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Organization and Description of Business and Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 28, 2012

Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

Note 1 — Organization and Description of Business and Accounting Policies

Organization and Description of Business

STAAR Surgical Company and subsidiaries (the “Company”), a Delaware corporation, was incorporated in 1982 for the purpose of developing, producing, and marketing intraocular lenses (“IOLs”) and other products for minimally invasive ophthalmic surgery. Principal products are IOLs and implantable Collamer lenses (“ICLs”). IOLs are prosthetic intraocular lenses used to restore vision that has been adversely affected by cataracts, and include the Company’s lines of silicone and Collamer IOLs and the Preloaded Injector (a silicone or acrylic IOL preloaded into a single-use disposable injector). ICLs, consisting of the Company’s ICL and Toric implantable collamer lenses (“TICL”), are intraocular lenses used to correct refractive conditions such as myopia (near-sightedness), hyperopia (far-sightedness) and astigmatism.

As of December 28, 2012, the Company’s significant subsidiaries consisted of:

STAAR Surgical AG, a wholly owned subsidiary formed in Switzerland to develop, manufacture and distribute certain of the Company’s products worldwide including ICLs.

STAAR Japan, a wholly owned subsidiary that designs, manufactures and sells IOLs and injector systems which are sold as integrated preloaded injectors worldwide.

The Company operates as one operating segment, the ophthalmic surgical market, for financial reporting purposes (see Note 18).

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of STAAR Surgical and its wholly-owned subsidiaries and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

Fiscal Year and Interim Reporting Periods

The Company’s fiscal year ends on the Friday nearest December 31 and each of the Company’s quarterly reporting periods generally consists of 13 weeks. The fiscal 2012, 2011 and 2010 financial statements are based on a 52-week period.

Foreign Currency

The functional currency of the Company and its Japanese subsidiary is the local currency. The functional currency of the Company’s Swiss subsidiary is the U.S. dollar. Assets and liabilities of foreign subsidiaries are translated at rates of exchange in effect at the close of the period. Sales and expenses are translated at the weighted average of exchange rates in effect during the period. The resulting translation gains and losses are deferred and are shown as a separate component in the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss). During 2012, 2011, and 2010, the net foreign translation losses were $722,000, $247,000, and $1,154,000, respectively; and net foreign currency transaction gains or (losses), included in the consolidated statements of operations under other income (expense) were, $111,000, $86,000, and ($87,000), respectively.

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenue when realized or realizable and earned, which is when the following criteria are met: persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists; delivery has occurred; the sale price is fixed and determinable; and collectability is reasonably assured. The Company records revenue from non-consignment product sales when title and risk of ownership has been transferred, which is typically at shipping point, except for the STAAR Japan subsidiary, which is typically recognized when the product is received by the customer. STAAR Japan does not have significant deferred revenues as of December 28, 2012 as delivery to the customer is generally made within the same or the next date of shipment. The Company presents sales tax it collects from its customers on a net basis (excluded from revenues).

The Company’s products are marketed to ophthalmic surgeons, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers or vision centers, and distributors. IOLs may be offered to surgeons and hospitals on a consignment basis. The Company maintains title and risk of loss of consigned inventory and recognizes revenue for consignment inventory when the Company is notified that the IOL has been implanted.

ICLs are sold only to certified surgeons who have completed requisite training or for use in scheduled training surgeries. As a result, STAAR substantively reduces the risk that the revenue it recognizes on shipment of ICLs would need to be reversed because of a surgeon’s failure to qualify for its use.

For all sales, the Company is considered the Principal in the transaction as the Company, among other factors, bears general inventory risk, credit risk, has latitude in establishing the sales price and bears authorized sales returns inventory risk and therefore, sales and cost of sales are reported separately in the statement of operations instead of a single, net amount. Cost of sales includes cost of production, freight and distribution, royalties, and inventory provisions, net of any purchase discounts.

The Company generally permits returns of product if the product is returned within the time allowed by our return policies and records an allowance for estimated returns at the time revenue is recognized. The Company’s allowance for estimated returns considers historical trends and experience, the impact of new product launches, the entry of a competitor, availability of timely and pertinent information and the various terms and arrangements offered, including sales with extended credit terms. Sales are reported net of estimated returns.

The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and adjusts credit limits based on customer payment history and credit worthiness, as determined by the Company’s review of its customers’ current credit information. The Company continuously monitors collections and payments from customers and maintains a provision for estimated credit losses and uncollectible accounts based upon its historical experience and any specific customer collection issues that have been identified. Amounts determined to be uncollectible are written off against the allowance for doubtful accounts.

Use of Estimates

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and, as such, include amounts based on informed estimates and judgments of management with consideration given to materiality. For example, estimates are used in determining valuation allowances for uncollectible trade receivables, obsolete and excess inventory, deferred income taxes, and tax reserves. Estimates are also used in the evaluation of asset impairment, in determining the useful life of depreciable and definite-lived intangible assets, and in the variables used to calculate stock-based compensation. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with a maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. The Company maintains cash deposits with major banks which from time to time may exceed federally insured limits. The Company periodically assesses the financial condition of the institutions and believes that the risk of any loss is minimal.

Restricted Cash

On March 2, 2010, as part of the disposition of the Domilens subsidiary, the Company deposited 100,000 Euro (approximately $129,000, based on the rate of exchange on December 30, 2011) into a restricted escrow account to be held against payment of any unaccrued taxes assessed for periods prior to December 31, 2009. Funds remaining on December 30, 2011, were to be returned to STAAR. During February 2012, the Company received the full amount of the deposit, including interest, which totaled $134,000. The Company had classified this restricted cash as a current asset commensurate with the related contingent tax liability included in other current liabilities as of the Closing Date.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to credit risk principally consist of trade receivables. This risk is limited due to the large number of customers comprising the Company’s customer base, and their geographic dispersion. In 2012 there were no customers with trade receivables balances that represented 10% or more of consolidated trade receivables. In 2011 one significant customer accounted for approximately 19% of consolidated trade receivables balance, and 13% of our consolidated net revenue as December 30, 2011. Ongoing credit evaluations of customers’ financial condition are performed and, generally, no collateral is required. The Company maintains reserves for potential credit losses and such losses, in the aggregate, have not exceeded management’s expectations.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. To increase the comparability of fair value measures, the following hierarchy prioritizes the inputs to valuation methodologies used to measure fair value:

	·	Level 1 – Inputs to the valuation methodology are quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets.
	·	Level 2 – Inputs to the valuation methodology include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, and inputs that are observable for the assets or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the financial instruments.
	·	Level 3 – Inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable; that reflect management’s own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would make and significant to the fair value.

The carrying values reflected in the consolidated balance sheets for cash and cash equivalents, trade accounts receivable and accounts payable approximate their fair values because of the short maturity of these instruments.

Inventories, Net

Inventories, net are valued at the lower of cost, determined on a first-in, first-out basis, or market. Inventories include the costs of raw material, labor, and manufacturing overhead, work in process and finished goods. The Company provides estimated inventory allowances for excess, expiring, slow moving and obsolete inventory as well as inventory whose carrying value is in excess of net realizable value to properly reflect inventory at the lower of cost or market.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment are recorded at cost. Depreciation on property, plant, and equipment is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets as noted below. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the lesser of the estimated useful lives of the assets or the related lease term. Major improvements are capitalized and minor replacements, maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred.

Depreciation is generally computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets:

Machinery and equipment			5-10 years
Furniture and equipment			3-7 years
Computer and peripherals			2-5 years
Leasehold improvements			(a)

(a)

Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of the useful life of the asset or the term of the associated leases.

Goodwill

Goodwill, which has an indefinite life, is not amortized but instead is tested for impairment on an annual basis or between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would indicate the carrying amount may be impaired. Impairment testing for goodwill is done at the reporting unit level. Reporting units can be one level below the operating segment level, and can be combined when reporting units within the same operating segment have similar economic characteristics. The Company has determined that its reporting units have similar economic characteristics, and therefore, can be combined into one reporting unit for the purposes of goodwill impairment testing. During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 and 2011, the Company performed its annual impairment test and determined that its goodwill was not impaired. As of December 28, 2012 and December 30, 2011, the carrying value of goodwill was $1.8 million.

Long-Lived Assets

The Company reviews property and equipment and intangible assets, excluding goodwill, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. We measure recoverability of these assets by comparing the carrying value of such assets to the estimated undiscounted future cash flows the assets are expected to generate. When the estimated undiscounted future cash flows are less than their carrying amount, an impairment loss is recognized equal to the difference between the assets’ fair value and their carrying value. A review of long lived assets was conducted as of December 28, 2012 and no impairment was identified.

Amortization is computed on the straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets which range from 3 to 20 years for patents and licenses, 10 years for customer relationships, and 3 to 10 years for developed technology.

Research and Development Costs

Expenditures for research activities relating to product development and improvement are charged to expense as incurred.

Advertising Cost

Advertising costs, which are included in selling, general and administrative expenses, are expenses as incurred. Advertising costs were $1,810,000, $1,306,000 and $1,195,000 for 2012, 2011 and 2010 respectively.

Income Taxes

The Company recognizes deferred tax assets and liabilities for temporary differences between the financial reporting basis and the tax basis of the Company’s assets and liabilities, net operating loss and credit carryforwards, and uncertainty in income taxes recognized. Valuation allowances, or reductions to deferred tax assets, are recognized if, based on the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax asset may not be realized. The impact on deferred taxes of changes in tax rates and laws, if any, are applied to the years during which temporary differences are expected to be settled and reflected in the financial statements in the period of enactment.

We recognize the income tax benefit from an uncertain tax position when it is more likely than not that, based on technical merits, the position will be sustained upon examination, including resolutions of any related appeals or litigation processes. We recognize accrued interest related to uncertain tax positions as a component of income tax expense, and penalties, if incurred, are recognized as a component of operating income. The Company does not have any uncertain tax positions. The Company did not incur significant interest and penalties during 2012.

Basic and Diluted Income (Loss) Per Share

The consolidated financial statements include “basic” and “diluted” per share information. Basic per share information is calculated by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of shares outstanding. Diluted per share information is calculated by also considering the impact of potential common stock on both net income and the weighted number of shares outstanding.

Employee Defined Benefit Plans

The Company maintains a passive pension plan (the “Swiss Plan”) covering employees of its Swiss subsidiary. The Swiss Plan conforms to the features of a defined benefit plan.

The Company also maintains a noncontributory defined benefit pension plan which covers substantially all of the employees of STAAR Japan.

The Company recognizes the funded status, or difference between the fair value of plan assets and the projected benefit obligations of the pension plan on the statement of financial position, with a corresponding adjustment to accumulated other comprehensive income. If the projected benefit obligation exceeds the fair value of plan assets, then that difference or unfunded status represents the pension liability. The Company records a net periodic pension cost in the consolidated statement of operations. The liabilities and annual income or expense of both plans are determined using methodologies that involve several actuarial assumptions, the most significant of which are the discount rate and the expected long-term rate of asset return (for Swiss Plan only) (based on the market-related value of assets). The fair values of plan assets are determined based on prevailing market prices (see Note 12).

Stock Based Compensation

Stock-based compensation expense for all stock-based compensation awards granted is based on the grant-date fair value estimated. The Company recognizes these compensation costs on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the award, which is generally the option vesting term of three to four years (see Note 13).

The Company also issues Restricted Stock, which are unvested shares issued at fair market value on the date of grant. They typically vest over a service period ranging between one and four years and are subject to forfeiture until vested or the service period is achieved, and the restriction is lapsed or terminated. The stock compensation expense is generally recognized by the Company as the stock vests, based on the fair value of the stock on the vesting date and the vested number of shares less any amounts paid for the stock, which is typically the par value of the shares.

The Company accounts for options granted to persons other than employees and directors under Equity –Based Payments to Non-Employees. The fair value of such options is periodically remeasured using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model and income or expense is recognized over the vesting period.

Accounting for Warrants

The Company has agreed to use its best efforts to register and maintain registration of the common shares underlying certain warrants (the “Warrant Shares”) that were issued by the Company with debt instruments, so that the warrant holder may freely sell the Warrant Shares if the warrant is exercised, and the Company agreed that in any event it would secure and maintain effective registration within four months of issuance. In addition, while the relevant warrant agreement does not require cash settlement if the Company fails to register and maintain registration of the Warrant Shares, it does not specifically preclude cash settlement. The Company assumes that in the absence of continuous effective registration it may be required to settle the warrants for cash when they are exercised. Accordingly, the Company’s agreement to register and maintain registration of the Warrant Shares without express terms for settlement in the absence of continuous effective registration is presumed to create a liability to settle these warrants in cash, requiring liability classification. Included in other current liabilities with a fair value of $27,000 as of December 28, 2012, and as other long-term liabilities with a fair value of $362,000 December 30, 2011, respectively, are 70,000 warrants issued in March 2007 to Broadwood in connection with a loan which has since been repaid. The Company has issued other warrants (1.4 million) under an agreement that expressly provides that if the Company fails to satisfy continuous registration requirements the Company will be obligated only to issue additional common stock as the holder’s sole remedy, with no possibility of settlement in cash. The Company accounts for those warrants as equity because additional shares are the only form of settlement available to the holder. The Company uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model as the valuation model to estimate the fair value of all warrants. The Company evaluates the balance sheet classification of the warrants during each reporting period. Expected volatilities are based on historical volatility of the Company’s stock. The expected life of the warrant is determined by the amount of time remaining on the original six year term of the relevant warrant agreement. The risk-free rate of return for periods within the contractual life of the warrant is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at each reporting period. Any gains or losses from period to period resulting from the changes in fair value of the warrants classified as a liability are included as an increase or decrease of other income (expense). The warrants that are accounted for as equity are only valued on the issuance date and not subsequently revalued.

Comprehensive Income (Loss)

The Company presents comprehensive income (loss) in two separate but not consecutive Consolidated Financial Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss). Total comprehensive income (loss) includes, in addition to net income (loss), changes in equity that are excluded from the consolidated statements of operations and are recorded directly into a separate section of stockholders’ equity on the consolidated balance sheets.

In thousands	Foreign Currency			Defined Benefit Pension Plans, net of tax			Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Balance, at January 1, 2010	$	1,955		$	1,299		$	3,254
Current period other comprehensive loss		(1,154	)		—			(1,154	)
Balance, at December 31, 2010		801			1,299			2,100
Current period other comprehensive income (loss)		(247	)		552			305
Balance, at December 30, 2011		554			1,851			2,405
Current period other comprehensive loss		(722	)		(103	)		(825	)
Balance, at December 28, 2012	$	(168	)	$	1,748		$	1,580

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In December 2011, the FASB issued guidance enhancing disclosure requirements about the nature of an entity’s right to offset and related arrangements associated with its financial instruments and derivative instruments. The new guidance requires the disclosure of the gross amounts subject to right of set-off, amounts offset in accordance with the accounting standards followed, and related net exposure. The new guidance will be effective for us beginning January 2013. Other than requiring additional disclosures, we do not anticipate material impact on our financial statements upon adoption.

In October 2012, the FASB issued technical corrections and improvements updates. The update contains amendments that affect a wide variety of Topics in the Codification. The amendments in this update are effective for us beginning January 2013. The adoption of these updates are not expected to have a material impact on our financial statements upon adoption.

Prior Year Reclassifications

Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior financial statement information to conform to current presentation.