Kulicke and Soffa Industries (KLIC) 10-K/A2022 FY Annual report (amended)

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.

As of April 2, 2022, the aggregate market value of the registrant's common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was approximately $3,279.6 million based on the closing sale price as reported on The Nasdaq Global Market (reference is made to Part II, Item 5 herein for a statement of assumptions upon which this calculation is based).

As of November 14, 2022, there were 57,018,988 shares of the registrant's common stock, without par value, outstanding.

In light of the foregoing, management reassessed the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of October 1, 2022, based on the framework established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). As a result of that reassessment, management identified a material weakness related to the Company’s segment reporting and, accordingly, concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of October 1, 2022 and that the Company did not maintain effective internal control over financial reporting as of October 1, 2022. A “material weakness” is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the Company's annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

As required by Rule 12b-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), the Company has included the entire text of Part I, Item IA, Part II, Item 7, Part II, Item 8, Part II, Item 9A of the Original Form 10-K in this Amendment. However, there have been no changes to the text of such items other than the amendments as stated in the immediately preceding paragraph, and as further discussed below.

The Company has evaluated the materiality of the incorrect presentation of its segment-related disclosures in the notes to its consolidated financial statements and has concluded that it did not result in a material misstatement of the Company’s previously issued consolidated financial statements.

Notwithstanding the above, the Company has determined that it would revise its notes to the consolidated financial statements to correct the presentation of its segment-related disclosures and will additionally: (i) amend Part II, Item 7 “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” to revise the segment-related information within the “Results of Operations”; and (ii) revise segment-related information in Note 4: Goodwill and Intangible Assets and Note 16: Segment Information.

Though the semiconductor industry’s cycle can be independent of the general economy, global economic conditions may have a direct impact on demand for semiconductor units and ultimately demand for semiconductor capital equipment and tools. Accordingly, our business and financial performance is impacted, both positively and negatively, by fluctuations in the macroeconomic environment. Expenditures by our customers depend on the current and anticipated market demand for semiconductors and products that use semiconductors, LEDs and batteries, including mobile devices, personal computers, consumer electronics, telecommunications equipment, automotive components, electric vehicles and other industrial products. Reductions or other fluctuations in our customers' spending as a result of uncertain conditions and volatility in the macroeconomic environment, including from government, economic or fiscal instability, economic recession, actual or potential inflation, rising interest rates, slower growth in certain geographic regions, global health crises and pandemics, restricted global credit conditions, reduced demand, excess inventory, higher energy prices, or other conditions, could adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results. Further, our profitability can be affected by volatility because we incur a certain amount of fixed costs that we cannot modulate up and down to meet increases or decreases in demand. The impact of broad-based weakening in the global macroeconomic environment could make our customers cautious and delay orders until the economic outlook becomes clearer. Significant downturns in the market for semiconductor devices or in general economic conditions reduce demand for our products and can materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results. Our visibility into future demand is generally limited and forecasting is difficult, and we believe historic, industry-wide volatility will persist.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and resulting containment measures have significantly impacted the global economy, disrupted global supply chains, created significant volatility and disruption in financial markets, and affected unemployment levels. The global responses to the COVID-19 pandemic remain dynamic. Some countries continue to impose quarantines, containment measures or travel restrictions, and certain countries, such as China, continue to impose periodic lockdowns in response to rising case numbers. In certain jurisdictions, there has been a resurgence of illnesses or threat of emerging new variants of the virus, potentially leading to more severe restrictions in the future.

While we continue our normal operations in all of our manufacturing locations, work-from-home practices have been instituted or permitted from time-to-time across our offices worldwide, which have in some cases impacted our non-manufacturing productivity. We could experience further productivity disruptions in the event of an outage to systems and technologies critical to effect remote work, or from the increased data security and technology risks arising therefrom.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt our supply chain, including materials, equipment, engineering support and services, especially to, from and within China. In addition, the costs of logistics have increased as a result of general inflationary pressures, and labor shortages have further contributed to rising costs across the supply chain, further exacerbating the impact the pandemic has had on the supply chain.

Other effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business will depend on future developments that cannot be accurately predicted at this time, but may include the following:

The ultimate impact of COVID-19 on our business will depend on, among other things:

To the extent the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affects our business, results of operations and financial conditions, it may also exacerbate the other risks discussed in this section on “Risk Factors”.

Our products are complex and require raw materials, components and subassemblies having a high degree of reliability, accuracy and performance. We rely on subcontractors to manufacture many of these components and subassemblies and we rely on sole source suppliers for certain key technology parts and raw materials. As a result, we are exposed to a number of significant risks, including:

If any of these risks were to materialize, we might be unable to deliver our products to our customers on time and at expected cost, or at all. While we observed some easing of the industry-wide supply constraints towards the end of fiscal 2022, we expect constraints to continue and the duration of such constraints or their long-term impact on our business cannot be predicted at this time.

As part of our supply chain management, we have increased our inventory levels in an effort to mitigate component shortages. These increases in our inventory levels may lead to an excess of materials in the future in the event that the demand for our products is lower than our expectations or if we otherwise fail to anticipate future customer demand properly. Excess inventory levels could result in inventory write-downs at discounted prices, which could adversely affect our cash flows or gross margins. As a result, our business, financial condition and operating results would be materially and adversely affected.

The semiconductor industry is volatile, with periods of rapid growth followed by industry-wide retrenchment. These periodic downturns and slowdowns have in the past adversely affected our business, financial condition and operating results. Downturns have been characterized by, among other things, diminished product demand, excess production capacity, and accelerated erosion of selling prices. Historically these downturns have severely and negatively affected the industry’s demand for capital equipment, including assembly equipment and, to a lesser extent, tools. In any case, we believe the historical volatility of our business, both upward and downward, will persist. Consequently, our revenues may decline, and our results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected.

We typically operate our business with limited visibility of future demand. We do not have long-term contracts with many of our customers. As a result, demand for our products in future periods is difficult to predict and we sometimes experience inventory shortages or excesses. We generally order supplies and otherwise plan our production based on internal forecasts for demand. We have in the past failed, and may again in the future fail, to accurately forecast demand for our products. This has led to, and may in the future lead to, delays in product shipments or, alternatively, an increased risk of inventory obsolescence. As part of our supply chain management, we have increased our inventory levels in an effort to mitigate component shortages, which may increase the risk of inventory obsolescence. If we fail to accurately forecast demand for our products, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially and adversely affected.

In the past, our quarterly operating results have fluctuated significantly. We expect that our quarterly results will continue to fluctuate. Although these fluctuations are partly due to the cyclical and volatile nature of the semiconductor industry, they also reflect other factors, many of which are outside of our control.

Some of the factors that may cause our net revenue and operating margins to fluctuate significantly from period to period are:

Many of our expenses, such as research and development, selling, general and administrative expenses, and interest expense, do not vary directly with our net revenue. Our research and development efforts include long-term projects lasting a year or more, which require significant investments. In order to realize the benefits of these projects, we believe that we must continue to fund them even during periods when our revenue has declined. As a result, a decline in our net revenue would adversely affect our operating results as we continue to make these expenditures. In addition, if we were to incur additional expenses in a quarter in which we did not experience comparable increased net revenue, our operating results would decline. In a downturn, we may have excess inventory, which could be written off. Some of the other factors that may cause our expenses to fluctuate from period-to-period include:

Because our net revenue and operating results are volatile and difficult to predict, we believe consecutive period-to-period or year-over-year comparisons of our operating results may not be a good indication of our future performance.

Typically, our average selling prices have declined over time due to continuous price pressure from our customers and competitive cost reductions in our industry’s supply chains. We seek to offset this decline by continually reducing our cost structure by consolidating operations in lower cost areas, reducing other operating costs, by pursuing product strategies focused on product performance and customer service, and developing new products for which we are able to charge higher prices. These efforts may not enable us to fully offset price declines, and if they do not, our financial condition and operating results may be materially and adversely affected.

We believe our continued success depends on our ability to continuously develop and manufacture new products and product enhancements on a timely and cost-effective basis. We must introduce these products and product enhancements into the market in a timely manner in response to customers’ demands for higher performance assembly equipment and leading-edge materials customized to address rapid technological advances in integrated circuits, and capital equipment designs. Our competitors may develop new products or enhancements to their products that offer improved performance and features, or lower prices which may render our products less competitive. The development and commercialization of new products require significant capital expenditures over an extended period of time, and some products we seek to develop may never become profitable. In addition, we may not be able to develop and introduce products incorporating new technologies in a timely manner that will satisfy our customers’ future needs or achieve market acceptance. If we are not able to develop and sell our products that meet the demands of our customers, it would result in lower net revenues and our operating results would be adversely affected.

The semiconductor equipment and packaging materials industries are very competitive. In the semiconductor equipment industry, significant competitive factors include price, speed/throughput, production yield, process control, delivery time, innovation, quality and customer support. In the semiconductor packaging materials industry, significant competitive factors include price, delivery and quality.

In each of our markets, we face competition and the threat of competition from established competitors and potential new entrants. In addition, established competitors may combine to form larger, better-capitalized companies. Some of our competitors have or may have significantly greater financial, engineering, manufacturing and marketing resources than we do. Some of these competitors are Asian and European companies that have had, and may continue to have, an advantage over us in supplying products to local customers who appear to prefer to purchase from local suppliers. Some of these competitors compete across many of our product lines, while others are primarily focused in a specific product area, sometimes with government assistance or through the support of strategic alliances, all of which could result in lowering the barriers to entry.

We expect our competitors to improve their current products’ performance, and to introduce new products and materials with improved price and performance characteristics. Our competitors may independently develop technology similar to or better than ours. They may also appropriate our technology and our intellectual property to compete against us and we may not have adequate legal recourse. New product and material introductions by existing competitors or by new market entrants could hurt our sales. If a semiconductor manufacturer or subcontract assembler selects a competitor’s product or materials for a particular assembly operation, we may not be able to sell products or materials to that manufacturer or assembler for a significant period of time. Manufacturers and assemblers sometimes develop lasting relationships with suppliers and assembly equipment providers in our industry and often go years without requiring replacement. In addition, we may have to lower our prices in response to price cuts by our competitors, which may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results. If we cannot compete successfully, we could lose customers and experience reduced margins and profitability.

We expect our future performance to depend on our ability to continue to compete in foreign markets, particularly in the Asia/Pacific region. Some of these economies have been highly volatile, resulting in significant fluctuation in local currencies, and political and economic instability. Some of these economies may also increase trade protectionism, thereby increasing barriers to entry, amplifying supply chain risks and adversely affecting the demand for our products. These conditions may continue or worsen, which may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results.

We also rely on non-U.S. suppliers for materials and components used in our products, and substantially all of our manufacturing operations are located in countries other than the U.S. We manufacture our ball, wedge and APAMA bonders in Singapore, our Hybrid and Electronic Assembly solutions in the Netherlands, our dicing blades, capillaries and bonding wedges in China, and our capillary blanks in Israel and China. We also rely on independent foreign distribution channels for certain of our product lines. As a result, a major portion of our business is subject to the risks associated with international, and particularly Asia/Pacific, commerce, such as:

In addition, there is a potential risk of conflict and instability in the relationship between Taiwan and China which could disrupt the operations of our customers and/or suppliers in both Taiwan and China, our manufacturing operations in China, and our future plans in the region.

Our international operations also depend on favorable trade relations between the U.S. and those foreign countries in which our customers, subcontractors and materials suppliers have operations. A protectionist trade environment in either the U.S. or those foreign countries in which we do business, such as a change in the current tariff structures, export compliance or other trade policies, may materially and adversely affect our ability to sell our products in foreign markets.

The U.S. and several other countries levy tariffs on certain goods and impose other trade restrictions that may impact our customers’ investment in manufacturing equipment, reduce the competitiveness of our products, or inhibit our ability to sell products or purchase necessary equipment and supplies. In particular, trade tensions between the U.S. and China have been escalating since 2018, with U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods and retaliatory Chinese tariffs on U.S. goods. We cannot predict what further actions may ultimately be taken with respect to tariffs or trade relations between the U.S. and other countries, what products may be subject to such actions, or what actions may be taken by other countries in response. Further changes in trade policy, tariffs, additional taxes, restrictions on exports or other trade barriers, or restrictions on supplies, equipment, and raw materials, may limit our ability to produce products, increase our selling and/or manufacturing costs, reduce the competitiveness of our products, or inhibit our ability to sell products or purchase necessary equipment and supplies, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, or financial condition.

In 2020, the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) amended the EAR to expand controls on certain foreign products based on U.S. technology and sold to Huawei and certain other companies. In October 2022, the BIS amended the EAR again to extend those foreign controls to numerous companies on BIS’ so-called Entity List. The 2020 and 2022 amendments impact some of our advanced packaging products, which are based on U.S. technology and are within the scope of the expanded EAR controls on Huawei and other Entity List companies. Therefore, these products cannot be sold to Huawei and other Entity List companies, and are subject to certain end-use restrictions. To date, these amendments to the EAR have not had a material direct impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations and we do not expect that they will, although they could have indirect impacts, including increasing tensions in U.S. and Chinese trade relations, potentially leading to negative sentiments towards U.S.-based companies among Chinese consumers. Additionally, some end users may prefer to avoid the U.S. supply chain to avoid the application of these regulations.

Future changes in, and responses to, U.S. trade policy could reduce the competitiveness of our products and cause our sales to decline, and therefore could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

The semiconductor manufacturing industry is highly concentrated, with a relatively small number of large semiconductor manufacturers and their subcontract assemblers and vertically integrated manufacturers of electronic systems purchasing a substantial portion of our semiconductor assembly equipment and packaging materials. Sales to a relatively small number of customers have historically accounted for a significant percentage of our net revenue. There was no customer with sales representing more than 10% of net revenue in fiscal 2022. Sales to our ten largest customers comprised 49.1% and 62.0% of our net revenue for fiscal 2022 and fiscal 2021, respectively.

We expect a small number of customers will continue to account for a high percentage of our net revenue for the foreseeable future. Thus, our business success depends on our ability to maintain strong relationships with our customers. Any one of a number of factors could adversely affect these relationships. If, for example, during periods of escalating demand for our equipment, we were unable to add inventory and production capacity quickly enough to meet the needs of our customers, or if because of supply chain constraints we are not able to fulfil our customers' orders, they may turn to other suppliers making it more difficult for us to retain their business. We may also make commitments from time-to-time to our customers regarding minimum volumes and performance standards, and if we are unable to meet those commitments, we may incur liabilities to our customers. If we lose orders from a significant customer that we are not able to replace, if a significant customer reduces its orders substantially, or if we incur liabilities for not meeting customer commitments, these losses, reductions or liabilities may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results.

We manufacture products primarily pursuant to purchase orders for current delivery or to forecast, rather than pursuant to long-term supply contracts. As a result, we must commit resources to the manufacture of products without binding purchase commitments from customers. The semiconductor industry is occasionally subject to double-booking and rapid changes in customer outlooks or unexpected build ups of inventory in the supply channel as a result of shifts in end market demand and macro-economic conditions. Accordingly, many of these purchase orders or forecasts may be revised or canceled without penalty. Even in cases where our standard terms and conditions of sale or other contractual arrangements do not permit a customer to cancel an order without penalty, we may from time to time accept cancellations to maintain customer relationships or because of industry practice, custom or other factors. The broad-based weakening in the global macroeconomic environment may result in lower than expected demand for our products, and our inability to sell products after we devote significant resources to them could have a material adverse effect on our levels of inventory, revenues and profitability.

The labor costs in the various countries in which we operate are rising. There is substantial competition in China and Singapore for qualified and capable manufacturing personnel, which may make it difficult for us to recruit and retain qualified employees. In addition, current or future immigration laws, policies or regulations may limit our ability to attract, hire and retain qualified employees in Singapore. If we are unable to staff sufficient personnel at our China, Singapore, Israel and the Netherlands facilities or if there are increases in labor costs that we are unable to recover in our pricing to our customers, we may experience increased manufacturing costs, which would adversely affect our operating results.

Our future success depends on our ability to hire and retain qualified management, sales, finance, accounting and technical employees, including senior management. Experienced personnel with the relevant and necessary skill sets in our industry are in high demand and competition for their talents is intense, especially in Asia, where most of the Company’s key personnel are located. If we are unable to continue to attract and retain the managerial, marketing, finance, accounting and technical personnel we require, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially and adversely affected.

Effective succession planning is also important to our long-term success. Failure to ensure effective transfer of knowledge and smooth transitions involving senior management could hinder our strategic planning and execution. From time to time, senior management or other key employees may leave our company, and the loss of any key employee could result in significant disruptions to our operations, including adversely affecting the timeliness of product releases, the successful implementation and completion of company initiatives, the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and our internal control over financial reporting, and the results of our operations. Changes in immigration policies may also impair our ability to recruit and hire technical and professional talent. In addition, hiring, training, and successfully integrating replacement critical personnel could be time consuming, may cause additional disruptions to our operations, and may be unsuccessful, which could negatively impact future revenues.

Alternative packaging technologies have emerged that may improve device performance or reduce the size of an integrated circuit package, as compared to traditional wire bonding. These technologies include flip chip and wafer-level packaging. Some of these alternative technologies eliminate the need for wires to establish the electrical connection between a die and its package. The semiconductor industry may, in the future, shift a significant part of its volume into alternative packaging technologies which do not employ our products. If a significant shift to alternative packaging technologies or to another technology not offered by us were to occur, demand for our equipment and related packaging materials may be materially and adversely affected. Given that a majority of our revenue comes from wire bonding, a reduced demand for our wire bonding equipment could materially and adversely affect our financial results.

From time to time we send certain products and equipment to customers or potential customers for testing, evaluation or other purposes in advance of receiving any confirmation of purchase or purchase orders. Such equipment may be at the customer location for an extended period of time per the agreements with these customers and potential customers. The customer or potential customer may refuse to buy all or partial quantities of such product or equipment and return this back to us. As a result, we may incur charges to retrofit the machines or sell the machines as second hand at a lower price, and accordingly may have to record impairments on the returned inventory, all of which would adversely affect our operating results.

If errata (deviations from product specifications) or flaws in design, production, assembly or testing of our products (by us or our suppliers) were to occur, we could experience a rate of failure in our products that would result in materially adverse consequences, including:

Continued improvement in manufacturing capabilities, control of material and manufacturing quality and costs and product testing are critical factors in our future growth. Our efforts to monitor, develop, modify and implement appropriate tests and manufacturing processes for our products may not be sufficient to permit us to avoid a rate of failure in our products that results in substantial delays in shipment, significant repair or replacement costs, potential damage to our reputation or general customer dissatisfaction with our products. We may also not be able to obtain product liability or other insurance to fully cover such risks. Any of the foregoing risks, if they were to materialize, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition.

As part of our ongoing efforts to drive further efficiency, we may consolidate our manufacturing and other facilities or entities. Should we consolidate, we may experience unanticipated events, including the actions of governments, suppliers, employees or customers, which may result in unanticipated costs and disruptions to our business. We may also incur restructuring charges, severance costs, asset impairments, loss of accumulated knowledge, inefficiency during transitional periods, employee attrition and other effects that could negatively impact our financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to various federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations governing, among other things, the generation, storage, use, emission, discharge, transportation and disposal of hazardous material, investigation and remediation of contaminated sites and the health and safety of our employees. Public attention continues to focus on the environmental impact of manufacturing operations and the risk to neighbors of waste and chemical releases from such operations.

Proper waste disposal plays an important role in the operation of our manufacturing plants. In many of our facilities we maintain wastewater treatment systems that remove metals and other contaminants from process wastewater. These facilities operate under permits that must be renewed periodically. A violation of those permits may lead to revocation of the permits, fines, penalties or the incurrence of capital or other costs to comply with the permits, including the potential shutdown of operations.

Compliance with existing or future land use, environmental, climate-related and health and safety laws and regulations may: (1) result in significant costs to us for additional capital equipment or other process requirements; (2) restrict our ability to expand our operations, and/or (3) cause us to curtail our operations. We also could incur significant costs, including cleanup costs, fines or other sanctions and third-party claims for property damage or personal injury, as a result of violations of or liabilities under such laws and regulations.

Increasingly, various agencies and governmental bodies have expressed interest in promulgating rules relating to climate change. For example, in March 2022, the SEC published a proposed rule that would require companies to provide significantly expanded climate-related disclosures in their Form 10-K, which may require us to incur significant additional costs to comply and impose increased oversight obligations on our management and Board of Directors. The cost of complying, or of failing to comply, with these and other regulatory requirements or contractual obligations could adversely affect our operating results, financial condition and ability to conduct our business.

To the extent that higher costs result in higher prices for our products, we may experience a reduction in the demand for those products, which could negatively affect our results of operations. Conversely, we may not be able to pass these increased costs onto our customers in the form of higher prices, as a result of which our results of operations may also be adversely affected.

We continually evaluate our portfolio of businesses and may decide to buy or sell businesses or enter into joint ventures or other strategic alliances. We may not find suitable acquisition candidates, we may not be able to close such acquisitions, and the acquisitions we complete may not be successful. We may be unable to successfully integrate acquired businesses with our existing businesses and successfully implement, improve and expand our systems, procedures and controls to accommodate these acquisitions. If we are not able to successfully integrate any acquired businesses with ours, the anticipated benefits of the acquisitions may not be realized fully or may take longer than expected to be realized. We may also incur higher than expected costs as a result of any acquisitions or experience an overall post-completion process that takes longer than originally anticipated.

Certain investors, shareholder advocacy groups, other market participants, customers and other stakeholder groups have focused increasingly on companies' environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) initiatives, including those concerning climate change, human rights, diversity and inclusion, and shareholder proxy access. This may result in increased costs, enhanced compliance or disclosure obligations and costs, or other adverse impacts on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

From time to time, we create and publish voluntary disclosures regarding ESG matters. Our sustainability report, currently in its sixth edition, continues to outline our Company’s strategies, initiatives and performance of ESG topics identified through a materiality assessment to be most relevant to the operations and stakeholders of our Company. The identification, assessment, and disclosure of such matters is complex. Many of the statements in such voluntary disclosures are based on our expectations and assumptions, which may require substantial discretion and forecasts about costs and future circumstances.

Additionally, ESG matters continue to evolve rapidly. Organizations that provide information to investors on ESG matters may develop more discrete rating matrices, benchmarks and processes on evaluating companies on their ESG approach. This may create opportunities for misalignment or perceived failure resulting in unfavorable ESG ratings. This could foster negative investor sentiment toward us, our customers, or our industry, which could negatively impact our business and operations. To the extent ESG matters negatively impact our reputation, it may also impede our ability to compete as effectively to recruit or retain employees, which may adversely affect our operations.

Our success depends in part on our proprietary technology. To protect this technology, we rely principally on contractual restrictions (such as nondisclosure and confidentiality provisions) in our agreements with employees, subcontractors, vendors, consultants and customers and on the common law of trade secrets and proprietary “know-how”. We also rely, in some cases, on patent and copyright protection, although this protection may in some cases be insufficient due to the rapid development of technology in our industry. We may not be successful in protecting our technology for a number of reasons, including the following:

Also, competitors may copy or misappropriate our trade secrets, products or designs either through lawful means of reverse engineering or through unlawful means that we are unable to prove, in either case eroding our market share. In addition, our partners and alliances may have rights to technology developed by us. We may incur significant expense to protect or enforce our intellectual property rights. If we are unable to protect our intellectual property rights, our competitive position may be weakened.

The semiconductor industry is characterized by rapid technological change, with frequent introductions of new products and technologies. Industry participants often develop products and features similar to those introduced by others, creating a risk that their products and processes may give rise to claims they infringe on the intellectual property of others. We may unknowingly infringe on the intellectual property rights of others and incur significant liability for that infringement. If we are found to have infringed on the intellectual property rights of others, we could be enjoined from continuing to manufacture, market or use the affected product, or be required to obtain a license to continue manufacturing or using the affected product. A license could be very expensive to obtain or may not be available at all. Similarly, changing or re-engineering our products or processes to avoid infringing the rights of others may be costly, impractical or time consuming.

Occasionally, third parties assert that we are, or may be, infringing on or misappropriating their intellectual property rights. In these cases, we defend, and will continue to defend, against claims or negotiate licenses where we consider these actions appropriate. Intellectual property cases are uncertain and involve complex legal and factual questions. If we become involved in this type of litigation, it could consume significant resources and divert our attention from our business.

We maintain and rely extensively on information technology systems and network infrastructures for the effective operation of our business. We also hold large amounts of data in data center facilities around the world, primarily in Singapore and the U.S., on which our business depends. A disruption, infiltration or failure of our information technology systems or any of our data centers as a result of software or hardware malfunctions, computer viruses, cyber-attacks, employee theft or misuse, power disruptions, natural disasters or accidents could cause breaches of data security and loss of critical data, which in turn could materially adversely affect our business. Our security procedures, such as virus protection software, data loss protection and our business continuity planning, such as our disaster recovery policies and back-up systems, may not be adequate or implemented properly to fully address the adverse effect of such events, which could adversely impact our operations. In addition, our business could be adversely affected to the extent we do not make the appropriate level of investment in our technology systems as our technology systems become out-of-date or obsolete and are not able to deliver the type of data integrity and reporting we need to run our business. Furthermore, when we implement new systems and/or upgrade existing systems, we could be faced with temporary or prolonged disruptions that could adversely affect our business.

We have experienced, and expect to continue to be subject to, cybersecurity threats and incidents, ranging from employee error or misuse, to individual attempts to gain unauthorized access to information systems, to sophisticated and targeted measures known as advanced persistent threats, none of which have been material to the Company to date. We devote significant resources to network security and other measures to protect our systems and data from unauthorized access or misuse. However, depending on the nature and scope, cybersecurity incidents could result in business disruption; the misappropriation, corruption or loss of confidential information and critical data (of the Company or that belonging to third parties); reputational damage; litigation with third parties; diminution in the value of our investment in research, development and engineering; data privacy issues; and increased cybersecurity protection and remediation costs.

In 2020 we began implementing a new enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) system, and will continue to implement the new system in phases across our various entities over the next two years. ERP implementations are complex, time-consuming, labor intensive, and involve substantial expenditures on system software and implementation activities. The ERP system is critical to our ability to provide important information to our management, obtain and deliver products, provide services and customer support, send invoices and track payments, fulfill contractual obligations, accurately maintain books and records, provide accurate, timely and reliable reports on our financial and operating results, and otherwise operate our business. ERP implementations also require transformation of business and financial processes in order to reap the benefits of the ERP system.

Any such implementation involves risks inherent in the conversion to a new computer system, including loss of information and potential disruption to our normal operations. The implementation and maintenance of the new ERP system has required, and will continue to require, the investment of significant financial and human resources and the implementation may be subject to delays and cost overruns. In addition, we may not be able to successfully complete the implementation of the new ERP system without experiencing difficulties.

Because most of our foreign sales are denominated in U.S. dollar, an increase in value of the U.S. dollar against foreign currencies will make our products more expensive than those offered by some of our foreign competitors. In addition, a weakening of the U.S. dollar against other currencies could make our costs in non-U.S. locations more expensive to fund. Our ability to compete overseas may therefore be materially and adversely affected by the fluctuations of the U.S. dollar against other currencies.

Because nearly all of our business is conducted outside the U.S., we face exposure to adverse movements in foreign currency exchange rates which could have a material adverse impact on our financial results and cash flows. Historically, our primary exposures have related to net working capital exposures denominated in currencies other than the foreign subsidiaries’ functional currency, and remeasurement of our foreign subsidiaries’ net monetary assets from the subsidiaries’ local currency into the subsidiaries’ functional currency. In general, an increase in the value of the U.S. dollar could require certain of our foreign subsidiaries to record translation and remeasurement gains. Conversely, a decrease in the value of the U.S. dollar could require certain of our foreign subsidiaries to record losses on translation and remeasurement. An increase in the value of the U.S. dollar could increase the cost to our customers of our products in those markets outside the U.S. where we sell in U.S. dollars, and a weakened U.S. dollar could increase the cost of local operating expenses and procurement of raw materials, both of which could have an adverse effect on our cash flows. Our primary exposures include the Singapore Dollar, Chinese Yuan, Japanese Yen, Swiss Franc, Philippine Peso, Thai Baht, Taiwan Dollar, South Korean Won, Israeli Shekel, Malaysian Ringgit and Euro. Although we from time to time have entered into foreign exchange forward contracts to hedge certain foreign currency exposure of our operating expenses, our attempts to hedge against these risks may not be successful and may result in a material adverse impact on our financial results and cash flows.

Our existing tax incentive, scheduled to expire in our fiscal 2025, allows certain classes of income to be subject to reduced income tax rates in Singapore provided we meet certain employment and investment conditions. If we cannot, or elect not to, comply with these conditions, we could be required to refund material tax benefits previously realized with respect to this tax incentive. Subsequent renewals are at the discretion of the Singapore government and we may not be able to extend the tax incentive arrangement beyond its expiration date or we may also elect not to renew this tax incentive arrangement. In the absence of the tax incentive, the income tax rate in Singapore that would otherwise apply is 17%, which would result in a significant increase in our provision for (benefit from) income taxes in future periods.

We are subject to income taxes in the U.S. and many foreign jurisdictions. Tax laws and regulations are continuously evolving with corporate tax reform, base-erosion efforts, global minimum tax, and increased transparency continuing to be high priorities in many tax jurisdictions in which we operate. Although the timing and methods of implementation may vary, many countries, including those in the Asia/Pacific region in which we have significant operations, have implemented, or are in the process of implementing, legislation or practices inspired by the base erosion and profit shifting project undertaken by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (“OECD”). Unless repealed or otherwise modified, beginning in our fiscal 2023, the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“TCJA”) enactment of IRC Section 174 will require the capitalization and amortization of

R&D expenditures which will increase our effective tax rate and reduce our operating cash flows. Further, the increased scrutiny on international tax and continuous changes to countries’ tax legislation may also affect the policies and decisions of tax authorities with respect to certain income tax and transfer pricing positions taken by the Company in prior or future periods. We continue to monitor new tax legislation or other developments since significant changes in tax legislation, or in the interpretation of existing legislation, could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and operating results.

Additionally, our future effective tax rate could be affected by numerous other factors including higher or lower than anticipated foreign earnings in various jurisdictions where we are subjected to tax rates that differ from the U.S. federal statutory tax rate, by changes in the valuation allowances recorded against certain deferred tax balances, or by changes in accounting principles and reporting requirements, or interpretations and application thereof. Changes in our assertion for foreign earnings permanently or non-permanently reinvested as a result of changes in facts and circumstances and challenges by tax authorities to our historic or future tax positions and transfer pricing policies could also significantly adversely impact our future effective tax rate.

We may from time to time issue additional equity securities or securities convertible into equity securities, which would result in dilution of our existing shareholders’ equity interests in us. Our board of directors has the authority to issue, without vote or action of shareholders, preferred shares in one or more series, and has the ability to fix the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of any such series. Any such series of preferred shares could contain dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption, redemption prices, liquidation preferences or other rights superior to the rights of holders of our common shares. In addition, we are authorized to issue, without shareholder approval, up to an aggregate of 200 million common shares, of which approximately 57.1 million shares were outstanding as of October 1, 2022. We are also authorized to issue, without shareholder approval (except as required by the rules of the Nasdaq stock market), securities convertible into either common shares or preferred shares. We may issue such shares in connection with financing transactions, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions or other purposes. In addition, our shareholders will experience additional dilution when performance or restricted share units vest and settle, when we issue equity awards to our employees under our equity incentive plans, or when we otherwise issue additional equity.

Some provisions of our articles of incorporation and bylaws as well as Pennsylvania law may discourage some transactions where we would otherwise experience a fundamental change. For example, our articles of incorporation and bylaws contain provisions that:

Further, under the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law, because our shareholders approved bylaw provisions that provide for a classified board of directors, shareholders may remove directors only for cause. These provisions and some other provisions of the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law could delay, defer or prevent us from experiencing a fundamental change and may adversely affect our common shareholders' voting and other rights.

Our Management's Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) is provided in addition to the accompanying consolidated financial statements and notes to assist readers in understanding our results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows. The MD&A is organized as follows:

The preparation of consolidated financial statements requires us to make assumptions, estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, net revenue and expenses during the reporting periods, and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the consolidated financial statements. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate estimates, including, but not limited to, those related to accounts receivable, reserves for excess and obsolete inventory, carrying value and lives of fixed assets, goodwill and intangible assets, income taxes, equity-based compensation expense and warranties. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable. As a result, we make judgments regarding the carrying values of our assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Authoritative pronouncements, historical experience and assumptions are used as the basis for making estimates, and on an ongoing basis, we evaluate these estimates. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

We believe the following critical accounting policies, which have been reviewed with the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors, reflect our more significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements.

The Company recognizes revenue from sales of our products, including sales to our distributors, at a point in time, generally upon shipment or delivery to the customer or distributor, depending upon the terms of the sales order. Control is considered transferred when title and risk of loss pass, when the customer becomes obligated to pay and, where applicable, when the customer has accepted the products or upon expiration of the acceptance period. For sales to distributors, payment is due on our standard commercial terms and is not contingent upon resale of the products.

The Company measures revenue based on the amount of consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for products or services. Any variable consideration such as sales incentives are recognized as a reduction of net revenue at the time of revenue recognition.

The length of time between invoicing and payment is not significant under our payment terms. In instances where the timing of revenue recognition differs from the timing of invoicing, we have determined our contracts generally do not include a significant financing component. Shipping and handling costs billed to customers are recognized in net revenue.

Shipping and handling costs paid by the Company are included in cost of sales.

We maintain allowances for doubtful accounts for estimated losses resulting from our customers’ failure to make required payments. If the financial condition of our customers were to deteriorate, resulting in an impairment of their ability to make payments, additional allowances may be required. We are subject to concentrations of customers and sales to a few geographic locations, which could also impact the collectability of certain receivables. If global or regional economic conditions deteriorate or political conditions were to change in some of the countries where we do business, it could have a significant impact on our results of operations, and our ability to realize the full value of our accounts receivable.

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (on a first-in, first-out basis) or net realizable value. We generally provide reserves for obsolete inventory and for inventory considered to be in excess of demand. Demand is generally defined as 18 months forecasted future consumption for equipment, 24 months forecasted future consumption for spare parts, and 12 months forecasted future consumption for tools. Forecasted consumption is based upon internal projections, historical sales volumes, customer order activity and a review of consumable inventory levels at customers’ facilities. We communicate forecasts of our future consumption to our suppliers and adjust commitments to those suppliers accordingly. If required, we reserve the difference between the carrying value of our inventory and the lower of cost or net realizable value, based upon projections about future consumption, and market conditions. If actual market conditions are less favorable than projections, additional inventory reserves may be required.

Inventory reserve provision for certain subsidiaries is determined based on management’s estimate of future consumption for equipment and spare parts. This estimate is based on historical sales volumes, internal projections and market developments and trends.

For further information on goodwill and other intangible assets, see Note 4 to our consolidated financial statements in Item 8.

The following table reflects our income from operations for fiscal 2022 and 2021:

Our backlog consists of customer orders scheduled for shipment within the next twelve months. A booking is recorded when a customer order is reviewed and it is determined that all specifications can be met, production (or service) can be scheduled, a delivery date can be set, and the customer meets our credit requirements. We use bookings to evaluate the results of our operations, generate future operating plans and assess the performance of our Company. While we believe that this measure is useful in evaluating our business, this information should be considered as supplemental in nature and is not meant as a substitute for revenue recognized in accordance with GAAP. In addition, other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate bookings differently or not at all, which reduces its usefulness as a comparative measure. Reconciliation of bookings to net revenue is not practicable. A majority of our orders are subject to cancellation or deferral by our customers with limited or no penalties. Also, customer demand for our products can vary dramatically without prior notice. Because of the volatility of customer demand, possibility of customer changes in delivery schedules or cancellations and potential delays in product shipments, our backlog as of any particular date may not be indicative of net revenue for any succeeding period.

The following tables reflect our bookings and backlog for fiscal 2022 and 2021:

The U.S. and several other countries have levied tariffs on certain goods. In particular, trade tensions between the U.S. and China have been escalating since 2018, with U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods and retaliatory Chinese tariffs on U.S. goods. These have resulted in uncertainties in the semiconductor, LED, memory and automotive markets. While the Company anticipates long-term growth in semiconductor consumption, we observed trade-related adverse impacts in demand from China from the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 through fiscal 2022, and such impacts may increase in severity in fiscal 2023 and/or beyond.

For fiscal 2022, the lower Ball Bonding Equipment net revenue as compared to fiscal 2021 was primarily due to lower volume. The lower volume was due to a decrease in customer investments as a result of uncertainties in the overall macroeconomic environment, partially offset by favorable price variance due to product mix.

For fiscal 2022, the higher Wedge Bonding Equipment net revenue as compared to fiscal 2021 was primarily due to higher volume and favorable price variance due to product mix. The higher volume was due to an increase in customer investments mainly in the automotive and renewable energy market.

For fiscal 2022, the higher Advanced Solutions net revenue as compared to fiscal 2021 was primarily due to higher volume mainly for thermocompression systems and solutions and the timing of revenue recognition for certain customer contracts.

For fiscal 2022, the lower APS net revenue as compared to fiscal 2021 was primarily due to lower volume in spares, services and bonding tools. The lower volume was due to a decrease in customer utilization.

 The following table reflects gross profit as a percentage of net revenue by reportable segments for fiscal 2022 and 2021: 

The following table reflects operating expenses for fiscal 2022 and 2021:

For fiscal 2022, the lower SG&A expenses as compared to fiscal 2021 was primarily due to $7.1 million net favorable variance in foreign exchange. This was partially offset by a $2.0 million COVID-19 related grant received from the Singapore government in the prior year period.

For fiscal 2022, the lower R&D expenses as compared to fiscal 2021 was primarily due to lower staff costs related to incentive compensation. This is partially offset by higher spending on prototype materials.

For fiscal 2022, total income from operations was higher as compared to fiscal 2021. This was primarily due to higher gross profit and lower operating expenses in fiscal 2022.

The following tables reflect income/(loss) from operations by reportable segments for fiscal 2022 and 2021:

Ball Bonding Equipment, Wedge Bonding Equipment, Advanced Solutions, APS and All Others

The following table reflects interest income and interest expense for fiscal 2022 and 2021: 

Interest income

For fiscal 2022, the higher interest income as compared to fiscal 2021 was primarily due to higher weighted average interest rates on cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments.

For fiscal 2022, the lower interest expense as compared to fiscal 2021 was primarily due to lower levels of average short-term debt outstanding. Please refer to Note 10: Debt and Other Obligations to our consolidated financial statements in Item 8 for a discussion of the Overdraft Facility.

For fiscal 2022, the lower effective tax rate as compared to fiscal 2021 is primarily due to tax benefits from foreign exchange losses and increase in tax credits generated during the fiscal year.

Please refer to Note 15: Income Taxes to our consolidated financial statements in Item 8.

The following table reflects total cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments as of October 1, 2022 and October 2, 2021:

The decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses and other current liabilities was primarily due to lower purchases in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2022, lower accrued employee compensation, accrued customer obligations and accrued commissions. The increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets was mainly due to the addition of contract assets in fiscal 2022. The increase in inventories was due to increased manufacturing activities to meet higher demand in the first half of fiscal 2022 followed by slower utilization due to lower demand in the second half of fiscal 2022. The decrease in accounts and notes receivable was due to lower sales in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2022 and a change in customer mix of different credit terms.

The net cash provided by investing activities was primarily due to net maturity of short-term investments of $157.0 million, partially offset by capital expenditures of $23.0 million.

The net cash used in financing activities was primarily due to common stock repurchases of $281.3 million and dividend payments of $39.4 million.

The increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses and other current liabilities was primarily due to higher purchases due to higher manufacturing activities. The increase in inventories was due to increased manufacturing activities in fiscal 2021 in response to increased sales. The increase in accounts receivable was due to higher sales.

The net cash used in investing activities was primarily due to net purchases of short-term investments of $35.0 million, the Uniqarta acquisition of $26.3 million, and capital expenditures of $22.8 million, partially offset by proceeds from the sale of an equity-method investment of $2.1 million.

The net cash used in financing activities was primarily due to dividend payments of $33.5 million, and common stock repurchases of $10.4 million.

The Company’s international operations and capital requirements are funded primarily by cash generated by foreign operating activities and cash held by foreign subsidiaries. In fiscal 2022, the Company’s U.S. operations and capital requirements have been funded primarily by cash generated from U.S. operating activities, cash held by U.S. entities, and cash previously held by foreign subsidiaries that was repatriated to the U.S. entities during the fiscal year. In the future, the Company may repatriate additional cash held by foreign subsidiaries that has already been subject to U.S. income tax or drawdown cash from our existing Facility Agreements. We believe these sources of cash and liquidity are sufficient to meet our additional liquidity needs for the foreseeable future including repayment of outstanding balances under the Facility Agreements, as well as payment of dividends, share repurchases and income taxes. Should the Company’s U.S. cash needs exceed its funds generated by U.S. and foreign operations due to changing business conditions or transactions outside the ordinary course, such as acquisitions of large capital assets, businesses or any other capital appropriation in the U.S., the Company may require additional financing in the U.S. In this event, the Company could seek U.S. borrowing alternatives.

We believe that our existing cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments, existing Facility Agreements, and anticipated cash flows from operations will be sufficient to meet our liquidity and capital requirements, notwithstanding the COVID-19 pandemic and macroeconomic headwinds, for the next twelve months and beyond. Our liquidity is affected by many factors, some based on normal operations of our business and others related to macroeconomic conditions including inflationary pressures, industry-related uncertainties, effects arising from the prolonged Ukraine/Russia conflict, which we cannot predict. We also cannot predict economic conditions and industry downturns or the timing, strength or duration of recoveries. We intend to continue to use our cash for working capital needs and for general corporate purposes.

In this unprecedented environment, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the prolonged Ukraine/Russia conflict or for other reasons, we may seek, as we believe appropriate, additional debt or equity financing which would provide capital for corporate purposes, working capital funding, additional liquidity needs or to fund future growth opportunities, including possible acquisitions. The timing and amount of potential capital requirements cannot be determined at this time and will depend on a number of factors, including our actual and projected demand for our products, semiconductor and semiconductor capital equipment industry conditions, competitive factors, the condition of financial markets and the global economic situation.

On August 15, 2017, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a program (the “Program”) to repurchase up to $100 million of the Company’s common stock on or before August 1, 2020. In 2018, 2019 and 2020, the Board of Directors increased the share repurchase authorization under the Program to $200 million, $300 million and $400 million, respectively. On March 3, 2022, the Board of Directors increased the share repurchase authorization under the Program by an additional $400 million to $800 million, and extended its duration through August 1, 2025. The Company has entered into a written trading plan under Rule 10b5-1 of the Exchange Act to facilitate repurchases under the Program. The Program may be suspended or discontinued at any time and is funded using the Company’s available cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments. Under the Program, shares may be repurchased through open market and/or privately negotiated transactions at prices deemed appropriate by management. The timing and amount of repurchase transactions under the Program depend on market conditions as well as corporate and regulatory considerations.

During the fiscal year ended October 1, 2022, the Company repurchased a total of approximately 2,782.1 thousand shares of common stock at a cost of approximately $132.8 million. The stock repurchases were recorded in the periods they were delivered and accounted for as treasury stock in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company records treasury stock purchases under the cost method using the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. Upon re-issuance of treasury stock, amounts in excess of the acquisition cost are credited to additional paid-in capital. If the Company reissues treasury stock at an amount

below its acquisition cost and additional paid-in capital associated with prior treasury stock transactions is insufficient to cover the difference between acquisition cost and the reissue price, this difference is recorded against retained earnings.

In addition to the 2,782.1 thousand shares of common stock repurchased under the Program during the fiscal year ended October 1, 2022, on March 9, 2022, the Company entered into an ASR agreement (the “March 2022 ASR Agreement”) with an investment bank counterparty (“Dealer”) to repurchase $150 million of the Company’s common stock. The March 2022 ASR Agreement was entered into pursuant to the Company’s current $800 million share repurchase authorization.

Under the March 2022 ASR Agreement, the Company made an up-front payment of $150 million to the Dealer and received an initial delivery of 2,449.9 thousand shares of common stock at a cost of approximately $120 million on March 10, 2022. The final number of shares to be repurchased will be based on the volume-weighted average price of the Company’s common stock during the term of the transaction, less a discount and subject to adjustments pursuant to the terms and conditions of the March 2022 ASR Agreement. For accounting purposes, the March 2022 ASR Agreement is evaluated as an unsettled forward contract indexed to the Company’s own stock, with $30 million being classified within common stock. At settlement, the Dealer may be required to deliver additional shares of common stock to the Company, or, under certain circumstances, the Company may be required to deliver shares of its common stock or may elect to make a cash payment to the Dealer.

On August 30, 2022, June 8, 2022, March 3, 2022 and October 18, 2021, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend $0.17 per share of common stock. During the fiscal year ended October 1, 2022, the Company declared dividends of $0.68 per share of common stock. The declaration of any future cash dividend is at the discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, business conditions and other factors, as well as a determination that such dividends are in the best interests of the Company’s stockholders.

In accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, certain obligations and commitments as of October 1, 2022 are appropriately not included in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and Statements of Operations in this Form 10-K/A. However, because these obligations and commitments are entered into in the normal course of business and because they may have a material impact on our liquidity, we have disclosed them in the table below.

Additionally, as of October 1, 2022, the Company had deferred tax liabilities of $34.0 million and unrecognized tax benefit recorded within the income tax payable for uncertain tax positions of $16.9 million, including related accrued interest of $2.0 million. These amounts are not included in the contractual obligation table below because we are unable to reasonably estimate the timing of these payments at this time.

The following table presents certain payments due by the Company under contractual obligations with minimum firm commitments as of October 1, 2022:

On February 15, 2019, the Company entered into a Facility Letter and Overdraft Agreement (collectively, the “Facility Agreements”) with MUFG Bank, Ltd., Singapore Branch (the “Bank”). The Facility Agreements provide the Company and one of its subsidiaries with an overdraft facility of up to $150.0 million (the “Overdraft Facility”) for general corporate purposes. Amounts outstanding under the Overdraft Facility, including interest, are payable upon thirty days written demand by the Bank. Interest on the Overdraft Facility is calculated on a daily basis, and the applicable interest rate is calculated at the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) plus a margin of 1.5% per annum. The Overdraft Facility is an unsecured facility per the terms of the Facility Agreements. The Facility Agreements contain customary non-financial covenants, including, without limitation, covenants that restrict the Company’s ability to sell or dispose of its assets, cease owning at least 51% of two of its subsidiaries (the “Subsidiaries”), or encumber its assets with material security interests (including any pledge of monies in the Subsidiaries’ cash deposit account with the Bank). The Facility Agreements also contain customary events of default, including, without limitation, non-payment of financial obligations when due, cross defaults to other material indebtedness of the Company and any breach of a representation or warranty under the Facility Agreements. As of October 1, 2022, there were no outstanding amounts under the Overdraft Facility.

Management and we previously concluded that the Company maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of October 1, 2022. However, management has subsequently determined that a material weakness in internal control over financial reporting existed as of that date related to a design gap in the existing review of the segment reporting process, which failed to (a) identify all of the key metrics used by the CODM to evaluate performance and allocate resources, (b) assess in totality the level of information provided to and utilized by the CODM to evaluate performance and allocate resources and (c) appropriately analyze every factor pertinent to whether operating segments share economic similarities that are required for aggregation under ASC 280. Accordingly, management’s report has been restated and our present opinion on internal control over financial reporting, as presented herein, is different from that expressed in our previous report.

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

As described in Notes 1 and 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company’s consolidated net inventory balance was $185.0 million. The Company generally provides reserves for obsolete inventory and for inventory considered to be in excess of demand. Demand is generally defined as forecasted future consumption for inventories, and is based upon internal projections, historical sales volumes, customer order activity and a review of consumable inventory levels at customers’ facilities.

The principal considerations for our determination that performing procedures relating to the valuation of inventories, specifically the reserves for excess and obsolete raw materials, is a critical audit matter are our assessment that this is an area of significant judgment by management when developing reserves for excess and obsolete raw materials, including developing the assumption related to forecasted future consumption for raw materials. This has in turn led to significant auditor judgment, subjectivity, and effort in performing procedures and evaluating management’s assumptions over the reasonableness of the significant assumptions related to the forecasted future consumption for raw materials.

Addressing the matter involved performing procedures and evaluating audit evidence in connection with forming our overall opinion on the consolidated financial statements. These procedures included testing the effectiveness of controls relating to management’s reserves for excess and obsolete raw materials, including controls over management’s assumption related to forecasted future consumption for raw materials. These procedures also included, among others, testing management’s process for developing the reserves for excess or obsolete raw materials; evaluating the appropriateness of management’s approach; testing the completeness and accuracy of underlying data used in the approach; and evaluating the reasonableness of management’s assumption related to forecasted future consumption for raw materials. Evaluating management’s assumption related to forecasted future consumption for raw materials involved evaluating whether the assumption used by management was reasonable considering (i) current and past sales results, (ii) the consistency of sales with external market and industry data, and (iii) comparing prior year estimates of sales to actual sales results in the current year.

These consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company”), with appropriate elimination of intercompany balances and transactions.

Each of the Company’s first three fiscal quarters ends on the Saturday that is 13 weeks after the end of the immediately preceding fiscal quarter. The fourth quarter of each fiscal year ends on the Saturday closest to September 30. In fiscal years consisting of 53 weeks, the fourth quarter will consist of 14 weeks. The 2022, 2021, and 2020 fiscal years ended on October 1, 2022, October 2, 2021 and October 3, 2020, respectively.

The Company designs, manufactures and sells capital equipment and tools as well as services, maintains, repairs and upgrades equipment, all used to assemble semiconductor devices. The Company’s operating results depend upon the capital and operating expenditures of semiconductor device manufacturers, integrated device manufacturers (“IDMs”), outsourced semiconductor assembly and test providers (“OSATs”), and other electronics manufacturers, including automotive electronics suppliers, worldwide which, in turn, depend on the current and anticipated market demand for semiconductors and products utilizing semiconductors. The semiconductor industry is highly volatile and experiences downturns and slowdowns which can have a severe negative effect on the semiconductor industry’s demand for semiconductor capital equipment, including assembly equipment manufactured and sold by the Company and, to a lesser extent, tools, including those sold by the Company. These downturns and slowdowns have in the past adversely affected the Company’s operating results. The Company believes such volatility will continue to characterize the industry and the Company’s operations in the future.

The preparation of consolidated financial statements requires management to make assumptions, estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, net revenue and expenses during the reporting periods, and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the consolidated financial statements. On an ongoing basis, management evaluates estimates, including but not limited to, those related to accounts receivable, reserves for excess and obsolete inventory, carrying value and lives of fixed assets, goodwill and intangible assets, the valuation estimates and assessment of impairment and observable price adjustments, income taxes, equity-based compensation expense, and warranties. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions believed to be reasonable. As a result, management makes judgments regarding the carrying values of the Company’s assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Authoritative pronouncements, historical experience and assumptions are used as the basis for making estimates, and on an ongoing basis, management evaluates these estimates. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

Due to the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic and macroeconomic headwinds, there has been uncertainty and disruption in the global economy and financial markets. The Company is not aware of any specific event or circumstance that would require an update to its estimates or judgments or a revision of the carrying value of its assets or liabilities as of October 1, 2022. While there was no material impact to our consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended October 1, 2022, these estimates may change, as new events occur and additional information is obtained, as well as other factors related to COVID-19 and macroeconomic headwinds that could materially impact our consolidated financial statements in future reporting periods.

Financial instruments which may subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk as of October 1, 2022 and October 2, 2021 consisted primarily of trade receivables. The Company manages credit risk associated with investments by investing its excess cash in highly rated debt instruments of the U.S. government and its agencies, financial institutions, and corporations. The Company has established investment guidelines relative to diversification and maturities designed to maintain safety and liquidity. These guidelines are periodically reviewed and modified as appropriate.

The Company’s trade receivables result primarily from the sale of semiconductor equipment, related accessories and replacement parts, and tools to a relatively small number of large manufacturers in a highly concentrated industry. Write-offs of uncollectible accounts have historically not been material. The Company actively monitors its customers’ financial strength to reduce the risk of loss, including as a result of COVID-19 and macroeconomic headwinds.

The Company’s products are complex and require raw materials, components and subassemblies having a high degree of reliability, accuracy and performance. The Company relies on subcontractors to manufacture many of these components and subassemblies and it relies on sole source suppliers for some important components and raw material inventory.

The Company’s operations are exposed to changes in foreign currency exchange rates due to transactions denominated in currencies other than the location’s functional currency. The Company is also exposed to foreign currency fluctuations that impact the remeasurement of net monetary assets of those operations whose functional currency, the U.S. dollar, differs from their respective local currencies, most notably in Israel, Singapore and Switzerland. In addition to net monetary remeasurement, the Company has exposures related to the translation of subsidiary financial statements from their functional currency, the local currency, into its reporting currency, the U.S. dollar, most notably in the Netherlands, China, Taiwan, Japan and Germany. The Company’s U.S. operations also have foreign currency exposure due to net monetary assets denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar.

The Company’s primary objective for holding derivative financial instruments is to manage the fluctuation in foreign exchange rates and accordingly is not speculative in nature. The Company’s international operations are exposed to changes in foreign exchange rates as described above. The Company has established a program to monitor the forecasted transaction currency risk to protect against foreign exchange rate volatility. Generally, the Company uses foreign exchange forward contracts in these hedging programs. These instruments, which have maturities of up to twelve months, are recorded at fair value and are included in prepaid expenses and other current assets, or accrued expenses and other current liabilities.

Our accounting policy for derivative financial instruments is based on whether they meet the criteria for designation as a cash flow hedge. A designated hedge with exposure to variability in the functional currency equivalent of the future foreign currency cash flows of a forecasted transaction is referred to as a cash flow hedge. The criteria for designating a derivative as a cash flow hedge include the assessment of the instrument’s effectiveness in risk reduction, matching of the derivative instrument to its underlying transaction, and the assessment of the probability that the underlying transaction will occur. For derivatives with cash flow hedge accounting designation, we report the after-tax gain / (loss) from the effective portion of the hedge as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income / (loss) and reclassify it into earnings in the same period in which the hedged transaction affects earnings and in the same line item on the consolidated statement of operations as the impact of the hedged transaction. Derivatives that we designate as cash flow hedges are classified in the consolidated statement of cash flows in the same section as the underlying item, primarily within cash flows from operating activities.

The hedge effectiveness of these derivative instruments is evaluated by comparing the cumulative change in the fair value of the hedge contract with the cumulative change in the fair value of the forecasted cash flows of the hedged item.

If a cash flow hedge is discontinued because it is no longer probable that the original hedged transaction will occur as previously anticipated, the cumulative unrealized gain or loss on the related derivative is reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income / (loss) into earnings. Subsequent gain / (loss) on the related derivative instrument is recognized into earnings in each period until the instrument matures, is terminated, is re-designated as a qualified cash flow hedge, or is sold. Ineffective portions of cash flow hedges, as well as amounts excluded from the assessment of effectiveness, are recognized in earnings.

The Company invests in equity securities in companies to promote business and strategic objectives. Equity investments are measured and recorded as follows:

The Company maintains allowances for doubtful accounts for estimated losses resulting from its customers’ failure to make required payments. If the financial condition of the Company’s customers were to deteriorate, resulting in an impairment of their ability to make payments, including as a result of COVID-19 and macroeconomic headwinds, additional allowances may be required. If global or regional economic conditions deteriorate or political conditions were to change in some of the countries where the Company does business, it could have a significant impact on the results of operations, and the Company’s ability to realize the full value of its accounts receivable.

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (on a first-in, first-out basis) or net realizable value. The Company generally provides reserves for obsolete inventory and for inventory considered to be in excess of demand. Demand is generally defined as 18 months forecasted future consumption for equipment, 24 months forecasted future consumption for spare parts, and 12 months forecasted future consumption for tools. Forecasted consumption is based upon internal projections, historical sales volumes, customer order activity and a review of consumable inventory levels at customers’ facilities. The Company communicates forecasts of its future consumption to its suppliers and adjusts commitments to those suppliers accordingly. If required, the Company reserves the difference between the carrying value of its inventory and the lower of cost or net realizable value, based upon projections about future consumption, and market conditions. If actual market conditions are less favorable than projections, additional inventory reserves may be required.

Inventory reserve provision for certain subsidiaries is determined based on management’s estimate of future consumption for equipment and spare parts. This estimate is based on historical sales volumes, internal projections and market developments and trends.

Property, plant and equipment are carried at cost. The cost of additions and those improvements which increase the capacity or lengthen the useful lives of assets are capitalized while repair and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred. Depreciation and amortization are provided on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives as follows: buildings 25 years; machinery, equipment, furniture and fittings 3 to 10 years; toolings 1 year; and leasehold improvements are based on the shorter of the life of lease or life of asset. Purchased computer software costs related to business and financial systems are amortized over a five-year period on a straight-line basis. Land is not depreciated.

ASC 360 requires that long-lived assets be tested for recoverability whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amount may not be recoverable. Such events include significant under-performance relative to historical internal forecasts or projected future operating results; significant changes in the manner of use of the assets; significant negative industry or economic trends; or significant changes in market capitalization. During the fiscal years ended October 1, 2022 and October 2, 2021, no “triggering” events occurred.

For further information on goodwill and other intangible assets, see Note 4 below.

The Company recognizes revenue from sales of our products, including sales to our distributors, at a point in time, generally upon shipment or delivery to the customer or distributor, depending upon the terms of the sales order. Control is considered transferred when title and risk of loss pass, when the customer becomes obligated to pay and, where applicable, when the customer has accepted the products or upon expiration of the acceptance period. For sales to distributors, payment is due on our standard commercial terms and is not contingent upon the distributors’ resale of the products.

Service revenue is generally recognized over time as the services are performed. For fiscal 2022 and 2021, the service revenue is not material.

The Company measures revenue based on the amount of consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for products or services. Any variable consideration such as sales incentives are recognized as a reduction of net revenue at the time of revenue recognition.

The length of time between invoicing and payment is not significant under our payment terms. In instances where the timing of revenue recognition differs from the timing of invoicing, we have determined our contracts generally do not include a significant financing component. Shipping and handling costs billed to customers are recognized in net revenue.

Shipping and handling costs paid by the Company are included in cost of sales.

The Company charges research and development costs associated with the development of new products to expense when incurred. In certain circumstances, pre-production machines that the Company intends to sell are carried as inventory until sold.

From time to time, the Company may enter into accelerated share repurchase (“ASR”) agreements with third-party financial institutions to repurchase shares of the Company’s common stock. Under an ASR agreement, in exchange for an up-front payment, the counterparty makes an initial delivery of shares of the Company’s common stock during the purchase period of the relevant ASR. This initial delivery of shares represents the minimum number of shares that the Company may receive under an ASR agreement. Upon settlement of an ASR agreement, the counterparty may deliver additional shares, with the final number of shares delivered determined based on the volume-weighted average price of the Company’s common stock over the term of such ASR agreement, less an agreed-upon discount. The transactions are accounted for as equity transactions and are included in Treasury Stock when the shares are received, at which time there is an immediate reduction in the weighted-average common shares calculation for basic and diluted earnings per share.

Restructuring charges may consist of voluntary or involuntary severance-related charges, asset-related charges and other costs due to exit activities. We recognize voluntary termination benefits when an employee accepts the offered benefit arrangement. We recognize involuntary severance-related charges depending on whether the termination benefits are provided under an ongoing benefit arrangement or under a one-time benefit arrangement. If the former, we recognize the charges once they are probable and the amounts are estimable. If the latter, we recognize the charges once the benefits have been communicated to employees.

The following tables reflect the components of significant balance sheet accounts as of October 1, 2022 and October 2, 2021: