Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

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Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Description of Business
MaxLinear, Inc. was incorporated in Delaware in September 2003. MaxLinear, Inc., together with its wholly owned subsidiaries, collectively referred to as MaxLinear, or the Company, is a provider of radio-frequency, or RF, analog, digital, and mixed-signal communications system-on-chip solutions for access and connectivity, wired and wireless infrastructure, and industrial and multi-market applications. MaxLinear’s customers include electronics distributors, module makers, original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs, and original design manufacturers, or ODMs, who incorporate the Company’s products in a wide range of electronic devices, including cable DOCSIS broadband modems and gateways, wireline connectivity devices for in-home networking applications, RF transceivers and modems for wireless carrier access and backhaul infrastructure, fiber-optic modules for data center, metro, and long-haul transport networks, video set-top boxes and gateways, hybrid analog and digital televisions, direct broadcast satellite outdoor and indoor units, and power management and interface products used in these and a range of other markets. The Company is a fabless integrated circuit design company whose products integrate all or a substantial portion of a broadband communication system.
Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation
The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of MaxLinear, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP, for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and disclosures required by GAAP for complete financial statements. All intercompany transactions and investments have been eliminated in consolidation.
In the opinion of management, the Company’s unaudited consolidated interim financial statements contain adjustments, including normal recurring accruals necessary to present fairly the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations, comprehensive income (loss), stockholders’ equity, and cash flows.

The consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2019 was derived from the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements at that date. The accompanying unaudited consolidated interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2019 included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, on February 5, 2020, or the Annual Report. Interim results for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020.
Use of Estimates and Significant Risks and Uncertainties
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the unaudited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes to unaudited consolidated financial statements.

In the nine months ended September 30, 2020, the Company’s revenues were impacted by the novel coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, pandemic. In particular, the Company experienced some negative impact to its revenue and gross profits in the first half of 2020 due to several industry-wide dynamics related to COVID-19 including supply constraints as well as customer requests to temporarily delay shipments. Although we have benefited from increased demand for certain of our products from the work-from-home environment in the quarter ended September 30, 2020, heightened volatility and uncertainty in customer demand and the worldwide economy in general has continued, and the Company may experience increased volatility in its sales and revenues in the near future. However, the magnitude of such volatility on the Company’s business and its duration is uncertain and cannot be reasonably estimated at this time.

The Company also believes that its $96.7 million of cash and cash equivalents at September 30, 2020 will be sufficient to fund its projected operating requirements for at least the next twelve months. A material adverse impact from COVID-19 could result in a need to raise additional capital or incur additional indebtedness to fund strategic initiatives or operating activities, particularly if the Company pursues additional acquisitions. The Company’s future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including the Company’s efforts to integrate the acquired WiFi and Broadband assets business and NanoSemi (Note 3), changes in revenue, the expansion of engineering, sales and marketing activities, the timing and extent of expansion into new
territories, the timing of introductions of new products and enhancements to existing products, the continuing market acceptance of the Company’s products and potential material investments in, or acquisitions of, complementary businesses, services or technologies. Additional funds may not be available on terms favorable to the Company or at all. If the Company is unable to raise additional funds when needed, it may not be able to sustain its operations or execute its strategic plans.

The Company is not aware of any specific event or circumstance that would require an update to its estimates or adjustments to the carrying value of its assets and liabilities as of November 5, 2020, the issuance date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Actual results could differ from those estimates, particularly if the Company experiences material impacts from COVID-19.
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Refer to the Company’s Annual Report for a summary of significant accounting policies. On January 1, 2020, the Company adopted ASC Topic 326, Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, or ASC 326, and accordingly, modified its policy on accounting for allowance for doubtful accounts on trade accounts receivable as stated below. As described under “Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements,” section below, the impact of adopting ASC 326 for the Company was not material.
There have been no other significant changes to the Company’s significant accounting policies during the nine months ended September 30, 2020.
During the three months ended September 30, 2020, the Company acquired two businesses (Note 3) that are accounted for as business combinations. In connection with the July 31, 2020 acquisition of the WiFi and Broadband assets business (Note 3), the Company assumed an obligation of $7.9 million of the WiFi and Broadband assets business associated with certain defined benefit retirement plans, including a pension plan. Below are the Company’s accounting policies with respect to business combinations and pension and other defined benefit retirement obligations.
Accounts Receivable
The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and assesses each customer’s credit worthiness. The Company monitors collections and payments from its customers and maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts based upon applying an expected credit loss rate to receivables based on the historical loss rate from similar high risk customers adjusted for current conditions, including any specific customer collection issues identified, and forecasts of economic conditions. Delinquent account balances are written off after management has determined that the likelihood of collection is remote. The allowance for credit losses as of September 30, 2020 and the activity in this account, including the current-period provision for expected credit losses for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, were not material.

Business Combinations
The Company applies the provisions of ASC 805, Business Combinations, in accounting for its acquisitions. It requires the Company to recognize separately from goodwill the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed, at the acquisition date fair values. Goodwill as of the acquisition date is measured as the excess of consideration transferred over the acquisition date fair values of the net assets acquired and the liabilities assumed. While the Company uses its best estimates and assumptions to accurately value assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the acquisition date as well as contingent consideration, where applicable, its estimates are inherently uncertain and subject to refinement. As a result, during the measurement period, which may be up to one year from the acquisition date, the Company records adjustments to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed with the corresponding offset to goodwill. Upon the conclusion of the measurement period or final determination of the values of assets acquired or liabilities assumed, whichever comes first, any subsequent adjustments are recorded to the consolidated statements of operations.

Costs to exit or restructure certain activities of an acquired company or the Company’s internal operations are accounted for as termination and exit costs pursuant to ASC 420, Exit or Disposal Cost Obligations, and are accounted for separately from the business combination. A liability for costs associated with an exit or disposal activity is recognized and measured at its fair value in the consolidated statements of operations in the period in which the liability is incurred. When estimating the fair value of facility restructuring activities, assumptions are applied regarding estimated sub-lease payments to be received, which can differ materially from actual results. This may require the Company to revise its initial estimates which may materially affect the results of operations and financial position in the period the revision is made.
For a given acquisition, the Company may identify certain pre-acquisition contingencies as of the acquisition date and may extend its review and evaluation of these pre-acquisition contingencies throughout the measurement period in order to obtain sufficient information to assess whether the Company includes these contingencies as a part of the fair value estimates of assets acquired and liabilities assumed and, if so, to determine their estimated amounts.

If the Company cannot reasonably determine the fair value of a pre-acquisition contingency (non-income tax related) by the end of the measurement period, which is generally the case given the nature of such matters, the Company will recognize an asset or a liability for such pre-acquisition contingency if: (i) it is probable that an asset existed or a liability had been incurred at the acquisition date and (ii) the amount of the asset or liability can be reasonably estimated. Subsequent to the measurement period, changes in estimates of such contingencies will affect earnings and could have a material effect on the Company's results of operations and financial position.

In addition, uncertain tax positions and tax-related valuation allowances assumed, if any, in connection with a business combination are initially estimated as of the acquisition date. The Company re-evaluates these items quarterly based upon facts and circumstances that existed as of the acquisition date with any adjustments to the preliminary estimates being recorded to goodwill if identified within the measurement period. Subsequent to the end of the measurement period or final determination of the estimated value of the tax allowance or contingency, whichever comes first, changes to these uncertain tax positions and tax related valuation allowances will affect the income tax provision (benefit) in the consolidated statements of operations and could have a material impact on the results of operations and financial position.

Pension and Other Defined Benefit Retirement Obligations
The costs of pension and certain other defined benefit employee retirement benefits are required to be recognized based upon actuarial valuations. The related net retirement benefit obligation is recognized as the excess of the projected benefit obligation over the fair value of the plan assets. In measuring the retirement benefit obligation, the discount rate and long-term rate of salary increase are the most significant assumptions. Retirement benefit costs primarily represent the increase in the actuarial present value of the retirement benefit obligation. The most significant assumptions in determining retirement benefit costs are the discount rate, expected long-term rate of return on plan assets, and long-term rate of salary increase.
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, to replace the incurred loss methodology with an expected credit loss model that requires consideration of a broader range of information to estimate credit losses over the lifetime of the asset, including current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts in addition to historical loss information, to determine expected credit losses. Pooling of assets with similar risk characteristics and the use of a loss model are also required. Also, in April 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-04, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments, to clarify the inclusion of recoveries of trade receivables previously written off when estimating an allowance for credit losses. The amendments in this update are effective for the Company beginning with fiscal year 2020, including interim periods. The adoption of the amendments in this update as of January 1, 2020 did not have a material impact on the Company’s accounts receivable, net and accumulated deficit, as well as its results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The adoption is also not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position and results of operations as of and for the year ending December 31, 2020.
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, to simplify the subsequent measurement of goodwill by eliminating Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. An entity no longer will determine goodwill impairment by calculating the implied fair value of goodwill by assigning the fair value of a reporting unit to all of its assets and liabilities as if the reporting unit had been acquired in a business combination. Instead, under the amendments in this update, an entity should perform its annual, or interim, goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. The Board also eliminated the requirements for any reporting unit with a zero or negative carrying amount to perform a qualitative assessment and, if it fails that qualitative test, to perform Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test. The amendments in this update are effective for the Company beginning with fiscal year 2020, including interim periods. The Company performs its annual goodwill testing as of October 31, or more frequently if there are indicators of impairment. The application of the amendments in this update is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position and results of operations as of and for the year ending December 31, 2020.
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework—
Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement, to improve the fair value measurement reporting of financial instruments. The amendments in this update require, among other things, added disclosure of the range and weighted average of significant unobservable inputs used to develop Level 3 fair value measurements. The amendments in this update eliminate, among other things, disclosure of the reasons for and amounts of transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 for assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis and an entity's valuation processes for Level 3 fair value measurements. The amendments in this update are effective for the Company beginning with fiscal year 2020. Retrospective application is required for all amendments in this update except the added disclosures, which should be applied prospectively. The adoption of the amendments in this update in the quarter ended March 31, 2020 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position and results of operations as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and is also not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position and results of operations as of and for the year ending December 31, 2020.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, Intangibles–Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That is a Service Contract, to provide additional guidance on the accounting for costs of implementing cloud computing arrangements that are service contracts. The amendments in this update require the capitalization of implementation costs during the application development stage of such hosting arrangements and amortization of the expense over the term of the arrangement including any option to extend reasonably certain to be exercised or option to terminate reasonably certain not to be exercised. Capitalized implementation costs and amortization thereof are also required to be classified in the same line item in the statements of financial position, operations and cash flows associated with the hosting service fees. The amendments in this update are effective for the Company beginning with fiscal year 2020. The Company selected prospective application to all implementation costs incurred after the adoption date. The adoption of the amendments in this update did not have a material impact on the Company’s property and equipment, net and results of operations as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and is also not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position and results of operations as of and for the year ending December 31, 2020.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04 Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848)—Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting, that provides optional relief to applying reference rate reform to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions that reference the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), which will be discontinued by the end of 2021. The amendments in this update are effective immediately and may be applied through December 31, 2022. The Company's LIBOR interest rate swap expires in October 2020 and will not be impacted by reference rate reform. Therefore, the adoption of the amendments in this update did not have a material impact on the Company’s accumulated other comprehensive loss or its results of operations as of and for the three months ended June 30, 2020, and is also not expected to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial position and results of operations as of and for the year ending December 31, 2020.

In May 2020, the SEC issued a final rule that amends the financial statement requirements for business acquisitions and related pro forma financial information. The rule modifies the significance tests to replace total assets with aggregate worldwide market value of common equity in the investment test and to include a revenue component in the income test while requiring the use of absolute value to calculate average net income for the last five fiscal years. The rule improves the presentation of pro forma financial information by replacing pro forma adjustments with transaction accounting adjustments and adds the optional disclosure of management’s adjustments related to synergies and dis-synergies. The rule also reduces the number of acquiree annual financial statement periods required to a maximum of the two most recent fiscal years. The final rule is effective for the Company beginning with fiscal year 2021, with early application permitted; all applicable aspects of the rule are required to be applied upon adoption. The Company has early adopted the rule in its filings related to the acquisition of the WiFi and Broadband assets business. The adoption of the rule is not expected to have an impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position and results of operations as of and for the year ending December 31, 2020.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12 Income Taxes (Topic 740)—Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes, to remove certain exceptions and improve consistency of application, including, among other things, requiring that an entity reflect the effect of an enacted change in tax laws or rates in the annual effective tax rate computation in the interim period that includes the enactment date. The amendments in this update will be effective for the Company beginning with fiscal year 2021, with early adoption permitted. Most amendments within the standard are required to be applied on a prospective basis, while certain amendments must be applied on a retrospective or modified retrospective basis. The adoption of
the amendments in this update is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position and results of operations.