Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies Update (Notes)

v3.20.1
Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies Update (Notes)
6 Months Ended
Mar. 29, 2020
Basis of Presentation [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies Update Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies Update
Financial Statement Preparation. These condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) for interim financial information and the instructions to Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, the interim financial information includes all normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the results for the interim periods. These condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and should be read in conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended September 29, 2019. Operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of operating results for an entire fiscal year. We operate and report using a 52-53 week fiscal year ending on the last Sunday in September. Each of the three and six months ended March 29, 2020 and March 31, 2019 included 13 weeks and 26 weeks, respectively.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and the disclosure of contingent amounts in our condensed consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.
Recently Adopted Accounting Guidance.
Leases: In February 2016, the FASB issued new accounting guidance related to leases (ASC 842) that outlines a new comprehensive lease accounting model and requires expanded disclosures. Under the new accounting guidance, we are required to recognize right-of-use assets and corresponding lease liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet. We adopted ASC 842 in the first quarter of fiscal 2020 using the modified retrospective approach, with the cumulative effect of initial adoption recorded as an adjustment to our opening condensed consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2019. We elected to not record leases with a term of 12 months or less on our consolidated balance sheet. In addition, we applied the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance, which among other things, does not require reassessment of lease classification upon adoption. Prior period results have not been restated and continue to be reported in accordance with the accounting guidance in effect for those periods (ASC 840).
Upon adoption, we recorded $449 million of operating lease assets in other assets and $500 million of corresponding lease liabilities ($127 million recorded in other current liabilities and $373 million recorded in other liabilities). The difference between the operating lease assets and liabilities of $51 million primarily related to deferred rent liabilities that existed as of the date of adoption. Finance leases were not material for all periods presented. Adoption of the new accounting guidance did not have a material impact on our condensed consolidated statements of operations or cash flows.
Accounting Policy Update.
Leases: As a result of the adoption of ASC 842, we revised our lease accounting policy beginning in fiscal 2020 as follows.
Operating lease assets and liabilities are recognized for leases with lease terms greater than 12 months based on the present value of the future lease payments over the lease term at the commencement date. Operating leases are included in other assets, other current liabilities and other liabilities on our consolidated balance sheet. Our lease terms may include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that we will exercise such option. We account for substantially all lease and related non-lease components together as a single lease component. Operating lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
Recent Accounting Guidance Not Yet Adopted.
Financial Assets: In June 2016, the FASB issued new accounting guidance that changes the accounting for recognizing impairments of financial assets. Under the new accounting guidance, credit losses for financial assets held at amortized cost (such as accounts receivable) will be estimated based on expected losses rather than the current incurred loss impairment model. The new accounting guidance also modifies the impairment model for available-for-sale debt securities. These changes will result in earlier recognition of credit losses, if any. The new accounting guidance generally requires the modified retrospective transition method, with the cumulative effect of applying the new accounting guidance recognized as an adjustment to opening retained earnings in the year of adoption, except for certain financial assets where the prospective transition method is required, such as available-for-sale debt securities for which an other-than-temporary impairment has been recorded. We will adopt the new accounting guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2021, and the impact of this new
accounting guidance will largely depend on the composition and credit quality of our investment portfolio and accounts receivable, as well as economic conditions, at the time of adoption. Based on facts and factors currently known by us, we do not expect the impact of adoption to be material to our consolidated financial statements.
Composition of Certain Financial Statement Items Composition of Certain Financial Statement Items
Inventories (in millions)
March 29,
2020
September 29,
2019
Raw materials $ 101    $ 77   
Work-in-process 802    667   
Finished goods 797    656   
$ 1,700    $ 1,400   
Equity Method and Non-marketable Equity Investments. The carrying values of our equity method and non-marketable equity investments are recorded in other noncurrent assets and were as follows (in millions):
March 29,
2020
September 29,
2019
Equity method investments $ 210    $ 343   
Non-marketable equity investments 726    787   
$ 936    $ 1,130   
The rapid, global spread of the recent coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and associated containment and mitigation measures have negatively impacted the condition of economies and financial markets globally, which has negatively impacted certain companies in which we hold non-marketable equity investments, including those accounted for under the equity method, and to a lesser extent, non-marketable debt securities. Significant evaluation and judgments were required in determining if the negative effects of COVID-19 indicate that such investments were impaired, and if so, the extent of such impairment, in the second quarter of fiscal 2020. This included, among other items: (i) assessing the business impacts that COVID-19 had, and we currently expect to have in the future, on our investees, including taking into consideration the investee’s industry and geographic location and the impact to its customers, suppliers and employees, as applicable, (ii) evaluating the investees’ ability to respond to the impacts of COVID-19, including any significant deterioration in the investee’s financial condition and cash flows, as well as assessing liquidity and/or going concern risks and (iii) considering any appreciation in fair value that has not been recognized in the carrying values of such investments. Based on this evaluation, certain of our investments were impaired and written down to their estimated fair values in the second quarter of fiscal 2020 based on information currently known by us (a significant portion of which related to the full impairment of our investment in OneWeb (an equity method investee) who filed for bankruptcy in the second quarter of fiscal 2020) (Note 7). Although we believe that our judgments supporting our impairment assessments are reasonable (which relies on information reasonably available to us), the COVID-19 pandemic makes it challenging for us and our investees to estimate the future performance of our investees’ businesses. As circumstances change and/or new information becomes available, we may be required to record additional impairments in subsequent periods.
Short-term Debt (in millions)
March 29,
2020
September 29,
2019
Commercial paper $ 499    $ 499   
Current portion of long-term debt 2,000    1,997   
$ 2,499    $ 2,496   
Subsequent to March 29, 2020, we reduced the total amount available for issuance under our unsecured commercial paper program from $5.0 billion to $4.5 billion.
Revolving Credit Facility. We have an Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Facility (Revolving Credit Facility) that provides for unsecured revolving facility loans, swing line loans and letters of credit in an aggregate amount of up to $4.5
billion, which expires on November 8, 2021. At March 29, 2020, no amounts were outstanding under the Revolving Credit Facility.
Long-term Debt. At March 29, 2020 and September 29, 2019, we had outstanding interest rate swaps with an aggregate notional amount of $750 million and $1.8 billion, respectively, related to our May 2015 Notes. During the second quarter of fiscal 2020, we terminated interest rate swaps related to our fixed-rate 3.0% notes due May 20, 2022 resulting in a deferred gain of $19 million, which is being amortized to interest expense over the remaining term of the fixed-rate 3.0% notes due May 20, 2022. At March 29, 2020 and September 29, 2019, the aggregate fair value of our remaining outstanding principal floating- and fixed-rate notes, including the current portion of long-term debt, based on Level 2 inputs, was approximately $16.7 billion and $16.5 billion, respectively.
Revenues. We disaggregate our revenues by segment (Note 6) and type of products and services (as presented on our condensed consolidated statement of operations), as we believe this best depicts how the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of our revenues and cash flows are affected by economic factors. Substantially all of QCT’s (Qualcomm CDMA Technologies) revenues consist of equipment revenues that are recognized at a point in time, and substantially all of QTL’s (Qualcomm Technology Licensing) revenues represent licensing revenues that are recognized over time.
Revenues recognized from performance obligations satisfied (or partially satisfied) in previous periods were $150 million and $398 million for the three months ended March 29, 2020 and March 31, 2019, respectively, and $178 million and $394 million for the six months ended March 29, 2020 and March 31, 2019, respectively, and primarily related to QTL royalty revenues recognized related to devices sold in prior periods, certain customer incentives and revenues related to a development contract with one of our equity method investees.
Unearned revenues (which are considered contract liabilities) consist primarily of license fees for intellectual property with continuing performance obligations. In the six months ended March 29, 2020 and March 31, 2019, we recognized revenues of $307 million and $258 million, respectively, that were recorded as unearned revenues at September 29, 2019 and October 1, 2018, respectively.
Remaining performance obligations, substantially all of which are included in unearned revenues, represent the aggregate amount of the transaction price of certain customer contracts yet to be recognized as revenues as of the end of the reporting period and exclude revenues related to (a) contracts that have an original expected duration of one year or less and (b) sales-based royalties (i.e., future royalty revenues) pursuant to our license agreements. Our remaining performance obligations are primarily comprised of certain customer contracts for which QTL received license fees upfront. At March 29, 2020, we had $1.5 billion of remaining performance obligations, of which $284 million, $511 million, $463 million, $202 million and $50 million was expected to be recognized as revenues for the remainder of fiscal 2020 and each of the subsequent four years from fiscal 2021 through 2024, respectively, and $26 million thereafter.
Other Income, Costs and Expenses. Other income in the three and six months ended March 29, 2020 consisted of a $23 million gain related to a favorable legal settlement.
Other income in the three months ended March 31, 2019 included a $43 million gain due to the partial recovery of a fine imposed in fiscal 2009 resulting from our appeal of the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC), partially offset by $25 million in net restructuring and restructuring-related charges related to our Cost Plan that concluded in fiscal 2019. Other expenses in the six months ended March 31, 2019 included $204 million in net restructuring and restructuring-related charges related to our Cost Plan, partially offset by a $43 million gain due to the partial recovery of a fine we paid to the KFTC and a $31 million gain related to a favorable legal settlement.
Investment and Other (Expense) Income, Net (in millions)
Three Months Ended Six Months Ended
March 29,
2020
March 31,
2019
March 29,
2020
March 31,
2019
Interest and dividend income $ 47    $ 78    $ 107    $ 143   
Net gains (losses) on marketable securities 55      66    (19)  
Net (losses) gains on other investments (12)     36    42   
Net (losses) gains on deferred compensation plan assets (72)   37    (42)   (2)  
Impairment losses on other investments (265)   (60)   (337)   (69)  
Net (losses) gains on derivative investments —    (1)     (9)  
Equity in net losses of investees (6)   (36)   (16)   (58)  
Net gains (losses) on foreign currency transactions   (1)      
$ (247)   $ 28    $ (182)   $ 33