Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

v3.8.0.1
Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation
Basis of Presentation. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the Company or AMD) have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (U.S. GAAP) for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. The results of operations for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2017 shown in this report are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the full year ending December 30, 2017. In the opinion of the Company’s management, the information contained herein reflects all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the Company’s results of operations, financial position and cash flows. All such adjustments are of a normal, recurring nature. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.
Fiscal Period
The Company uses a 52 or 53 week fiscal year ending on the last Saturday in December. The quarters and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and September 24, 2016 each consisted of 13 weeks and 39 weeks, respectively.
Principles of Consolidation
Principles of Consolidation. The condensed consolidated financial statements include the Company’s accounts and those of its wholly-owned subsidiaries. Upon consolidation, all significant inter-company accounts and transactions are eliminated.
Recently Adopted and Issued Accounting Standards
Recently Adopted Accounting Standards
Goodwill Impairment. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other: Topic 350: Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment (ASU 2017-04), which eliminates step two from the goodwill impairment test. Under the amendments in ASU 2017-04, an entity should recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value; however, the loss recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. ASU 2017-04 is effective for annual and any interim impairment tests performed for periods beginning after December 15, 2019 on a prospective basis, and earlier adoption is permitted for goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates after January 1, 2017. The Company elected to early adopt this accounting standard update in the third quarter of 2017 on a prospective basis. The Company does not expect the standard to have an impact on its consolidated financial statements. The Company expects the adoption of this update to simplify its annual goodwill impairment testing process, by eliminating the need to estimate the implied fair value of a reporting unit’s goodwill, if its respective carrying value exceeds fair value.
Stock Compensation. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718) Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting (ASU 2016-09), which is intended to simplify several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment award transactions. The Company adopted this guidance in the first quarter of 2017 and elected to continue to estimate forfeitures expected to occur to determine the amount of compensation cost to be recognized in each period. In the first quarter of 2017, the Company recorded a $96 million cumulative-effect adjustment in accumulated deficit and an offsetting increase in deferred tax assets for previously unrecognized excess tax benefits that existed as of December 31, 2016. Since substantially all of the Company’s U.S. and foreign deferred tax assets, net of deferred tax liabilities, are subject to a valuation allowance and the realization of these assets is not more likely than not to be achieved, the Company recorded a $96 million valuation allowance against these deferred tax assets with an offsetting adjustment in accumulated deficit. The Company elected to report cash flows related to excess tax benefits as an operating activity on a prospective basis. The presentation requirement for cash flows related to employee taxes paid for withheld shares did not impact the statements of cash flows because such cash flows have historically been presented as a financing activity.
Investments. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-07, Investments – Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323): Simplifying the Transition to the Equity Method of Accounting (ASU 2016-07), which requires the equity method investor to add the cost of acquiring the additional interest in the investee to the current basis of the investor’s previously held interest and adopt the equity method of accounting as of the date the investment qualifies for equity method accounting. The Company adopted this guidance in the first quarter of 2017, and it did not have an impact on its consolidated financial statements.
Inventory. In July 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued ASU No. 2015-11, Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory (ASU 2015-11), which requires entities to measure inventory at the lower of cost or net realizable value. This ASU simplifies the subsequent measurement of inventory by replacing the lower of cost or market test with a lower of cost or net realizable value test. The Company adopted this guidance in the first quarter of 2017, and it did not have an impact on its consolidated financial statements.
Recently Issued Accounting Standards
Derivatives and Hedging. In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815), Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities (ASU 2017-12), which amends and simplifies existing guidance in order to allow companies to more accurately present the economic effects of risk management activities in the financial statements. ASU 2017-12 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods therein with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this new standard on its consolidated financial statements, as well as its planned adoption date.
Although there are several other new accounting pronouncements issued or proposed by the FASB, which the Company has adopted or will adopt, as applicable, the Company does not believe any of these accounting pronouncements has had or will have a material impact on its consolidated financial position or operating results.
Stock Compensation. In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation: Topic 718: Scope of Modification Accounting (ASU 2017-09) to provide clarity and reduce both the (1) diversity in practice and (2) cost and complexity when changing the terms or conditions of share-based payment awards. Under ASU 2017-09, modification accounting is required to be applied unless all of the following are the same immediately before and after the change:
1. The award’s fair value (or calculated value or intrinsic value, if those measurement methods are used).
2. The award’s vesting conditions.
3. The award’s classification as an equity or liability instrument.
ASU 2017-09 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017 on a prospective basis, and early adoption is permitted. The Company has evaluated the impact of its pending adoption of ASU 2017-09 and does not expect that this guidance will have a significant impact on its financial statements.
Income Taxes. In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740), Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory (ASU 2016-16), which requires entities to recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory when the transfer occurs. This amends current GAAP which prohibits recognition of current and deferred income taxes for all types of intra-entity asset transfers until the asset has been sold to an outside party. ASU 2016-16 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods therein with early adoption permitted. Upon adoption, the Company must apply a modified retrospective transition approach through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this new standard on its consolidated financial statements, as well as its planned adoption date.
Statement of Cash Flows. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments (ASU 2016-15), which is intended to reduce the existing diversity in practice in how certain cash receipts and cash payments are classified in the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-15 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years with early adoption permitted, provided that all of the amendments are adopted in the same period. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of its pending adoption of ASU 2016-15 on its consolidated financial statements.
Financial Instruments. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326), Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (ASU 2016-13). The standard changes the methodology for measuring credit losses on financial instruments and the timing of when such losses are recorded. ASU 2016-13 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company is currently evaluating the timing of adoption and impact of ASU 2016-13 on its consolidated financial statements.
Leases. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (ASU 2016-02), which increases transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. Upon adoption, lessees must apply a modified retrospective transition approach for leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of its pending adoption of ASU 2016-02 on its consolidated financial statements. 
Financial Instruments. In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments - Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities (ASU 2016-01), which requires that most equity investments be measured at fair value, with subsequent changes in fair value recognized in net income. The ASU also impacts financial liabilities under the fair value option and the presentation and disclosure requirements for financial instruments. In addition, the FASB clarified guidance related to the valuation allowance assessment when recognizing deferred tax assets resulting from unrealized losses on available-for-sale debt securities. Entities will have to assess the realizability of such deferred tax assets in combination with the entities' other deferred tax assets. ASU 2016-01 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 and for interim periods within that reporting period. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of its pending adoption of ASU 2016-01 on its consolidated financial statements.
Revenue Recognition. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers: Topic 606 (ASU 2014-09), which creates a single source of revenue guidance under U.S. GAAP for all companies in all industries and replaces most existing revenue recognition guidance in U.S. GAAP. Under the new standard, revenue is recognized when a customer obtains control of promised goods or services and is recognized in an amount that reflects the consideration which the entity expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. In addition, the new standard requires disclosure of the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. The FASB has issued several amendments to the new standard, including clarification on accounting for licenses of intellectual property and identifying performance obligations.
The new standard is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The new standard permits companies to early adopt the new standard, but not before annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. The Company will not early adopt the new standard and therefore the new standard will be effective for the Company in the first quarter of its fiscal 2018. 
The guidance permits two methods of adoption: retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented (full retrospective method), or prospectively with the cumulative effect of initially applying the guidance recognized at the date of initial application and providing additional disclosures comparing results to the previous rules in the year of adoption of the new standard (the modified retrospective method or the cumulative catchup method). The Company currently anticipates adopting the standard using the full retrospective method to restate each prior reporting period presented. The Company’s ability to adopt utilizing the full retrospective method is dependent upon system readiness and the completion of its analysis of information necessary to restate prior period financial statements and the Company is progressing toward the adoption of the standard in the first quarter of fiscal 2018. As part of this plan, the Company is implementing changes to its policies, procedures and controls.
The Company currently believes that the most significant impact relates to accelerated revenue recognition for sales to its distributors, whereby revenue is expected to be recognized upon the initial sale to the Company's distributors, instead of the current recognition upon resale by the distributors to the end customers. Additionally, the Company expects the timing and financial statement classification related to the accounting for some combined development and intellectual property licensing arrangements to change. Currently some of these arrangements result in both the reduction to research and development expenses and revenue recognition based on a fair value allocation of the consideration received. Some of these arrangements may result in the classification of the entire amount as revenue under the new revenue guidance. The Company currently expects other revenue streams to remain substantially unchanged.