2013 Plan is voluntary; Page 8 of 13


 
(e) your participation in the 2013 Plan will not create a right to employment with the Company or the Employer and will not interfere with the ability of the Company, the Employer or any subsidiary or affiliate to terminate your employment or service relationship at any time; (f) if you are employed by a non-U.S. entity and provide services outside the U.S., the Performance Shares are an extraordinary item that does not constitute compensation of any kind for services of any kind rendered to your Employer, and they are outside the scope of your employment or service contract, if any, with your Employer; (g) the grant of the Performance Shares is not intended to replace any pension rights or compensation; (h) the grant of the Performance Shares is not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purposes, including, but not limited to, calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, dismissal, end-of-service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, pension or retirement or welfare benefits or similar payments; (i) the grant of the Performance Shares and your participation in the 2013 Plan will not be interpreted to form an employment or service contract or relationship with the Company, the Employer or any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company; (j) the future value of the Performance Shares is unknown and cannot be predicted with certainty; (k) no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from forfeiture of the Performance Shares resulting from termination of your employment or service relationship by the Company or the Employer (for any reason whatsoever and whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of employment laws in the jurisdiction where you are employed or the terms of your employment agreement, if any), and, in consideration of the grant of the Performance Shares, to which you otherwise are not entitled, you irrevocably agree, if applicable, to execute the Release, as defined in the applicable Severance Plan, if any; (l) the grant of the Performance Shares and the benefits under the 2013 Plan, if any, will not automatically transfer to another company in the case of a merger, takeover, or transfer of liability; (m) neither the Company, the Employer nor any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company shall be liable for any foreign exchange rate fluctuation between your local currency and the United States Dollar that may affect the value of the Performance Shares or of any payments due to you pursuant to the subsequent sale of any Shares acquired upon the vesting of the Performance Shares; and (n) this award and any other award(s) granted under the 2013 Plan on the Grant Date are intended to fulfill any and all agreements, obligations or promises, whether legally binding or not, previously made by the Company or another Employer under the 2013 Plan to grant you the Performance Shares or other rights to common stock of the Company. By signing this Agreement, you accept such awards, along with all prior awards received by you, in full satisfaction of any such agreement, obligation or promise. 14. No Advice Regarding Grant. The Company is not providing any tax, legal, or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding your participation in the 2013 Plan or sale Page 9 of 13


 
of Shares. You are hereby advised to consult with your own personal tax, legal and financial advisors regarding your participation in the 2013 Plan before taking any action related to the 2013 Plan. 15. Compliance with Law. Notwithstanding any other provision of the 2013 Plan or this Agreement, unless there is an available exemption from any registration, qualification or other legal requirement applicable to the Performance Shares or Shares, as applicable, the Company shall not be required to deliver the Performance Shares or any of the underlying Shares prior to the completion of any registration or qualification of the Shares under any local, state, federal or foreign securities or exchange control law or under rulings or regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or of any other governmental regulatory body, or prior to obtaining any approval or other clearance from any local, state, federal or foreign governmental agency, which registration, qualification or approval the Company shall, in its absolute discretion, deem necessary or advisable. You understand that the Company is under no obligation to register or qualify the Performance Shares or any of the underlying Shares with the SEC or any state or foreign securities commission or to seek approval or clearance from any governmental authority for the issuance of the Performance Shares and Shares. Further, you agree that the Company shall have unilateral authority to amend the 2013 Plan and the Agreement without your consent to the extent necessary to comply with securities or other laws applicable to issuance of shares. 16. Waiver. You acknowledge that a waiver by the Company of breach of any provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other provision of this Agreement, or of any subsequent breach by you or any other participant. 17. Appendix. Notwithstanding any provisions in this Agreement, the Performance Shares shall be subject to any special terms and conditions set forth in any Appendix attached to this Agreement for your country to the extent that the Company determines that the application of such terms and conditions is necessary or advisable in order to comply with local law or to facilitate the administration of the 2013 Plan. Moreover, if you relocate to or from one of the countries included in any such Appendix, the special terms and conditions for the country you are moving from and/or the country you are moving to will apply to you to the extent that the Company determines that the application of such terms and conditions is necessary or advisable in order to comply with local law or to facilitate the administration of the 2013 Plan. If included, any such Appendix is incorporated in and constitutes part of this Agreement. 18. Imposition of Other Requirements. The Company reserves the right to impose other requirements on your participation in the 2013 Plan, on the Performance Shares and on any Shares acquired under the 2013 Plan, provided such requirements do not conflict with the Severance Plan, to the extent that the Company determines it is necessary or advisable in order to comply with local law or to facilitate the administration of the 2013 Plan, and to require you to sign any additional agreements or undertakings that may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing. 19. Section 409A. The Performance Shares are is intended to qualify for the “short-term deferral” exemption from Section 409A of the Code, and the provisions of this Agreement between you and the Company will be interpreted, operated and administered in a manner consistent with these intentions. The right to payment triggered by each installment vesting date or vesting event pursuant to this Agreement is intended to be a right to a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A of the Code. The Company reserves the right, to the extent the Company deems necessary or advisable in its sole discretion, without your consent, to unilaterally amend or modify the 2013 Plan and/or this Agreement to ensure that the Performance Shares qualify for exemption from or comply with Section 409A of the Code; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations that the Performance Shares will be exempt from Section 409A of the Code and makes no undertaking to Page 10 of 13


 
preclude Section 409A of the Code from applying to the Performance Shares. With respect to any amounts payable under this Agreement that are subject to Section 409A of the Code, (i) it is intended, and this Agreement will be so construed, that such amounts and the Company’s and your exercise of authority or discretion hereunder shall comply with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code so as not to subject you to the payment of interest and additional tax that may be imposed under Section 409A of the Code; (ii) any provisions of this Agreement that provide for payment of compensation triggered by your termination of employment other than on account of your death shall be deemed to provide for payment that is triggered only by your “separation from service” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section §1.409A-1(h) (a “Section 409A Separation from Service”), (iii) if you are a “specified employee” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section §1.409A-1(i) on the date of your Section 409A Separation from Service (with such status determined by the Company in accordance with rules established by the Company in writing in advance of the “specified employee identification date” that relates to the date of such Section 409A Separation from Service or in the absence of such rules established by the Company, under the default rules for identifying specified employees under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(i)), such compensation triggered by such Section 409A Separation from Service shall be paid to you six months following the date of such Section 409A Separation from Service (provided, however, that if you die after the date of such Section 409A Separation from Service, this six month delay shall not apply from and after the date of your death), and (iv) to the extent necessary to comply with Section 409A of the Code, the definition of change in control that applies under Section 409A of the Code shall apply under this Agreement to the extent that it is more restrictive than the definition of change in control that would otherwise apply. The Company will have no liability to you or to any other party if the Performance Shares, the vesting of the Performance Shares, delivery of Shares in payment of the Performance Shares or any other event hereunder that is intended to be exempt from or compliant with Section 409A of the Code, is not so exempt or compliant, or for any action taken by the Company with respect thereto. Page 11 of 13


 
EXHIBIT A CALCULATION OF RELATIVE TOTAL SHAREHOLDER RETURN • “Relative Total Shareholder Return” means the Company’s TSR relative to the TSR of the Peer Companies. Relative Total Shareholder Return will be determined by ranking the Company and the Peer Companies from highest to lowest according to their respective TSRs. After this ranking, the percentile performance of the Company relative to the Peer Companies will be determined as follows: R 1 P  1 N 1 Where: “P” represents the percentile performance which will be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest whole percentile by application of regular rounding. “N” represents the remaining number of Peer Companies, plus the Company. “R” represents Company’s ranking among the Peer Companies. Example: If there are 24 Peer Companies, and the Company ranked 7th, the performance would be at the 75th percentile: .75 = 1 – ((7-1)/(25-1)). Relative Total Shareholder Return shall be calculated by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company based on the terms set forth in this Exhibit A and in the Compensation Committee’s sole and absolute discretion. • “TSR” means, for each of the Company and the Peer Companies, the company’s total shareholder return, expressed as a percentage, which will be calculated by dividing (i) the Closing Average Share Value by (ii) the Opening Average Share Value and subtracting one from the quotient. • “Opening Average Share Value” means the average, over the trading days in the Opening Average Period, of the closing price of a company’s stock multiplied by the Accumulated Shares for each trading day during the Opening Average Period. • “Opening Average Period” means the 30 trading days ending on the last trading day immediately preceding _______ _, 20__. • “Accumulated Shares” means, for a given trading day, the sum of (i) one (1) share and (ii) a cumulative number of shares of the company’s common stock purchased with dividends declared on a company’s common stock, assuming same day reinvestment of the dividends in the common stock of a company at the closing price on the ex-dividend date, for ex-dividend dates during the Opening Average Period or between the Grant Date and the Vesting Date, as applicable. • “Closing Average Share Value” means the average, over the trading days in the Closing Average Period, of the closing price of the company’s stock multiplied by the Accumulated Shares for each trading day during the Closing Average Period. • “Closing Average Period” means the 30 trading days immediately preceding the Vesting Date. Page 12 of 13


 
• “Peer Companies” means the companies included in the NASDAQ Composite Index filtered by the Semiconductor, Semiconductor Equipment, and Electronics Equipment, Instruments and Components Sectors • For purposes of calculating TSR, the value of any Peer Company shares traded on a foreign exchange will be converted to US dollars. Page 13 of 13


 
SA Rev’s 4.20.18

RSUAWARDAGREEMENT1STP_IMAGE1.JPG
RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT
AWARD AGREEMENT
Participant: [Name]
Award Number: [Option Number]
Plan: 2013 Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan
Award Type: Restricted Stock Unit
Grant Date: [Month DD, YYYY]
Number Units: [ ]                                
Purchase Price: [$0.00]
Restriction Period: [Grant Date] through [Vest Date]
Cree, Inc. (the “Company”) has awarded you [ ] restricted stock units (“RSUs”) to acquire the common stock of the Company (the “Shares”) effective [Month DD, YYYY], the Grant Date of the Award, pursuant to the Cree, Inc. 2013 Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2013 Plan”) and the terms of this Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (the “Agreement”).
In accordance with this Agreement and the 2013 Plan, upon any Termination of Service (as defined in this Agreement) before the end of the Restriction Period, unless provided otherwise in an applicable Cree severance plan, all RSUs that are not then vested will be forfeited. If not previously vested or forfeited, the RSUs will vest at 12:00 a.m. local time in Durham, NC in installments as follows, provided that you have not experienced a Termination of Service prior to the indicated vesting date:
  [ ] Stock Units on [Month DD, YYYY]
  [ ] additional Stock Units on [Month DD, YYYY]
  [ ] additional Stock Units on [Month DD, YYYY]; and
  [ ] additional Stock Units on [Month DD, YYYY]

Capitalized terms defined in the 2013 Plan and used in this Agreement without definition have the meaning specified in the 2013 Plan.

You acknowledge and agree that if you breach the terms of any restrictive covenants in any agreement between you and the Company, including without limitation the most recent version of the Employee Agreement Regarding Confidential Information, Intellectual Property, and Noncompetition in effect for you as the relevant date, within one (1) year after the vesting of any RSUs hereunder, then in the sole judgement of the Company, the amount of the total fair market value of such vested RSUs as of the vesting date shall inure to the benefit of the Company, and you agree to promptly pay the same to the Company.

THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT, INCLUDING THE APPENDIX, ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS AGREEMENT AND ARE INCORPORATED HEREIN BY THIS REFERENCE. BY SIGNING BELOW YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTAND AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY SUCH TERMS AND CONDITIONS. FAILURE TO SIGN WILL RESULT IN FORFEITURE OF THE AWARD.

Dated: [Month DD, YYYY]

CREE, INC.:

 
ACCEPTED AND AGREED TO:
Gregg Lowe, President and Chief Executive Officer
 
 



TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1.
Grant of RSUs.   Subject to the terms of the 2013 Plan and this Agreement, the Company hereby grants you the RSUs as set forth on the first page of this Agreement. Each RSU represents the right to receive one Share on the date the RSU vests (subject to adjustment for a change in capitalization within the meaning of Section 4.4 of the 2013 Plan).
2.
Vesting . The RSUs will vest in accordance with the installment vesting schedule set out on the first page of this Agreement and will become fully vested, to the extent not already vested, upon your death or on the effective date of the determination of your Disability (as defined below) by the Employee Benefits Committee of the Company (the “EBC”) or such other committee as may be designated by the Board of Directors of the Company or a committee thereof, unless otherwise provided in this Agreement or the 2013 Plan. For purposes of this Agreement, “Disability” means a medically determinable physical or mental impairment resulting in your inability to perform your position or any substantially similar position, where such impairment has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than six months. The determination of whether or not you have a Disability will be made by the EBC in good faith in its sole discretion, and such determination shall be conclusive, final and binding upon all parties. The above definition of Disability applies in lieu of the definition set out in the 2013 Plan.
3.
Forfeiture of RSUs upon Termination of Service . Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement or the 2013 Plan, or in any Company severance plan applicable to you, and upon your Termination of Service, you will forfeit all of the RSUs that are not vested as of the date of your Termination of Service.
4.
Forfeiture of RSUs for Awards Not Timely Accepted . This Award is conditioned upon and subject to your accepting the Award by signing and delivering to the Company this Agreement, or otherwise electronically accepting the Award, no later than the first date the RSUs are scheduled to vest pursuant to the Award. In the event of your death or incapacitation prior to accepting the Award, the Company will deem the Award as being accepted. If you fail to accept the Award within the time described above, you will forfeit the RSUs.
5.
Settlement of RSUs . Subject to the terms of the 2013 Plan and this Agreement, any RSUs that vest and become nonforfeitable pursuant to Section 2 above shall be released and settled in whole Shares within thirty (30) days after the applicable vesting date. Upon settlement, the Company shall deliver to you (or, in the event of your death, to your estate or, if the Committee establishes a beneficiary designation procedure pursuant to Section 12 of the 2013 Plan, to any beneficiary that you have designated pursuant to such procedure) one or more certificates for the vested Shares or in the Company's discretion may cause the vested Shares to be deposited in an account maintained by a broker designated by the Company.
6.
Responsibility for Taxes.
 
(a)
For purposes of this Agreement, “Tax-Related Items” means any or all income tax, social insurance tax, payroll tax, payment on account or other tax-related items that may be applicable to this Award by law or regulation of any governmental authority, whether federal, state or local, domestic or foreign. Regardless of any action the Company   takes with respect to withholding Tax-Related Items, you acknowledge that you are ultimately responsible for all Tax-Related Items and that such Tax-Related Items may exceed the amount actually withheld by the Company or the Employer. You further acknowledge that the Company and/or the Employer (1) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items in connection with any aspect of the RSUs, including, without limitation, the grant, vesting or release of the RSUs, the subsequent sale of Shares and the receipt of any dividends or dividend equivalents pursuant to Shares; and (2) do not commit to and are under no obligation to structure the terms of the grant or any aspect of the RSUs to reduce or eliminate your liability for Tax-Related Items or to achieve any particular tax result. Furthermore, if you have become subject to tax in more than one jurisdiction between the Grant Date and the date of any relevant taxable event, you acknowledge that the Company and/or the Employer (or former Employer, as applicable) may be required to withhold or account for Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction.
 
(b)
Prior to any relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, you will pay or make adequate arrangements satisfactory to the Company and/or the Employer to satisfy all Tax-Related Items. In this regard, you authorize the Company and/or the Employer, or their respective agents, at their discretion, to satisfy the obligations with regard to all Tax-Related Items by one or a combination of the following: (1) withholding from your wages or other cash compensation paid to you by the Company and/or the Employer; or (2) selling or arranging for the sale of Shares that you acquire under the 2013 Plan; or (3) withholding of Shares consistent with the “Share Withholding” provisions under Section 14.2 of the 2013 Plan.
 
(c)
Depending upon the withholding method, the Company or the Employer may withhold or account for Tax-Related Items by considering applicable minimum or maximum statutory withholding amounts or other applicable withholding rates. In the event Tax-Related Items are over-withheld, you will receive a refund in cash for any over-withheld amounts and will have no entitlement to the Shares equivalent. If the obligation for Tax-Related Items is satisfied by withholding of Shares, you shall be deemed, for tax purposes, to have been issued the full number of Shares, notwithstanding that a number of Shares is held back solely for the purpose of paying the Tax-Related Items due as a result of any aspect of your participation in the 2013 Plan.
 
(d)
You shall pay to the Company or the Employer any amount of Tax-Related Items that the Company or the Employer may be required to withhold or account for as a result of your participation in the 2013 Plan that cannot be satisfied by the means previously described. The Company may refuse to release and settle the RSUs if you fail to comply with your obligations in connection with the Tax-Related Items.
7.
Transfer of RSUs.   The RSUs and any rights under this Agreement may not be assigned, pledged as collateral or otherwise transferred, except as permitted by the 2013 Plan, nor may the RSUs or such rights be subject to attachment, execution or other judicial process until the RSUs become vested pursuant to Section 2 above. In the event of any attempt to assign, pledge or otherwise dispose of RSUs which are not then vested, or any rights under this Agreement, except as permitted by the 2013 Plan, or in the event of the levy of any attachment, execution or similar judicial process upon the rights or interests with respect to the RSUs which are not then vested, the Committee may in its discretion, upon notice to you, cause you to forfeit such RSUs.
8.
Rights Prior to Vesting of RSUs .
 
(a)
You will have no rights as a shareholder with respect to any Shares issuable under the RSUs until such Shares have been duly issued by the Company or its transfer agent pursuant to the vesting and settlement of the Award.
 
(b)
In the event of a change in capitalization within the meaning of Section 4.4 of the 2013 Plan, the number and class of Shares or other securities that you are entitled to pursuant to this Agreement shall be appropriately adjusted or changed as determined by the Committee to reflect the change in capitalization, provided that any such additional Shares or additional or different shares of securities shall remain subject to the restrictions in this Agreement.
9.
Termination of Service.
 
(a)
Unless otherwise provided in this Agreement or the 2013 Plan, for purposes of this Agreement “Termination of Service” means the discontinuance of your service relationship with the Company as an employee or a consultant of the Company or the Employer or any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company under the 2013 Plan, or as a member of the Board of Directors of Cree, Inc. Except as determined otherwise by the Committee, you will not be deemed to have incurred a Termination of Service if the capacity in which you provide services to the Company changes (for example, you change from being a non-employee director to being an employee or if you change from being an employee to a consultant to the Company) or if you transfer employment among the various subsidiaries or affiliates of the Company constituting the Employer, so long as there is no interruption in your provision of services to the Company or other Employer as an employee or consultant, or as a non-employee member of the Board of Directors of Cree, Inc. The Committee, in its discretion, will determine whether you have incurred a Termination of Service. You will not be deemed to have incurred a Termination of Service during a period for which you are on military leave, sick leave, or other leave of absence approved by the Employer.
 
(b)
If you are deemed to have incurred a Termination of Service   other than a Termination of Service on account of your death, your right to vest in the RSUs under this Agreement or the 2013 Plan, if any, will terminate effective as of the date that you are no longer actively providing services to the Company or one of its subsidiaries or affiliates (regardless of the reason for the termination and whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of employment laws in the jurisdiction where you are employed or the terms of your employment agreement, if any), unless otherwise provided by the terms of a written Company severance plan that applies to you and the circumstances surrounding your Termination of Service. The vesting period will not be extended by any notice period mandated under local law ( e.g. , active employment would not include a period of “garden leave” or similar period mandated under the employment laws in the jurisdiction where you are employed or the terms of your employment agreement, if any). The Committee, in its discretion, will determine when you are no longer providing services for purposes of this Award (including whether you may still be considered to be providing services while on a leave of absence).
10.
Provisions of the 2013 Plan .   The provisions of the 2013 Plan are incorporated by reference in this Agreement as if set out in full in this Agreement. To the extent that any conflict may exist between any other provision of this Agreement and a provision of the 2013 Plan, the 2013 Plan provision will control. All decisions of the Committee with respect to the interpretation, construction and application of the 2013 Plan or this Agreement shall be final, conclusive and binding upon you and the Company.
11.
Detrimental Activity.   The Committee in its sole discretion may cancel and cause to be forfeited any RSUs not previously vested or released under this Agreement if you engage in any "Detrimental Activity” (as defined below). In addition, if you engage in any Detrimental Activity prior to or within one (1) year after your Termination of Service, the Committee in its sole discretion may require you to pay to the Company the amount of all gain you realized from any vesting of the RSUs beginning six (6) months prior to your Termination of Service, provided that the Committee gives you notice of such requirement within one (1) year after your Termination of Service. In that event, the Company will be entitled to set off such amount against any amount the Company owes to you, in addition to any other rights the Company may have. For purposes of this section:
 
(a)
“Company” includes Cree, Inc. and all other Employers under the 2013 Plan.
 
(b)
“Detrimental Activity” means that you have engaged in activity that breaches the terms of any restrictive covenants in any agreement between you and the Company, including without limitation the most recent version of the Employee Agreement Regarding Confidential Information, Intellectual Property, and Noncompetition in effect for you as the relevant date. If no such agreement exists, then “Detrimental Activity” shall mean any of the following conduct, as determined by the Committee in good faith:
 
 
(1)
the performance of services for any Competing Business (as defined below), whether as an employee, officer, director, consultant, agent, contractor or in any other capacity, except to the extent expressly permitted by any written agreement between you and the Company;
 
 
(2)
the unauthorized disclosure or use of any trade secrets or other confidential information of the Company;
 
 
(3)
any attempt to induce an employee to leave employment with the Company to perform services elsewhere, or any attempt to cause a customer or supplier of the Company to curtail or cancel its business with the Company; or
 
 
(4)
any act of fraud, misappropriation, embezzlement, or tortious or criminal behavior that adversely impacts the Company.
 
(c)
“Competing Business” as used in Section 11(b)(1) means any corporation, partnership, university, government agency or other entity or person (other than the Company) that is conducting research directed to, developing, manufacturing, marketing, distributing, or selling any product, service, or technology that is competitive with any part of the Company’s Business (as defined below). "Company's Business" means the development, manufacture, marketing, distribution, or sale of, or the conduct of research directed to, any product, service, or technology that the Company is developing, manufacturing, marketing, distributing, selling, or conducting research directed to, at any time during your employment or other relationship with the Company, except that following your Termination of Service the Company’s Business will be determined as of the time of such termination. As of the effective date of this Agreement, the Company’s Business includes but is not limited to the conduct of research directed to, development, manufacture, marketing, distribution, and/or sale of the following products, services, and technologies: (1) silicon carbide (SiC) materials for electronic applications; (2) SiC materials for gemstone applications; (3) A III  nitride materials for electronic applications; (4) light-emitting diode (LED) devices and components; (5) power semiconductor devices made using SiC and/or A III  nitride materials and components incorporating such devices; (6) radio frequency (RF) and microwave devices made using SiC and/or A III  nitride materials and components and modules incorporating such devices; (7) LED backlights for liquid crystal displays (LCDs); (8) lighting products, modules, fixtures or devices incorporating any of the above materials or technology; and (9) other semiconductor devices made using SiC and/or A III  nitride materials and components incorporating such devices. You acknowledge that during your employment or other relationship with the Company the Company’s Business may expand or change and you agree that any such expansions and changes shall expand or contract the definition of the Company’s Business accordingly.
12.
Data Privacy. You hereby explicitly and unambiguously consent to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of your Data as described in this Agreement and any other grant materials by and among, as applicable, your Employer, the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing your participation in the 2013 Plan.
You understand that the Company and/or the Employer hold or may hold certain personal information about you, including, but not limited to, your name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social security or insurance number or other identification number (e.g., resident registration number), salary, nationality, position title, any shares of stock or directorships held in the Company, details of RSUs or any other entitlement to Shares awarded, canceled, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding in your favor (“Data”), for the purpose of implementing, administering and managing the 2013 Plan.
You understand that Data may be transferred to E*Trade any other third parties as may be selected by the Company currently or in the future, which are assisting the Company in the implementation, administration and management of the 2013 Plan. You understand that these recipients may be located in the United States or elsewhere, including outside the European Economic Area, and that the recipient’s country (e.g., the United States) may have different data privacy laws and protections than your country. You authorize the recipients to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the purposes of implementing, administering and managing your participation in the 2013 Plan, including any requisite transfer of such Data as may be required to a broker or other third party with whom you may elect to deposit any Shares acquired upon vesting of the RSUs or any other awards or other entitlement to Shares.
You understand that you may request a list with the names and addresses of any potential recipients of the Data by contacting the Company’s Stock Plan Administrator. You understand that Data will be held pursuant to this Agreement only as long as is reasonably necessary to implement, administer and manage your participation in the 2013 Plan. You understand that you may, at any time, view Data, request additional information about the storage and processing of Data, require any necessary amendments to Data or refuse or withdraw the consents above, in any case without cost, by contacting in writing the Company's Stock Plan Administrator. Further, you understand that you are providing the consents herein on a purely voluntary basis. If you do not consent, or if you later seek to revoke our consent, your employment status or service and career with the Employer will not be adversely affected; the only adverse consequence of refusing or withdrawing consent is that the Company would not be able to grant you RSUs or any other equity awards or administer or maintain such awards. Therefore, you acknowledge that refusing or withdrawing your consent may affect your ability to participate in the 2013 Plan. For more information on the consequences of your refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, you may contact the Stock Plan Administrator of the Company.
13.
Language.   If you have received this Agreement or any other document related to the 2013 Plan translated into a language other than English and if the translated version differs in meaning from the English version, the English version will control.
14.
Electronic Delivery.   The Company may, in its sole discretion, deliver any documents related to current or future participation in the 2013 Plan by electronic means. You hereby consent to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agree to participate in the 2013 Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company. Signed documents delivered to either party via facsimile or in portable document format will have the same effect as an original, unless otherwise required by applicable law.
15.
General.
 
(a)
Nothing in this Agreement will be construed as: (1) constituting a commitment, agreement or understanding of any kind that the Company or any other Employer will continue your employment or other relationship with the Company; or (2) limiting or restricting either party’s right to terminate your employment or other relationship.
 
(b)
This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns. You may not assign any rights under this Agreement without the written consent of the Company, which it may withhold in its sole discretion; any such attempted assignment without the Company's written consent shall be void. The Company may assign its rights under this Agreement at any time upon notice to you.
 
(c)
Notices under this Agreement must be in writing and delivered personally, by electronic transmission or by a reputable domestic or international carrier (postage prepaid and return receipt or proof of delivery requested), and, in the case of notices to the Company, unless otherwise provided herein, addressed to its principal executive offices to the attention of the Stock Plan Administrator, and, in your case, addressed to your address as shown on the Employer’s records.
 
(d)
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of North Carolina without regard to the conflict of law provisions thereof, as if made and to be performed wholly within such State. For purposes of litigating any dispute that arises directly or indirectly from the relationship of the parties evidenced by the Award or this Agreement, the parties hereby submit to and consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the State of North Carolina, agree that such litigation shall be conducted in the courts of Durham County, North Carolina, or the federal courts for the United States for the Middle District of North Carolina, and no other courts, where the Award of the RSUs is made and/or to be performed.
 
(e)
If any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid or unenforceable, such determination shall not affect the other provisions of the Agreement and the Agreement shall be construed as if the invalid or unenforceable provision were omitted and a valid and enforceable provision, as nearly comparable as possible, substituted in its place.
 
(f)
Notwithstanding any prior award agreement between you and the Company under which RSUs may have been awarded, this Agreement and the 2013 Plan set forth all of the promises, agreements and understandings between you and Company relating to the RSUs granted pursuant to this Agreement, constitute the complete agreement between the parties regarding the RSUs and replace any prior oral or written communications regarding the same.
 
(g)
Shares issued pursuant to this Award may be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under applicable law or the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any stock exchange or trading system upon which the common stock of the Company is listed, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be placed on any such certificates or the stock records of the Company to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.
 
(h)
You agree that the RSUs, even if later forfeited, serve as additional, valuable consideration for your obligations, if any, undertaken in any existing agreement between you and the Company and/or other Employer regarding confidential information, noncompetition, nonsolicitation or similar covenants.
 
(i)
You acknowledge, represent and warrant to the Company, and agree with the Company, that (i) except for information provided in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and in the Company’s current prospectus relating to the 2013 Plan, you have not relied and will not rely upon the Committee, the Company, an Employer or any employee or agent of the Company or an Employer in determining whether to accept this Award, or in connection with any disposition of Shares obtained pursuant to this Award, or with respect to any tax consequences related to the grant of the RSUs or the disposition of Shares obtained pursuant to the RSUs; and (ii) you will seek from your own professional advisors such investment, tax and other advice as you believe necessary.
 
(j)
You acknowledge that you may incur a substantial tax liability as a result of vesting of the RSUs. You assume full responsibility for all such consequences and the filing of all tax returns and related elections you may be required or find desirable to file. If you are required to make any valuation of Shares obtained pursuant to the RSUs under any federal, state or other applicable tax law, and if the valuation affects any tax return or election of the Company or the Employer or affects the Company’s financial statement reporting, you agree that the Company may determine the value and that you will observe any determination so made by the Company in all tax returns and elections filed by you.
 
(k)
You acknowledge that copies of the 2013 Plan and Plan prospectus are available upon written or telephonic request to the Company’s Stock Plan Administrator.
16.
Severability . The provisions of this Agreement are severable and if any one or more provisions is determined to be illegal or otherwise unenforceable, in whole or in part, the remaining provisions shall nevertheless be binding and enforceable.
17.
Nature of Grant.  In accepting this grant, you acknowledge, understand and agree that:
 
(a)
the 2013 Plan is established voluntarily by the Company, is discretionary in nature and may be modified, amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time, unless expressly provided otherwise in the 2013 Plan or the Agreement;
 
(b)
the grant of the RSUs is voluntary and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future grants of RSUs, or benefits in lieu of RSUs, even if RSUs have been granted repeatedly in the past;
 
(c)
all decisions with respect to future grants of RSUs, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;
 
(d)
your participation in the 2013 Plan is voluntary;
 
(e)
your participation in the 2013 Plan will not create a right to employment with the Company or the Employer and will not interfere with the ability of the Company, the Employer or any subsidiary or affiliate to terminate your employment or service relationship at any time;
 
(f)
if you are employed by a non-U.S. entity and provide services outside the U.S., the RSUs are an extraordinary item that does not constitute compensation of any kind for services of any kind rendered to your Employer, and they are outside the scope of your employment or service contract, if any, with your Employer;
 
(g)
the grant of the RSUs is not intended to replace any pension rights or compensation;
 
(h)
the grant of the RSUs is not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purposes, including, but not limited to, calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, dismissal, end-of-service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, pension or retirement or welfare benefits or similar payments;
 
(i)
the grant of the RSUs and your participation in the 2013 Plan will not be interpreted to form an employment or service contract or relationship with the Company, the Employer or any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company;
 
(j)
the future value of the Shares is unknown and cannot be predicted with certainty;
 
(k)
no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from forfeiture of the RSUs resulting from termination of your employment or service relationship by the Company or the Employer (for any reason whatsoever and whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of employment laws in the jurisdiction where you are employed or the terms of your employment agreement, if any), and, in consideration of the grant of the RSUs, to which you otherwise are not entitled, you irrevocably agree (i) never to institute any such claim against the Company, the Employer, or any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company, (ii) to waive your ability, if any, to bring any such claim, and (iii) to release the Company and the Employer and any subsidiary or affiliate from any such claim; if, notwithstanding the foregoing, any such claim is allowed by a court of competent jurisdiction, then, by participating in the 2013 Plan, you shall be deemed irrevocably to have agreed not to pursue such claim and agree to execute any and all documents necessary to request dismissal or withdrawal of such claims;

 
(l)
the grant of the RSUs and the benefits under the 2013 Plan, if any, will not automatically transfer to another company in the case of a merger, takeover, or transfer of liability;
 
(m)
neither the Company, the Employer nor any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company shall be liable for any foreign exchange rate fluctuation between your local currency and the United States Dollar that may affect the value of the RSUs or of any payments due to you pursuant to the subsequent sale of any Shares acquired upon the vesting of the RSUs; and
 
(n)
this award and any other award(s) granted under the 2013 Plan on the Grant Date are intended to fulfill any and all agreements, obligations or promises, whether legally binding or not, previously made by the Company or another Employer under the 2013 Plan to grant you the RSUs or other rights to common stock of the Company. By signing this Agreement, you accept such awards, along with all prior awards received by you, in full satisfaction of any such agreement, obligation or promise.
18.
No Advice Regarding Grant.   The Company is not providing any tax, legal, or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding your participation in the 2013 Plan or sale of Shares. You are hereby advised to consult with your own personal tax, legal and financial advisors regarding your participation in the 2013 Plan before taking any action related to the 2013 Plan.
19.
Compliance with Law . Notwithstanding any other provision of the 2013 Plan or this Agreement, unless there is an available exemption from any registration, qualification or other legal requirement applicable to the RSUs, the Company shall not be required to deliver the RSUs or any of the underlying Shares prior to the completion of any registration or qualification of the Shares under any local, state, federal or foreign securities or exchange control law or under rulings or regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or of any other governmental regulatory body, or prior to obtaining any approval or other clearance from any local, state, federal or foreign governmental agency, which registration, qualification or approval the Company shall, in its absolute discretion, deem necessary or advisable. You understand that the Company is under no obligation to register or qualify the RSUs or any of the underlying Shares with the SEC or any state or foreign securities commission or to seek approval or clearance from any governmental authority for the issuance of the RSUs and Shares. Further, you agree that the Company shall have unilateral authority to amend the 2013 Plan and the Agreement without your consent to the extent necessary to comply with securities or other laws applicable to issuance of shares.
20.
Waiver . You acknowledge that a waiver by the Company of breach of any provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other provision of this Agreement, or of any subsequent breach by you or any other participant .
21.
Appendix.    Notwithstanding any provisions in this Agreement, this Award shall be subject to any special terms and conditions set forth in the Appendix to this Agreement for your country to the extent that the Company determines that the application of such terms and conditions is necessary or advisable in order to comply with local law or to facilitate the administration of the 2013 Plan. Moreover, if you relocate to or from one of the countries included in the Appendix, the special terms and conditions for the country you are moving from and/or the country you are moving to will apply to you to the extent that the Company determines that the application of such terms and conditions is necessary or advisable in order to comply with local law or to facilitate the administration of the 2013 Plan. The Appendix is incorporated in and constitutes part of this Agreement.
22.
Imposition of Other Requirements.   The Company reserves the right to impose other requirements on your participation in the 2013 Plan, on the RSUs and on any Shares acquired under the 2013 Plan, to the extent that the Company determines it is necessary or advisable in order to comply with local law or to facilitate the administration of the 2013 Plan, and to require you to sign any additional agreements or undertakings that may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing.
23.
Code Section 409A. The Award is intended to qualify for the “short-term deferral” exemption from Section 409A of the Code, and the provisions of this Agreement will be interpreted, operated and administered in a manner consistent with these intentions. The right to payment triggered by each installment vesting date or vesting event pursuant to Section 2 above is intended to be a right to a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A. The Company reserves the right, to the extent the Company deems necessary or advisable in its sole discretion, without your consent, to unilaterally amend or modify the 2013 Plan and/or this Agreement to ensure that the RSUs qualify for exemption from or comply with Section 409A of the Code; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations that the RSUs will be exempt from Section 409A of the Code and makes no undertaking to preclude Section 409A of the Code from applying to these RSUs. The Company will have no liability to you or to any other party if the Award, the vesting of the Award, delivery of Shares upon settlement of the Award or any other event hereunder that is intended to be exempt from or compliant with Section 409A of the Code, is not so exempt or compliant, or for any action taken by the Company with respect thereto.
24
Insider Trading/Market Abuse Laws.   You acknowledge that, depending on your country, you may be subject to insider trading restrictions and/or market abuse laws, which may affect your ability to acquire or sell Shares under the 2013 Plan during such times as you is considered to have “inside information” regarding the Company (as defined by the laws in your country). Any restrictions under these laws or regulations are separate from and in addition to any restrictions that may be imposed under any applicable insider trading policy of the Company. You acknowledge that it is your responsibility to comply with any applicable restrictions, and you are advised to consult with your own personal legal and financial advisors on this matter.

APPENDIX
ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE
RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
This Appendix includes additional terms and conditions that govern the RSUs granted to you under the 2013 Plan if you are in one of the countries listed below on the Grant Date. Unless otherwise defined in this Appendix, capitalized terms used in this Appendix and defined in the 2013 Plan or this Agreement will have the same meaning as defined in the 2013 Plan or Agreement, as applicable.

NOTIFICATIONS
This Appendix also includes information regarding exchange controls and certain other issues of which you should be aware with respect to your participation in the 2013 Plan. The information is based on securities, exchange control, and other laws in effect in the respective countries as of July 2015. Such laws are often complex and change frequently. The Company strongly recommends that you do not rely on the information in this Appendix as the only source of information relating to the consequences of your participation in the 2013 Plan because such information may be outdated when the RSUs vest and you acquire Shares or sell any Shares acquired under the 2013 Plan.
In addition, the information contained in this Appendix is general in nature and may not apply to your particular situation, and the Company cannot assure you of a particular result. Accordingly, you are advised to seek appropriate professional advice as to how the relevant laws in your country may apply to your situation. Finally, if you are a citizen or resident of a country other than the one in which you are currently working, transfer employment after the Grant Date, or are considered a resident of another country for local law purposes, the information contained in this Appendix may not apply to you.
 
AUSTRALIA
 
 
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Australian Offer Document. You understand that the offering of the 2013 Plan in Australia is intended to qualify for exemption from the prospectus requirements under Class Order 14/1000 issued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. Participation in the 2013 Plan is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Australian Offer Document and the Award Documentation provided to you.
NOTIFICATIONS
Exchange   Control   Notice. Exchange control reporting is required for cash transactions exceeding A$10,000 and international fund transfers of any amount. The Australian bank assisting with the transaction will file the report for you. If there is no Australian bank involved in the transfer, you will have to file the report yourself.
 
CANADA
 
 
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Settlement of RSUs and Sale of Shares.   The following provisions supplement Section 7 of the Agreement: Notwithstanding the provisions of the 2013 Plan, the RSUs will be settled in Shares only, not cash.
Data Privacy Notice and Consent. This provision supplements Section 12 of the Agreement: You hereby authorize the Company and the Company’s representatives to discuss with and obtain all relevant information about you from all personnel, professional or not, involved in the administration and operation of the 2013 Plan. You further authorize the Company and any subsidiary or affiliate and the administrator of the 2013 Plan to disclose and discuss your participation in the 2013 Plan with their advisors. You further authorize the Company and any subsidiary or affiliate and the administrator of the 2013 Plan to record such personal information and to keep such information in your employee file.
Termination of Service . The following provision replaces Section 9(b) of the Agreement: If you are deemed to have incurred a Termination of Service other than a Termination of Service on account of your death (whether or not in breach of local labor laws and whether or not later found to be invalid), your right to vest in the RSUs under the 2013 Plan (if any) will terminate effective as of the earlier of (1) the date the you receive notice of termination from the Employer, or (2) the date you are no longer actively employed, regardless of any notice period or period of pay in lieu of such notice required under applicable laws (including, but not limited to statutory law, regulatory law and/or common law); the Committee shall have the exclusive discretion to determine when you are no longer actively employed for purposes of the RSU grant.
French Language Provision. The following provisions will apply if you are a resident of Quebec: The parties acknowledge that it is their express wish that the Agreement, as well as all documents, notices and legal proceedings entered into, given or instituted pursuant hereto or relating directly or indirectly hereto, be drawn up in English.
Les parties reconnaissent avoir exigé la rédaction en anglais de la Convention, ainsi que de tous documents, avis et procédures judiciaires, exécutés, donnés ou intentés en vertu de, ou liés directement ou indirectement à, la présente convention.
NOTIFICATIONS
Securities Law Notification:   You are permitted to sell Shares acquired through the 2013 Plan through the designated broker appointed under the 2013 Plan, if any, provided the resale of Shares acquired under the 2013 Plan takes place outside of Canada through the facilities of a stock exchange on which the shares are listed.
Foreign Assets Reporting Information: You are required to report any foreign property (including RSUs and Shares) on form T1135 (Foreign Income Verification Statement) if the total value of your foreign property exceeds C$100,000 at any time in the year. The form must be filed by April 30 of the following year. You are advised to consult with a personal advisor to ensure you comply with applicable reporting obligations.
 
CHINA
 
 
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Exchange Control Notice. The following terms and conditions will apply to Employees who are subject to exchange control restrictions and regulations in the PRC, including the requirements imposed by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (“SAFE”), as determined by the Company in its sole discretion:
You understand and agree that, pursuant to local exchange control requirements, you will not be permitted to vest in an RSU or be issued any Shares under the 2013 Plan unless or until the Company, its Subsidiary or the Employer in the PRC has obtained an approval from SAFE for the 2013 Plan.
You further understand and agree that, pursuant to local exchange control requirements, you will be required to immediately repatriate any cash payments or proceeds obtained with respect to participation in the 2013 Plan to the PRC. You further understand that such repatriation of any cash payments or proceeds may need to be effectuated through a special exchange control account established by the Company, any Parent or Subsidiary, or the Employer, and you hereby consent and agree that any payment or proceeds may be transferred to such special account prior to being delivered to you.
You further understand and agree that, pursuant to local exchange control requirements, the Shares you acquire through RSU vesting will be sold at the Company's direction within ninety (90) calendar days following the date of your Termination of Service, or within such other time period as may be required by SAFE.
Any payment or proceeds may be paid to you in U.S. dollars or local currency at the Company’s discretion. If the payments or proceeds are paid to you in U.S. dollars, you will be required to set up a U.S. dollar bank account in the PRC so that the payments or proceeds may be deposited into this account. If the payments or proceeds are paid to you in local currency, the Company is under no obligation to secure any particular exchange conversion rate and the Company may face delays in converting the payments or proceeds to local currency due to exchange control restrictions.
You further agree to comply with any other requirements that may be imposed by the Company in the future to facilitate compliance with exchange control requirements in the PRC.
 
FRANCE
 
 
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Consent to Receive Information in English. By accepting the Award, you confirm having read and understood the 2013 Plan and the Agreement, which were provided in the English language. You accept the terms of those documents accordingly.
En acceptant l’attribution, vous confirmez avoir lu et compris le Plan de travail et ce Contrat, qui ont été transmis en langue anglaise. Vous acceptez les termes de ces documents en connaissance de cause.
NOTIFICATIONS
Exchange Control Notice. You may hold Shares acquired under the 2013 Plan outside of France provided that you declare all foreign accounts (including any accounts that were opened or closed during the tax year) on the your annual income tax return. Furthermore, you must declare to the customs and excise authorities any cash or securities you import or export without the use of a financial institution when the value of the cash or securities exceeds €10,000.
 
GERMANY
 
 
NOTIFICATIONS
Exchange Control Notice.  Cross-border payments in excess of €12,500 must be reported monthly to the German Federal Bank (Bundesbank). For payments in connection with securities (including proceeds realized upon the sale of Shares), the report must be made by the 5th day of the month following the month in which the payment was received. Effective from September 2013, the report must be filed electronically. The form of report (“Allgemeine Meldeportal Statistik”) can be accessed via the Bundesbank’s website (www.bundesbank.de) and is available in both German and English. You are responsible for making this report.
In addition, you must report any receivables or payables or debts in foreign currency exceeding €5,000,000 on a monthly basis.
 
HONG KONG
 
 
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Settlement of RSUs and Sale of Shares.    The following provisions supplement Section 7 of the Agreement: Notwithstanding the provisions of the 2013 Plan, the RSUs will be settled in Shares only, not cash.
If any portion of the RSUs vest and Shares are issued within six (6) months of the Grant Date, you agree that you will not sell the Shares acquired upon vesting before the six-month anniversary of the Grant Date.
NOTIFICATIONS
Securities Warning:  The RSUs and any Shares acquired upon vesting of the RSUs do not constitute a public offering of securities under Hong Kong law and are available only to directors of Cree, Inc. and employees and former employees of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates. The Agreement, the 2013 Plan and other incidental communication materials have not been prepared in accordance with the rules applicable to and are not intended to constitute a “prospectus” for a public offering of securities under applicable Hong Kong securities legislation, nor have the documents been reviewed by any regulatory authority in Hong Kong. The RSUs and any related documentation are intended only for the personal use of each eligible director or employee of the Employer, the Company, or its subsidiaries or affiliates and may not be distributed to any other person. If you are in doubt as to any of the contents of the Agreement or the 2013 Plan, you should obtain independent professional advice.
Nature of Scheme.   The Company specifically intends that the 2013 Plan will not be an occupational retirement scheme for purposes of the Occupational Retirement Schemes Ordinance.
 
INDIA
 
 
NOTIFICATIONS
Exchange Control Notice. You   must repatriate any funds received pursuant to the 2013 Plan ( e.g. , proceeds from the sale of Shares) to India within 90 days of receipt. You should obtain evidence of the repatriation of funds in the form of a foreign inward remittance certificate (“FIRC”) from the bank where you deposit the foreign currency. You should maintain the FIRC as evidence of the repatriation of funds in the event the Reserve Bank of India or the Employer requests proof of repatriation.
Because exchange control regulations can change frequently and without notice, you should consult your personal legal advisor before selling Shares to ensure compliance with current regulations. It is your  responsibility to comply with exchange control laws in India , and neither the Company nor the Employer will be liable for any fines or penalties resulting from your failure to comply with applicable laws .
Foreign Asset/Account  Reporting Information. You are required to declare your foreign bank accounts and any foreign financial assets (including Shares held outside India) in your annual tax return. It is your responsibility to comply with this reporting obligation and you should consult your personal advisor in this regard.
 
ITALY
 
 
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Data Privacy Notice.   The following provision replaces Section 12 of the Agreement: You understand that the Employer, the Company and any of its subsidiaries or affiliates hold certain personal information about you, including, without limitation, your name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social insurance or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any Shares or directorships held in the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, details of Awards of RSUs, or any other entitlement to Shares awarded, canceled, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding in your favor, for the exclusive purpose of implementing, managing and administering the 2013 Plan (“Data”) and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
You also understand that providing the Company with Data is necessary for the performance of the 2013 Plan and that your refusal to provide such Data would make it impossible for the Company to perform its contractual obligations and may affect your ability to participate in the 2013 Plan. The Controller of personal data processing is Cree, Inc., with registered offices at 4600 Silicon Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27703, U.S.A., and, pursuant to Legislative Decree no. 196/2003, its representative in Italy is Cree Europe S.r.l., Via dei Giunchi 52-54, Firenze 50145 Italia.
You understand that Data will not be publicized, but it may be transferred to banks, other financial institutions or brokers involved in the management and administration of the 2013 Plan. You understand that Data also may be transferred to the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, or such other public accounting firm that may be engaged by the Company in the future. You understand further that the Company and/or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates will transfer Data among themselves as necessary for the purposes of implementing, administering and managing your participation in the 2013 Plan, and that the Company and/or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates may each further transfer Data to third parties assisting the Company in implementation, administration and management of the 2013 Plan, including any requisite transfer of Data to a broker or other third party with whom you may elect to deposit any Shares acquired under the 2013 Plan. Such recipients may receive, possess, use, retain and transfer Data in electronic or other form, for the purposes of implementing, administering and managing your participation in the 2013 Plan. You understand that these recipients may be located in or outside of the European Economic Area, such as in the United States or elsewhere and in locations that might not provide the same level of protection as intended under Italian data privacy laws. Should the Company exercise its discretion in suspending all necessary legal obligations in connection with the management and administration of the 2013 Plan, it will delete Data as soon as it has completed all necessary legal obligations connected with the management and administration of the 2013 Plan.
You understand that Data processing related to the purposes specified above shall take place under automated or non-automated conditions, anonymously when possible, that comply with the purposes for which Data is collected and with confidentiality and security provisions as set forth by applicable laws and regulations, with specific reference to Legislative Decree no. 196/2003.
The processing activity, including communication, and the transfer of Data abroad, including outside of the European Economic Area, as herein specified and pursuant to applicable laws and regulations, does not require your consent thereto, as the processing is necessary to performance of contractual obligations related to implementation, administration and management of the 2013 Plan. You understand that, pursuant to Section 7 of the Legislative Decree no. 196/2003, you have a right, without limitation, to access, delete, update, correct or terminate, for legitimate reason, the Data processing. Furthermore, you are aware that Data will not be used for direct-marketing purposes. In addition, Data provided can be reviewed and questions or complaints may be addressed by contacting the Stock Plan Administrator of the Company.
Plan Document Acknowledgement:  By accepting the Award of RSUs, you acknowledge that you have received a copy of the 2013 Plan, the Agreement and this Appendix, that you have reviewed these documents in their entirety and that you fully understand and accept all provisions of the 2013 Plan and the Agreement.
You acknowledge having read and specifically and expressly approve the following sections of the Agreement: Section 3. (“Forfeiture of RSUs upon Termination of Service”), Section 4. (“Forfeiture of RSUs for Awards Not Timely Accepted”), Section 6. (“Responsibility for Taxes”), Section 13. (“Language”), Section 15(d) regarding North Carolina, U.S.A. law governing the Agreement, Section 17. (“Nature of Grant”), and the above Data Privacy Notice section included in this Appendix.
NOTIFICATIONS
Foreign Asset/Account Reporting Information. Italian residents who, at any time during the fiscal year, hold foreign financial assets (including cash and Shares) which may generate income taxable in Italy are required to report these assets on their annual tax returns (UNICO Form, RW Schedule) for the year during which the assets are held, or on a special form if no tax return is due. These reporting obligations will also apply to Italian residents who are the beneficial owners of foreign financial assets under Italian money laundering provisions.
 
JAPAN
 
 
NOTIFICATIONS
Exchange Control Notice. If you acquire Shares valued at more than ¥100,000,000 in a single transaction, you must file a Securities Acquisition Report with the Ministry of Finance through the Bank of Japan within 20 days of the purchase of the Shares.
Foreign Asset/Account Reporting. You are required to report details of any assets held outside of Japan as of December 31st (including any Shares acquired under the 2013 Plan) to the extent such assets have a total net fair market value exceeding ¥50,000,000 on your annual income tax return.  

 
KOREA (SOUTH)
 
 
NOTIFICATIONS
Exchange Control Notice. Exchange control laws require Korean residents who realize US$500,000 or more (in a single transaction) from the sale of Shares repatriate the sale proceeds back to Korea within 18 months of the sale.
Foreign Asset/Account Reporting Information. Korean residents must declare all foreign financial accounts (e.g., non-Korean bank accounts, brokerage accounts) based in foreign countries that have not entered into an “inter-governmental agreement for automatic exchange of tax information” with Korea to the Korean tax authority and file a report with respect to such accounts if the value of such accounts exceeds KRW 1 billion (or an equivalent amount in foreign currency). You should consult with your personal tax advisor for additional information about this reporting obligation, including whether or not there is an applicable inter-governmental agreement between Korea and the U.S. (or any other country where you may hold any Shares or cash acquired in connection with the 2013 Plan).
 
MALAYSIA
 
 
TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Data Privacy Consent. This provision replaces in its entirety the data privacy consent in Section 12 of the Agreement:

NOTIFICATIONS
Director Notification Obligation . If you are a director of the Company’s Malaysian subsidiary or affiliate, you are subject to certain notification requirements under the Malaysian Companies Act. Among these requirements is an obligation to notify the Malaysian subsidiary or affiliate in writing when you receive or dispose of an interest ( e.g ., the Shares) in the Company or any related company. Such notifications must be made within 14 days of receiving or disposing of any interest in the Company or any related company.

MEXICO
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Acknowledgement of the Agreement . By participating in the 2013 Plan, you acknowledge that you have received a copy of the 2013 Plan, have reviewed the 2013 Plan in its entirety and fully understand and accept all provisions of the 2013 Plan. You further acknowledge that you have read and expressly approve the terms and conditions set forth in the Nature of Grant section of the Agreement, in which the following is clearly described and established: (i) your participation in the 2013 Plan does not constitute an acquired right; (ii) the 2013 Plan and your participation in the 2013 Plan are offered by the Company on a wholly discretionary basis; (iii) your participation in the 2013 Plan is voluntary; and (iv) the Company and its subsidiaries are not responsible for any decrease in the value of the underlying Shares.
Labor Law Policy and Acknowledgement . By participating in the 2013 Plan, you expressly recognize that Cree, Inc., with registered offices at 4600 Silicon Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27703, U.S.A., is solely responsible for the administration of the 2013 Plan and that your participation in the 2013 Plan and acquisition of Shares does not constitute an employment relationship between you and the Company   since you are participating in the 2013 Plan on a wholly commercial basis. Based on the foregoing, you expressly recognize that the 2013 Plan and the benefits that you may derive from participation in the 2013 Plan do not establish any rights between you and the Company and do not form part of the employment conditions and/or benefits provided by the Company, and that any modification of the 2013 Plan or its termination shall not constitute a change or impairment of the terms and conditions of your employment.

You further understand that your participation in the 2013 Plan is as a result of a unilateral and discretionary decision of   the Company ; therefore, the Company reserves the absolute right to amend and/or discontinue your participation at any time without any liability to you.

Finally, you hereby declare that you do not reserve any action or right to bring any claim against the Company for any compensation or damages regarding any provision of the 2013 Plan or the benefits derived under the 2013 Plan, and you therefore grant a full and broad release to the Company, its subsidiaries, branches, representation offices, its shareholders, officers, agents or legal representatives with respect to any claim that may arise.
TÈRMINOS Y CONDICIONES

Reconocimiento del Contrato . Al participar en el Plan, usted reconoce que ha recibido una copia del Plan, que ha revisado el Plan en su totalidad, y que entiende y acepta en su totalidad, todas y cada una de las disposiciones del Plan. Asimismo reconoce que ha leído y aprueba expresamente los términos y condiciones señalados en el párrafo titulado Naturaleza de la Oferta en el Convenio, en lo que claramente se describe y establece lo siguiente: (i) su participación en el Plan no constituye un derecho adquirido; (ii) el Plan y su participación en el Plan son ofrecidos por la Compañía sobre una base completamente discrecional; (iii) su participación en el Plan es voluntaria; y (iv) la Compañía y sus afiliadas no son responsables de ninguna por la disminución en el valor de las Acciones subyacentes.

Política de Legislación Laboral y Reconocimiento . Al participar en el Plan, usted reconoce expresamente que Cree, Inc., con oficinas registradas en 4600 Silicon Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27703, Estados Unidos de América, es la única responsable por la administración del Plan, y que su participación en el Plan, así como la adquisición de las Acciones, no constituye una relación laboral entre usted y la Compañía, debido a que usted participa en el plan sobre una base completamente mercantil. Con base en lo anterior, usted reconoce expresamente que el Plan y los beneficios que pudiera obtener por su participación en el Plan, no establecen derecho alguno entre usted y la Compañía, y no forman parte de las condiciones y/o prestaciones laborales que la Compañía ofrece, y que las modificaciones al Plan o su terminación, no constituirán un cambio ni afectarán los términos y condiciones de su relación laboral.

Asimismo usted entiende que su participación en el Plan es el resultado de una decisión unilateral y discrecional de la Compañía; por lo tanto, la Compañía se reserva el derecho absoluto de modificar y/o suspender su participación en cualquier momento, sin que usted incurra en responsabilidad alguna.

Finalmente, usted declara que no se reserva acción o derecho alguno para interponer reclamación alguna en contra de la Compañía, por concepto de compensación o daños relacionados con cualquier disposición del Plan o de los beneficios derivados del Plan, y por lo tanto, usted libera total y ampliamente de toda responsabilidad a la Compañía, a sus afiliadas, sucursales, oficinas de representación, sus accionistas, funcionarios, agentes o representantes legales, con respecto a cualquier reclamación que pudiera surgir.
RUSSIA
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
U.S. Transaction . You understand that the RSUs shall be valid and this Agreement shall be concluded and become effective only when the Agreement is received by the Company in the United States. Upon vesting of the RSUs, any Shares to be issued to you shall be delivered to you through a bank or brokerage account in the United States. In no event will Shares be delivered to you in Russia; instead, all Shares acquired upon vesting of the RSUs will be maintained on your behalf in the United States. You are not permitted to sell Shares acquired at vesting directly to a Russian legal entity or resident.
Depending on the development of local regulatory requirements, the Company reserves the right to settle RSUs in cash and/or to pay any proceeds related to the RSUs to you through local payroll.
NOTIFICATIONS
Exchange Control Information . Under current exchange control regulations, within a reasonably short time after receipt, you must repatriate any proceeds from the sale of Shares received under the 2013 Plan to Russia. Such proceeds must be initially credited to you through a foreign currency account at an authorized bank in Russia. After the proceeds are initially received in Russia, they may be further remitted to foreign banks in accordance with Russian exchange control laws. However, dividends can be held in a foreign currency account at a foreign individual bank account opened in certain countries (including the United States).
You are encouraged to contact your personal advisor before RSUs vest and Shares are sold as significant penalties may apply in the case of non-compliance with exchange control requirements and because exchange control requirements may change.
Securities Law Information . This Agreement, the 2013 Plan and all other materials that you may receive regarding participation in the 2013 Plan do not constitute advertising or an offering of securities in Russia. The issuance of securities pursuant to the 2013 Plan has not and will not be registered in Russia; hence, the securities described in any Plan-related documents may not be used for offering or public circulation in Russia.
Labor Law Information . If you continue to hold Shares after an involuntary Termination of Service, you may not be eligible to receive unemployment benefits in Russia.
SINGAPORE
 
 
NOTIFICATIONS
Securities Law Notice.  The Award is being made on a private basis and is, therefore, exempt from registration in Singapore.
Chief Executive Officer and Director Notification Requirement.  If you are the Chief Executive Officer or a director of a Singapore Subsidiary of the Company, you must notify the Singapore Subsidiary in writing of an interest (e.g., RSUs, Shares) in the Company or any Subsidiary within two days of (i) its acquisition or disposal, (ii) any change in a previously-disclosed interest (e.g., when Shares acquired under the 2013 Plan are subsequently sold), or (iii) becoming the CEO / a director.
 
TAIWAN
 
 
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Data Privacy Consent.  You hereby acknowledge that you have read and understood the terms regarding collection, processing and transfer of Data contained in Section 12 of the Agreement and by participating in the 2013 Plan, you agree to such terms. In this regard, upon request of the Company or the Employer, you agree to provide an executed data privacy consent form to the Employer or the Company (or any other agreements or consents that may be required by the Employer or the Company) that the Company and/or the Employer may deem necessary to obtain under the data privacy laws in the Employee’s country, either now or in the future. You understand you will not be able to participate in the 2013 Plan if you fail to execute any such consent or agreement.
NOTIFICATIONS
Securities Law Notice. The RSUs and the Shares to be issued pursuant to the 2013 Plan are available only to employees of the Company, its Subsidiaries and Affiliates. The grant of the RSUs does not constitute a public offer of securities.
Exchange Control Notice. You may acquire and remit foreign currency (including proceeds from the sale of Shares) into and out of Taiwan up to US$5,000,000 per year. If the transaction amount is TWD$500,000 or more in a single transaction, you must submit a foreign exchange transaction form and also provide supporting documentation to the satisfaction of the remitting bank. If the transaction amount is US$500,000 or more in a single transaction, you may be required to provide additional supporting documentation to the satisfaction of the remitting bank. You should consult your personal advisor to ensure compliance with applicable exchange control laws in Taiwan.
 
TURKEY
 
 
NOTIFICATIONS
Securities Law Notice. You are prohibited by Turkish law from selling any Shares acquired under the 2013 Plan in Turkey. The Company’s ordinary shares are currently traded on the NASDAQ, which is located outside of Turkey, under the ticker symbol “CREE” and shares acquired under the 2013 Plan may be sold through this exchange.
Exchange Control Notice. You may be required to engage a Turkish financial intermediary to assist with the sale of Shares acquired under the 2013 Plan. To the extent a Turkish financial intermediary is required in connection with the sale of any shares acquired under the 2013 Plan, you are solely responsible for engaging such Turkish financial intermediary. You should consult your personal legal advisor prior to the vesting of the awards or any sale of Shares to ensure compliance with the current requirements.
 
UNITED KINGDOM
 
 
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Responsibility for Taxes.   The following provision supplements Section 6 of this Agreement:
You agree that, if you do not pay or the Employer or the Company does not withhold the full amount of income tax that you owe at vesting of the equity awards, or the release or assignment of the equity awards for consideration, or the receipt of any other benefit in connection with the equity awards (the “Chargeable Event”) within 90 days after the end of the UK tax year in which the Chargeable Event occurs, or such other period specified in Section 222(1)(c) of the U.K. Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (the “Due Date”), then the amount that should have been withheld shall constitute a loan owed by you to the Employer, effective on the Due Date. You agree that the loan will bear interest at the HMRC’s official rate and will be immediately due and repayable by you, and the Company and/or the Employer may recover it at any time thereafter by withholding the funds from salary, bonus or any other funds due to you by the Employer, by withholding in cash or in Shares issued upon vesting of the equity awards or from the cash proceeds from the sale of Shares or by demanding cash or a check from you. You also authorize the Company to delay the issuance of any Shares unless and until the loan is repaid in full.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if you are an executive officer or director (as within the meaning of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act), the terms of the immediately foregoing provision will not apply. In the event that you are an executive officer or director and income tax is not collected from or paid by you by the Due Date, the amount of any uncollected income tax may constitute a benefit to you on which additional income tax and National Insurance Contributions (“NICs”) may be payable. You acknowledge that the Company or the Employer may recover any such additional income tax and NICs at any time thereafter by any of the means referred to in Section 6 of the Agreement, although you acknowledge that you ultimately will be responsible for reporting any income tax or NICs due on this additional benefit directly to the HMRC under the self-assessment regime.

 




 
  


Exhibit 21.1

Significant Subsidiaries of the Registrant*


Subsidiaries of Cree, Inc.                            Jurisdiction        
Cree Hong Kong Limited                            Hong Kong

Subsidiaries of Cree Hong Kong Limited                    Jurisdiction        
Cree Huizhou Solid State Lighting Company Limited                People's Republic of China
    

*    For the fiscal year ended June 24, 2018






Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statements on Form S-8 (Nos. 333-221174, 333-221173 , 333-215828, 333-198381, 333-191973, 333-191972, 333-179218, 333-171874, 333-164516, 333-164515, 333-149547) of Cree, Inc. of our report dated August 20, 2018 relating to the financial statements and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting which appears in this Form 10-K.


/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP                        
Raleigh, North Carolina
August 20, 2018





Exhibit 23.2

Consent of Independent Auditors

    
We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statements on Form S-8 (Nos. 333-215828, 333-198381, 333-191973, 333-191972, 333-179218, 333-171874, 333-164516, 333-164515 and 333-149547) of Cree, Inc. of our report dated August 9, 2016, with respect to the consolidated statements of financial position of Lextar Electronics Corporation and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 and the related consolidated statements of comprehensive income, changes in equity and cash flows for the years then ended, which report appears in the June 24, 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K of Cree, Inc.




/s/ KPMG

Taipei, Taiwan (the Republic of China)

August 20, 2018







Exhibit 31.1
Certification by Chief Executive Officer
pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

I, Gregg A. Lowe, certify that:
1.
I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Cree, Inc.;
2.
Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3.
Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4.
The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
(a)
Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
(b)
Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
(c)
Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
(d)
Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5.
The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
(a)
All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
(b)
Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Date: August 20, 2018
 
/s/ GREGG A. LOWE
 
Gregg A. Lowe
 
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President







Exhibit 31.2
Certification by Chief Financial Officer
pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

I, Michael E. McDevitt, certify that:
1.
I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Cree, Inc.;
2.
Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3.
Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4.
The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
(a)
Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
(b)
Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
(c)
Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
(d)
Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5.
The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
(a)
All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
(b)
Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Date: August 20, 2018
 
/s/ MICHAEL E. MCDEVITT
 
Michael E. McDevitt
 
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer







Exhibit 32.1
Certification by Chief Executive Officer pursuant to
18 U.S.C. Section 1350,
as adopted pursuant to
Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

In connection with the Annual Report of Cree, Inc. (the “Company”) on Form 10-K for the year ended June 24, 2018 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Gregg A. Lowe, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, to my knowledge, that:
(1)
The Report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and
(2)
The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.
 
/s/ GREGG A. LOWE
 
Gregg A. Lowe
 
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President
 
 
 
August 20, 2018

This Certification is being furnished solely to accompany the Report pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and shall not be deemed “filed” by the Company for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and shall not be incorporated by reference into any filing of the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, whether made before or after the date of this Report, irrespective of any general incorporation language contained in such filing.

A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 has been provided to the Company and will be retained by the Company and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.






Exhibit 32.2
Certification by Chief Financial Officer pursuant to
18 U.S.C. Section 1350,
as adopted pursuant to
Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

In connection with the Annual Report of Cree, Inc. (the “Company”) on Form 10-K for the year ended June 24, 2018 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Michael E. McDevitt, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, to my knowledge, that:
(1)
The Report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and
(2)
The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.
 
/s/ MICHAEL E. MCDEVITT
 
Michael E. McDevitt
 
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
 
 
 
August 20, 2018

This Certification is being furnished solely to accompany the Report pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and shall not be deemed “filed” by the Company for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and shall not be incorporated by reference into any filing of the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, whether made before or after the date of this Report, irrespective of any general incorporation language contained in such filing.

A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 has been provided to the Company and will be retained by the Company and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.







LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013
(With Report of Independent Auditors)









Independent Auditors’ Report


The Board of Directors and Stockholders
Lextar Electronics Corporation:

Report on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated financial statements of Lextar Electronics Corporation and its subsidiaries, which comprise the consolidated statements of financial position as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 and the related consolidated statements of comprehensive income, changes in equity and cash flows for the years then ended, and the related notes to the consolidated financial statements.

Management’s Responsibility for the Financial Statements
Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of these consolidated financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board; this includes the design, implementation, and maintenance of internal control relevant to the preparation and fair presentation of consolidated financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
Auditors’ Responsibility
Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free from material misstatement.
An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. The procedures selected depend on the auditors’ judgment, including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the entity’s preparation and fair presentation of the consolidated financial statements in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity’s internal control. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements.
We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
Opinion
In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Lextar Electronics Corporation and its subsidiaries as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for the years then ended, in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board.






Other Matter
The accompanying consolidated statements of comprehensive income, changes in equity and cash flows of Lextar Corporation and subsidiaries for the year ended December 31, 2013, were not audited, reviewed, or compiled by us and, accordingly, we do not express an opinion or any other form of assurance on them.


/s/KPMG
Taipei, Taiwan (Republic of China)
August 9, 2016





LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Consolidated Statements of Financial Position

December 31, 2015 and 2014

See accompanying notes to financial statements.



(expressed in thousands of New Taiwan dollars


Note
December 31,
2015
December 31,
2014
 
Note
December 31,
2015
 
December 31,
2014
Assets
 
 
 
Liabilities
 
 
 
Current assets:
 
 
 
Current liabilities:
 
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents
6
$5,240,128
5,397,182
Short-term borrowings
16
$ -
924,629
Financial assets measured at fair value through profit or loss-current

7, 17
1,875
240
Accounts payable
 
3,285,365
3,162,169
Accounts receivable, net
9
3,732,499
3,593,240
Accounts payable to related parties
34
29,844
4,914
Accounts receivable from related parties, net
9, 34
1,194,187
1,540,628
Financial liabilities measured at fair value through profit or loss-current
7, 17
50,026
86,175
Other financial assets
6,9
199,981
35,850
Current tax liabilities
28
35,917
129,797
Inventories
10
3,004,148
2,825,163
Other current liabilities
 
1,151,106
1,323,600
Other current assets
 
222,855
332,341
Current installments of long-term borrowings
18
851,250
1,250
Total current assets
 
13,595,673
13,724,644
Total current liabilities
 
5,403,508
5,632,534
Noncurrent assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Investments in equity-accounted investees
11
242,381
232,756
Noncurrent liabilities:
 
      
      
Available-for-sale financial assets-noncurrent
8
116,921
219,552
Long-term borrowings, excluding current installments
18
947,500
1,798,750
Property, plant and equipment, net
13, 35
7,705,603
9,445,343
Convertible bonds payable
17
1,886,125
1,842,643
Intangible assets
14
17,388
18,487
Other noncurrent liabilities
28
179,989
179,802
Deferred tax assets
28
243,219
255,368
Total noncurrent liabilities
 
3,013,614
3,821,195
Long-term prepayments for rents
15
101,529
99,960
Total liabilities
 
8,417,122
9,453,729
Other noncurrent assets
20, 35
371,124
294,166
 
 
 
 
Total noncurrent assets
 
8,798,165
10,565,632
Equity
12, 17, 21, 22
 
 
 
 
 
 
Common stock, $10 par value
 
6,025,723
6,228,300
 
 
 
 
Capital collected in advance
 
412
1,238
 
 
 
 
Capital surplus
 
6,973,068
7,158,596
 
 
 
 
Retained earnings
 
1,119,627
1,377,377
 
 
 
 
Other components of equity
 
191,791
21,618
 
 
 
 
Treasury stock
 
(333,905)
      -
 
 
 
 
Equity attributable to stockholders of Lextar Electronics Corporation
 
13,976,716
14,787,129
 
 
 
 
Non-controlling interests
 
      -
49,418
 
 
 
 
Total equity
 
13,976,716
14,836,547
Total Assets
 
$22,393,838
24,290,276
Total Liabilities and Equity
 
$22,393,838
24,290,276
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.



LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income

For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013
(expressed in thousands of New Taiwan dollars, except earnings per share)


 

Note
 

2015


2014

2013 (Unaudited)

 
 
 
 
 
 
Net revenue
23, 34
$
14,230,534

14,517,137

13,751,666

Cost of sales
10, 19, 20, 22, 24, 34
 
12,632,960

12,392,047

12,005,060

Gross profit
 
 
1,597,574

2,125,090

1,746,606

Selling and distribution expenses
9, 14, 19, 20, 22, 24
 
450,505

338,134

287,725

General and administrative expenses
14, 19, 20, 22, 24, 34
 
453,436

554,000

558,502

Research and development expenses
14, 19, 20, 24, 34
 
562,834

432,110

366,137

Other income
12, 25
 
75,228

69,055

665,397

Other gains and losses
17, 26
 
174,712

14,588

65,061

Finance costs
17, 27
 
(87,214)

(132,388)

(165,807)

Share of profit (loss) of equity-accounted investees
11
 
10,873

(12,694
)
(13,997
)
Profit before income tax
 
 
304,398

739,407

1,084,896

Income tax expense
28
 
905

92,442

204,175

Profit for the year
 
 
303,493

646,965

880,721

Other comprehensive income
 
 
   

   

   

Items that will never be reclassified to profit or loss
 
 
 
 
 
Remeasurement of defined benefit obligations
 
 
190

2,939

22,113

Items that are or may be reclassified to profit or loss
 
 
 
 
   

Foreign operations – foreign currency translation differences
 
 
136,645

185,770

60,786

Net change in fair value of available-for-sale financial assets
 
 
(38,808
)
(47,162
)
(44,293
)
Other comprehensive income, net of tax
 
 
98,027

141,547

38,606

Total comprehensive income for the year
 
$
401,520

788,512

919,327

Profit attributable to:
 
 
 
 
 
Stockholders of Lextar Electronics Corporation
 
$
308,934

661,163

912,475

Non-controlling interests
 
 
(5,441
)
(14,198
)
(31,754
)
Profit for the year
 
$
303,493

646,965

880,721

Total comprehensive income attributable to:
 
 
 
 
 
Stockholders of Lextar Electronics Corporation
 
$
407,700

802,668

951,128

Non-controlling interests
 
 
(6,180
)
(14,156
)
(31,801
)
Total comprehensive income for the year
 
$
401,520

788,512

919,327

Earnings per share
 
 
 
 
 
Basic earnings per share
29
$
0.50

1.23

1.78

Diluted earnings per share
29
$
0.50

1.15

1.73


See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.



LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity
For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013
(expressed in thousands of New Taiwan dollars)


 
   Equity attributable to owners of parent
 
 
   Share capital
 
   Retained earnings
      Other components of equity
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Exchange
differences on
Unrealized
losses
 
 
 
 
 
Ordinary
Capital
collected
Capital
Legal
Special

Unappropriated
translation of
foreign financial
on available-
for-sale financial
 

Treasury

Non-controlling
 
 
   shares
   in advance
   surplus
   reserve
   reserve
retained earnings
   statements
   assets
   Others
   stock
   interests
   Total equity
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Balance on January 1, 2013 (Unaudited)
4,304,724
895
3,433,042
124,258
201
665,128
(32,595)
(2,196)
8,493,457
Profit (loss) for the year ended December 31, 2013 (Unaudited)
912,475
      -
      -
(31,754)
880,721
Other comprehensive income (loss) for the year ended December 31, 2013 (Unaudited)
22,113
60,833
(44,293)
(47)
38,606
Comprehensive income (loss) for the year ended December 31, 2013 (Unaudited)
934,588
60,833
(44,293)
(31,801)
919,327
Appropriation and distribution of retained earnings (Unaudited) :
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Legal reserve
29,095
      -
(29,095)
Special reserve
34,590
(34,590)
Cash dividends to shareholders
(225,524)
(225,524)
Issuance of shares due to merger (Unaudited)
849,750
1,402,088
2,251,838
Non-controlling interest acquired due to merger (Unaudited)
      -
48,877
48,877
Retirement of treasury stock due to merger (Unaudited)
(144,931)
(122,961)
(116,175)
(384,067)
Conversion of convertible bonds (Unaudited)
5,009
(467)
4,542
Conversion of convertible bonds to ordinary shares (Unaudited)
220,425
(401)
302,438
522,462
Share-based payment transactions (Unaudited)
34,039
54,542
88,581
Employee stock options exercised (Unaudited)
4,114
4,114
Issuance of shares for exercise of employee stock options (Unaudited)
4,042
(4,325)
283
Issuance of restricted employee stock (Unaudited)
88,000
136,400
(224,400)
Difference between consideration and carrying amount of subsidiaries acquired or disposed (Unaudited)
7,485
(7,485)
Contribution by non-controlling interests (Unaudited)
37,500
37,500
Changes in non-controlling interests (Unaudited)
1,066
1,066
Balance on December 31, 2013 (Unaudited)
5,322,010
5,292
5,192,347
153,353
34,791
1,194,332
28,238
(46,489)
(169,858)
48,157
11,762,173
Profit (loss) for the year ended December 31, 2014
661,163
      -
      -
(14,198)
646,965
Other comprehensive income (loss) for the year ended December 31, 2014
2,939
185,728
(47,162)
42
141,547
Comprehensive income (loss) for the year ended December 31, 2014
664,102
185,728
(47,162)
(14,156)
788,512
Appropriation and distribution of retained earnings :
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Legal reserve
97,956
(97,956)
Special reserve
(16,540)
16,540
Cash dividends on ordinary shares
(669,201)
(669,201)
Capital increase by cash
830,000
1,660,000
2,490,000
Retirement of treasury stock
(8,700)
(13,695)
22,395
      -
Issuance of convertible bonds
195,200
195,200
Conversion of convertible bonds
125,157
(11,688)
113,469
Conversion of convertible bonds to ordinary shares
49,558
(129,649)
80,091
Difference between consideration and carrying amount of subsidiaries acquired or disposed
4,736
(4,736)
Share-based payment transactions
(6,894)
109,486
102,592
Employee stock options exercised
33,649
33,649
Issuance of shares for exercise of employee stock options
13,432
(33,211)
19,779
Issuance of restricted employee stock
22,000
38,720
(60,720)
Expiration of restricted employee stock
22,395
(22,395)
Contribution by non-controlling interests
25,000
25,000
Changes in non-controlling interests
(4,847)
(4,847)
Balance on December 31, 2014
6,228,300
1,238
7,158,596
251,309
18,251
1,107,817
213,966
(93,651)
(98,697)
49,418
14,836,547
Profit (loss) for the year ended December 31, 2015
308,934
(5,441)
303,493
Other comprehensive income (loss) for the year ended December 31, 2015
190
137,384
(38,808)
(739)
98,027
Comprehensive income (loss) for the year ended December 31, 2015
309,124
137,384
(38,808)
(6,180)
401,520
Appropriation and distribution of retained earnings :
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Legal reserve
62,986
(62,986)
Special reserve
(18,251)
18,251
Cash dividends on ordinary shares
(93,443)
(566,874)
(660,317)
Acquisition of treasury stock
(618,001)
(618,001)
Retirement of treasury stock
(206,692)
(94,724)
301,416
Conversion of convertible bonds
104
(9)
95
Conversion of convertible bonds to ordinary shares
245
(622)
377
Share-based payment transactions
(960)
54,277
53,317
Loss of control of subsidiary
(43,238)
(43,238)
Employee stock options exercised
412
412
Issuance of shares for exercise of employee stock options
3,870
(720)
3,231
6,381
Expiration of restricted employee stock
17,320
(17,320)
Balance on December 31, 2015
6,025,723
412
6,973,068
314,295
805,332
351,350
(132,459)
(27,100)
(333,905)
13,976,716


See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.



LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013
(expressed in thousands of New Taiwan dollars)

 

   2015

2014
2013 (Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
Cash flows from operating activities:
 
 
 
Profit before income tax
$
304,398

739,407

1,084,896

Adjustments for:
   

   

   

Depreciation
2,080,207

2,046,212

1,970,885

Amortization
77,278

52,497

40,900

Changes in fair values of financial instruments
(37,849)

41,736

16,394

Interest expense
87,214

132,388

165,807

Interest income
(32,134)

(40,610)

(30,233)

Share-based payment transactions
53,317

102,592

88,581

Share of profit (loss) of equity-accounted investees
(10,873)

12,694

13,997

Gain on bargain purchase


(552,561)

Cash dividends received from associates accounted for using equity method


6,206

Loss (gain) from disposal of property, plant and equipment
(167,090)

3,389

(621)

Gain from transfer of the right of long-term prepaid rents


(61,919)

Gain from loss of control of subsidiary
(15,045)



Others
(3,290
)
(38
)
13,122

 
2,031,735

2,350,860

1,670,558

Change in:
 
 
 
- Accounts receivable
175,567

(452,850)

476,181

- Inventories
(199,640)

(747,581)

(126,079)

- Other current assets
156,391

177,730

(101,055)

- Other financial assets
(164,571)

3,384

61,481

- Other operating assets
(7,125)



- Accounts payable
189,661

198,543

(725,666)

- Other current liabilities
(1,608)

(126,233)

(153,535)

- Other non-current liabilities
19,005

(25,168
)
22,623

 
167,680

(972,175
)
(546,050
)
Cash generated from operating activities
2,503,813

2,118,092

2,209,404

Cash received from interest income
32,639

43,560

26,535

Cash paid for interest
(46,073)

(92,596)

(159,430)

Cash paid for income taxes
(154,015
)
(150,156
)
(17,631
)
Net cash provided by operating activities
2,336,364

1,918,900

2,058,878

Cash flows from investing activities:
   

   

 
Acquisitions of available-for-sale financial assets

(74,022)

(9,875)

Proceeds from disposal of available-for-sale financial assets
74,878



Return of financial assets due to capital reduction

1,050


Net cash outflows from loss of control of subsidiary
(35,978)



Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment
(624,023)

(2,112,821)

(669,412)

Proceeds from disposals of property, plant and equipment
416,525

32,600

53,635

Decrease (increase) in refundable deposits
(992)

703

1,043

Net cash inflows from business combination


1,872,412

Increase in other noncurrent assets
(141,762)

(85,237)

(13,342)

Proceeds from transfer of the right of long-term prepaid rents

141,492


Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
(311,352
)
(2,096,235
)
1,234,461

Cash flows from financing activities:
 
 
 
Decrease in short-term borrowings, net
(924,629)

(142,895)

750,516

Proceeds from issuance of convertible bonds

1,995,000


Repayments of long-term borrowings
(1,250)

(3,143,693)

(1,867,121)

Increase in guarantee deposits
(775)

(291)

1,223

Cash dividends
(660,317)

(669,201)

(225,524)

Proceeds from issuance of common stock

2,490,000


Proceeds from exercise of employee stock options
6,793

33,649

4,114

Cost of acquisition of treasury stock
(618,001)



Net change of non-controlling interests and others

25,000

37,500

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
(2,198,179
)
587,569

(1,299,292
)
Effect of exchange rate change on cash held
16,113

33,337

(32,969
)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
(157,054)

443,571

1,961,078

Cash and cash equivalents at January 1
5,397,182

4,953,611

2,992,533

Cash and cash equivalents at December 31
$
5,240,128

5,397,182

4,953,611



See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.



LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 (Unaudited)
(expressed in thousands of New Taiwan dollars unless otherwise specified)




(1)
Organization

Lextar Electronics Corporation (“Lextar”) was incorporated on May 23, 2008 as a company limited by shares and registered under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Republic of China (“ROC”). Lextar went for IPO on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (“TWSE”) on September 29, 2011. Lextar and its subsidiaries (hereinafter referred to as “the Company”) primarily is involved in the design, manufacture, and sale of InGaN Epi wafer and chips, Light-Emitting Diode (“LED”) package and module. Based on the resolution of the shareholders’ meeting held on February 1, 2010, Lextar resolved to acquire and merge with LightHouse Technology Co., LTD (“LightHouse”) on March 15, 2010. Lextar is the surviving company, and LightHouse was dissolved upon completion of the merger.

LightHouse was incorporated on January 27, 2003. The major business activities of LightHouse were the development, test, manufacture and sale of LED package.

Based on the resolution of the shareholders’ meeting held on October 31, 2012, Lextar resolved to acquire and merge with Wellypower Optronics Corporation (“Wellypower”) on February 1, 2013. Lextar is the surviving company, and Wellypower was dissolved upon completion of the merger.

Wellypower was incorporated on February 28, 1994. The major business activities of Wellypower were the manufacture and sale of cold cathode fluorescent lamp, LED and hot cathode fluorescent lamp.

(2)
The Authorization of Financial Statements

These consolidated financial statements were authorized for issuance by the Board of Directors of Lextar on August 9, 2016.

(3)
New Accounting Pronouncements Under International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”)

(a)
New and revised standards, amendments and interpretations in issue but not yet effective

The Company has not adopted the following new, revised and amended IFRS that have been issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”) but are not yet effective:


(Continued)





4

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





   New standards and amendments
Effective date per IASB
IFRS 9 “ Financial Instruments”
January 1, 2018
Amendments to IFRS 10 and IAS 28,  Sale or Contribution of Assets between an Investor and its Associate or Joint Venture
Subject to IASB’s announcement
Amendments to IFRS 10, IFRS 12 and IAS 28, Investments Entities: Applying the Consolidation Exception
January 1, 2016
Amendments to IFRS 11,  Accounting for Acquisitions of Interests in Joint Operations
January 1, 2016
IFRS 14, Regulatory Deferral Accounts
January 1, 2016
IFRS 15, Revenue from Contracts with Customers
January 1, 2018
IFRS 16, Lease
January 1, 2019
Amendments to IAS 1, Presentation of Financial Statements -Disclosure Initiative
January 1, 2016
Amendments to IAS 7, Statement of Cash Flows - Disclosure Initiative
January 1, 2017
Amendments to IAS 12, Recognition of Deferred Tax Assets for Unrealized Losses
January 1, 2017
Amendments to IAS 16 and IAS 38,  Clarification of Acceptable Methods of Depreciation and Amortization
January 1, 2016
Amendments to IAS 16 and IAS 41,  Agriculture: Bearer Plants
January 1, 2016
Amendments to IAS 27,  Equity Method in Separate Financial Statements
January 1, 2016
Annual Improvements to IFRS: 2012-2014 cycles
January 1, 2016

Note: The aforementioned new, revised and amended standards and interpretations are effective for annual periods beginning on or after the respective effective dates.

(b)
Except for the items discussed below, the Company believes that the initial adoption of aforementioned standards or interpretations will not have any significant impact on its accounting policies.

1.
IFRS 9, Financial Instruments

IFRS 9, published in July 2014, replaces the existing guidance in IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement . IFRS 9 includes revised guidance on the classification and measurement of financial instruments, including a new expected credit loss model for calculating impairment on financial assets, and the new general hedge accounting requirements. It also carries forward the guidance on recognition and derecognition of financial instruments from IAS 39.








5

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






2.
IFRS 15, Revenue from Contracts with Customers

IFRS 15 establishes a five-step model framework for recognizing revenue that apply to all contracts with customers, and will supersede IAS 18, Revenue , IAS 11, Construction Contracts , and a number of revenue-related interpretations. The core principle in that framework is that a company should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to the customer in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services.

The Company is assessing the potential impact on its financial position and results of operations as a result of the application of IFRS 9 and IFRS 15. The Company expects the assessment to be completed at the end of 2017.

(4)
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these consolidated financial statements are set out as below. The significant accounting policies have been applied consistently to all periods presented in these consolidated financial statements, unless otherwise stated.

(a)
Statement of compliance

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with IFRS as issued by the IASB.

(b)
Basis of preparation

1.
The consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis except for the following material items in the consolidated statements of financial position:

(i)
Financial instruments measured at fair value through profit or loss (including derivative financial instruments) (note 7);

(ii)
Available-for-sale financial assets measured at fair value (note 8); and

(iii)
Defined benefit asset (liability) is recognized as the fair value the plan assets less the present value of the defined benefit obligation (note 20).

2.
Functional and presentation currency

The functional currency of each individual consolidated entity is determined based on the primary economic environment in which the entity operates. Lextar’s primary activities are denominated in New Taiwan Dollar (“NTD”). Accordingly, NTD is Lextar’s functional currency, which is also the presentation currency of the Company’s consolidated financial statements.







6

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






All financial information presented in NTD has been rounded to the nearest thousand, unless otherwise noted.

(c)
Basis of consolidation

1.
Principle of preparation of the consolidated financial statements

The financial statements of subsidiaries are included in the consolidated financial statements from the date that control commences until the date that control ceases. Profit (loss) and other comprehensive income (loss) applicable to the non-controlling interests in a subsidiary are allocated to the non-controlling interests even if this results in the non-controlling interests having a deficit balance.

Subsidiaries’ financial statements are adjusted to align the accounting policies with those of the Company.

Changes in the Company’s ownership interests in a subsidiary that do not result in a loss of control are accounted for as equity transactions. The carrying amounts of the Company’s investment and non-controlling interests are adjusted to reflect the changes in their relative interests in the subsidiary. Any difference between such adjustment and the fair value of the consideration paid or received is recognized directly in equity and attributed to stockholders of Lextar.

Upon the loss of control, the Company derecognizes the carrying amounts of the assets and liabilities of the subsidiary and non-controlling interests, including other comprehensive income (loss) related to the subsidiary. Any surplus or deficit arising from the loss of control is recognized in profit or loss. The gain or loss is measured as the difference between:

(i)
The aggregate of:

A.
the far value of the consideration received, and

B.
the fair value of any retained non-controlling investment in the former subsidiary at the date when the Company losses control.

(ii)
The aggregate of the carrying amount of the former subsidiary’s assets (including goodwill), liabilities and non-controlling interests at the date when the Company losses control.








7

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






2.
List of subsidiaries in the consolidated financial statements

 
 
 
 
 
 
Percentage of Ownership (%)
 
Name of
investor
 
Name of subsidiary
 
Main Activities and Location
 
December 31,2015
 
December 31,2014
 
The Company
 
Lextar (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. (LEXSG)
 
General Investing
(Singapore)
 
100%
 
100%
 
 
Liang Li Investment Co., Ltd. (Liang Li)
 
General Investing
(Taiwan)
 
100%
 
100%
 
 
Wellypower Optronics Corp. (Wellypower)
 
Investment and sale of products (Taiwan)
 
100%
 
100%
 
 
Apower Optronics Corp. (Apower)
 
Investment and sale of products (BVI)
 
100%
 
100%
 
 
Wellybond Corporation (Wellybond)
 
General Investing
(Taiwan)
 
100%
 
100%
 

 
Wellybond Optronics (H.K.) Limited (Wellybond (H.K.))
 
General Investing
(Hong Kong)
 
100%
 
100%
 

 
Trendylite Corporation
(Trendylite)
 
Sale of products
(Taiwan)
 
100%
 
100%
 
LEXSG
 
Lextar Electronics (SuZhou) Co., Ltd. (LEXZ)
 
Manufacture of Light-Emitting Diode (wafer、light bar、module) (PRC)
 
100%
 
100%
 
 
Lextar Electronics (Xiamen) Co., Ltd. (LEXM)
 
 
100%
 
100%
 
 
Lextar Electronics Korea Ltd.
 
Sale of Light-Emitting Diode and After-sales service
(South Korea)
 
100%
 
100%
 
Wellypower
 
Wellypower Optronics
(SuZhou) Corporation
 (Wellypower (SuZhou))
 
Manufacture and sale of CCFL、LED and PCB surface mount technology (PRC)
 
13.36%
 
13.36%
 
Apower
 
Wellypower Optronics
(SuZhou) Corporation
 (Wellypower (SuZhou))
 
 
86.64%
 
86.64%
 
Wellybond (H.K.)
 
SuZhou Welly Trading Co., Ltd
(SuZhou Welly )
 
Import and export trade, Wholesale
(PRC)
 
100%
 
100%
 
Liang Li and Wellybond
 
Verticil Electronics Corporation (Verticil)
 
Business of power convertors
(Taiwan)
 
0 (Note 2)
 
32.17%
(Note 1)
 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Verticil

 
Wellypower Electronics (Samoa) Corp. ( Wellypower (Samoa))
 
Investment holding
(Samoa)
 
0 (Note 2)
 
100%
(Note 1)
 
Wellypower
(Samoa)
 
Weiliyang (Suzhou) Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. (Weiliyang (Suzhou))
 
Manufacture and sale of light products and power supply
(PRC)
 
0 (Note 2)
 
100%
(Note 1)
 

Note 1: The Company held no more than 50% of Verticil’s shares. However, the Company still considered to have control over it; therefore, Verticil was included in the consolidated financial statements of the Company.
Note 2:
Beginning May 2015, the Company lost control over the financial and operating policies of Verticil because it no longer has the majority vote in the board of director’s meeting, resulting in the exclusion of Verticil as a subsidiary in the consolidated financial statements of the Company. Therefore, the Company’s investment in Vercitil and its subsidiaries was accounted for under available-for-sale financial asset།noncurrent.

(d)
Foreign currencies

1.
Foreign currency transaction







8

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






Transactions in foreign currencies are translated to the respective functional currencies of the individual entities of the Company at exchange rates at the dates of the transactions. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies at the reporting date are retranslated to the functional currency at the exchange rate at that date. The foreign currency gain or loss on monetary items is the difference between amortized cost in the functional currency at the beginning of the period adjusted for the effective interest and payments during the period, and the amortized cost in foreign currency translated at the exchange rate at the end of the period.

Non‑monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies that are measured at fair value are retranslated to the functional currency at the exchange rate at the date that the fair value was determined. Non‑monetary items in a foreign currency that are measured based on historical cost are translated using the exchange rate at the date of translation.

Foreign currency differences arising on retranslation are recognized in profit or loss, except for those differences relating to the following which are recognized in other comprehensive income:

1)    Available‑for‑sale equity investment;
2)    A financial liability designated as a hedge of the net investment in a foreign operation to the extent that the hedge is effective; or
3)    Qualifying cash flow hedges to the extent the hedge is effective.








9

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






2.
Foreign operations

For the purpose of presenting consolidated financial statements, the assets and liabilities of the Company’s foreign operations are translated into NTD using the exchange rates at each reporting date.  Income and expenses of foreign operations are translated at the average exchange rates for the period unless the exchange rates fluctuate significantly during the period; in that case, the exchange rates at the dates of the transactions are used. Foreign currency differences are recognized in other comprehensive income within equity, except to the extent that the translation difference is allocated to non-controlling interests.

(e)
Classification of current and non-current assets and liabilities

An asset is classified as current when:

1.
The asset expected to realize, or intends to sell or consume, in its normal operating cycle;

2.
The asset primarily held for the purpose of trading;

3.
The asset expected to realize within twelve months after the reporting date; or

4.
Cash and cash equivalent excluding the asset restricted to be exchanged or used to settle a liability for at least twelve months after the reporting date.

All other assets are classified as non-current.

A liability is classified as current when:

1.
The liability expected to settle in its normal operating cycle;

2.
The liability primarily held for the purpose of trading;

3.
The liability is due to be settled within twelve months after the reporting date; or

4.
The Company does not have an unconditional right to defer settlement of the liability for at least twelve months after the reporting date. Terms of a liability that could, at the option of the counterparty, result in its settlement by the issuance of equity instruments, do not affect its classification.

All other liabilities are classified as non-current.








10

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






(f)
Cash and cash equivalents

Cash comprise cash balances and demand deposits. Cash equivalents comprise short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible into known amounts of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of changes in their fair value. Deposits with short-term maturity, but not for investments and other purposes, and are qualified with the aforementioned criteria are classified as cash equivalents.

(g)
Financial instruments

Financial assets and financial liabilities are initially recognized when the Company becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instruments.

1.
Financial assets

The Company classifies financial assets into the following categories: financial assets measured at fair value through profit or loss, receivables and available-for-sale financial assets.

(i)
Financial assets measured at fair value through profit or loss

The Company has certain financial assets classified in this category as held-for-trading for the purpose of hedging exposure to foreign exchange and interest rate risks arising from operating and financing activities. When a derivative financial instrument is not effective as a hedge the Company accounts for it as a financial asset or liability measured at fair value through profit or loss. See note 7 for further detail of the Company’s derivative financial instruments.

(ii)
Available-for-sale financial assets

Available-for-sale financial assets are non-derivative financial assets that are either designated as available-for-sale or are not classified as receivables or financial assets measured at fair value through profit or loss. Available-for-sale financial assets are recognized initially at fair value, plus any directly attributable transaction cost. Subsequent to initial recognition, they are measured at fair value and changes therein, other than impairment losses, are recognized in other comprehensive income and presented within equity in unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments. When an investment is derecognized, the cumulative gain or loss in equity is reclassified to profit or loss. A regular way, purchase or sale of financial assets shall be recognized and derecognized, as applicable, using trade date accounting.

Investments in equity instruments that do not have a quoted market price in an active market, and whose fair value cannot be reliably measured, are carried at their cost less any impairment losses.

Cash dividends on equity instruments are recognized in profit or loss on the date that the Company’s right to receive dividends is established. Stock dividends are recorded as an increase in the number of shares held and do not affect investment income. The cost per share is recalculated based on the new total number of shares.

(iii)
Receivables








11

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





Receivables are financial assets with fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market. Receivables comprise trade receivables and other receivables and investment in debt security with no active market. Such assets are recognized initially at fair value, plus any directly attributable transaction costs. Subsequently, receivables are measured at amortized cost using the effective interest method, less any impairment. If the effect of discounting is immaterial, the short-term receivables are measured at the original amount.

(iv)
Impairment of financial assets

Financial assets not measured at fair value through profit or loss are assessed at each reporting date for indicators of impairment. Financial assets are considered to be impaired if an objective evidence indicates that, as a result of one or more events that occurred after the initial recognition of the financial asset, the estimated future cash flows of those assets have been negatively impacted.

The objective evidence that an available-for-sale equity security is impaired includes a significant or prolonged decline in its fair value below its cost. When an available-for-sale equity security is considered to be impaired, cumulative gains or losses previously recognized in other comprehensive income are reclassified to profit or loss. Such impairment losses are not reversed through profit or loss. However, any subsequent recovery in the fair value of an impaired available-for-sale equity security is recognized in other comprehensive income and accumulated in other components of equity.

For receivables, the Company first assesses whether objective evidence of impairment exists that are individually significant. If there is objective evidence that an impairment loss has occurred, the amount of impairment loss is assessed individually. For receivables other than those aforementioned, the Company groups those assets and collectively assesses them for impairment. An impairment loss for trade receivables is reflected in an allowance account against the receivables. When it is determined a receivable is uncollectible, it is written off from the allowance account. Any subsequent recovery of receivable previously written off is credited against the allowance account. Changes in the amount of the allowance accounts are recognized in profit or loss.








12

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






For equity instruments without a quoted market price in an active market, the objective evidence of impairment includes the investees’ financial information, current operating result, future business plans and relevant industry and public market information. An impairment loss for this kind of equity instruments is reduced from the carrying amount and any impairment loss recognized is not reversed through profit or loss in subsequent periods.

Bad debt expenses and reversal of allowance for doubtful debts for trade receivables are recognized in general and administrative expenses while impairment losses and reversal of impairment for financial assets other than receivables are recognized in other gains and losses.

(v)
De-recognition of financial assets

The Company derecognizes financial assets when the contractual rights of the cash inflow from the asset are terminated, or when the Company transfers substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership of the financial assets to another entity.

On de-recognition of a financial asset in its entirety, the difference between the carrying amount and the sum of the consideration received or receivable and any cumulative gain or loss that had been recognized in other comprehensive income is recognized in profit or loss.

2.
Financial liabilities

The Company classifies financial liabilities into the following categories: convertible bonds, financial liabilities measured at fair value through profit or loss and other financial liabilities.

(i)
Convertible bonds
(ii)

Convertible bonds issued by the Company give bondholders the right to convert bonds into a given number of equity instruments of Lextar at a specific conversion price. The derivatives embedded in the convertible bonds are recognized initially at fair value in financial liabilities measured at fair value through profit or loss. The difference between the par value of the convertible bonds and the fair value of the derivatives is recognized in convertible bonds payable.

Transaction costs that relate to the issue of the convertible bonds are included in the initial carrying amount of the liability component and amortized using the effective interest method.








13

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






(ii)
Financial liabilities measured at fair value through profit or loss

The Company designates financial liabilities in this category as held for trading for the purpose of hedging exposure to foreign exchange and interest rate risks arising from operating and financing activities. When a derivative financial instrument is not effective as a hedge the Company accounts for it as a financial asset or liability measured at fair value through profit or loss. See note 7 for further detail of the Company’s derivative financial instruments.

The Company designates financial liabilities, other than the one mentioned above, as measured at fair value through profit or loss at initial recognition. Attributable transaction costs are recognized in profit or loss as incurred. Financial liabilities in this category are subsequently measured at fair value and changes therein, which takes into account any interest expense, are recognized in profit or loss.

(iii)
Other financial liabilities

Financial liabilities not classified as held for trading, or not designated as measured at fair value through profit or loss (including loans and borrowings, trade and other payables), are measured at fair value, plus any directly attributable transaction cost at the time of initial recognition. Subsequent to initial recognition, they are measured at amortized cost calculated using the effective interest method, except for insignificant recognition of interest expense from short-term borrowings and trade payables. Interest expense not capitalized as an asset cost is recognized in profit or loss.

(iv)
De-recognition of financial liabilities

The Company derecognizes financial liabilities when the contractual obligation has been discharged, cancelled or expired. The difference between the carrying amount and the consideration paid or payable, including any non-cash assets transferred or liabilities assumed is recognized in profit or loss.
(v)
Offsetting of financial assets and liabilities

The Company presents financial assets and liabilities on a net basis when the Company has the legally enforceable rights to offset, and intends to settle such financial assets and liabilities on a net basis or to realize the assets and settle the liabilities simultaneously.

3.
Derivative financial instruments

The Company holds derivative financial instruments to hedge its foreign currency and interest rate exposures. Derivatives are recognized initially at fair value, and attributable transaction costs are recognized in profit or loss as incurred. Subsequent to initial recognition, derivatives are measured at fair value, and changes therein are recognized in profit or loss.

(h)
Inventories

The cost of inventories includes all necessary expenditures and charges for bringing the inventory to a stable, useable and marketable condition and location. Inventories are recorded at cost, and cost is







14

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





determined using the weighted-average method. The production overhead is allocated based on the normal capacity of the production facilities. Inventories are measured at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Net realizable value for raw materials is based on replacement cost. Net realizable value for finished goods and work in process is calculated based on the estimated selling price less all estimated costs of completion and necessary selling costs.

(i)
Investment in associates

Associates are those entities in which the Company has the power to exercise significant influence, but not control or joint control, over their financial and operating policies. Significant influence is presumed to exist when the Company holds between 20% and 50% of the voting power of an investee.

Investments in associates are accounted for using the equity method and are recognized initially at cost. The cost of the investment includes transaction costs. The carrying amount of the investment in associates includes goodwill, which is arising from the acquisition, less any accumulated impairment losses.

The difference between acquisition cost and fair value of associates’ identifiable assets and liabilities as of the acquisition date is accounted for as goodwill. Goodwill is included in the original investment cost of acquired associates and is not amortized. If the fair value of identified assets and liabilities is in excess of acquisition cost, the remaining excess over acquisition cost is recognized as a gain in profit or loss.

Upon the sale of investment in associates, the difference between the selling price and carrying amount of the investment at the date of sale is recognized as a disposal gain or loss. In proportion to the percentage disposed of, other components of equity from the investment resulting from the Company’s proportionate share in the net equity of the investee are recognized in profit or loss.

The consolidated financial statements include the Company’s share of the profit or loss and other comprehensive income of associates, after adjustments to align the accounting policies with those of the Company, from the date that significant influence commences until the date that significant influence ceases.








15

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






The Company discontinues the use of the equity method from the date when the Company ceases to have significant influence over an associate, and then measures the retained interests at fair value at that date. The difference between the carrying amount of the investment at the date the equity method was discontinued and the fair value of the retained interests along with any proceeds from disposing of a part interest in the associate is recognized in profit or loss. Moreover, the Company accounts for all amounts previously recognized in other comprehensive income in relation to that investment on the same basis as would be required if the associate had directly disposed of the related assets or liabilities.

Unrealized profits resulting from the transactions between the Company and associates are eliminated to the extent of the Company’s interest in the associate. Unrealized losses on transactions with associates are eliminated in the same way, except to the extent that the underlying asset is impaired.

When the Company’s share of losses exceeds its interest in an associate, the carrying amount of that interest, including any long-term investments that form part thereof, is reduced to zero, and the recognition of further losses is discontinued except to the extent that the Company has an legal or contractual obligation, or has made payments on behalf of the investee.

(j)
Property, plant and equipment

1.
Recognition and measurement

Items of property, plant and equipment are measured at cost less accumulated depreciation and accumulated impairment losses. Cost includes expenditure that is directly attributed to the acquisition of the asset, any cost directly attributable to bringing the asset to the location and condition necessary for it to be capable of operating in the manner intended by management, the initial estimate of the costs of dismantling and removing the item and restoring the site on which it is located, and any borrowing cost that is eligible for capitalization. The cost of the software is capitalized as part of the equipment if the purchase of the software is necessary for the equipment to be capable of operating.

When part of an item of property, plant and equipment with a cost that is significant in relation to the total cost of the item and the useful life or the depreciation method of the significant part is different from another significant part of that same item, it is accounted for as a separate item (significant component) of property, plant and equipment.

The gain or loss arising from the disposal of an item of property, plant and equipment is determined as the difference between the net disposal proceeds, if any, and the carrying amount of the item, and is recognized in other gains and losses.








16

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






2.
Subsequent cost

Subsequent expenditure is capitalized only when it is probable that the future economic benefits associated with the expenditure will flow to the Company and the cost of the item can be measured reliably. The carrying amount of those parts that are replaced is derecognized to profit or loss. Ongoing repairs and maintenance is recognized in profit or loss as incurred.

3.
Depreciation

Excluding land, depreciation is recognized in profit or loss and provided over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets, considering significant components of an individual asset, on a straight-line basis less any residual value. If a component has a useful life that is different from the remainder of that asset, that component is depreciated separately.

Leased assets are depreciated over the shorter of the lease term and their useful lives unless it is reasonably certain that the Company will obtain ownership by the end of the lease term.

The estimated useful lives of the assets, except for land are as follows:

(i)
Buildings: 35 years

(ii)
Machinery and equipment: 3 ~9 years

(iii)
Other equipment: 1 ~ 6 years

Depreciation methods, useful lives, and residual values are reviewed at each annual reporting date and, if necessary, adjusted as appropriate. Any changes therein are accounted for as changes in accounting estimates.

(k)
Long-term prepaid rent

Long-term prepaid rent is for the use right of land (classified as other noncurrent assets), which is amortized over the shorter of economic useful life or covenant period on a straight-line basis.

(l)
Lease

1.
Lessor

Lease income from operating lease is recognized in profit or loss on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Initial direct costs incurred in negotiating and arranging an operating lease is added to the carrying amount of the leased asset and recognized as an expense over the lease term on the same basis as the lease income.








17

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






2.
Lessee

Payments made under operating lease (excluding insurance and maintenance expenses) are recognized in profit or loss on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease.

(m)
Intangible assets

1.
Goodwill

Goodwill is recognized when the purchase price exceeds the fair value of identifiable net assets acquired in a business combination. Goodwill is measured at cost less accumulated impairment losses.

Investor-level goodwill is included in the carrying amounts of the equity investments. The impairment losses for the goodwill within the equity-accounted investees are accounted for as deductions of carrying amounts of investments in equity-accounted investees.


2.
Research & development

During the research phase, activities are carried out to obtain and understand new scientific or technical knowledge. Expenditures during this phase are recognized in profit or loss as incurred.

Expenditure arising from development is capitalized as an intangible asset when the Company demonstrates all of the following: (i) the technical feasibility of completing the intangible asset so that it will be available for use or sale; (ii) its intention to complete the intangible asset and use or sell it; (iii) its ability to use or sell the intangible asset; (iv) the probability that the intangible asset will generate probable future economic benefits; (v) the availability of adequate technical, financial and other resources to complete the development project; and (vi) its ability to measure reliably the expenditure attributable to the intangible asset during its development.

Capitalized development expenditure is measured at cost less accumulated amortization and any accumulated impairment losses.

3.
Other intangible assets

Technology-related fees, including purchased patents and licenses pursuant to patent licensing agreements, and core technologies acquired in connection with a merger are measured at cost less accumulated amortization and any accumulated impairment losses.








18

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






4.
Subsequent expenditure

Subsequent expenditure is capitalized only when it increases the future economic benefits embodied in the specific asset to which it relates. All other expenditure, including expenditure on internally generated goodwill and brands, is recognized in profit or loss as incurred.

5.
Amortization

The depreciable amount of an intangible asset is the cost less its residual value.  An intangible asset with a finite useful life is amortized over 3 to 12 years using the straight-line method from the date that the asset is made available for use.

Goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite useful life are not amortized but tested for impairment annually. The residual value, amortization period, and amortization method are reviewed at least annually at each annual reporting date, and any changes therein are accounted for as changes in accounting estimates.

(n)
Impairment – non-financial assets

Other than inventories, deferred tax assets and assets arising from employee benefits, non-financial assets are reviewed at the reporting date to determine whether there is any indication of impairment. Goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite useful lives or that are not yet available for use, are required to be tested for impairment at least annually. When there is an indication of impairment exists for the aforementioned assets, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated. If it is not possible to estimate the recoverable amount of an individual asset, the Company estimates the recoverable amount of the cash-generating unit (“CGU”) to which the asset has been allocated to.

In performing an impairment test for the aforementioned assets, the estimated recoverable amount is evaluated in terms of an asset or a CGU. Recoverable amount is defined as the higher of (a) an asset’s or a CGU’s fair value less costs to dispose (if determinable), or (b) its “value in use”, which is defined as the present value of the expected future cash flows generated by the asset or CGU. Any excess of the carrying amount of the asset or its related CGU over its recoverable amount is recognized as an impairment loss. Goodwill acquired in a business combination is allocated to CGUs that are expected to benefit from the synergies of the combination. Impairment losses recognized in respect of a CGU are allocated first to reduce the carrying amount of any goodwill allocated to the unit, then the carrying amounts of the other assets in the unit on a pro rata basis.
If there is evidence that the accumulated impairment loss of an asset other than goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite useful lives in prior years no longer exists or has diminished, the amount previously recognized as an impairment loss is reversed, and the carrying amount of the asset or CGU is increased to the revised estimate of its recoverable amount. The increase in the carrying amount shall not exceed the carrying amount (net of depreciation or amortization) had no impairment loss been recognized for the asset in prior years. The impairment loss recognized on goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite useful lives is not reversed.

(o)
Provisions

A provision is recognized for a legal or constructive obligation arising from a past event, if there is probable outflow of resources and the amount can be estimated reliably. Provisions are determined by







19

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





discounting the expected future cash flows at a pre-tax rate that reflects the current market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the liability. The unwinding of the discount is recognized as interest expense.

(p)
Treasury stock

Repurchased shares are recognized under treasury shares (a contra-equity account) based on their repurchase price (including all directly accountable costs), net of tax. Gains on disposal of treasury shares should be recognized under “capital reserve – treasury share transactions”. Losses on disposal of treasury shares should be offset against existing capital reserves arising from similar types of treasury shares. If there are insufficient capital reserves to be offset against, then such losses should be accounted for under retained earnings. The carrying amount of treasury shares should be calculated using the weighted average of different types of repurchases.

During the cancellation of treasury shares, “capital reserve – share premiums” and “share capital” should be debited proportionately. Gains on cancellation of treasury shares should be recognized under existing capital reserves arising from similar types of treasury shares; Losses on cancellation of treasury shares should be offset against existing capital reserves arising from similar types of treasury shares. If there are insufficient capital reserves to be offset against, then such losses should be accounted for under retained earnings.

(q)
Revenue recognition

1.
Goods sold

Revenue from the sale of goods in the course of ordinary activities is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable, net of returns, trade discounts and volume rebates. Revenue is recognized when the significant risks and rewards of ownership have been transferred to the customer, recovery of the consideration is probable, the associated costs and possible return of goods can be estimated reliably, there is no continuing management involvement with the goods, and the amount of revenue can be measured reliably. If it is probable that discounts will be granted and the amount can be measured reliably, then the discount is recognized as a reduction of revenue as the sales are recognized.

The timing of the transfers of risks and rewards varies depending on the individual terms of the sales agreement.








20

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






2.
Government grants

Government grants without additional conditions are recognized as other income when it is receivable.

Other government grants with additional conditions shall be recognized as deferred income or deduction of book value of government-grant related asset if the Company will fulfill the conditions. If the government grant is to compensate the Company’s expenses, it shall be recognized as other income; if the government grant is to compensate the acquisition cost of asset, it shall be recognized in profit or loss during the useful life of the asset.

(r)
Employee benefits

1.
Defined contribution plans

Obligations for contributions to defined contribution pension plans are recognized as an employee benefit expense in profit or loss in the periods during which services are rendered by employees.


2.
Defined benefit plans

The Company’s net obligation in respect of defined benefit pension plans is calculated separately for each benefit plan by estimating the amount of future benefit that employees have earned in the current and prior periods, discounting that amount and deducting the fair value of any plan assets. Discount rate is determined by reference to the yield rate of Taiwan government bonds at the reporting date. The calculation of defined benefit obligations is performed annually by a qualified actuary using the Projected Unit Credit Method.

Actuarial gains and losses arising from defined benefit plans are recognized in other comprehensive income in the period in which they occur, and which then are reflected in retained earnings and will not be reclassified to profit or loss.

3.
Short-term employee benefits

Short-term employee benefit obligations, which are due to be settled within twelve months are measured on an undiscounted basis and are expensed as the related service is provided.

The expected cost of cash bonus or profit-sharing plans are recognized as a liability when the Company has a present legal or constructive obligation to pay this amount as a result of past service provided by the employee, and the obligation can be estimated reliably.








21

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






(s)
Share-based payment transactions

The compensation cost of employee share-based payment transactions is measured based on the fair value at the date on which they are granted. The compensation cost is recognized, together with a corresponding increase in equity, over the periods in which the performance and/or service conditions are being fulfilled. The cumulative expense recognized for share-based payment transactions at each reporting date reflects the extent to which the vesting period has passed and the Company’s estimate of the quantity of equity instruments that will ultimately vest.

(t)
Borrowing cost

Borrowing costs which can be allocated to the purchasing, constructing and manufacturing of certain asset shall be capitalized during the period required in completing the asset. Other borrowing costs are recognized as expenses. In addition, capitalization of borrowing costs will cease when the activities aimed to complete the asset come to an end.

Investment income from loans unused shall be recognized as a deduction of capitalized borrowing costs.

(u)
Income taxes

Income tax expense comprises current and deferred taxes.

1.
Current income taxes

Current taxes comprises the expected tax payable or receivable on the taxable income or losses for the year and any adjustments to tax payable or receivable in respect of previous years. It is measured using tax rates enacted or substantively enacted tax rate at the reporting date.

In accordance with the ROC Income Tax Act, undistributed earnings from the companies located in the Republic of China, if any, is subject to an additional 10% surtax. The 10% tax on unappropriated earnings is recognized during the period the earnings arise and adjusted to the extent that distributions are approved by the stockholders in the following year.

2.
Deferred income taxes

Deferred income taxes are recognized in respect of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. Deferred tax liabilities are recognized for temporary difference of future taxable income. Deferred income taxes are not recognized for:








22

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






(i)
temporary difference on the initial recognition of assets and liabilities in a transaction that is not a business combination and that affects neither taxable profit or loss;

(ii)
temporary differences related to investments in subsidiaries, associates and joint arrangements to the extent the Company is able to control the timing of the reversal of the temporary differences and it is probable that they will not reverse in the foreseeable future; and

(iii)
temporary differences arising on the initial recognition of goodwill.

Deferred tax assets are recognized for unused tax losses, unused tax credits and deductible temporary differences to the extent it is probable that future taxable profits will be available against which they can be utilized. Deferred tax assets are reviewed at each reporting date and reduced to the extent that it is no longer probable that the related tax benefit will be realized.

Deferred income tax is measured at the tax rates that are expected to be applied to temporary differences when they reverse, using tax rates enacted or substantively enacted tax rate on the reporting date. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset only if certain criteria are met.

Current and deferred income taxes are recognized in profit or loss, except for taxes relating to items recognized in other comprehensive income.

(v)
Business combination

The Company accounts for business combinations using the acquisition method. The consideration transferred in the acquisition is measured at fair value, as are identifiable net assets acquired. Goodwill is measured as the excess of the aggregate of the consideration transferred and the amount of any non-controlling interests in the acquiree over the net identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed. If the fair value of the net assets acquired is in excess of the aggregate consideration transferred, after reassessing all of the assets acquired and all of the liabilities assumed being properly identified, the difference is recognized in profit or loss as a gain on bargain purchase.

Acquisition-related costs are expensed as incurred, except that the costs are related to the issue of debt or equity securities.








23

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






(w)
Earnings per share

Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing profit or loss attributable to the stockholders of Lextar by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Lextar’s convertible bonds and employee stock bonuses are potential common shares. In computing diluted earnings per share, profit or loss attributable to the stockholders of Lextar and the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period are adjusted for the effects of dilutive potential common stock, assuming dilutive share equivalents had been issued. The weighted-average outstanding shares are retroactively adjusted for the effects of stock dividends transferred from retained earnings and capital surplus to common stock.

(x)
Operating segments and geographic information

The Company’s chief operating decision maker only receives consolidated financial statements. Consequently, management has determined that the Company has no operating segments as that term is defined in IFRS 8, Segment Information . Geographic net revenue information is based upon the location of customers placing orders. Geographic non-current asset information is based on the physical location of the assets.

(5)
Use of Judgments and Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with IFRS requires management to make judgments, estimates and assumptions that affect the application of the accounting policies and the reported amount of assets, liabilities, income and expenses. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

Estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed by management on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognized in the period in which the estimates are revised and in any future periods affected.

There have been no critical judgments involved in the consolidated financial statements. There have been no significant risks pertaining to estimates and assumptions which may cause significant adjustments in the following year.

(6)
Cash and Cash Equivalents

 

December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
Cash on hand and demand deposits
$
2,672,124

1,787,570

Time deposits
1,674,004

2,328,612

Bond acquired under repurchase agreement
894,000

1,281,000

 
$
5,240,128

5,397,182

Refer to note 31 for the disclosure of currency risk and sensitivity analysis of the financial assets and liabilities of the Company.








24

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, deposits not qualifying as cash and cash equivalents amounting to $25,861 thousand and $31,861 thousand, respectively, were classified as other current financial assets.

(7)
Derivative Financial Instruments

1.
Derivative Financial Instruments
 

December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
Financial assets measured at fair value through profit or loss-current:
 
 
Forward exchange contracts
$
1,875

206

Redemption rights of bonds payable at the option of the Company or the bondholders (note 17)

 
        34

 
$
1,875

240

Financial liabilities measured at fair value through profit or loss-current:
 
 
Forward exchange contracts
$
15,037

42,351

Foreign exchange swap contracts
5,816

28,639

Redemption rights of bonds payable at the option of the Company or the bondholders (note 17)
 
        29,173

 
        15,185

 
$
50,026

86,175

Refer to note 31 for the disclosure of the Company’s credit, currency and interest rate risks related to financial instruments.

The Company uses derivative financial instruments to hedge exchange risk the Company is exposed to from its operating activities, financing activities and investment activities. The Company held derivative financial instruments not designated as hedging instruments presented as follow:

December 31, 2015
Derivative financial
   Instruments
Nominal amount
___(thousand)__
   Currency
__Maturity date___
 
 
 
 
Forward exchange contracts
USD 58,000
sell USD / buy NTD
2016.1.11~2016.5.10
Forward exchange contracts
USD 1,049
sell USD / buy JPY
2016.1.25~2016.4.25
Forward exchange contracts
EUR 1,480
sell EUR / buy NTD
2016.1.11~2016.4.08
Forward exchange contracts
JPY 62,063
buy JPY / sell NTD
2016.1.25~2016.3.25
Forward exchange contracts
USD 10,000
sell CNY / buy USD
2016.1.26~2016.3.25
Foreign exchange swap
 contracts
USD 31,000
swap in USD/swap out NTD
2016.2.05~2016.4.11








25

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





December 31, 2014
Derivative financial
   Instruments
Nominal amount
___(thousand)__
   Currency
__Maturity date___
 
 
 
 
Forward exchange contracts
USD 28,000
sell USD / buy NTD
2015.1.12~2015.2.10
Forward exchange contracts
USD 1,708
sell USD / buy JPY
2015.1.26~2015.2.25
Forward exchange contracts
JPY 72,198
buy JPY / sell NTD
2015.1.26
Foreign exchange swap
 contracts
USD 36,500
Swap in USD/Swap out NTD
2015.1.12~2015.3.10

(8)
Available-for-sale financial assets – noncurrent

 

December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
Equity securities
$
249,380

313,203

Less:   unrealized losses
(132,459
)
(93,651
)
 
$
116,921

219,552


Available-for-sale securities held by the Company mainly comprised of publicly listed equity shares. If the share price of these securities appreciates or depreciates by 10% at the reporting date, other comprehensive income would increase or decrease $10,672 thousand, $21,955 thousand and $19,269 thousand (Unaudited) for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
Investments in unlisted company stocks held by the Company are measured at amortized cost at year-end, given the range of reasonable fair value estimates is large and the probability for each estimate cannot be reasonably determined; therefore, the Company management had determined that the fair value cannot be measured reliably.

The above financial instruments were not used as collateral as of December 31, 2015 and 2014.

(9)
Accounts Receivable, net (including related and non-related parties)

 

December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
 
Accounts receivable
$
3,841,894

3,600,336
 
Accounts receivable- related parties
1,203,388

1,541,113
 
Other receivables
199,981

35,850
 
Less: allowance for doubtful accounts
(15,792)

(6,136)
 
allowance for sales returns and discounts
(102,804
)
(1,445
)
 
$
5,126,667

5,169,718
 

Accounts receivable (including those of the related parties) arise from in operating activities. Other receivables include restricted bank deposits not accounted for as cash equivalents and receivables from the sales of equipment.







26

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






Aging analysis of notes and accounts receivable, which were past due but not impaired, was as follows:

 

December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
Past due 0~30 days
$
106,271

66,680

Past due 31~60 days
21,897

13,205

Past due 61~90 days
1,114

2,803

Past due over 91 days
10,058

2,480

 
$
139,340

85,168


Based on historical experience and customer credits, the Company believed that the overdue receivables, in which no allowances for uncollectible amounts were set against to, are still deemed recoverable.

The Company recognized impairment loss on notes and accounts receivable using individual and collective assessment methods. The movement in the allowance for notes and accounts receivable and other receivables was as follows:

 
   For the year ended December 31,
 
2015
2014
   2013 (Unaudited)
 
Individually assessed for  
    impairment    
Collectively assessed for  
    impairment    
Individually assessed for  
    impairment    
Collectively assessed for  
    impairment    
Individually assessed for  
    impairment    
Collectively assessed for  
    impairment    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Balance on January 1
$
500

5,636
62,444

17,557
4,093
1,700
Acquired in business combination
 
 
 
 
73,092
38,953
Recognized (reversal) of impairment loss
(500)

10,156
14,915

(11,921)
(14,741)
(23,096)
Write-off
        -   

        -     
(76,859
)
             -     
        -   
        -     
Balance on December 31

 
$     -    


 
        15,792

 
        500


 
        5,636

 
        62,444

 
        17,557

(10)
Inventories

 

December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
Raw materials
$
194,989

180,029

Work in progress
1,386,291

1,375,414

Finished goods
1,422,868

1,269,720

 
$
3,004,148

2,825,163









27

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





The charges for inventories written down to net realizable value amounted to $198,533 thousand, $69,012 thousand and $147,941 thousand (Unaudited) for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, which were also included in the cost of sales.

As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, none of the Company’s inventories was pledged as collateral.

(11)
Investments in equity-accounted investees

A summary of the Company’s financial information for equity-accounted investees at the reporting date is as follows:

 

December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
Associates
$
242,381

232,756


There is no practical market value for the investment accounted for using the equity method.

For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, the Company recognized its share of profit (loss) of associates of $10,873 thousand $(12,694) thousand and $(13,997) thousand (Unaudited) , respectively.

(a)
The financial information for investments accounted for using the equity method that are individually insignificant was as follows:


December 31,
   2015
December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
Carrying amount of individually insignificant associates’ equity

$     844,568
   
   652,553

(b)
The aggregate amount of the Company’s share of its associates was as follows:

 
2015
2014
2013
(Unaudited)    
 
 
 
 
The Company’s share of profits (loss) of associates
10,873

(12,694
)
(13,997
)
The Company’s share of other comprehensive income



Total
10,873

(12,694
)
(13,997
)

As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company did not provide any investments accounted for using the equity method as collateral for its loans.

(12)
Subsidiaries and non-controlling interest








28

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





(a)
Although the Company is presumed to have disposed certain parts of its subsidiary’s shares, it is still deemed to have control over its subsidiary

Verticil resolved to increase its capital by $25,000 thousand in September 2014. The Company did not subscribe the shares issued, and the percentage of Company’s holding shares of Verticil decreased.

The changes in equity attributable to owners of the parent were as follows:
 
2014
Share portion of Verticil after increment of capital
$
24,573

Share portion of Verticil before increment of capital
19,837

Capital surplus-difference between the consideration and the carrying amount of subsidiaries acquired or disposed of

 
$
    4,736


(b)
Loss of control over subsidiary

The Company sold part of its shares of Verticil, and had lost its control over the financial and operating policies of Verticil in May 2015. Therefore, the assets, liabilities, and other non-controlling interests of Verticil were excluded from the financial statements of the Company. Hence, the Company’s investment in Vercitil was accounted for under available-for-sale financial asset།noncurrent.

(i)
Proceeds received from the transaction of disposal of Verticil shares

The Company sold 2,425 thousand shares of Verticil at a price of $10.5 per share, and the total transaction price was $25,463 thousand.








29

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






(ii)
Loss of control over subsidiary’s assets and liabilities

   Items
   Amounts
Cash and cash equivalents
$
61,441

Accounts receivable and other current assets
58,042

Accounts payable and other current liabilities
(60,979)

Property, plant and equipment (note 13)
4,146

Other non-current assets
1,205

Derecognized net assets
$
63,855


(iii)
Disposal gain recognized due to loss of control over the subsidiary

The fair value of the remaining share interests
$
10,199

Proceeds received
25,463

Non-controlling interests
43,238

Less: net assets derecognized
(63,855
)
 
$
15,045

(iv)
Net cash outflows as a result of derecognition of the subsidiary

Cash and cash equivalents derecognized
$
35,978


(13)
Property, plant and equipment








30

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





 
 
   For the year ended December 31, 2015
 
Balance, Beginning  
   of Year
   Additions
Impairment
 
 
Effect of loss
of control of
 Subsidiary
 

Disposal or
   Write off
Transfer from Construction in progress and
Testing equipment
Effect of
change in
   exchange rate
Balance,  
   End of Year
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cost:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Land
716,511

736


      -
(167,861
)

 
549,386

Buildings
3,999,844

(1,854
)

      -
(55,308
)

100,650
 
4,043,332

Machinery and equipment
11,884,142

90,677


      -
(167,216
)
 
23,534
 
12,235,656

Other equipment
878,819

41,690


(12,635
)
(3,541
)
 
2,564
 
915,604

Construction in progress and testing equipment
194,383

343,767



 
 
2,552
 
127,476

 
17,673,699

475,016


(12,635
)
(393,926
)
 
129,300
 
17,871,454

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Accumulated depreciation and impairment loss:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Land




 

 

Buildings
274,399

117,452



(13,329)
 

5,224
 
383,746

Machinery and equipment
7,248,728

1,855,992

(2,434)


(128,445)
 

6,398
 
8,980,239

Other equipment
703,940

106,763

      -
(8,489)

(2,717)
 

1,028
 
800,525

Construction in progress and testing equipment
 
      1,289
 
      -
      -
 
      -
 
      -
 
      -
 
      52
 
      1,341
 
$
8,228,356

2,080,207

(2,434)

(8,489)

(144,491
)
      -
12,702
 
10,165,851

Net carrying amounts
$
9,445,343

 
 
 
 
 
 
7,705,603









31

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





 
 
   For the year ended December 31, 2014
 
Balance, Beginning  
   of Year (Unaudited)
   Additions




Impairment



Disposal or
   Write off
Transfer from Construction in progress and
   Testing equipment

 
Effect of
change in
   exchange rate
Balance,  
   End of Year
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cost:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Land
$
167,126

549,385





716,511

Buildings
3,219,479

645,749




134,616

3,999,844

Machinery and equipment
11,044,244

215,254


(95,259)

690,486

29,417

11,884,142

Other equipment
805,867

83,828


(2,197)

4,130

(12,809)

878,819

Construction in progress and testing equipment
67,078

 
      828,173
 
      - -
 
      -
 
      (694,616)
 
      (6,252)
 
      194,383
 
$
15,303,794

2,322,389

      -
(97,456
)
      -
144,972

17,673,699

Accumulated depreciation and impairment loss:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Land






      -
Buildings
161,717

105,903




6,779

274,399

Machinery and equipment
5,463,695

1,820,825


(43,944)


8,152

7,248,728

Other equipment
584,246

119,484


(1,304)


1,514

703,940

Construction in progress and testing equipment
 
      -
 
      -
 
      1,213
 
      -
 
      -
 
      76
 
      1,289
 
$
6,209,658

2,046,212

      1,213)
(45,248
)
      -
16,521

8,228,356

Net carrying amounts
$
9,094,136

 
 
 
 
 
9,445,343


As of December 31, 2014, the property, plant and equipment of the Company were pledged as collateral for long-term borrowings; please refer to note 35.

The interest rates applied for the capitalization ranged from 1.92% to 2.88% for the years ended December 31, 2014.

For the amounts of capitalized interest, please refer to note 27.


(14)
Intangible Assets

The cost, amortization and impairment of the intangible assets of the Company for the years ended in December 31, 2015 and 2014 were as follows:








32

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





 
   For the year ended December 31, 2015
 
Balance, Beginning  
    of Year    
   Additions
Balance,  
    End of Year    
Cost:
 
 
 
Customer Relationship
44,153


44,153

Core Technology
19,962


19,962

Patent and royalty
29,950


29,950

Goodwill
8,768


8,768

 
102,833


102,833

Accumulated amortization:
 
 
 
Customer Relationship
44,153


44,153

Core Technology
19,962


19,962

Patent and royalty
20,231

1,099

21,330

Goodwill



 
84,346

1,099

85,445

Net carrying amounts
18,487

 
17,388


 
   For the year ended December 31, 2014
 
Balance, Beginning  
   of Year (Unaudited)
   Additions
Balance,  
   End of Year
Cost:
 
 
 
Customer Relationship
44,153


44,153

Core Technology
19,962


19,962

Patent and royalty
29,950


29,950

Goodwill
8,768


8,768

 
102,833


102,833

 
 
 
 
Accumulated amortization:
 
 
 
Customer Relationship
44,153


44,153

Core Technology
19,962


19,962

Patent and royalty
19,132

1,099

20,231

Goodwill



 
83,247

1,099

84,346

Net carrying amounts
19,586

 
18,487









33

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






Intangible assets comprised of goodwill, customer relationship, and core technology amounting to $72,883 thousand, which were identified through purchase price allocation, and patent and royalty amounting to $17,083 thousand, which was carried over from the book of LightHouse on the merger date March 15, 2010.

Amortization expenses for intangible assets for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 that were recorded as operating expenses and operating cost, respectively, were as follows:

 

   2015

   2014
2013
(Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
Operating cost
$—
Operating expenses
1,099
1,099
7,403

As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company did not provide any aforementioned intangible asset as collaterals.

(15)
Long-term prepayments for rents

The Company signed an agreement with the Ministry of Land and Resources of the People’s Republic of China to acquire the right for the use land for its operating activities. The details were as follows:




   Location


   Period

December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
 
Suzhou Industrial Park Chung Yuan Road
2010~2060
$
61,071

60,046

Suzhou Industrial Park Wei Ting Town
Feng Ting Avenue
2003~2053
40,458

39,914

 
 
$
101,529

99,960


The Company has received a government subsidy which amounted to $270,119 thousand for the land-use right of Suzhou Industrial Park in 2010. The subsidy was recognized as deduction of the acquisition cost of long-term prepayments for rents. It is amortized through its estimated useful life.

(16)
Short-term borrowings

 

December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
Unsecured bank loans
$

924,629

Annual interest rates

1.84%~2.055%


(17)
Convertible bonds payable








34

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





 

December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
Aggregate principal amount
$
3,000,000

3,000,000

Unamortized discount
(136,275
)
(179,857
)
Accumulated converted amount
(977,600
)
(977,500
)
Ending balance of bonds payable
1,886,125

1,842,643

Less : Bonds payable – current


Ending balance of bonds payable – non-current
1,886,125

1,842,643

Embedded derivative component - the value of redemption rights at the option of the Company/bondholders (recorded as current financial assets (liabilities) at fair value through profit or loss)
 
 
First domestic unsecured  convertible bonds
(2
)
34

Second domestic unsecured  convertible bonds
(29,171
)
(15,185
)
Equity component – conversion right (recorded as capital surplus stock option)
197,331

197,340



 

   2015

   2014
2013
(Unaudited)
Embedded derivative component - revaluation profit (loss) on redemption rights at the option of the Company/bondholders (recorded as other gains and losses)
(14,022
)
5,442

 

3,466

Interest expense
43,577

43,091

5,821


The offering information on the unsecured convertible bonds was as follows:








35

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





 
1 st  domestic unsecured
   convertible bonds
2 nd  domestic unsecured
   convertible bonds
 
 
 
Offering amount
$1,000,000 thousand
$2,000,000 thousand
Issue date
August 16, 2012
January 9, 2014
Issuance price
At par value
At par value
Face interest rate
0%
0%
Effective rate
2.167026%
2.34195%
Issue period
August 16, 2012 to August 16, 2017
January 9, 2014 to January 9, 2019
 
 
 
Redemption at the option of the Company
The Company may redeem the bonds at face value with cash or by converting them into stocks at any time after September 16, 2012 if the closing price of the common shares on TWSE on each trading day during a period of 30 consecutive trading dates exceeds at least 30% of the conversion price or if the outstanding balance of the Bonds is less than 10% of the offering amount.
The Company may redeem the bonds at face value with cash or by converting them into stocks at any time after July 9, 2014 if the closing price of the common shares on TWSE on each trading day during a period of 30 consecutive trading dates exceeds at least 30% of the conversion price or if the outstanding balance of the Bonds is less than 10% of the offering amount.
Redemption at the option of the holder
Each holder has the right to require the Company to redeem the holder’s bonds on August 16, 2014 at a redemption price equal to the principal amount of the bonds with a yield-to-maturity of 1% per annum.
Each holder has the right to require the Company to redeem the holder’s bonds on January 9, 2017 at a redemption price equal to the principal amount of the bonds with a yield-to-maturity of 0.5% per annum.
Conversion period
Unless the bonds are in the lock-out period, each Holder of the bonds will have the right at any time during the period from September 17, 2012, to August 6, 2017, to convert their bonds. The Company should deliver the common shares to the Holder within 5 days after accepting the demand for conversion.
Unless the bonds are in the lock-out period, each Holder of the bonds will have the right at any time during the period from February 10, 2014, to December 30, 2018, to convert their bonds. The Company should deliver the common shares to the Holder within 5 days after accepting the demand for conversion.
Conversion price on December 31,2015 (note)
$23.3
$30.08

Note: The conversion price will be subject to adjustment in accordance with the conversion formula when the Company increases its capital or upon the occurrence of certain events involving the convertible bonds payable.

(18)
Long-term borrowings








36

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





 
December 31, 2015
 
Currency
   Rate
Maturity year
   Amounts
Unsecured bank loans
NTD
1.73%~1.8847%
2017
$
1,798,750

Less:current portions
 
 
 
(851,250)
Total
 
 
 
$947,500

 
December 31, 2014
 
Currency
   Rate
Maturity year
   Amounts
Unsecured bank loans
NTD
1.8%~1.943%
2016~2017
$
1,800,000

Less:current portions
 
 
 
(1,250)
Total
 
 
 
$1,798,750

For the collateral for long-term borrowings, please refer to note 35.

(19)
Operating lease

Non-cancellable lease payments as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 were as follows:

 

December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
Less than one year
$
28,516

33,054

Between one and five years
63,194

59,465

Over five years
0
9,266

 
$
91,710

101,785


The Company leased office space and factories under operating leases and had an option to renew the leases.

Rental expense for operating leases amounted to $46,064 thousand, $78,956 thousand and $94,053 thousand (Unaudited) for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

The Company does not participate in the residual value of the land and building. Therefore, lease contracts are considered as operating leases.








37

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






(20)
Employee benefits

(a)
Defined benefit plans

(i)
Recognized assets (liabilities) for defined benefit obligations at the reporting date were as follows:



December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
Present value of the defined benefit obligations
$
(17,794
)
(20,594)

Fair value of plan assets
48,859

47,299

Surplus in the plan
31,065

26,705

Recognized assets for defined benefit obligations
$
31,065

26,705


The Company makes defined benefit plan contributions to the pension fund account with Bank of Taiwan that provides pension for employees upon retirement. Plans (covered by the Labor Standards Law) entitle a retired employee to receive retirement benefits based on years of service and average monthly salary for six months prior to retirement.

(ii)
Movement in net defined benefit asset (liability)

The following table shows a reconciliation for net defined benefit asset (liability) and its components.








38

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





 
   Defined benefit obligation

   Fair value of plan assets
Net defined benefit asset (liability)    
 
2015
2014
2015
2014
2015
2014
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Balance at January 1,
(20,594
)
(23,677
)
47,299

45,251

26,705

21,574

Included in profit or loss
 
 
 
 
 
 
Service cost
(115
)
(199
)


(115
)
(199
)
Interest cost
(463
)
(473
)


(463
)
(473
)
Expected return on plan assets


1,075

802

1,075

802

 
(578
)
(672
)
1,075

802

497

130

Included in OCI
 
 
 
 
 
 
Remeasurement (loss) gain:
 
 
 
 
 
 
Actuarial (loss) gain arising from:
 
 
 
 
 
 
- demographic assumptions
(378
)
48



(378
)
48

- financial assumptions
(2,278
)
918



(2,278
)
918

- experience adjustment
2,651

1,639



2,651

1,639

Return on plan assets excluding interest income


187

296

187

296

 
(5
)
2,605

187

296

182

2,901

Other
 
 
 
 
 
 
Effect of acquisition of subsidiary






Contributions paid by the employer


298

950

298

950

Benefits paid






Curtailment settlement gains
3,383

1,150



3,383

1,150

 
3,383

1,150

298

950

3,681

2,100

Balance at December 31, 2015
(17,794
)
(20,594
)
48,859

47,299

31,065

26,705


(iii)
Plan assets

The Company allocates pension funds in accordance with the Regulations for Revenues, Expenditures, Safeguard and Utilization of the Labor Retirement Fund, and such funds are managed by the Bureau of Labor Funds, Ministry of Labor. With regard to the utilization of the funds, minimum earnings shall be no less than the earnings attainable from two-year time deposits with interest rates offered by local banks.

The Company’s Bank of Taiwan labor pension reserve account balance amounted to $48,859 thousand as of December 31, 2015. For information on the utilization of the labor pension fund assets, including the asset allocation and yield of the fund, please refer to the website of the Bureau of Labor Funds, Ministry of Labor.


(iv)
Defined benefit obligation

A.
Principal actuarial assumptions








39

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





 
   As of December 31,
 

   2015

   2014
 
 
 
Discount rate
1.50
%
2.25
%
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets
1.50
%
1.75
%
Rate of increase in future salary
2.00
%
2.00
%

The expected long-term rate of return is based on the historical rate of return of the portfolio as a whole and not on the sum of the returns on individual asset categories. In addition, at December 31, 2015, the weighted-average duration of the defined benefit obligation was 16 years.

B.
Sensitivity analysis

When measuring the present value of defined benefit obligation, the Company shall make judgments and estimates to determine the relevant actuarial assumptions, including discount rate, employee turnover rate, rate of increase in future salary and etc., at each reporting date. Any changes in the actuarial assumptions may have significant effect on the Company’s defined benefit obligations.








40

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






Reasonably possible changes at December 31, 2015 to one of the relevant actuarial assumptions, holding other assumptions constant, would have affected the defined benefit obligation by the amounts shown below.

 
December 31, 2015
 
Changes in assumptions
 
+0.25%
-0.25%
 
 
 
Discount rate 1.50%
$
(716
)
753
Rate of increase in future salary 2%
748

(714)

 
Expected employee turnover  
    rate 110%
Expected employee turnover  
    rate 90%
 
 
 
Employee turnover rate 2.12%
$
(192
)
195

(b)
Defined contribution plan

Commencing July 1, 2005, pursuant to the ROC Labor Pension Act (the “Act”), employees who elected to participate in the Act or joined the Company after July 1, 2005, are subject to a defined contribution plan under the Act. Under the defined contribution plan, Lextar and subsidiaries located in the ROC contribute monthly at a rate of no less than six percent of an employee’s monthly salary to the employee’s individual pension fund account at the ROC Bureau of Labor Insurance. The Company’s overseas subsidiaries have set up their retirement plans, if necessary, based on their respective local government regulations.

For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, the Company set aside $133,008 thousand, 125,972 thousand and $119,011 thousand (Unaudited) , respectively, of the pension costs under the pension plan to the ROC Bureau of the Labor Insurance.








41

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






(21)
Capital and Other Components of Equity

(a)
Common stock

Reconciliation of shares outstanding for 2015 and 2014 was as follows:
 
 
 

   2015

   2014
 
 
 
(in thousands of shares)
 
 
Balance on January 1
622,830

532,201

Capital increase by cash

83,000

Retirement of treasury stock
(20,000
)

Employee stock options exercised
387

1,343

Conversion of convertible bonds
24

4,956

Retirement of restricted stock
(669
)
(870
)
Issuance of restricted employee stock (note 22)

2,200

Balance on December 31
602,572

622,830


Lextar’s authorized common stock, with par value of $10 per share, both amounted to $7,000,000 thousand as of December 31, 2015 and 2014. The amount of shares includes the employee stock options of 16,000 thousand shares.

Lextar’s issued and outstanding common stock, with par value of $10 per share, respectively, amounted to $6,025,723 thousand and $6,228,300 thousand as of December 31, 2015 and 2014.

In addition, the above mentioned outstanding shares contain 109,250 thousand of private placement shares; 26,250 thousand shares have been offered to the public since August 2014. The application has been effective in October 2014.

In pursuant to a resolution of the stockholders’ meeting held on October 14, 2014, Lextar issued a total of 83,000 thousand shares of common stock in cash through private placement at an issue price of $30 per share on December 1, 2014. The total cash received amounted to $2,490,000 thousand. The related registration procedures were completed.

According to the Securities and Exchange Act, the ordinary shares issued through private placement should be applied to the regulator and then offered to the public three years after the date of delivery (December 18, 2014) before trading in TWSE.

Lextar issued $3,870 thousand and $13,432 thousand new shares of common stock for the exercise of employee stock options in 2015 and 2014, respectively. The related registration procedures were also completed.

As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, employee stock options exercised without registration procedures were 40 thousand shares and 43 thousand shares, respectively. The exercised amounts recorded as capital collected in advance were $412 thousand and $720 thousand, respectively.







42

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






For the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, convertible bonds issued by the Company amounting to $100 thousand and $122,600 thousand, respectively, were converted into 4 thousand shares and 4,785 thousand shares of common stock, respectively. For the 4 thousand shares and 4,764 thousand shares of the converted shares, the related registration procedures were completed. The converted shares which were still in the process of registration procedures were recorded as capital collected in advance, and the carrying value of these shares amounted to $0 thousand and $518 thousand, respectively.

(b)
Capital surplus

Components of capital surplus as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 were as follows:

 

December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
From common stock
$
6,131,320

6,421,797

From merger
360,201

360,201

40,210

43,928

2. From convertible bonds
197,331

197,340

Difference between the consideration and carrying
amount of subsidiaries acquired
12,221

12,221

3. Increase in treasury stock
119,303

      -
From restricted employee stock
112,482

123,109

 
6,973,068

7,158,596


According to the ROC Company Act, capital surplus, including premium from stock issuing and donations received, shall be applied to offset accumulated deficits before it can be used to increase common stock or distribute cash.  Pursuant to the ROC Regulations Governing the Offering and Issuance of Securities by Securities Issuers, the total sum of capital surplus capitalized per annum shall not exceed 10 percent of the paid-in capital.

(c)
Legal reserve

According to the ROC Company Act, 10 percent of the annual earnings after payment of income taxes due and offsetting accumulated deficits, if any, shall be allocated as legal reserve until the accumulated legal reserve equals the issued common stock. When a company incurs no loss, it may, pursuant to a resolution to be adopted by a stockholders' meeting, distribute its legal reserve by issuing new shares or by cash, and only the portion of legal reserve which exceeds 25 percent of the paid-in capital may be distributed.

(d)
Special reserve








43

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





In accordance with Ruling No. 1010012865 issued by the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) on April 6, 2012, a portion of current-period earnings and undistributed prior-period earnings shall be reclassified as special earnings reserve during earnings distribution. The amount to be reclassified should equal the current-period total net reduction of other shareholders’ equity. Similarly, a portion of undistributed prior-period earnings shall be reclassified as special earnings reserve (and is not qualified for earnings distribution) to account for cumulative changes to other shareholders’ equity pertaining to prior periods. Amounts of subsequent reversals pertaining to the net reduction of other shareholders’ equity shall qualify for additional distributions.

(e)
Distribution of earnings and dividend policy

According to Lextar’s articles of incorporation, 10 percent of the annual earnings, after payment of income taxes due and offsetting accumulated deficits, if any, shall be set aside as a legal reserve. In addition, a special reserve in accordance with applicable laws and regulations shall also be set aside. The remaining earnings may be distributed as follows:

(i)
profit sharing to employees: at least 5 percent and not more than 20 percent;
(ii)
remuneration of directors: no more than 1 percent; and
(iii)
all or a portion of the remaining balance shall be distributed as shareholders’ dividends.

Pursuant to relevant laws or regulations or as requested by the local authority, a special reserve equivalent to the total amount of items that are accounted for as deductions to the equity shall be set aside from current earnings, and not distributed. The special reserve shall be made available for appropriation to the extent of reversal of deductions to equity in subsequent periods.

The appropriation of Lextar’s net earnings may be distributed by way of cash dividends, stock dividends, or a combination of cash and stock dividends. The Lextar’s dividend policy is to pay dividends from surplus considering factors such as the Lextar’s current and future investment environment, cash requirements, competitive conditions and capital budget requirements, and taking into account the shareholders’ interest, maintenance of a balanced dividend and the Lextar’s long term financial plan. Earnings distribution is proposed by the board of directors and approved at the stockholders’ meeting. Pursuant to the articles of incorporation, the cash dividend shall not be less than 10 percent of the total dividends.

In accordance with the ROC Company Act amended in May 2015, profit sharing to employees and remuneration to directors will no longer be appropriated from current year distributable earnings. The amendment of Lextar’s articles of incorporation, pursuant to the amendment of the ROC Company Act, was approved in the annual shareholders’ meeting held on June 3, 2016.

Lextar’s appropriations of earnings for 2014 and 2013 had been approved in the shareholders’ meeting held on May 28, 2015 and June 19, 2014. The appropriations and dividends per share were as follows:















44

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






 
For fiscal year 2014
   For fiscal year 2013 (Unaudited)
 
Appropriation
   of earnings
Dividends per share
Appropriation
   of earnings
Dividends per
   share
 
 
 
 
 
Cash dividends to shareholders
566,874

0.91

669,201

1.23924677

Employee bonus
85,031

 
132,241

 
Compensation of directors and supervisors
5,669

 
8,816

 
 
90,700

 
141,057

 

The profit sharing to employees and remuneration were also approved through the shareholders’ meeting. The aforementioned distribution of profit sharing to employees and remuneration to directors for 2014 was consistent with the resolutions of the board of directors’ meeting held on March 10, 2015, and the amount has been charged against earnings of 2014.

Related information would be available on the Market Observation Post System after the convening of the meeting of the stockholders.

(f)
Treasury shares

The related information on treasury share transactions is as follows:
(In Thousands of Shares)
 
   For the year ended December 31, 2015
Reason to Reacquire
Number of
Shares,
Beginning of
   Period
Addition
During the
   Period
Reduction
During the
   Period
 
   Number of
Shares, End of
   Period
 
 
 
 
 
Due to the expiration of the restricted employee stock

669

669


In order to maintain the Company’s credibility and stockholders’ equity

39,970

20,000

19,970









45

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements







 
   For the year ended December 31, 2014
Reason to Reacquire
Number of
Shares,
Beginning of
   Period
Addition
During the
   Period
Reduction
During the
   Period
 
   Number of
Shares, End of
   Period
 
 
 
 
 
Due to the expiration of the restricted employee stock
870
870

Based on the Securities and Exchange Act of the ROC, the number of reacquired shares should not exceed 10% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares, and the total purchase amount should not exceed the sum of the retained earnings, additional paid-in capital in excess of par, and realized capital surplus.

Furthermore, treasury stock cannot be pledged for debts, and it does not carry any shareholder rights until it is transferred.

(22)
Share-based payment

(a)
Employee stock option plans

The related information of employee stock options was as follows:

 
   For the years ended December 31,
 
2015
2014
   2013(Unaudited)
 
 
Number of options (in
thousands)
Weighted-
average exercise price
   (per share)
 
Number of options (in
thousands)
Weighted-
average exercise price
   (per share)
 
Number of options (in
thousands)
Weighted-
average exercise price
   (per share)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Outstanding at January 1
4,847
$25.39
8,214
26.72
8,687
27.00
Options exercised
(384)
17.67
(1,360)
24.75
(385)
10.70
Options expired
(483)
26.14
(2,007)
28.36
(88)
10.70
Outstanding at December 31
3,980
26.04
4,847
25.39
8,214
26.72
Exercisable at December 31
3,140
25.54
2,032
24.66
1,064
10.70

For the years ended December 31, 2015 ,2014 and 2013, the weighted-average exercise price of stock option on the date of exercise was $16.06, $30.63 and $22.45(unaudited) per share, respectively.








46

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the information of employee stock option plans outstanding was as follows:

 

December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
Range of exercise price (NT$)
10.3~26.5
10.3~27.9
Weighted-average expected time remaining until expiration (year)
1
2

As of December 31, 2015, the key terms and conditions related to the grants under employee stock option plan were disclosed as follows:


   Plan

   Grant date
Total number of options issued
(in thousands)
 
Contractual life
 
    of options
 
 
Vesting
 
    Conditions    
 
Exercise price
 
(per share)  
    (Note 2)    
 
 
 
 
 
 
2007 Employee stock option plan
Dec. 28, 2007 (Note 1)
2,500
10 years
Future 4~8 year
$
10.3

 
 
 
 
 
 
2012 Employee stock option plan
Feb. 10, 2012
7,150
5 years
Future 2~4 year
$
27.9


Note 1: Inherited from the business combination with LightHouse on March 15, 2010.
Note 2: The retroactive adjustments of the exercise prices have been processed due to the changes in ordinary shares.

(b)
Fair value of stock options

The fair value of the employee stock options granted by the Company were measured at the dates of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model or Binomial option pricing model. The inputs to the model were as follows:

 
   Plan of 2007
   Plan of 2012
 
 
 
Excise price of stock options (NTD)
11.4
30.5
Expected volatility
8.4%
42.84%
Expected continuing period
10 years
5 years
Risk-free interest rate
1.199%
1.425%
Cash dividend rate
0%
0%








47

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






Expected volatility is based on the weighted average of historical volatility, and it is adjusted when there is additional market information about the volatility. The Company determined the rates during the life of the option, and they are in accordance with the regulations. The expected dividends rate is based on historical experience. Risk-free rate is determined based on government bonds. Service and non-market performance conditions attached to the transactions are not taken into account in determining the fair value.

(c)
Restricted stock

After the stockholders’ meeting on May 12, 2014, the Company decided to issue 2,200 thousand shares of restricted stocks. The restricted stock has been registered with and approved by the Securities and Futures Bureau of the FSC. The restricted stock was granted on May 30, 2014 at 2,200 thousand shares. The fair values on grant date were $27.6 per share.

669 thousand shares and 870 thousand shares of restricted stocks issued have expired for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 due to the resignation of certain employees.

The restricted shares of stock are granted for free. After one year of service in the Company, with the condition that these employees are qualified and will continue to provide service to the Company during the vesting period, the restricted shares will be vested at the ratio mentioned below:

First year of the vesting period: 30%
Second year of the vesting period: 30%
Third year of the vesting period: 40%

The restricted stock is kept by a trust, which is appointed by the Company before it is vested. These shares shall not be sold, pledged, transferred, gifted, or by any other means, disposed to third parties during the custody period. The voting rights of these stockholders are executed by the custodian, and the custodian will act based on the law and regulations. If the shares remain unvested after the vesting period, the Company will cancel the unvested shares thereafter.

(d)
The related employee benefit expenses recognized on employee stock options were $53,317 thousand, $102,592 thousand and $88,581 thousand (Unaudited) for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.








48

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






(23)
Revenue

Consolidated net revenues consisted of the following:

 
   For the years ended December 31,
 
 

   2015

   2014
2013
   (Unaudited)
Sales of Backlight products
$
8,491,532

10,334,617
10,128,068
Sales of Lighting products
5,621,105

4,012,256
3,528,817
Others
117,897
170,264
94,781
 
$14,230,534
14,517,137
13,751,666

Refer to note 37 for geographic and major customer revenue information.

(24)
The Nature of Expenses

(a)
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment

 
   For the years ended December 31,
 

   2015

   2014
2013
   (Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
Recognized in cost of sales
$
1,930,563

1,904,240
1,768,065
Recognized in operating expenses(i)
149,644
141,972
202,820
 
$2,080,207
2,046,212
1,970,885

(b)
Amortization of intangible assets

 
   For the years ended December 31,
 

   2015

   2014
2013
   (Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
Recognized in cost of sales
$
56,862

25,068
10,854
Recognized in operating expenses(i)
20,416
27,429
30,046
 
$77,278
52,497
40,900








49

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






(c)
Employee benefits expenses

 
   For the years ended December 31,
 

   2015

   2014
2013
   (Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
Salaries and wages
$
2,107,565

2,201,815
2,380,395
Labor and health insurances
130,877

144,555
153,995
Retirement benefits
129,128

124,693
119,987
Other employee benefits
64,362
56,830
82,264
 
$2,431,932
2,527,893
2,736,641
Employee benefits expense summarized by function
 
 
 
Recognized in cost of sales
$
1,718,189

1,823,849
2,062,205
Recognized in operating expenses(i)
713,743
704,044
674,436
 
$2,431,932
2,527,893
2,736,641

(i)
Operating expenses are inclusive of selling and distribution expenses, general and administrative expenses and research and development expenses.

(25)
Other Income

 
   For the years ended December 31,
 

   2015

   2014
2013
   (Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
Interest income
$
32,134

40,610
30,233
Gain on bargain purchase
      -
      -
552,561
Gain on right of long-term prepared rent transfer
      -
      -
61,919
Others
43,094
28,445
20,684
 
$75,228
69,055
665,397








50

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






(26)
Other Gains and Losses

 
   For the years ended December 31,
 

   2015

   2014
2013
   (Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
Gain from loss of control of subsidiary
$
15,045

      -
      -
Foreign exchange gains, net
52,913

166,781
121,180
Loss on valuation of financial assets (liabilities), net
(55,861)

(128,181)
(43,540)
Gain (Loss) from disposals of property, plant and equipment
167,090

(3,389)
622
Others
(4,475)
(20,623)
(13,201)
 
$174,712
14,588
65,061

(27)
Finance Costs

 
   For the years ended December 31,
 

   2015

   2014
2013
   (Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
Interest expense
$
87,214

134,466
170,046
Less: Capitalization of interest
        -     
(2,078)
(4,239)
 
$87,214
132,388
165,807

(28)
Income Taxes

The Company cannot file a consolidated tax return under local regulations. Therefore, Lextar and its subsidiaries calculate their income taxes liabilities individually on a stand-alone basis using the enacted tax rates in their respective tax jurisdictions.

(a)
The components of income tax expense (benefit) for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 were as follows:

 
   For the years ended December 31,
 

   2015

   2014
2013
   (Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
Current tax expense (benefit)
$(11,012)
38,584
204,884
Deferred tax expense (benefit)
11,917
53,858
(709)
Income tax expense
$905
92,442
204,175

(b)
For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, there were no income tax recognized in other comprehensive income.







51

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






(c)
Reconciliation of the expected income tax expenses calculated based on the ROC statutory income tax rate compared with the actual income tax expenses as reported in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, was as follows:

 
   For the years ended December 31,
 
 
2015
2014
2013
   (Unaudited)
 
 
   Rate
   Amount
   Rate
   Amount
   Rate
   Amount
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Profit before income taxes
 
$304,398
 
$739,407
 
$
1,084,896
 
Expected income tax expenses
17.00
 %
51,748
17.00
 %
125,699
17.00
 %
184,432
 
Effect of different subsidiaries income tax rate
35.91
 %
109,314
4.70
 %
34,722
(1.290
)%
(14,034)
 
Utilization of previously unrecognized tax loss carryforwards
(7.910
)%
(24,082)
-

-
-

-
 
Utilization of previously unrecognized investment tax credits
(12.380
)%
(37,689)
(5.860
)%
(43,369)
(5.250
)%
(57,000)
 
Nondeductible expenses
1.21
 %
3,668
1.60
 %
11,851
0.84
 %
9,143
 
Recognition of previously unrecognized deferred taxes assets associated with investment in subsidiaries
(18.350
)%
(55,848)
-

      -
-

-
 
Tax-exempt income
(6.580
)%
(20,036)
-

      -
-

-
 
Tax on undistributed retained earnings
8.13
 %
24,767
7.91
 %
58,512
8.28
 %
89,814
 
Adjustment of surtax upon stockholders’ approval of distributions
(19.220
)%
(58,512)
(12.150
)%
(89,814)
(2.090
)%
(22,726)
 
Adjustments to prior years
4.90
 %
14,906
-

      -
-

      -
Others
(2.410
)%
(7,331)
(0.700
)%
(5,159)
1.34
 %
14,546
 
Income tax expenses
 
$905
 
92,442
 
204,175
 
Effective tax rate
0.30
 %
 
12.50
 %
 
18.82
 %
 
 

(d)
The components of deferred tax assets and liabilities were as follows:

 
   Deferred tax assets
   Deferred tax liabilities
   Total
 

December
   31, 2015

December
   31, 2014

December
   31, 2015

December
   31, 2014

December
   31, 2015

December
   31, 2014
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Inventories
$
57,004

49,271
      -
      -
57,004
49,271
 
Foreign investment losses (gains) under the equity method
111,146

129,968
(122,745)
(122,745)
(11,599)
7,223
 
Investment tax credits
      -
5,525
      -
      -
      -
5,525
 
Government grant
36,794

37,866
      -
      -
36,794
37,866
 
Land value increment provision
      -
      -
      -
(17,985)
      -
(17,985)
 
Others
38,275
32,738
(1,428)
(1,428)
36,847
31,310
 
 
$243,219
255,368
(124,173)
(142,158)
119,046
113,210
 
(e)
Changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities were as follows:








52

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





 
January 1, 2014
Recognized
in profit or
   loss
Effect of
exchange rate
   and others
December 31, 2014
Recognized
in profit or
   loss
Effect of
exchange rate
   and others
December 31, 2015
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Investment tax credits
$
42,555

(37,030)

      -
5,525

(5,525)

      -
      -
Inventories
56,782

(7,511)

      -
49,271

7,733

      -
57,004

Foreign investment losses (gains) under the equity method
31,687

(24,464)

      -
7,223

(18,822)

      -
(11,599)

Government grant
35,969

650

1,247

37,866

(840)

(232)

36,794

Land value increment provision
(17,985)

      -
      -
(17,985)

      -
17,985

      -
Others
16,813

14,497

        -     
31,310

5,537

        -     
36,847

 
$
165,821

(53,858
)
1,247

113,210

(11,917
)
17,753

119,046


(f)
Unrecognized deferred tax assets

Deferred tax assets have not been recognized in respect of the following items.

 
December 31,
   2015
December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
Unused investment tax credits
$ -
233,195
Unused tax losses carryforwards
490,408
475,797
 
$490,408
708,992

All unused investment tax credits as of December 31, 2014 expired in 2015. As of December 31, 2015, the expiration dates for abovementioned unrecognized deferred tax assets for unused tax losses carryforwards were as follows:

 
Unused
tax losses
   carryforwards
 
 
Expiration at the year:
 
2016
9,193
2017
17,564
2018
2,696
2019
354
2022
6,128
2023
216
2024
904
2025
23,321
No expiration
448,582
 
508,958








53

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





(g)
Unrecognized deferred tax liabilities

Considering the reinvestment plan and the subsidiary’s future capital expenditure, the Company will not distribute its foreign subsidiary’s earnings and did not recognize the related deferred tax liabilities. As of December 31, 2015, unrecognized deferred tax liabilities amounted to $55,848 thousand.

(h)
Assessments by the tax authorities

As of December 31, 2015, the tax authorities had completed the examination of income tax returns of Lextar through 2013. However, Lextar disagreed with the assessment of income tax returns made by tax authorities for the year 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, so it filed an administrative appeal while paying the contested tax due of $14,906 thousand which has been included in income tax expense in 2015.

(i)
The integrated income tax system

The balance of the imputation credit account of Lextar as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 was $127,918 thousand and $92,598 thousand, respectively.

The estimated and actual creditable ratios for distribution of Lextar’s earnings under Taiwan Financial Reporting Standards of 2015 and 2014 were 16.64% and 14.52%, respectively.
The imputation credit allocated to shareholders is based on its balance as of the date of the dividend distribution. The estimated creditable ratio may change when the actual distribution of the imputation credit is made.

(29)
Earnings per share

(a)
Basic earnings per share for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 were calculated as follows:

 
   For the years ended December 31,
 

   2015

   2014
2013
   (Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
Profit attributable to Lextar’s stockholders
$308,934
661,163
912,475
Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the year: (in thousands)
 
 
 
Issued common shares at beginning of year
622,830
523,401
430,472
Effect of issuance of shares due to merger
 
 
77,758
Effect of retirement of treasury stock due to merger
 
 
(13,262)
Effect of retirement of treasury stock
(8,098)
      -
      
Effect of conversion of convertible bonds payable
23
4,231
17,545
Effect of issuance of employee stock options
340
1,082
350
Effect of issuance of restricted shares
(273)
1,036
      
Effect of capital increase by cash
        -     
7,050
        -    
Weighted-average number of common shares (basic)
614,822
536,800
512,863
Basic earnings per share (NT$)
$0.50
1.23
1.78







54

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements













55

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






(b)
Diluted earnings per share for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 was calculated as follows:

 
   For the years ended December 31,
 

   2015

   2014
2013
   (Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
Profit attributable to Lextar’s shareholders (basic)
$
308,934

661,163
912,475
The interest of convertible bonds payable
419
35,766
4,831
Profit attributable to Lextar’s stockholders (diluted)

 
$
    309,353

 
        696,929

 
        917,306
Weighted-average number of common shares
outstanding during the year (including the effect of dilutive potential common stock): (in thousands)
 
 
 
Weighted-average number of common shares (basic)
614,822

536,800
512,863
Effect of convertible bonds payable
997

61,752
10,306
Effect of employee stock bonus
3,784

4,745
4,781
Effect of restricted shares
4,272

4,601
1,102
Effect of issuance of employee stock options
169
413
1,225
Weighted-average number of common shares (diluted)

 
        624,044

 
        608,311

 
        530,277
Diluted earnings per share (NT$)
$0.50
1.15
1.73

(30)
Financial Instruments

(a)
Fair value and carrying amount

The carrying amount of the Company’s non-derivative financial assets།current, including cash and cash equivalents, receivables/payables (including related parties), other current financial assets, and short-term borrowings, were considered to approximate their fair values due to their short-term nature. Except for aforementioned financial instruments, the carrying amount and fair value of other financial instruments of the Company as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 were as follows:








56

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





 
December 31, 2015
December 31, 2014
 
Carrying  
    Amount    
 
    Fair Value    
Carrying  
    Amount    
 
    Fair Value    
 
 
 
 
 
Financial assets:
 
 
 
 
Available-for-sale financial assets-noncurrent
116,921
116,921
219,552
219,552
Foreign currency forward contracts
1,875
1,875
206
206
Refundable deposits
17,800
17,800
23,800
23,800
 
 
 
 
 
Financial liabilities:
 
 
 
 
Long-term borrowings (including current installments)
1,798,750
1,808,628
1,800,000
1,811,732
Convertible bonds payable
1,886,125
1,943,468
1,842,643
1,906,989
Redemption rights of convertible bonds payable
29,173
29,173
15,185
15,185
Foreign currency forward and swap contracts
20,853
20,853
70,990
70,990

(b)
Valuation techniques and assumptions applied in fair value measurement

The fair values of financial assets and financial liabilities with standard terms and conditions and traded in active markets are determined with reference to quoted market prices. Except the aforementioned, the fair vales of other financial assets and financial liabilities are measured using the generally accepted pricing models based on discounted cash flow analysis.

Descriptions of the valuation methodologies, including the valuation techniques and the input(s) used in the fair value measurements for assets and liabilities are discussed as follows:

The fair values of financial assets which were publicly traded on active markets were determined with reference to quoted market prices.

For derivative financial instruments such as foreign currency forward and swap contracts, fair values are estimated using industry standard valuation models. These models use market-based observable inputs including interest rate curves, foreign exchange rates, and forward and spot prices for currencies to project fair value.

The refundable deposits and guarantee deposits received are based on carrying amount as there is no fixed maturity.

The fair value of long-term borrowings and bonds payable is estimated based on the present value of future discounted cash flows. The discount rate adopted by the Company is the rate of return of a similar financial instrument in the market; the factors include the debtors’ credit rating and the remaining period for principal repayment, etc.








57

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






(c)
Fair value measurements recognized in the consolidated statements of financial position

The Company determines fair value based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability in the principal or most advantageous market. When considering market participant assumptions in fair value measurements, the following fair value hierarchy distinguishes between observable and unobservable inputs, which are categorized in one of the following levels:

(i)
Level 1 inputs: Unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets accessible to the entity at the measurement date.

(ii)
Level 2 inputs: Other than quoted prices included in Level 1, inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.

(iii)
Level 3 inputs: Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability used to measure fair value to the extent that observable inputs are not available, thereby allowing for situations in which there is little, if any, market activity for the asset or liability at the measurement date.
The fair value measurement level of an asset or liability within their fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The Company uses valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs.

Financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis were as follows:

 
   Level 1
   Level 2
   Level 3
   Total
 
 
 
 
 
December 31, 2015
 
 
 
 
Assets:
 
 
 
 
Financial assets measured at fair value through profit or loss
 
$ -
 
-
1,875
1,875
Available-for-sale financial assets
106,722
      -
      -
106,722
Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
Financial liabilities measured at fair value through profit or loss
 
-
 
-
(50,026)
(50,026)
 
 
 
 
 
December 31, 2014
 
 
 
 
Assets:
 
 
 
 
Financial assets measured at fair value through profit or loss
 
$ -
 
-
240
240
Available-for-sale financial assets
219,552
      -
      -
219,552
Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
Financial liabilities measured at fair value through profit or loss
 
-
 
-
(86,175)
(86,175)

There were no transfers between Level 1 and 2 for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014.

(d)
Reconciliation for recurring fair value measurements categorized within Level 3








58

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





Changes in Level 3 fair value measurements for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 were as follows:
 
Forward
   Exchange
Convertible
   Bonds
Available-for-
Sale financial
   Assets
 
 
 
 
 
 
Balance at January 1, 2013 (Unaudited)
$
(3,745
)
(4,625)

      -
Net realized/unrealized gains included in:
 
 
 
Profit or loss (Unaudited)
(44,950)

3,466

      -
Purchases (Unaudited)
25,089

1,493

      -
Disposals (Unaudited)
        -    
        -    
        -    
Balance at December 31, 2013 (Unaudited)
(23,606
)
334

        -    
Net realized/unrealized gains included in:
 
 
 
Profit or loss
(133,623)

5,442

      -
Purchases
86,445

      -
74,022
 
Redemption
        -    
(20,927
)
        -    
Balance at December 31, 2014
(70,784
)
(15,151
)
74,022
 
Net realized/unrealized gains included in:
 
 
 
Profit or loss
(41,904)

(14,022)

      -
Purchases
93,710

      -
      -
Redemption
        -    
        -    
(74,022
)
Balance at December 31, 2015
$
(18,978
)
(29,173
)
        -    

(e)
Description of valuation processes for fair value measurements categorized within Level 3

Fair value measurements of assets and liabilities are determined using various valuation techniques, including the discounted cash flows and other valuation models. As deemed necessary, the Company utilizes the assistance of external experts in performing the valuation and the development of such valuation models, which include the analysis and comparison of model valuation results to market transactions and market data. The Company’s management reviews the policy and procedures of fair value measurements annually, or more frequently as deemed necessary. When a fair value measurement involves one or more significant inputs that are unobservable, the Company monitors the valuation process discreetly and examines whether the inputs are used the most relevant market data available.

The Company holds certain non-publicly listed stocks which are not traded in an active market. The Company reviews the current operating and future expected performance of these private companies based on evaluation of the latest available financial statements, as well as changes in the industry and market prospects based on publicly available information. An improvement (decline) in the operating and future expected performance results in a higher (lower) fair value measurement. Generally, changes in the industry and market prospects are directionally consistent with the changes in operating and future performance of the companies.








59

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






(31)
Financial Risk Management

(a)
Risk management framework

The managerial officers of related divisions are appointed to review, control, trace and monitor the strategic risks, financial risks and operational risks faced by the Company.  The managerial officers report to executive officers the progress of risk controls from time to time and, if necessary, report to the Board of Directors, depending on the extent of impact of risks.

(b)
Financial risk information

Hereinafter discloses information about the Company’s exposure to variable risks, and the goals, policies and procedures of the Company’s risk measurement and risk management. See footnotes to the consolidated financial statements for the quantitative analysis of variable risks.
(i)
Credit risk

Credit risk is the risk of financial loss to the Company if a customer or counterparty to a financial instrument fails to meet its contractual obligations. The Company’s exposures to credit risk are mainly from accounts receivable and cash and cash equivalent investments.

The Company’s potential credit risk is derived primarily from cash in bank, cash equivalent investments and trade receivables. The Company deposits its cash and cash equivalent investments with various reputable financial institutions of high credit quality. The majority of these financial institutions are located in the ROC. The Company also entered into reverse repurchase agreements with securities firms or banks in Taiwan covering government and quasi-government bonds that classified as cash equivalents. There should be no major concerns for the performance capability of trading counterparts. Management performs periodic evaluations of the relative credit standing of these financial institutions and limits the amount of credit exposure with any one institution. Management believes that there is a limited concentration of credit risk in cash and cash equivalent investments.

The majority of the Company’s customers are in high technology industries. Management continuously evaluates and controls the credit quality, credit limit and financial strength of its customers to ensure any overdue receivables are taken necessary procedures. The Company also flexibly makes use of prepayments, accounts receivable factoring and credit insurance as credit enhancement instruments. If necessary, the Company will request collaterals from its customers or invest in credit insurance.

Additionally, on the reporting date, the Company reviews the recoverability of its receivables to provide appropriate valuation allowances. Consequently, management believes there is a limited concentration of its credit risk.

As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the carrying amount of financial assets which represents the maximum amount exposed to credit risk were $10,368,670 thousand and $10,567,140 thousand, respectively.








60

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, the Company’s ten largest customers accounted for 55%, 70% and 78% (Unaudited). There is no other significant concentration of credit risk.

Refer to note 9 for aging analysis of accounts receivable and the movement in the allowance of doubtful accounts receivable.

(ii)
Liquidity risk

Liquidity risk is the risk that the Company will encounter difficulty in meeting the obligations associated with its financial liabilities that are settled by delivering cash or another financial asset due to an economic downturn or unbalanced demand and supply resulting in a significant drop in product prices. The Company’s approach to managing liquidity is to ensure, as far as possible, that it always have sufficient liquidity to meet its liabilities when due, under both normal and stressed conditions.

Liquidity risk of the Company is monitored through its corporate treasury department which tracks the development of the actual cash flow position for the Company and uses input from a number of sources in order to forecast the overall liquidity position both on a short and long term basis. Corporate treasury invests surplus cash in money market deposits with appropriate maturities to ensure sufficient liquidity is available to meet liabilities when due, without incurring unacceptable losses or risking damage to the Company’s reputation.

The following are the contractual maturities of other financial liabilities. The amounts include estimated interest payments (except for short-term borrowings) but exclude the impact of netting agreements.








61

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





 
Contractual
   cash flows
1/1/2016
1/1/2017
2019 and~  
thereafter
 
 
 
 
 
December 31, 2015
 
 
 
 
Non-derivative financial liabilities:
 
 
 
 
Short-term and long-term borrowings (including convertible bonds payable)
$
3,852,839

876,568

978,271

1,998,000

Accounts payable
3,315,209

3,315,209

      -
      -
Accrued expense & other current liabilities
986,757

986,757

 
      -
 
      -
Derivative financial liabilities
 
 
 
 
Outflow
3,358,137

3,358,137

      -
      -
Inflow
(3,339,159
)
(3,339,159
)
        -     
        -     
 
$
8,173,783

5,197,512

978,271

1,998,000

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
December 31, 2014
 
 
 
 
Non-derivative financial liabilities:
 
 
 
 
Short-term and long-term borrowings (including convertible bonds payable)
$
4,825,545

971,512

877,447

2,976,586

Accounts payable
3,167,083

3,167,083

      -
      -
Accrued expense & other current liabilities
1,293,924

1,293,924

 
      -
 
      -
Derivative financial liabilities
 
 
 
 
Outflow
2,116,675

2,116,675

      -
      -
Inflow
(2,045,891
)
(2,045,891
)
        -     
        -     
 
$
9,357,336

5,503,303

877,447

2,976,586


The Company is not expecting that the cash flows included in the maturity analysis could occur significantly earlier or at significantly different amounts.

As of December 31, 2015, the Company’s total current assets exceeded its total current liabilities by $8,192,165 thousand. Management believes the Company’s existing unused credit facilities under its existing loan agreements, together with net cash flows expected to be generated from its operating activities, will be sufficient for the Company to fulfill its payment obligations over the next twelve months. Therefore, management believes that the Company does not have significant liquidity risk.

(iii)
Market risk

Market risk is the risk that changes in market prices, such as foreign exchange rates, interest rates and equity prices, which will affect the Company’s income or the value of its holdings of financial instruments. The objective of market risk management is to manage and control market risk exposures within acceptable parameters, while optimizing the return.

The Company buys and sells derivatives, and also incurs financial liabilities, in order to manage market risks. All such transactions are executed in accordance with the Company’s handling procedures for conducting derivative transactions, and also monitored by internal audit department.








62

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






A.
Currency risk

The Company is exposed to currency risk on foreign currency denominated financial assets and liabilities arising from operating, financing and investing activities such that the Company uses forward exchange contracts to hedge its currency risk. Gains and losses derived from the foreign currency fluctuations on underlying assets and liabilities are likely to offset. However, transactions of derivative financial instruments help minimize the impact of foreign currency fluctuations, but the risk cannot be fully eliminated.

The Company periodically examines portions exposed to currency risks for individual asset and liability denominated in foreign currency and uses forward contracts as hedging instruments to hedge positions exposed to risks. The contracts have maturity dates that do not exceed six months, and do not meet the criteria for hedge accounting.

a.
The Company’s significant exposure to foreign currency risk was as follows:

 
Foreign  
   currency  
amounts
Exchange  
    rate    
   NTD
 
 
 
 
December 31, 2015
 
 
 
Financial assets
 
 
 
Monetary items
 
 
 
USD
160,573
33.05
5,306,939
EUR
1,684
36.12
60,831
CNY
9
5.0896
44
Non-monetary items
 
 
 
Forward Exchange Agreement
 
 
 
& Exchange rate SWAP
 
 
 
USD
53
33.05
1,760
JPY
419
0.2743
115
 
 
 
 
Financial liabilities
 
 
 
Monetary items
 
 
 
USD
67,299
33.05
2,224,230
JPY
281,453
0.2743
77,204
Non-monetary items
 
 
 
Forward Exchange Agreement
 
 
 
& Exchange rate SWAP
 
 
 
USD
615
33.05
20,340
EUR
14
36.12
513
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
December 31, 2014
 
 
 







63

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





 
Foreign  
   currency  
amounts
Exchange  
    rate    
   NTD
Financial assets
 
 
 
Monetary items
 
 
 
USD
186,152
31.766
5,913,318
CNY
319
5.1223
1,633
Non-monetary items
 
 
 
Forward Exchange Agreement
 
 
 
& Exchange rate SWAP
 
 
 
USD
6
31.766
206
Financial liabilities
 
 
 
Monetary items
 
 
 
USD
107,261
31.766
3,407,253
JPY
508,305
0.2659
135,159
CNY
19
5.1223
96
Non-monetary items
 
 
 
Forward Exchange Agreement
 
 
 
& Exchange rate SWAP
 
 
 
USD
2,203
31.766
69,980
JPY
3,798
0.2659
1,010

b.
Sensitivity analysis

The Company’s exposure to foreign currency risk arises from the translation of the foreign currency exchange gains and losses on cash and cash equivalents, trade and other receivables, loans and borrowings and trade and other payables that are denominated in foreign currency.

Depreciation or appreciation of the NTD by 1% against the CNY, USD, EUR and the JPY at December 31, 2015 and 2014, while all other variables were remained constant, would have increased or decreased the net profit before tax for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 as follows:


 
   For the years ended December 31,
 

   2015

   2014
 
 
 
1% of depreciation
$
30,664

23,724
1% of appreciation
(30,664)

(23,724)

B.
Interest rate risk








64

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements





The Company’s exposure to changes in interest rates is mainly from floating-rate long-term debt obligations. Any change in interest rates will cause the effective interest rates of long-term borrowings to change and thus cause the future cash flows to fluctuate over time. The Company enters into and designates interest rate swaps as hedges of the variability in cash flows attributable to interest rate risk.

Assuming the amount of floating-rate debts at the end of the reporting period had been outstanding for the entire year and all other variables were remained constant, an increase or a decrease in the interest rate by 0.25% would have resulted in a decrease or an increase in the net profit before tax for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 by $9,099 thousand and $6,820 thousand, respectively.

C.
Equity price risk

See note 8 for disclosure of equity price risk analysis.

(32)
Capital management

Through clear understanding and managing of significant changes in external environment, related industry characteristics, and corporate growth plan, the Company manages its capital to ensure it has sufficient financial resources to maintain proper working capital, to invest in capital expenditures and research and development expenses, to repay debts and to distribute dividends in accordance to its plan. The management determines the most suitable capital in terms of maintaining proper debt ratio. To sustain strong capital base, the Company improves the returns of its shareholders by applying most appropriate debt ratio. The Company’s debt ratios at the end of the reporting periods were as follows:

 

December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
Total liabilities
$
8,417,122

9,453,729

Total liabilities and equity
22,393,838

24,290,276

Debt-to-equity ratio
38
%
39
%

(33)
Investing and financing activities not affecting current cash flow

The Company‘s investing and financing activities, which do not affect the current cash flow, in the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 (Unaudited) were as follows:

(a)
For conversion of convertible bonds to common stocks, please refer to note 17.
(b)
For retirement of treasury stock, please refer to note 21.
(c)
For issuance of restricted stocks to employees, please refer to note 22.

(34)
Related-party transactions

Lextar is the ultimate parent company of the Company’s subsidiaries. All significant inter-company transactions, income, expenses and balances are eliminated in the consolidated financial statements and are not disclosed in the note. The significant related party transactions were as follows:







65

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






(a)
Compensation to executive officers

Executive officers’ compensation comprised of:

 
   For the years ended December 31,
 

   2015

   2014
2013
   (Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
Short-term employee benefits
$
39,755

43,547
50,635
Post-employment benefits
316

324
301
Termination benefits
      -
      -
      -
Employee bonuses
2,229

5,408
4,518
Share-based payments
17,375
30,834
14,560
 
$59,675
80,113
70,014

(b)
Except as disclosed in the consolidated financial statements and other notes, the significant related party transactions were as follows:

1.
Sales

 
 
       Sales    
      Accounts receivable  
       from related parties    
 
   For the years ended December 31,
December 31,
 
2015
2014
2013 (Unaudited)
2015
2014
 
 
 
 
 
 
Entities with significant influence over the Company
$
3,325,018

2,699,452
2,358,812
1,194,187
1,528,981
Associates
9,297

26,375
8,054
      -
11,647
Other related parties
        -     
        -     
6,616
        -     
        -     
 
$3,334,315
2,725,827
2,373,482
1,194,187
1,540,628

The collection terms for sales to related parties were month-end 60 to 120 days. The collection terms for sales to unrelated customers were month-end 60 to 120 days. The pricing and other terms for sales to related parties were not materially different from those with unrelated customers.








66

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






2.
Purchases

 
 
    Purchases    
      Accounts payable  
       to related parties    
 
   For the years ended December 31,
December 31,
 
2015
2014
2013 (Unaudited)
2015
2014
 
 
 
 
 
 
Entities with significant influence over the Company
$
34,838

25,254

5,451

15,861
4,914
Associates
178

6,433

7,052

      -
      -
Other related parties
34,858

        -     
399,697

13,983
        -     
 
$
69,874

31,687

412,200

29,844
4,914

The price of purchase and the OEM to be recognized respectively depend on the products. There were no significant differences between the terms of purchase transactions with related enterprises and those carried out with other normal vendors.

3.
Acquisition and disposal of property, plant and equipment and others

In September 2014, the Company purchased the land and building of a factory located in Zhunan, Miaoli from an entity with significant influence over the Company. The land costs $548,743 thousand, and the building costs $555,652 thousand, resulting in a total amount of $1,104,395 thousand. For the year ended December 31, 2014, the asset transfer procedures have been finished and the total amount have been paid completely. Pricing of the above land and building was based on the valuation report from an external specialist.

On May 13, 2015, the board of directors resolved a plan to dispose of a factory located at No.20 and No.20-1 Guangfu N. Rd., Hukou Township, Hsinchu County, along with its equipment, machinery, and land, to the Company’s related party for a total consideration of $361,019 thousand. The pricing for sales to related parties was determined with reference to the valuation report from an external specialist. The asset transfer procedures have been completed. The net book value of the disposed property, plant and equipment was $208,731 thousand, and a disposal gain of $152,288 thousand was recognized.

For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, rental and other expenses paid to associates and joint ventures were as follows:

 
   For the years ended December 31,
 

   2015

   2014
2013
(Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
Entities with significant influence over the Company

 
$     -     

 
        31,778

 
        45,989








67

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, amounts due to related parties as a result of the aforementioned transactions were as follows:

 

December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
Entities with significant influence over the Company
$32
41,072

(35)
Pledged assets


 
    Pledged assets    


   Object

December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
 
Machinery and equipment
Long-term borrowings
$ -
1,475,269

Other financial assets (classified under other non-current financial assets)
Guarantee for land lease and collateral for provisional attachment


        17,800



        23,800

 
 
$
17,800

1,499,069


(36)
Commitments and contingencies

The significant commitments and contingencies of the Company as of December 31, 2015, in addition to those disclosed in the aforementioned notes to the consolidated financial statements, were as follows:

(a)
The aggregated unpaid amounts of contracts pertaining to the purchase of equipment were as follows:

 
 

December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
 
Acquisition of equipment
NTD
$
695,034

625,693


(b)
The amount of guarantee notes issued of credit as collateral for the bank loans were as follows:

 
 

December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
 
Guarantee notes issued
USD
$
47,700

181,500

Guarantee notes issued
NTD
$
4,300,000

4,700,000


(c)
As of December 31, 2014, the Company provided endorsement guarantee for operation and bank loans amounting to USD73,000 thousand, respectively.







68

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






(d)
Guarantee notes issued for customs were as follows:
 
 

December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
 
Guarantees for customs
CNY
$     -     
13,500


(e)
The Company entered into patent license agreements with Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. According to the agreements, the Company shall pay a certain amount of royalty based on the sales.

(f)
The Company disagreed with the pursuit of assessment on the income tax returns in 2010 and 2011, and requested for a reexamination. The tax effect of the reexamination is $5,065 thousand. Please refer to note 28.

(g)
The Company entered into supply agreements and patent license agreements with Cree Inc. According to the agreements, the Company shall keep a sufficient supply of capacity, and shall pay a certain amount of royalty based on the sales of products authorized.

(37)
Geographic and Other Revenue Information

(a)
Geographic information

The geographic breakdown for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 was as follows:

1.
Net revenue

 
   For the years ended December 31,
 

   2015

   2014
2013
   (Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
China
$
9,205,015

10,297,028
9,771,881
Malaysia
1,558,374

1,607,875
1,261,028
Japan
1,069,946

957,634
601,680
America
623,897

49,201
89,449
Taiwan
427,222

610,255
946,270
Others
1,346,080
995,144
1,081,358
 
$14,230,534
14,517,137
13,751,666








69

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements






2.
Consolidated noncurrent assets

 

December 31,
   2015

December 31,
   2014
 
 
 
Taiwan
$
4,945,595

6,632,337

PRC
3,194,000

3,168,046

 
$
8,139,596

9,800,383


(i)
Noncurrent assets are not inclusive of financial instruments, deferred tax, and pension-related assets.

(b)    Major customer information

For the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, sales to individual customers representing greater than 10% of consolidated net revenue were as follows:

 
   For the years ended December 31
 

   2015

%

   2014

%
2013
(Unaudited)

%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AU Optronics Corp and its subsidiaries
$
2,731,407

19
3,718,585
26
2,358,812
17
OSRAM Company
1,981,016
14
2,252,989
15
2,261,493

17
 
$4,712,423
33
5,971,574
41
4,620,305

34

(38)
Subsequent events

(a)
During the time from January to June in 2016, the Company bought back 20,000 thousand shares as treasury stock, with the average price of $16 per share, amounting to $319,989 thousand.
(b)
On April 19, 2016, the board of directors of the Company approved a resolution to allow the Company to issue 50,000 thousand new shares for restricted employee stock options without charge. The resolution has already been approved in the shareholders’ meeting on June 3, 2016, but has yet to be submitted to the authority. Please refer to the Market Observation Post System for related information.
(c)
The Company entered into a syndicated loan amounting to $3 billion with 7 banks in July 2016. The syndicated loan is led by Bank of Taiwan. As of the report date, the credit line of the syndicated loan has not yet been used.







70

LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements