STAAR SURGICAL COSTAA
STAAR SURGICAL CO Revenue Disclosure
Revenue Recognition
The Company recognizes revenue when realized or realizable and earned, which is when the following criteria are met: persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists; delivery has occurred; the sale price is fixed or determinable; and collectability is reasonably assured. The Company records revenue from non-consignment product sales when title and risk of ownership have been transferred, which is typically at shipping point, except for certain customers and for the STAAR Japan subsidiary, which is typically recognized when the customer receives the product. The Company does not have significant deferred revenues as of December 29, 2017, as delivery to the customer is generally made within the same or the next day of shipment. The Company presents sales tax it collects from its customers on a net basis (excluded from revenues).
The Company’s products are marketed to ophthalmic surgeons, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers or vision centers, and distributors. IOLs and ICLs may be offered to surgeons and hospitals on a consignment basis. The Company maintains title and risk of loss of consigned inventory and recognizes revenue for consignment inventory when the Company is notified that the lenses have has been implanted.
ICLs are sold only to certified surgeons who have completed requisite training or for use in scheduled training surgeries. As a result, STAAR partially mitigates the risk that the revenue it recognizes on shipment of ICLs would need to be reversed because of a surgeon’s failure to qualify for its use.
Beginning in 2016, the Company entered into certain strategic cooperation agreements with customers in which, as consideration for minimum purchase commitments the customers make, the Company agrees to pay for marketing and support of the Company’s products. The Company accounts for these arrangements in accordance with ASC 605-50, “Revenue Recognition Customer Payments and Incentives.” The provisions in these arrangements allow for these payments to be made directly to the customer in lieu of marketing and support or, payments can be made for distinct marketing and support services provided by the customer or another party.
For payments the Company makes to the customer for which no distinct service is provided, the Company records these payments as a reduction of revenues as incurred. For payments the Company makes to another party, or reimburses the customer, for distinct marketing and support services, the Company recognizes these payments as a sales and marketing expense as incurred.
Since the payments for distinct or non-distinct services occur within the quarter corresponding with the purchases made by the customer and the shipments made by the Company to that customer, there is no remaining performance obligation by the Company to the customer. Accordingly, there are no deferred revenues associated with these types of arrangements as of December 29, 2017 and December 30, 2016.
In conjunction with sales to certain customers, the Company provides free products upon attaining certain levels of purchases by the customer. The Company accounts for these free products in accordance with ASC 605-50 “Revenue Recognition Customer Payments and Incentives” and recognizes the cost of the product as part of cost of sales. Free products shipped to the customer are shipped concurrently with the paid products, therefore the Company does not have any undelivered products and no deferred revenues as of December 29, 2017 and December 30, 2016.
The Company sells certain injector parts to an unrelated customer and supplier (collectively referred to as “supplier”) whereby these injector part sales are either made as a final sale to the supplier or, are sold to be reprocessed by the supplier into finished goods inventory (a preloaded acrylic IOL). These finished goods are then sold back to the Company at an agreed upon, contractual price. The Company makes a profit margin on either type of sale with the supplier and each type of sale is made under separate purchase and sales orders between the two parties resulting in cash settlement for the orders sold or repurchased. For parts that are sold as a final sale, the Company recognizes a sale consistent with its routine revenue recognition policies as disclosed above and those sales are included as part of other sales in total net sales. For the injector parts that are sold to be reprocessed into finished goods, the Company does not recognize revenue on these sales in accordance with ASC 845-10, “Purchases and Sales of Inventory with the Same Counterparty.” Instead, the Company records the transaction at its carrying value, deferring any profit margin as contra-inventory, until the finished goods inventory is sold to an end-customer (not the supplier) at which point the Company records the sale and the related cost of sale, including the release of the deferred cost of sale in inventory, related to these finished goods.
For all sales, the Company is considered the principal in the transaction as the Company, among other factors, is the primary obligor in the arrangement, bears general inventory risk, credit risk, has latitude in establishing the sales price, is responsible for authorized and general sales returns risk and therefore, sales and cost of sales are reported separately in the consolidated statement of operations instead of a single, net amount. Cost of sales includes cost of production, freight and distribution, royalties, and inventory provisions, net of any purchase discounts.
The Company generally permits returns of product if the product is returned within the time allowed by its return policies and records an allowance for estimated returns at the time revenue is recognized. The Company’s allowance for estimated returns considers historical trends and experience, the impact of new product launches, the entry of a competitor, availability of timely and pertinent information and the various terms and arrangements offered, including sales with extended credit terms. Sales are reported net of estimated returns.
The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and adjusts credit limits based on customer payment history and credit worthiness, as determined by the Company’s review of its customers’ current credit information. The Company continuously monitors collections and payments from customers and maintains a provision for estimated credit losses and uncollectible accounts based upon its historical experience and any specific customer collection issues that have been identified. Amounts determined to be uncollectible are written off against the allowance for doubtful accounts.
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Feb 28, 2018 | Showing above |
| 2016 | Mar 2, 2017 | |
About Revenue Disclosures
Revenue disclosures under ASC 606 explain how a company identifies performance obligations, allocates transaction prices, and determines when revenue is recognized. This section is essential for understanding whether reported revenue reflects genuine economic activity or aggressive accounting choices. Analysts examine the mix of point-in-time versus over-time recognition, which directly affects revenue timing and comparability.
Key signals: rising contract liabilities (deferred revenue) suggest strong future revenue visibility, while declining contract assets may indicate slowing project milestones. Watch for variable consideration estimates — rebates, returns, and performance bonuses that require management judgment. Significant changes in disaggregated revenue by geography or product line can reveal shifting business mix before it appears in headline numbers. Compare revenue growth against contract liability growth to assess sustainability, and scrutinize any changes in the timing of recognition that coincide with earnings pressure.