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Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract] 
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies

1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The Company

Actuate Corporation ("we", "Actuate" or the "Company") was incorporated in November 1993 in the State of California and reincorporated in the State of Delaware in July 1998. Actuate provides software and services to develop and deploy custom Business Intelligence and information applications that deliver rich interactive content that improve customer loyalty and corporate performance. Applications built on Actuate's open source-based platform provide all stakeholders inside and outside the firewall, including employees, customers, partners and citizens with information that they can easily access and understand to maximize revenue, cut costs, improve customer satisfaction, streamline operations, create competitive advantage and make better decisions. Our goal is to ensure that all users can use decision-making information in their day-to-day activities, opening up completely new avenues for improving corporate performance.

Actuate's principal executive offices are located at 2207 Bridgepointe Parkway, San Mateo, California. Actuate's telephone number is 650-645-3000. Actuate maintains Web sites at www.actuate.com, www.birt-exchange.org and www.birt-exchange.com.

Basis of Presentation

The Company has prepared the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Pursuant to these rules and regulations, the Company has condensed or omitted certain information and footnote disclosures it normally includes in its annual consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). In management's opinion, the Company has made all adjustments (consisting only of normal, recurring adjustments, except as otherwise indicated) necessary to fairly present its financial position, results of operations and cash flows. The Company's interim period operating results do not necessarily indicate the results that may be expected for any other interim period or for the full fiscal year. These financial statements and accompanying notes should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto in Actuate's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 filed with the SEC on March 11, 2011.

To prepare financial statements in conformity with GAAP, management must make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from these estimates and may result in material effects on the Company's operating results and financial position.

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Actuate and its wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries. Actuate has offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia including offices in the United States, Canada, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Germany, Singapore, Japan and China. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

As of September 30, 2011, Actuate owns approximately 88% of the outstanding voting stock of Actuate Japan Company Ltd. ("Actuate Japan"). The Company has consolidated the results of Actuate Japan from the date that it became the majority shareholder, which occurred in fiscal year 2000.

Revenue Recognition

Actuate generates revenues from the sales of software licenses and related services. The Company receives software license revenues from licensing its products directly to end-users and indirectly through resellers, system integrators and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The Company receives service revenues from maintenance contracts, consulting services and training that Actuate performs for customers.

For sales to end-user customers, Actuate recognizes license revenues when a license agreement has been signed by both parties or a definitive agreement has been received from the customer, the product has been physically shipped or electronically made available, there are no unusual uncertainties surrounding the product acceptance, the fees are fixed or determinable, collectability is probable and vendor-specific objective evidence of fair value exists to allocate the fee to the undelivered elements of the arrangement. Vendor-specific objective evidence of fair value of sales to end users is based on the price charged when an element is sold separately.

Actuate has not established vendor-specific objective evidence of fair value for its licenses. Therefore, the Company recognizes revenues from arrangements with multiple elements involving software licenses under the residual method, which means the fair value of the undelivered elements is deferred while the remaining value of the arrangement is allocated to the delivered elements. If the license agreement contains payment terms that would indicate that the fee is not fixed or determinable, revenues are recognized as the payments become due and payable, assuming that all other revenue recognition criteria are met.

Actuate enters into reseller and distributor arrangements that typically give such distributors and resellers the right to distribute its products to end-users headquartered in specified territories. Actuate recognizes license revenues from arrangements with U.S. resellers and distributors when there is persuasive evidence of an arrangement with the reseller or distributor, the product has been shipped, the fees are fixed or determinable, collectability is probable and vendor-specific objective evidence of fair value exists to allocate the fee to the undelivered elements of the arrangement. Actuate recognizes license revenues from arrangements with international resellers and distributors upon receipt of evidence of sell-through and when all other revenue recognition criteria have been met. If it is not practical to obtain evidence of sell-through, the Company defers revenues until the end-user has been identified and cash has been received. In some instances there is a timing difference between when a reseller completes its sale to the end-user and the period in which Actuate receives the documentation required for revenue recognition. Because Actuate delays revenue recognition until the reporting period in which the required documentation is obtained, it may recognize revenue in a period subsequent to the period in which the reseller completes the sale to its end-user.

Actuate also enters into OEM arrangements that provide for license fees based on the bundling or embedding of its products with the OEM's products. These arrangements generally provide for fixed, irrevocable royalty payments. Actuate recognizes license fee revenues from U.S. and international OEM arrangements when a license agreement has been executed by both parties, the product has been shipped, there are no unusual uncertainties surrounding the product acceptance, the fees are fixed or determinable, collectability is probable and vendor-specific objective evidence of fair value exists to allocate the fee to the undelivered elements of the arrangement.

Actuate also has two software-as-a-service (SaaS) offerings called OnPerformance and BIRT onDemand. Actuate recognizes revenue on these licenses ratably over the term of the underlying arrangement.

The Company typically establishes vendor specific objective evidence of fair value for maintenance and support using a "bell-shaped curve" approach. However, for certain types of license transactions, including OEM and site licenses, the Company uses a "stated maintenance renewal" approach.

The Company assesses the collectability of fees from end-users based on payment history and current credit profile. When a customer is not deemed credit-worthy, revenues are deferred and recognized upon cash receipt.

Actuate recognizes maintenance revenues, which consist of fees for ongoing support and unspecified product updates, ratably over the term of the contract, typically one year. Consulting revenues are primarily related to standard implementation and configuration. Training revenues are generated from classes offered at the Company's headquarters and customer locations. Revenues from consulting and training services are typically recognized as the services are performed. When a contract includes both license and service elements, the license fee is typically recognized on delivery of the software, assuming all other revenue recognition criteria are met, provided services do not include significant customization or modification of the product and are not otherwise essential to the functionality of the software.

Share-Based Compensation

The Company has various types of share-based compensation plans. These plans are administered by the compensation committee of the Board of Directors, which selects persons to receive awards and determines the number of shares subject to each award and the terms, conditions, performance measures and other provisions of the award. Readers should refer to Note 9 of the Company's consolidated financial statements in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, for additional information related to these share-based compensation plans. Share-based compensation expense and the related income tax benefit reflected in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations in connection with stock options, restricted stock units and the Employee Stock Purchase Plan ("ESPP") for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010 were as follows (in thousands):

 

     Three Months Ended      Nine Months Ended  
     September 30,
2011
     September 30,
2010
     September 30,
2011
     September 30,
2010
 

Stock options

   $ 579       $ 998       $ 3,199       $ 3,573   

Restricted stock units

     203         120         617         290   

ESPP

     192         125         680         376   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total stock-based compensation

   $ 974       $ 1,243       $ 4,496       $ 4,239   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Income tax benefit

   $ 256       $ 434       $ 1,294       $ 1,419   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Included in the total share-based compensation for the three and nine months ending September 30, 2011 are approximately $119,000 credit to stock based compensation and $608,000 of stock based compensation classified as liability based awards, respectively.

The fair value of each option award is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes-Merton option pricing model. We estimated the expected term of options granted by analyzing actual historical experience of exercises and cancellations under our plan. We also looked at the average length of time in which our current outstanding options are expected to be exercised or cancelled based on past experience and the vesting and contractual term. We estimated the volatility of our common stock by using historical volatility over the calculated expected term. We based the risk-free interest rate that we use in the option valuation model on the published Treasury rate. We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future and therefore used an expected dividend yield of zero in the option valuation model. We amortize our stock-based compensation expense on an accelerated basis. The assumptions used to estimate the fair value of stock options granted and stock purchase rights granted under our Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "Purchase Plan") for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010 are as follows:

 

     Options     ESPP  
     Nine Months Ended     Nine Months Ended  
     September 30,
2011
    September 30,
2010
    September 30,
2011
    September 30,
2010
 

Volatility

     53.88 – 54.38     54.17 –54.73     37.36 –42.34     40.15 –45.83

Expected term (years)

     5.57 – 5.69        5.66 – 5.73        1.25        1.25   

Risk free interest rate

     0.96 –2.21     1.25 –2.25     0.22 –0.27     0.26 – 0.35

Expected dividend yield

     0     0     0     0

Annual forfeiture rate

     2 – 4     2 – 3     N/A        N/A   

Effective January 2010, restricted stock units ("RSUs") were granted to senior management as part of the Company's annual incentive compensation program under the Amended and Restated 1998 Equity Incentive Plan. RSUs are valued based on the closing price of the Company's common stock on the grant date. In general, restricted stock units vest over four years with annual cliff vesting and are subject to the employees' continuing service to the Company. For each restricted stock unit granted under the 1998 Plan, a share reserve ratio is applied for the purpose of determining the remaining number of shares reserved for future grants under the plan. The share reserve ratio is 1:1 for each restricted stock unit granted, and an equivalent of 1 share will be deducted from the share reserve for each restricted stock unit issued. Likewise, each forfeited restricted stock unit increases the number of shares available for issuance by the applicable rate at the time of forfeiture. As of September 30, 2011, a total of 433,750 and 384,687 RSUs were granted and outstanding, respectively, to the Company's senior management and non-employee Board of Directors. As of September 30, 2010, a total of 201,250 RSUs were granted and outstanding to the Company's senior management and non-employee Board of Directors.

In February 2011, the Board of Directors approved the acceleration of 333,333 stock options that had been previously granted to a senior executive who had passed away in December 2010. In addition, the exercise terms for these accelerated options along with 129,167 of vested options were extended from one to two years. As such, the full fair value of these options was measured as of the modification date and fully expensed at that time. Since there was no longer a performance obligation at the date of modification associated with these options, an alternate classification and accounting under GAAP was required. As a result, these accelerated options were to be measured and classified as liability rather than equity. Accordingly, at the end of each quarter, we calculate the revised fair value of these options and recognize any corresponding gain or loss to income. We will continue this accounting treatment until these options are fully exercised. Included in the total share-based compensation expense for the three and nine months ending September 30, 2011 are approximately $119,000 credit to stock based compensation and $608,000 of stock based compensation classified as liability based awards, respectively.

Net Income Per Share

The Company computes basic net income per share using the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period, less weighted average shares subject to repurchase. The Company computes diluted net income per share using the weighted-average number of common shares and dilutive share-based awards during the period determined by using the treasury stock method.

The table below reconciles the weighted-average common shares used to calculate basic net income per share with the weighted-average common shares used to calculate diluted net income per share (in thousands).

 

     Three Months Ended
September 30,
     Nine months Ended
September 30,
 
     2011      2010      2011      2010  

Weighted-average common shares outstanding

     48,058         44,669         46,873         45,002   

Weighted-average dilutive common equivalent shares under the treasury stock method

     4,227         3,756         4,351         4,044   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Weighted-average common shares used in computing diluted net income per share

     52,285         48,425         51,224         49,046   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Under the treasury stock method, stock options with exercise prices exceeding the average share price of the Company's common stock during the applicable period are excluded from the diluted earnings per share computation. The weighted-average number of shares excluded from the calculation of diluted net income was 3,516,394 and 4,105,173 in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011, respectively. No restricted stock units were excluded from the diluted earnings per share computation as they were all dilutive for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011. In the three and nine months ended September 30, 2010, the Company excluded 7,043,446 and 6,394,120 stock options from its calculation of weighted-average common shares used in computing dilutive net income per share. The weighted–average anti-dilutive restricted stock units excluded from the diluted net income per share computation for the three and nine months ending September 30, 2010 were 10,598 RSUs and zero RSUs, respectively. Such stock options, had they been dilutive, would have been included in the computation of diluted net income per share.

The weighted average exercise price of excluded stock options was $5.89 and $5.87 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011, respectively. The weighted average exercise price of excluded stock options was $5.61 and $5.79 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2010, respectively.

Income Taxes

The Company calculates its interim income tax provision in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") authoritative guidance on income taxes and obligations for uncertain tax positions. At the end of each interim period, the Company estimates the annual effective tax rate and applies that rate to its ordinary quarterly earnings. The tax expense or benefit related to significant, unusual, or extraordinary items that will be separately reported or reported net of their related tax effect, is recognized in the interim period in which those items occur. Additionally, the effect of changes in enacted tax laws, tax rates, or tax status is recognized in the interim period in which the change occurs.

The computation of the annual estimated effective tax rate at each interim period requires certain estimates and significant judgment including, but not limited to, the expected operating income for the year, projections of the proportion of income earned and taxed in foreign jurisdictions, permanent and temporary differences, and the likelihood of recovering deferred tax assets generated in the current year. The accounting estimates used to compute the provision for income taxes may change as new events occur, more experience is acquired, additional information is obtained or as the tax environment changes. Although we believe our assumptions, judgments and estimates are reasonable, changes in tax laws or our interpretation of tax laws and the resolution of any tax audits could significantly impact the amounts provided for income taxes in our consolidated financial statements.

A valuation allowance is required, if based on the weight of available evidence it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the recorded deferred tax assets will not be realized in future periods. In evaluating our ability to recover our deferred tax assets, in full or in part, we consider all available positive and negative evidence, including our past operating results, the existence of cumulative losses in the most recent years and our forecast of future taxable income on a jurisdiction by jurisdiction basis. In determining future taxable income, we are responsible for assumptions made, including the amount of state, federal and international pre-tax operating income, the reversal of temporary differences and the implementation of feasible and prudent tax planning strategies. These assumptions require significant judgment about the forecasts of future taxable income and are consistent with the plans and estimates we are using to manage the underlying businesses.

We continue to believe there is sufficient evidence to support the utilization of certain deferred tax assets. If sufficient positive evidence exists and it is more likely than not that the benefit will be realized with respect to the remaining deferred tax assets, we will release the valuation allowance. This adjustment to the valuation allowance would decrease tax expense. Likewise, if there is a reduction in the projection of future U.S. and foreign income, we may need to increase the valuation allowance. Any increase in the valuation allowance would increase tax expense in the period such a determination was made.

We did not recognize certain tax benefits from uncertain tax positions within the provision for income taxes. The Company only recognizes the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position if it is more likely than not that the tax position, based on its technical merits, will be sustained upon examination by the taxing authorities. The tax benefits recognized in the financial statements from such positions are then measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. Due to uncertainties in any tax audit outcome, our estimates of the ultimate settlement of our unrecognized tax positions may change and the actual tax benefits may differ significantly from the estimates.

Sales Taxes

The Company presents its revenues net of sales tax in its Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Comprehensive Income

Other comprehensive income includes currency translation adjustments and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments that are not included in net income, but rather are recorded directly in stockholders' equity. Comprehensive income during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010 was comprised of the following (in thousands):

 

     Three Months Ended
September 30,
     Nine months Ended
September 30,
 
     2011     2010      2011     2010  

Net income

   $ 4,722      $ 6,955       $ 6,982      $ 7,920   

Foreign currency translation (loss) gain

     (1,381     1,416         633        920   

Unrealized (loss) gain on investments

     (48     65         (59     27   
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total comprehensive income

   $ 3,293      $ 8,436       $ 7,556      $ 8,867   
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

The Company recorded approximately $1.4 million in foreign currency translation losses and approximately $633,000 of foreign currency translation gains in the third quarter and the first nine months of fiscal 2011, respectively. These gains and losses related primarily to the translation and consolidation of its European operations.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued new accounting guidance that amends some fair value measurement principles and disclosure requirements. The new guidance states that the concepts of highest and best use and valuation premise are only relevant when measuring the fair value of nonfinancial assets and prohibits the grouping of financial instruments for purposes of determining their fair values when the unit of account is specified in other guidance. We will adopt this accounting standard upon its effective date for periods beginning on or after December 15, 2011, and do not anticipate that this adoption will have a significant impact on our financial position or results of operations.

 

In 2011, the FASB issued new disclosure guidance related to the presentation of the Statement of Comprehensive Income. This guidance eliminates the current option to report other comprehensive income and its components in the statement of changes in equity and requires presentation of reclassification adjustments on the face of the income statement. We will adopt this accounting standard upon its effective date for periods beginning on or after December 15, 2011, and this adoption will not have any impact on our financial position or results of operations but will impact our financial statement presentation.

In 2011, the FASB issued new accounting guidance that simplifies goodwill impairment tests. The new guidance states that a "qualitative" assessment may be performed to determine whether further impairment testing is necessary. We will adopt this accounting standard upon its effective date for periods beginning on or after December 15, 2011, and do not anticipate that this adoption will have a significant impact on our financial position or results of operations.

Correction of immaterial errors in current financial statements

During the second quarter of 2011, the Company adjusted its accounting for foreign exchange revaluation of a non-monetary liability, resulting in a second quarter expense before tax of approximately $173,000. The adjustment affects the Interest Income and Other Income/(Expense), Net line item in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the quarter ended June 30, 2011. Management evaluated the materiality of the error from a qualitative and quantitative perspective and concluded that the error was immaterial to the current and prior periods. The Company has not revised the accompanying historical condensed consolidated financial statements.