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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

  

 

(Mark One)

 

[ √ ]

QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the quarterly period ended March 26, 2016

 

OR

 

[ ]	TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

Commission file number 001-04298

 

COHU, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware		95-1934119
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
12367 Crosthwaite Circle, Poway, California		92064-6817
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

                        

Registrant's telephone number, including area code (858) 848-8100

 

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 ☑   No ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ☑   No ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer ☐        Accelerated filer ☑        Non-accelerated filer ☐        Smaller reporting company ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐   No ☑

 

As of April 11, 2016 the Registrant had 26,588,665 shares of its $1.00 par value common stock outstanding.

 

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COHU, INC.

INDEX

FORM 10-Q

MARCH 26, 2016

 

		Page Number
Part I	Financial Information
Item 1.	Financial Statements:
	Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets March 26, 2016 (unaudited) and December 26, 2015	3
	Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (unaudited) Three Months Ended March 26, 2016 and March 28, 2015	4
	Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) (unaudited) Three Months Ended March 26, 2016 and March 28, 2015	5
	Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited) Three Months Ended March 26, 2016 and March 28, 2015	6
	Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements	7
Item 2.	Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations	17
Item 3.	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk	23
Item 4.	Controls and Procedures	23
Part II	Other Information
Item 1.	Legal Proceedings	24
Item 1A.	Risk Factors	24
Item 2.	Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds	30
Item 3.	Defaults Upon Senior Securities	30
Item 4.	Mine Safety Disclosures	30
Item 5.	Other Information	30
Item 6.	Exhibits	31
Signatures		32

 

 

 

Item 1.

COHU, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, except par value)

 

 

* Derived from December 26, 2015 audited financial statements

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

 

 

 

COHU, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(Unaudited)

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

 

 

COHU, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

(Unaudited)

(in thousands)

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

 

 

COHU, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited)

(in thousands)

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

 

 

Cohu, Inc.

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

March 26, 2016

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Cohu, Inc.

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

March 26, 2016

 

Item. 2  Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

 

This Form 10-Q contains certain forward-looking statements including expectations of market conditions, challenges and plans, within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and is subject to the Safe Harbor provisions created by that statute. Such forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs, including estimates and projections about our business and include, but are not limited to, statements concerning financial position, business strategy, and plans or objectives for future operations. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict and may cause actual results to differ materially from management’s current expectations. Such risks and uncertainties include those set forth in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and our 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K under the heading “Item 1A. Risk Factors”. The forward-looking statements in this report speak only as of the time they are made, and do not necessarily reflect management’s outlook at any other point in time. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or for any other reason, however, readers should carefully review the risk factors set forth in other reports or documents we file from time to time with the SEC after the date of this Quarterly Report.

 

OVERVIEW

 

Cohu is a leading supplier of semiconductor test and inspection handlers, micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) test modules, test contactors and thermal sub-systems used by global semiconductor manufacturers and test subcontractors. Our business is significantly dependent on capital expenditures by semiconductor manufacturers and test subcontractors, which in turn is dependent on the current and anticipated market demand for semiconductors that is subject to cyclical trends. We expect that the semiconductor equipment industry will continue to be cyclical and volatile in part because consumer electronics, the principal end market for integrated circuits, is a highly dynamic industry and demand has traditionally fluctuated.

 

Orders for semiconductor test and assembly equipment as reported by Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) increased sequentially each month from November 2015 through January 2016 until reaching a plateau and decreasing in both February and March of 2016. Despite recent weakness in the broader market, our operating results for the first quarter of fiscal 2016 were better than expected and benefitted from demand for equipment for testing devices used in mobile, automotive and computing applications. We monitor our customers’ test floors and equipment utilization increased sequentially a couple of points to 81%. Looking ahead, we see momentum in the automotive and mobile markets and are optimistic about the long-term prospects for the semiconductor equipment industry due to the increasing technological functionality of mobile devices, growing integrated circuit and LED content in automobiles and consumer products, and expanding applications in industrial. We are focused on growing our market share in the mobility, automotive and solid state markets and expanding into the test contacting and wafer level package test markets.  

 

Application of Critical Accounting Estimates and Policies

 

Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. We base our estimates on historical experience, forecasts and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, however actual results may differ from those estimates under different assumptions or conditions. The methods, estimates and judgments we use in applying our accounting policies have a significant impact on the results we report in our financial statements. Some of our accounting policies require us to make difficult and subjective judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates of matters that are inherently uncertain.

 

Our critical accounting estimates that we believe are the most important to an investor’s understanding of our financial results and condition and require complex management judgment include:

 

●

revenue recognition, including the deferral of revenue on sales to customers, which impacts our results of operations;

●

estimation of valuation allowances and accrued liabilities, specifically product warranty, inventory reserves and allowance for bad debts, which impact gross margin or operating expenses;

●

the recognition and measurement of current and deferred income tax assets and liabilities, unrecognized tax benefits and the valuation allowance on deferred tax assets, which impact our tax provision;

●

the assessment of recoverability of long-lived assets including goodwill and other intangible assets, which primarily impacts gross margin or operating expenses if we are required to record impairments of assets or accelerate their depreciation or amortization; and

●

the valuation and recognition of share-based compensation, which impacts gross margin, research and development expense, and selling, general and administrative expense.

 

 

 

Cohu, Inc.

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

March 26, 2016

 

Below, we discuss these policies further, as well as the estimates and judgments involved. We also have other policies that we consider key accounting policies; however, these policies typically do not require us to make estimates or judgments that are difficult or subjective.

 

Revenue Recognition: We generally recognize revenue upon shipment and title passage for established products (i.e., those that have previously satisfied customer acceptance requirements) that provide for full payment tied to shipment. Revenue for products that have not previously satisfied customer acceptance requirements or from sales where customer payment dates are not determinable is recognized upon customer acceptance. In certain instances, customer payment terms may provide that a minority portion (e.g. up to 20%) of the equipment purchase price be paid only upon customer acceptance. In those situations, the majority portion (e.g. 80%) of revenue where the contingent payment is tied to shipment and the entire product cost of sale are recognized upon shipment and passage of title and the minority portion of the purchase price related to customer acceptance is deferred and recognized upon receipt of customer acceptance. For arrangements containing multiple elements the revenue relating to the undelivered elements is deferred using the relative selling price method utilizing estimated sales prices until delivery of the deferred elements. We limit the amount of revenue recognition for delivered elements to the amount that is not contingent on the future delivery of products or services, future performance obligations or subject to customer-specified return or adjustment. On shipments where sales are not recognized, gross profit is generally recorded as deferred profit in our consolidated balance sheet, representing the difference between the receivable recorded and the inventory shipped.

 

Accounts Receivable: We maintain an allowance for doubtful accounts for estimated losses resulting from the inability of our customers to make required payments. If the financial condition of our customers deteriorates, resulting in an impairment of their ability to make payments, additional allowances may be required.

 

Inventory: The valuation of inventory requires us to estimate obsolete or excess inventory as well as inventory that is not of saleable quality. The determination of obsolete or excess inventory requires us to estimate the future demand for our products. The demand forecast is a direct input in the development of our short-term manufacturing plans. We record valuation reserves on our inventory for estimated excess and obsolete inventory and lower of cost or market concerns equal to the difference between the cost of inventory and the estimated market value based upon assumptions about future product demand, market conditions and product selling prices. If future product demand, market conditions or product selling prices are less than those projected by management or if continued modifications to products are required to meet specifications or other customer requirements, increases to inventory reserves may be required which would have a negative impact on our gross margin.

 

Income Taxes: We estimate our liability for income taxes based on the various jurisdictions where we conduct business. This requires us to estimate our (i) current taxes; (ii) temporary differences that result from differing treatment of certain items for tax and accounting purposes and (iii) unrecognized tax benefits. Temporary differences result in deferred tax assets and liabilities that are reflected in the consolidated balance sheet. The deferred tax assets are analyzed and reduced by a valuation allowance by jurisdiction, if, based upon all available evidence, it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Establishing, reducing or increasing a valuation allowance in an accounting period generally results in an increase or decrease in tax expense in the statement of operations. We must make significant judgments to determine the provision for income taxes, deferred tax assets and liabilities, unrecognized tax benefits and any valuation allowance to be recorded against deferred tax assets. Our gross deferred tax asset balance as of March 26, 2016 was approximately $46.8 million, with a valuation allowance of approximately $43.9 million. Our deferred tax assets consist primarily of reserves and accruals that are not yet deductible for tax and tax credit and net operating loss carryforwards.

 

Segment Information: We applied the provisions of ASC Topic 280, Segment Reporting, (“ASC 280”), which sets forth a management approach to segment reporting and establishes requirements to report selected segment information quarterly and to report annually entity-wide disclosures about products, major customers and the geographies in which the entity holds material assets and reports revenue. An operating segment is defined as a component that engages in business activities whose operating results are reviewed by the chief operating decision maker and for which discrete financial information is available. Based on the provisions of ASC 280, we have determined that our identified operating segments qualify for aggregation under ASC 280 due to similarities in their customers, their economic characteristics, and the nature of products and services provided. As a result, we report in one segment, semiconductor equipment.

 

Goodwill, Other Intangible Assets and Long-lived Assets: We evaluate goodwill for impairment annually on October 1st of each year and when an event occurs or circumstances change that indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. As a part of our annual assessment process for 2015 we performed a qualitative assessment to determine whether current events or changes in circumstances lead us to a determination that it is more likely than not (defined as a likelihood of more than 50 percent) that the fair value of our reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. Under this approach, absent a qualitative determination that the fair value of our reporting unit is more likely than not to be less than its carrying value, we do not need to proceed to the traditional estimated fair value test for that asset, which would involve comparing the book value of net assets to the fair value of our identified reporting unit.

 

 

 

Cohu, Inc.

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

March 26, 2016

 

As of October 1, 2015, the results of our qualitative assessment indicated there was no impairment.

 

Long-lived assets, other than goodwill, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets might not be recoverable. Conditions that would necessitate an impairment assessment include a significant decline in the observable market value of an asset, a significant change in the extent or manner in which an asset is used, or any other significant adverse change that would indicate that the carrying amount of an asset or group of assets may not be recoverable. For long-lived assets, impairment losses are only recorded if the asset’s carrying amount is not recoverable through its undiscounted, probability-weighted future cash flows. We measure the impairment loss based on the difference between the asset’s carrying amount and estimated fair value.

 

Warranty: We provide for the estimated costs of product warranties in the period sales are recognized. Our warranty obligation estimates are affected by historical product shipment levels, product performance and material and labor costs incurred in correcting product performance problems. Should product performance, material usage or labor repair costs differ from our estimates, revisions to the estimated warranty liability would be required.

 

Contingencies: We are subject to certain contingencies that arise in the ordinary course of our businesses which require us to assess the likelihood that future events will confirm the existence of a loss or an impairment of an asset. If a loss or asset impairment is probable and the amount of the loss or impairment is reasonably estimable, we accrue a charge to operations in the period such conditions become known.

 

Share-based Compensation: Share-based compensation expense related to stock options is recorded based on the fair value of the award on its grant date, which we estimate using the Black-Scholes valuation model. Share-based compensation expense related to restricted stock unit awards is calculated based on the market price of our common stock on the grant date, reduced by the present value of dividends expected to be paid on our common stock prior to vesting of the restricted stock unit. Share-based compensation on performance stock units with market-based goals is calculated using a Monte Carlo simulation model on the date of the grant.

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

For a description of accounting changes and recent accounting pronouncements, including the expected dates of adoption and estimated effects, if any, on our consolidated financial statements, see Note 1, “Recent Accounting Pronouncements” in Part I, Item 1 of this Form 10-Q.

 

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

In June 2015, we sold our mobile microwave communications equipment business. The operating results of this business are being presented as discontinued operations and all prior period amounts have been reclassified. Unless otherwise indicated the discussion below covers the comparative results from continuing operations.

 

The following table summarizes certain operating data as a percentage of net sales:

 

		Three Months Ended
		March 26,				March 28,
		2016				2015
Net sales			100.0	%			100.0	%
Cost of sales			(70.4	)%			(68.2	)%
Gross margin			29.6	%			31.8	%
Research and development			(11.9	)%			(13.5	)%
Selling, general and administrative			(20.3	)%			(19.3	)%
Loss from operations			(2.6	)%			(1.0	)%

 

 

  

Cohu, Inc.

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

March 26, 2016

 

First Quarter of Fiscal 2016 Compared to First Quarter of Fiscal 2015

 

Net Sales

 

Our consolidated net sales increased 3.7% to $65.8 million in 2016, compared to net sales of $63.4 million in 2015. Global demand for back-end semiconductor test and assembly equipment is highly cyclical. Sales in the first quarter of 2016 were up, slightly, from the previous year as a result of higher demand for our products resulting from the rebound in global demand for back-end equipment that began in November 2015 and continued through January 2016.

 

Gross Margin

 

Gross margin consists of net sales less cost of sales. Cost of sales consists primarily of the cost of materials, assembly and test labor, and overhead from operations. Our gross margin can fluctuate due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the mix of products sold, product support costs, inventory reserve adjustments, and utilization of manufacturing capacity. Our gross margin, as a percentage of net sales, decreased to 29.6% in 2016 from 31.8% in 2015. Gross margin in 2016, as compared to the prior year, was adversely impacted by unfavorable product mix and higher charges for excess and obsolete inventory.

 

As highlighted above, our gross margin can be impacted by charges to cost of sales related to excess, obsolete and lower of cost or market inventory issues. We compute the majority of our excess and obsolete inventory reserve requirements using a one-year inventory usage forecast. During the first quarter of fiscal 2016 and 2015 we recorded charges to cost of sales of approximately $0.8 million and $0.3 million for excess and obsolete inventory, respectively. While we believe our reserves for excess and obsolete inventory and lower of cost or market concerns are adequate to cover known exposures at March 26, 2016, reductions in customer forecasts or continued modifications to products, as a result of our failure to meet specifications or other customer requirements, may result in additional charges to operations that could negatively impact our results of operations and gross margin in future periods.

 

Research and Development Expense (“R&D Expense”)

 

R&D expense consists primarily of salaries and related costs of employees engaged in ongoing research, product design and development activities, costs of engineering materials and supplies, and professional consulting expenses. R&D expense was $7.8 million or 11.9% of net sales in 2016, compared to $8.6 million or 13.5% in 2015. The decrease in 2016 resulted from product development programs that have concluded or are nearing completion as planned, cost control measures and a $0.6 million reduction as a result of reimbursements received under a cost-sharing arrangement with a customer entered into in the first quarter of 2016.

 

Selling, General and Administrative Expense (“SG&A Expense”)

 

SG&A expense consists primarily of salaries and benefit costs of employees, commission expense for independent sales representatives, product promotion and costs of professional services. SG&A expense was $13.4 million or 20.3% of net sales in 2016, compared to $12.3 million or 19.3% in 2015. In 2016, SG&A expense was adversely impacted by a weakening of the U.S. Dollar, which resulted in the recognition of $0.5 million in foreign currency losses. In the corresponding period of 2015, the U.S. Dollar strengthened and SG&A benefited from the recognition of $0.2 million of foreign currency gains. In the first quarter of 2016, employee share-based compensation expense was $0.4 million higher than the prior year period. This increase was driven by the number of employee restricted and performance share awards subject to vesting in the comparative periods and the corresponding valuation that was established on the date of grant and forfeiture rate adjustments recorded on award vesting.

 

Income Taxes

 

Ordinarily, interim tax provisions are calculated using the estimated effective tax rate (“ETR”) expected to be applicable for the full fiscal year. However, when a reliable estimate of the annual ETR cannot be made, the actual ETR for the year-to-date period may be the best estimate of the annual ETR. For the three months ended March 26, 2016 and March 28, 2015, we used the actual year-to-date ETR in computing our tax provision, as a reliable estimate of the annual ETR cannot be made, since relatively small changes in our projected income produce a significant variation in our ETR. The actual year-to-date ETR on loss from continuing operations for the three months ended March 26, 2016 and March 28, 2015, was (13.1)% and (150.7)%, respectively. The tax provision on loss from continuing operations in 2016 and 2015 differs from the U.S. federal statutory rate primarily due to the lack of a benefit on our domestic losses as a result of our valuation allowance on deferred tax assets, foreign income taxed at lower rates, changes in our deferred tax asset valuation allowance, state taxes and interest related to unrecognized tax benefits.

 

 

 

Cohu, Inc.

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

March 26, 2016

 

Other than for foreign currency exchange rate changes, there was no material change to our unrecognized tax benefits and related accrued interest and penalties during the three month periods ended March 26, 2016 and March 28, 2015.

 

Income from Continuing Operations and Net Income

As a result of the factors set forth above, our loss from continuing operations and net loss was $1.9 million in 2016. In 2015 our loss from continuing operations was $1.7 million and including the results of our discontinued mobile microwave communication equipment business our net loss was $2.7 million.

 

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

 

Our primary business is dependent on capital expenditures by semiconductor manufacturers and test subcontractors that are, in turn, dependent on the current and anticipated market demand for semiconductors. The cyclical and volatile nature of demand for semiconductor equipment, our primary industry, makes estimates of future revenues, results of operations and net cash flows difficult.

 

Our primary historical source of liquidity and capital resources has been cash flow generated by our operations and we manage our businesses to maximize operating cash flows as our primary source of liquidity.  We use cash to fund growth in our operating assets and to fund new products and product enhancements primarily through research and development. As of March 26, 2016, $69.7 million of our cash and cash equivalents was held by our foreign subsidiaries. If these funds are needed for our operations in the U.S., we may be required to accrue and pay U.S. taxes if we repatriate these funds.  Except for certain geographic locations where we have curtailed operations and from which repatriation would not result in incremental U.S. or foreign withholding tax, our intent is to indefinitely reinvest these funds in our foreign operations and we have no current plans that would require us to repatriate these funds to the U.S.

 

Liquidity

 

Working Capital: The following summarizes our cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments and working capital:

 

		March 26,				December 26,								Percentage
(in thousands)		2016				2015				Decrease				Change
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments		$	114,521			$	117,022			$	(2,501	)			(2.1	)%
Working capital		$	170,946			$	171,272			$	(326	)			(0.2	)%

 

Cash Flows

 

Operating Activities: Operating cash flows for the first three months of fiscal 2016 consist of our net loss, adjusted for non-cash expenses and changes in operating assets and liabilities. These adjustments include depreciation expense on property, plant and equipment, share-based compensation expense, amortization of intangible assets and deferred income taxes. Our net cash used in operating activities in the first three months of fiscal 2016 totaled $1.5 million. Cash used in operating activities was impacted by changes in current assets and liabilities and included increases in accounts receivable of $5.3 million, inventory of $2.5 million other current assets of $1.9 million, accounts payable of $5.1 million and deferred profit of $1.8 million. Accounts receivable increased from a sequential increase in product shipments and the timing of the resulting cash conversion cycle. Material purchases made to fulfill customer orders for equipment expected to ship in future quarters led to an increase in our inventory balance and accounts payable increased as a result of the timing of cash payments made to our suppliers and vendors. Other current assets increased as a result of prepayments of certain expenses and the increase in deferred profit resulted from deferral of certain sales in accordance with our revenue recognition policy. Accrued compensation, warranty and other liabilities decreased $1.4 million as a result of the payment of incentive compensation during the first quarter of 2016 that was accrued during fiscal 2015.

 

Investing Activities: Investing cash flows consist primarily of cash used for capital expenditures in support of our businesses, proceeds from investment maturities, asset disposals and divestitures and cash used for purchases of investments and business acquisitions. Net cash used in investing activities in the first three months of fiscal 2016 totaled $8.0 million and was primarily the result of $8.9 million in cash used for purchases of short-term investments offset by $1.0 million in net proceeds from sales and maturities of short-term investments. We invest our excess cash, in an attempt to seek the highest available return while preserving capital, in short-term investments since excess cash is only temporarily available and may be required for a business related purpose. Additions to property, plant and equipment of $0.9 million were made to support the operating and development activities of our business. Proceeds from the sale of assets totaled $0.8 million and resulted from the sale of a facility located in Chandler, Arizona that we no longer utilized.

 

 

 

Cohu, Inc.

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

March 26, 2016

 

Financing Activities: Cash flows from financing activities consist primarily of net proceeds from the issuance of common stock under our stock option and employee stock purchase plans and cash used to pay dividends to our stockholders. We issue stock options and maintain an employee stock purchase plan as components of our overall employee compensation. In the first three months of fiscal 2016, we used cash totaling $0.4 million to repurchase common stock to settle the minimum statutory tax withholding requirements paid by us on behalf of our employees upon vesting of restricted stock awards. At March 26, 2016 we had an additional $1.7 million accrued for tax withholding to be paid by us for restricted stock awards that vested at the end of the first quarter. We paid dividends totaling $1.6 million, or $0.06 per common share. On April 26, 2016, Cohu's Board of Directors approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.06 per share payable on July 29, 2016, to shareholders of record on June 17, 2016. Future quarterly dividends are subject to our cash liquidity, capital availability and periodic determinations by our Board of Directors that cash dividends are in the best interests of our stockholders.

 

Capital Resources

 

We have a secured letter of credit facility (the “Secured Facility”) under which Bank of America, N.A., has agreed to administer the issuance of letters of credit on our behalf. The Secured Facility requires us to maintain deposits of cash or other approved investments, which serve as collateral, in amounts that approximate our outstanding letters of credit. As of March 26, 2016, we had approximately $26,000 of standby letters of credit outstanding under the Secured Facility. We also have credit agreements with multiple financial institutions under which they administer lines of credit on behalf of our wholly owned Ismeca subsidiary. The agreements provide Ismeca with 2.5 million Swiss Francs of available credit and at March 26, 2016, no amounts were outstanding. We expect that we will continue to make capital expenditures to support our business and we anticipate that present working capital will be sufficient to meet our operating requirements for at least the next twelve months.

 

Contractual Obligations and Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

 

Contractual Obligations: Our significant contractual obligations consist of liabilities for operating leases, unrecognized tax benefits, pensions, post-retirement benefits and warranties. These obligations have not changed materially from those disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 26, 2015.

 

Purchase Commitments: From time to time, we enter into commitments with our vendors and outsourcing partners to purchase inventory at fixed prices or in guaranteed quantities. We are not able to determine the aggregate amount of such purchase orders that represent contractual obligations, as purchase orders may represent authorizations to purchase rather than binding agreements. Our purchase orders are based on our current manufacturing needs and are fulfilled by our vendors within relatively short time horizons. We typically do not have significant agreements for the purchase of raw materials or other goods specifying minimum quantities or set prices that exceed our expected requirements for the next three months.

 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements: During the ordinary course of business, we provide standby letters of credit instruments to certain parties as required. As of March 26, 2016, the maximum potential amount of future payments that we could be required to make under these standby letters of credit was $26,000. No liability has been recorded in connection with these arrangements beyond those required to appropriately account for the underlying transaction being guaranteed. We do not believe, based on historical experience and information currently available, that it is probable that any amounts will be required to be paid under these arrangements.

 

 

 

Item 3.      Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.

 

Investment and Interest Rate Risk.

 

At March 26, 2016, our investment portfolio included short-term, fixed-income investment securities with a fair value of approximately $9.6 million. These securities are subject to interest rate risk and will likely decline in value if interest rates increase. Our future investment income may fall short of expectations due to changes in interest rates or we may suffer losses in principal if we are forced to sell securities that decline in market value due to changes in interest rates. As we classify our short-term securities as available-for-sale, no gains or losses are recognized due to changes in interest rates unless such securities are sold prior to maturity or declines in fair value are determined to be other-than-temporary. Due to the relatively short duration of our investment portfolio, an immediate ten percent change in interest rates would have no material impact on our financial condition or results of operations.

 

We evaluate our investments periodically for possible other-than-temporary impairment by reviewing factors such as the length of time and extent to which fair value has been below cost basis, the financial condition of the issuer and our ability and intent to hold the investment for a period of time sufficient for anticipated recovery of market value. As of March 26, 2016, we had no investments with loss positions.

 

Foreign Currency Exchange Risk.

 

We have operations in several foreign countries and conduct business in the local currency in these countries. As a result, we have risk associated with currency fluctuations as the value of foreign currencies fluctuate against the U.S. Dollar, in particular the Swiss Franc, Euro, Malaysian Ringgit, Chinese Yuan and Philippine Peso. These fluctuations can impact our reported earnings.

 

Fluctuations in currency exchange rates also impact the U.S. Dollar amount of our net investment in foreign operations. The assets and liabilities of our foreign subsidiaries are translated into U.S. Dollars at the exchange rates in effect at the fiscal year-end balance sheet date. Income and expense accounts are translated at an average exchange rate during the year which approximates the rates in effect at the transaction dates. The resulting translation adjustments are recorded in stockholders’ equity as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income. As a result of fluctuations in certain foreign currency exchange rates in relation to the U.S. Dollar as of March 26, 2016 compared to December 26, 2015, our stockholders’ equity increased by $2.5 million.

 

Based upon the current levels of net foreign assets, a hypothetical 10% devaluation of the U.S. Dollar as compared to these currencies as of March 26, 2016 would result in an approximate $14.4 million positive translation adjustment recorded in other comprehensive income within stockholders’ equity. Conversely, a hypothetical 10% appreciation of the U.S. Dollar as compared to these currencies as of March 26, 2016 would result in an approximate $14.4 million negative translation adjustment recorded in other comprehensive income within stockholders’ equity.

 

Item 4.      Controls and Procedures.

 

(a) Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures. Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, we evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures, as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Based on this evaluation, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the end of the period covered by this quarterly report.

 

It should be noted that any system of controls, however well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, and not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the system are met. In addition, the design of any control system is based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events. Because of these and other inherent limitations of control systems, there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions, regardless of how remote. Our disclosure controls and procedures are designed to provide reasonable assurance of achieving their objectives and our principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance level.

 

(b) Changes in Internal Controls. There have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonable likely to materially affect our internal control over financial reporting. 

 

 

Part II     OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 1.      Legal Proceedings.

 

The information set forth above under Note 7 contained in the "Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements" of this Form 10-Q is incorporated herein by reference.

  

Item 1A.     Risk Factors.

 

The risks described below may not be the only risks we face. Additional risks that we do not currently believe are material may also impair our business operations. If any of the events or circumstances described in the following risks occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows could suffer, and the trading price of our common stock and our market capitalization could decline.

 

We are making investments in new products to enter new markets, which may adversely affect our operating results; these investments may not be successful.

 

Given the highly competitive and rapidly evolving technology environment in which we operate, we believe it is important to develop new product offerings to meet strategic opportunities as they evolve. This includes developing products that we believe are necessary to meet the future needs of the marketplace. We are currently investing in new product development programs to enable us to compete in the test contactor and wafer level package (WLP) probing markets. We expect to continue to make investments and we may at any time, based on product need or marketplace demand, decide to significantly increase our product development expenditures in these or other products. The cost of investments in new product offerings can have a negative impact on our operating results and there can be no assurance that any new products we develop will be accepted in the marketplace or generate material revenues for us.

 

We are exposed to risks associated with acquisitions, investments and divestitures.

 

We have made, and may in the future make, acquisitions of, or significant investments in, businesses with complementary products, services and/or technologies. Acquisitions and investments involve numerous risks, including, but not limited to:

 

	●	difficulties and increased costs in connection with integration of the personnel, operations, technologies and products of acquired businesses;
	●	increasing the scope, geographic diversity and complexity of our business;
	●	diversion of management’s attention from other operational matters;
	●	the potential loss of key employees or customers of Cohu or acquired businesses;
	●	lack of synergy, or the inability to realize expected synergies, resulting from the acquisition;
	●	failure to commercialize purchased technology; and
	●	the impairment of acquired intangible assets and goodwill that could result in significant charges to operating results in future periods.

 

We may be required to finance future acquisitions and investments through a combination of borrowings, proceeds from equity or debt offerings and the use of cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments. 

 

Mergers, acquisitions and investments are inherently risky and the inability to effectively manage these risks could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. At March 26, 2016 we had goodwill and net purchased intangible assets balances of $60.8 million and $23.8 million, respectively.

 

We are exposed to the risks of operating a global business.

We are a global corporation with offices and subsidiaries in certain foreign locations to manufacture our products, support our sales and services to the global semiconductor industry and, as such, we face risks in doing business abroad that we do not face domestically.  Certain aspects inherent in transacting business internationally could negatively impact our operating results, including:

      

	●	costs and difficulties in staffing and managing international operations;
	●	unexpected changes in regulatory requirements;
	●	difficulties in enforcing contractual and intellectual property rights;
	●	longer payment cycles;
	●	local political and economic conditions;
	●	potentially adverse tax consequences, including restrictions on repatriating earnings and the threat of “double taxation”; and
	●	fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates against the U.S. Dollar, which can affect demand for our products and increase our costs.

 

Additionally, managing geographically dispersed operations presents difficult challenges associated with organizational alignment and infrastructure, communications and information technology, inventory control, customer relationship management, terrorist threats and related security matters and cultural diversities.  If we are unsuccessful in managing such operations effectively, our business and results of operations will be adversely affected. 

 

We are in the process of transitioning our manufacturing to Asia. Our inability to manage multiple manufacturing sites during this transition and to secure raw materials meeting our quality, cost and other requirements, or failures by our suppliers to perform, could harm our sales, service levels and reputation.

 

Our reliance on overseas manufacturers exposes us to significant risks including complex management, foreign currency, legal, tax and economic risks, which we may not be able to address quickly and adequately. In addition, it is time consuming and costly to qualify overseas supplier relationships. Therefore, if we should fail to effectively manage overseas manufacturing operations or if one or more of them should experience delays, disruptions or quality control problems, or if we had to change or add additional manufacturing sites, our ability to ship products to our customers could be delayed. Also, the addition of overseas manufacturing locations increases the demands on our administrative and operations infrastructure and the complexity of our supply chain management. If our overseas manufacturing locations are unable to meet our manufacturing requirements in a timely manner, our ability to ship products and to realize the related revenues when anticipated could be materially affected. 

 

Our suppliers are subject to the fluctuations in general economic cycles, and the global economic conditions may impact their ability to operate their business. They may also be impacted by the increasing costs of raw materials, labor and distribution, resulting in demands for less attractive contract terms or an inability for them to meet our requirements or conduct their own businesses. The performance and financial condition of a supplier may cause us to alter our business terms or to cease doing business with a particular supplier, or change our sourcing practices generally, which could in turn adversely affect our own business and financial condition.

 

Failure of critical suppliers to deliver sufficient quantities of parts in a timely and cost-effective manner could adversely impact our operations.

 

We use numerous vendors to supply parts, components and subassemblies for the manufacture of our products. It is not always possible to maintain multiple qualified suppliers for all of our parts, components and subassemblies. As a result, certain key parts may be available only from a single supplier or a limited number of suppliers. In addition, suppliers may cease manufacturing certain components that are difficult to replace without significant reengineering of our products. On occasion, we have experienced problems in obtaining adequate and reliable quantities of various parts and components from certain key suppliers. Our results of operations may be materially and adversely impacted if we do not receive sufficient parts to meet our requirements in a timely and cost effective manner.

 

The semiconductor industry we serve is highly volatile and unpredictable. 

 

Visibility into our markets is limited. The semiconductor equipment business is highly dependent on the overall strength of the semiconductor industry. Historically, the semiconductor industry has been highly cyclical with recurring periods of oversupply and excess capacity, which often have had a significant effect on the semiconductor industry’s demand for capital equipment, including equipment of the type we manufacture and market. We anticipate that the markets for newer generations of semiconductors and semiconductor equipment may also be subject to similar cycles and severe downturns. Any significant reductions in capital equipment investment by semiconductor integrated device manufacturers and test subcontractors will materially and adversely affect our business, financial position and results of operations. In addition, the volatile and unpredictable nature of semiconductor equipment demand has in the past and may in the future expose us to significant excess and obsolete and lower of cost or market inventory write-offs and reserve requirements. In fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013, we recorded pre-tax inventory-related charges of approximately $2.4 million, $2.6 million, and $7.1 million, respectively, primarily as a result of changes in customer forecasts.

 

Due to the nature of our business, we need continued access to capital, which if not available to us or if not available on favorable terms, could harm our ability to operate or expand our business.  

 

Our business requires capital to finance accounts receivable and product inventory that is not financed by trade creditors when our business is expanding. If cash from available sources is insufficient or cash is used for unanticipated needs, we may require additional capital sooner than anticipated.

 

We believe that our existing sources of liquidity, including cash resources and cash provided by operating activities will provide sufficient resources to meet our working capital and cash requirements for at least the next twelve months. In the event we are required, or elect, to raise additional funds, we may be unable to do so on favorable terms, or at all, and may incur expenses in raising the additional funds and future indebtedness could adversely affect our operating results and severely limit our ability to plan for, or react to, changes in our business or industry. We could also be limited by financial and other restrictive covenants in credit arrangements, including limitations on our borrowing of additional funds and issuing dividends. If we choose to issue new equity securities, existing stockholders may experience dilution, or the new equity securities may have rights, preferences or privileges senior to those of existing holders of common stock. If we cannot raise funds on acceptable terms, we may not be able to take advantage of future opportunities or respond to competitive pressures or unanticipated requirements. Any inability to raise additional capital when required could have an adverse effect on our business and operating results.

 

The semiconductor equipment industry in general and the test handler market in particular, is highly competitive.

 

The semiconductor test handler industry is intensely competitive and we face substantial competition from numerous companies throughout the world. The test handler industry, while relatively small in terms of worldwide market size compared to other segments of the semiconductor equipment industry, has several participants resulting in intense competitive pricing pressures. Future competition may include companies that do not currently supply test handlers. Some of our competitors are part of larger corporations that have substantially greater financial, engineering, manufacturing and customer support capabilities and provide more extensive product offerings. In addition, there are emerging semiconductor equipment companies that provide or may provide innovative technology incorporated in products that may compete successfully against our products. We expect our competitors to continue to improve the design and performance of their current products and introduce new products with improved performance capabilities. Our failure to introduce new products in a timely manner, the introduction by our competitors of products with perceived or actual advantages, or disputes over rights to use certain intellectual property or technology could result in a loss of our competitive position and reduced sales of, or margins on our existing products. We believe that competitive conditions in the semiconductor test handler market have intensified over the last several years. This intense competition has adversely impacted our product average selling prices and gross margins on certain products. If we are unable to reduce the cost of our existing products and successfully introduce new lower cost products we expect these competitive conditions to negatively impact our gross margin and operating results in the foreseeable future.

 

 

 

Semiconductor equipment is subject to rapid technological change, product introductions and transitions which may result in inventory write-offs, and our new product development involves numerous risks and uncertainties.

 

Semiconductor equipment and processes are subject to rapid technological change. We believe that our future success will depend in part on our ability to enhance existing products and develop new products with improved performance capabilities. We expect to continue to invest heavily in research and development and must manage product transitions successfully, as introductions of new products, including the products obtained in our acquisitions, may adversely impact sales and/or margins of existing products. In addition, the introduction of new products by us or by our competitors, the concentration of our revenues in a limited number of large customers, the migration to new semiconductor testing methodologies and the custom nature of our inventory parts increases the risk that our established products and related inventory may become obsolete, resulting in significant excess and obsolete inventory exposure. This increased exposure resulted in significant charges to operations during each of the years in the three-year period ended December 26, 2015. Future inventory write-offs and increased inventory reserve requirements could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations and financial condition.

 

The design, development, commercial introduction and manufacture of new semiconductor equipment is an inherently complex process that involves a number of risks and uncertainties. These risks include potential problems in meeting customer acceptance and performance requirements, integration of the equipment with other suppliers’ equipment and the customers’ manufacturing processes, transitioning from product development to volume manufacturing and the ability of the equipment to satisfy the semiconductor industry’s constantly evolving needs and achieve commercial acceptance at prices that produce satisfactory profit margins. The design and development of new semiconductor equipment is heavily influenced by changes in integrated circuit assembly, test and final manufacturing processes and integrated circuit package design changes. We believe that the rate of change in such processes and integrated circuit packages is accelerating. As a result of these changes and other factors, assessing the market potential and commercial viability of handling, MEMS, system-level and burn-in test equipment is extremely difficult and subject to a great deal of risk. In addition, not all integrated circuit manufacturers employ the same manufacturing processes. Differences in such processes make it difficult to design standard test products that are capable of achieving broad market acceptance. As a result, we might not accurately assess the semiconductor industry’s future equipment requirements and fail to design and develop products that meet such requirements and achieve market acceptance. Failure to accurately assess customer requirements and market trends for new semiconductor test products may have a material adverse impact on our operations, financial condition and results of operations.

 

The transition from product development to the manufacture of new semiconductor equipment is a difficult process and delays in product introductions and problems in manufacturing such equipment are common. We have in the past and may in the future experience difficulties in manufacturing and volume production of our new equipment. In addition, as is common with semiconductor equipment, after sale support and warranty costs have typically been significantly higher with new products than with our established products. Future technologies, processes and product developments may render our current or future product offerings obsolete and we might not be able to develop, introduce and successfully manufacture new products or make enhancements to our existing products in a timely manner to satisfy customer requirements or achieve market acceptance. Furthermore, we might not realize acceptable profit margins on such products.

 

 

 

Global economic conditions may have an impact on our business and financial condition in ways that we currently cannot predict.

 

Our operations and financial results depend on worldwide economic conditions and their impact on levels of business spending, which have deteriorated significantly in many countries and regions and may remain depressed for the foreseeable future. Continued uncertainties may reduce future sales of our products and services. While we believe we have a strong customer base and have experienced strong collections in the past, if the current market conditions deteriorate, we may experience increased collection times and greater write-offs, either of which could have a material adverse effect on our cash flow.

 

In addition, the tightening of credit markets and concerns regarding the availability of credit may make it more difficult for our customers to raise capital, whether debt or equity, to finance their purchases of capital equipment, including the products we sell. Delays in our customers’ ability to obtain such financing, or the unavailability of such financing would adversely affect our product sales and revenues and therefore harm our business and operating results. We cannot predict the timing, duration of or effect on our business of the economic slowdown or the timing or strength of a subsequent recovery.

 

A limited number of customers account for a substantial percentage of our net sales. 

 

A small number of customers have been responsible for a significant portion of our net sales. During the past five years, the percentage of our sales derived from these significant customers has varied greatly. Such variations are due to changes in the customers’ business, consolidation within the semiconductor industry and their purchase of products from our competitors. It is common in the semiconductor test handler industry for customers to purchase equipment from more than one equipment supplier, increasing the risk that our competitive position with a specific customer may deteriorate. No assurance can be given that we will continue to maintain our competitive position with these or other significant customers. Furthermore, we expect the percentage of our revenues derived from significant customers will vary greatly in future periods. The loss of, or a significant reduction in, orders by these or other significant customers as a result of competitive products, market conditions including end market demand for our customers’ products, outsourcing final semiconductor test to test subcontractors that are not our customers or other factors, would have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, the concentration of our revenues in a limited number of large customers is likely to cause significant fluctuations in our future annual and quarterly operating results.

 

If we cannot continue to develop, manufacture and market products and services that meet customer requirements for innovation and quality, our revenue and gross margin may suffer.

 

The process of developing new high technology products and services and enhancing existing products and services is complex, costly and uncertain, and any failure by us to anticipate customers’ changing needs and emerging technological trends accurately could significantly harm our market share and results of operations. In addition, in the course of conducting our business, we must adequately address quality issues associated with our products and services, including defects in our engineering, design and manufacturing processes, as well as defects in third-party components included in our products. In order to address quality issues, we work extensively with our customers and suppliers and engage in product testing to determine the cause of quality problems and appropriate solutions. Finding solutions to quality issues can be expensive and may result in additional warranty, replacement and other costs, adversely affecting our profits. In addition, quality issues can impair our relationships with new or existing customers and adversely affect our reputation, which could lead to a material adverse effect on our operating results.

 

The cyclical nature of the semiconductor equipment industry places enormous demands on our employees, operations and infrastructure. 

 

The semiconductor equipment industry is characterized by dramatic and sometimes volatile changes in demand for its products. A number of factors including the semiconductor industry’s continually changing and unpredictable capacity requirements and changes in integrated circuit design and packaging, result in changes in product demand. Sudden changes in demand for semiconductor equipment have a significant impact on our operations. Typically, we reduce and increase our workforce, particularly in manufacturing, based on customer demand for our products. These changes in workforce levels place enormous demands on our employees, operations and infrastructure since newly hired personnel rarely possess the expertise and level of experience of current employees. Additionally, these transitions divert management time and attention from other activities and adversely impact employee morale. We have in the past and may in the future experience difficulties, particularly in manufacturing, in training and recruiting the large number of additions to our workforce. The volatility in headcount and business levels, combined with the cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry, may require that we invest substantial amounts in new operational and financial systems, procedures and controls. We may not be able to successfully adjust our systems, facilities and production capacity to meet our customers’ changing requirements. The inability to meet such requirements will have an adverse impact on our business, financial position and results of operations.

 

 

 

The loss of key personnel could adversely impact our business.

 

Certain key personnel are critical to our business. Our future operating results depend substantially upon the continued service of our key personnel, many of whom are not bound by employment or non-competition agreements. Our future operating results also depend in significant part upon our ability to attract and retain qualified management, manufacturing, technical, engineering, marketing, sales and support personnel. Competition for qualified personnel, particularly those with technical skills, is intense, and we cannot ensure success in attracting or retaining qualified personnel. In addition, the cost of living in the San Diego, California, Kolbermoor, Germany and La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland areas, where the majority of our development personnel are located, is high and we have had difficulty in recruiting prospective employees from other locations. There may be only a limited number of persons with the requisite skills and relevant industry experience to serve in these positions and it may become increasingly difficult for us to hire personnel over time. Our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected by the loss of any of our key employees, by the failure of any key employee to perform in his or her current position, or by our inability to attract and retain skilled employees.

 

Third parties may violate our proprietary rights or accuse us of infringing upon their proprietary rights.

 

We rely on patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret laws to establish and maintain proprietary rights in our technology and products. Any of our proprietary rights may expire due to patent life, or be challenged, invalidated or circumvented. In addition, from time to time, we receive notices from third parties regarding patent or copyright claims. Any such claims, with or without merit, could be time-consuming to defend, result in costly litigation, divert management’s attention and resources and cause us to incur significant expenses. In the event of a successful claim of infringement against us and our failure or inability to license the infringed technology or to substitute similar non-infringing technology, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

 

A majority of our revenues are generated from exports to foreign countries, primarily in Asia, that are subject to economic and political instability and we compete against a number of Asian test handling equipment suppliers.

 

The majority of our export sales are made to destinations in Asia. Political or economic instability, particularly in Asia, may adversely impact the demand for capital equipment, including equipment of the type we manufacture and market. In addition, we face intense competition from a number of Asian suppliers that have certain advantages over United States (“U.S.”) suppliers, including us. These advantages include, among other things, proximity to customers, favorable tariffs and affiliation with significantly larger organizations. In addition, changes in the amount or price of semiconductors produced in Asia could impact the profitability or capital equipment spending programs of our foreign and domestic customers.

 

Unanticipated changes in our tax provisions or exposure to additional income tax liabilities could affect our profitability.

 

We are subject to income and other taxes in the U.S. and numerous foreign jurisdictions. Our tax liabilities are affected by, among other things, the amounts our affiliated entities charge each other for intercompany transactions. We may be subject to ongoing tax examinations in various jurisdictions. Tax authorities may disagree with our intercompany charges or other matters and assess additional taxes. While we regularly assess the likely outcomes of these examinations in order to determine the appropriateness of our tax provision, tax audits are inherently uncertain and an unfavorable outcome could occur. An unanticipated, unfavorable outcome in any specific period could harm our operating results for that period or future periods. The financial cost and management attention and time devoted to defending income tax positions may divert resources from our business operations, which could harm our business and profitability. Tax examinations may also impact the timing and/or amount of our refund claims. In addition, our effective tax rate in the future could be adversely affected by changes in the mix of earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates, changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities, changes in tax laws and the discovery of new information in the course of our tax return preparation process. In particular, the carrying value of our deferred tax assets and the utilization of our net operating loss and credit carryforwards are dependent on our ability to generate future taxable income in the U.S and other countries. Furthermore, these carryforwards may be subject to annual limitations as a result of changes in Cohu’s ownership.

 

 

 

Compliance with regulations may impact sales to foreign customers and impose costs.

 

Certain products and services that we offer require compliance with U.S. and other foreign country export and other regulations. Compliance with complex U.S. and other foreign country laws and regulations that apply to our international sales activities increases our cost of doing business in international jurisdictions and could expose us or our employees to fines and penalties. These laws and regulations include import and export requirements, the U.S. State Department International Traffic in Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and U.S. and other foreign country laws such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”), and local laws prohibiting corrupt payments to governmental officials. Violations of these laws and regulations could result in fines, criminal sanctions against us, our officers or our employees, prohibitions on the conduct of our business and damage to our reputation. Although we have implemented policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with these laws, there can be no assurance that our employees, contractors or agents will not violate our policies, or that our policies will be effective in preventing all potential violations. Any such violations could include prohibitions on our ability to offer our products and services to one or more countries, and could also materially damage our reputation, our brand, our international expansion efforts, our ability to attract and retain employees, our business and our operating results. Further, defending against claims of violations of these laws and regulations, even if we are successful, could be time-consuming, result in costly litigation, divert management’s attention and resources and cause us to incur significant expenses.

 

In addition to government regulations regarding sale and export, we are subject to other regulations regarding our products. For example, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has adopted disclosure rules for companies that use conflict minerals in their products, with substantial supply chain verification requirements in the event that the materials come from, or could have come from, the Democratic Republic of the Congo or adjoining countries. These new rules and verification requirements will impose additional costs on us and on our suppliers, and may limit the sources or increase the cost of materials used in our products. Further, if we are unable to certify that our products are conflict free, we may face challenges with our customers that could place us at a competitive disadvantage, and our reputation may be harmed.

 

Our business and operations could suffer in the event of security breaches.

 

Attempts by others to gain unauthorized access to information technology systems are becoming more sophisticated and are sometimes successful. These attempts, which might be related to industrial or other espionage, include covertly introducing malware to our computers and networks and impersonating authorized users, among others. We seek to detect and investigate all security incidents and to prevent their recurrence, but in some cases, we might be unaware of an incident or its magnitude and effects. The theft, unauthorized use or publication of our intellectual property and/or confidential business information could harm our competitive position, reduce the value of our investment in research and development and other strategic initiatives or otherwise adversely affect our business. To the extent that any security breach results in inappropriate disclosure of our customers' or licensees' confidential information, we may incur liability as a result. In addition, we may be required to devote additional resources to the security of our information technology systems.

 

The occurrence of natural disasters and geopolitical instability caused by terrorist attacks and other threats may adversely impact our operations and sales.

 

Our Corporate headquarters is located in San Diego, California, our Asian sales and service headquarters is located in Singapore and the majority of our sales are made to destinations in Asia. In addition, we have manufacturing plants in the Philippines, Malaysia and China. These regions are known for being vulnerable to natural disasters and other risks, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, fires, and floods, which at times have disrupted the local economies. A significant earthquake or tsunami could materially affect operating results. We are not insured for most losses and business interruptions of this kind, and do not presently have redundant, multiple site capacity in the event of a natural disaster. In the event of such disaster, our business would suffer.

 

 

 

Our financial and operating results may vary and may fall below analysts’ estimates, which may cause the price of our common stock to decline.

 

Our operating results may fluctuate from quarter to quarter due to a variety of factors including, but not limited to:

 

●     cyclical nature of the semiconductor equipment industry;

●     timing and amount of orders from customers and shipments to customers;

●     inability to recognize revenue due to accounting requirements;

●     inventory writedowns;

●     inability to deliver solutions as expected by our customers; and

●     intangible and deferred tax asset writedowns.

 

Due to these factors or other unanticipated events, quarter-to-quarter comparisons of our operating results may not be reliable indicators of our future performance. In addition, from time to time our quarterly financial results may fall below the expectations of the securities and industry analysts who publish reports on our company or of investors in general. This could cause the market price of our stock to decline, perhaps significantly.

 

We have experienced significant volatility in our stock price.

 

A variety of factors may cause the price of our stock to be volatile. In recent years, the stock market in general, and the market for shares of high-technology companies in particular, including ours, have experienced extreme price fluctuations, which have often been unrelated to the operating performance of affected companies. During the last three years the price of our common stock has ranged from $13.84 to $8.63. The price of our stock may be more volatile than the stock of other companies due to, among other factors, the unpredictable and cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry, our significant customer concentration, intense competition in the test handler industry, our limited backlog and our relatively low daily stock trading volume. The market price of our common stock is likely to continue to fluctuate significantly in the future, including fluctuations related and unrelated to our performance.

  

Item 2.      Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.

 

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

 

None.

 

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

 

None.

  

Item 3.      Defaults Upon Senior Securities.

 

None.

  

Item 4.      Mine Safety Disclosures

 

Not applicable.

  

Item 5.      Other Information.

 

None.

 

 

 

Item 6.		Exhibits.
3(i).1		Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Cohu, Inc. incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1(a) from the Cohu, Inc. Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 1999
3(i).2		Certificate of Amendment of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Cohu, Inc. incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1(a) from the Cohu, Inc. Form S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 30, 2000
3(ii)		Amended and Restated Bylaws of Cohu, Inc. incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 from the Cohu, Inc. Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 12, 1996
31.1		Certification pursuant to Section 302(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
31.2		Certification pursuant to Section 302(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.1		Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.2		Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
101.INS		XBRL Instance Document
101.SCH		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.CAL		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.DEF		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
101.LAB		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
101.PRE		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements 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.

 

 

		COHU, INC.
		(Registrant)
Date: April 29, 2016		/s/ Luis A. Müller
		Luis A. Müller
		President & Chief Executive Officer

 

Date: April 29, 2016		/s/ Jeffrey D. Jones
		Jeffrey D. Jones
		Vice President, Finance & Chief Financial Officer
		(Principal Financial & Accounting Officer)

 

 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No.		Description
3(i).1		Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Cohu, Inc. incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1(a) from the Cohu, Inc. Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 1999
3(i).2		Certificate of Amendment of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Cohu, Inc. incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1(a) from the Cohu, Inc. Form S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 30, 2000
3(ii)		Amended and Restated Bylaws of Cohu, Inc. incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 from the Cohu, Inc. Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 12, 1996
31.1		Certification pursuant to Section 302(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
31.2		Certification pursuant to Section 302(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.1		Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.2		Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
101.INS		XBRL Instance Document
101.SCH		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.CAL		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.DEF		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
101.LAB		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
101.PRE		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document

  

33