Multiple Element Arrangements. The Company has revenue arrangements that include hardware and software essential to the hardware product’s functionality, and non-essential software, services and support. For transactions originating or materially modified, beginning January 1, 2011, the Company has applied the accounting guidance that requires the Company to allocate revenue to all deliverables based on their relative selling prices. For transactions originating prior to January 1, 2011, the Company applied software revenue recognition accounting guidance, as described in the “Software” section below. The Company determines the relative selling prices by first considering vendor-specific objective evidence of fair value (“VSOE”), if it exists; otherwise third-party evidence (“TPE”) of the selling price is used. If neither VSOE nor TPE exists for a deliverable, the Company uses a best estimate of the selling price (“BESP”) for that deliverable. Once revenue is allocated to all deliverables based on their relative selling prices, revenue related to hardware elements (hardware, essential software and related services) are recognized using a relative selling price allocation and non-essential software and related services are recognized under the residual method.
Harmonic has established VSOE for certain elements of its arrangements based on either historical stand-alone sales to third parties or stated renewal rates for maintenance. The Company has VSOE of fair value for maintenance, training and certain professional services.
TPE is determined based on competitor prices for similar deliverables when sold separately. The Company is typically not able to determine TPE for competitors’ products or services. Generally, the Company’s go-to-market strategy differs from that of its competitors’ and the Company’s offerings contain a significant level of differentiation, such that the comparable pricing of products with similar functionality cannot be obtained. Furthermore, the Company is unable to reliably determine what competitor similar products’ selling prices are on a stand-alone basis.
When the Company is unable to establish fair value of non-software deliverables using VSOE or TPE, the Company uses BESP in its allocation of arrangement consideration. The objective of using BESP is to determine the price at which the Company would transact a sale if the product or service were sold on a stand-alone basis. The Company determines BESP for a product or service by considering multiple factors, including, but not limited to, pricing practices, market conditions, competitive landscape, internal costs, geographies and gross margin. The determination of BESP is made through consultation with Company’s management, taking into consideration the Company’s go-to-market strategy.
