Notes to Non-GAAP Financial Measures
To supplement its consolidated financial results presented in accordance with GAAP, Atmel uses non-GAAP financial measures, including non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income per diluted share, which are adjusted from the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures to exclude certain items, as shown above and described below. Management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures reflect an additional and useful way of viewing aspects of Atmel's operations that, when viewed in conjunction with Atmel's GAAP results, provide a more comprehensive understanding of the various factors and trends affecting Atmel's business and operations.
Atmel uses each of these non-GAAP financial measures for internal purposes and believes that these non-GAAP measures provide meaningful supplemental information regarding operational and financial performance. Management uses these non-GAAP measures for strategic and business decision making, internal budgeting, forecasting and resource allocation processes.
Atmel believes that providing these non-GAAP financial measures, in addition to the GAAP financial results, is useful to investors because the non-GAAP financial measures allow investors to see Atmel's results "through the eyes" of management as these non-GAAP financial measures reflect Atmel's internal measurement processes. Management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures enable investors to better assess changes in each key element of Atmel's operating results across different reporting periods on a consistent basis. Thus, management believes that each of these non-GAAP financial measures provides investors with another method for assessing Atmel's operating results in a manner that is focused on the performance of its ongoing operations. In addition, these non-GAAP financial measures facilitate comparisons to Atmel's historical operating results and comparisons to competitors' operating results.
There are limitations in using non-GAAP financial measures because they are not prepared in accordance with GAAP and may be different from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. In addition, non-GAAP financial measures may be limited in value because they exclude certain items that may have a material impact upon Atmel's reported financial results. Management compensates for these limitations by providing investors with reconciliations of the non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. The presentation of non-GAAP financial information is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. The non-GAAP financial measures supplement, and should be viewed in conjunction with, GAAP financial measures. Investors should review the reconciliations of the non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures as provided in above.
As presented in the "Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Net Income" tables above, each of the non-GAAP financial measures excludes one or more of the following items:
-- Stock-based compensation expense.
Stock-based compensation expense relates primarily to equity awards such as stock options and restricted stock units. Stock-based compensation is a non-cash expense that varies in amount from period to period and is dependent on market forces that are often beyond Atmel's control. As a result, management excludes this item from Atmel's internal operating forecasts and models. Management believes that non-GAAP measures adjusted for stock-based compensation provide investors with a basis to measure Atmel's core performance against the performance of other companies without the variability created by stock-based compensation as a result of the variety of equity awards used by other companies and the varying methodologies and assumptions used.
-- Acquisition-related charges.
Acquisition-related charges include: (1) in-process research and development, which relates to projects in process as of the acquisition date that have not reached technological feasibility and are immediately expensed, (2) amortization of intangibles, which include acquired intangibles such as customer relationships, backlog, core developed technology, trade name and non-compete agreement, and (3) contingent compensation expense, which include compensation resulting from the employment retention of certain key employees established in accordance with the terms of the acquisitions. In most cases, these acquisition-related charges are not factored into management's evaluation of potential acquisitions or Atmel's performance after completion of acquisitions, because they are not related to Atmel's core operating performance. In addition, the frequency and amount of such charges can vary significantly based on the size and timing of acquisitions and the maturities of the businesses being acquired. Excluding acquisition-related charges from non-GAAP measures provides investors with a basis to compare Atmel against the performance of other companies without the variability caused by purchase accounting.
-- Charges for (credit from) grant repayments.
Grant repayments primarily relate to contractual obligations to repay incentive amounts recorded in prior periods (including interest) as a result of restructuring activity. Atmel excludes these amounts from non-GAAP financial measures primarily because these costs are not incurred on an on-going basis, consistent with restructuring charges and other non-recurring types of charges included in the consolidated statements of operations.
-- Restructuring charges.
Restructuring charges primarily relate to expenses necessary to make infrastructure-related changes to Atmel's operating costs. Restructuring charges are excluded from non-GAAP financial measures because they are not considered core operating activities and such costs have not historically occurred in each year. Although Atmel has engaged in various restructuring activities in the past, each has been a discrete event based on a unique set of business objectives. Management believes that it is appropriate to exclude restructuring charges from Atmel's non-GAAP financial measures, as it enhances the ability of investors to compare Atmel's period-over-period operating results from continuing operations.
-- Gain on sale of assets.
Atmel recognizes gains resulting from the sale of certain non-strategic business assets that no longer align with Atmel's long-term operating plan. Atmel excludes these items from its non-GAAP financial measures primarily because these gains are one-time in nature and generally not reflective of the ongoing operating performance of Atmel's business and can distort the period-over-period comparison.
-- Income tax effect of non-GAAP financial measures.
Atmel adjusts for the income tax effect resulting from the non-GAAP adjustments as described above.
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