2.4.0.82101100 - Disclosure - Variable Interest Entitiestruefalsefalse1falsefalsefalseD2013Q3YTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000723125duration2012-08-31T00:00:002013-05-30T00:00:001true1us-gaap_DisclosureTextBlockAbstractus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse02false2us-gaap_ConsolidationPolicyTextBlockus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;">Variable Interest Entities</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">We have interests in entities that are Variable Interest Entities ("VIEs"). If we are the primary beneficiary of a VIE, we are required to consolidate it. To determine if we are the primary beneficiary, we evaluate whether we have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the VIE's economic performance and the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits of the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. Our evaluation includes identification of significant activities and an assessment of our ability to direct those activities based on governance provisions and arrangements to provide or receive product and process technology, product supply, operations services, equity funding, financing and other applicable agreements and circumstances. Our assessments of whether we are the primary beneficiary of our VIEs require significant assumptions and judgments.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:underline;">Unconsolidated Variable Interest Entities</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Inotera:</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> Inotera Memories, Inc. ("Inotera") is a VIE because its equity is not sufficient to permit it to finance its activities without additional support from its shareholders. In the second quarter of 2013, we entered into agreements with Nanya Technology Corporation ("Nanya") and Inotera to amend the joint venture relationship involving Inotera. These amendments included a new supply agreement between us and Inotera. We have determined that we do not have the power to direct the activities of Inotera that most significantly impact its economic performance, primarily due to (1) limitations on our governance rights that require the consent of other parties for key operating decisions and (2) Inotera's dependence on Nanya for financing and the ability of Inotera to operate in Taiwan. Therefore, we do not consolidate Inotera and we account for our interest under the equity method.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Transform:</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> Transform Solar Pty Ltd. ("Transform") is a VIE because its equity is not sufficient to permit it to finance its activities without additional financial support from us or its parent, Origin Energy Limited ("Origin"). We have determined that we do not have the power to direct the activities of Transform that most significantly impact its economic performance, primarily due to limitations on our governance rights that require the consent of Origin for key operating decisions. Therefore, we do not consolidate Transform and we account for our interest under the equity method. As of August 30, 2012, Transform's operations were substantially discontinued.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">For further information regarding our VIEs that we account for under the equity method, see "Equity Method Investments" note.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">EQUVO Entities:</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;"> </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> EQUVO HK Limited and EQUVA Capital 1 Pte. Ltd. (together, the "EQUVO Entities") are special purpose entities created to facilitate equipment sale-leaseback financing transactions between us and a consortium of financial institutions that fund the sale-leaseback transactions ("Financing Entities"). Neither we nor the Financing Entities have an equity interest in the EQUVO Entities. The EQUVO Entities are VIEs because their equity is not sufficient to permit them to finance their activities without additional support from the Financing Entities and because the third-party equity holder lacks characteristics of a controlling financial interest. By design, the arrangements with the EQUVO Entities are merely financing vehicles and we do not bear any significant risks from variable interests with the EQUVO Entities. Therefore, we have determined that we do not have the power to direct the activities of the EQUVO Entities that most significantly impact their economic performance and we do not consolidate the EQUVO Entities.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:underline;">Consolidated Variable Interest Entities</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">IMFT: </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> IM Flash Technologies, LLC ("IMFT") is a VIE because all of its costs are passed to us and its other member, Intel Corporation ("Intel"), through product purchase agreements and IMFT is dependent upon us or Intel for any additional cash requirements.  We determined that we have the power to direct the activities of IMFT that most significantly impact its economic performance.  The primary activities of IMFT are driven by the constant introduction of product and process technology.  Because we perform a significant majority of the technology development, we have the power to direct its key activities.  In addition, IMFT manufactures certain products exclusively for us using our technology.  We also determined that we have the obligation to absorb losses and the right to receive benefits from IMFT that could potentially be significant to it.  Therefore, we consolidate IMFT.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">MP Mask:</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> MP Mask Technology Center, LLC ("MP Mask") is a VIE because substantially all of its costs are passed to us and its other member, Photronics, Inc. ("Photronics"), through product purchase agreements and MP Mask is dependent upon us or Photronics for any additional cash requirements.  We determined that we have the power to direct the activities of MP Mask that most significantly impact its economic performance, primarily because (1) of our tie-breaking voting rights over key operating decisions and (2) nearly all key MP Mask activities are driven by our supply needs.  We also determined that we have the obligation to absorb losses and the right to receive benefits from MP Mask that could potentially be significant to it.  Therefore, we consolidate MP Mask.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">For further information regarding our consolidated VIEs, see "Consolidated Variable Interest Entities" note.</font></div></div>falsefalsefalsenonnum:textBlockItemTypenaDisclosure of accounting policy regarding (1) the principles it follows in consolidating or combining the separate financial statements, including the principles followed in determining the inclusion or exclusion of subsidiaries or other entities in the consolidated or combined financial statements and (2) its treatment of interests (for example, common stock, a partnership interest or other means of exerting influence) in other entities, for example consolidation or use of the equity or cost methods of accounting. 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