Basis of Presentation and Changes in Significant Accounting Policies

Overview

Cree, Inc. (the Company) is a leading innovator of lighting-class light emitting diode (LED) products, lighting products and semiconductor products for power and radio-frequency (RF) applications. The Company's products are targeted for applications such as indoor and outdoor lighting, video displays, transportation, electronic signs and signals, power supplies, inverters and wireless systems.

The Company develops and manufactures semiconductor materials and devices primarily based on silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN) and related compounds. In many cases, the properties of SiC and GaN offer technical advantages over traditional silicon, gallium arsenide (GaAs) and other materials used for electronic applications.

The Company's LED products consist of LED components, LED chips and SiC materials. As LED technology improves, the Company believes the potential market for LED lighting will continue to expand. The Company's success in selling LED products depends upon the ability to offer innovative products and its ability to enable its customers to develop and market LED-based products that successfully compete and drive LED adoption against traditional lighting products.

The Company's lighting products consist of both LED and traditional lighting systems. The Company designs, manufactures and sells lighting fixtures and lamps for the commercial, industrial and consumer markets.

In addition, the Company develops, manufactures and sells power and RF devices. The Company's power products are made from SiC and provide increased efficiency, faster switching speeds and reduced system size and weight over comparable silicon-based power devices. The Company's RF devices are made from GaN and provide improved efficiency, bandwidth and frequency of operation as compared to silicon or gallium arsenide.

The majority of the Company's products are manufactured at its production facilities located in North Carolina, Wisconsin and China. The Company also uses contract manufacturers for certain aspects of product fabrication, assembly and packaging. The Company operates research and development facilities in North Carolina, California, Wisconsin, India and China.

Cree, Inc. is a North Carolina corporation established in 1987 and is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina.

As of September 29, 2013, the Company has three reportable segments:


•	LED Products


•	Lighting Products


•	Power and RF Products

For financial results by reportable segment, please refer to Note 12 "Reportable Segments."

Basis of Presentation

The consolidated balance sheet at September 29, 2013, the consolidated statements of income for the three months ended September 29, 2013 and September 23, 2012, the consolidated statements of comprehensive income for the three months ended September 29, 2013 and September 23, 2012, and the consolidated statements of cash flows for the three months ended September 29, 2013 and September 23, 2012 (collectively, the consolidated financial statements) have been prepared by the Company and have not been audited. In the opinion of management, all normal and recurring adjustments necessary to present fairly the consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows at September 29, 2013, and for all periods presented, have been made. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The consolidated balance sheet at June 30, 2013 has been derived from the audited financial statements as of that date.

Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) have been condensed or omitted. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 (fiscal 2013). The results of operations for the three months ended September 29, 2013 are not necessarily indicative of the operating results that may be attained for the entire fiscal year ending June 29, 2014 (fiscal 2014).

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual amounts could differ materially from those estimates.

Certain fiscal 2013 amounts in the accompanying consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the fiscal 2014 presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on previously reported consolidated net income or shareholders’ equity.

New Accounting Standards

Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward or Tax Credit Carryforward Exists

In July 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2013-11, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward or Tax Credit Carryforward Exists. The ASU provides guidance regarding the presentation in the statement of financial position of an unrecognized tax benefit when a net operating loss carryforward or a tax credit carryfoward exists. The ASU generally provides that an entity's unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion of its unrecognized tax benefit, should be presented in its financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward. The ASU applies prospectively to all entities that have unrecognized tax benefits when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists at the reporting date, and is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. The Company early adopted this guidance beginning with the first quarter of fiscal 2014. The Company's adoption of this guidance did not have a significant impact on its consolidated financial statements.