NOTE 8: Concentrations of Credit and Operation Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of investments in debt securities, trade receivables and derivative financial instruments used in hedging activities.

The Company places its investments with high credit quality financial institutions and, by policy, limits the amount of credit exposure with any one financial institution. The Company invests in time deposits and certificates of deposit from banks having combined capital, surplus and undistributed profits of not less than $200 million. At the time an investment is made, investments in commercial paper and money market auction rate securities of industrial firms and financial institutions are rated A1, P1 or better. Investments in tax-exempt securities, including municipal notes and bonds, and corporate bonds that are rated A, A2 or better, and investments in repurchase agreements must have securities of the type and quality listed above as collateral.

The Company believes that concentrations of credit risk with respect to trade receivables are limited because a large number of geographically diverse customers make up the Company's customer base, thus spreading the trade credit risk. Accounts receivable from the Company's top three customers accounted for approximately 15%, 15% and 14% of the total consolidated accounts receivable balance as of December 31, 2011 and 18%, 11%, and 8% of the total consolidated accounts receivable balance as of December 25, 2010. However, the Company does not believe the receivable balance from these customers represents a significant credit risk based on past collection experience. The Company manages its exposure to customer credit risk through credit limits, credit lines, monitoring procedures and credit approvals. Furthermore, the Company performs in-depth credit evaluations of all new customers and, at intervals, for existing customers. From this, the Company may require letters of credit, bank or corporate guarantees or advance payments, if deemed necessary.

The Company's existing derivative financial instruments are with four large international financial institutions of investment grade credit rating. The Company does not believe that there is significant risk of nonperformance by these counterparties because the Company monitors their credit rating on an ongoing basis. By using derivative instruments, the Company is subject to credit and market risk. If a counterparty fails to fulfill its performance obligations under a derivative contract, the Company's credit risk will equal the fair value of the derivative instrument. Generally, when the fair value of a derivative contract is positive, the counterparty owes the Company, thus creating a receivable risk for the Company. Based upon certain factors, including a review of the credit default swap rates for the Company's counterparties, the Company determined its counterparty credit risk to be immaterial. At December 31, 2011, the Company's obligations under the contracts exceed the counterparties' obligations by approximately $2 million.

The Company is dependent on certain equipment and materials from a limited number of suppliers and relies on a limited number of foreign companies to supply the majority of certain types of integrated circuit packages for its internal back-end manufacturing operations. Similarly, certain non-proprietary materials or components such as memory, PCBs, substrates and capacitors used in the manufacture of the Company's graphics products are currently available from only a limited number of sources. Interruption of supply or increased demand in the industry could cause shortages and price increases in various essential materials. If the Company or its third party manufacturing suppliers are unable to procure certain of these materials, or its foundries are unable to procure materials for manufacturing its products, its business would be materially adversely affected.