Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Segment Information

v3.19.3
Segment Information
12 Months Ended
Sep. 29, 2019
Segment Reporting [Abstract]  
Segment Information Segment Information
We are organized on the basis of products and services and have three reportable segments. We conduct business primarily through our QCT (Qualcomm CDMA Technologies) semiconductor business and our QTL (Qualcomm Technology Licensing) licensing business. QCT develops and supplies integrated circuits and system software based on CDMA, OFDMA and other technologies for use in mobile devices, wireless networks, devices used in the Internet of Things (IoT), broadband gateway equipment, consumer electronic devices and automotive telematics and infotainment systems. QTL grants licenses to use portions of our intellectual property portfolio, which includes certain patent rights essential to and/or useful in the manufacture, sale or use of certain wireless products. Our QSI (Qualcomm Strategic Initiatives) reportable segment makes strategic investments and includes revenues and related costs associated with development contracts with an equity method
investee. We also have nonreportable segments, including Qualcomm Government Technologies or QGOV (formerly Qualcomm Cyber Security Solutions) and other wireless technology and service initiatives.
We evaluate the performance of our segments based on earnings (loss) before income taxes (EBT). Segment EBT includes the allocation of certain corporate expenses to the segments, including depreciation and amortization expense related to unallocated corporate assets. Certain income and charges are not allocated to segments in our management reports because they are not considered in evaluating the segments’ operating performance. Unallocated income and charges include certain interest expense; certain net investment income; certain share-based compensation; and certain research and development expenses, selling, general and administrative expenses and other expenses or income that were deemed to be not directly related to the businesses of the segments. Additionally, unallocated charges include recognition of the step-up of inventories and property, plant and equipment to fair value, amortization of certain intangible assets and certain other acquisition-related charges, third-party acquisition and integration services costs and certain other items, which may include major restructuring and restructuring-related costs, goodwill and long-lived asset impairment charges and litigation settlements and/or damages.
In fiscal 2018, all of the costs ($474 million) related to pre-commercial research and development of 5G (fifth generation) technologies were included in unallocated corporate research and development expenses, whereas similar costs related to the research and development of other technologies, including 3G (third generation) and 4G (fourth generation) technologies, were recorded in the QCT and QTL segments. Beginning in fiscal 2019, all research and development costs associated with 5G technologies were included in segment results. Additionally, beginning in fiscal 2019, certain research and development costs associated with early research and development that were historically included in our QCT segment were allocated to our QTL segment. The net effect of these changes negatively impacted QTL’s EBT by $489 million in fiscal 2019 and positively impacted QCT’s EBT by $160 million in fiscal 2019.
Beginning in fiscal 2019, we combined our Small Cells business, which sells products designed for the implementation of small cells to address the challenge of meeting the increased demand for mobile data, into our QCT segment. Revenues and operating results related to the Small Cells business were included in nonreportable segments through the end of fiscal 2018. Prior period segment information has not been adjusted to conform to the new segment presentation as such adjustments are insignificant.
The table below presents revenues, EBT and total assets for reportable segments (in millions):
 
2019
 
2018
 
2017
Revenues
 
 
 
 
 
QCT
$
14,639

 
$
17,282

 
$
16,479

QTL
4,591

 
5,042

 
6,412

QSI
152

 
100

 
113

Reconciling items
4,891

 
187

 
(746
)
Total
$
24,273

 
$
22,611

 
$
22,258

EBT
 
 
 
 
 
QCT
$
2,143

 
$
2,966

 
$
2,747

QTL
2,954

 
3,404

 
5,142

QSI
344

 
24

 
65

Reconciling items
2,040

 
(6,002
)
 
(4,967
)
Total
$
7,481

 
$
392

 
$
2,987

Assets
 
 
 
 
 
QCT
$
2,307

 
$
3,041

 
$
3,830

QTL
1,541

 
1,472

 
1,735

QSI
1,708

 
1,279

 
1,037

Reconciling items
27,401

 
26,926

 
58,896

Total
$
32,957

 
$
32,718

 
$
65,498


Segment assets are comprised of accounts receivable and inventories for all reportable segments other than QSI. QSI segment assets include certain non-marketable equity instruments, accounts receivable and other investments. QSI assets at
September 29, 2019, September 30, 2018 and September 24, 2017 included $230 million, $283 million and $254 million, respectively, related to investments in equity method investees. Total segment assets differ from total assets on a consolidated basis as a result of unallocated corporate assets primarily comprised of certain cash, cash equivalents, marketable and non-marketable securities, property, plant and equipment, deferred tax assets, goodwill, intangible assets, noncurrent income taxes receivable and assets of nonreportable segments. The net book value of long-lived tangible assets located outside of the United States was $1.4 billion at September 29, 2019, September 30, 2018 and September 24, 2017. The net book values of long-lived tangible assets located in the United States were $1.7 billion, $1.6 billion and $1.8 billion at September 29, 2019, September 30, 2018 and September 24, 2017, respectively.
We report revenues from external customers by country based on the location to which our products or services are delivered, which for QCT is generally the country in which our customers manufacture their products, and for licensing revenues, the invoiced addresses of our licensees. As a result, the revenues by country presented herein are not necessarily indicative of either the country in which the devices containing our products and/or intellectual property are ultimately sold to consumers or the country in which the companies that sell the devices are headquartered. For example, China revenues could include revenues related to shipments of integrated circuits for a company that is headquartered in South Korea but that manufactures devices in China, which devices are then sold to consumers in Europe and/or the United States. Revenues by country were as follows (in millions):
 
2019
 
2018
 
2017
China (including Hong Kong)
$
11,610

 
$
15,149

 
$
14,579

Ireland
2,957

 
1

 

United States
2,774

 
603

 
513

South Korea
2,400

 
3,175

 
3,538

Other foreign
4,532

 
3,683

 
3,628

 
$
24,273

 
$
22,611

 
$
22,258


Reconciling items for revenues and EBT in a previous table were as follows (in millions):
 
2019
 
2018
 
2017
Revenues
 
 
 
 
 
Nonreportable segments
$
168

 
$
287

 
$
311

Reduction to revenues related to BlackBerry arbitration decision

 

 
(962
)
Other unallocated revenues
4,723

 
(100
)
 
(95
)
 
$
4,891

 
$
187


$
(746
)
EBT
 
 
 
 
 
Reduction to revenues related to BlackBerry arbitration decision
$

 
$

 
$
(962
)
Other unallocated revenues
4,723

 
(100
)
 
(95
)
Unallocated cost of revenues
(430
)
 
(486
)
 
(517
)
Unallocated research and development expenses
(989
)
 
(1,154
)
 
(1,056
)
Unallocated selling, general and administrative expenses
(413
)
 
(576
)
 
(647
)
Unallocated other expenses (Note 2)
(414
)
 
(3,135
)
 
(1,742
)
Unallocated interest expense
(619
)
 
(761
)
 
(488
)
Unallocated investment and other income, net
243

 
566

 
913

Nonreportable segments
(61
)
 
(356
)
 
(373
)
 
$
2,040

 
$
(6,002
)
 
$
(4,967
)

Certain revenues (and reduction to revenues) were not allocated to our segments in our management reports because they were not considered in evaluating segment results. Other unallocated revenues in fiscal 2019 were comprised of licensing revenues resulting from the settlement with Apple and its contract manufacturers. Other unallocated revenues in fiscal 2018 and 2017 were comprised of reductions to licensing revenues related to the portions of business arrangements that resolved legal disputes and were not allocated to our QTL segment. In fiscal 2017, we recognized a reduction to revenues related to an arbitration decision and resulting Joint Stipulation Regarding Final Award Agreement entered into with BlackBerry Limited, the substantial impact of which was not allocated to QTL.