t61714_10k.htm
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-K
Annual
Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of The
Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
For
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007
Commission
file number 000-21129
AWARE,
INC.
(Exact
Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Massachusetts |
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04-2911026
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(State or Other
Jurisdiction of
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(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
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Incorporation or
Organization)
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40 Middlesex Turnpike, Bedford,
Massachusetts 01730
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(Address of
Principal Executive Offices)
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(Zip
Code)
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(781)
276-4000
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(Registrant’s
Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
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Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
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Title of Each
Class |
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Name of Each Exchange on Which
Registered
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Common Stock, par
value $.01 per
share
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The Nasdaq Stock Market
LLC
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Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
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Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in
Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes [ ] No
[X]
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to
Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
Yes
[ ] No [X]
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be
filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the
preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required
to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for
the past 90 days. Yes [X] No
[ ]
Indicate
by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of
Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best
of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements
incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this
Form 10-K. [X]
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of
"accelerated filer and large accelerated filer" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange
Act. (Check one):
Large
Accelerated Filer [ ]
Accelerated Filer [X ]
Non-Accelerated Filer [
]
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule
12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes [ ] No
[X]
As of
June 29, 2007 the aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held
by non-affiliates of the registrant, based on the closing sale price as reported
on the Nasdaq Global Market, was approximately $122,881,039.
The
number of shares outstanding of the registrant’s common stock as of February 5,
2008 was 23,863,708.
DOCUMENTS
INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions
of the registrant’s definitive Proxy Statement to be delivered to shareholders
in connection with the registrant’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on
May 21, 2008 are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report
on Form 10-K.
AWARE,
INC.
FORM
10-K
FOR
THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2007
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
PART
I
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Item
1.
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Business
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3
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Item
1A.
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Risk
Factors
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13
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Item
1B.
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Unresolved
Staff
Comments
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20
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Item
2.
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Properties
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21
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Item
3.
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Legal
Proceedings
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21
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Item
4.
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Submission
of Matters to a Vote of Security
Holders
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21
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PART
II
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Item
5.
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Market
for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer
Purchases of Equity Securities
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22
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Item
6.
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Selected
Financial Data
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25
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Item
7.
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Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations
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26
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Item
7A.
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Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures About Market
Risk
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33
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Item
8.
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Consolidated
Financial Statements and Supplementary
Data
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34
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Item
9.
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Changes
in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial
Disclosure
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52
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Item
9A.
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Controls
and
Procedures
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52
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Item
9B.
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Other
Information
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52
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PART
III
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Item
10.
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Directors,
Executive Officers and Corporate
Governance
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53
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Item
11.
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Executive
Compensation
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53
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Item
12.
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Security
Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related
Stockholder Matters
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53
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Item
13.
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Certain
Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director
Independence
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53
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Item
14.
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Principal
Accountant Fees and Services
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53
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PART
IV
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Item
15.
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Exhibits
and Financial Statement Schedules
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54
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PART
I
ITEM
1. BUSINESS
Company
Overview
We have
been a leading innovator in Digital Subscriber Line (“DSL”) technology for over
a decade. This technology is specified at industry standards bodies
and is used by telephone companies worldwide to deliver high speed data over
their copper telephone networks. Our DSL technology focus is on
asymmetric DSL (“ADSL”) and very high speed DSL (“VDSL”). The newest
standards, known as ADSL2+ and VDSL2 enable data rates high enough for phone
companies to deploy entertainment-quality services such as television, including
Internet Protocol television (“IPTV”) and video-on-demand, and support
high-definition formats such as HDTV.
IPTV
provides phone companies a means to deliver a superior and differentiated TV
service by offering more channel selections, better quality and an improved user
experience with multiple viewing panes and instantaneous channel
switching. IPTV is expected to drive increased demand for the fastest
versions of DSL service over the next several years. In
addition, the ADSL2+ and VDSL2 standards deliver improved immunity against
noise, support for test and diagnostics functionality, data rate adaptability
and means for power consumption reduction. ADSL2+ and VDSL2 are
expected to be increasingly used in worldwide deployments over the next several
years.
We
license silicon intellectual property to semiconductor companies that build
integrated circuits for the DSL industry. Our offerings are based
upon International Telecommunication Union (“ITU”) and other relevant industry
standards. Numerous ADSL standards have been adopted by the ITU since
1999, including G.992.1 ADSL and G.992.2 G.Lite as well as G.992.3 ADSL2 and
G.992.5 ADSL2+ which were adopted by the ITU in 2002 and 2003,
respectively. In 2006, the ITU approved the G.993.2 VDSL2
standard. Our silicon designs support central office as well as
customer premise equipment applications.
We also
sell DSL test and diagnostics hardware and software products to pre-qualify,
monitor and troubleshoot DSL service offered by phone companies. We sell our
products to OEM suppliers of automated test equipment, including manufacturers
of test-heads and handheld testers. We also sell our software
products to telephone companies and network equipment
suppliers. Our hardware products interoperate with existing
central office (“CO”) and customer premises equipment (“CPE”) thereby enabling
connectivity for test and diagnostics applications. We are committed
to maintaining interoperability with new DSL CO and CPE solutions. Our software
products support pre-qualification, provisioning, troubleshooting and
maintenance of DSL networks. As phone companies expand their
DSL offerings to include IPTV, video and triple play services, the need has
increased for improved monitoring and troubleshooting of DSL
networks. Our test and diagnostics products leverage our DSL
technology and our semiconductor customer relationships.
In
addition to our DSL business, we have also been a leading innovator in
biometrics and imaging applications for over a decade. We sell biometrics
software components that are used in government systems
worldwide. Our products address a broad range of functionality
including enrollment of fingerprints and facial images, ID personalization and
reading, and networking. We have broad exposure to biometrics
applications in criminal justice, border control and secure credential
applications through a customer base of OEMs and system
integrators. We also sell to end-users such as government agencies
and enterprises. The biometrics industry has benefited from the
emergence of industry standards and supportive legislation since September 11,
2001. The use of multimodal biometrics and facial images is expected
to be on the rise. In addition, we sell software products for medical
and digital imaging applications based upon industry standards such as JPEG 2000
and JPIP.
We have
research and development activities underway to develop new forms of broadband
and imaging technologies. We play an active role at standards setting
bodies so that we can anticipate and influence changes in industry
requirements.
During
2006 and 2007, approximately 73% and 70%, respectively, of our revenue came from
our DSL business, including the licensing and sale of DSL intellectual property
and DSL test and diagnostic hardware and software products. We
license and sell our DSL intellectual property and test and diagnostic products
worldwide through our direct sales force. The remainder of our
revenue in 2006 and 2007 came from the sale of software tools and software
server products for biometric applications and medical imaging
applications.
We are
headquartered in Bedford, Massachusetts. Our telephone number is
(781) 276-4000, and our website is www.aware.com. Incorporated in
Massachusetts in 1986, we employed 126 people as of December 31,
2007. Our stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Market under the
symbol AWRE.
Our
website provides a link to a third-party website through which our annual,
quarterly and current reports, and amendments to those reports, are available
free of charge. We believe these reports are made available as soon
as reasonably practicable after we electronically file them with, or furnish
them to, the SEC. We do not maintain or provide any information
directly to the third-party website, and we are not responsible for its
accuracy.
Industry
Background
DSL Industry
Background. DSL technology allows telephone companies to offer
high-speed data services and IPTV over their existing telephone
wires. Telephone companies began tests and trials of ADSL technology
in the mid 1990s. Commercial deployment of ADSL services began in
modest volumes in 1999, and since then deployments of ADSL services have grown
dramatically, particularly outside of the United States. According to
announcements by major telephone companies and information compiled by Point
Topic Ltd., a company that provides analysis of broadband access to the
Internet, approximately 41 million, 43 million and 37 million new ADSL
subscribers were added in 2005, 2006, and the first nine months of 2007,
respectively. As of the third quarter of 2007, there were
approximately 222 million global DSL subscribers worldwide, of which
approximately 32 million were in North America; approximately 90 million were in
Europe/Middle East/Africa; approximately 82 million were in the Asia Pacific
region; and the remainder were in Latin America.
In order
to activate DSL service, one end of a telephone wire must be connected to DSL
equipment in a central office or remote location controlled by a telephone
company and the other end must be connected to a device in the customer’s
premises. DSL central office and remote location equipment includes
DSL access multiplexers (“DSLAMs”), next generation digital loop carriers
(“NGDLCs”), and broadband loop carriers (“BLCs”). Devices in the
customer’s premise are known as DSL customer premises equipment (“CPE”) and
include modems, routers and devices that support integrated voice and data,
known as integrated access devices. As the demand for faster
residential broadband service continues to grow, telephone companies are
upgrading their networks to increase the data rates that are delivered to their
residential customers. With higher data rates phone companies can
offer IPTV, video and triple play services. These upgrades require
large financial expenditures and involve the deployment of fiber optic-based
communications to points deeper in the access networks that are closer to
residential customers than today’s central office locations. The
resulting fiber-to-the-node (“FTTN”) networks require that new equipment
platforms be installed at fiber-fed points. These equipment platforms
utilize the existing telephone wire infrastructure and new ADSL2+ or VDSL2
standards to provide increased data rates. As phone companies
deploy higher data rates and video services, they also increasingly look for
improved solutions for testing and maintaining their DSL networks and
services. The DSL test infrastructure can involve dedicated hardware
as well as software components and subsystems. As the size of the DSL
footprint worldwide grows, there is an increased opportunity for DSL test and
diagnostics solutions.
With over
1 billion phone lines installed worldwide, DSL has penetrated less than 22% of
the available market. According to estimates by Infonetics Research
published in November 2007, the DSL chipset market future growth projections are
that:
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Telephone
companies are expected to add 88 million, 79 million, 74 million and 64
million new DSL ports to their networks in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010
respectively.
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Telephone
companies are expected to add 26 million, 37 million, 48 million and 65
million VDSL ports to their networks in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010
respectively.
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DSL
CPE units of 74 million, 71 million, 64 million and 56 million are
expected to sell in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010
respectively.
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VDSL
CPE units of 2.4 million, 5.3 million, 8.7 million and 13.6 million are
expected to sell in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010
respectively.
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ADSL
service now serves a broad global footprint, and it is expected that ADSL
service offerings will increasingly use ADSL2+ technology because it enables
higher data rates and improved functionality.
VDSL
service has been deployed in Japan, Belgium, Switzerland and
Germany. In 2006, Deutsche Telekom commenced a 50 Mbps VDSL2-based
service, the largest VDSL2 deployment in the world-to-date. Korea and
the United States are expected to roll-out VDSL2 networks during
2008.
Equipment
manufacturers are able to purchase DSL chipsets for telephone company equipment
or CPE from a number of suppliers, including Broadcom Corporation (“Broadcom”),
Conexant Systems, Inc. (“Conexant”), Ikanos, Infineon, PMC-Sierra Inc. (“PMC”),
and ST Microelectronics N.V. (“ST”).
Telephone
companies are able to purchase DSL test and diagnostics products from a number
of companies including Spirent, Tollgrade Communications, Inc. (“Tollgrade”),
JDS Uniphase Corporation (“JDS”), Sunrise Communications, Inc. (“Sunrise”),
Fluke Corporation (“Fluke”), and others.
DSL Technology
Background. DSL is a point-to-point technology that connects
the end user to a central location in the telephone company’s network such as a
central office or remote location controlled by the telephone
company. DSL equipment is required at each end of the telephone
line. New ADSL2, ADSL2+ and VDSL2 technologies will enable transmit
speeds between multiple megabits (“Mbps”) and 100 Mbps. Actual
transmission speeds depend on the length and condition of the existing
wire.
An ADSL
system typically divides the bandwidth on a copper wire into three
segments. The first segment is used for plain old telephone service
(“POTS”) or ISDN. The second segment is used to transmit data
“upstream” from the user to a central location in the phone
network. The third segment is used to transmit data to the user (the
“downstream” direction).
The ADSL
industry relies on international standards bodies to specify the technology used
for ADSL services. Standards bodies that contribute specifications
include the American National Standards Institute (“ANSI”), the ITU, the
European Telecommunications Standards Institute (“ETSI”) and other
organizations. The prevalence and influence of industry standards on
the ADSL industry make it similar to other communications and networking
technologies such as Code Division Multiple Access (“CDMA”), Universal Serial
Bus (“USB”), Global System for Mobile telecommunications (“GSM”), Global
Positioning System (“GPS”), Wireless Local Area Networking (“WLAN”), and
chip-connection technology for Dynamic Random Access Memory
(“DRAM”). For the infrastructure and services that use these
technologies, standards and patents play a significant role in the formation of
the commercial landscape.
Full-rate
ADSL was first standardized in 1995 by ANSI as T1.413, and then by the ITU in
1999 as G.992.1. Full-rate ADSL can transmit data at speeds up to 8 Mbps
downstream and up to 640 Kbps upstream.
In 1999,
the ITU also standardized a lower speed version of ADSL, known as G.Lite or
G.992.2. G.Lite can transmit data at speeds up to 1.5 Mbps downstream and up to
512 Kbps upstream without using special filtering equipment required by
full-rate ADSL. G.Lite was intended to make the installation of ADSL
faster and less expensive for telephone companies; however, most ADSL service
offerings today are based on full-rate ADSL.
In 2002,
the ITU approved a new set of ADSL standards known as ADSL2 or G.992.3 and
G.992.4. These standards provide numerous improvements over previous
ADSL standards, including line diagnostics, power management, power down and
power cutback, reduced framing and on-line configuration. In 2003,
the ITU approved ADSL2+ or G.992.5. ADSL2+ builds upon the ADSL2
standard by increasing achievable data rates to speeds up to 24 Mbps upstream on
phone lines as long as 3,000 feet (20 Mbps out to 5,000 feet). While
the signal bandwidth of previous ADSL standards was about 1 MHz, ADSL2+
specifies signals with more than 2 MHz of bandwidth.
ITU
standards for bonded ADSL, G.998.1 and G.998.2, were approved in January
2005. These standards specify multi-pair ADSL bonding technology for
residential and business services. Data rates are increased by a
factor equal to the number of lines that are bonded. For example, if
two pairs are bonded, upstream and downstream data rates are
doubled.
VDSL2 is
the fastest version of DSL. In February 2006, the ITU approved the
G.993.2 VDSL2 standard. This standard supports bandwidths from 8 MHz
to 30 MHz and specifies data rates up to 100 Mbps. VDSL2 supports
multiple profiles, each requiring support for multiple upstream and downstream
bands. VDSL2 also supports the functionality improvements found in
ADSL2 and ADSL2+.
DSL Test and Diagnostics Industry
Background. The ADSL2+ and VDSL2 standards are the first
widely deployed DSL standards to incorporate test functionality for analyzing
and diagnosing DSL networks. As deployments using these technologies
become more pervasive, this functionality will improve phone companies’ ability
to test and diagnose their networks.
As IPTV,
video-based and triple play services become more widely offered through DSL
networks, the need for improved pre-qualification, provisioning and maintenance
is increasing. Television and video services require a higher degree
of reliability and robustness than data services.
Service
assurance solutions have been put in place for telephone companies’ traditional
voice services and initial ADSL deployments. We expect an increased
interest by phone companies for new service assurance solutions for ADSL2+ and
VDSL2 networks and IPTV and video-based services.
Use of
automated test equipment (“ATE”) is a typical means for testing and diagnosing
the DSL lines and services that are offered by telephone companies to consumers
and businesses. The DSL ATE infrastructure typically involves the use
of a centrally located test-head platform. At this location,
information is gathered from the telephone network and used for provisioning or
troubleshooting DSL service.
Information
about the DSL network is also gathered using hand-held testers. The
information gathered in ATE and handhelds is generally made available to
telephone companies’ operations organizations through a complex software
network. This information assists telephone companies in
pre-qualifying, analyzing and diagnosing problems encountered during service
deployment or during operation.
Test and
diagnostics functions are also performed by DSL network equipment (e.g. DSLAMs)
or DSL CPE, though typically to a lesser extent than those performed by
dedicated test equipment.
Leading
suppliers of ATE hardware and software, handheld devices and operations software
include Spirent, Teradyne, Inc. (“Teradyne”), Tollgrade, JDS, Sunrise, Fluke,
and others.
Biometrics Industry
Background. Biometric identification systems have
traditionally used fingerprints as the primary biometric to identify individuals
and continue to be pervasive in government and commercial
applications. These systems gather fingerprints at enrollment
stations and access control locations, and utilize transaction processing
hardware and software and matching systems for identification. The
emergence of digital fingerprint compression and formatting over the last decade
has transformed these systems to electronic systems capable of faster
transaction processing and matching. These electronic systems are
also capable of being upgraded to utilize biometrics other than or in addition
to digital fingerprints, such as iris and facial images.
The
emergence and adoption of industry standards for border control and secure
credential applications has increased the reach and use of biometrics in
security applications. Legislation is driving many government
programs now underway that require the use of biometric information in documents
such as e-passports and personal identification cards. Personal
identity verification (“PIV”) systems are being employed by government agencies
to standardize federal employee and contractor IDs and utilize them to control
access to government facilities and information systems. The National Institute
for Standards and Technology developed the FIPS 201 standard for PIV as mandated
by HSPD-12. Other biometrics applications such as border management,
and upgrades to state and local AFIS systems used for fingerprint enrollments
are also expected to present opportunities for vendors of biometrics products in
the next several years. The use of biometric security systems by
regulated segments of the financial, transportation and healthcare industries
has also increased.
Vendors
of the hardware and/or software component of biometric enrollment stations
include Lockheed Martin Corporation (“Lockheed”), Cross Match Technologies, Inc.
(“Cross Match”), Unisys Corporation (“Unisys”), Science Applications
International Corporation (“SAIC”), L1 Identity Solutions, Inc. (“L1”), Northrop
Grumman Corporation (“Northrop”), and NEC Corporation (“NEC”). Fingerprint
matching and/or biometric transaction management systems are provided by
companies such as Motorola, Inc, (“Motorola”), Sagem Telecommunications
(“Sagem”), NEC, Cogent Communications Group, Inc. (“Cogent”), Identix
Incorporated (which was recently acquired by L1), and numerous system
integrators. As biometric security systems gain acceptance in new areas, the
market opportunity for suppliers of hardware and software solutions is expected
to grow. The biometrics security systems market is also expected to
grow as the use of new biometrics, other than or in addition to fingerprints,
gain favor.
Aware
DSL Intellectual Property
Aware has
been a pioneer of DSL technology since the mid-1990s. We license our
StratiPHY2+™ and StratiPHY3™ silicon intellectual property platforms to
semiconductor companies to manufacture and sell chipsets that are compliant with
the ITU standards for ADSL, ADSL2, ADSL2+, VDSL1 and
VDSL2. StratiPHY2+ supports ADSL2 and ADSL2+ standards for CPE
applications. We have been first to demonstrate bonded ADSL2+ that doubles ADSL
data rates as well as reach-extended ADSL2 that increases the distance over
which phone companies can deliver service by 20% or more. Our
StratiPHY-Bonded™ ADSL2+ platform complies with the ITU G.bond
standard. StratiPHY3 supports ADSL2, ADSL2+, VDSL1 and VDSL2
standards. StratiPHY3 can be configured to run in central office as
well as customer premises equipment mode.
The
StratiPHY2+, StratiPHY-Bonded and StratiPHY3 platforms include patent rights,
copyrighted materials and trade secrets. Copyrighted materials
include digital chip design technology, available in Verilog or VHDL languages,
and software, available in assembly and C-code. We license our
copyrighted materials in source code as well as object code form. We
have also manufactured limited quantities of digital chips using our StratiPHY
designs. StratiPHY2+ and StratiPHY3 chips support all legacy and new
ADSL standards in a single integrated circuit. StratiPHY2+ is
applicable to customer premises solutions and StratiPHY3 is applicable to
central office or customer premises solutions and also supports VDSL and VDSL2
standards.
Customers
develop integrated circuits based upon our technology for fabrication in their
own or third party manufacturing processes. Customers manufacture our
digital chip or integrate our technology into chips that also contain other
functionality. We also offer engineering services to our customers
for the development and support of their chips or chipsets. Our
largest customers for DSL intellectual property have been Infineon, and ADI
prior to the sale of its ADSL business to Ikanos.
Aware
DSL Test and Diagnostics Products
We have
developed test and diagnostics hardware and software products based upon our Dr.
DSL® technology. These products are designed to improve the ability
of service providers to pre-qualify, provision, monitor, and troubleshoot DSL
networks by enabling them to collect important information and diagnose problems
regarding their service offerings. The primary goal of these products is to
reduce the costs associated with service set-up and
maintenance. Specific product features include loop length
measurement, bridged tap measurement, crosstalk disturber detection and
management, subscriber self-installation, and in-home diagnostics.
Customers
use our DSL software products to provision and troubleshoot their networks and
service offerings. Our Dr. DSL software modules perform pre-qualification, fault
detection, line diagnostics and line analysis functionality. Our Dr.
DSL Line Diagnostics Platform is a server-based platform that collects
single-ended line test (SELT), dual-ended line test (“DELT”) and metallic loop
test (“MLT”) data and enables telephone companies to perform analysis and
diagnostics of traditional POTS and traditional and advanced DSL services,
including IPTV and advanced triple play services.
We
primarily sell our Dr. DSL software products to automated test equipment,
outside plant equipment, and DSL network equipment suppliers. We also
sell to telephone companies.
Customers
use our Dr. DSL hardware modules for modem emulation to achieve connectivity
within DSL networks. With these products, customers can interoperate
with a broad array of telephone company DSL equipment as well as DSL
CPE. Our principal hardware products include:
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Modem
Models 150 and 350– Standard-compliant CPE transceiver emulation modems
for ADSL or ADSL2+ networks
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Modem
Models 450 and 550– Standard-compliant transceiver CO and CPE emulation
modems for ADSL/2/2+ and VDSL2 CO and CPE
networks.
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Customer
specific product form factors that incorporate our modules for test head
environments.
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DSL
test and development systems - System-level products for ADSL/2/2+ and
VDSL2 performance and interoperability
testing.
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We
primarily sell our hardware products to OEMs who supply DSL automated test
equipment and DSL handheld testers.
Aware
Biometrics and Imaging Products
Aware has
been a pioneer in the development of wavelet-based image compression technology
since the late 1980s. Aware provides standards-compliant biometrics
software tools that enable integrators, solution providers, and government
agencies to compress, analyze, optimize, format, and transport biometric images
and data according to domestic and international standards. We have
developed software products for biometrics applications that support industry
standards.
Our
biometrics and imaging products address:
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Data
formatting and interchange software components that support NIST, ISO,
INCITS, ICAO, and FIPS 201 standards and enable
interoperability.
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Image
compression software components for fingerprint and facial image
compression such as WSQ and
JPEG2000.
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Biometric
ID cards. Our PIVSuite™ family of software development kits
(SDKs) support registration, identity proofing, ID card personalization
and issuance applications in compliance with FIPS
201. CaptureSuite™ is a family of SDKs for automatic capture
and processing of
fingerprints.
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Image
processing for biometric quality analysis, capture and transaction
processing
applications.
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Networking
software for building and deploying multimodal biometric data workflow
solutions. Our Biometrics Services Platform (BioSPTM)
is a service-oriented platform for biometrics data processing and
integration applications. BioSP supports the collection of biometrics from
a distributed network, and subsequent aggregation, analysis, processing
and integration of this data into larger
systems.
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We sell
our biometrics software products primarily to integrators, OEMs and government
agencies. We supply a broad range of fingerprint and facial biometric
functionality, including enrollment, ID personalization and reading, and
networking. Our solutions address border control and management,
secure credentialing, and fingerprint background check
applications.
We also
sell medical imaging and digital imaging software solutions.
We have a
large number of OEM customers in the biometrics, medical and digital imaging
markets.
Aware
Strategy
We are a
technology innovation company. We promote our technology through
participation in industry standard setting organizations and lead the market in
the development of products that support industry standards. We have
done so for more than ten years in the DSL and biometrics
industries. We sell our products through an OEM business model,
allowing us to expand the reach of our products through the success of our
customers.
Key
elements of our strategy include:
Lead in the development of DSL
standards based technologies. We actively promote our
technology at standards bodies with the goal of including it in new
specifications. The use of technology that is compliant with industry
standards is prevalent in telecommunications applications and in the DSL
industry. Through the standardization of our technology, we believe
that we expand the size of the DSL opportunity for the
company. ADSL2+ and VDSL2 standards are at the center of new DSL
offerings for IPTV, video and triple play services worldwide. We
develop technology supported by industry standards and file patents to protect
our inventions. We have a broad portfolio of intellectual property
assets including trade secrets, copyrights and US and foreign patents and patent
applications.
Develop high performance,
easy-to-use, interoperable, flexible DSL silicon interface
technology. Our StratiPHY platforms support multiple DSL
standards in cost effective intellectual property
offerings. Our StratiPHY technology meets or exceeds industry
performance and functionality requirements. We have established
interoperability agreements with leaders in the DSL equipment and semiconductor
industries to achieve and maintain high
levels of interoperability across multiple vendors’ solutions. We
have also developed chips, reference designs and development platforms to allow
rapid evaluation and testing of our solutions.
Commercialize our intellectual
property. By gaining access to our intellectual property assets, our
customers can leverage our technology and patents, our StratiPHY2+ and
StratiPHY3 developments, or our R&D and support. We also enable
them to deliver DSL technology and functionality rapidly to the
market. We leverage our semiconductor customers’ sales, distribution
and manufacturing capabilities. A key objective is to establish
StratiPHY2+ and StratiPHY3 as predominant broadband WAN silicon-level interfaces
through the success of our customers’ products. We also desire to
leverage our intellectual property assets broadly across the industry through
customer relationships.
Commercialize hardware and software
solutions for DSL test and diagnostics applications through an OEM business
model. We have developed hardware modules and software
solutions for pre-qualifying, provisioning, and troubleshooting DSL
networks. These products leverage our DSL silicon interface expertise
and the test functionality inherent in ADSL2+ and VDSL2 standard-compliant
solutions. We sell to automated test equipment manufacturers, network
equipment manufacturers and service providers. By selling primarily
through OEMs, we gain broad exposure to growth in spending by phone companies on
DSL service assurance. This spending is expected to increase as new
technologies such as ADSL2+ and VDSL2 and new service offering such as IPTV and
video become more pervasive.
Commercialize software components
and server-based solutions for biometrics applications through an OEM
channel. We have developed software components for fingerprint
enrollment, border control and secure credential applications. We
have also developed the biometrics workflow platform (BWP), a server-based
software product for enrollment of biometric data for personal identity
verification and other applications. We sell primarily to OEM
suppliers and systems integrators. We have broad exposure to the
biometrics market through our customer base.
Lead in the development of
standards-based imaging technologies. Aware has been a pioneer
in the development of wavelet-based solutions for image
compression. We have been involved in standards setting organizations
for fingerprint and medical imaging applications, as well as e-passport and
secure credential applications.
Research
and Development
DSL
semiconductor technology must track the rapidly changing requirements of the DSL
industry. Our research and development activities are focused on
shrinking the size of integrated circuits based upon our technology, improving
performance and functionality and incorporating new technology to increase the
value of our technology offerings. We also have research and
development activities focused on improving the functionality of our DSL test
and diagnostics hardware and software products to support phone company
requirements for pre-qualifying, monitoring and troubleshooting advanced DSL
services, including VDSL2 networks and IPTV deployments. During 2007,
we introduced new hardware modules, new functionality into our software
components, and a server-based software product for DSL test and diagnostic
applications.
We also
have research and development activities focused on improving our software
product functionality and broadening our exposure to biometrics, medical and
digital imaging applications. During 2007, we further improved the functionality
in our software components for PIV and fingerprint enrollment applications, as
well as in our server-based platform for PIV enrollment
applications.
As of
December 31, 2007, we had an engineering staff of 93 employees, representing 74%
of our total employee staff. During the years ended December 31,
2007, 2006, and 2005, research and development expenses charged to operations
were $10.9 million, $10.6 million, and $9.8 million, respectively. In
addition, because our agreements often call for us to provide engineering
development services to our customers, a portion of our total engineering costs
has been allocated to cost of contract revenue. We expect that we
will continue to invest substantial funds in research and development
activities.
Sales
and Marketing
Our
principal sales and marketing strategy is to license and sell our DSL
intellectual property to semiconductor manufacturers and our DSL test and
diagnostics hardware and software products to OEM customers. We
believe that
decisions involving the selection of our technology and products are frequently
made at senior levels within a prospective customer’s
organization. Consequently, we rely significantly on presentations by
our senior management to key employees at prospective customers. As
of December 31, 2007, we had ten employees in our DSL licensing and test and
diagnostics sales and marketing organization.
Customers
who are selling or developing integrated circuits based upon StratiPHY2plus
include Ikanos, Infineon, and Thomson SA (“Thomson”). On February 17, 2006, ADI
sold its ADSL business relating to Aware technology to Ikanos and Ikanos has
replaced ADI as an Aware customer. Customers who are selling or
developing integrated circuits based upon StratiPHY3 include Infineon and
Thomson.
In 2007,
we derived approximately 19% of our total revenue from Infineon. In 2006, we
derived approximately 20% and 26% of our total revenue from the ADI/Ikanos
combination and Infineon, respectively. In 2005, we derived
approximately 20% and 30% of our total revenue from ADI and Infineon,
respectively. All revenue in 2007, 2006, and 2005 was derived from
unaffiliated customers.
We sell
our test and diagnostics products primarily to OEMs and to a lesser extent to
service providers. In 2007, we derived approximately 16% and 10% of
our total revenue from Spirent and Alcatel, respectively.
We sell
our biometrics and digital imaging software products primarily to OEMs and
systems integrators. As of December 31, 2007, there were five
employees in our biometrics and digital imaging software sales
organization.
Competition
We
compete by offering comprehensive packages of standards-based broadband
technology. Our success as an intellectual property supplier depends
on the willingness and ability of semiconductor manufacturers to design, build
and sell integrated circuits based on our intellectual property. The semiconductor
industry is intensely competitive and has been characterized by:
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rapid
technological change;
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short
product life cycles;
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cyclical
market patterns; and
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increasing
foreign and domestic competition.
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As an
intellectual property supplier to the semiconductor industry, we face
competition from internal development teams within potential semiconductor
customers. We must convince potential customers to license or buy
from us rather than develop technology internally. Furthermore, our
semiconductor customers may choose to abandon joint development projects with us
or develop chipsets themselves without using our technology. In
addition to competition from internal development teams, we may compete against
other independent suppliers of intellectual property for DSL.
The
market for DSL chipsets is also intensely competitive. Our success
within the DSL industry requires that DSL equipment manufacturers buy chipsets
from our semiconductor customers, and that telephone companies buy DSL equipment
from those equipment manufacturers. Our customers’ chipsets compete
with products from other vendors of standards-based DSL chipsets, including
Broadcom, Conexant, and ST.
DSL
services also compete with broadband technologies that use other network
architectures to provide high-speed data service. These technologies
include cable modems using cable networks, wireless solutions using wireless
networks and fiber-to-the-home services. To date, ADSL services have
been more successful than high-speed cable services outside of the United
States; however cable services serve a larger number of broadband subscribers
than ADSL inside the United States. We can give no assurance that
these alternative network architectures will not be more successful than ADSL or
VDSL.
The
markets for our test and diagnostics hardware and software products are
competitive and uncertain. We can give no assurance that phone
companies will purchase significant quantities of products to test and diagnose
their DSL networks, or that if they do they will use our
products. Our success as a supplier of hardware and software products
for DSL
test and diagnostics depends on the willingness and ability of OEM customers to
design, build and sell automated test heads, hand-held testers, and in some
instances DSLAMs that incorporate or work with our products.
Our DSL
customers and their competitors have significantly greater financial,
technological, manufacturing, marketing and personnel resources than we
do. We can give no assurance that our OEM customers will
continue to purchase products from us or that we will be able to compete
effectively or that competitive pressures will not seriously harm our
business.
The
markets for our biometrics, medical and digital imaging software products are
competitive and uncertain. We can give no assurance that the biometrics industry
will grow. We can give no assurance that our products will succeed in
the market. We can give no assurance that we will be able to compete
effectively or that competitive pressures will not seriously harm our
business.
Patents
and Intellectual Property
We rely
on a combination of nondisclosure agreements and other contractual provisions,
as well as patent, trademark, trade secret and copyright law to protect our
proprietary rights. We have an active program to protect our
proprietary technology through the filing of patents. As of December
31, 2007, we had approximately 51 U.S. patents, 117 foreign patents, and a
number of pending patent applications pertaining to telecommunications and
signal processing technology, image compression, video compression, audio
compression, seismic data compression and optical applications.
Although
we have patented certain aspects of our technology, we rely primarily on trade
secrets to protect our intellectual property. We attempt to protect
our trade secrets and other proprietary information through agreements with our
customers, suppliers, employees and consultants, and through security
measures. Each of our employees is required to sign a non-disclosure
and non-competition agreement. Although we intend to protect our
rights vigorously, we cannot assure you that these measures will be
successful. In addition, effective intellectual property protection
may be unavailable or limited in certain foreign countries.
Third
parties may assert exclusive patent, copyright and other intellectual property
rights to technologies that are important to us. In the past, we have
received letters from third parties suggesting that we may be obligated to
license such intellectual property rights. If we were found to have
infringed any third party’s patents, we could be subject to substantial damages
or an injunction preventing us from conducting our business.
Manufacturing
We rely
on one third party contract manufacturer to assemble and test substantially all
of our DSL hardware products. If this company was to terminate its
arrangement with us or fail to provide the required capacity and quality on a
timely basis, we would be unable to manufacture our products until replacement
contract manufacturing services could be obtained. To qualify a new contract
manufacturer, familiarize it with our products, quality standards and other
requirements, and commence production is a costly and time-consuming process. We
cannot assure you that we would be able to establish alternative manufacturing
relationships on acceptable terms. Although we make reasonable
efforts to ensure that our contract manufacturer performs to our standards, our
reliance on a single source limits our control over quality assurance and
delivery schedules. Defects in workmanship, unacceptable yields, and
manufacturing disruptions and difficulties may impair our ability to manage
inventory and cause delays in shipments and cancellation of orders that may
adversely affect our relationships with current and prospective customers.
As a result, our revenues and operating results may be harmed.
Our
internal manufacturing capacity is limited to final test and assembly of certain
products. Our current manufacturing systems have been adequate to manage current
volumes of hardware products. However, our manufacturing systems have not been
extensively tested under more complex hardware products or in volumes higher
than that of our current volumes. If our manufacturing systems are inadequate or
have other problems, our revenues and operating results may be
harmed.
We rely
on single source suppliers for components and materials used in our DSL hardware
products. Our dependence on single source suppliers involves several risks,
including limited control over pricing, availability, quality, and delivery
schedules. Any delays in delivery of such components or shortages of such
components could cause
delays in the shipment of our products, which could significantly harm our
business. Because of our reliance on these vendors, we may also be subject to
increases in component costs. These increases could significantly harm our
business. If any one or more of our single source suppliers cease to provide us
with sufficient quantities of our components in a timely manner or on terms
acceptable to us, we would have to seek alternative sources of supply. We could
incur delays while we locate and engage alternative qualified suppliers and we
might be unable to engage alternative suppliers on favorable terms. We could
incur substantial hardware and software redesign costs if we are required to
replace the components. Any such disruption or increased expenses could harm our
commercialization efforts and adversely affect our ability to generate
revenues.
Employees
At
December 31, 2007, we employed 126 people, including 93 in engineering, 15 in
sales and marketing, 3 in manufacturing and 15 in finance and
administration. Of these employees, 121 were based in
Massachusetts. None of our employees is represented by a labor
union. We consider our employee relations to be good.
We
believe that our future success will depend in large part on the service of our
technical and senior management personnel and upon our ability to retain highly
qualified technical, sales and marketing and managerial personnel. We
cannot assure you that we will be able to retain our key managerial and
technical employees or that we will be able to attract and retain additional
highly qualified personnel in the future.
ITEM
1A. RISK FACTORS
Some
of the information in this Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements that
involve substantial risks and uncertainties. You can identify these
statements by forward-looking words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,”
“anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “continue” and similar
words. You should read statements that contain these words carefully
because they: (1) discuss our future expectations; (2) contain projections of
our future operating results or financial condition; or (3) state other
“forward-looking” information. However, we may not be able to predict
future events accurately. The risk factors listed in this section, as
well as any cautionary language in this Form 10-K, provide examples of risks,
uncertainties and events that may cause our actual results to differ materially
from the expectations we describe in our forward-looking
statements. You should be aware that the occurrence of any of the
events described in these risk factors and elsewhere in this Form 10-K could
materially and adversely affect our business. We assume no obligation
to update any forward-looking statements.
Our
Quarterly Results are Unpredictable and May Fluctuate Significantly
Our
quarterly revenue and operating results are difficult to predict and may
fluctuate significantly from quarter-to-quarter due to the unpredictably of our
revenue components.
It is
difficult for us to make accurate forecasts of product
revenues. Product revenues consist of sales of test and diagnostics
hardware as well as biometrics, medical imaging and test and diagnostics
software. Sales of hardware and software products fluctuate based upon demand by
our customers which is difficult to predict. Since our product
revenues include the sales of hardware products which typically have lower gross
margins than our other sources of revenue, profitability is also difficult to
predict.
Contract
revenues are also unpredictable. Making accurate predictions of contract
revenues from new customers is difficult because the contract negotiation
process is lengthy, frequently spanning a year or more, and the fiscal period in
which a new agreement will be entered into, if at all, and the financial terms
of such an agreement are difficult to predict. Making accurate
predictions of contract revenues from existing customers is also difficult,
because such revenues are affected by the level of cooperation we receive from
customers; the level of engineering services desired by customers; the potential
of contract termination once a project starts, or customers may not pay us as
anticipated under our contracts.
It is
also difficult for us to make accurate forecasts of royalty
revenues. Royalties are recognized in the quarter in which we receive
a report from a customer regarding the shipment of integrated circuits in the
prior quarter, and are dependent upon fluctuating sales volumes and/or prices of
chips containing our technology, all of which are beyond our ability to control
or assess in advance.
Our
business is subject to a variety of additional risks, which could materially
adversely affect quarterly and annual operating results, including:
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market
acceptance of broadband technologies we supply by semiconductor or
equipment companies;
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the
extent and timing of new transactions with semiconductor
companies;
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changes
in our and our customers’ development schedules and levels of expenditure
on research and development;
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the
loss of a strategic relationship or termination of a project by a
customer;
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equipment
companies' acceptance of integrated circuits produced by our
customers;
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the
loss by a customer of a strategic relationship with an equipment company
customer;
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announcements
or introductions of new technologies or products by us or our
competitors;
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delays
or problems in the introduction or performance of enhancements or of
future generations of our
technology;
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failures
or problems in our hardware or software
products;
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price
pressure in the biometrics or test and diagnostics markets from our
competitors;
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delays
in the adoption of new industry standards or changes in market perception
of the value of new or existing
standards;
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competitive
pressures resulting in lower contract revenues or royalty
rates;
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competitive
pressures resulting in lower software or hardware product
revenues;
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personnel
changes, particularly those involving engineering and technical
personnel;
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costs
associated with protecting our intellectual
property;
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the
potential that customers could fail to make payments under their current
contracts;
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ADSL
market-related issues, including lower ADSL chipset unit demand brought on
by excess channel inventory and lower average selling prices for ADSL
chipsets as a result of market
surpluses;
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VDSL
market-related issues, including lower VDSL chipset unit demand brought on
by excess channel inventory and lower average selling prices for VDSL
chipsets as a result of market
surpluses;
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hardware
manufacturing issues, including yield problems in our hardware platforms,
and inventory buildup and
obsolescence;
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product
gross margin may be affected by various factors including, but not limited
to, product mix, product life cycle, and provision for excess and obsolete
inventory;
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significant
fluctuations in demand for our hardware
products;
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regulatory
developments; and
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general
economic trends and other factors.
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As a
result of these factors, we believe that period-to-period comparisons of our
revenue levels and operating results are not necessarily
meaningful. You should not rely on our quarterly revenue and
operating results to predict our future performance.
We
Experienced Net Losses
We had a
net annual loss during 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005. We may
experience losses in the future if:
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the
test and diagnostics, semiconductor, telecommunications or biometrics
markets decline;
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new
and/or existing customers do not choose to use our software or hardware
products; or
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new
and/or existing customers do not choose to use our intellectual property
for new chipset products or do not increase their revenues from sales of
chipsets with our technology.
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Our
DSL Licensing and DSL Test and Diagnostic Businesses Depend Upon a Limited
Number of Customers, Therefore We Derive a Significant Amount of Revenue from a
Small Number of Customers
There are
a relatively limited number of companies to which we can sell our DSL technology
and OEM equipment companies to which we can sell our DSL test and diagnostic
products in a manner consistent with our business model. If we fail to maintain
relationships with our current customers or fail to establish a sufficient
number of new customer relationships, our business could be seriously
harmed. In addition, our current and prospective customers may use
their superior size and bargaining power to demand terms that are unfavorable to
us.
Due to
the limited number of customers to which we can license or sell our DSL
technology and DSL hardware and software products, we derive a significant
amount of revenue from a small number of customers. In 2007, we
derived approximately 19%, 16%, and 10% of our total revenue from Infineon,
Spirent, and Alcatel, respectively. In 2006, we derived approximately 26% and
20% of our total revenue from Infineon and ADI/Ikanos,
respectively. On February 17, 2006 ADI sold its ADSL business
relating to Aware technology to Ikanos and Ikanos replaced ADI as an Aware
customer. In 2005, we derived approximately 30% and 20% of our total
revenue from Infineon and ADI, respectively.
Our
Business is Subject to Rapid Technological Change
The
semiconductor and telecommunications industries for high-speed network access
technologies are characterized by rapid technological change, with new
generations of products being introduced regularly and with ongoing evolutionary
improvements. We expect to depend on our DSL technology and products
for a substantial portion of our revenue for the foreseeable
future. Therefore, we face risks that others could introduce
competing technology that renders our DSL technology and products less desirable
or obsolete. Also, the announcement of new technologies could cause
our customers or their customers to delay or defer entering into arrangements
for the use of our existing technology. Either of these events could
seriously harm our business. The biometrics industry is also subject
to rapid technological change and uncertainty.
We expect
that our business will depend to a significant extent on our ability to
introduce enhancements and new generations of our DSL and biometrics technology
and products as well as new technologies and products that keep pace with
changes in the telecommunications and broadband industries and that achieve
rapid market acceptance. We must continually devote significant engineering
resources to achieving technical innovations and product
developments. These developments are complex and require long
development cycles. Moreover, we may have to make substantial
investments in technological innovations and product developments before we can
determine their commercial viability. We may lack sufficient
financial resources to fund future development. Also, our customers
may decide not to share certain research and development costs with
us. Revenue from technological innovations, even if successfully
developed, may not be sufficient to recoup the costs of
development.
One
element of our business strategy is to assume the risks of technology
development failure while reducing such risks for our customers. In
the past, we have spent significant amounts on development projects that did not
produce any marketable technologies or products, and we cannot assure you that
it will not occur again.
We
Face Intense Competition from a Wide Range of Competitors
The
success of our DSL licensing business depends on the willingness and ability of
semiconductor manufacturers to design, build and sell integrated circuits based
on our intellectual property. The semiconductor industry is intensely
competitive and has been characterized by price erosion, rapid technological
change, short product life cycles, cyclical market patterns and increasing
foreign and domestic competition.
As an
intellectual property supplier to the semiconductor industry, we face intense
competition from internal development teams within potential semiconductor
customers. We must convince potential customers to buy from us rather
than develop technology internally. Furthermore, our semiconductor
customers may choose to abandon joint development projects with us and develop
chipsets themselves without using our technology. In addition
to competition from internal development teams, we compete against other
independent suppliers of intellectual property. We anticipate intense
competition from suppliers of intellectual property for ADSL.
The
market for DSL chipsets is also intensely competitive. Our success
within the DSL industry requires that DSL equipment manufacturers buy chipsets
from our semiconductor customers, and that telephone companies buy DSL equipment
from those equipment manufacturers. Our customers’ chipsets compete
with products from other vendors of standards-based and DSL chipsets, including
Broadcom, Centillium, Conexant, Ikanos, and ST Microelectronics.
The
markets for our DSL test and diagnostics hardware and software products are also
competitive and uncertain. We cannot assure you that phone companies
will purchase significant quantities of products to test and diagnose their DSL
networks, nor that if they do they will purchase products incorporating our
hardware and software. Our success as a supplier of hardware and
software products for DSL test and diagnostics depends on the willingness and
ability of OEM customers to design, build and sell automated test heads,
hand-held testers, and DSLAMs that incorporate or work with our
products.
Our DSL
licensing and DSL test and diagnostic revenues are dependent upon the success of
ADSL and VDSL services. ADSL and VDSL services offered over copper telephone
networks also compete with alternative broadband transmission technologies that
use other network architectures. Alternative technologies that use
other network architectures to provide high-speed data service include cable
modems using cable networks, wireless solutions using wireless networks, and
optics technology using fiber optic networks. These alternative broadband
transmission technologies may be more successful than ADSL or VDSL and we may
not be able to participate in the markets involving these alternative
technologies.
Many of
our DSL competitors, including our customers’ competitors, have significantly
greater financial, technological, manufacturing, marketing and personnel
resources than we do. Some of these competitors include Broadcom, Conexant, and
ST Microelectronics in our DSL licensing business; and JDS Uniphase and Sunrise
Communications in our DSL test and diagnostic business.
Also, the
markets for our biometrics, medical and digital imaging software products are
competitive and uncertain. Many of our biometric software competitors have
significantly greater financial, technological, marketing and personnel
resources than we do. Also, we face intense competition from internal
development teams within potential customers. We must convince
potential customers to purchase from us rather than develop software
internally. Furthermore, customers, who have already purchased from
us, may choose to stop purchasing our software and develop their own
software.
We may be
unable to compete successfully in our DSL licensing, DSL test and diagnostics,
and biometrics and imaging businesses, and our competitive position
may be adversely affected in the future by one or more of the factors described
in this section.
Our
Intellectual Property is Subject to Limited Protection
Because
we are a technology provider, our ability to protect our intellectual property
and to operate without infringing the intellectual property rights of others is
critical to our success. We regard our technology as proprietary, and
we have approximately 51 U.S. patents and 117 foreign patents and a number of
pending patent applications. We also rely on a combination of trade
secrets, copyright and trademark law and non-disclosure agreements to protect
our unpatented intellectual property. Despite these precautions, it
may be possible for a third party to copy or otherwise obtain and use our
technology without authorization.
As part
of our agreements, we typically work closely with our customers, many of whom
are also our potential competitors, and provide them with proprietary know-how
necessary for their development of customized chipsets based on our DSL
technology. Although our agreements contain non-disclosure provisions
and other terms protecting our proprietary know-how and technology rights, it is
possible that, despite these precautions, some of our customers might obtain
from us proprietary information that they could use to compete with us in the
marketplace. Although we intend to defend our intellectual property
as necessary, the steps we have taken may be inadequate to prevent
misappropriation.
In the
future, we may choose to bring legal action to enforce our intellectual property
rights. Any such litigation could be costly and time-consuming for
us, even if we were to prevail. Moreover, even if we are successful
in protecting our proprietary information, our competitors may independently
develop technologies substantially equivalent or superior to our
technology. The misappropriation of our technology or the development
of competitive technology could seriously harm our business.
Our
technology, software or hardware may infringe the intellectual property rights
of others. A large and increasing number of participants in the
telecommunications and compression industries have applied for or obtained
patents. Some of these patent holders have demonstrated a readiness
to commence litigation based on allegations of patent and other intellectual
property infringement. Third parties may assert patent, copyright and
other intellectual property rights to technologies that are important to our
business. In the past, we have received claims from other companies
that our technology infringes their patent rights. Intellectual
property rights can be uncertain and can involve complex legal and factual
questions. We may infringe the proprietary rights of others, which
could result in significant liability for us. If we were found to
have infringed any third party’s patents, we could be subject to substantial
damages or an injunction preventing us from conducting our
business.
We
Have a Unique DSL Licensing Business Model
The
success of our DSL licensing products depends upon our ability to license our
technology to semiconductor and equipment companies, and our customers’
willingness and ability to sell products that incorporate our technology so that
we may receive meaningful royalties that are consistent with our plans and
expectations.
We face
numerous risks in successfully obtaining suitable customers on terms consistent
with our business model, including, among others:
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we
must typically undergo a lengthy and expensive process of building a
relationship with a potential customer before there is any assurance of an
agreement with such party;
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we
must persuade semiconductor and equipment manufacturers with significant
resources to rely on us for critical technology on an ongoing basis rather
than trying to develop similar technology
internally;
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we
must persuade potential customers to bear development costs associated
with our technology applications and to make the necessary investment to
successfully manufacture chipsets and products using our technology;
and
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we
must successfully transfer technical know-how to
customers.
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Moreover,
the success of our business model also depends on the receipt of royalties from
customers. Royalties from our customers are often based on the selling prices of
their chipsets and products, over which we have little or no
control. We also have little or no control over our customers’
promotional and marketing efforts. They are not prohibited from
competing against us.
Our DSL
licensing business could be seriously harmed if we cannot obtain suitable
customers, if our current customers cancel or put on hold DSL programs utilizing
our technology, or if our customers do not successfully market and sell chipsets
or products incorporating our technology.
There
Has Been and May Continue to be a Cyclical Demand for DSL Chipsets, and There is
Intense Competition for DSL Chipsets, Which Has Caused Our Royalty Revenue to
Decline
The
royalties we receive are influenced by many of the risks faced by the DSL market
in general, including cyclical demand which may result in reduced average
selling prices (“ASPs”) for DSL chipsets during periods of surplus. In the
past, the DSL industry has experienced an oversupply of DSL chipsets, central
office or customer premises equipment. Excessive inventory levels led
to soft chipset demand, which in turn led to declining ASPs. ASPs have
also been under pressure because of intense competition in the DSL chipset
marketplace. As a result of the soft demand and declining ASPs for ADSL
chipsets, our royalty revenue has decreased substantially from the levels we
achieved in 2000. Price decreases for ADSL or VDSL chipsets, and the
corresponding decreases in per unit royalties received by us, can be sudden and
dramatic. Pricing pressures may continue during 2008 and beyond. Our
royalty revenue may decline over the long term.
The
Success of Our DSL Licensing Business Requires Acceptance of Our Technology by
Equipment Companies
The
success of our DSL licensing business is dependent on our ability to generate
meaningful royalties from our licensing arrangements with semiconductor
manufacturers. Our ability to generate such royalties is materially
affected by the willingness of equipment companies to purchase integrated
circuits that incorporate our technology from our customers. There
are other competitive solutions available for equipment companies seeking to
offer broadband communications products. We face the risk that
equipment manufacturers will choose those alternative solutions. Generally, our
ability to influence equipment companies’ decisions whether to purchase
integrated circuits that incorporate our technology is limited.
We also
face the risk that equipment companies that elect to use integrated circuits
that incorporate our technology into their products will not compete
successfully against other equipment companies. Many factors beyond
our control could influence the success or failure of a particular equipment
company that uses integrated circuits based on our technology. Even if equipment
companies incorporate chipsets based on our intellectual property into their
products, their products may not achieve commercial acceptance or result in
meaningful royalties to us.
The
Success of Our DSL Licensing Business Requires Telephone Companies to Install
DSL Service in Volume
The
success of our DSL licensing business depends upon telephone companies
installing DSL service in significant volumes. If telephone companies
do not install DSL service in significant volumes, or if telephone companies
install broadband service based on other technologies such as cable or
fiber-to-the-home, our DSL licensing business will be seriously
harmed.
The
Success of Our DSL Test and Diagnostic Products Depends On a Number of
Factors
Our
success in developing, introducing, selling, and supporting new and enhanced
test and diagnostic products depends upon a variety of factors, including timely
and efficient completion of hardware and software design
and development,
implementation of manufacturing processes, and effective sales, marketing, and
customer service. Because of the complexity of our test and
diagnostic products, significant delays may occur between a hardware product's
initial introduction and commencement of volume production. If we are
unsuccessful in developing, introducing, selling and supporting new and enhanced
test and diagnostic products, our DSL test and diagnostic business could be
seriously harmed.
If
Our Test and Diagnostic Hardware and Software Products Have Quality Problems,
Our Business Could Be Harmed
If our
test and diagnostic products have actual or perceived reliability, quality,
functionality or other problems, we may suffer reduced orders, higher
manufacturing costs, inability to recognize revenue, delays in collecting
accounts receivable and higher service, support and warranty expenses or
inventory write-offs, among other effects. We believe that the acceptance,
volume production, timely delivery and customer satisfaction of our test and
diagnostic products is important to our future financial results. As a result,
any inability to correct any technical, reliability, parts shortages or other
difficulties or to manufacture and ship our test and diagnostic products on a
timely basis meeting customer requirements could damage our relationships and
reputation with current and prospective customers, which would harm our revenues
and operating results.
We
are Dependent On a Single Source Contract Manufacturer for the Manufacture of
Our DSL Hardware Products, the Loss of Which Would Harm Our
Business
We
currently depend on one contract manufacturer to manufacture our DSL hardware
products. If this company was to terminate its arrangement with us or fail to
provide the required capacity and quality on a timely basis, we would be unable
to manufacture our products until replacement contract manufacturing services
could be obtained. To qualify a new contract manufacturer, familiarize it with
our products, quality standards and other requirements, and commence production
is a costly and time-consuming process. We cannot assure you that we would be
able to establish alternative manufacturing relationships on acceptable
terms. Although we make reasonable efforts to ensure that our
contract manufacturer performs to our standards, our reliance on a single source
limits our control over quality assurance and delivery schedules. Defects in
workmanship, unacceptable yields, and manufacturing disruptions and difficulties
may impair our ability to manage inventory and cause delays in shipments and
cancellation of orders that may adversely affect our relationships with current
and prospective customers. As a result, our revenues and operating results
may be harmed.
Our
Manufacturing Systems May Not Be Adequate For Our DSL Test and Diagnostics
Hardware Product Offerings
Our
current manufacturing systems adequately address hardware products we are
currently manufacturing in limited volumes. Our manufacturing systems have
not been extensively tested under anticipated, more complex hardware products or
in volumes higher than that of our current hardware products. If our
manufacturing systems are inadequate or have other problems, our revenues and
operating results may be harmed.
We
are Dependent on Single Source Suppliers for Components in Our DSL Hardware
Products
We rely
on single source suppliers for components and materials used in our DSL hardware
products. Our dependence on single source suppliers involves several risks,
including limited control over pricing, availability, quality and delivery
schedules. Any delays in delivery of such components or shortages of such
components could cause delays in the shipment of our products, which could
significantly harm our business. Because of our reliance on these vendors, we
may also be subject to increases in component costs. These increases could
significantly harm our business. If any one or more of our single source
suppliers cease to provide us with sufficient quantities of our components in a
timely manner or on terms acceptable to us, we would have to seek alternative
sources of supply. We could incur delays while we locate and engage alternative
qualified suppliers and we might be unable to engage alternative suppliers on
favorable terms. We could incur substantial hardware and software redesign costs
if we are required to replace the components. Any such disruption or
increased expenses could harm our commercialization efforts and adversely affect
our ability to generate revenues.
Biometrics
Business Risks
Our
biometrics business is subject to a variety of additional risks, which could
materially adversely affect quarterly and annual revenue and operating results,
including:
|
—
|
market
acceptance of our biometric technologies and
products;
|
|
—
|
changes
in contracting practices of government or law enforcement
agencies;
|
|
—
|
the
failure of the biometrics market to experience continued
growth;
|
|
—
|
announcements
or introductions of new technologies or products by our
competitors;
|
|
—
|
delays
or problems in the introduction or performance of enhancements or of
future generations of our
technology;
|
|
—
|
failures
or problems in our biometric software
products;
|
|
—
|
the
risk that current or potential customers might decide to develop their own
software rather than buy it from
us;
|
|
—
|
delays
in the adoption of new industry biometric standards or changes in market
perception of the value of new or existing
standards;
|
|
—
|
growth
of proprietary biometric systems which do not conform to industry
standards;
|
|
—
|
competitive
pressures resulting in lower software product
revenues;
|
|
—
|
personnel
changes, particularly those involving engineering, technical and sales and
marketing personnel;
|
|
—
|
costs
associated with protecting our intellectual
property;
|
|
—
|
litigation
by third parties for alleged infringement of their proprietary
rights;
|
|
—
|
the
potential that customers could fail to make payments under their current
contracts;
|
|
—
|
regulatory
developments; and
|
|
—
|
general
economic trends and other factors.
|
We
Must Make Judgments in the Process of Preparing Our Financial
Statements
We
prepare our financial statements in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles and certain critical accounting polices that are relevant
to our business. The application of these principles and policies
requires us to make significant judgments and estimates. In the event
that judgments and estimates we make are incorrect, we may have to change them,
which could materially affect our financial position and results of
operations.
Moreover,
accounting standards have been subject to rapid change and evolving
interpretations by accounting standards setting organizations over the past few
years. The implementation of new standards requires us to interpret
and apply them appropriately. If our current interpretations or
applications are later found to be incorrect, our financial position and results
of operations could be materially affected.
If
We are Unable to Maintain Effective Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting,
Investors Could Lose Confidence In The Reliability of Our Financial Statements,
Which Could Result In a Decline in the Price of Our Common Stock
Our
Stock Price May Be Extremely Volatile
Volatility
in our stock price may negatively affect the price you may receive for your
shares of common stock and increases the risk that we could be the subject of
costly securities litigation. The market price of our common stock
has fluctuated substantially and could continue to fluctuate based on a variety
of factors, including:
|
·
|
quarterly
fluctuations in our operating
results;
|
|
·
|
changes
in future financial guidance that we may provide to investors and public
market analysts;
|
|
·
|
changes
in our relationships with our
customers;
|
|
·
|
announcements
of technological innovations or new products by us, our customers or our
competitors;
|
|
·
|
changes
in DSL or biometrics market growth rates as well as investor perceptions
regarding the investment opportunity that companies participating in the
DSL or biometrics industry afford
them;
|
|
·
|
changes
in earnings estimates by public market
analysts;
|
|
·
|
sales
of our common stock; and
|
|
·
|
developments
or announcements with respect to industry standards, patents or
proprietary rights.
|
In
addition, the equity markets have experienced volatility that has particularly
affected the market prices of equity securities of many high technology
companies and that often has been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating
performance of such companies. These broad market fluctuations may adversely
affect the market price of our common stock.
Our
Business May Be Affected by Government Regulations
The
extensive regulation of the telecommunications industry by federal, state and
foreign regulatory agencies, including the Federal Communications Commission,
and various state public utility and service commissions, could affect us
through the effects of such regulation on our customers and their
customers. In addition, our business may also be affected by the
imposition of certain tariffs, duties and other import restrictions on
components that our customers obtain from non-domestic suppliers or by the
imposition of export restrictions on products sold internationally and
incorporating our technology. Changes in current or future laws or
regulations, in the United States or elsewhere, could seriously harm our
business.
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF
COMMENTS
Not
applicable.
ITEM
2. PROPERTIES
We
believe that our existing facilities are adequate for our current needs and that
additional space sufficient to meet our needs for the foreseeable future will be
available on reasonable terms. We currently occupy
approximately:
1.
|
72,000
square feet of office space in Bedford, Massachusetts, which serves as our
headquarters. This site is used for our research and
development, sales and marketing, and administrative
activities. We own this
facility.
|
2.
|
722
square feet of research and development space in San Jose,
California. This facility is currently leased for a 26-month
term, which expires on August 31,
2008.
|
3.
|
411
square feet of research and development space in Orinda,
California. This facility is currently leased for a 3-year
term, which expires on August 31,
2010.
|
ITEM
3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
From time
to time we are involved in litigation incidental to the conduct of our
business. We are not party to any lawsuit or proceeding that, in our
opinion, is likely to seriously harm our business.
ITEM
4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY
HOLDERS
There
were no matters submitted to a vote of security holders during the fourth
quarter ended December 31, 2007.
PART
II
ITEM
5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Our
common stock is the only class of stock we have outstanding, and it trades on
the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol AWRE. The following table
sets forth the high and the low sales prices of our common stock as reported on
the Nasdaq Global Market for the periods indicated from January 1, 2006 to
December 31, 2007.
|
|
First
|
|
|
Second
|
|
|
Third
|
|
|
Fourth
|
|
|
|
Quarter
|
|
|
Quarter
|
|
|
Quarter
|
|
|
Quarter
|
|
2007
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
High
|
|
$ |
6.25 |
|
|
$ |
6.50 |
|
|
$ |
6.74 |
|
|
$ |
5.48 |
|
Low
|
|
|
4.95 |
|
|
|
4.98 |
|
|
|
3.67 |
|
|
|
4.01 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
High
|
|
$ |
6.30 |
|
|
$ |
6.32 |
|
|
$ |
5.90 |
|
|
$ |
5.71 |
|
Low
|
|
|
4.32 |
|
|
|
5.31 |
|
|
|
4.76 |
|
|
|
4.60 |
|
As of
February 5, 2008, we had approximately 129 shareholders of
record. This number does not include shareholders from whom shares
were held in a “nominee” or “street” name. We have never paid cash
dividends on our common stock and we anticipate that we will continue to
reinvest any earnings to finance future operations.
We did
not sell any equity securities that were not registered under the Securities Act
of 1933 during the three months ended December 31, 2007.
Performance
Graph
The
following performance graph compares the performance of Aware’s cumulative
stockholder return with that of a broad market index, the Nasdaq Composite
Index, and a published industry index, the RDG Technology Composite
Index. The cumulative stockholder returns for shares of Aware’s
common stock and for the market and industry indices are calculated assuming
$100 was invested on December 31, 2002. Aware paid no cash dividends
during the periods shown. The performance of the market and industry
indices is shown on a total return, or dividends reinvested, basis.
|
Value
of Investment ($)
|
|
12/31/02
|
12/31/03
|
12/31/04
|
12/31/05
|
12/31/06
|
12/31/07
|
Aware,
Inc.
|
$100.00
|
$133.30
|
$222.48
|
$204.13
|
$244.50
|
$192.66
|
Nasdaq
Composite
Index.
|
100.00
|
149.75
|
164.64
|
168.60
|
187.83
|
205.22
|
RDG
Technology
Composite
|
100.00
|
150.27
|
153.63
|
158.57
|
173.85
|
204.38
|
Issuer
Purchases of Equity Securities
Period
|
|
(a)
Total
Number of
Shares
Purchased
|
|
(b)
Average
Price
Paid
per Share
|
|
(c)
Total
Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or
Programs(1)
|
|
(d)
Maximum
Number (or Approximate Dollar Value) of Shares that May Yet Be
Purchased
Under
the Plans
or
Programs
|
|
October
1, 2007, to December 31, 2007 30, 2007
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
$4,961,830
|
|
(1) On
August 28, 2007, we issued a press release announcing that our board of
directors has approved the repurchase from time to time through December 31,
2008 of up to $5,000,000 of our common stock. During 2007, we purchased 9,107
shares authorized under this plan.
ITEM
6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
In the
table below, we provide you with our selected consolidated financial
data. We have prepared this information using our audited
consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006,
2005, 2004, and 2003. When you read this selected financial data, it is
important that you read it along with Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations, our historical consolidated
financial statements, and the related notes to the financial statements, which
can be found in Item 8.
Year
ended December 31,
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2003
|
|
|
|
(in
thousands, except per share data)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Statements of Operations
Data
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
|
$ |
26,437 |
|
|
$ |
24,056 |
|
|
$ |
15,667 |
|
|
$ |
16,485 |
|
|
$ |
10,843 |
|
Loss
from operations
|
|
|
(1,830 |
) |
|
|
(399 |
) |
|
|
(3,618 |
) |
|
|
(1,925 |
) |
|
|
(8,635 |
) |
Net
income (loss)
|
|
|
160 |
|
|
|
1,034 |
|
|
|
(2,468 |
) |
|
|
(1,367 |
) |
|
|
(8,038 |
) |
Net
income (loss) per share – basic
|
|
$ |
0.01 |
|
|
$ |
0.04 |
|
|
$ |
(0.11 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.06 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.35 |
) |
Net
income (loss) per share – diluted
|
|
$ |
0.01 |
|
|
$ |
0.04 |
|
|
$ |
(0.11 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.06 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.35 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance Sheet Data
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
and short-term investments
|
|
$ |
38,055 |
|
|
$ |
37,834 |
|
|
$ |
36,763 |
|
|
$ |
34,965 |
|
|
$ |
35,051 |
|
Working
capital
|
|
|
45,031 |
|
|
|
41,372 |
|
|
|
39,124 |
|
|
|
37,168 |
|
|
|
36,727 |
|
Total
assets
|
|
|
56,383 |
|
|
|
54,586 |
|
|
|
49,741 |
|
|
|
50,183 |
|
|
|
51,024 |
|
Total
liabilities
|
|
|
3,147 |
|
|
|
3,216 |
|
|
|
2,238 |
|
|
|
1,427 |
|
|
|
1,384 |
|
Total
stockholders’ equity
|
|
|
53,236 |
|
|
|
51,370 |
|
|
|
47,503 |
|
|
|
48,756 |
|
|
|
49,640 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ITEM
7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
RESULTS
OF OPERATIONS
The
following table sets forth, for the years indicated, certain line items from our
consolidated statements of operations stated as a percentage of total
revenue:
|
|
Year
ended December 31,
|
|
Revenue:
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
Product
sales
|
|
|
66 |
% |
|
|
32 |
% |
|
|
35 |
% |
Contract
revenue
|
|
|
24 |
|
|
|
52 |
|
|
|
43 |
|
Royalties
|
|
|
10 |
|
|
|
16 |
|
|
|
22 |
|
Total
revenue
|
|
|
100 |
|
|
|
100 |
|
|
|
100 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Costs
and expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost
of product
sales
|
|
|
15 |
|
|
|
4 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
Cost
of contract
revenue
|
|
|
21 |
|
|
|
22 |
|
|
|
21 |
|
Research
and
development
|
|
|
41 |
|
|
|
44 |
|
|
|
62 |
|
Selling
and
marketing
|
|
|
14 |
|
|
|
14 |
|
|
|
17 |
|
General
and
administrative
|
|
|
16 |
|
|
|
18 |
|
|
|
20 |
|
Total
costs and
expenses
|
|
|
107 |
|
|
|
102 |
|
|
|
123 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss
from
operations
|
|
|
(7 |
) |
|
|
(2 |
) |
|
|
(23 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest
income
|
|
|
8 |
|
|
|
8 |
|
|
|
7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income
(loss) before provision for income taxes
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
6 |
|
|
|
(16 |
) |
Provision
for income
taxes
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
- |
|
Net
income
(loss)
|
|
|
1 |
% |
|
|
4 |
% |
|
|
(16 |
)% |
Product
Sales
Product
sales consist primarily of revenue from the sale of hardware and software
products. Hardware products consist of DSL test and diagnostics
hardware, including systems, modules, and modems. Software products consist of
software products for biometric, medical imaging and digital imaging
applications, as well as DSL test and diagnostics software.
Product
sales increased 130% from $7.6 million in 2006 to $17.5 million in
2007. As a percentage of total revenue, product sales increased from
32% in 2006 to 66% in 2007. The dollar increase was primarily due to
a $4.9 million increase in revenue from the sale of software products and a $5.0
million increase from the sale of DSL test and diagnostics hardware
products.
Product
sales increased 40% from $5.4 million in 2005 to $7.6 million in
2006. As a percentage of total revenue, product sales decreased from
35% in 2005 to 32% in 2006. The dollar increase was primarily due to
a $1.2 million increase in revenue from the sale of software products and a $1.0
million increase from the sale of hardware products.
Contract
Revenue
Contract
revenue consists
of patent, license and engineering service fees that we receive under agreements
relating to Aware’s patents, DSL technology, DSL test and diagnostic technology,
and biometrics technology.
Contract
revenue decreased 50% from $12.6 million in 2006 to $6.3 million in
2007. As a percentage of total revenue, contract revenue decreased
from 52% in 2006 to 24% in 2007. The dollar decrease in 2007 was due
to $2.5 million that was recognized in 2006 from the transfer of certain
technology licenses as a result of the acquisition of a customer’s business that
did not reoccur in 2007; $2.0 million that was recognized in 2006 from a patent
licensing agreement with a new customer that did not reoccur in 2007; and a
decrease of $1.8 million due to lower licensing and engineering service fees
that we receive under agreements with our semiconductor customers.
Contract
revenue increased 87% from $6.7 million in 2005 to $12.6 million in
2006. As a percentage of total revenue, contract revenue increased
from 43% in 2005 to 52% in 2006. The dollar increase in 2006 was due
to $2.5 million recognized from the transfer of certain technology licenses as a
result of the acquisition of a customer’s business, and an increase of $3.3
million due to patent, license and engineering service fees that we receive
under agreements with our customers, including a patent licensing agreement with
a new customer.
Royalties
Royalties
consist of royalty payments that we receive under agreements with our
customers. We receive royalties from customers for the right to use
our patents and technology in their chipsets or solutions.
Royalties
decreased 33% from $3.9 million in 2006 to $2.6 million in 2007. As a
percentage of total revenue, royalties decreased from 16% in 2006 to 10% in
2007. The dollar decrease in royalties was due to a $1.1 million
decrease in DSL royalties, and a $0.2 million decrease in biometrics and medical
imaging royalties.
Royalties
increased 10% from $3.5 million in 2005 to $3.9 million in 2006. As a
percentage of total revenue, royalties decreased from 22% in 2005 to 16% in
2006. The dollar increase in royalties was due to a $0.5 million
increase in DSL royalties, which was partially offset by a $0.1 million decrease
in biometrics and medical imaging royalties.
Our
royalty revenue comes predominantly from ADSL chipset sales by Ikanos and
Infineon. On February 17, 2006, ADI sold its ADSL business relating
to Aware technology to Ikanos and Ikanos has replaced ADI as an Aware
customer. Despite steady growth of worldwide ADSL subscribers over
the last several years, the availability of ADSL chipsets from a number of
suppliers and intense competition among those suppliers has caused chipset
prices to steadily decline. We are uncertain how the transition to
ADSL2+ and VDSL2 will impact our customers in the near term, how quickly sales
of our customers’ chipsets will increase and whether such increases will
continue to contribute meaningful royalties to us.
Cost
of Product Sales
Since the
cost of software product sales is minimal, cost of product sales consists
primarily of the cost of hardware product sales.
Cost of
product sales increased 336% from $0.9 million in 2006 to $4.0 million in
2007. As a percentage of product sales, cost of product sales
increased from 12% in 2006 to 23% in 2007. The dollar increase in
cost of product sales in 2007 was attributable to an increase in hardware
product sales. The decrease in overall product margins from 88% in
2006 to 77% in 2007 was principally due to a greater percentage of hardware
sales in the sales mix in 2007, which was partially offset by improved margins
on hardware products.
Cost of
product sales increased 94% from $0.5 million in 2005 to $0.9 million in
2006. As a percentage of product sales, cost of product sales
increased from 9% in 2005 to 12% in 2006. Cost of product sales
increased in 2006 due to an increase in hardware product sales. The
decrease in overall product margins from 91% in 2005 to 88% in 2006 was
principally due to a greater percentage of hardware sales in the sales mix in
2006.
Cost
of Contract Revenue
Cost of
contract revenue consists primarily of compensation costs for engineers and
expenses for consultants, technology licensing fees, recruiting, supplies,
equipment, depreciation and facilities associated with customer development
projects. Our total engineering costs are allocated between cost of
contract revenue and research and development
expense. In a given period, the allocation of engineering costs
between cost of contract revenue and research and development is a function of
the level of effort expended on each.
Cost of
contract revenue increased 5% from $5.2 million in 2006 to $5.4 million in
2007. As a percentage of contract revenue, cost of contract revenue
increased from 41% in 2006 to 86% in 2007. The $0.2 million dollar
increase is primarily due to higher compensation and fringe benefit expenses,
which were partially offset by lower stock-based compensation expense. The
decrease in contract revenue margins from 59% in 2006 to 14% in 2007 was
principally due to the proportions of license fees and engineering services fees
in the contract revenue sales mix. Cost of contract revenue is primarily driven
by the level of engineering services delivered to meet engineering milestones
for customer projects, whereas the cost of contract revenue associated with
license fees is minimal. The license fee component of contract
revenue declined significantly in 2007, whereas the engineering services fee
component remained relatively constant. Accordingly, the cost of contract
revenue remained relatively constant despite a significant decrease in total
contract revenue.
Cost of
contract revenue increased 58% from $3.3 million in 2005 to $5.2 million in
2006. As a percentage of contract revenue, cost of contract revenue
decreased from 49% in 2005 to 41% in 2006. The dollar increase in
cost of contract revenue was primarily due to more customer projects in 2006 as
compared with 2005. Our cost of contract revenue is based on the level of effort
we expend on delivering engineering services for customer
projects. Since the number of customer projects increased, the cost
of contract revenue increased as well.
Research
and Development Expense
Research and development expense
consists primarily of compensation costs for engineers and expenses for
consultants, recruiting, supplies, equipment, depreciation and facilities
related to engineering projects to improve our broadband intellectual property
offerings, as well as our software and hardware product
technology.
Research
and development expense increased 3% from $10.6 million in 2006 to $10.9 million
in 2007. As a percentage of total revenue, research and development
expense decreased from 44% in 2006 to 41% in 2007. The dollar
increase was primarily from higher compensation and fringe benefit costs of $0.9
million, higher depreciation costs of $0.2 million, and other operating costs of
$0.1 million. These cost increases were partially offset by lower stock-based
compensation expense of $0.4 million; lower spending on outside services and
consultants of $0.3 million; and $0.2 million more expense classified from
research and development expense to cost of contract revenue. Our
research and development spending was principally focused on improving our ADSL,
ADSL2 and ADSL2+ StratiPHY2+™ technology and chips, developing and improving our
VDSL2 StratiPHY3 technology and chips, developing analog front end technology
for DSL solutions, developing test and diagnostics hardware and software and
developing imaging and biometrics software.
Research
and development expense increased 9% from $9.8 million in 2005 to $10.6 million
in 2006. As a percentage of total revenue, research and development
expense decreased from 62% in 2005 to 44% in 2006. The dollar
increase was primarily from higher compensation and fringe benefit costs of $1.4
million, stock-based compensation expense of $1.0 million and other operating
costs of $0.1 million. These cost increases were partially offset by
$1.9 million decreased spending resulting from a shift of engineers to customer
projects, where spending is classified as cost of contract
revenue. This shift occurred because we had more customer projects in
2006 than in 2005. Our research and development spending was principally focused
on improving our ADSL, ADSL2 and ADSL2+ StratiPHY2+™ technology and chips,
developing and improving our VDSL2 StratiPHY3 technology and chips, developing
analog front end technology for DSL solutions, developing test and diagnostics
hardware and software and developing imaging and biometrics
software.
Selling
and Marketing Expense
Selling
and marketing expense consists primarily of compensation costs for sales and
marketing personnel, travel, advertising and promotion, recruiting, and
facilities expense. Sales and marketing expense increased 11% from
$3.4 million in 2006 to $3.7 million in 2007. As a percentage of
total revenue, sales and marketing expense was unchanged at 14% in 2006 and
2007. The dollar increase was primarily due to higher compensation and fringe
benefit costs of $0.4 million and management consultants of $0.1 million, which
were partially offset by lower stock-based compensation expense of $0.2
million. Higher compensation costs were primarily attributable to
sales commissions and bonus payments related to higher hardware and software
product sales.
Sales and
marketing expense increased 23% from $2.7 million in 2005 to $3.4 million in
2006. As a percentage of total revenue, sales and marketing expense
decreased from 17% in 2005 to 14% in 2006. The dollar increase was mainly
attributable to stock-based compensation expense of $0.3 million and other
compensation costs of $0.3 million.
General
and Administrative Expense
General
and administrative expense consists primarily of compensation costs for
administrative personnel, facility costs, bad debt, audit, legal, stock exchange
and insurance expenses. General and administrative expense decreased
4% from $4.4 million in 2006 to $4.2 million in 2007. As a percentage
of total revenue, general and administrative expense decreased from 18% in 2006
to 16% in 2007. The dollar decrease was mainly attributable to lower
stock-based compensation expense of $0.2 million and lower director’s fees and
expenses of $0.1 million, which were partially offset by an increase in
compensation and fringe expense of $0.1 million.
General
and administrative expense increased 44% from $3.1 million in 2005 to $4.4
million in 2006. As a percentage of total revenue, general and
administrative expense decreased from 20% in 2005 to 18% in 2006. The
dollar increase was mainly attributable to stock-based compensation expense of
$0.6 million, and increases in other compensation expense of $0.3 million,
professional fees of $0.4 million, and director’s fees and expenses of $0.1
million.
Interest
Income
Interest
income increased 10% or $0.2 million from $1.8 million in 2006 to $2.0 million
in 2007. The dollar increase was primarily due to higher interest
rates earned on our investments throughout 2007.
Interest
income increased 60% or $0.7 million from $1.2 million in 2005 to $1.8 million
in 2006. The dollar increase was primarily due to higher interest
rates earned on our investments throughout 2006.
Income
Taxes
We
evaluate, on a quarterly basis, the positive and negative evidence affecting the
realizability of our deferred tax assets. As a result of incurring
operating losses since 2001, we determined that it is more likely than not that
our deferred tax assets may not be realized, and since the fourth quarter of
2002 have established a full valuation allowance for our net deferred tax
assets. Accordingly, we have not recorded a deferred tax benefit for
the operating losses incurred in the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006, and
2005.
We did
not record a provision for income taxes in 2007, 2006 or 2005 due to a net
operating loss and the uncertainty of the timing of profitability in future
periods. However, in 2007 we paid immaterial amounts of state excise taxes, and
in 2006 we paid $0.4 million of taxes to non-U.S. jurisdictions that assess a
source withholding tax.
As of
December 31, 2007, we had federal net operating loss and research and
experimentation credit carry forwards of approximately $46.1 million and $12.2
million respectively, which may be available to offset future federal income tax
liabilities and expire at various dates from 2008 through 2027. In
addition, at December 31, 2007, we had approximately $11.2 million and $6.2
million of state net operating losses and state research and development and
investment tax carry forwards, respectively, which expire at various dates from
2008 through 2022. Ownership changes, if any, as defined in the
Internal Revenue Code, may limit the amount of net operating loss carryforwards
that can be utilized annually to offset future taxable income.
LIQUIDITY
AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Since our
inception in March 1986, we have financed our activities primarily through the
sale of stock. In the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005,
we received net proceeds from the issuance of stock under employee stock plans
of $0.6 million, $0.9 million, and $1.2 million, respectively. In the
years ended December 31, 2007 and 2005, our operating activities used net cash
of $1.3 million and $2.0 million, respectively. Cash used in our operating
activities in 2007 was primarily the result of net income of $0.2 million
adjusted for non-cash items related to depreciation and amortization of $0.9
million, and stock-based compensation expense of $1.1 million, which was offset
by working capital requirements of $3.4 million. Cash used in our
operating activities in 2005 was primarily the result of a net loss of $2.5
million adjusted for a non-cash item related to depreciation and amortization of
$0.6 million, which was offset by working capital requirements of $0.2
million. In the year ended December 31, 2006, our operating
activities provided net cash of $2.8 million. Cash provided from our
operating activities was primarily the result of net income of $1.0 million
adjusted for non-cash items related to depreciation and amortization of $0.7
million, and stock-based compensation expense of $1.9 million, which was offset
by working capital requirements of $0.8 million.
In the
years ended December 31, 2007, 2006, and 2005, we made capital expenditures of
$0.6 million, $0.7 million, and $0.4 million, respectively. Capital
expenditures in all three years primarily consisted of spending on computer
hardware and software, laboratory equipment, and furniture used principally in
engineering activities. We have no material commitments for capital
expenditures. In the year ended December 31, 2005 we purchased $0.3 million of
other assets.
At
December 31, 2007, we had cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments and
investments of $38.5 million. While we can not assure you that we
will not require additional financing, or that such financing will be available
to us, we believe that our cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments and
investments will be sufficient to fund our operations for at least the next
twelve months.
To date,
inflation has not had a material impact on our financial
results. There can be no assurance, however, that inflation will not
adversely affect our financial results in the future.
OFF-BALANCE
SHEET ARRANGEMENTS
We do not
have any arrangements with unconsolidated entities, such as entities often
referred to as structured finance, special purpose entities or variable interest
entities which are often established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance
sheet arrangements or other contractually narrow or limited
purposes. Accordingly, we are not exposed to any financing,
liquidity, market or credit risk that could arise if we had such
relationships.
CONTRACTUAL
OBLIGATIONS
We have
various contractual obligations impacting our liquidity. The
following represents our contractual obligations as of December 31, 2007 (in
thousands):
|
|
Payments
Due By Period
|
|
Contractual Obligations
|
|
Total
|
|
|
Less
than
1
year
|
|
|
1-3
years
|
|
|
3-5
years
|
|
|
More
than
5
years
|
|
Operating
leases
|
|
$ |
34 |
|
|
$ |
18 |
|
|
$ |
16 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
Purchase
orders
|
|
|
949 |
|
|
|
949 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Total
|
|
$ |
983 |
|
|
$ |
967 |
|
|
$ |
16 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
CRITICAL
ACCOUNTING POLICIES
We
consider certain accounting policies related to revenue recognition, income
taxes and the allowance for doubtful accounts to be critical
policies.
Revenue
recognition. We derive our revenue from three sources (i)
product revenue, which includes revenue from the sale of hardware and software
products for the DSL test and diagnostics market and software products for the
biometrics, medical and digital imaging markets, (ii) contract revenue, which
includes patent, license and engineering service fees that we receive under
customer agreements, and (iii) royalties that we receive under customer
agreements.
As
prescribed by Securities and Exchange Commission Staff Accounting Bulletin No.
104, “Revenue Recognition”, we recognize revenue when there is persuasive
evidence of an arrangement, the sales price is fixed or determinable, collection
of the related receivable is reasonably assured, and delivery has occurred or
services have been rendered. We also apply the principles set forth
in AICPA Statement of Position No. 97-2, “Software Revenue Recognition”, when
recognizing software revenue. Our revenue recognition policies are
described more fully in Note 2, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, in
the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements.
As
described below, we make significant judgments and estimates during the process
of determining revenue for any particular accounting period.
In
determining revenue recognition, we assess whether fees associated with revenue
transactions are fixed or determinable and whether or not collection is
reasonably assured. We make a judgment whether fees are fixed or
determinable based on the payment terms associated with that
transaction. We assess collection based on a number of factors,
including past transaction history with the customer and the credit-worthiness
of the customer. If we determine that collection of a fee is not
reasonably assured, we defer the fee and recognize revenue at the time
collection becomes reasonably assured.
In
addition to these general revenue recognition judgments, we make specific
judgments and estimates with respect to the recognition of contract revenue.
When our agreements include the delivery of licensing rights and technology as
well as the provision of engineering services, we combine the total patent,
license and engineering service fees to be paid under the
agreement. These total fees are recognized ratably over the expected
product development period, subject to the limitation that the cumulative
revenue recognized through the end of any period may not exceed cumulative
milestones achieved to date. We review assumptions regarding the product
development period on a regular basis and make adjustments as required.
Consistent with the principles of SAB 104, we believe that this method
represents the appropriate systematic method for revenue recognition for this
type of contract.
After
customers enter into agreements, they often engage us to provide additional
engineering work that is beyond the scope of their original agreement. When
customers request additional services, both parties agree to engineering fees
that are based on the level of effort required. We recognize revenue
from these agreements either as engineering services are performed or as
milestones are achieved.
Stock-Based
Compensation. On January 1, 2006, we adopted the
provisions of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Statement of
Financial Accounting Standards 123 (revised 2004), “Share-Based Payment,”
(“SFAS 123(R)”) and its related implementation guidance, which establishes
accounting for equity instruments exchanged for employee services. Under the
provisions of SFAS 123(R), stock-based compensation cost is measured at the
grant date, based on the fair value of the award, and is recognized as an
expense over the employee’s requisite service period (generally the vesting
period of the equity award). We elected to adopt the modified
prospective transition method as provided by SFAS 123(R) and, accordingly,
financial statement amounts for the prior periods have not been restated to
reflect the fair value method of expensing stock-based
compensation.
We
estimate the fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes valuation
model. This valuation model takes into account the exercise price of
the award, as well as a variety of significant assumptions. These
assumptions used to estimate the fair value of stock options include the
expected term, the expected volatility of our stock over the expected term, the
risk-free interest rate over the expected term, and our expected annual dividend
yield. We believe that the valuation technique and the approach
utilized to develop the underlying assumptions are appropriate in
calculating the fair values of stock options we grant to employees and directors
which are subject to SFAS 123(R) requirements. Estimates of fair
value are not intended to predict actual future events or the value ultimately
realized by persons who receive equity awards.
Prior to
January 1, 2006, we accounted for stock-based compensation to employees in
accordance with Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25, “Accounting for
Stock Issued to Employees,” (“APB 25”). We also had previously
adopted the provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based
Compensation” (“SFAS 123”), which required disclosure only of stock-based
compensation and its impact on net income (loss) and net income (loss) per
share.
Income
taxes. As part of the process of preparing our consolidated
financial statements we are required to estimate our actual current tax
expense. We must also estimate temporary and permanent differences
that result from differing treatment of certain items for tax and accounting
purposes. These differences result in deferred tax assets and
liabilities, which are included in our consolidated balance sheet. We
must then assess the likelihood that our deferred tax assets will be recovered
from future taxable income and to the extent that we believe that recovery is
not likely, we must establish a valuation allowance. To the extent we
establish a valuation allowance or increase this allowance in a period for
deferred tax assets, which have been recognized, we must include an expense with
the tax provision in the statement of operations.
Significant
management judgment is required in determining our provision for income taxes,
our deferred tax assets, and any valuation allowance recorded against our net
deferred tax assets. Our deferred tax assets primarily relate to net
operating losses and research and development tax credits that we are carrying
forward into future tax periods. As of December 31, 2007, we had a
total of $42.8 million of deferred tax assets for which we had recorded a full
valuation allowance.
We
adopted the provisions of Financial Standards Accounting Board Interpretation
No. 48 Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes (“FIN 48”) an interpretation
of FASB Statement No. 109 (“SFAS 109”) on January 1, 2007. As a
result of the implementation of FIN 48, we recognized no material adjustment in
the liability for unrecognized income tax benefits. At the adoption
date of January 1, 2007 and also at December 31, 2007, we had no unrecognized
tax benefits. We recognize interest and penalties related to
uncertain tax positions in income tax expense.
Inventories. Inventories,
which include materials and our contract manufacturer’s labor and overhead, are
stated at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out basis) or net realizable value.
On a quarterly basis, we use consistent methodologies to evaluate all
inventories for net realizable value. We record a provision for both excess and
obsolete inventory when such write-downs or write-offs are identified through
the quarterly review process. The inventory valuation is based upon assumptions
about future demand, product mix and possible alternative uses.
Allowance for
doubtful accounts. We make judgments as to our ability to
collect outstanding receivables and provide allowances for receivables when
collection becomes doubtful. Provisions are made based upon a
specific review of all significant outstanding invoices. If the
judgments we make to determine the allowance for doubtful accounts do not
reflect the future ability to collect outstanding receivables, additional
provisions for doubtful accounts may be required.
RECENT
ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
Recent Accounting
Pronouncements – In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS
No. 157 ("SFAS 157"), "Fair Value Measurements," which defines fair
value, establishes guidelines for measuring fair value and expands disclosures
regarding fair value measurements. SFAS 157 does not require any new fair
value measurements but rather eliminates inconsistencies in guidance found in
various prior accounting pronouncements. SFAS 157 is effective for fiscal
years beginning after November 15, 2007. However, on February 6, 2008, the
FASB issued FSP FAS 157-b which defers the effective date of SFAS 157
for one year for nonfinancial assets and nonfinancial liabilities that are
recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring
basis. For fiscal 2008, we will adopt SFAS 157 except as it applies to
those nonfinancial assets and nonfinancial liabilities as noted in FSP
FAS 157-b. The partial adoption of SFAS 157 will not have a material
impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash
flows.
In
February 2007, the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 159, “The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial
Liabilities, including an amendment of FASB Statements No. 115”
(“SFAS 159”). SFAS 159 permits entities to choose, at specified
election dates, to measure eligible items at fair value (the “fair value
option”). A business entity shall report unrealized gains and losses on items
for which the fair value option has been elected in earnings at each subsequent
reporting period. This accounting standard is effective as of the beginning
of an entity’s first fiscal year that begins after November 15, 2007. The
effect, if any, of adopting SFAS 159 on our financial position and results
of operations has not been finalized.
ITEM
7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET
RISK
Our
exposure to market risk relates primarily to our investment portfolio, and the
effect that changes in interest rates would have on that
portfolio. Our investment portfolio has included:
|
·
|
Cash
and cash equivalents, which consist of financial instruments with original
maturities of three months or less;
|
|
·
|
Short-term
investments, which consist of financial instruments with remaining
maturities of twelve months or less, and auction rate securities that
typically have interest reset dates of twenty-eight days;
and
|
|
·
|
Investments,
which consist of financial instruments that mature in three years or
less.
|
All of
our investments meet the high quality standards specified in our investment
policy. This policy dictates the maturity period and limits the amount of credit
exposure to any one issue, issuer, and type of instrument.
The
interest rates on our auction rate securities are typically reset by auction
every twenty-eight days. Although our auction rate securities have
been readily marketable, if an auction were to fail, we may not be able to sell
these securities on the planned reset date thereby increasing our holding
period. In January 2008, we liquidated all of our auction rate
securities and invested the proceeds into a money market account.
We do not
use derivative financial instruments for speculative or trading
purposes. As of December 31, 2007, we had invested $38.0 million in
cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments that matured in twelve months
or less. Due to the short duration of these financial instruments, we
do not expect that an increase in interest rates would result in any material
loss to our investment portfolio.
As of
December 31, 2007, we had invested $0.5 million in long-term investments that
matured in one to two years. These long-term securities are invested
in high quality corporate securities. Despite the high quality of these
securities, they may be subject to interest rate risk. This means
that if interest rates increase, the principal amount of our investment would
probably decline. A large increase in interest rates may cause a
material loss to our long-term investments. The following table
(dollars in thousands) presents hypothetical changes in the fair value of our
long-term investments at December 31, 2007. The modeling technique
measures the change in fair value arising from selected potential changes in
interest rates. Movements in interest rates of plus or minus 50 basis
points (BP) and 100 BP reflect immediate hypothetical shifts in the fair value
of these investments.
|
Valuation
of securities
given
an interest rate
decrease
of
|
|
No
change
in
interest
rates
|
|
Valuation
of securities
given
an interest rate
increase
of
|
Type
of security
|
(100BP)
|
(50
BP)
|
|
|
100
BP
|
50
BP
|
Long-term
investments with
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
maturities
of one to two years
|
$487
|
$490
|
|
$494
|
|
$501
|
$497
|
ITEM
8. CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY
DATA
Report
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To Board
of Directors and Stockholders of Aware, Inc.:
In our
opinion, the consolidated financial statements listed in the accompanying index
appearing under Item 15 (a) (1) present fairly, in all material respects, the
financial position of Aware, Inc, and its subsidiary at December 31, 2007 and
December 31, 2006 and the results of their operations and their cash flows for
each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2007 in conformity with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. In
addition, in our opinion, the financial statement schedule listed in the
accompanying index appearing under Item 15 (a) (2) presents fairly, in all
material respects, the information set forth therein when read in conjunction
with the related consolidated financial statements. Also in our opinion, the
Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over
financial reporting as of December 31, 2007, based on criteria established in
Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring
Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). The Company's management is
responsible for these financial statements and financial statement schedule, for
maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its
assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting,
included in Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
appearing under Item 9A. Our responsibility is to express opinions on these
financial statements, on the financial statement schedule, and on the Company's
internal control over financial reporting based on our integrated audits. We
conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan
and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the
financial statements are free of material misstatement and whether effective
internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material
respects. Our audits of the financial statements included examining, on a test
basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial
statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates
made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an
understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk
that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and
operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our
audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary
in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for
our opinions.
As
discussed in Note 6 to the financial statements, the Company changed its method
of accounting for share-based payments on January 1, 2006.
A
company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to
provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting
and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal
control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that
(i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail,
accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of
the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are
recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and
expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with
authorizations of management and directors of the company; and
(iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection
of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that
could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because
of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not
prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation
of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may
become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of
compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
/s/
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP
February
15, 2008
AWARE,
INC.
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEETS
(in
thousands, except share data)
|
|
December
31,
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ASSETS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current
assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
and cash
equivalents
|
|
$ |
1,806 |
|
|
$ |
8,571 |
|
Short-term
investments
|
|
|
36,249 |
|
|
|
29,263 |
|
Accounts
receivable (less allowance for doubtful
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
accounts
of $55 in 2007 and $97 in
2006)
|
|
|
7,661 |
|
|
|
4,738 |
|
Inventories
|
|
|
1,424 |
|
|
|
819 |
|
Prepaid
expenses and other current
assets
|
|
|
708 |
|
|
|
867 |
|
Total
current
assets
|
|
|
47,848 |
|
|
|
44,258 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property
and equipment,
net
|
|
|
7,872 |
|
|
|
8,123 |
|
Investments
|
|
|
494 |
|
|
|
1,968 |
|
Other
assets,
net
|
|
|
169 |
|
|
|
237 |
|
Total
assets
|
|
$ |
56,383 |
|
|
$ |
54,586 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIABILITIES
AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current
liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts
payable
|
|
$ |
939 |
|
|
$ |
692 |
|
Accrued
expenses
|
|
|
174 |
|
|
|
153 |
|
Accrued
compensation
|
|
|
1,135 |
|
|
|
1,043 |
|
Accrued
professional
|
|
|
156 |
|
|
|
198 |
|
Deferred
revenue
|
|
|
413 |
|
|
|
800 |
|
Total
current
liabilities
|
|
|
2,817 |
|
|
|
2,886 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-term
deferred
revenue
|
|
|
330 |
|
|
|
330 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Commitments
and contingent liabilities (Note 7)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stockholders’
equity:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preferred
stock, $1.00 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized, none
outstanding
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Common
stock, $.01 par value; shares authorized, 70,000,000
in 2007 and 2006; issued and
outstanding, 23,854,708 in 2007 and 23,642,753 in 2006
|
|
|
239 |
|
|
|
236 |
|
Additional
paid-in
capital
|
|
|
83,626 |
|
|
|
81,923 |
|
Accumulated
deficit
|
|
|
(30,629 |
) |
|
|
(30,789 |
) |
Total
stockholders’
equity
|
|
|
53,236 |
|
|
|
51,370 |
|
Total
liabilities and stockholders’
equity
|
|
$ |
56,383 |
|
|
$ |
54,586 |
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial
statements.
|
AWARE, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(in
thousands, except per share data)
|
|
Years
ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Product
sales
|
|
$ |
17,491 |
|
|
$ |
7,610 |
|
|
$ |
5,431 |
|
Contract
revenue
|
|
|
6,337 |
|
|
|
12,569 |
|
|
|
6,719 |
|
Royalties
|
|
|
2,609 |
|
|
|
3,877 |
|
|
|
3,517 |
|
Total
revenue
|
|
|
26,437 |
|
|
|
24,056 |
|
|
|
15,667 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Costs
and expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost
of product
sales
|
|
|
3,998 |
|
|
|
918 |
|
|
|
474 |
|
Cost
of contract
revenue
|
|
|
5,425 |
|
|
|
5,182 |
|
|
|
3,270 |
|
Research
and
development
|
|
|
10,869 |
|
|
|
10,591 |
|
|
|
9,750 |
|
Selling
and
marketing
|
|
|
3,738 |
|
|
|
3,359 |
|
|
|
2,738 |
|
General
and
administrative
|
|
|
4,237 |
|
|
|
4,405 |
|
|
|
3,053 |
|
Total
costs and
expenses
|
|
|
28,267 |
|
|
|
24,455 |
|
|
|
19,285 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss
from
operations
|
|
|
(1,830 |
) |
|
|
(399 |
) |
|
|
(3,618 |
) |
Interest
income
|
|
|
2,016 |
|
|
|
1,840 |
|
|
|
1,150 |
|
Income
(loss) before provision for income taxes
|
|
|
186 |
|
|
|
1,441 |
|
|
|
(2,468 |
) |
Provision
for income
taxes
|
|
|
26 |
|
|
|
407 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
income
(loss)
|
|
$ |
160 |
|
|
$ |
1,034 |
|
|
$ |
(2,468 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
income (loss) per share –
basic
|
|
$ |
0.01 |
|
|
$ |
0.04 |
|
|
$ |
(0.11 |
) |
Net
income (loss) per share –
diluted
|
|
$ |
0.01 |
|
|
$ |
0.04 |
|
|
$ |
(0.11 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted
average shares –
basic
|
|
|
23,738 |
|
|
|
23,474 |
|
|
|
23,076 |
|
Weighted
average shares –
diluted
|
|
|
25,084 |
|
|
|
24,965 |
|
|
|
23,076 |
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial
statements.
AWARE, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH
FLOWS
(in thousands)
|
|
Years
ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
flows from operating activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
income
(loss)
|
|
$ |
160 |
|
|
$ |
1,034 |
|
|
$ |
(2,468 |
) |
Adjustments
to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash
provided
by (used in) operating activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation
and
amortization
|
|
|
878 |
|
|
|
686 |
|
|
|
614 |
|
Provision
for doubtful accounts
|
|
|
(20 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Stock-based
compensation
|
|
|
1,138 |
|
|
|
1,937 |
|
|
|
- |
|
Increase
(decrease) from changes in assets and liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts
receivable
|
|
|
(2,903 |
) |
|
|
(989 |
) |
|
|
(679 |
) |
Inventories
|
|
|
(605 |
) |
|
|
(733 |
) |
|
|
57 |
|
Prepaid expenses and other
current assets
|
|
|
160 |
|
|
|
(103 |
) |
|
|
(347 |
) |
Accounts
payable
|
|
|
247 |
|
|
|
85 |
|
|
|
246 |
|
Accrued
expenses
|
|
|
69 |
|
|
|
301 |
|
|
|
142 |
|
Deferred
revenue
|
|
|
(386 |
) |
|
|
592 |
|
|
|
423 |
|
Net
cash provided by (used in) operating activities
|
|
|
(1,262 |
) |
|
|
2,810 |
|
|
|
(2,012 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
flows from investing activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Purchases
of property and
equipment
|
|
|
(559 |
) |
|
|
(666 |
) |
|
|
(368 |
) |
Purchase
of other
assets
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(338 |
) |
Sales
of
investments
|
|
|
24,497 |
|
|
|
15,984 |
|
|
|
21,977 |
|
Purchases
of
investments
|
|
|
(30,009 |
) |
|
|
(23,521 |
) |
|
|
(14,888 |
) |
Net
cash provided by (used in) investing activities
|
|
|
(6,071 |
) |
|
|
(8,203 |
) |
|
|
6,383 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
flows from financing activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds
from issuance of common
stock
|
|
|
647 |
|
|
|
896 |
|
|
|
1,215 |
|
Shares
surrendered by employees to pay taxes related to
unrestricted
stock
|
|
|
(41 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Repurchase
of common
stock
|
|
|
(38 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Net
cash provided by financing activities
|
|
|
568 |
|
|
|
896 |
|
|
|
1,215 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Increase
(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
|
|
|
(6,765 |
) |
|
|
(4,497 |
) |
|
|
5,586 |
|
Cash
and cash equivalents, beginning of year
|
|
|
8,571 |
|
|
|
13,068 |
|
|
|
7,482 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
and cash equivalents, end of
year
|
|
$ |
1,806 |
|
|
$ |
8,571 |
|
|
$ |
13,068 |
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial
statements.
AWARE, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS'
EQUITY
(in thousands)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additional
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
Common
Stock
|
|
|
Paid-In
|
|
|
Accumulated
|
|
|
Stockholders’
|
|
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Amount
|
|
|
Capital
|
|
|
Deficit
|
|
|
Equity
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance
at December 31, 2004
|
|
|
22,909 |
|
|
$ |
229 |
|
|
$ |
77,882 |
|
|
$ |
(29,355 |
) |
|
$ |
48,756 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exercise
of common stock options
|
|
|
340 |
|
|
|
4 |
|
|
|
1,062 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,066 |
|
Issuance
of common stock under
employee
stock purchase plan
|
|
|
33 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
149 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
149 |
|
Net
loss
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2,468 |
) |
|
|
(2,468 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance
at December 31, 2005
|
|
|
23,282 |
|
|
|
233 |
|
|
|
79,093 |
|
|
|
(31,823 |
) |
|
|
47,503 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exercise
of common stock options
|
|
|
293 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
881 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
884 |
|
Issuance
of unrestricted stock
|
|
|
66 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
367 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
367 |
|
Issuance
of common stock under
employee
stock purchase plan
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
12 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12 |
|
Stock-based
compensation expense
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
1,570 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,570 |
|
Net
income
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,034 |
|
|
|
1,034 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance
at December 31, 2006
|
|
|
23,643 |
|
|
|
236 |
|
|
|
81,923 |
|
|
|
(30,789 |
) |
|
|
51,370 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exercise
of common stock options
|
|
|
198 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
632 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
635 |
|
Repurchase
of common stock
|
|
|
(9 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(38 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(38 |
) |
Issuance
of unrestricted stock
|
|
|
29 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
153 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
153 |
|
Shares
surrendered by employees to
pay
taxes related to unrestricted stock
|
|
|
(8 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(41 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(41 |
) |
Issuance
of common stock under
employee
stock purchase plan
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
12 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12 |
|
Stock-based
compensation expense
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
985 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
985 |
|
Net
income
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
160 |
|
|
|
160 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance
at December 31, 2007
|
|
|
23,855 |
|
|
$ |
239 |
|
|
$ |
83,626 |
|
|
$ |
(30,629 |
) |
|
$ |
53,236 |
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial
statements.
AWARE,
INC.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
We are a
worldwide leader in the development and marketing of Digital Subscriber Line
(“DSL”) technology for silicon intellectual property and test and diagnostics
hardware and software products. We sell our DSL technology on a nonexclusive and
worldwide basis to companies that manufacture and sell integrated circuits that
incorporate our technology. We sell our DSL hardware and software products to
OEMs that integrate our products into equipment for provisioning, testing and
maintaining DSL networks. In addition to our DSL business, we also
offer software products for biometrics, medical and digital imaging
applications.
2.
|
SUMMARY
OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
|
Basis of
Presentation - The consolidated financial statements include the accounts
of Aware, Inc. and its subsidiary. All significant intercompany
transactions have been eliminated.
Cash and Cash
Equivalents – Cash and cash equivalents consist primarily of demand
deposits, money market funds, commercial paper, and discount notes in highly
liquid short-term instruments with original maturities of three months or less
from the date of purchase and are stated at cost, which approximates
market.
Investments
- At December 31, 2007 and 2006, we categorized all securities as
“available-for-sale,” since we may liquidate these investments
currently. In calculating realized gains and losses, cost is
determined using specific identification. Unrealized gains and losses
on available-for-sale securities are excluded from earnings and reported in a
separate component of stockholders’ equity if material. At December
31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, unrealized gains and losses were not material. Gross
realized gains on available for sale securities was $0 in 2007, $10 in 2006 and
$0 in 2005. Gross realized losses on available for sale securities
was $0 in 2007, $3,387 in 2006 and $0 in 2005.
At
December 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006, we held $18.0 million and $19.1
million, respectively, of auction variable rate notes classified as
available-for-sale securities. Our investments in these securities are
recorded at cost, which approximates fair market value due to their variable
interest rates, which typically reset every 28 days, and, despite the long-term
nature of their stated contractual maturities, we expect to have the ability to
quickly liquidate these securities. As a result, we had no cumulative gross
unrealized holding gains (losses) or gross realized gains (losses) from these
investments. All income generated from these investments was recorded as
interest income. In January 2008, we liquidated all of our auction
variable rate notes and invested the proceeds into a money market
account.
The cost
of securities, which approximates fair value, consists of the following at
December 31, 2007 and 2006 (in thousands):
|
Short-term investments
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
Auction
variable rate notes
|
|
$ |
17,955 |
|
|
$ |
19,095 |
|
|
Corporate
debt securities
|
|
|
2,033 |
|
|
|
4,781 |
|
|
U.S.
agency
securities
|
|
|
16,261 |
|
|
|
5,387 |
|
|
Total
|
|
$ |
36,249 |
|
|
$ |
29,263 |
|
|
Investments
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
Corporate
debt securities
|
|
$ |
494 |
|
|
$ |
1,968 |
|
|
Total
|
|
$ |
494 |
|
|
$ |
1,968 |
|
Short-term
investments mature within three to twelve months, and investments mature within
one to two years.
Allowance for
Doubtful Accounts – Accounts are charged to the allowance for doubtful
accounts as they are deemed uncollectible based on a periodic review of the
accounts.
AWARE,
INC.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Inventories
– Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value.
Cost is determined by the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method. We
evaluate all inventories for net realizable value on a quarterly basis, and
record a provision for excess and obsolete inventory when required.
Property and
Equipment – Property and equipment are stated at
cost. Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment is
provided using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the
assets. Upon retirement or sale, the costs of the assets disposed of and the
related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and any resulting
gain or loss is included in the determination of income or
loss. Expenditures for repairs and maintenance are charged to expense
as incurred.
The
estimated useful lives of assets used by us are:
Building
and improvements
|
30
years
|
Building
improvements
|
5
to 20 years
|
Furniture
and fixtures
|
5
years
|
Computer,
office & manufacturing equipment
|
3
years
|
Purchased
software
|
3
years
|
Impairment of
Long-Lived Assets – We review long-lived assets for impairment whenever
events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of
the assets may not be fully recoverable or that the useful lives of these assets
are no longer appropriate. Each impairment test is based on a
comparison of the undiscounted cash flows to the recorded value of the
asset. If an impairment is indicated, the asset is written down to
its estimated fair value on a discounted cash flow basis. The cash
flow estimates used to determine the impairment, if any, reflect our best
estimates using appropriate assumptions and projections at that
time. We believe that no significant impairment of our long-lived
assets has occurred as of December 31, 2007 and 2006.
Revenue
Recognition – Revenue is recognized in accordance with Staff Bulletin No.
104, “Revenue Recognition,” (“SAB 104”) and related
interpretations. Accordingly, our general revenue recognition policy
is to recognize revenue when there is persuasive evidence of an arrangement, the
sales price is fixed or determinable, collection of the related receivable is
reasonably assured, and delivery has occurred or services have been
rendered.
We derive
our revenue from three sources (i) product revenue, which includes revenue from
the sale of ADSL hardware and software products and biometrics medical and
digital imaging software products, (ii) contract revenue, which includes patent,
license and engineering service fees that we receive under customer agreements,
and (iii) royalties that we receive under customer agreements. In
addition to the above general revenue recognition principles prescribed by SAB
104, our specific revenue recognition policies for each revenue source are more
fully described below.
Product sales. Product sales
consist primarily of revenue from the sale of: (i) hardware products, and (ii)
software products.
|
·
|
Hardware
products, including ADSL modules and ADSL test and development systems are
standalone products that are sold independently of our technology
licensing products. The terms of sales generally do not contain
provisions that obligate us to provide additional products or services
after shipment. Additionally, we do not grant return rights
other than normal warranty rights of return. We recognize
revenue: (i) upon shipment when products are shipped FOB shipping point,
and (ii) upon delivery at the customer’s location when products are
shipped FOB destination.
|
|
·
|
Software
products consist of software that is generally sold to OEM customers for
integration into their products. The terms of sale generally do
not contain provisions that obligate us to provide additional products or
services after shipment, other than technical telephone support for a
brief period of time post sale. The cost of providing technical support is
inconsequential because of the limited scope of the support. Additionally,
we do not grant return rights other than normal warranty rights of return,
and we generally do not customize software for
customers. We also sell maintenance contracts that
entitle customers to product updates, which we classify as product
revenue.
|
AWARE,
INC.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
|
|
We
recognize software revenue by applying the principles set forth in SAB 104
and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (“AICPA”) Statement
of Position No. 97-2, “Software Revenue
Recognition”. Accordingly, we recognize revenue for software
licenses: (i) upon shipment when products are shipped FOB shipping point,
and (ii) upon delivery at the customer’s location when products are
shipped FOB destination. We recognize revenue for maintenance
contracts ratably over the related contract
period.
|
Contract revenue. We enter
into nonexclusive agreements with customers that generally require us to deliver
technology and/or provide engineering services. In return, we receive
one or more of the following forms of consideration: (i) patent and license
fees; (ii) engineering service fees; and (iii) royalty payments.
License
fees, patent fees or engineering services fees are typically paid and the
revenue is recognized during the product development period as technology is
delivered or as engineering services milestones are
achieved. Engineering milestones have historically been formulated to
correlate with the estimated level of effort and related costs. We
classify license, patent and engineering service fees as contract
revenue.
When our
agreements include both the delivery of licensing rights and technology and the
provision of engineering services, we combine the total patent, license and
engineering service fees to be paid under the agreement. These total
fees are recognized ratably over the expected product development period,
subject to the limitation that the cumulative revenue recognized through the end
of any period may not exceed cumulative contract milestones achieved to date. We
review assumptions regarding the product development period on a regular basis
and make adjustments as required. We believe that this method represents the
appropriate systematic method for revenue recognition for this type of
contract.
After
customers enter into agreements, they often engage us to provide additional
engineering work that is beyond the scope of their original agreement. When
customers request additional services, both parties agree to engineering fees
that are based on the level of effort required. We recognize revenue
from these agreements either as engineering services are performed or as
milestones are achieved.
Royalty
revenue. Royalty revenue is generally recognized in the
quarter in which a report is received from a customer detailing the shipments of
products incorporating our intellectual property. This report is
typically received in the quarter following sales of products by our customer.
The terms of our agreements generally require customers to give notification to
us and to pay royalties within 45 to 60 days of the end of the quarter during
which sales of products take place.
Income
Taxes – We compute deferred income taxes based on the differences between
the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted
rates in effect in the years in which the differences are expected to
reverse. We establish a valuation allowance to offset temporary
deductible differences, net operating loss carryforwards and tax credits when it
is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will not be
realized.
Capitalization of
Software Costs – We capitalize certain internally generated software
development costs after technological feasibility of the product has been
established. No software costs were capitalized for the years ended
December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, because such costs incurred subsequent to the
establishment of technological feasibility, but prior to commercial
availability, were immaterial.
Research and
Development Costs – Costs incurred in the research and development of our
products are expensed as incurred.
Concentration of
Credit Risk – At December 31, 2007 and 2006, we had cash and investments,
in excess of federally insured deposit limits of approximately $38.4 million and
$39.7 million, respectively.
Concentration
of credit risk with respect to net accounts receivable consists of $1.9 million,
$1.3 million, and $0.8 million, and $0.5 million with four customers at December
31, 2007 and $1.1 million, $0.9 million, and $0.6 million with three customers
at December 31, 2006.
AWARE,
INC.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Stock-Based
Compensation – We grant stock options to our employees and
directors. Such grants are for a fixed number of shares with an
exercise price equal to the fair value of the shares at the date of grant.
Effective January 1, 2006, we adopted the provisions of the Financial
Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards No. 123 (revised 2004), “Share-Based Payment,”
(“SFAS 123(R)”), which establishes accounting for equity instruments
exchanged for employee services. Under the provisions of SFAS 123(R),
stock-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date, based on the fair
value of the award, and is recognized as an expense over the employee’s
requisite service period (generally the vesting period of the equity
award). We use the Black-Scholes valuation model to estimate the fair
value of service condition awards. This valuation model takes into
account the exercise price of the award, as well as a variety of significant
assumptions. These assumptions used to estimate the fair value of
stock options include the expected term, the expected volatility of our stock
over the expected term, the risk-free interest rate over the expected term, and
our expected annual dividend yield. We recognize compensation costs
on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period. Prior to
January 1, 2006, we accounted for share-based compensation to employees in
accordance with APB 25 and related interpretations. We also followed the
disclosure requirements of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation”
(“SFAS 123”). We elected to adopt the modified prospective
transition method as provided by SFAS 123(R) and, accordingly, financial
statement amounts for the prior periods presented in this Form 10-K have
not been restated to reflect the fair value method of expensing stock-based
compensation.
We also
award unrestricted stock to our employees under the 2001 Plan. We record the
fair value of such awards as stock-based compensation expense in accordance with
the provisions of SFAS 123(R).
Computation of
Earnings per Share – Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing
income available to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common
shares outstanding. Diluted earnings per share is computed by
dividing income available to common shareholders by the weighted average number
of common shares outstanding plus additional common shares that would have been
outstanding if dilutive potential common shares had been issued. For
the purposes of this calculation, stock options are considered common stock
equivalents in periods in which they have a dilutive effect. Stock
options that are antidilutive are excluded from the calculation.
Use of Estimates
– The
preparation of our financial statements in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect
the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent
assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported
amount of revenues and expenses during the reporting
period. Significant estimates include revenue recognition, reserves
for doubtful accounts, reserves for excess and obsolete inventory, useful lives
of fixed assets, valuation allowance for deferred income tax assets, and accrued
liabilities. Actual results could differ from those
estimates.
Fair Value of
Financial Instruments – The carrying amounts of cash and cash
equivalents, short-term investments, accounts receivable, accounts payable and
accrued expenses approximate fair value because of their short-term
nature.
Comprehensive
Income (Loss) - Comprehensive income (loss) is defined as the change in
equity of a business enterprise during a period from transactions and other
events and circumstances from non-owner sources, including foreign currency
translation adjustments and unrealized gains and losses on marketable
securities. For the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005,
comprehensive income (loss) was not materially different from net income
(loss).
Advertising Costs
– Advertising costs are expensed as incurred and were not material for
2007, 2006 and 2005.
AWARE,
INC.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Recent Accounting
Pronouncements – In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS
No. 157 ("SFAS 157"), "Fair Value Measurements," which defines fair
value, establishes guidelines for measuring fair value and expands disclosures
regarding fair value measurements. SFAS 157 does not require any new fair
value measurements but rather eliminates inconsistencies in guidance found in
various prior accounting pronouncements. SFAS 157 is effective for fiscal
years beginning after November 15, 2007. However, on February 6, 2008, the
FASB issued FSP FAS 157-b which defers the effective date of SFAS 157
for one year for nonfinancial assets and nonfinancial liabilities that are
recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring
basis. For fiscal 2008, we will adopt SFAS 157 except as it applies to
those nonfinancial assets and nonfinancial liabilities as noted in FSP
FAS 157-b. The partial adoption of SFAS 157 will not have a material
impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash
flows.
In
February 2007, the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 159, “The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial
Liabilities, including an amendment of FASB Statements No. 115”
(“SFAS 159”). SFAS 159 permits entities to choose, at specified
election dates, to measure eligible items at fair value (the “fair value
option”). A business entity shall report unrealized gains and losses on items
for which the fair value option has been elected in earnings at each subsequent
reporting period. This accounting standard is effective as of the beginning of
an entity’s first fiscal year that begins after November 15,
2007. The effect, if any, of adopting SFAS 159 on our financial
position and results of operations has not been finalized.
Reclassifications
– Certain prior
period amounts have been reclassified to be consistent with the current period
presentation.
Segments – We organize ourselves as
one segment reporting to the chief operating decision-maker. We have
sales outside of the United States, which are described in Note
8. All long-lived assets are maintained in the United
States.
Inventories consisted of the following at December 31 (in
thousands):
|
|
2007
|
|
2006
|
|
Raw
materials
|
$1,424
|
|
$819
|
4.
|
PROPERTY
AND EQUIPMENT
|
Property
and equipment consisted of the following at December 31 (in
thousands):
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
Land
|
|
$ |
1,080 |
|
|
$ |
1,080 |
|
Building
and improvements
|
|
|
8,854 |
|
|
|
8,837 |
|
Computer
equipment
|
|
|
7,168 |
|
|
|
6,684 |
|
Purchased
software
|
|
|
3,129 |
|
|
|
3,090 |
|
Furniture
and fixtures
|
|
|
944 |
|
|
|
938 |
|
Office
equipment
|
|
|
364 |
|
|
|
354 |
|
Manufacturing
equipment
|
|
|
292 |
|
|
|
289 |
|
Total
|
|
|
21,831 |
|
|
|
21,272 |
|
Less
accumulated depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
(13,959 |
) |
|
|
(13,149 |
) |
Property
and equipment, net
|
|
$ |
7,872 |
|
|
$ |
8,123 |
|
Depreciation
expense amounted to $0.8 million, $0.6 million, and $0.6 million in each of the
years ended December 31, 2007, 2006, and 2005, respectively.
AWARE,
INC.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Deferred
tax assets are attributable to the following at December 31 (in
thousands):
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
Federal
net operating loss carryforwards
|
|
$ |
15,662 |
|
|
$ |
16,983 |
|
|
Research
and development and other tax credit carryforwards
|
|
|
16,744 |
|
|
|
15,674 |
|
|
State
net operating loss carryforwards
|
|
|
704 |
|
|
|
520 |
|
|
Capitalized
research and development costs
|
|
|
8,186 |
|
|
|
9,456 |
|
|
Other
|
|
|
1,529 |
|
|
|
1,139 |
|
|
Total
|
|
|
42,825 |
|
|
|
43,772 |
|
|
Less
valuation allowance
|
|
|
(42,825 |
) |
|
|
(43,772 |
) |
|
Deferred
tax assets, net
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
A
reconciliation of the U.S. federal statutory rate to the effective tax rate is
as follows:
|
|
|
Year
ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
Federal
statutory rate
|
|
|
34 |
% |
|
|
34 |
% |
|
|
(34 |
%) |
|
State
rate, net of federal benefit
|
|
|
(16 |
) |
|
|
4 |
|
|
|
(10 |
) |
|
Foreign
tax expense
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
27 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
Tax
credits
|
|
|
(545 |
) |
|
|
(97 |
) |
|
|
(53 |
) |
|
Change
in valuation allowance
|
|
|
504 |
|
|
|
43 |
|
|
|
97 |
|
|
Nondeductible
compensation expense
|
|
|
31 |
|
|
|
16 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
Other
|
|
|
6 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
Effective
tax rate
|
|
|
14 |
% |
|
|
28 |
% |
|
|
0 |
% |
At
December 31, 2007, we had federal net operating loss ("NOL") and research and
development credit carryforwards of approximately $46.1 million and $12.2
million respectively, expiring in 2008 through various dates up through
2027. In 2007, $2.6 million of NOLs and $92,800 of research and
development credits expired unused. Based on an analysis that we
performed under Internal Revenue Code Section 382 on our NOLs generated for the
period 1997 through 2007, we have not experienced a change in ownership as
defined by Section 382, and, therefore, the NOLs are not currently under any
Section 382 limitation. We also have approximately $2.3 million of
additional federal NOLs and $138,000 of additional research and development
credits for the periods 1993 through 1995 that are currently being assessed
under Section 382. Until we complete our review, these NOLs and
research and development credits have not been included as a deferred tax asset
and are not included in the balance noted above. If, upon completion
of our review, these NOLs are included as a deferred tax asset, they will likely
be subject to a full valuation allowance. All NOLs incurred prior to
1993 have expired unused.
For state
purposes, we had state NOLs and research and development credit carryforwards of
approximately $11.2 million and $6.2 million respectively, expiring in 2008
through various dates up to 2022. In 2007, approximately $527,000 of
state NOLs and no research and development credits expired unused.
Subsequent
ownership changes, as defined in Section 382, could limit the amount of net
operating loss carryforwards and research and development credits that can be
utilized annually to offset future taxable income.
We
recorded a full valuation allowance against our deferred tax assets because we
determined that it was more likely than not that such deferred tax assets may
not be realized. Our decision to reserve deferred tax assets was
primarily due to the fact that we had net operating losses in 2007, 2006, and
2005. If we generate sustained future taxable income against which
these tax attributes may be applied, some portion or all of the valuation
allowance would be reversed.
We did
not record a provision for income taxes in 2007, 2006, and 2005 due to a net
operating loss and the uncertainty of the timing of profitability in future
periods. However, in 2007 we paid immaterial amounts of state excise taxes, and
in 2006 we paid $0.4 million of taxes to non-U.S. jurisdictions that assess a
source withholding tax.
AWARE,
INC.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
We
adopted the provisions of Financial Standards Accounting Board Interpretation
No. 48 Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes (“FIN 48”) an interpretation
of FASB Statement No. 109 (“SFAS 109”) on January 1, 2007. As a
result of the implementation of FIN 48, we recognized no material adjustment in
the liability for unrecognized income tax benefits. At the adoption
date of January 1, 2007 and also at December 31, 2007, we had no unrecognized
tax benefits.
We
recognize interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in income
tax expense. As of December 31, 2007, we had no accrued interest or
penalties related to uncertain tax positions.
The tax
years 2003 through 2007 remain open to examination by the major taxing
jurisdictions to which we are subject.
6.
|
EQUITY
AND STOCK COMPENSATION PLANS
|
As
discussed in Note 2, we adopted SFAS 123(R) on January 1, 2006. Prior
to January 1, 2006, we accounted for share-based compensation to employees
in accordance with APB 25 and related interpretations. The adoption
of SFAS 123(R) had a significant impact on our results of
operations.
At
December 31, 2007, we have three stock-based compensation plans, which are
described below:
Fixed Stock
Option Plans – We have two fixed option plans. Under the 1996
Stock Option Plan (“1996 Plan”), we may grant incentive stock options or
nonqualified stock options to our employees and directors for up to 6,100,000
shares of common stock. Under the 2001 Nonqualified Stock Plan (“2001
Plan”), we may grant nonqualified stock options or stock awards to our employees
and directors for up to 8,000,000 shares of common stock. Under both
plans, options are granted at an exercise price as determined by the Board of
Directors and have terms ranging from four to a maximum of ten years. Our
options generally vest over three to five years, although we have granted
options that are 50% or fully vested on the date of grant. As of
December 31, 2007, there were 3,882,305 shares available for grant under the
2001 Plan, and no shares available under the 1996 Plan. In February
2005, we granted fully vested stock options to our directors and certain of our
officers to purchase an aggregate of 1,658,500 shares of our common stock. The
options were granted with exercise prices equal to the fair market value of our
common stock on the dates of grant.
During
2007 and 2006, we awarded unrestricted stock to our employees under the 2001
Plan. In 2007 and 2006, a total of 20,744 and 65,464 net shares were
distributed representing $153,000 and $367,000 of stock-based compensation
expense, respectively.
The
following table presents stock-based employee compensation expenses included in
our consolidated statements of operations (in thousands):
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
Cost
of product sales
|
|
$ |
13 |
|
|
$ |
15 |
|
|
Cost
of contract revenue
|
|
|
176 |
|
|
|
149 |
|
|
Research
and development
|
|
|
483 |
|
|
|
904 |
|
|
Selling
and marketing
|
|
|
119 |
|
|
|
289 |
|
|
General
and administrative
|
|
|
347 |
|
|
|
580 |
|
|
Stock-based
compensation expense
|
|
$ |
1,138 |
|
|
$ |
1,937 |
|
We
estimate the fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes valuation
model. This valuation model takes into account the exercise price of the award,
as well as a variety of significant assumptions. These assumptions used to
estimate the fair value of stock options include the expected term, the expected
volatility of our
stock over the expected term, the risk-free interest rate over the expected
term, and our expected annual dividend yield. We believe that the valuation
technique and the approach utilized to develop the underlying assumptions
are appropriate in calculating the fair values of our stock options granted
in the years ended December 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006. Estimates of
fair value are not intended to predict actual future events or the value
ultimately realized by persons who receive equity awards.
AWARE,
INC.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Assumptions
used to determine the fair value of options granted during the years ended
December 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006, using the Black-Scholes valuation model
were:
|
|
|
Year
Ended
December
31, 2007
|
|
Year
Ended
December
31, 2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expected
term(1)
|
|
6.25
years
|
|
3.25-6.25
years
|
|
Expected
volatility factor(2)
|
|
51-56%
|
|
60-67%
|
|
Risk-free
interest rate(3)
|
|
3.80-4.73%
|
|
4.55-4.99%
|
|
Expected
annual dividend yield
|
|
—
|
|
—
|
(1)
|
The
expected term for each grant was determined as the midpoint between the
vesting date and the end of the contractual term, also known as the
“simplified method” for estimating the expected term described by Staff
Accounting Bulletin No. 107 (“SAB 107”).
|
|
|
(2) |
The
expected volatility for each grant is estimated based on an average of
historical volatility for a period equal to the expected term of the stock
option.
|
|
|
(3) |
The risk-free interest rate for each grant is based on the U.S.
Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant for a period equal to
the expected term of the stock option. |
We do not
estimate our forfeiture rates as the actual forfeiture rate is known at the end
of each reporting period due to the timing of our stock option
vesting.
A summary
of the transactions of our two fixed stock option plans for the years ended
December 31, 2007, 2006, and 2005 are presented below:
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
|
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
|
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
|
|
Outstanding
at beginning of year
|
|
|
6,489,812 |
|
|
$ |
4.80 |
|
|
|
6,284,606 |
|
|
$ |
4.73 |
|
|
|
4,509,808 |
|
|
$ |
3.95 |
|
Granted
|
|
|
737,000 |
|
|
|
4.79 |
|
|
|
697,000 |
|
|
|
5.24 |
|
|
|
2,161,500 |
|
|
|
6.10 |
|
Exercised
|
|
|
(197,853 |
) |
|
|
3.21 |
|
|
|
(293,394 |
) |
|
|
3.01 |
|
|
|
(339,884 |
) |
|
|
3.13 |
|
Forfeited
or
cancelled
|
|
|
(54,254 |
) |
|
|
5.87 |
|
|
|
(198,400 |
) |
|
|
6.66 |
|
|
|
(46,818 |
) |
|
|
4.05 |
|
Outstanding
at end of year
|
|
|
6,974,705 |
|
|
$ |
4.84 |
|
|
|
6,489,812 |
|
|
$ |
4.80 |
|
|
|
6,284,606 |
|
|
$ |
4.73 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options
exercisable at year end
|
|
|
5,809,280 |
|
|
$ |
4.80 |
|
|
|
5,688,735 |
|
|
$ |
4.72 |
|
|
|
5,598,113 |
|
|
$ |
4.78 |
|
All
options granted during the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005 had
exercise prices equal to the fair market value of our common stock on the date
of grant, and the weighted average grant date fair values of options granted
were $2.66, $2.85 and $4.25, respectively.
At
December 31, 2007, the weighted average remaining contractual term for both
options outstanding and options exercisable was approximately 6
years.
At
December 31, 2007, the aggregate intrinsic value of options outstanding and
options exercisable was approximately $3.5 million for both. The intrinsic
value of a stock option is the amount by which the market value of the
underlying stock exceeds the exercise price of the option. The
aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised during the year ended December
31, 2007 was approximately $358,000.
AWARE,
INC.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The
following table summarizes the stock options outstanding at December 31,
2007:
|
|
|
Options
Outstanding
|
|
Options
Exercisable
|
|
|
Exercise
Price
Range
|
|
Number
|
|
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
|
|
Weighted Average
Remaining
Contractual
Term (in
years)
|
|
Number
|
|
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$0
to $5 |
|
3,856,105
|
|
$
|
3.35
|
|
6.43
|
|
3,414,089
|
|
$
|
3.19
|
|
|
$5
to $10 |
|
3,032,350
|
|
|
5.86
|
|
6.26
|
|
2,308,941
|
|
|
6.03
|
|
|
$10
to $30 |
|
16,750
|
|
|
20.38
|
|
2.80
|
|
16,750
|
|
|
20.38
|
|
|
$30
to $40 |
|
45,000
|
|
|
33.56
|
|
1.46
|
|
45,000
|
|
|
33.56
|
|
|
$40
to $50 |
|
14,500
|
|
|
44.02
|
|
2.21
|
|
14,500
|
|
|
44.02
|
|
|
$50
to $70 |
|
10,000
|
|
|
58.06
|
|
1.75
|
|
10,000
|
|
|
58.06
|
|
|
|
|
6,974,705
|
|
$
|
4.84
|
|
6.30
|
|
5,809,280
|
|
$
|
4.80
|
|
At
December 31, 2007, unrecognized compensation expense related to non-vested stock
options was approximately $2.7 million, which is expected to be recognized over
a weighted average period of 2 years.
Prior to
January 1, 2006, we accounted for stock-based compensation to employees in
accordance with APB 25. We also had previously adopted the provisions of
SFAS 123, which required disclosure only of stock-based compensation and
its impact on net income (loss) and net income (loss) per share. The
following table illustrates the effects on net loss and net loss per share for
the year ended December 31, 2005 as if we had applied the fair value recognition
provisions of SFAS 123 to stock-based employee awards (in
thousands):
|
|
|
Year
Ended
December
31, 2005
|
|
|
Net
loss as reported
|
|
$ |
(2,468 |
) |
|
Add:
Stock-based employee compensation expense included in loss
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less:
Total stock-based employee compensation expense determined under the fair
value method
|
|
|
(10,113 |
) |
|
Pro
forma net loss
|
|
$ |
(12,581 |
) |
|
Net
loss per share:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and
diluted — as reported
|
|
$ |
(0.11 |
) |
|
Basic
and diluted — pro-forma
|
|
$ |
(0.55 |
) |
In
determining the stock-based compensation expense to be disclosed under SFAS 123,
we were required to estimate the fair value of stock awards granted to employees
using the Black-Scholes valuation model. However, differences between the
requirements of SFAS 123(R) and SFAS 123 resulted in a different set of
assumptions determined by us to be used in our valuation model.
Assumptions used to determine the fair value of options granted under SFAS 123
during the year ended December 31, 2005 were:
|
|
|
Year
Ended
December
31, 2005
|
|
|
Expected
term
|
|
3-5 years
|
|
|
Volatility
|
|
|
67-87 |
% |
|
Risk-free
interest rate
|
|
|
4.05 |
% |
|
Dividend
yield
|
|
|
— |
|
We issue
common stock from previously authorized but unissued shares to satisfy option
exercises and purchases under our Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
AWARE,
INC.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Employee Stock
Purchase Plan - In June 1996, we adopted an Employee Stock Purchase Plan
(the “ESPP Plan”) under which eligible employees could purchase common stock at
a price equal to 85% of the lower of the fair market value of the common stock
at the beginning or end of each six-month offering period. On
November 29, 2005 we amended the ESPP Plan to provide that eligible employees
may purchase common stock at a price equal to 95% of the fair market value of
the common stock as of the end of each six-month offering
period. There is no stock-based compensation expense related to our
Employee Stock Purchase Plan because it is not considered a compensatory plan.
The plan does not have a look-back feature, and has a minimal discount of 5% of
the fair market value of the common stock as of the end of each six-month
offering period. Participation in the ESPP Plan is limited to 6% of
an employee’s compensation, may be terminated at any time by the employee and
automatically ends on termination of employment. A total of 350,000
shares of common stock have been reserved for issuance. As of
December 31, 2007 there were 135,022 shares available for future issuance under
the ESPP Plan. We issued 2,465, 2,320, and 32,873 common shares under
the ESPP Plan in 2007, 2006, and 2005, respectively.
Stockholder
Rights Plan - In October 2001, our board of directors adopted a
stockholder rights plan and declared a dividend distribution of one share
purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of our common stock to
stockholders of record at the close of business on October 15,
2001. Each share of common stock issued after that date also will
carry with it one Right, subject to certain exceptions. Each Right,
when it becomes exercisable, will entitle the record holder to purchase from us
one ten-thousandth of a share of series A preferred stock at an exercise price
of $40.00 subject to adjustment.
The
Rights become exercisable upon the earliest of the following dates: (i) the date
on which we first publicly announce that a person or group has become an
acquiring person, or (ii) the date, if any, that our board of directors may
designate following the commencement of, or first public disclosure of an intent
to commence, a tender or exchange offer which could result in the potential
buyer becoming a beneficial owner of 15% or more of our outstanding common
stock. Under these circumstances, holders of Rights will be entitled
to purchase, for the exercise price, the preferred stock equivalent of common
stock having a market value of two times the exercise price. The
Rights expire on October 2, 2011, and may be redeemed by us for $.001 per
Right.
On
September 6, 2007, our Board of Directors determined that it would be advisable
to amend the Rights Agreement to exempt John B. Stafford, Jr., John S. Stafford,
III, and James M. Stafford and their respective affiliates from the definition
of “Acquiring Person” in the Rights Agreement. Accordingly, on
September 6, 2007, we executed Amendment No.1 to the Rights Agreement with
Computershare Trust Company, N.A. as successor rights agent to implement this
amendment.
Share Repurchase
Program - On August 28, 2007, we announced a stock repurchase program to
purchase up to $5 million of our common stock, subject to market conditions and
other factors. Any purchases under our stock repurchase program may be made from
time to time without prior notice. The authorization to repurchase our stock
expires on December 31, 2008. As of December 31, 2007, we had repurchased
9,107 shares of common stock under this program.
7.
|
COMMITMENTS
AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES
|
Lease
Commitments – We own our principal office and research facility in
Bedford, Massachusetts, which we have occupied since November
1997. We conduct a portion of our activities in leased facilities in
two California locations under non-cancelable operating leases that expire in
2008 and 2010, respectively. The following is a schedule of future minimum
rental payments (in thousands):
Year ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
$ |
18 |
|
2009
|
|
|
9 |
|
2010
|
|
|
7 |
|
Total
minimum lease payments
|
|
$ |
34 |
|
AWARE,
INC.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Rental
expense was approximately $34,000, $26,000, and $26,000 in 2007, 2006 and 2005,
respectively.
Litigation
- There are no material pending legal proceedings to which we are a party or to
which any of our properties are subject which, either individually or in the
aggregate, are expected to have a material adverse effect on our business,
financial position or results of operations.
Guarantees and
Indemnification Obligations – We enter into agreements in
the ordinary course of business that require us: i) to perform under the terms
of the contracts, ii) to protect the confidentiality of our customers’
intellectual property, and iii) to indemnify customers, including
indemnification against third party claims alleging infringement of intellectual
property rights. We also have agreements with each of our directors
and executive officers to indemnify such directors or executive officers, to the
extent legally permissible, against all liabilities reasonably incurred in
connection with any action in which such individual may be involved by reason of
such individual being or having been a director or officer of the
Company.
Given the
nature of the above obligations and agreements, we are unable to make a
reasonable estimate of the maximum potential amount that we could be required to
pay. Historically, we have not made any significant payments on the
above guarantees and indemnifications and no amount has been accrued in the
accompanying consolidated financial statements with respect to these guarantees
and indemnifications.
8.
|
BUSINESS
SEGMENTS AND MAJOR CUSTOMERS
|
We manage
the business as one segment and conduct our operations in the United
States.
We sell
our products and technology to domestic and international
customers. Revenues were generated from the following geographic
regions (in thousands):
|
|
Year
ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
United
States
|
|
$ |
15,508 |
|
|
$ |
12,797 |
|
|
$ |
9,202 |
|
Germany
|
|
|
5,759 |
|
|
|
6,630 |
|
|
|
4,926 |
|
Rest
of world
|
|
|
5,170 |
|
|
|
4,629 |
|
|
|
1,539 |
|
|
|
$ |
26,437 |
|
|
$ |
24,056 |
|
|
$ |
15,667 |
|
The
portion of total revenue that was derived from major customers was as
follows:
|
|
Year
ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
Customer
A
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
20 |
% |
|
|
20 |
% |
Customer
B
|
|
|
19 |
% |
|
|
26 |
% |
|
|
30 |
% |
Customer
C
|
|
|
16 |
% |
|
|
2 |
% |
|
|
1 |
% |
Customer
D
|
|
|
10 |
% |
|
|
1 |
% |
|
|
- |
|
In 1994,
we established a qualified 401(k) Retirement Plan (the “Plan”) under which
employees are allowed to contribute certain percentages of their pay, up to the
maximum allowed under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue
Code. Our contributions to the Plan are at the discretion of the
Board of Directors. Our contributions were approximately $297,000,
$316,000, and $289,000 in 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
10.
|
NET
INCOME (LOSS) PER SHARE
|
Net
income (loss) per share is calculated as follows (in thousands, except per share
data):
AWARE, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
|
|
Year
ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
income
(loss)
|
|
$ |
160 |
|
|
$ |
1,034 |
|
|
$ |
(2,468 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted
average common shares outstanding
|
|
|
23,738 |
|
|
|
23,474 |
|
|
|
23,076 |
|
Additional
dilutive common stock equivalents
|
|
|
1,346 |
|
|
|
1,491 |
|
|
|
- |
|
Diluted
shares outstanding
|
|
|
25,084 |
|
|
|
24,965 |
|
|
|
23,076 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
income (loss) per share –
basic
|
|
$ |
0.01 |
|
|
$ |
0.04 |
|
|
$ |
(0.11 |
) |
Net
income (loss) per share –
diluted
|
|
$ |
0.01 |
|
|
$ |
0.04 |
|
|
$ |
(0.11 |
) |
For the
year ended December 31, 2005, potential common stock equivalents of 1,824,826
were not included in the per share calculation for diluted EPS, because we had a
net loss and the effect of their inclusion would be anti-dilutive. For the years
ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, options to purchase 2,471,025,
2,423,242, and 2,340,167 shares of common stock at average weighted prices of
$7.13, $7.18, and $7.36 per share, respectively, were outstanding, but were not
included in the
computation of diluted EPS because the options’ exercise prices were greater
than the average market price of the common shares and thus would be
anti-dilutive.
11.
|
QUARTERLY
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS - UNAUDITED
|
The
following table presents unaudited quarterly operating results for each of our
quarters in the two-year period ended December 31, 2007 (in thousands, except
per share data):
|
|
2007
Quarters Ended
|
|
|
|
March
31
|
|
|
June
30
|
|
|
September
30
|
|
|
December
31
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
|
$ |
5,800 |
|
|
$ |
6,429 |
|
|
$ |
7,456 |
|
|
$ |
6,753 |
|
Gross
profit
|
|
|
3,952 |
|
|
|
3,329 |
|
|
|
5,002 |
|
|
|
4,732 |
|
Income
(loss) from operations
|
|
|
(593 |
) |
|
|
(1,464 |
) |
|
|
529 |
|
|
|
(300 |
) |
Net
income (loss)
|
|
|
(98 |
) |
|
|
(968 |
) |
|
|
1,034 |
|
|
|
193 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
income (loss) per share – basic
|
|
$ |
0.00 |
|
|
$ |
(0.04 |
) |
|
$ |
0.04 |
|
|
$ |
0.01 |
|
Net
income (loss) per share – diluted
|
|
$ |
0.00 |
|
|
$ |
(0.04 |
) |
|
$ |
0.04 |
|
|
$ |
0.01 |
|
|
|
2006
Quarters Ended
|
|
|
|
March
31
|
|
|
June
30
|
|
|
September
30
|
|
|
December
31
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
|
$ |
6,134 |
|
|
$ |
4,790 |
|
|
$ |
6,682 |
|
|
$ |
6,450 |
|
Gross
profit
|
|
|
4,736 |
|
|
|
3,463 |
|
|
|
5,033 |
|
|
|
4,724 |
|
Income
(loss) from operations
|
|
|
128 |
|
|
|
(1,669 |
) |
|
|
680 |
|
|
|
462 |
|
Net
income (loss)
|
|
|
522 |
|
|
|
(1,210 |
) |
|
|
840 |
|
|
|
882 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
income (loss) per share – basic
|
|
$ |
0.02 |
|
|
$ |
(0.05 |
) |
|
$ |
0.04 |
|
|
$ |
0.04 |
|
Net
income (loss) per share – diluted
|
|
$ |
0.02 |
|
|
$ |
(0.05 |
) |
|
$ |
0.03 |
|
|
$ |
0.04 |
|
Quarterly
amounts may not sum to annual amounts due to rounding and dilution.
FINANCIAL
STATEMENT SCHEDULE
Schedule
II - Valuation and Qualifying Accounts – Years ended December 31, 2007, 2006,
and 2005
(in
thousands)
Col.
A
|
|
Col.
B
|
|
|
Col.
C(1)
|
|
|
Col.
C(2)
|
|
|
Col.
D
|
|
|
Col.
E
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance
at
|
|
|
Charged
to
|
|
|
Charged
|
|
|
Deductions
|
|
|
Balance
|
|
|
|
Beginning
|
|
|
Costs
and
|
|
|
to
Other
|
|
|
Charged
to
|
|
|
at
End
|
|
|
|
of
Period
|
|
|
Expenses
|
|
|
Accounts
|
|
|
Reserves
|
|
|
of
Period
|
|
Allowance
for doubtful accounts receivable:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
$ |
97 |
|
|
$ |
(20 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
$ |
22 |
|
|
$ |
55 |
|
2006
|
|
$ |
97 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
$ |
97 |
|
2005
|
|
$ |
110 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
13 |
|
|
$ |
97 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inventory
reserves:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
$ |
313 |
|
|
$ |
102 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
$ |
6 |
|
|
$ |
409 |
|
2006
|
|
$ |
284 |
|
|
|
29 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
$ |
313 |
|
2005
|
|
$ |
284 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
$ |
284 |
|
ITEM
9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
Not
applicable.
ITEM
9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Conclusion
Regarding the Effectiveness of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Under the
supervision and with the participation of our management, including our chief
executive officer and chief financial officer, we conducted an evaluation of our
disclosure controls and procedures, as such term is defined under Rule 13a-15(e)
promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange
Act). Based on this evaluation, our chief executive officer and chief
financial officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were
effective as of the end of the period covered by this annual
report.
Evaluation
of Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Under the
supervision and with the participation of our management, including our chief
executive officer and chief financial officer, we concluded that there were no
changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during
the quarterly period ended December 31, 2007 that have materially affected, or
are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial
reporting.
Management’s Report on Internal
Control Over Financial Reporting
Our
management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal
control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Exchange Act
Rule 13a-15(f). Under the supervision and with the participation of our
management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial
officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control
over financial reporting based on the framework in Internal Control - Integrated
Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the
Treadway Commission. Based on our evaluation under the framework in Internal Control — Integrated
Framework, our management concluded that our internal control over
financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2007.
The
effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of
December 31, 2007 has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an
independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report which
is included herein.
ITEM
9B. OTHER INFORMATION
None.
PART
III
ITEM
10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE
GOVERNANCE
The
information required by Item 10 of Form 10-K is incorporated by reference from
the information contained in the sections captioned “Directors and Executive Officers”,
“Corporate Governance” and “Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting
Compliance” in the Proxy Statement that will be delivered to our
shareholders in connection with our May 21, 2008 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders.
ITEM
11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The
information required by Item 11 of Form 10-K is incorporated by reference from
the information contained in the section captioned “Executive Compensation” in
the Proxy Statement that will be delivered to our shareholders in connection
with our May 21, 2008 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
ITEM
12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
The
information required by Item 12 of Form 10-K is incorporated by reference from
the information contained in the section captioned “Security Ownership of Certain
Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters” in the
Proxy Statement that will be delivered to our shareholders in connection with
our May 21, 2008 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
ITEM
13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR
INDEPENDENCE
The
information, if any, required by Item 13 of Form 10-K is incorporated by
reference from the information contained in the sections captioned “Corporate Governance”
and “Certain Relationships and
Related Transactions” in the Proxy Statement that will be delivered to
our shareholders in connection with our May 21, 2008 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders.
ITEM
14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
The
information required by Item 14 of Form 10-K is incorporated by reference from
the information contained in the section captioned “Independent Accountants” in
the Proxy Statement that will be delivered to our shareholders in connection
with our May 21, 2008 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
PART
IV
ITEM
15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
The
following documents are filed as part of this report:
(a) Financial Statements and
Exhibits:
|
Page
|
(1)
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting
Firm
|
34
|
Consolidated
Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2007 and 2006
|
35
|
Consolidated
Statements of Operations for each of the three
years
in the period ended December 31,
2007
|
36
|
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows for each of the
three
years in the period ended December 31, 2007
|
37
|
Consolidated
Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for each of
the
three years in the period ended December 31, 2007
|
38
|
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
|
39
|
(2)
Schedule II - Valuation and Qualifying
Accounts
|
51
|
(3)
Exhibits:
The
exhibits listed below are filed with or incorporated by reference in this
report.
Exhibit No.
|
Description of Exhibit
|
3.1
|
Amended
and Restated Articles of Organization (filed as Exhibit 3.2 to the
Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, File No. 333-6807 and
incorporated herein by reference).
|
3.2
|
Articles
of Amendment to the Articles of Organization (filed as Exhibit 3.3 to the
Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2002 and
incorporated herein by reference).
|
3.3
|
Amended
and Restated By-Laws (filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 10, 2007 and
incorporated herein by reference).
|
4.1
|
Rights
Agreement dated as of October 2, 2001 between Aware, Inc. and Equiserve
Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent (filed as Exhibit 4(a) to the
Company’s Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
October 3, 2001 and incorporated herein by reference).
|
4.2
|
Terms
of Series A Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock of Aware, Inc.
(attached as Exhibit A to the Rights Agreement filed as Exhibit 4.1
hereto).
|
4.3
|
Form
of Right Certificate (attached as Exhibit B to the Rights Agreement filed
as Exhibit 4.1 hereto).
|
4.4
|
Amendment
No. 1 to Rights Agreement dated September 6, 2007 between Aware, Inc. and
Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent (filed as Exhibit 4.1
to the Company’s Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on September 7, 2007 and incorporated herein by
reference).
|
10.1*
|
1996
Stock Option Plan, as amended and restated (filed as Annex A to the
Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on April 11, 2000 and incorporated herein by
reference).
|
10.2*
|
1996
Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended and restated (filed as Exhibit
99.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission on November 29, 2005 and incorporated herein by
reference).
|
10.3*
|
Form
of Director and Officer Indemnification Agreement (filed as Exhibit 10.4
to the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002 and
incorporated herein by reference).
|
10.4*
|
2001
Nonqualified Stock Plan (filed as Exhibit 99(d)(4) to the Company’s
Schedule TO filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 3,
2003 and incorporated herein by reference).
|
10.5*
|
Form
of Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement under the 2001 Nonqualified Stock
Plan (filed as Exhibit 10.6 to Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2006 and incorporated herein by
reference).
|
10.6*
|
Offer
letter dated December 17, 2007 by and between Richard Moberg and Aware,
Inc. (filed as Exhibit 99.2 to Company’s Form 8-K filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on December 18, 2007 and incorporated
herein by reference).
|
10.7*
|
Consultant
Agreement dated December 17, 2007 by and between Richard Moberg and Aware,
Inc. (filed as Exhibit 99.3 to Company’s Form 8-K filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on December 18, 2007 and incorporated
herein by reference).
|
21.1
|
Subsidiaries
of Registrant.
|
23.1
|
Consent
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
|
31.1
|
Certification
of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002.
|
31.2
|
Certification
of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002.
|
32.1
|
Certification
of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section
906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002.
|
*Management contract or
compensatory plan.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
AWARE,
INC.
By: /s/ Michael A.
Tzannes
Michael A. Tzannes,
Chief Executive Officer
Date: February 15,
2008
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been
signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the
capacities indicated on the 15th day of February 2008.
Signature
|
|
Title
|
|
|
|
/s/
Michael A. Tzannes
|
|
Chief
Executive Officer and Director
|
Michael
A. Tzannes
|
|
(Principal
Executive Officer)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/
Edmund C. Reiter
|
|
President
and Director
|
Edmund
C. Reiter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/
Keith E. Farris
|
|
Chief
Financial Officer
|
Keith
E. Farris
|
|
(Principal
Financial and Accounting Officer)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/
John K. Kerr
|
|
Chairman
of the Board of Directors
|
John
K. Kerr
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/
Frederick D. D’Alessio
|
|
Director
|
Frederick
D. D’Alessio
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/
G. David Forney, Jr.
|
|
Director
|
G.
David Forney, Jr.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/
Adrian F. Kruse
|
|
Director
|
Adrian
F. Kruse
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/
Mark G. McGrath
|
|
Director
|
Mark
G. McGrath
|
|
|
56