UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
x | ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 | |
or
o | TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the transition period from__________ to____________ | |
Commission file number 001-34501
JUNIPER NETWORKS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware | 77-0422528 | |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | |
1133 Innovation Way | ||
Sunnyvale, California | 94089 | |
(Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip code) | |
(408) 745-2000 | ||
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code) | ||
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class | Name of each exchange on which registered | |
Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share | New York Stock Exchange | |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes x No o
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes o No x
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filings requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 229.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes x No o
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§ 229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer x | Accelerated filer o | Non-accelerated filer o | Smaller reporting company o |
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company) | |||
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes o No x
The aggregate market value of the common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was approximately $11,331,000,000 as of the end of the registrant's second fiscal quarter (based on the closing sale price for the common stock on the New York Stock Exchange on June 30, 2014).
As of February 13, 2015, there were 406,988,819 shares of the registrant's common stock outstanding.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
As noted herein, the information called for by Part III is incorporated by reference to specified portions of the registrant's definitive proxy statement to be filed in conjunction with the registrant's 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which is expected to be filed not later than 120 days after the registrant's fiscal year ended December 31, 2014.
Juniper Networks, Inc.
Form 10-K
Table of Contents
Page | |||
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Forward-Looking Statements
This Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Report”), including “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding future events and the future results of Juniper Networks, Inc. (“we,” “us,” or the “Company”) that are based on our current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections about our business, our results of operations, the industry in which we operate and the beliefs and assumptions of our management. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “targets,” “goals,” “projects,” “would,” “could,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” variations of such words, and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain, and these forward-looking statements are only predictions and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results may differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in this Report under the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of Part I and elsewhere, and in other reports we file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). While forward-looking statements are based on reasonable expectations of our management at the time that they are made, you should not rely on them. We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason, except as required by applicable law.
PART I
ITEM 1. Business
Overview
At Juniper Networks, we design, develop, and sell products and services for high-performance networks so customers can build highly scalable, reliable, secure and cost-effective networks for their businesses, while achieving agility, efficiency and value through automation. We sell our products in more than 100 countries in three geographic regions: Americas; Europe, Middle East, and Africa ("EMEA"); and Asia Pacific ("APAC"). We sell our high-performance network products and service offerings across routing, switching, and security.
Our products address high-performance network requirements for global service providers, cloud environments, enterprises, governments, and research and public sector organizations who view the network as critical to their success. Our silicon, systems, and software represent innovations that transform the economics and experience of networking, helping customers achieve superior performance, greater choice, and flexibility, while reducing overall total cost of ownership. In addition to our products, we offer our customers worldwide services, including technical support, professional services, education and training programs. Together, our high-performance product and service offerings help our customers convert legacy networks providing commoditized services into more valuable assets providing differentiation and value as well as increased performance, reliability, and security to end-users.
In 2014, we realigned our organization into a One-Juniper structure which includes consolidating each of our research and development and go-to-market functions to reduce complexity, increase clarity of responsibilities, and improve efficiency. As a result of these changes, our consolidated business is considered to be one reportable segment. See Note 13, Segments, in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of Part II of this Report, for further information regarding the Company's segment reorganization, as well as revenue and other information regarding our one reportable segment.
We were incorporated in California in 1996 and reincorporated in Delaware in 1998. Our corporate headquarters are located in Sunnyvale, California. Our website address is www.juniper.net.
Strategy
We deliver highly scalable, reliable, secure and cost-effective networks, while transforming the network's agility, efficiency and value through automation. We focus on customers and partners across our key verticals who view these network attributes as fundamental to their business; including global service providers, enterprises, financial services, cloud hosting providers, governments, research and public sector organizations.
Our strategy stems from the importance of our hardware-based innovation in achieving the routing, switching, and security performance that our customers require, while at the same time addressing software innovation to achieve new levels of agility for our customers.
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Maintain and Extend Technology Leadership
We are recognized around the world as a leader in networking innovation. Our Junos OS, application-specific integrated circuit (“ASIC”) technology, and network-optimized product architecture were key elements to establishing and maintaining our technology leadership.
Leverage Position as Supplier of High-Performance Network Infrastructure
From inception, we have focused on designing, developing, and building high-performance network infrastructure for the world's most demanding networking environments. We consistently deliver groundbreaking, leading technologies that transform the economics and experience of networking—significantly improving customer economics by lowering the capital expenditures required to build networks and the operating expenses required to manage and maintain them. We believe that many customers will deploy networking equipment from only a few vendors, and that the scale, performance, reliability, and security of our products will provide us with a competitive advantage, which is critical to be selected as one of those vendors.
Be a Strategic Partner to Our Customers
In developing our solutions, we work very closely with customers to design and build best-in-class products and solutions specifically designed to meet their complex needs. Over time, we have expanded our understanding of the escalating demands and risks facing our customers, which has enabled us to design additional capabilities into our products. We believe our close relationships with, and constant feedback from, our customers have been key elements in our design wins and rapid deployments to date. We plan to continue to work with our customers to implement product enhancements, as well as to design products that meet the evolving needs of the marketplace, while enabling customers to reduce costs. We are committed to investing in research and development at a level that drives our innovation agenda, enabling us to deliver highly differentiated products and outstanding value to our customers.
Enable New Internet Protocol ("IP")-Based Services
Our platforms have enabled network operators to quickly build and secure networks cost-effectively and deploy new differentiated services to drive new sources of revenue more efficiently than legacy network products. By enabling new IP-based services, we have broadened our service provider business over the last several years, while also expanding our presence in the enterprise market.
Establish and Develop Industry Partnerships
Our customers have diverse requirements. Therefore, we believe that it is important that we attract and build relationships with other industry leaders with diverse technologies and services that extend the value of the network to our customers. These partnerships ensure that our customers have access to those technologies and services, whether through technology integration, joint development, resale, or other collaboration, in order to better support a broader set of our customers' requirements. In addition, we believe an open network infrastructure that invites partner innovation provides customers with greater choice and control in meeting their evolving business requirements, while enabling them to reduce costs.
Markets and Customers
We sell our high-performance network products and service offerings through direct sales, distributors, value-added resellers ("VARs"), and original equipment manufacturer (“OEM”) partners to end-users in the service provider and enterprise markets. We believe the network needs for service providers, such as carriers (wireless and wireline), cable, content and cloud service companies are converging, as are those of large enterprises and national governments, as all of these customers focus on high performance networks and build cloud environments.
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Service Providers
Service providers generally include wireline and wireless carriers, and cable operators, as well as major Internet content and application providers, including those that provide social networking and search engine services. We support most of the major service provider networks in the world and our high-performance network infrastructure offerings are designed and built for the performance, reliability, and security that service providers demand. We believe our networking infrastructure offerings benefit our service provider customers by:
• | Reducing capital and operational costs by running multiple services over the same network using our secure, high density, highly automated, and highly reliable platforms; |
• | Creating new or additional revenue opportunities by enabling new services to be offered to new market segments, which includes existing customers and new customers, based on our product capabilities; |
• | Increasing customer satisfaction, while lowering costs, by enabling customers to self-select automatically provisioned service packages that provide the quality, speed, and pricing they desire; and |
• | Providing increased asset longevity and higher return on investment as our customers' networks can scale to multi-terabit rates based on the capabilities of our platforms. |
While many of these service providers have historically been categorized separately as wireline, wireless, or cable operators, in recent years, we have seen increased convergence of these different types of service providers through acquisitions, mergers, and partnerships. We believe the convergence of offerings by service providers is facilitated by investment in the build-out of high performance networks and cloud environments.
We believe that there are several other trends affecting service providers for which we are well positioned to deliver products and solutions. These trends include: significant growth in IP traffic on service provider networks because of peer-to-peer interaction; broadband usage; video; an increasing reliance on the network as a mission critical business tool in the strategies of our service provider customers and of their enterprise customers; the advent of data center "clouds" that concentrate business applications in large, IP network connected facilities; and growth in mobile traffic as a result of the increase in mobile device usage including smartphones, tablets, and connected devices of all kinds.
The infrastructure market for service providers includes: products and technology at the network core; the network edge to enable access; the aggregation layer; the data center where many services are created; security to protect from the inside out and the outside in; the application awareness and intelligence to optimize the network to meet business and user needs; and the management, service awareness, and control of the entire infrastructure.
Enterprise
Our high-performance network infrastructure offerings are designed to meet the performance, reliability, and security requirements of the world's most demanding businesses. The enterprise market generally is comprised of businesses; federal, state, and local governments; financial services; and research and education institutions. Enterprises and public sector organizations, such as governments and research and education institutions, that view their networks as critical to their success are able to deploy our solutions as a powerful component in delivering the advanced network capabilities needed for their leading-edge applications. In addition, our solutions:
• | Assist in the consolidation and delivery of existing services and applications; |
• | Accelerate the deployment of new services and applications; |
• | Offer network security across every environment—from the data center to campus and branch environments to assist in the protection and recovery of services and applications; and |
• | Offer operational improvements that enable cost reductions, including lower administrative, training, customer care, and labor costs. |
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As with the service provider market, innovation continues to be a critical component in our strategy for the enterprise market. High-performance enterprises require IP networks that are global, distributed, and always available. Network equipment vendors serving these enterprises need to demonstrate performance, reliability, and security with best-in-class open solutions for maximum flexibility. We offer enterprise solutions and services for data centers, branch and campus applications, distributed and extended enterprises.
Customers
In 2014 and 2013, no single customer accounted for 10% or more of our net revenues. In 2012, Verizon Communications, Inc. ("Verizon") accounted for 10.3% of our net revenues.
Products and Technology
Early in our history, we developed, marketed, and sold the first commercially available purpose-built IP backbone router optimized for the specific high-performance requirements of service providers. As the need for core bandwidth continued to increase, the need for service rich platforms at the edge of the network was created.
We have expanded our portfolio to address domains in the network: the core, the edge, access and aggregation, data centers, WANs, and campus and branch. We have systematically focused on how we innovate in silicon, systems, and software (both our Junos OS as well as SDN and automation software) to provide a range of solutions in high-performance networking that can solve unique problems for customers.
Our focus on high-performance networking leads to focus in three product areas: routing, switching, and security. In each of the past three fiscal years, sales of our routing, switching and security products, each accounted for more than 10% of our consolidated net revenues. The following is an overview of our major product families in 2014:
Routing Products
• | ACX Series: Our ACX Series Universal Access Routers cost-effectively address current operator challenges to rapidly deploy new high-bandwidth services. With industry-leading performance of up to 60Gbps and support for 10GbE interfaces, the ACX Series is well positioned to address the growing mobile backhaul needs of service providers. The platforms deliver the necessary scale and performance needed to support multi-generation services. |
• | MX Series: Our MX Series is a family of high-performance, enterprise class and service provider Ethernet routers that functions as a Universal Edge platform capable of supporting business, mobile, and residential services in even the fastest-growing networks and markets. Powerful switching and security features give the MX Series 3D Universal Edge Routers unmatched flexibility, versatility, and reliability to support advanced services and applications at the edge of the network. Using our groundbreaking Trio chipset, the MX platforms provide the carrier-class performance, scale, and reliability to enable service providers and enterprises to support large-scale Ethernet deployments. |
• | M Series: Our M Series Edge Routers combine IP/multi-protocol label switching ("MPLS") capabilities and can be deployed in small and medium core, multiservice edge, collapsed POP routing, peering, route reflector, and campus or WAN gateway applications. M Series provide reliability, stability, security, and a broad array of services. Services include a broad array of VPNs, network-based security, real-time voice and video, bandwidth on demand, rich multicast of premium content, IPv6 services, and granular accounting. |
• | PTX Series: Our PTX Series Packet Transport Routers are designed for the converged supercore. The system is the first supercore packet system in the industry, and delivers powerful capabilities based on innovative Express silicon and a forwarding architecture that is focused on optimizing MPLS and Ethernet. The PTX, now available in two form factors —PTX5000 and PTX3000, delivers several critical core functionalities and capabilities, including market-leading density and scalability, cost optimization, high availability, and network simplification. Our PTX Series products can readily adapt to today's rapidly changing traffic patterns for video, mobility, and cloud-based services. |
• | T Series: Our T Series routers provide the leading features and multi-terabit scale that service providers need to handle massive growth in core bandwidth requirements. Our T Series routers include, among other features, the following: MPLS Differentiated Services (DiffServ-TE), point-to-multipoint label-switched paths (P2MP LSPs), nonstop routing, unified in-service software upgrades (unified ISSUs), and hierarchical MPLS. |
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Switching Products
• | EX Series: Our EX Series Ethernet switches address the access, aggregation, and core layer switching requirements of micro branch, branch office, and campus and data center environments, providing a foundation for the fast, secure, and reliable delivery of applications able to support strategic business processes. EX Series enterprise Ethernet switches are designed to deliver operational efficiency, business continuity, and agility, enabling customers to invest in innovative business initiatives that increase revenue and help them gain a competitive advantage. |
• | QFX Series: Our QFX Series of products offers a revolutionary approach to switching that delivers dramatic improvements in data center performance, operating costs, and business agility for enterprises, high-performance computing systems, and cloud providers. Our QFX family, including the QFabric System (QFabric Nodes, Interconnect and Director) and QFX Series Switches (QFX5100, QFX3600, and QFX3500 Switch), combined with innovative fabric and high availability software features in Junos, enables improvements in speed, scale, and efficiency by removing complexity and improving business agility. |
Security Products
• | SRX Series Services Gateways for the Data Center: Our high-end SRX Series platforms delivers high-performance, scalability, and service integration in a chassis-based form factor ideally suited for medium to large enterprise and service provider data centers and large campus environments where scalability, high performance, and concurrent services, are essential. The SRX Series of dynamic services gateways provides firewall/VPN performance and scalability, and includes the AppSecure suite of next-generation security capabilities that deliver greater visibility, enforcement, control, and protection over the network. |
• | SRX Series Gateways for the Campus and Branch: Consolidates proven security, next generation firewall ("NGFW") and broad UTM services with routing and switching in a single, high-performance, cost-effective, network device. This consolidation enables organizations to securely, reliably, and economically deliver powerful new services and applications to all locations and users with superior service quality. The SRX Series is powered by Junos, the same industry-leading Operating System platform that keeps the world's largest networks available, manageable, and secure. |
See Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," in Part II of this Report, and Note 13, Segments, in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 Part II of this Report, for an analysis of net revenue by product and service.
Platform Strategy
In addition to our major product families, our software portfolio has been a key technology element in our strategy to be the leader in high-performance networking.
Our Junos Platform enables our customers to expand network software into the application space, deploy software clients to control delivery, and accelerate the pace of innovation with an ecosystem of developers. The Junos Platform includes the following products:
• | Junos OS: At the heart of the Junos Platform is Junos OS. We believe Junos OS is fundamentally superior to other network operating systems not only in its design, but also in its development capabilities. The advantages of Junos OS include: |
◦ | One modular operating system with common base of code and a single, consistent implementation for each control plane feature; |
◦ | A highly disciplined and firmly scheduled development process; and |
◦ | One common modular software architecture that scales across all Junos-based platforms. |
Junos OS is designed to improve the availability, performance, and security of business applications running across the network. Junos OS helps to automate network operations by providing a single consistent implementation of features across the network in a single release train that seeks to minimize the complexity, cost, and risk associated with implementing network features and upgrades. This operational efficiency allows network administrators more time to
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innovate and deliver new revenue-generating applications, helping to advance the economics of high-performance networking.
The security and stability of Junos OS, combined with its modular architecture and common source code base, provides a foundation for delivering performance, reliability, security, and scale at a lower total cost of ownership than multiple operating code base environments. With an increasing number of our platforms able to leverage Junos OS, including routing, switching, and security products, we believe Junos OS provides us a competitive advantage over other major network equipment vendors.
• | Junos Space: Our Junos Space network management platform offers an open, Service-Oriented Architecture-based ("SOA") platform for creating organic and third-party network management applications to drive network innovation. Junos Space includes applications for network infrastructure management and automation that help customers reduce operational cost and complexity and scale services. These include Network Director, Services Activation Director, Security Director, Edge Services Director, Service Now, and Service Insight. |
• | Contrail: Our Contrail cloud networking and service orchestration solution offers an open-source, standards-based platform for software-defined networks ("SDN") and network function virtualization ("NFV"). This platform enables our customers to address their key problems in the area of network automation, agility, and time-to-service deployment by providing a mechanism to virtualize the network over any physical network and automating the provisioning and management of networking services (such as security and load balancing). Contrail’s differentiation includes a distributed architecture that allows us to build in scale-out, high-availability and in-service upgrade capabilities; a multi-vendor solution familiar to our customers that allows Contrail to seamlessly interoperate with equipment from major networking vendors; an open-source licensing model to provide a true freedom of choice without lock-in, and sophisticated granular analytics for network and infrastructure performance, all fully driven by REST APIs that can be used by customers to work with any provisioning and management system. |
Significant Product Development Projects
In 2014, we continued to invest in innovation and strengthening our product portfolio, which resulted in new product offerings across routing, switching, and security. In routing, we announced a virtualized version of our flagship MX Series 3D Universal Edge Routing platform, the vMX 3D Universal Edge Router, to deliver the industry's first full-featured, carrier-grade virtualized router. The vMX 3D gives service providers and enterprises the ability to seamlessly leverage the benefits of both virtual and physical networking.
In switching, to address the networking requirements of large cloud providers and enterprise customers who build large and massive scale data centers, we announced OCX1100, the first switch to combine Open Compute Project (OCP) hardware design with Junos OS, our carrier-class network operating system. We also announced a new line of EX4600 Ethernet switches to fulfill the increasing demands for highly available access to cloud services and applications across enterprise campus networks.
Additionally, we expanded our SDN portfolio with new software and hardware, including the NorthStar Controller, a new traffic-engineering controller that leverages open, industry-standard protocols built to optimize service providers’ transport networks, as well as the Junos Fusion software that controls thousands of independent network elements from a single management plane.
Our key strategic technology partnerships also delivered new solutions to address the high-performance network requirements of our service provider and enterprise customers. Through integration with Gainspeed’s technology and our MX Series 3D Universal Edge Routers and EX Series Switches, we announced the Virtual Converged Cable Access Platform, allowing cable operators to better automate and scale their edge/access infrastructure while creating a platform for new cloud-based services. Additionally, we partnered with Nokia to advance the Telco Cloud for mobile broadband and accelerate service creation by bringing together Nokia's leading Liquid Core solution and the Juniper Networks MetaFabric™ data center architecture, including Contrail. Furthermore, we signed a go to market agreement with Aruba to deliver an open, converged enterprise network solution by integrating Aruba mobility solutions with Juniper enterprise switches and routers, delivering ongoing product innovation to enterprise customers.
For security, we announced Firefly Perimeter a virtual version of our SRX Series Services Gateway, new advancements in our Spotlight Secure threat intelligence platform, Junos® Space Virtual Director, an application that automates the management and deployment of Firefly Perimeter, as well as Juniper Argon Secure, an advanced anti-malware service.
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Research and Development
We have assembled a team of skilled engineers with extensive experience in the fields of high-end computing, network system design, ASIC design, security, routing protocols, software applications and platforms, and embedded operating systems. As of December 31, 2014, we employed 3,797 people in our worldwide R&D organization.
We believe that strong product development capabilities are essential to our strategy of enhancing our core technology, developing additional applications, integrating that technology, and maintaining the competitiveness and innovation of our product and service offerings. In our products, we are leveraging our software, ASIC and systems technology, developing additional network interfaces targeted to our customers' applications, and continuing to develop technology to support the build-out of high performance networks and cloud environments. We continue to expand the functionality of our products to improve performance, reliability and scalability, and to provide an enhanced user interface.
Our R&D process is driven by the availability of new technology, market demand, and customer feedback. We have invested significant time and resources in creating a structured process for all product development projects. Following an assessment of market demand, our R&D team develops a full set of comprehensive functional product specifications based on inputs from the product management and sales organizations. This process is designed to provide a framework for defining and addressing the steps, tasks, and activities required to bring product concepts and development projects to market. Expenditures for R&D were $1,006.2 million, $1,043.2 million, and $1,101.6 million in 2014, 2013, and 2012, respectively.
Sales and Marketing
As of December 31, 2014, we employed 2,348 people in our worldwide sales and marketing organization. These sales and marketing employees operate in different locations around the world in support of our customers.
Our sales organization, with its structure of sales professionals, system engineers, and marketing and channel teams, is generally split between service provider and enterprise customers. Within each team, sales team members serve the following three geographic regions: (i) Americas (including United States, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean and Central and South America), (ii) EMEA, and (iii) APAC. Within each region, there are regional and country teams, as well as vertical market focused teams, to ensure we operate close to our customers.
Our sales teams operate in their respective regions and generally either engage customers directly or manage customer opportunities through our distribution and reseller relationships or channels as described below.
In the United States and Canada, we sell to several service providers directly and sell to other service providers and enterprise customers primarily through distributors and resellers. Almost all of our sales outside the United States and Canada are made through our channel partners.
Direct Sales Structure
Our sales team engages with end-user customers with whom we have direct relationships. The terms and conditions of these arrangements are governed either by customer purchase orders and our acknowledgment of those orders or by purchase contracts. The direct contracts with these customers set forth only general terms of sale and generally do not require customers to purchase specified quantities of our products. We directly receive and process customer purchase orders.
Channel Sales Structure
A critical part of our sales and marketing efforts are our channel partners through which we conduct the majority of our sales. We utilize various channel partners, including but not limited to the following:
• | A global network of strategic distributor relationships, as well as region-specific or country-specific distributors who in turn sell to local VARs who sell to end-user customers. Our distribution channel partners resell routing, switching and security products which are purchased by both enterprise and service provider customers. These distributors tend to be focused on particular regions or countries within regions. For example, we have substantial distribution relationships with Ingram Micro in the Americas and Hitachi in Japan. Our agreements with these distributors are generally non-exclusive, limited by region, and provide product and service discounts and other ordinary terms of sale. These agreements do not require our distributors to purchase specified quantities of our products or services. Further, most of our distributors sell our competitor's products and services, and some sell their own competing products and services. |
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• | VARs and Direct value-added resellers ("DVARs"), including our strategic worldwide resellers referenced below, that resell our products to end-users around the world. These channel partners either buy our products and services through VARs, or directly from us, and have expertise in designing, selling, and deploying complex networking solutions in their respective markets. Our agreements with these channel partners are generally non-exclusive, limited by region, and provide product and service discounts and other ordinary terms of sale. These agreements do not require these channel partners to purchase specified quantities of our products or services. Increasingly, our service provider customers also resell our products or services to their customers or purchase our products or services for the purpose of providing managed or cloud-based services to their customers. |
• | Strategic worldwide reseller relationships with established historical Juniper alliances, comprised of, Nokia Solutions Networks B.V. ("NSN"), Ericsson Telecom A.B. (“Ericsson”), Dimension Data, and International Business Machines ("IBM"). These companies each offer services and products that complement our own product and service offerings and act as a reseller, and in some instances as an integration partner for our products. Our arrangements with these partners allow them to resell our products and services on a worldwide, non-exclusive basis, provide for product and service discounts, and specify other general terms of sale. These agreements do not require these partners to purchase specified quantities of our products or services. |
Customer Service
In addition to our products, we offer support, professional, and educational services. We deliver these services directly to our channel partners and to end-users and utilize a multi-tiered support model, leveraging the capabilities of our partners, and third-party organizations, as appropriate.
We also train our channel partners in the delivery of support, professional, and educational services to ensure these services are locally delivered.
As of December 31, 2014, we employed 1,493 people in our worldwide customer service and support organization. We believe that a broad range of services is essential to the successful customer deployment and ongoing support of our products, and we employ support engineers, consultants, and educators with proven network experience to provide those services.
Manufacturing and Operations
As of December 31, 2014, we employed 332 people in worldwide manufacturing and operations who primarily manage relationships with our contract manufacturers, manage our supply chain and sub-tier suppliers, and monitor and manage product testing and quality.
Our manufacturing is primarily conducted through contract manufacturers and outside design manufacturers in the United States ("U.S."), China, Malaysia, Mexico, and Taiwan. As of December 31, 2014, we utilize Celestica Incorporated, Flextronics International Ltd., Accton Technology Corporation, and Alpha Networks Inc. for the majority of our manufacturing activity. Our contract manufacturers and outside design manufacturers in all locations are responsible for all phases of manufacturing from prototypes to full production and assist with activities such as material procurement, final assembly, test, control, shipment to our customers, and repairs. Together with our contract manufacturers and outside design manufacturers, we design, specify, and monitor the tests that are required for our products to meet internal and external quality standards. These arrangements provide us with the following benefits:
• | We can quickly deliver products to customers with turnkey manufacturing and drop-shipment capabilities; |
• | We gain economies of scale by leveraging our buying power with our contract manufacturers and outside design manufacturers when we purchase large quantities of components; |
• | We operate with a minimum amount of dedicated space for manufacturing operations; and |
• | We can reduce our costs by reducing what would normally be fixed overhead expenses. |
Our contract manufacturers and outside design manufacturers build our products based on our rolling product demand forecasts. Each contract manufacturer procures components necessary to assemble the products in our forecast and tests the products according to agreed-upon specifications. Products are then shipped to our distributors, VARs, or end-users. Generally, we do not own the components. Title to the finished goods is generally transferred from the contract manufacturers to us when the products leave the contract manufacturer's location. Customers take title to the products upon delivery at a specified destination. If the components
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remain unused or the products remain unsold for a specified period, we may incur carrying charges or obsolete materials charges for components that our contract manufacturers purchased to build products to meet our forecast or customer orders.
Although we have contracts with our contract manufacturers and outside design manufacturers, those contracts merely set forth a framework within which the contract manufacturer and outside design manufacturer, as applicable, may accept purchase orders from us. The contracts do not require them to manufacture our products on a long-term basis.
We also purchase and hold inventory for strategic reasons and to mitigate the risk of shortages of certain critical component supplies. The majority of our inventory is production components. As a result, we may incur additional holding costs and obsolescence charges, particularly resulting from uncertainties in future product demand.
Some of our custom components, such as application-specific integrated circuits ("ASICs") are manufactured primarily by sole or limited sources, each of which is responsible for all aspects of production using our proprietary designs.
By working collaboratively with our suppliers, we have the opportunity to promote socially responsible business practices beyond our company and into our worldwide supply chain. To this end, we have adopted a supplier code of conduct and promote compliance with such code of conduct to our suppliers. One element of our supplier code of conduct is adoption and compliance with the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct (“EICC”). The EICC outlines standards to promote ethical business practices, eliminate human trafficking, and ensure that working conditions in the electronics industry supply chain are safe, workers are treated with respect and dignity, and manufacturing processes are environmentally responsible. Our Corporate Citizenship Report and Supplier Code of Conduct are available on our website.
Backlog
Our sales are made primarily pursuant to purchase orders under framework agreements with our customers. At any given time, we have backlog orders for products that have not shipped. Because customers may cancel purchase orders or change delivery schedules without significant penalty, we believe that our backlog at any given date may not be a reliable indicator of future operating results. As of December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, our total product backlog was approximately $445.3 million and $470.7 million, respectively. Our product backlog consists of confirmed orders for products scheduled to be shipped to customers, generally within the next six months, and excludes orders from distributors as we recognize product revenue on sales made through distributors upon sell-through to end-users. Backlog also excludes certain future revenue adjustments for items such as product revenue deferrals, sales return reserves, service revenue allocations, and early payment discounts.
Seasonality
We, as do many companies in our industry, experience seasonal fluctuations in customer spending patterns. Historically, we have experienced stronger customer demand in the fourth quarter and weaker demand in the first quarter. This historical pattern should not be considered a reliable indicator of our future net revenues or financial performance.
Competition
We compete in the network infrastructure markets. These markets are characterized by rapid change, converging technologies, and a migration to networking solutions that offer agility advantages. In the network infrastructure business, Cisco Systems, Inc. ("Cisco") has historically been the dominant player. However, our principal competitors also include Alcatel-Lucent, Arista Networks, Inc. ("Arista"), Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. ("Brocade"), Hewlett Packard Company ("HP"), and Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. ("Huawei").
Many of our current and potential competitors, such as Cisco, Alcatel-Lucent, HP, and Huawei, among others, bundle their products with other networking products in a manner that may discourage customers from purchasing our products. In addition, consolidation among competitors, or the acquisition of our partners and resellers by competitors, can increase the competitive pressure faced by us due to their increased size and breadth of their product portfolios. Many of our current and potential competitors have greater name recognition, marketing budgets, and more extensive customer bases that they may leverage to compete more effectively. Increased competition could result in price reductions, fewer customer orders, reduced gross margins, and loss of market share, negatively affecting our operating results.
In addition, there are a number of other competitors in the security space, including Check Point Software Technologies, Ltd. ("Check Point"), F5 Networks, Inc. ("F5 Networks"), Fortinet, Inc. ("Fortinet"), and Palo Alto Networks, Inc. ("Palo Alto Networks"), among others, who tend to be focused on single product line solutions and, therefore, may be considered specialized compared to our broader product line.
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In addition to established competitors, a number of public and private companies have announced plans for new products to address the same needs that our products address. We believe that our ability to compete with Cisco and others depends upon our ability to demonstrate that our products are superior in meeting the needs of our current and potential customers.
We expect that over time, large companies with significant resources, technical expertise, market experience, customer relationships, and broad product lines, such as Cisco, Alcatel-Lucent, and Huawei, will introduce new products designed to compete more effectively in the market. There are also several other companies that claim to have products with greater capabilities than our products. Further, there has been significant consolidation in the networking industry, with smaller companies being acquired by larger, established suppliers of network infrastructure products. We believe this trend is likely to continue.
As a result, we expect to face increased competition in the future from larger companies with significantly more resources than we have. Although we believe that our technology and the purpose-built features of our products make them unique and will enable us to compete effectively with these companies, we cannot guarantee that we will be successful.
Environment
We are committed to maintaining compliance with all environmental laws applicable to our operations, products and services and to reducing our environmental impact across our business and supply chain. Our operations and many of our products are subject to various federal, state, local and foreign regulations that have been adopted with respect to the environment, such as the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (“WEEE”) Directive, Directive on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (“RoHS”), and Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (“REACH”) regulations adopted by the European Union and China. To date, compliance with federal, state, local, and foreign laws enacted for the protection of the environment has had no material effect on our capital expenditures, earnings, or competitive position. However, see the risk factor entitled "Regulation of industry in general and the telecommunications industry in particular could harm our operating results and future prospects" in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Item 1A of Part I of this Report for additional information concerning RoHS compliance.
We are also voluntarily participating in the CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) and encourage our direct material suppliers representing an aggregate of at least 80% of our consolidated total direct expenditure to do the same. CDP is a global standardized mechanism by which companies report their greenhouse gas emissions to institutional investors. In fact, in 2014, we achieved a position on CDP’s S&P 500 Climate Disclosure Leadership Index, the S&P 500 Climate Performance Leadership Index, and the CDP Supplier Climate Performance Leadership Index 2014. We continue to invest in the infrastructure and systems required to be able to inventory and measure our carbon footprint on a global basis. We believe we have made significant strides in improving our energy efficiency around the world.
In addition, we are committed to the environment through our efforts to improve the energy efficiency of key elements in our high-performance network product offerings. In 2012, we launched a set of carrier-class MPLS switches, the PTX5000 series. In addition to filling the capacity and density requirement for Internet core growth, PTX5000, which featured record energy efficiency of 1.5W per Gigabit of throughput. In 2014, we further enhanced the PTX5000 series and introduced the FPC2 for the PTX5000 MPLS switches, which features energy efficiency of 1.2W per Gigabit of throughput, and we also launched the MPC6 for our MX2020 and MX2010 3D Universal Edge Routers, which uses 2W per Gigabit of full-duplex traffic. The environment will remain a focus area across multiple aspects of our business.
Intellectual Property
Our success and ability to compete are substantially dependent upon our internally developed technology and expertise, as well as our ability to obtain and protect necessary intellectual property rights. While we rely on patent, copyright, trade secret, and trademark law, as well as confidentiality agreements, to protect our technology, we also believe that factors such as the technological and creative skills of our personnel, new product developments, frequent product enhancements, and reliable product maintenance are essential to establishing and maintaining a technology leadership position. There can be no assurance that others will not develop technologies that are similar or superior to our technology.
In addition, we integrate licensed third-party technology into certain of our products and, from time to time, we license additional technology from third parties to develop new products or product enhancements. There can be no assurance that third-party licenses will be available or continue to be available to us on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Our inability to maintain or re-license any third-party licenses required in our products or our inability to obtain third-party licenses necessary to develop new products and product enhancements could require us to obtain substitute technology of lower quality or performance standards or at a greater cost, any of which could harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
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As of December 31, 2014, we had over 2,400 patents worldwide and numerous patent applications are pending. Patents generally have a term of twenty years from filing. As our patent portfolio has been built over time, the remaining terms on the individual patents vary. We cannot be certain that patents will be issued on the patent applications that we have filed, that we will be able to obtain the necessary intellectual property rights, or that other parties will not contest our intellectual property rights.
Employees
As of December 31, 2014, we had 8,806 full-time employees. We have not experienced any work stoppages, and we consider our relations with our employees to be good. Competition for qualified personnel in our industry is intense. We believe that our future success depends in part on our continued ability to hire, motivate, and retain qualified personnel. We believe that we have been successful in recruiting qualified employees, but there is no assurance that we will continue to be successful in the future.
Our future performance depends significantly upon the continued service of our key technical, sales, and senior management personnel, none of whom are bound by an employment agreement requiring service for any defined period of time. The loss of one or more of our key employees could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Executive Officers of the Registrant
The following sets forth certain information regarding our executive officers as of the filing of this Report:
Name | Age | Position | ||||
Rami Rahim | 44 | Chief Executive Officer and Director | ||||
Pradeep Sindhu | 62 | Chief Technical Officer and Vice Chairman of the Board | ||||
Robyn M. Denholm | 51 | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial and Operations Officer | ||||
Jonathan Davidson | 41 | Executive Vice President and General Manager, Juniper Development and Innovation | ||||
Vince Molinaro | 51 | Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer | ||||
Mitchell Gaynor | 55 | Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary | ||||
Terrance F. Spidell | 46 | Vice President, Corporate Controller and Chief Accounting Officer | ||||
RAMI RAHIM joined Juniper in January 1997 and became Chief Executive Officer of Juniper, and a member of our Board of Directors, in November 2014. From March 2014, until he became Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Rahim served as Executive Vice President and General Manager of Juniper Development and Innovation ("JDI"). His responsibilities included driving strategy, development and business growth for routing, switching, security, silicon technology, and the Junos operating system. Previously, Mr. Rahim served Juniper in a number of roles, including Executive Vice President and General Manager of Platform Systems Division for routing and switching, Senior Vice President of the Edge and Aggregation Business Unit (EABU), and Vice President and General Manager of EABU. Prior to that, Mr. Rahim spent the majority of his time at Juniper in the development organization where he helped with the architecture, design and implementation of many Juniper core, edge, and carrier Ethernet products. Mr. Rahim holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Toronto and a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.
PRADEEP SINDHU founded Juniper in February 1996 and served as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board until September 1996. Since then, Dr. Sindhu has served as Vice Chairman of the Board and Chief Technical Officer of Juniper. From September 1984 to February 1991, Dr. Sindhu worked as a Member of the Research Staff, from March 1987 to February 1996, as the Principal Scientist, and from February 1994 to February 1996, as Distinguished Engineer at the Computer Science Lab at Xerox Corporation, Palo Alto Research Center, a technology research center. Dr. Sindhu served as a member of the board of directors of Infinera Corporation, a provider of optical networking equipment, from September 2001 to May 2008.
ROBYN M. DENHOLM joined Juniper in August 2007 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. In July 2013, Ms. Denholm was promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial and Operations Officer. Prior to joining Juniper, Ms. Denholm was at Sun Microsystems, Inc. ("Sun") from January 1996 to August 2007, where she served in executive assignments that included Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategic Planning, Senior Vice President of Finance, Vice President and Corporate Controller (Chief Accounting Officer), Vice President of Finance, Director of Service Division, and Shared Financial Services APAC and Controller, Australia/New Zealand. Prior to joining Sun, Ms. Denholm served at Toyota Motor Corporation Australia for seven years and at Arthur Andersen & Company for five years in various finance assignments. Ms. Denholm is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia and holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Sydney
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and a Master's degree in Commerce from the University of New South Wales. In addition, since August 2014, Ms. Denholm has served as a member of the board of directors of Tesla Motors, Inc.
JONATHAN DAVIDSON joined Juniper in March 2010 and became Executive Vice President and General Manager of Juniper Development and Innovation ("JDI") in January 2015. From July 2014 until he became Executive Vice President and General Manager of JDI, Mr. Davidson served as Senior Vice President and General Manager for Juniper Networks Security, Switching and Solutions Business Unit. Previously, Mr. Davidson was Juniper’s Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Campus and Data Center Business Unit and Vice President, Product Line Management, where he was responsible for Edge Routing and Aggregation Business product management and strategy. Prior to joining Juniper, Mr. Davidson had a 15-year career at Cisco Systems, Inc., where he served as Director of Product Management and led the enterprise routing product management team and service provider Layer 4 through Layer 7 services team.
VINCE MOLINARO joined Juniper in 2009 as Senior Vice President of Sales, and served as Executive Vice President, Sales, Services and Support from July 2013 to February 2014, and currently serves as our Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer. Prior to joining Juniper, Mr. Molinaro held senior leadership positions at a number of technology companies including Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, Alcatel-Lucent and Internap Network Services. He has extensive domestic and international experience having lived and managed large organizations throughout Europe and the U.S. Mr. Molinaro holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University and a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Bridgeport.
MITCHELL GAYNOR joined Juniper in February 2004 as Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary and served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary from February 2008 to February 2011 and is currently our Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. Prior to joining Juniper, Mr. Gaynor was Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary of Portal Software, Inc., a provider of account management software that was subsequently acquired by Oracle Corporation ("Oracle"), and Sybase, Inc., an enterprise and mobile software company that was subsequently acquired by SAP AG. In private practice, he was an associate with the law firm of Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison. Mr. Gaynor holds a Law degree from University of California's Hastings College of the Law and a Bachelor degree in History from the University of California, Berkeley.
TERRANCE F. SPIDELL joined Juniper in August 2011 as Vice President, Assistant Corporate Controller, and has served as Vice President, Corporate Controller, since November 2012. In 2013, Mr. Spidell assumed the position of Chief Accounting Officer of the Company. Before joining the Company, Mr. Spidell was at VeriSign, Inc., a provider of Internet infrastructure services, as Vice President, Corporate Controller, from June 2009 through July 2011 and as Vice President, Accounting Operations, from March 2008 through June 2009. Prior to VeriSign, Mr. Spidell held various positions, most recently Senior Manager, at PricewaterhouseCoopers, a registered public accounting firm, from November 1993 through March 2008. Mr. Spidell is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Bachelor in Business Administration, with degrees in Finance and Accounting, from Boise State University.
Available Information
We file our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, with the SEC electronically. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers, including Juniper Networks that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website is http://www.sec.gov.
You may obtain a free copy of our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports on our website at http://www.juniper.net, by contacting our Investor Relations Department at our corporate offices by calling 1-408-936-5396, or by sending an e-mail message to investorrelations@juniper.net. Such reports and other information are available on our website as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Our Corporate Governance Standards, the charters of our Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, Stock Committee, and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, as well as our Worldwide Code of Business Conduct and Ethics are also available on our website. Information on our website is not, and will not be deemed, a part of this Report or incorporated into any other filings the Company makes with the SEC.
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Item 1A. Risk Factors
Factors That May Affect Future Results
Investments in our securities involve significant risks. Even small changes in investor expectations for our future growth and earnings, whether as a result of actual or rumored financial or operating results, changes in the mix of the products and services sold, acquisitions, industry changes, or other factors, could trigger, and have triggered in the past, significant fluctuations in the market price of our common stock. Investors in our securities should carefully consider all of the relevant factors disclosed by us, including, but not limited to, the following factors, that could affect our business, operating results and stock price.
Our quarterly results are unpredictable and subject to substantial fluctuations; as a result, we may fail to meet the expectations of securities analysts and investors, which could adversely affect the trading price of our common stock.
Our revenues and operating results may vary significantly from quarter-to-quarter due to a number of factors, many of which are outside of our control and any of which may cause our stock price to fluctuate.
The factors that may cause our quarterly results to vary quarter by quarter and be unpredictable include, but are not limited to: limited visibility into customer spending plans, changes in the mix of products and services sold, changes in the mix of geographies in which our products and services are sold, changing market and economic conditions, current and potential customer consolidation, competition, customer concentration, long sales and implementation cycles, unpredictable ordering patterns, changes in the amount and frequency of share repurchases or dividends, regional economic and political conditions, and seasonality. For example, we, and many companies in our industry, experience adverse seasonal fluctuations in customer spending, particularly in the first quarter. Furthermore market trends, competitive pressures, commoditization of products, seasonal rebates, increased component or shipping costs, regulatory impacts and other factors may result in reductions in revenue or pressure on gross margins of certain segments in a given period, which may necessitate adjustments to our operations. Such adjustments may be difficult or impossible to execute in the short or medium term.
As a result of these factors, as well as other variables affecting our operating results, we believe that quarter-to-quarter comparisons of operating results are not necessarily a good indication of what our future performance will be. It is likely that in some quarters, our operating results will be below our guidance, our long-term financial model or the expectations of securities analysts or investors, in which case the price of our common stock may decline. Such a decline could occur, and has occurred in the past, even when we have met our publicly stated revenues and/or earnings guidance.
A limited number of our customers comprise a significant portion of our revenues and there is an ongoing trend toward consolidation in the industry in which our customers and partners operate. Any decrease in revenues from our customers or partners could have an adverse effect on our net revenues and operating results.
A substantial majority of our net revenues depend on sales to a limited number of customers and distribution partners, particularly in our service provider market. Changes in the business requirements, vendor selection, project prioritization, financial prospects, capital resources, and expenditures, or purchasing behavior (including product mix purchased) of our key customers could significantly decrease our sales to such customers or could lead to delays or cancellations of planned purchases of our products or services, which increases the risk of quarterly fluctuations in our revenues and operating results. Any of these factors could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
In addition, in recent years, there has been movement towards consolidation in the telecommunications industry (for example, Vodafone’s acquisition of Spanish cable operator, Ono, Numericable’s purchase of SFR, France’s second-largest telecommunications operator, the acquisition of TW Telecom by Level 3 Communications, AT&T’s proposed acquisition of DirectTV, and Comcast’s proposed acquisition of Time Warner Cable) and that consolidation trend has continued. If our customers or partners are parties to consolidation transactions they may delay, suspend or indefinitely reduce or cancel their purchases of our products or other direct or indirect unforeseen consequences could harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Fluctuating economic conditions make it difficult to predict revenues and gross margin for a particular period and a shortfall in revenues or increase in costs of production may harm our operating results.
Our revenues and gross margin depend significantly on general economic conditions and the demand for products in the markets in which we compete. Economic weakness, customer financial difficulties, and constrained spending on network expansion and enterprise infrastructure have in the past resulted in, and may in the future result in, decreased revenues and earnings. Such factors could make it difficult to accurately forecast sales and operating results and could negatively affect our ability to provide accurate
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forecasts to our contract manufacturers and manage our contract manufacturer relationships and other expenses. In addition, economic uncertainty, as well as continued turmoil in the geopolitical environment in many parts of the world, have, and may continue to, put pressure on global economic conditions, which has led, and could continue to lead, to reduced demand for our products, to delays or reductions in network expansions or infrastructure projects, and/or higher costs of production. For example, if the U.S. dollar continues to strengthen against other currencies such as the Euro, our revenues reported in U.S. dollars would decline. In addition, for U.S. dollar denominated sales, an increase in the value of the U.S. dollar would increase the real cost to customers of our products in markets outside the U.S., which could impact our competitive position. More generally-speaking, economic weakness may also lead to longer collection cycles for payments due from our customers, an increase in customer bad debt, restructuring initiatives and associated expenses, and impairment of investments. Furthermore, instability in the global credit markets may adversely impact the ability of our customers to adequately fund their expected capital expenditures, which could lead to delays or cancellations of planned purchases of our products or services. Our operating expenses are largely based on anticipated revenue trends and a high percentage of our expenses is, and will continue to be, fixed in the short and medium term. Therefore, fluctuations in revenue could cause significant variations in our operating results and operating margins from quarter to quarter.
Uncertainty about future economic conditions also makes it difficult to forecast operating results and to make decisions about future investments. Future or continued economic weakness, failure of our customers and markets to recover from such weakness, customer financial difficulties, increases in costs of production, and reductions in spending on network maintenance and expansion could result in price concessions in certain markets or have a material adverse effect on demand for our products and consequently on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Our success depends upon our ability to effectively plan and manage our resources and restructure our business through rapidly fluctuating economic and market conditions, and such actions may have an adverse effect on our financial and operating results.
Our ability to successfully offer our products and services in a rapidly evolving market requires an effective planning, forecasting, and management process to enable us to effectively scale and adjust our business in response to fluctuating market opportunities and conditions.
In periods of market expansion, we have increased investment in our business by, for example, increasing headcount and increasing our investment in R&D, sales and marketing, and other parts of our business. Conversely, in 2014, to refocus the Company’s strategy, optimize its structure and improve operational efficiencies in connection with our integrated operating plan, or IOP, we implemented a new strategic focus, realigned our organization into a One-Juniper structure, reduced our workforce, consolidated and closed facilities, made changes to enhance efficiency, improved cost management measures and instituted new capital allocation plan. In connection with cost management, we implemented a substantial cost reduction plan accomplished through various restructuring activities across research and development, sales and marketing and general and administrative. We recorded a goodwill impairment charge of $850.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2014 due to the underperformance of our Security reporting unit and product rationalizations. Further strategy-related pivots could lead to delays in achieving revenue and profit forecasts and result in additional impairment. Some of our expenses are fixed costs that cannot be rapidly or easily adjusted in response to fluctuations in our business or numbers of employees. Rapid changes in the size, alignment or organization of our workforce, including sales account coverage, could adversely affect our ability to develop and deliver products and services as planned or impair our ability to realize our current or future business and financial objectives. Our ability to achieve the anticipated cost savings and other benefits from our restructuring initiatives within the expected time frame is subject to many estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions are subject to significant economic, competitive and other uncertainties, some of which are beyond our control. If these estimates and assumptions are incorrect, if we are unsuccessful at implementing changes, or if other unforeseen events occur, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected.
The long sales and implementation cycles for our products, as well as our expectation that some customers will sporadically place large orders with short lead times, may cause our revenues and operating results to vary significantly from quarter-to-quarter.
A customer's decision to purchase certain of our products, particularly new products, involves a significant commitment of its resources and a lengthy evaluation and product qualification process. As a result, the sales cycle may be lengthy. In particular, customers making critical decisions regarding the design and implementation of large network deployments may engage in very lengthy procurement processes that may delay or impact expected future orders. Throughout the sales cycle, we may spend considerable time educating and providing information to prospective customers regarding the use and benefits of our products. Even after making the decision to purchase, customers may deploy our products slowly and deliberately. Timing of deployment can vary widely and depends on the skill set of the customer, the size of the network deployment, the complexity of the customer's network environment, and the degree of hardware and operating system configuration necessary to deploy the products. Customers
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with large networks usually expand their networks in large increments on a periodic basis. Accordingly, we may receive purchase orders for significant dollar amounts on an irregular basis. These long cycles, as well as our expectation that customers will tend to sporadically place large orders with short lead times, both of which may be exacerbated by the impact of continued global economic weakness, may cause revenues and operating results to vary significantly and unexpectedly from quarter-to-quarter.
We face intense competition that could reduce our revenues and adversely affect our business and financial results.
Competition is intense in the markets that we serve. The network equipment market has historically been dominated by Cisco, with competition coming from other companies such as Alcatel-Lucent, Brocade, Hewlett Packard Company, and Huawei. In the security market, we face intense competition from these same companies as well as companies such as Check Point, F5 Networks, Fortinet, and Palo Alto Networks. Further, a number of other small public and private companies have products or have announced plans for new products to address the same challenges and markets that our products address.
In addition, actual or speculated consolidation among competitors, or the acquisition of our partners and/or resellers by competitors, can increase the competitive pressures faced by us as, customers may delay spending decisions or not purchase our products at all. For example, in recent years, Oracle acquired Acme Packet, Inc., and Cisco acquired Meraki Networks, Inc. and Sourcefire, Inc., which further consolidated our market. A number of our competitors have substantially greater resources and can offer a wider range of products and services for the overall network equipment market than we do. If we are unable to compete successfully against existing and future competitors on the basis of product offerings or price, we could experience a loss in market share and revenues and/or be required to reduce prices, which could reduce our gross margins, and which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Our partners and resellers generally sell or resell competing products on a non-exclusive basis and consolidation could delay spending or require us to increase discounts to compete, which could also adversely affect our business.
We expect our gross margins and operating margins to vary over time, and the level of product gross margins achieved by us in recent years may not be sustainable.
We expect our product gross margins to vary from quarter-to-quarter, and the gross margins we have achieved in recent years may not be sustainable and may be adversely affected in the future by numerous factors, including customer, product and geographic mix shifts, increased price competition in one or more of the markets in which we compete, increases in material, labor, or inventory carrying costs, excess product component or obsolescence charges from our contract manufacturers, increased costs due to changes in component pricing or charges incurred due to component holding periods if we do not accurately forecast product demand, warranty related issues, or our introduction of new products or entry into new markets with different pricing and cost structures. For example, in the third quarter of 2012, our margins declined as a result of an inventory charge resulting from inventory we held in excess of forecasted demand. We determine our operating expenses largely on the basis of anticipated revenues and a high percentage of our expenses are fixed in the short and medium term. As a result, a failure or delay in generating or recognizing revenue could cause significant variations in our operating results and operating margin from quarter-to-quarter. Failure to sustain or improve our gross margins reduces our profitability and may have a material adverse effect on our business and stock price.
Further, in early 2014, we announced our IOP, which in combination with our new cost reduction initiative, announced in October 2014, is intended to reduce our operating expenses and to focus on cost controls. We expect that our margins will, accordingly, vary with our ability to achieve the goals of the IOP as supplemented by the new cost reduction initiative, as well as our ability to maintain or increase our revenues. We can provide no assurance that we will be able to achieve all of the goals of these plans or meet our announced expectations, in whole or in part, or that our plans will have the intended effect of improving our margins on the expected timeline, or at all.
To the extent we receive product orders late in a quarter, we may be unable to recognize revenue for these orders in the same period, which could adversely affect our quarterly revenues.
Generally, our network equipment products are not stocked by distributors or resellers due to their cost and complexity and the custom nature of configurations required by our customers; we generally build such products as orders are received. In recent years, the volume of orders received late in any given fiscal quarter has generally stabilized but remains unpredictable. If orders for certain products are received late in any quarter, we may not be able to recognize revenue for these orders in the same period, which could adversely affect our ability to meet our expected revenues for such quarter. Additionally, we determine our operating expenses largely on the basis of anticipated revenues and a high percentage of our expenses are fixed in the short and medium term. As a result, a failure or delay in generating or recognizing revenue could cause significant variations in our operating results and operating margin from quarter-to-quarter.
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Conversion of key internal systems and processes, particularly our ERP system, and problems with the design or implementation of these systems and processes could interfere with, and therefore harm, our business and operations.
We have underway a multi-phase project to convert certain key internal systems and processes, including our customer relationship management (“CRM”) system and enterprise resource planning ("ERP") system. Since 2012, we have been implementing major changes to our ERP system, which activities we expect to continue into 2015. In the third quarter of 2014, we implemented the manufacturing, fulfillment, and inventory portion of this ERP project and we are now reliant upon dual ERP systems until completion of the conversion. The next major change to our ERP program is projected for the third quarter of 2015, when we plan to eliminate the dual ERP System. A delay past this time could result in postponement of this systems change until the first quarter of 2016. We have invested, and will continue to invest, significant capital and human resources in the design and implementation of these systems and processes. Any problems, disruptions, delays or other issues in the design and implementation of the new systems or processes, particularly any that impact our operations, could adversely affect our ability to process customer orders, ship products, provide service and support to our customers, bill and track our customers, collect cash from our customers, maintain our DSO measure, fulfill contractual obligations, record and transfer information in a timely and accurate manner, recognize revenue, file SEC reports in a timely manner, or otherwise run our business. Even if we do not encounter these adverse effects, as noted above, the design and implementation of these new systems and processes may be much more costly than we anticipated and in the event of lengthy project delays, we may experience issues with retention of the implementation team. If we are unable to successfully design and implement these new systems and processes as planned, or if the implementation of these systems and processes is more lengthy or costly than anticipated, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be negatively impacted.
We are dependent on sole source and limited source suppliers for several key components, which makes us susceptible to shortages or price fluctuations in our supply chain, and we may face increased challenges in supply chain management in the future.
We rely on single or limited sources of certain of our components. During periods of high demand for electronic products, component shortages are possible, and the predictability of the availability of such components may be limited. Any future spike in growth in our business, or more likely in IT spending and the economy in general is likely to create greater short-term pressures on us and our suppliers to accurately forecast overall component demand and to establish optimal component inventories. If shortages or delays persist, the price of these components may increase, or the components may not be available at all. We may not be able to secure enough components at reasonable prices or of acceptable quality to build new products in a timely manner, and our revenues and gross margins could suffer until other sources can be developed. For example, from time to time, we have experienced component shortages that resulted in delays of product shipments. We currently purchase numerous key components, including ASICs, from single or limited sources. The development of alternate sources for those components is time-consuming, difficult, and costly. In addition, the lead times associated with certain components are lengthy and preclude rapid changes in quantities and delivery schedules. Also, long-term supply and maintenance obligations to customers increase the duration for which specific components are required, which may further increase the risk of component shortages or the cost of carrying inventory. In the event of a component shortage or supply interruption from these suppliers, we may not be able to develop alternate or second sources in a timely manner. If we are unable to buy these components in quantities sufficient to meet our requirements on a timely basis, we will not be able to deliver products and services to our customers, which would seriously affect present and future sales, which would, in turn, adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
In addition, the development, licensing, or acquisition of new products in the future may increase the complexity of supply chain management. Failure to effectively manage the supply of key components and products would adversely affect our business.
We rely on value-added and other resellers, as well as distribution partners, to sell our products, and disruptions to, or our failure to effectively develop and manage, our distribution channel and the processes and procedures that support it could adversely affect our ability to generate revenues from the sale of our products.
Our future success is highly dependent upon establishing and maintaining successful relationships with a variety of value-added and other reseller and distribution partners, including our worldwide strategic partners such as Ericsson, IBM, and NSN. The majority of our revenues are derived through value-added resellers and distributors, most of which also sell our competitors’ products, and some of which sell their own competing products. Our revenues depend in part on the performance of these partners. The loss of or reduction in sales to our resellers or distributors could materially reduce our revenues. For example, in 2011 and 2012, one of our OEM partners, Dell, acquired Force10 and SonicWall, both competitors of ours. As a result, Dell became increasingly competitive in certain areas, their resale of our products declined, and we ultimately terminated our OEM relationship with Dell. Our competitors may in some cases be effective in leveraging their market share positions or in providing incentives to current or potential resellers and distributors to favor their products or to prevent or reduce sales of our products. If we fail to develop and maintain relationships with our partners, fail to develop new relationships with value-added resellers and distributors in new markets, fail to expand the number of distributors and resellers in existing markets, fail to manage, train or motivate existing
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value-added resellers and distributors effectively, determine that we cannot continue to do business with these partners for any reason or if these partners are not successful in their sales efforts, sales of our products may decrease, and our business, financial condition, and results of operations would suffer.
In addition, we recognize a portion of our revenues based on a sell-through model using information provided by our distributors. If those distributors provide us with inaccurate or untimely information, the amount or timing of our revenues could be adversely impacted.
Further, in order to develop and expand our distribution channel, we must continue to offer attractive channel programs to potential partners and scale and improve our processes and procedures that support the channel. As a result, our programs, processes and procedures may become increasingly complex and inherently difficult to manage. We have previously entered into OEM agreements with partners pursuant to which they rebrand and resell our products as part of their product portfolios. These types of relationships are complex and require additional processes and procedures that may be challenging and costly to implement, maintain and manage. Our failure to successfully manage and develop our distribution channel and the programs, processes and procedures that support it could adversely affect our ability to generate revenues from the sale of our products.
System security risks, data protection breaches, and cyber-attacks could compromise our proprietary information, disrupt our internal operations and harm public perception of our products, which could cause our business and reputation to suffer and adversely affect our stock price.
In the ordinary course of business, we store sensitive data, including intellectual property, our proprietary business information and that of our customers, suppliers and business partners on our networks. The secure maintenance of this information is critical to our operations and business strategy. Increasingly, companies, including us, are subject to a wide variety of attacks on their networks on an ongoing basis. Despite our security measures, our information technology and infrastructure may be vulnerable to penetration or attacks by computer programmers and hackers, or breached due to employee error, malfeasance or other disruptions. Any such breach could compromise our networks, creating system disruptions or slowdowns and exploiting security vulnerabilities of our products, and the information stored on our networks could be accessed, publicly disclosed, lost or stolen, which could subject us to liability to our customers, suppliers, business partners and others, and cause us reputational and financial harm. In addition, sophisticated hardware and operating system software and applications that we produce or procure from third parties may contain defects in design or manufacture, including "bugs" and other problems that could unexpectedly interfere with the operation of our networks.
If an actual or perceived breach of network security occurs in our network or in the network of a customer of our products, regardless of whether the breach is attributable to our products, the market perception of the effectiveness of our products could be harmed. Because the techniques used by computer programmers and hackers, many of whom are highly sophisticated and well-funded, to access or sabotage networks change frequently and generally are not recognized until after they are used, we may be unable to anticipate or immediately detect these techniques. This could impede our sales, manufacturing, distribution or other critical functions. In addition, the economic costs to us to eliminate or alleviate cyber or other security problems, bugs, viruses, worms, malicious software systems and security vulnerabilities could be significant and may be difficult to anticipate or measure because the damage may differ based on the identity and motive of the programmer or hacker, which are often difficult to pinpoint.
Regulation of industry in general and the telecommunications industry in particular could harm our operating results and future prospects.
We are subject to laws and regulations affecting the sale of our products in a number of areas. For example, some governments have regulations prohibiting government entities from purchasing security products that do not meet specified indigenous certification criteria, even though those criteria may be in conflict with accepted international standards. Other regulations that may negatively impact our business include country of origin regulations. These types of regulations are in effect or under consideration in several jurisdictions where we do business.
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act includes disclosure requirements regarding the use of “conflict minerals” mined from the Democratic Republic of Congo and adjoining countries (“DRC”) and procedures regarding a manufacturer's efforts to prevent the sourcing of such “conflict minerals.” These minerals are present in our products. SEC rules implementing these requirements may have the effect of reducing the pool of suppliers who can supply DRC “conflict free” components and parts, and we may not be able to obtain DRC conflict free products or supplies in sufficient quantities for our operations. Since our supply chain is complex, we may face reputational challenges with our customers, stockholders and other stakeholders if we are unable to sufficiently verify the origins for the "conflict minerals” used in our products.
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In addition, environmental laws and regulations relevant to electronic equipment manufacturing or operations, including laws and regulations governing the hazardous material content of our products and laws relating to the collection of and recycling of electrical and electronic equipment, may adversely impact our business and financial condition. These laws and regulations include the European Union (EU) Restriction on the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (RoHS). The EU RoHS and the similar laws of other jurisdictions limit the content of certain hazardous materials such as lead, mercury, and cadmium in the manufacture of electrical equipment, including our products. Currently, our products comply with the EU RoHS requirements. However, it is possible that certain exemptions may be revoked in the future, including an exemption for lead in network infrastructure equipment upon which we and our competitors rely, and which is currently scheduled to expire in July 2016. Revocation of this exemption or further changes to this or other laws or passage of new similar laws in other jurisdictions, may require us to cease selling non-compliant products in the EU or reengineer our products to use components compatible with these regulations. This reengineering and component substitution could result in additional costs to us, disrupt our operations or logistics and result in an adverse impact on our operating results. Additionally, EU and China have adopted the WEEE directive, which requires producers of electrical and electronic equipment to assume responsibility for collecting, treating, recycling and disposing of products when they have reached the end of their useful life, as well as REACH regulations, which regulate handling of certain chemical substances that may be used in our products.
The traditional telecommunications industry is highly regulated, and our business and financial condition could be adversely affected by changes in regulations relating to the Internet telecommunications industry. Currently, there are few laws or regulations that apply directly to access to or commerce on IP networks, but future regulations could include sales taxes on products sold via the Internet and Internet service provider access charges. We could be adversely affected by regulation of IP networks and commerce in any country where we market equipment and services to service providers or cloud provider companies. Regulations governing the range of services and business models that can be offered by service providers or cloud provider companies could adversely affect those customers' needs for products designed to enable a wide range of such services or business models. For instance, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission is considering new regulations governing aspects of fixed broadband networks and wireless networks through proposals regarding net neutrality and government regulation of the Internet. These regulations and regulations resulting from these proposals might impact service provider and cloud provider business models and as such, providers' needs for Internet telecommunications equipment and services. Also, many jurisdictions are evaluating or implementing regulations relating to cyber security, supply chain integrity, privacy and data protection, any of which can affect the market and requirements for networking and security equipment.
The adoption and implementation of such regulations could reduce demand for our products, increase the cost of building and selling our products, result in product inventory write-offs, impact our ability to ship products into affected areas and recognize revenue in a timely manner and require us to spend significant time and expense to comply, and we could face fines and civil or criminal sanctions or claims if we were to violate or become liable under such regulations. Any of these impacts could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Governmental regulations affecting the import or export of products or affecting products containing encryption capabilities could negatively affect our revenues.
The United States and various foreign governments have imposed controls, export license requirements, and restrictions on the import or export of, among other things, encryption technology. Certain of our products contain or use encryption technology. In addition, from time to time, governmental agencies have proposed additional regulation of encryption technology, such as requiring certification, notifications, review of source code, or the escrow and governmental recovery of private encryption keys. For example, Russia and China recently have implemented new requirements relating to products containing encryption and India has imposed special warranty and other obligations associated with technology deemed critical. Governmental regulation of encryption or IP networking technology and regulation of imports or exports, or our failure to obtain required import or export approval for our products, or export sanctions, including recent restrictions on exports to Russia, could harm our international and domestic sales and adversely affect our revenues. In addition, failure to comply with such regulations could result in harm to our reputation, penalties, costs, and restrictions on import or export privileges or adversely affect sales to government agencies or government-funded projects.
Our ability to process orders and ship products in a timely manner is dependent in part on our business systems and performance of the systems and processes of third parties such as our contract manufacturers, suppliers, or other partners, as well as the interfaces between our systems and the systems of such third parties. If our systems, the systems and processes of those third parties, or the interfaces between them experience delays or fail, our business processes and our ability to build and ship products could be impacted, and our financial results could be harmed.
Some of our business processes depend upon our information technology ("IT") systems, the systems and processes of third parties, and the interfaces of our systems with the systems of third parties. For example, our order entry system feeds information into the
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systems of our contract manufacturers, which enables them to build and ship our products. If those systems fail or are interrupted, our processes may function at a diminished level or not at all. This could negatively impact our ability to ship products or otherwise operate our business, and our financial results could be harmed. For example, although it did not adversely affect our shipments, an earthquake in late December of 2006 disrupted our communications with China, where a significant part of our manufacturing occurs. In addition, as discussed earlier in this "Risk Factors" section, beginning in 2012 and continuing into 2015, we have been implementing major changes to our enterprise resource planning system. Any failure of the new system or interruptions during the transition may impair communications with our manufacturers, and, therefore, adversely affect our ability to build and ship our products.
We also rely upon the performance of the systems and processes of our contract manufacturers to build and ship our products. If those systems and processes experience interruption or delay, our ability to build and ship our products in a timely manner may be harmed. For example, we have experienced instances where our contract manufacturers were not able to ship products in the time periods expected by us, which prevented us from meeting our commitments to our customers. If we are not able to ship our products or if product shipments are delayed, our ability to recognize revenue in a timely manner for those products would be affected and our financial results could be harmed.
Telecommunications and Cloud service provider companies and our other large customers generally require onerous terms and conditions in our contracts with them. As we seek to sell more products to such customers, we may be required to agree to terms and conditions that could have an adverse effect on our business or ability to recognize revenues.
Telecommunications and cloud service provider companies, which comprise a significant portion of our customer base, and other large companies, generally have greater purchasing power than smaller entities and, accordingly, often request and receive more favorable terms from suppliers. For example, our customers, France Telecom-Orange and Deutsche Telekom AG have formed a company for the purpose of purchasing products from, and negotiating more favorable contractual terms with, suppliers. As we seek to sell more products to this class of customer, we may be required to agree to such terms and conditions, which may include terms that affect the timing of our ability to recognize revenue and have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Consolidation among such large customers can further increase their buying power and ability to require onerous terms.
In addition, service providers have purchased products from other vendors who promised but failed to deliver certain functionality and/or had products that caused problems or outages in the networks of these customers. As a result, these customers may request additional features from us and require substantial penalties for failure to deliver such features or may require substantial penalties for any network outages that may be caused by our products. These additional requests and penalties, if we are required to agree to them, may require us to defer revenue recognition from such sales, which may negatively affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
If we do not successfully anticipate technological shifts, market needs and opportunities, and develop products and product enhancements that meet those technological shifts, needs and opportunities, or if those products are not made available in a timely manner or do not gain market acceptance, we may not be able to compete effectively and our ability to generate revenues will suffer.
We cannot guarantee that we will be able to anticipate future technological shifts, market needs and opportunities or be able to develop new products or product enhancements to meet such technological shifts, needs or opportunities in a timely manner or at all. For example, the move from traditional network infrastructures towards software-defined networking, or SDN, has been receiving considerable attention. In our view, it will take several years to see the full impact of SDN, and we believe the successful products and solutions in this market will combine hardware and software elements. If we fail to anticipate market requirements or fail to develop and introduce new products or product enhancements to meet those requirements in a timely manner, it could cause us to lose customers, and such failure could substantially decrease or delay market acceptance and sales of our present and future products, which would significantly harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Even if we are able to anticipate, develop, and commercially introduce new products and enhancements, there can be no assurance that new products or enhancements will achieve widespread market acceptance.
In addition, in the past two years, we have announced new products, including the QF5100, T4000 Core Router, EX9200 Ethernet Switch, MX Series Routers, PTX 3000 Packet Transport Router, and Juniper Networks Contrail. If these or other new products do not gain market acceptance at a sufficient rate of growth, our ability to meet future financial targets and aspirations may be adversely affected. In addition, if we fail to deliver new or announced products to the market in a timely manner, it could adversely affect the market acceptance of those products and harm our competitive position and our business and financial results.
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Our ability to develop, market, and sell products could be harmed if we are unable to retain or hire key personnel.
Our future success depends upon our ability to recruit and retain the services of executive, engineering, sales and marketing, and support personnel. The supply of highly qualified individuals, in particular engineers in very specialized technical areas, or sales people specializing in the service provider and enterprise markets, is limited and competition for such individuals is intense. None of our officers or key employees is bound by an employment agreement for any specific term. The loss of the services of any of our key employees, the inability to attract or retain personnel in the future or delays in hiring required personnel, engineers and sales people, and the complexity and time involved in replacing or training new employees, could delay the development and introduction of new products, and negatively impact our ability to market, sell, or support our products.
We are a party to lawsuits, investigations, proceedings, and other disputes, which are costly to defend and, if determined adversely to us, could require us to pay fines or damages, undertake remedial measures or prevent us from taking certain actions, any or all of which could harm our business, results of operations, financial condition or cash flows.
We, and certain of our current and former officers and current and former members of our Board of Directors, have been or are subject to various lawsuits. We have been served with lawsuits related to employment matters, commercial transactions and patent infringement, as well as securities laws. As noted in Note 16, Commitments and Contingencies, in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements of this Report, under the heading of “Legal Proceedings”, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) are conducting investigations into possible violations by the Company of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in a number of countries. The investigations relate to whether the Company or any third party on behalf of the Company gave money, or anything else of value to any government official in violation of the FCPA. The Company’s Audit Committee, with the assistance of independent advisors, has been investigating and conducting a thorough review of possible violations of the FCPA, and has made recommendations for remedial measures, including employee disciplinary actions in foreign jurisdictions, which the Company has implemented and continues to implement. Litigation and investigations are inherently uncertain. We therefore cannot predict the duration, scope, outcome or consequences of litigation and government investigations. In connection with any government investigations, including those in which we are currently involved as described above, if the government takes action against us or we agree to settle the matter, we may be required to pay substantial fines and incur other sanctions, which may be material, and suffer reputational harm. The lawsuits and investigations are expensive and time-consuming to defend, settle, and/or resolve, and may require us to implement certain remedial measures that could prove costly or disruptive to our business and operations. The unfavorable resolution of one or more of these matters could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition or cash flows.
We are a party to litigation and claims regarding intellectual property rights, resolution of which may be time-consuming and expensive, as well as require a significant amount of resources to prosecute, defend, or make our products non-infringing.
Our industry is characterized by the existence of a large number of patents and frequent claims and related litigation regarding patent and other intellectual property rights. We expect that infringement claims may increase as the number of products and competitors in our market increases and overlaps occur. Third parties have asserted and may in the future assert claims or initiate litigation related to patent, copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property rights to technologies and related standards that are relevant to our products. The asserted claims and/or initiated litigation may include claims against us or our manufacturers, suppliers, partners, or customers, alleging that our products or services infringe proprietary rights. Regardless of the merit of these claims, they have been and can be time-consuming, result in costly litigation, and may require us to develop non-infringing technologies, enter into license agreements, or cease engaging in certain activities or offering certain products or services. Furthermore, because of the potential for high awards of damages or injunctive relief that are not necessarily predictable, even arguably unmeritorious claims may be settled for significant amounts of money. If any infringement or other intellectual property claim made against us by any third-party is successful, if we are required to settle litigation for significant amounts of money, or if we fail to develop non-infringing technology or license required proprietary rights on commercially reasonable terms and conditions, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
Our financial condition and results of operations could suffer if there is an additional impairment of goodwill or other intangible assets with indefinite lives.
We are required to test intangible assets with indefinite lives, including goodwill, annually and on an interim basis if an event occurs or there is a change in circumstance that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of reporting units and intangible assets below their carrying values. As of December 31, 2014, our goodwill was $2,981.5 million and there were no intangible assets with indefinite lives. When the carrying value of a reporting unit’s goodwill exceeds its implied fair value of goodwill, a charge to operations is recorded. If the carrying amount of an intangible asset with an indefinite life exceeds its fair value, a charge to operations is recognized. Either event would result in incremental expenses for that quarter, which would reduce any earnings or increase any loss for the period in which the impairment was determined to have occurred.
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In the fourth quarter of 2014, we rationalized our Security product portfolio, including developing a new product roadmap and exiting certain point products, including our Junos® Pulse product. These factors decreased our short-term and near-term revenue and profitability forecasts for our Security reporting unit. During our fiscal year 2014 annual goodwill impairment test, the carrying value of our Security reporting unit's goodwill exceeded its fair value, resulting in a goodwill impairment charge of $850.0 million.
In recent years, economic weakness has contributed to extreme price and volume fluctuations in global stock markets that have reduced the market price of many technology company stocks, including ours. Declines in our level of revenues due to restructuring or cost reductions or declines in our operating margins, as well as sustained declines in our stock price, increase the risk that goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite lives may become impaired in future periods.
Our goodwill impairment analysis is sensitive to changes in key assumptions used in our analysis, such as expected future cash flows, the degree of volatility in equity and debt markets, and our stock price. If the assumptions used in our analysis are not realized, it is possible that an impairment charge may need to be recorded in the future. We cannot accurately predict the amount and timing of any impairment of goodwill or other intangible assets. However, any such impairment would have an adverse effect on our results of operations.
Changes in effective tax rates or adverse outcomes resulting from examination of our income or other tax returns could adversely affect our results.
Our future effective tax rates could be subject to volatility or adversely affected by the following: earnings being lower than anticipated in countries where we have lower statutory rates and higher than anticipated earnings in countries where we have higher statutory rates; changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities; expiration of, or lapses in, the research and development (“R&D”) tax credit laws applicable to us; transfer pricing adjustments related to certain acquisitions, including the license of acquired intangibles under our intercompany R&D cost sharing arrangement; costs related to intercompany restructuring; tax effects of share-based compensation; or changes in tax laws, regulations, accounting principles, or interpretations thereof. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ("OECD"), an international association of 34 countries including the U.S., is contemplating changes to numerous long-standing tax principles. These contemplated changes, if finalized and adopted by countries, will increase tax uncertainty and may adversely affect our provision for income taxes. In addition, we are subject to the continuous examination of our income tax returns by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and other tax authorities. We regularly assess the likelihood of adverse outcomes resulting from these examinations to determine the adequacy of our provision for income taxes. There can be no assurance that the outcomes from these continuous examinations will not have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
If we fail to accurately predict our manufacturing requirements, we could incur additional costs or experience manufacturing delays, which would harm our business.
We provide demand forecasts to our contract manufacturers, who order components and plan capacity based on these forecasts. If we overestimate our requirements, our contract manufacturers may assess charges, or we may have liabilities for excess inventory, each of which could negatively affect our gross margins. For example, in the third quarter of 2012, our gross margins were reduced as a result of an inventory charge resulting from inventory we held in excess of forecasted demand. Conversely, because lead times for required materials and components vary significantly and depend on factors such as the specific supplier, contract terms, and the demand for each component at a given time, and because our contract manufacturers are third-party manufacturers for numerous other companies, if we underestimate our requirements, as we did in the third quarter of 2010 with respect to certain components, our contract manufacturers may have inadequate time, materials, and/or components required to produce our products, which could increase costs or delay or interrupt manufacturing of our products resulting in delays in shipments and deferral or loss of revenues.
We are dependent on contract manufacturers with whom we do not have long-term supply contracts, and changes to those relationships, expected or unexpected, may result in delays or disruptions that could cause us to lose revenues and damage our customer relationships.
We depend on independent contract manufacturers (each of which is a third-party manufacturer for numerous companies) to manufacture our products. Although we have contracts with our contract manufacturers, these contracts do not require them to manufacture our products on a long-term basis in any specific quantity or at any specific price. In addition, it is time-consuming and costly to qualify and implement additional contract manufacturer relationships. Therefore, if we fail to effectively manage our contract manufacturer relationships, which includes failing to provide accurate forecasts of our requirements, or if one or more of them experiences delays, disruptions, or quality control problems in our manufacturing operations, or if we had to change or add additional contract manufacturers or contract manufacturing sites, our ability to ship products to our customers could be
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delayed. Also, the addition of manufacturing locations or contract manufacturers would increase the complexity of our supply chain management. Moreover, an increasing portion of our manufacturing is performed in China and other countries and is therefore subject to risks associated with doing business outside of the United States. Each of these factors could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may face difficulties enforcing our proprietary rights which could adversely affect our ability to compete.
We generally rely on a combination of patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secret laws and contractual restrictions on disclosure of confidential and proprietary information, to establish and maintain proprietary rights in our technology and products. Although we have been issued numerous patents and other patent applications are currently pending, there can be no assurance that any of our patent applications will result in issued patents or that any of our patents or other proprietary rights will not be challenged, invalidated, infringed or circumvented or that our rights will, in fact, provide competitive advantages to us or protect our technology, any of which could result in costly product redesign efforts, discontinuance of certain product offerings and other competitive harm. Furthermore, the laws of some foreign countries may not protect our proprietary rights to the same extent as do the laws of the United States. The outcome of any actions taken in these foreign countries may be different than if such actions were determined under the laws of the United States. Although we are not dependent on any individual patents or group of patents for particular segments of the business for which we compete, if we are unable to protect our proprietary rights in a market, we may find ourselves at a competitive disadvantage to others who need not incur the substantial expense, time, and effort required to create innovative products that have enabled our success.
We are subject to risks arising from our international operations, which may adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We derive a majority of our revenues from our international operations, and we plan to continue expanding our business in international markets in the future. We conduct significant sales and customer support operations directly and indirectly through our distributors and VARs in countries throughout the world and depend on the operations of our contract manufacturers and suppliers that are located outside of the United States. In addition, a portion of our R&D and our general and administrative operations are conducted outside the United States. In some countries, we may experience reduced intellectual property protection.
As a result of our international operations, we are affected by economic, business regulatory, social, and political conditions in foreign countries, including the following:
• | changes in general IT spending, |
• | the imposition of government controls, inclusive of critical infrastructure protection; |
• | changes or limitations in trade protection laws or other regulatory requirements, which may affect our ability to import or export our products from various countries; |
• | varying and potentially conflicting regulations; |
• | fluctuations in local economies; |
• | wage inflation or a tightening of the labor market; and |
• | the impact of the following on service provider and government spending patterns: political considerations, unfavorable changes in tax treaties or laws, natural disasters, epidemic disease, labor unrest, earnings expatriation restrictions, misappropriation of intellectual property, military actions, acts of terrorism, political and social unrest and difficulties in staffing and managing international operations. |
Any or all of these factors could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Moreover, local laws and customs in many countries differ significantly from or conflict with those in the United States or in other countries in which we operate. In many foreign countries, particularly in those with developing economies, it is common for others to engage in business practices that are prohibited by our internal policies and procedures or U.S. regulations applicable to us. There can be no assurance that our employees, contractors, channel partners, and agents will not take actions in violation of our policies and procedures, which are designed to ensure compliance with U.S. and foreign laws and policies. Violations of laws or key control policies by our employees, contractors, channel partners, or agents could result in termination of our relationship,
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financial reporting problems, fines, and/or penalties for us, or prohibition on the importation or exportation of our products, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We are exposed to fluctuations in currency exchange rates, which could negatively affect our financial condition and results of operations.
Because a majority of our business is conducted outside the United States, we face exposure to adverse movements in non-U.S. currency exchange rates. These exposures may change over time as business practices evolve and could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.
The majority of our revenues and expenses are transacted in U.S. Dollars. We also have some transactions that are denominated in foreign currencies, primarily the British Pound, Euro, Indian Rupee, and Japanese Yen related to our sales and service operations outside of the United States. An increase in the value of the U.S. Dollar could increase the real cost to our customers of our products in those markets outside the United States in which 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 to the extent we must purchase components in foreign currencies.
Currently, we hedge only those currency exposures associated with certain assets and liabilities denominated in nonfunctional currencies and periodically hedge anticipated foreign currency cash flows. The hedging activities undertaken by us are intended to offset the impact of currency fluctuations on certain nonfunctional currency assets and liabilities. However, such attempts to offset the impact of currency fluctuations are costly and no amount of hedging can be effective against all circumstances, including long-term declines in the value of the U.S. Dollar. If our attempts to hedge against these risks are not successful, or if long-term declines in the value of the U.S. Dollar persist, our financial condition and results of operations could be adversely impacted.
Integration of acquisitions could disrupt our business and harm our financial condition and stock price and may dilute the ownership of our stockholders.
We have made, and may continue to make, acquisitions in order to enhance our business. For example, in 2014, we acquired WANDL, Inc. and in 2012, we acquired Contrail Systems Inc. ("Contrail") and Mykonos Software, Inc. ("Mykonos"). Acquisitions involve numerous risks, including problems combining the purchased operations, technologies or products, unanticipated costs and liabilities, diversion of management's attention from our core businesses, adverse effects on existing business relationships with suppliers and customers, risks associated with entering markets in which we have no or limited prior experience, and potential loss of key employees. There can be no assurance that we will be able to integrate successfully any businesses, products, technologies, or personnel that we might acquire. The integration of businesses that we may acquire is likely to be a complex, time-consuming, and expensive process and we may not realize the anticipated revenues or other benefits associated with our acquisitions if we fail to successfully manage and operate the acquired business. If we fail in any acquisition integration efforts and are unable to efficiently operate as a combined organization utilizing common information and communication systems, operating procedures, financial controls, and human resources practices, our business, financial condition, and results of operations may be adversely affected.
In connection with certain acquisitions, we may agree to issue common stock or assume equity awards that dilute the ownership of our current stockholders, use a substantial portion of our cash resources, assume liabilities, record goodwill and amortizable intangible assets that will be subject to impairment testing on a regular basis and potential periodic impairment charges, incur amortization expenses related to certain intangible assets, and incur large and immediate write-offs and restructuring and other related expenses, all of which could harm our financial condition and results of operations.
The divestiture of our Junos Pulse product portfolio could disrupt our business and may not yield the intended benefits.
We recently completed the sale of our Junos Pulse product portfolio to an affiliate of Siris Capital, a private equity firm, for total consideration of $230.7 million, of which $105.7 million was in cash, net of a $19.3 million working capital adjustment, and $125.0 million was in the form of an 18-month non-contingent interest bearing promissory note issued to the Company. Since approximately $125.0 million of the transaction consideration is in the form of an 18-month non-contingent seller promissory note, there is also the risk that we may not receive the amount owed to us by the buyer under the note and that instead the Junos Pulse assets will return to us.
If we fail to adequately evolve our financial and managerial control and reporting systems and processes, our ability to manage and grow our business will be negatively affected.
Our ability to successfully offer our products and implement our business plan in a rapidly evolving market depends upon an effective planning and management process. We will need to continue to improve our financial and managerial control and our
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reporting systems and procedures in order to manage our business effectively in the future. If we fail to effectively implement improved systems and processes, our ability to manage our business, financial condition, and results of operations may be negatively affected.
Our products are highly technical and if they contain undetected defects errors or malware or do not meet customer quality expectations, our business could be adversely affected, and we may be subject to additional costs or lawsuits or be required to pay damages in connection with any alleged or actual failure of our products and services.
Our products are highly technical and complex, are critical to the operation of many networks, and, in the case of our security products, provide and monitor network security and may protect valuable information. Our products have contained and may contain one or more undetected errors, defects, malware, or security vulnerabilities. Some errors in our products may only be discovered after a product has been installed and used by end-customers. Any errors, defects, malware or security vulnerabilities discovered in our products after commercial release could result in monetary penalties, loss of revenues or delay in revenue recognition, loss of customers, loss of future business and reputation, penalties, and increased service and warranty cost, any of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. In addition, in the event an error, defect, malware, or vulnerability is attributable to a component supplied by a third-party vendor, we may not be able to recover from the vendor all of the costs of remediation that we may incur. In addition, we could face claims for product liability, tort, or breach of warranty or indemnification. Defending a lawsuit, regardless of its merit, is costly and may divert management’s attention. If our business liability insurance coverage is inadequate, or future coverage is unavailable on acceptable terms or at all, our financial condition and results of operations could be harmed. Moreover, if our products fail to satisfy our customers' quality expectations for whatever reason, the perception of and the demand for our products could be adversely affected.
If our products do not interoperate with our customers’ networks, installations will be delayed or cancelled and could harm our business.
Our products are designed to interface with our customers’ existing networks, each of which have different specifications and utilize multiple protocol standards and products from other vendors. Many of our customers’ networks contain multiple generations of products that have been added over time as these networks have grown and evolved. Our products must interoperate with many or all of the products within these networks as well as future products in order to meet our customers’ requirements. If we find errors in the existing software or defects in the hardware used in our customers’ networks, we may need to modify our software or hardware to fix or overcome these errors so that our products will interoperate and scale with the existing software and hardware, which could be costly and could negatively affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. In addition, if our products do not interoperate with those of our customers’ networks, demand for our products could be adversely affected or orders for our products could be cancelled. This could hurt our operating results, damage our reputation, and seriously harm our business and prospects.
Our products incorporate and rely upon licensed third-party technology, and if licenses of third-party technology do not continue to be available to us or are not available on terms acceptable to us, our revenues and ability to develop and introduce new products could be adversely affected.
We integrate licensed third-party technology into certain of our products. From time to time, we may be required to license additional technology from third-parties to develop new products or product enhancements. Third-party licenses may not be available or continue to be available to us on commercially reasonable terms. The failure to comply with the terms of any license, including free open source software, may result in our inability to continue to use such license. Our inability to maintain or re-license any third-party licenses required in our products or our inability to obtain third-party licenses necessary to develop new products and product enhancements, could require us, if possible, to develop substitute technology or obtain substitute technology of lower quality or performance standards or at a greater cost, any of which could delay or prevent product shipment and harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We sell our products to customers that use those products to build networks and IP infrastructure, and if the demand for network and IP systems does not continue to grow, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be adversely affected.
A substantial portion of our business and revenues depends on the growth of secure IP infrastructure and on the deployment of our products by customers that depend on the continued growth of IP services. As a result of changes in the economy, capital spending or the building of network capacity in excess of demand, all of which have in the past particularly affected telecommunications service providers, spending on IP infrastructure can vary, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. In addition, a number of our existing customers are evaluating the build-out of their next generation networks. During the decision-making period when our customers are determining the design of those
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networks and the selection of the equipment they will use in those networks, such customers may greatly reduce or suspend their spending on secure IP infrastructure. Such delays in purchases can make it more difficult to predict revenues from such customers can cause fluctuations in the level of spending by these customers and, even where our products are ultimately selected, can have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We are required to evaluate the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, and any adverse results from such evaluation may adversely affect investor perception, our stock price and cause us to incur additional expense.
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires our management to report on, and our independent auditors to attest to, the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. We have an ongoing program to perform the system and process evaluation and testing necessary to comply with these requirements. We have and will continue to incur significant expenses and devote management resources to Section 404 compliance on an ongoing basis. In the event that our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, or independent registered public accounting firm determine in the future that, our internal controls over financial reporting are not effective as defined under Section 404, investor perceptions may be adversely affected if our financial statements are not reliable and could cause a decline in the market price of our stock and otherwise negatively affect our liquidity and financial condition.
Failure to maintain our credit ratings could adversely affect our cost of funds and related margins, liquidity, competitive position and access to capital markets.
The major credit rating agencies routinely evaluate our indebtedness. This evaluation is based on a number of factors, which include financial strength as well as transparency with rating agencies and timeliness of financial reporting. There can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain our credit ratings and failure to do so could adversely affect our cost of funds and related margins, liquidity, competitive position and access to capital markets.
We may be unable to generate the cash flow to service our debt obligations, including the Senior Notes and the Revolving Credit Facility.
In February 2014, we issued $350.0 million aggregate principal amount of 4.50% senior unsecured notes due 2024 (the “2024 Notes”) and in March 2011, we issued $1.0 billion aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes (the “Senior Notes” and together with the 2024 Notes, the “Notes”), and (see discussion in Note 10, Long-Term Debt and Financing, in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements of this Report). As of December 31, 2014, we had $1,349.0 million in outstanding long-term debt. In June 2014, we entered into a Credit Agreement with certain institutional lenders that provides for a five year $500.0 million unsecured Revolving Credit Facility, with an option to increase the credit facility, up to a maximum of $700.0 million. The Credit Agreement will terminate in June 2019, at which point all amounts borrowed must be repaid. As of December 31, 2014, no amounts were outstanding under the Credit Agreement.
We may not be able to generate sufficient cash flow to enable us to service our indebtedness, including the Notes and the Revolving Credit Facility (if drawn upon) or to make anticipated capital expenditures. Our ability to pay our expenses and satisfy our debt obligations, refinance our debt obligations and fund planned capital expenditures will depend on our future performance, which will be affected by general economic, financial, competitive, legislative, regulatory and other factors beyond our control. Based upon current levels of operations, we believe cash flow from operations and available cash will be adequate for the foreseeable future to meet our anticipated requirements for working capital, capital expenditures and scheduled payments of principal and interest on our indebtedness, including the Notes and the Revolving Credit Facility (if drawn upon). However, if we are unable to generate sufficient cash flow from operations or to borrow sufficient funds in the future to service our debt, we may be required to sell assets, reduce capital expenditures, refinance all or a portion of our existing debt (including the Notes) or obtain additional financing. There is no assurance that we will be able to refinance our debt, sell assets or borrow more money on terms acceptable to us, or at all.
The indentures that govern the Notes contain various covenants that limit our ability and the ability of our subsidiaries to, among other things:
• | incur liens; |
• | incur sale and leaseback transactions; and |
• | consolidate or merge with or into, or sell substantially all of our assets to, another person. |
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The Credit Agreement contains two financial covenants along with customary affirmative and negative covenants that include the following:
• | maintenance of a leverage ratio no greater than 3.0x and an interest coverage ratio no less than 3.0x |
• | covenants that limit or restrict the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to, among other things, grant liens, merge or consolidate, dispose of all or substantially all of its assets, change their accounting or reporting policies, change their business and incur subsidiary indebtedness, in each case subject to customary exceptions for a credit facility of this size and type. |
As a result of these covenants, we are limited in the manner in which we can conduct our business, and we may be unable to engage in favorable business activities or finance future operations or capital needs. Accordingly, these restrictions may limit our ability to successfully operate our business. A failure to comply with these restrictions could lead to an event of default, which could result in an acceleration of the indebtedness. Our future operating results may not be sufficient to enable compliance with these covenants to remedy any such default. In addition, in the event of an acceleration, we may not have or be able to obtain sufficient funds to make any accelerated payments, including those under the Senior Notes, any notes issued in connection with the recently-announced capital return program discussed above and the Revolving Credit Facility (if drawn upon).
Our failure to pay quarterly dividends to our stockholders or the failure to meet our commitments to return capital to our stockholders could have a material adverse effect on our stock price.
In October 2014, we announced a cash dividend of $0.10 per share of common stock payable on December 23, 2014 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on December 2, 2014. Our ability to pay quarterly dividends will be subject to, among other things, our financial position and results of operations, available cash and cash flow, capital requirements and other factors. Any failure to pay or increase future dividends as announced, reduction or discontinuation of quarterly dividends could have a material adverse effect on our stock price.
In addition, our Board of Directors recently authorized a $1.1 billion increase to our current capital return plan, which includes a planned $1.5 billion of share repurchases before the end of the second quarter of 2015. The capital return plan will be funded by a combination of onshore cash, previously issued debt and potentially, additional debt financing, to preserve our financial flexibility to invest in future growth opportunities and maintain our investment grade credit rating. Any failure to meet our commitments to return capital to our shareholders could have a material adverse effect on our stock price.
The investment of our cash balance and our investments in government and corporate debt securities are subject to risks, which may cause losses and affect the liquidity of these investments.
At December 31, 2014, we had $1,639.6 million in cash and cash equivalents and $1,465.3 million in short- and long-term investments. We have invested these amounts primarily in asset-backed securities, certificates of deposit, commercial paper, corporate debt securities, foreign government debt securities, government- sponsored enterprise obligations, money market funds, mutual funds, publicly-traded equity securities, time deposits and U.S. government securities. Certain of these investments are subject to general credit, liquidity, market, sovereign debt, and interest rate risks. Our future investment income may fall short of expectations due to changes in interest rates or if the decline in fair value of our publicly traded debt or equity investments is judged to be other-than-temporary. These market risks associated with our investment portfolio may have a material adverse effect on our liquidity, financial condition, and results of operations.
Uninsured losses could harm our operating results.
We self-insure against many business risks and expenses, such as intellectual property litigation and our medical benefit programs, where we believe we can adequately self-insure against the anticipated exposure and risk or where insurance is either not deemed cost-effective or is not available. We also maintain a program of insurance coverage for various types of property, casualty, and other risks. We place our insurance coverage with various carriers in numerous jurisdictions. The types and amounts of insurance that we obtain vary from time to time and from location to location, depending on availability, cost, and our decisions with respect to risk retention. The policies are subject to deductibles, policy limits, and exclusions that result in our retention of a level of risk on a self-insurance basis. Losses not covered by insurance could be substantial and unpredictable and could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
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ITEM 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
Not applicable.
ITEM 2. Properties
Our corporate headquarters are located on 80 acres of owned land in Sunnyvale, California and includes approximately 0.7 million square feet of owned buildings. In addition to our owned facilities, we lease approximately 0.4 million square feet in buildings as part of our corporate headquarters.
In addition to our leased offices in Sunnyvale, we also lease offices in various locations throughout the United States, Canada, South America, EMEA, and APAC regions, including offices in Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, Russia, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. We lease approximately 2.1 million square feet worldwide, with approximately 36 percent in North America. Each leased facility is subject to an individual lease or sublease, which could provide various options to renew/terminate the agreement or to expand/contract the leased space.
Our leases expire at various times through October 31, 2024. We believe that our current offices are in good condition and appropriately support our business needs.
For additional information regarding obligations under our operating leases, see Note 16, Commitments and Contingencies, in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of Part II of this Report, which is incorporated by reference herein. For additional information regarding properties by geographic region, see Note 13, Segment Information, in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of Part II of this Report, which is incorporated by reference herein.
ITEM 3. Legal Proceedings
The information set forth under the heading “Legal Proceedings” in Note 16, Commitments and Contingencies, in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of Part II of this Report, is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.
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PART II
ITEM 5. Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Price Range of Common Stock
The principal market in which our common stock is traded is the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") under the symbol JNPR. The following table sets forth the high and low sales prices for our common stock for each full quarterly period within the two most recent fiscal years as reported on the NYSE.
2014 | 2013 | ||||||||||||||
High | Low | High | Low | ||||||||||||
First quarter | $ | 28.75 | $ | 22.28 | $ | 22.98 | $ | 18.47 | |||||||
Second quarter | $ | 26.88 | $ | 23.81 | $ | 19.62 | $ | 15.62 | |||||||
Third quarter | $ | 25.19 | $ | 21.90 | $ | 22.25 | $ | 18.71 | |||||||
Fourth quarter | $ | 23.10 | $ | 18.41 | $ | 22.71 | $ | 18.36 | |||||||
Stockholders
As of February 13, 2015, there were 943 stockholders of record of our common stock and we believe a substantially greater number of beneficial owners who hold shares through brokers, banks or other nominees.
Dividends
We paid quarterly cash dividends in the third and fourth quarter of 2014 of $0.10 per share totaling $86.0 million, and paid no cash dividends in fiscal 2013. The declaration and amount of any future cash dividends are at the discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend on our financial performance, economic outlook, and any other relevant considerations. See Note 18, Subsequent Events, in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of Part II of this Report for our dividend declaration subsequent to December 31, 2014.
Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers
The following table provides share repurchase activity during the three months ended December 31, 2014 (in millions, except per share amounts):
Period | Total Number of Shares Purchased (1) | Average Price Paid per Share (1) | Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs (2) | Maximum Dollar Value of Shares that May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs (2) | |||||||||
October 1 - October 31, 2014 | 1.3 | $ | 20.34 | 1.2 | $ | 1,650.0 | |||||||
November 1 - November 30, 2014 | 14.6 | $ | 21.15 | 14.6 | $ | 1,340.9 | |||||||
December 1 - December 31, 2014 | 7.6 | $ | 22.05 | 7.5 | $ | 1,175.0 | |||||||
Total | 23.5 | $ | 21.40 | 23.3 | |||||||||
________________________________
(1) | Amounts include repurchases under our stock repurchase programs and repurchases of our common stock for our employees in connection with net issuances of shares to satisfy minimum tax withholding obligations for the vesting of certain stock awards. The amount of shares of common stock repurchased from our employees in connection with minimum tax withholdings was not significant during the three months ended December 31, 2014. |
(2) | Shares were repurchased under our stock repurchase program approved by the Board in February 2014 and October 2014, which authorized us to purchase an aggregate of up to $3.4 billion of our common stock. Future share repurchases under our capital return plan will be subject to a review of the circumstances in place at that time and will be made from time to time in private transactions or open market purchases as permitted by securities laws and other legal requirements. This program may be discontinued at any time. |
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Company Stock Performance
The graph below shows the cumulative total stockholder return over a five-year period assuming the investment of $100 on December 31, 2009, in each of Juniper Networks' common stock (with the reinvestment of all dividends), the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index (“S&P 500”), the NYSE Dow Jones Industrial Average (“DJI”), and the NASDAQ Telecommunications Index (“IXTC”). The graph shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into other SEC filings; nor deemed to be soliciting material or filed with the Commission or subject to Regulation 14A or 14C or subject to Section 18 of the Exchange Act. The comparisons in the graph below are based upon historical data and are not indicative of, or intended to forecast, future performance of our common stock.
Stock Performance Graph
As of December 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | ||||||||||||||||||
JNPR | $ | 100.00 | $ | 210.85 | $ | 116.56 | $ | 112.34 | $ | 128.90 | $ | 128.60 | |||||||||||
S&P 500 | $ | 100.00 | $ | 145.51 | $ | 148.59 | $ | 172.37 | $ | 228.19 | $ | 259.43 | |||||||||||
DJI | $ | 100.00 | $ | 139.81 | $ | 151.47 | $ | 166.87 | $ | 216.20 | $ | 237.88 | |||||||||||
IXTC | $ | 100.00 | $ | 154.06 | $ | 134.62 | $ | 137.31 | $ | 170.29 | $ | 185.46 | |||||||||||
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ITEM 6. Selected Financial Data
The following selected consolidated financial data should be read in conjunction with Item 7, “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and the Consolidated Financial Statements and the notes thereto in Item 8, “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data,” of this Report, which are incorporated herein by reference.
The information presented below reflects the impact of certain significant transactions and the adoption of certain accounting pronouncements, which makes a direct comparison difficult between each of the last five fiscal years. For a complete description of matters affecting the results in the tables below during the three years ended December 31, 2014, see “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” in Item 8 of Part II of this Report.
Consolidated Statements of Operations Data
Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||||
2014(a) | 2013(b) | 2012(c) | 2011(d) | 2010(e) | |||||||||||||||
(In millions, except per share amounts) | |||||||||||||||||||
Net revenues | $ | 4,627.1 | $ | 4,669.1 | $ | 4,365.4 | $ | 4,448.7 | $ | 4,093.3 | |||||||||
Cost of revenues | 1,768.9 | 1,727.7 | 1,656.6 | 1,580.1 | 1,351.5 | ||||||||||||||
Gross margin | 2,858.2 | 2,941.4 | 2,708.8 | 2,868.6 | 2,741.8 | ||||||||||||||
Operating expenses | 3,277.9 | 2,375.5 | 2,400.7 | 2,250.1 | 1,974.2 | ||||||||||||||
Operating (loss) income | (419.7 | ) | 565.9 | 308.1 | 618.5 | 767.6 | |||||||||||||
Other income (expense), net | 333.4 | (40.4 | ) | (16.6 | ) | (46.8 | ) | 10.6 | |||||||||||
(Loss) income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest | (86.3 | ) | 525.5 | 291.5 | 571.7 | 778.2 | |||||||||||||
Income tax provision | 248.0 | 85.7 | 105.0 | 146.7 | 158.8 | ||||||||||||||
Consolidated net (loss) income | (334.3 | ) | 439.8 | 186.5 | 425.0 | 619.4 | |||||||||||||
Adjust for net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest | — | — | — | 0.1 | (1.0 | ) | |||||||||||||
Net (loss) income attributable to Juniper Networks | $ | (334.3 | ) | $ | 439.8 | $ | 186.5 | $ | 425.1 | $ | 618.4 | ||||||||
Net (loss) income per share attributable to Juniper Networks common stockholders: | |||||||||||||||||||
Basic | $ | (0.73 | ) | $ | 0.88 | $ | 0.36 | $ | 0.80 | $ | 1.18 | ||||||||
Diluted | $ | (0.73 | ) | $ | 0.86 | $ | 0.35 | $ | 0.79 | $ | 1.15 | ||||||||
Shares used in computing net income per share: | |||||||||||||||||||
Basic | 457.4 | 501.8 | 520.9 | 529.8 | 522.4 | ||||||||||||||
Diluted | 457.4 | 510.3 | 526.2 | 541.4 | 538.8 | ||||||||||||||
Cash dividends declared per common stock | $ | 0.20 | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | |||||||||
________________________________
(a) | Includes the following significant pre-tax items: Impairment of goodwill of $850.0 million, restructuring and other charges of $208.5 million, gain on the sale of equity investments of $163.0 million, gain, net of legal fees in connection with the litigation settlement with Palo Alto Networks, Inc., of $196.1 million, gain on sale of Junos Pulse of $19.6 million, and interest expense on debt (net of amounts capitalized) of $57.5 million. Income tax has been provided on the pre-tax loss primarily due to the non-deductible goodwill charge. In addition, includes $52.8 million of significant tax items related to the gain on the sale of Junos Pulse offset by the release of the Company’s valuation allowance attributable to investment losses. |
(b) | Includes the following significant pre-tax items: restructuring and other charges of $47.5 million, interest expense on debt (net of amounts capitalized) of $45.2 million, and an increase in depreciation expense within research and development of $28.3 million related to a change in estimate of the useful lives of certain computers and equipment. In addition, includes $64.2 million of significant tax items for a multi-year claim related to the U.S. production activities deduction, a tax settlement with the IRS, and the reinstatement of the U.S. federal R&D tax credit on January 2, 2013 retroactive to January 1, 2012. |
(c) | Includes the following significant pre-tax items: restructuring and other charges of $99.7 million, interest expense on debt (net of amounts capitalized) of $40.0 million, and a net gain on privately-held investments of $25.5 million. |
(d) | Includes the following significant pre-tax items: restructuring and other charges of $30.6 million and interest expense on debt (net of amounts capitalized) of $37.7 million. |
(e) | Includes pre-tax restructuring charges of $10.8 million. In addition, includes a non-recurring income tax benefit of $54.1 million recorded in the first quarter from a change in estimate of unrecognized tax benefits related to share-based compensation. |
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Consolidated Balance Sheet Data
As of December 31, | |||||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | |||||||||||||||
(In millions) | |||||||||||||||||||
Cash, cash equivalents, and investments | $ | 3,104.9 | $ | 4,097.8 | $ | 3,837.4 | $ | 4,292.4 | $ | 2,821.6 | |||||||||
Working capital | 1,444.2 | 2,262.5 | 2,178.7 | 2,973.0 | 1,742.4 | ||||||||||||||
Goodwill | 2,981.5 | 4,057.7 | 4,057.8 | 3,928.1 | 3,927.8 | ||||||||||||||
Total assets | 8,403.1 | 10,326.0 | 9,832.1 | 9,983.8 | 8,467.9 | ||||||||||||||
Long-term debt | 1,349.0 | 999.3 | 999.2 | 999.0 | — | ||||||||||||||
Total long-term liabilities (excluding long-term debt) | 607.3 | 583.1 | 411.4 | 428.4 | 387.1 | ||||||||||||||
Total Juniper Networks stockholders' equity | $ | 4,919.1 | $ | 7,302.2 | $ | 6,999.0 | $ | 7,089.2 | $ | 6,608.2 | |||||||||
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ITEM 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following discussion should be read with the Consolidated Financial Statements and the related notes in Item 8, of this Report.
The following discussion is based upon our Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this Report, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”). In the course of operating our business, we routinely make decisions as to the timing of the payment of invoices, the collection of receivables, the manufacturing and shipment of products, the fulfillment of orders, the purchase of supplies, and the building of inventory and spare parts, among other matters. Each of these decisions has some impact on the financial results for any given period. In making these decisions, we consider various factors including contractual obligations, customer satisfaction, competition, internal and external financial targets and expectations, and financial planning objectives. For further information about our critical accounting policies and estimates, see “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” section included in this “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”
To aid in understanding our operating results for the periods covered by this Report, we have provided an executive overview and a summary of the business and market environment. These sections should be read in conjunction with the more detailed discussion and analysis of our consolidated financial condition and results of operations in this Item 7, our “Risk Factors” section included in Item 1A of Part I, and our Consolidated Financial Statements and notes thereto included in Item 8 of Part II of this Report.
Business and Market Environment
At Juniper Networks, we design, develop, and sell products and services for high-performance networks to enable customers to build highly scalable, reliable, secure and cost-effective networks for their businesses, while achieving agility, efficiency and value through automation. We focus on customers and partners across our key verticals who view these network attributes as fundamental to their business; including global service providers, enterprises, financial services, cloud hosting providers, governments, research, and public sector organizations. Product and solution differentiation, with a relentless customer focus, will allow us to achieve our primary goal of growing revenue faster than the market.
We sell our products in more than 100 countries in three geographic regions: Americas; Europe, Middle East, and Africa ("EMEA"); and Asia Pacific ("APAC"). We sell our high-performance routing, switching, and security network products and service offerings to service provider and enterprise markets. Our silicon, systems, and software represent innovations that transform the economics and experience of networking, helping customers achieve superior performance, greater choice, and flexibility, while reducing overall total cost of ownership. In addition to our products, we offer technical support and professional services, as well as education and training programs to our customers. Together, our high-performance product and service offerings help our customers convert legacy networks that provide commoditized services into more valuable assets that provide differentiation, value, and increased performance, reliability, and security to end-users.
During 2014, we saw a slight decline in net revenues year-over-year, primarily due to reduced spending by U.S. Carriers, however the diversity in our business across verticals such as Cloud and Cable Providers helped to partially offset the decline. We expect the overall revenue environment to be challenging over the next several quarters, as market dynamics, including consolidation, are impacting demand from our largest U.S. service provider customers. We believe our product gross margins may continue to vary in the future due to competitive pricing pressures, which may be offset by additional operational efficiencies. Nevertheless, we are focused on executing our strategy that is focused on designing, developing and selling products and services for high-performance networks. We believe our product portfolio continues to be strong, and we remain focused on operational excellence, cost discipline and targeted growth initiatives.
In 2014, we continued to invest in innovation and strengthening our product portfolio, which resulted in new product offerings across routing, switching, and security. In routing, we announced a virtualized version of our flagship MX Series 3D Universal Edge Routing platform, the vMX 3D Universal Edge Router, to deliver the industry's first full-featured, carrier-grade virtualized router, giving service providers and enterprises the ability to seamlessly leverage the benefits of both virtual and physical networking. In switching, to address the networking requirements of large cloud providers and enterprise customers who build large and massive scale data centers, we announced OCX1100, the first switch to combine Open Compute Project (OCP) hardware design with a carrier-class network operating system, Junos OS. We also announced a new line of EX4600 Ethernet switches to fulfill the increasing demands for highly available access to cloud services and applications across enterprise campus networks.
Additionally, we expanded our SDN portfolio with new software and hardware, including the NorthStar Controller, a new traffic-engineering controller leveraging open, industry-standard protocols built to optimize service providers’ transport networks, as well as the Junos Fusion software that controls thousands of independent network elements from a single management plane.
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Key strategic technology partnerships also delivered new solutions to address the high-performance network requirements of our service provider and enterprise customers. Through integration with Gainspeed’s technology and our MX Series 3D Universal Edge Routers and EX Series Switches, we announced the Virtual Converged Cable Access Platform, allowing cable operators to better automate and scale their edge/access infrastructure while creating a platform for new cloud-based services. Additionally, we partnered with Nokia to advance the Telco Cloud for mobile broadband and accelerate service creation by bringing together Nokia's leading Liquid Core solution and the Juniper Networks MetaFabric™ data center architecture, including Contrail. Furthermore, we signed a go to market agreement with Aruba to deliver an open, converged enterprise network solution by integrating Aruba mobility solutions with Juniper enterprise switches and routers, delivering ongoing product innovation to enterprise customers.
For security, we announced Firefly Perimeter a virtual version of our SRX Series Service Gateway, new advancements in our Spotlight Secure threat intelligence platform, Junos Space Virtual Director, an application that automates the management and deployment of Firefly Perimeter, as well as Juniper Argon Secure, an advanced anti-malware service.
Due to the recent underperformance of our security products and efforts to refocus our security offerings, we recorded a goodwill impairment charge of $850.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2014. We intend to focus on stabilizing revenues in our security reporting unit in 2015, and, as a result, we are pivoting our security strategy to focus on building integrated solutions that focus on network resiliency and business continuity across cloud, data center, branch, campus, and service provider mobile infrastructure, by taking advantage of the existing and ongoing innovation of our Junos-based SRX platform.
In 2014, we implemented a series of initiatives designed to streamline our organization, improve operational efficiencies, rationalize our product portfolios, and return capital to our shareholders. These actions were largely completed by the end of 2014.
In the first quarter of 2014, we realigned our organization into a One-Juniper structure, which included consolidating each of our research and development ("R&D") and go-to-market functions to reduce complexity, increase clarity of responsibilities, and improve efficiency.
To improve operational efficiency, in 2014, we implemented various restructuring activities and structural cost saving actions across research and development, sales and marketing, and general and administrative expenses. We completed the 2014 restructuring plan through workforce reductions, facility consolidations or closures, asset write-downs, contract terminations and other actions. As a result, we recorded a total restructuring charge of $207.7 million in cost of sales and restructuring and other charges. In connection with the rationalization of our product portfolio, we completed the sale of Junos Pulse for total consideration of $230.7 million which resulted in a gain of $19.6 million in other income (expense), net in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. As a result of these cost management actions, we achieved our total annualized operating expense savings commitment of $260.0 million compared to the fourth quarter of 2013.
In addition to these cost reduction activities, we introduced a capital allocation program to return capital to our stockholders through share repurchases and dividends. In 2014, we returned $2.3 billion of capital to our stockholders through the completion of a $1.2 billion accelerated share repurchase program ("ASR") and the repurchase of $1.1 billion of our common stock subsequent to the ASR. We also paid two quarterly cash dividends of $0.10 per share for an aggregate amount of $86.0 million and issued $350.0 million aggregate principal amount of 4.50% senior notes due 2024 ("2024 Notes"), which allowed us to partially fund the ASR. We intend to return $1.0 billion of aggregate share repurchases by the end of the second quarter of 2015 subject to raising additional debt financing.
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Financial Results and Key Performance Metrics Overview
The following table provides an overview of our key financial metrics for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012 (in millions, except per share amounts, percentages, days sales outstanding ("DSO"), and book-to-bill):
As of and for the Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2014 vs. 2013 | 2013 vs. 2012 | |||||||||
$ Change | % Change | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||
Net revenues | $4,627.1 | $4,669.1 | $4,365.4 | $(42.0) | (1)% | $303.7 | 7% | ||||||
Gross Margin | $2,858.2 | $2,941.4 | $2,708.8 | $(83.2) | (3)% | $232.6 | 9% | ||||||
Percentage of net revenues | 61.8% | 63.0% | 62.1% | ||||||||||
Operating (loss) income | $(419.7) | $565.9 | $308.1 | $(985.6) | (174)% | $257.8 | 84% | ||||||
Percentage of net revenues | (9.1)% | 12.1% | 7.1% | ||||||||||
Net (loss) income | $(334.3) | $439.8 | $186.5 | $(774.1) | (176)% | $253.3 | 136% | ||||||
Percentage of net revenues | (7.2)% | 9.4% | 4.3% | ||||||||||
Net (loss) income per share | |||||||||||||
Basic | $(0.73) | $0.88 | $0.36 | $(1.61) | (183)% | $0.52 | 144% | ||||||
Diluted | $(0.73) | $0.86 | $0.35 | $(1.59) | (185)% | $0.51 | 146% | ||||||
Cash dividends declared per common stock | $0.20 | $— | $— | $0.20 | —% | $— | —% | ||||||
Stock repurchase plan activity | $2,250.0 | $570.6 | $645.6 | $1,679.4 | 294% | $(75.0) | (12)% | ||||||
Operating cash flows | $763.4 | $845.9 | $637.7 | $(82.5) | (10)% | $208.2 | 33% | ||||||
DSO (*) | 49 | 41 | 35 | 8 | 20% | 6 | 17% | ||||||
Book-to-bill (*) | >1 | >1 | >1 | ||||||||||
Deferred revenue | $1,075.7 | $1,069.3 | 923.4 | $6.4 | 1% | $145.9 | 16% | ||||||
________________________________
(*) | DSO and book-to-bill are for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012. |
• | Net Revenues: During 2014, net revenues were slightly down, compared to 2013, as a result of a decline in net revenues from US carriers, partially offset by growing demand from cloud providers in the Americas, as well as improving demand among service provider in EMEA. The year-over-year decline in our net revenues was primarily due to a decrease in net revenues from our routing and security products, partially offset by an increase in our switching products revenue and service revenue. |
During 2013, compared to 2012, we experienced net revenue growth in the Americas, in both service provider and enterprise, offset by a decline in revenue in APAC and EMEA. The year-over-year increase in our net revenues during 2013 was primarily due to increases in edge routing, switching, and service revenue, partially offset by a decline in our security products revenue.
• | Gross Margin: Our gross margin as a percentage of net revenues decreased during 2014, compared to 2013, as a result of higher inventory charges driven by product rationalizations in connection with our 2014 Restructuring Plan and charges related to an industry-wide memory product quality defect for a component from a third party supplier. |
During 2013, compared to 2012, our gross margin as a percentage of net revenues increased primarily due to higher restructuring and other charges recorded in 2012, partially offset by higher inventory provisions in 2013 for legacy platforms.
• | Operating (Loss) Income: During 2014, compared to 2013, we experienced a decline in operating (loss) income as a percentage of net revenues, primarily due to an $850.0 million goodwill impairment charge related to the Security reporting |
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unit recorded in the fourth quarter of 2014, restructuring and other charges of $207.7 million, related to severance, facility consolidations and closures, asset-write-offs, and contract terminations in connection with our 2014 Restructuring Plan, as well as a component remediation charge of $20.7 million relating to the memory product quality defect.
Our operating income as a percentage of revenues increased in 2013, compared to 2012, primarily due to growth in net revenues. Also contributing to the increase in operating income were lower restructuring and other charges of $52.2 million compared to 2012.
• | Cash Dividends Declared per Common Stock: During 2014, we declared two quarterly cash dividends of $0.10 per share, payable on September 23, 2014 and on December 23, 2014 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on September 2, 2014 and December 2, 2014, respectively, in the aggregate amount of $86.0 million. We had not previously paid cash dividends. |
• | Stock Repurchase Plan Activity: Under our stock repurchase program, we repurchased approximately 96.1 million shares of our common stock in the open market at an average price of $23.41 per share for an aggregate purchase of $2,250.0 million during the year ended December 31, 2014. |
• | Operating Cash Flows: Operating cash flows decreased in 2014, compared to 2013, primarily due to lower cash collections from customers, higher payments primarily related to our 2014 restructuring plans, higher taxes paid, and lower prepayments compared to prior year. |
Operating cash flows increased in 2013, compared to 2012, primarily due to the timing of payments to our vendors, higher deferred revenue, and lower taxes paid, partially offset by the timing of payments for incentive compensation to our employees and the timing of receipts from our customers.
• | DSO: DSO is calculated as the ratio of ending accounts receivable, net of allowances, divided by average daily net sales for the preceding 90 days. DSO for the quarter ended December 31, 2014 increased by 8 days, or 20% compared to the quarter ended December 31, 2013. During 2014, we transitioned certain distribution partners from a third party financing program to Juniper's commercial payment terms. Going forward, we expect DSO to be in the range of 45 to 55 days. |
DSO increased by 6 days or 17% for the quarter ended December 31, 2013 compared to the quarter ended December 31, 2012. The increase was primarily due to large multi-year service renewals at the end of the period which increased our outstanding receivables compared to the same period in 2012.
• | Book-to-Bill: Book-to-bill represents the ratio of product orders booked divided by product revenues during the respective period. Book-to-bill was greater than one for the quarters ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, indicating strong product demand. |
• | Deferred Revenue: Total deferred revenue increased slightly by $6.4 million to $1,075.7 million as of December 31, 2014, compared to $1,069.3 million as of December 31, 2013, primarily due to an increase in deferred service revenue of $25.8 million, primarily driven by the execution of several multi-year support agreements and annual agreement renewals. The increase in deferred service revenue was partially offset by a decrease in deferred product revenue of $19.4 million as a result of lower distributor inventory and multiple revenue releases in relation to previously deferred product revenue. |
As of December 31, 2013 compared to December 31, 2012, total deferred revenue increased by $145.9 million, primarily due to an increase in deferred service revenue driven by the execution of several multi-year support agreements, and to a lesser extent an increase in annual agreement renewals, slightly offset by a decrease in deferred product revenue.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
The preparation of the financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires us to make judgments, assumptions, and estimates that affect the amounts reported in the Consolidated Financial Statements and the accompanying notes. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates, including those related to sales returns, pricing credits, warranty costs, allowance for doubtful accounts, impairment of long-term assets, especially goodwill and intangible assets, contract manufacturer exposures for carrying and obsolete material charges, assumptions used in the valuation of share-based compensation, and litigation. We base our estimates and assumptions on current facts, historical experience, and various other factors that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. For further information about our significant accounting policies, see Note 2,
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Significant Accounting Policies, in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of Part II of this Report, which describes the significant accounting policies and methods used in the preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements. The accounting policies described below are significantly affected by critical accounting estimates. Such accounting policies require significant judgments, assumptions, and estimates used in the preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements and actual results could differ materially from the amounts reported based on these policies. To the extent there are material differences between our estimates and the actual results, our future consolidated results of operations may be affected.
• | Goodwill. We make significant estimates, assumptions, and judgments when valuing goodwill and other intangible assets in connection with the initial purchase price allocation of an acquired entity, as well as when evaluating impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets on an ongoing basis. These estimates are based upon a number of factors, including historical experience, market conditions, and information obtained from the management of the acquired company. Critical estimates in valuing certain intangible assets include, but are not limited to, historical and projected customer retention rates, anticipated growth in revenue from the acquired customer and product base, and the expected use of the acquired assets. These factors are also considered in determining the useful life of the acquired intangible assets. The amounts and useful lives assigned to identified intangible assets impacts the amount and timing of future amortization expense. |
Goodwill represents the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination or an acquisition that are not individually identified and separately recorded. The excess of the purchase price over the estimated fair value of net assets of businesses acquired in a business combination is recognized as goodwill. We evaluate our goodwill for impairment on an annual basis, as of November 1st, or more frequently if an event occurs or facts and circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of our reporting units below their carrying amount.
Goodwill is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level, which is one level below our operating segment level, by comparing the reporting unit's carrying value, including goodwill, to the fair value of the reporting unit. The reporting units are determined based on the components of our operating segment that constitutes a business for which discrete financial information is available and segment management regularly review the operating results of the component.
The provisions of the accounting standard for goodwill and other intangibles allows us to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform the two-step quantitative goodwill impairment test. While we are permitted to conduct a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is necessary to perform a two-step quantitative goodwill impairment test, for our annual goodwill impairment test in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, we performed a quantitative test for all of our reporting units.
Our goodwill impairment test involves a two-step process to identify goodwill impairment and measure the amount of goodwill impairment loss to be recognized, if any. The first step tests for potential impairment by comparing the fair value of reporting units with the reporting unit’s net asset values. If the fair value of the reporting units exceeds the carrying value of the reporting unit’s net assets, goodwill is not impaired and no further testing is required. If the fair value of the reporting units does not exceed the carrying value of the net assets assigned to the reporting unit, then we perform the second step of the impairment test in order to determine the implied fair value of the reporting unit's goodwill. The second step requires an assignment of the reporting unit’s fair value to the reporting unit’s assets and liabilities, using the relevant acquisition accounting guidance, to determine the implied fair value of the reporting unit’s goodwill. The implied fair value of the reporting unit’s goodwill is then compared with the carrying amount of the reporting unit’s goodwill, and if the carrying value of a reporting unit's goodwill exceeds its implied fair value, we record an impairment loss equal to the difference.
In the first step, the fair value of each of our reporting units is determined using both the income and market valuation approaches. We believe the income approach and the market approach are equally representative of the reporting unit’s fair value. Under the income approach, the fair value of the reporting unit is based on the present value of estimated future cash flows that the reporting unit is expected to generate over its remaining life. Under the market approach, the value of the reporting unit is based on an analysis that compares the value of the reporting unit to values of publicly-traded companies in similar lines of business. In the application of the income and market valuation approaches, we are required to make estimates of future operating trends and judgments on discount rates and other variables. Determining the fair value of a reporting unit is highly judgmental in nature and involves the use of significant estimates and assumptions. We base our fair value estimates on assumptions we believe to be reasonable but that are unpredictable and inherently uncertain. Actual future results related to assumed variables could differ from these estimates. In addition, we make certain judgments and assumptions in allocating shared assets and liabilities to determine the carrying values for each of our reporting units.
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Under the income approach, we calculate the fair value of a reporting unit based on the present value of estimated future cash flows. Cash flow projections are based on management's estimates of revenue growth rates and operating margins, taking into consideration industry and market conditions. The discount rate used is based on the weighted-average cost of capital adjusted for the relevant risk associated with business-specific characteristics and the uncertainty related to the business's ability to execute on the projected cash flows. Under the market approach, we estimate the fair value based on market multiples of revenue and earnings derived from comparable publicly-traded companies with similar operating and investment characteristics as the reporting units, and then apply a control premium which is determined by considering control premiums offered as part of the acquisitions that have occurred in market segments that are comparable with our reporting units. The income approach and the market approach are equally weighted to derive the fair value of the reporting unit.
Prior to the second step, the long-lived assets, such as property, plant, and equipment, and purchased intangible assets subject to amortization, are reviewed for impairment. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset, or asset group, to estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset, or asset group. If needed, an impairment charge is recognized by the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset, or asset group, exceeds its fair value.
In the second step, the reporting unit's fair value is allocated to all of the assets and liabilities, including any unrecognized intangible assets; such as, existing technology, backlog, and customer relationships, in a hypothetical analysis that calculates the implied fair value of goodwill in the same manner as if the reporting unit was being acquired in a business combination. If the implied fair value of the reporting unit's goodwill is less than the carrying value, the difference is recorded as an impairment loss. Assumptions used in measuring the fair value of these assets and liabilities included the discount rates, customer renewal rates, and technology obsolescence rates used in valuing intangible assets, and pricing of comparable transactions in the market in valuing the tangible assets.
During our fiscal year 2014 annual goodwill impairment test, our reporting units were: Routing, Switching and Security.
The fair value of the Routing and Switching reporting units significantly exceeded their carrying value. However the fair value of the Security reporting unit did not exceed its carrying value and therefore we determined the Security reporting unit’s goodwill was impaired. In 2014, we re-aligned our go-to-market and research and development resources on projects with the highest potential for growth and continued to leverage our engineering efforts across our Routing, Switching, and Security products. In the fourth quarter of 2014, we began to implement a new Security strategy focused on network resiliency and performance based on the SRX platform. As a result, we rationalized our Security product portfolio including developing a new product roadmap and exiting certain point products, including the divestiture of Junos Pulse. These factors decreased our short-term and near-term revenue and profitability forecasts of the Security reporting unit.
As a result, the carrying value of the Security reporting unit's goodwill exceeded the implied fair value of goodwill, resulting in a goodwill impairment charge of $850.0 million which was recorded in the Consolidated Statement of Operations.
Refer to Item 8 of Part II, Note 7, Goodwill and Purchased Intangible Assets, of the notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, for further information.
• | Inventory Valuation and Contract Manufacturer Liabilities. Inventory consists primarily of component parts to be used in the manufacturing process and is stated at lower of average cost or market. A provision is recorded when inventory is determined to be in excess of anticipated demand or obsolete, to adjust inventory to its estimated realizable value. In determining the provision, we also consider estimated recovery rates based on the nature of the inventory. As of December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, our inventory balances were $62.5 million and $52.7 million, respectively. |
We establish a liability for non-cancelable, non-returnable purchase commitments with our contract manufacturers for quantities in excess of our demand forecasts or obsolete materials charges for components purchased by the contract manufacturers based on our demand forecasts or customer orders. We also take estimated recoveries of aged inventory into consideration when determining the liability. As of December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, our contract manufacturer liabilities were $25.3 million and $22.9 million, respectively.
Significant judgment is used in establishing our forecasts of future demand, recovery rates based on the nature and age of inventory, and obsolete material exposures. We perform a detailed analysis and review of data used in establishing our demand forecasts. If the actual component usage and product demand are significantly lower than forecast, which may be caused by factors within and outside of our control, or if there were a higher incidence of inventory obsolescence
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because of rapidly changing technology and our customer requirements, we may be required to increase our inventory write-downs and contract manufacturer liabilities, which could have an adverse impact on our gross margins and profitability. We regularly evaluate our exposure for inventory write-downs and adequacy of our contract manufacturer liabilities. Inventory and supply chain management remains an area of focus as we balance the risk of material obsolescence and supply chain flexibility in order to reduce lead times.
• | Revenue recognition. Revenue is recognized when all of the following criteria have been met: (1) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, (2) delivery has occurred, (3) sales price is fixed or determinable, and (4) collectability is reasonably assured. We enter into contracts to sell our products and services, and while some of our sales agreements contain standard terms and conditions, there are agreements that contain multiple elements or non-standard terms and conditions. As a result, significant contract interpretation may be required to determine the appropriate accounting, including whether the deliverables specified in a multiple element arrangement should be treated as separate units of accounting for revenue recognition purposes, and, if so, how the price should be allocated among the elements and when to recognize revenue for each element. Changes in the allocation of the sales price between elements may impact the timing of revenue recognition but will not change the total revenue recognized on the contract. |
Under our revenue recognition policies, we allocate revenue to each element based on a selling price hierarchy. The selling price for a deliverable is based on our vendor-specific objective evidence (“VSOE”) if available, third-party evidence ("TPE") if VSOE is not available, or estimated selling price (“ESP”) if neither VSOE nor TPE is available. We establish VSOE of selling price using the price charged for a deliverable when sold separately. TPE of selling price is established by evaluating largely interchangeable competitor products or services in stand-alone sales to similarly situated customers. We do not use TPE as we do not consider our products to be similar or interchangeable to our competitors' products in standalone sales to similarly situated customers. ESP is established considering internal factors such as margin objectives, pricing practices and controls, customer segment pricing strategies and product life cycle. Consideration is also given to market conditions such as industry pricing strategies and technology life cycles. When determining ESP, we apply management judgment to establish margin objectives and pricing strategies and to evaluate market conditions and product life cycles. Revenue from maintenance service contracts is deferred and recognized ratably over the contractual support period, which is generally one to three years.
• | Income Taxes. We are subject to income taxes in the United States and numerous foreign jurisdictions. Significant judgment is required in evaluating our uncertain tax positions and determining our taxes. Although we believe our reserves are reasonable, no assurance can be given that the final tax outcome of these matters will not be different from that which is reflected in our historical income tax provisions and accruals. We adjust these reserves in light of changing facts and circumstances, such as the closing of a tax audit or the refinement of an estimate. To the extent that the final tax outcome of these matters is different than the amounts recorded, such differences will affect the provision for income taxes in the period in which such determination is made. |
Significant judgment is also required in determining any valuation allowance recorded against deferred tax assets. In assessing the need for a valuation allowance, we consider all available evidence, including past operating results, estimates of future taxable income, and the feasibility of tax planning strategies. In the event that we change our determination as to the amount of deferred tax assets that can be realized, we will adjust our valuation allowance with a corresponding impact to the provision for income taxes in the period in which such determination is made.
Our provision for income taxes is subject to volatility and could be adversely affected by earnings being lower than anticipated in countries that have lower tax rates and higher than anticipated in countries that have higher tax rates; by changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities; by expiration of or lapses in the R&D tax credit laws; by transfer pricing adjustments, including the effect of acquisitions on our intercompany R&D cost-sharing arrangement and legal structure; by tax effects of nondeductible compensation; by tax costs related to intercompany realignments; by changes in accounting principles; or by changes in tax laws and regulations, including possible U.S. changes to the taxation of earnings of our foreign subsidiaries, the deductibility of expenses attributable to foreign income, or the foreign tax credit rules. In addition, OECD’s contemplated changes to numerous long-standing tax principles, if finalized and adopted by countries, will increase tax uncertainty and may adversely affect our provision for income taxes. Significant judgment is required to determine the recognition and measurement attributes prescribed in the accounting guidance for uncertainty in income taxes. The accounting guidance for uncertainty in income taxes applies to all income tax positions, including the potential recovery of previously paid taxes, which if settled unfavorably could adversely affect our provision for income taxes or additional paid-in capital. In addition, we are subject to the continuous examination of our income tax returns by the IRS and other tax authorities. We regularly assess the likelihood of adverse outcomes resulting from these examinations to determine the adequacy of our provision for income taxes. There can be no assurance that the outcomes from these continuous examinations will not have an adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition.
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• | Loss Contingencies. We use significant judgment and assumptions to estimate the likelihood of loss or impairment of an asset, or the incurrence of a liability, in determining loss contingencies. An estimated loss contingency is accrued when it is probable that an asset has been impaired or a liability has been incurred and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. We record a charge equal to the minimum estimated liability for litigation costs or a loss contingency only when both of the following conditions are met: (i) information available prior to issuance of our consolidated financial statements indicates that it is probable that an asset had been impaired or a liability had been incurred at the date of the financial statements and (ii) the range of loss can be reasonably estimated. We regularly evaluate current information available to us to determine whether such accruals should be adjusted and whether new accruals are required. |
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
See Note 2, Significant Accounting Policies, in Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of Part II of this Report, for a full description of recent accounting pronouncements, including the expected dates of adoption and estimated effects on financial condition and results of operations, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Results of Operations
The following table presents product and service net revenues (in millions, except percentages):
Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2014 vs. 2013 | 2013 vs. 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||
$ Change | % Change | $ Change | % Change | |||||||||||||||||||||
Routing | $ | 2,223.9 | $ | 2,318.0 | $ | 2,037.6 | $ | (94.1 | ) | (4 | )% | $ | 280.4 | 14% | ||||||||||
Switching | 721.2 | 638.0 | 554.8 | 83.2 | 13 | % | 83.2 | 15% | ||||||||||||||||
Security | 463.6 | 563.9 | 669.7 | (100.3 | ) | (18 | )% | (105.8 | ) | (16)% | ||||||||||||||
Total Product | 3,408.7 | 3,519.9 | 3,262.1 | (111.2 | ) | (3 | )% | 257.8 | 8% | |||||||||||||||
Percentage of net revenues | 73.7 | % | 75.4 | % | 74.7 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
Total Service | 1,218.4 | 1,149.2 | 1,103.3 | 69.2 | 6 | % | 45.9 | 4% | ||||||||||||||||
Percentage of net revenues | 26.3 | % | 24.6 | % | 25.3 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
Total net revenues | $ | 4,627.1 | $ | 4,669.1 | $ | 4,365.4 | $ | (42.0 | ) | (1 | )% | $ | 303.7 | 7% | ||||||||||
2014 Compared to 2013
Routing product net revenues decreased in 2014, compared to 2013, as a result of weaker demand for core routing, partially offset by strong growth of our PTX series products. Edge routing net revenues increased as a result of strong demand for our MX series products, partly offset by older edge routing platforms. The year-over year decline was driven by weakness from large US carriers, partially offset by strength from Cloud Providers.
Switching product net revenues increased in 2014, compared to 2013, reflecting growth from both our QFabric system and our EX series products. During the year we saw strong adoption of QFabric data center switches by a growing number of customers, with especially strong demand from Cloud Providers in the Americas.
Security product net revenues decreased in 2014, compared to 2013, primarily due to a continuing decline in our legacy Screen OS products and the divestiture of our Junos Pulse product lines. Sales of our SRX platform declined slightly year-over-year, due to lower demand from U.S. Carrier customers.
The increase in service revenue in 2014, compared to 2013, was primarily driven by new service contracts and strong contract renewals. Service revenues are largely correlated with product revenues, therefore if product net revenues decline, it can have an impact on future service revenues.
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2013 Compared to 2012
Routing product net revenues increased in 2013, compared to 2012, due to an increase in volume of sales of our edge routing products to both service provider and enterprise customers reflecting customer demand for the MX platform in particular.
Switching product net revenues increased in 2013, compared to 2012, as a result of an increase in EX and QFabric product lines for both service provider and enterprise markets. Also contributing to the increase in net revenues were new product introductions for the enterprise campus and data center infrastructure.
Security product net revenues decreased in 2013, compared to 2012, primarily due to a decline in legacy Screen OS and our SRX platform.
The increase in service revenue in 2013, compared to 2012, was primarily driven by strong contract renewals from our installed base across routing, switching and security products.
Net Revenues by Geographic Region
The following table presents net revenues by geographic region (in millions, except percentages):
Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2014 vs. 2013 | 2013 vs. 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||
$ Change | % Change | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||||||||
Americas: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
United States | $ | 2,410.6 | $ | 2,381.5 | $ | 2,067.5 | $ | 29.1 | 1% | $ | 314.0 | 15% | |||||||||||
Other | 219.7 | 232.0 | 218.4 | (12.3 | ) | (5)% | 13.6 | 6% | |||||||||||||||
Total Americas | 2,630.3 | 2,613.5 | 2,285.9 | 16.8 | 1% | 327.6 | 14% | ||||||||||||||||
Percentage of net revenues | 56.8 | % | 56.0 | % | 52.4 | % | |||||||||||||||||
EMEA | 1,263.3 | 1,256.9 | 1,266.3 | 6.4 | 1% | (9.4 | ) | (1)% | |||||||||||||||
Percentage of net revenues | 27.3 | % | 26.9 | % | 29.0 | % | |||||||||||||||||
APAC | 733.5 | 798.7 | 813.2 | (65.2 | ) | (8)% | (14.5 | ) | (2)% | ||||||||||||||
Percentage of net revenues | 15.9 | % | 17.1 | % | 18.6 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Total net revenues | $ | 4,627.1 | $ | 4,669.1 | $ | 4,365.4 | $ | (42.0 | ) | (1)% | $ | 303.7 | 7% | ||||||||||
2014 Compared to 2013
The increase in net revenues in the Americas in 2014, compared to 2013, was primarily due to an increase in net revenues from service provider markets, partially offset by a decline in the enterprise market. The increase in net revenues in the service provider market was due to strong demand from cloud and cable providers, partially offset by a decrease in demand from carriers. The decline in the enterprise market resulted from a decline in net revenues due to recognition of revenue from a large U.S. federal government contract in 2013.
Net revenues in EMEA slightly increased in 2014, compared to 2013, primarily due to stronger demand from service providers partially offset by a decrease in net revenues from the enterprise market, although demand from the public sector remained strong.
Net revenues in APAC decreased in 2014, compared to 2013, primarily due to a decline in net revenues from both the service provider and enterprise market.
2013 Compared to 2012
Net revenues in the Americas increased in 2013, compared to 2012, primarily due to an increase in revenues from both the service provider and enterprise markets. The increase in service provider revenues was due to an increase in sales to cloud providers and cable providers, partially offset by a slight decrease in sales to carriers. The increase in enterprise revenues in 2013, compared to 2012, was primarily attributable to a broad-based improvement in customer demand as well as the recognition of a large U.S. federal government contract.
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Net revenues in EMEA decreased in 2013, compared to 2012, primarily due to a decline in revenues in the enterprise market attributable to certain large sales in 2012.
Net revenues in APAC decreased in 2013, compared to 2012, primarily due to lower revenues in enterprise resulting from weaker conditions in the China enterprise market. Service provider revenues were relatively flat as a decline in sales with certain large service providers in Japan were offset by higher revenue with certain large carriers in China. Additionally, the recognition of revenue from a large service provider in Singapore was offset by declines in revenues from other service providers in APAC.
Net Revenues by Market and Customer
The following table presents net revenues by market (in millions, except percentages):
Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2014 vs. 2013 | 2013 vs. 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||
$ Change | % Change | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||||||||
Service Provider | $ | 3,100.4 | $ | 3,054.2 | $ | 2,811.2 | $ | 46.2 | 2% | $ | 243.0 | 9% | |||||||||||
Percentage of net revenues | 67.0 | % | 65.4 | % | 64.4 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Enterprise | 1,526.7 | 1,614.9 | 1,554.2 | (88.2 | ) | (5)% | 60.7 | 4% | |||||||||||||||
Percentage of net revenues | 33.0 | % | 34.6 | % | 35.6 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Total net revenues | $ | 4,627.1 | $ | 4,669.1 | $ | 4,365.4 | $ | (42.0 | ) | (1)% | $ | 303.7 | 7% | ||||||||||
We sell our high-performance routing, switching, and security network products and service offerings to two primary markets: service provider and enterprise. Determination of which market a particular revenue transaction relates to is based primarily upon the customer's industrial classification code, but may also include subjective factors such as the intended use of the product. The service provider market generally includes wireline and wireless carriers, and cable operators, as well as major Internet content and application providers, including those that provide social networking and search engine services. The enterprise market generally is comprised of businesses; federal, state, and local governments; research and education institutions; and financial services.
2014 Compared to 2013
Net revenues from sales to the service provider market increased in 2014, compared to 2013, with growth in the Americas and EMEA. The increase in service provider net revenues in the Americas was driven by increased revenues from cloud and cable providers, partially offset by decreased revenues from large carriers. The increase in service provider net revenues in EMEA was attributable to growth with large carriers, while in APAC net revenues in the service provider market declined as a result of lower demand with both small and large carriers. In addition, service provider demand for switching products continued to be strong.
Net revenues from sales to the enterprise market decreased in 2014, compared to 2013, primarily due to a decline in sales in all geographic regions, however, revenue demand from public sector customers was higher for all three regions.
2013 Compared to 2012
Net revenues from sales to the service provider market increased in 2013, compared to 2012, primarily due to an increase in sales to cloud providers and cable providers in the Americas, partially offset by a slight decrease in sales to wireless carriers, while the service provider market in EMEA and APAC was relatively flat. In addition, service provider demand for switching and data center solutions in 2013 was stronger than in 2012.
Net revenues from the enterprise market increased in 2013, compared to 2012, primarily due to broad-based growth in the Americas enterprise market, as well as recognition of a large U.S. federal government contract, partially offset by weaker demand in APAC and EMEA.
Customer
No customer accounted for greater than 10% of our net revenues during the year ended December 31, 2014 and 2013. During the year ended December 31, 2012, Verizon accounted for 10.3% of our net revenues.
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Gross Margins
The following table presents gross margins (in millions, except percentages):
Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2014 vs. 2013 | 2013 vs. 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||
$ Change | % Change | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||||||||
Product gross margin | $ | 2,121.9 | $ | 2,243.3 | $ | 2,058.1 | $ | (121.4 | ) | (5)% | $ | 185.2 | 9% | ||||||||||
Percentage of product revenues | 62.2 | % | 63.7 | % | 63.1 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Service gross margin | 736.3 | 698.1 | 650.7 | 38.2 | 5% | 47.4 | 7% | ||||||||||||||||
Percentage of service revenues | 60.4 | % | 60.7 | % | 59.0 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Total gross margin | $ | 2,858.2 | $ | 2,941.4 | $ | 2,708.8 | $ | (83.2 | ) | (3)% | $ | 232.6 | 9% | ||||||||||
Percentage of net revenues | 61.8 | % | 63.0 | % | 62.1 | % | |||||||||||||||||
2014 Compared to 2013
Product gross margin decreased as a percentage of product net revenues in 2014, compared to 2013, primarily due to an increase in cost of revenues. The increase in cost of revenues was primarily due to asset write-downs of $41.5 million for product rationalizations in connection with our 2014 Restructuring Plan and $20.7 million in connection with an industry-wide memory product quality defect in a component from a third-party supplier. Excluding the costs of the restructuring and component defect, product gross margin as a percentage of net revenues improved slightly primarily due to the favorability in product mix in the 2014 period.
Service gross margin as a percentage of service net revenues decreased slightly in 2014, compared to 2013, primarily due to an increase in labor and logistics delivery costs to support new contracts and product introductions.
2013 Compared to 2012
Product gross margin percentage increased slightly in 2013, compared to 2012, primarily due to higher restructuring and other charges recorded in 2012, partially offset by higher inventory provisions in 2013 for legacy platforms. Product gross margin benefited from cost reductions in the supply chain in 2013, which more than offset the impact of higher pricing discounts.
Service gross margin as a percentage of service net revenues increased in 2013, compared to 2012, primarily due to higher service revenues and greater efficiency in the delivery of services.
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Operating Expenses
The following table presents operating expenses (in millions, except percentages):
Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2014 vs. 2013 | 2013 vs. 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||
$ Change | % Change | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||||||||
Research and development | $ | 1,006.2 | $ | 1,043.2 | $ | 1,101.6 | $ | (37.0 | ) | (4)% | $ | (58.4 | ) | (5)% | |||||||||
Percentage of net revenues | 21.7 | % | 22.3 | % | 25.2 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Sales and marketing | 1,023.6 | 1,075.9 | 1,045.5 | (52.3 | ) | (5)% | 30.4 | 3% | |||||||||||||||
Percentage of net revenues | 22.1 | % | 23.0 | % | 23.9 | % | |||||||||||||||||
General and administrative | 231.1 | 217.3 | 206.8 | 13.8 | 6% | 10.5 | 5% | ||||||||||||||||
Percentage of net revenues | 5.0 | % | 4.7 | % | 4.7 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Restructuring and other charges | 167.0 | 39.1 | 46.8 | 127.9 | 327% | (7.7 | ) | (16)% | |||||||||||||||
Percentage of net revenues | 3.6 | % | 0.8 | % | 1.1 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Impairment of goodwill | 850.0 | — | — | 850.0 | —% | — | —% | ||||||||||||||||
Percentage of net revenues | 18.4 | % | — | % | $ | — | |||||||||||||||||
Total operating expenses | $ | 3,277.9 | $ | 2,375.5 | $ | 2,400.7 | $ | 902.4 | 38% | $ | (25.2 | ) | (1)% | ||||||||||
Percentage of net revenues | 70.8 | % | 50.9 | % | 55.0 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Our operating expenses have historically been driven in large part by personnel-related costs, including wages, commissions, bonuses, benefits, share-based compensation, and travel, particularly with respect to research and development and sales and marketing activities. Facility and information technology (“IT”) departmental costs are allocated to each department based on usage and headcount. Facility and IT related headcount was 366, 396, and 368, as of December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012, respectively. We had a total of 8,806, 9,483, and 9,234, employees as of December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012, respectively.
2014 Compared to 2013
Research and development
Research and development expense decreased in 2014, compared to 2013, primarily due to lower personnel-related expenses as a result of restructuring actions and divestiture of our Junos Pulse product lines. Research and development headcount decreased 8% from 4,135 as of December 31, 2013 to 3,797 as of December 31, 2014. The decrease in research and development personnel expense was partially offset by higher share-based compensation expense as a result of our acquisition of WANDL, Inc. in the first quarter, and engineering program costs in 2014, compared to 2013.
Sales and marketing
Sales and marketing expense decreased in 2014, compared to 2013, primarily due to lower personnel-related expenses and other discretionary expenses due to our cost reduction efforts and creating efficiency in our sales activities. The decrease in personnel-related expenses is primarily due to headcount reductions. Sales and marketing headcount decreased 11% from 2,626 as of December 31, 2013 to 2,348 as of December 31, 2014.
General and administrative
General and administrative expense increased in 2014, compared to 2013, primarily due to higher litigation and investigation related costs incurred in the current period in connection with investigation into possible violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and, to a lesser extent, our patent litigation case with Palo Alto Networks, Inc. ("PAN"), as well as other litigation matters. This increase was partially offset by personnel-related expenses as a result of headcount reductions of 8% from 513 as of December 31, 2013 to 470 as of December 31, 2014. Our patent litigation with PAN was settled in 2014.
Restructuring and other charges
Restructuring and other charges increased in 2014, compared to 2013, due to higher charges recorded in 2014 in connection with our 2014 Restructuring Plan. During 2014, we implemented the 2014 Restructuring Plan and incurred restructuring charges of $166.2 million related to workforce reductions, contract terminations, project cancellations, and facility closures. The 2014
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Restructuring Plan has been substantially completed as of December 31, 2014 and we do not expect to record significant future charges. See Note 9, Restructuring and Other Charges, in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of Part II of this Report, for further discussion of our restructuring activities.
Impairment of goodwill
In the fourth quarter of 2014, we began to implement a new security strategy focused on network resiliency and performance based on the SRX platform. As a result, we rationalized our Security product portfolio including developing a new product roadmap and exiting certain point products, including the divestiture of Junos Pulse. These factors decreased our short term and near term revenue and profitability forecasts of the security reporting unit. During our fiscal year 2014 annual goodwill impairment test, the carrying value of our security reporting unit's goodwill exceeded the implied fair value of goodwill, resulting in a goodwill impairment charge of $850.0 million which was recorded in the Consolidated Statement of Operations in Part II Item 8 of this report. See Note 7, Goodwill and Purchased Intangibles, in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of Part II of this Report, for further discussion on the impairment of goodwill.
2013 Compared to 2012
Research and development
Research and development expense decreased in 2013, compared to 2012, primarily due to lower depreciation expense of $28.3 million attributable to the extended useful lives of computers and equipment in 2013 as well as lower prototype development costs of $18.6 million. In addition, outside services, facilities, and IT costs decreased related to the cancellation of certain projects and facility closures. The decrease in research and development expense was partially offset by increases in personnel-related expenses primarily attributable to higher share-based compensation expense, and to a lesser extent, higher variable compensation. Research and development headcount increased 1% from 4,081 as of December 31, 2012 to 4,135 as of December 31, 2013. Additionally, we continued to shift headcount to lower cost regions.
Sales and marketing
Sales and marketing expense increased in 2013, compared to 2012, primarily due to higher personnel-related expenses related to an increase in commission expense driven by improved sales achievement, partially offset by lower share-based compensation expense and lower outside service and travel due to our cost reduction efforts and creating efficiency in our sales activities. Sales and marketing headcount decreased 2% from 2,680 as of December 31, 2012 to 2,626 as of December 31, 2013 as a result of our restructuring activities.
General and administrative
General and administrative expense increased in 2013, compared to 2012, primarily due to higher litigation costs. The increase in general and administrative expense was partially offset by lower personnel-related expenses, primarily share-based compensation expense. General and administrative headcount increased 6% from 486 as of December 31, 2012 to 513 as of December 31, 2013 to support our finance-related initiatives, including our ERP implementation.
Restructuring and other charges
Restructuring and other charges decreased in 2013, compared to 2012, due to higher charges recorded in 2012 in connection with our 2012 Restructuring Plan. During 2013, we implemented the 2013 Restructuring Plan and incurred restructuring charges of $39.1 million related to workforce reductions, contract terminations, project cancellations, and facility closures in connection with our plans. See Note 9, Restructuring and Other Charges, in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of Part II of this Report, for further discussion of our restructuring activities.
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Share-Based Compensation
Share-based compensation expense associated with equity incentive awards ("awards"), which include stock options, restricted stock units ("RSUs"), restricted stock awards ("RSAs") and performance share awards ("PSAs"), as well as our Employee Stock Purchase Plan ("ESPP") was recorded in the following cost and expense categories (in millions, except percentages):
Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2014 vs. 2013 | 2013 vs. 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||
$ Change | % Change | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||||||||
Cost of revenues - Product | $ | 5.0 | $ | 4.7 | $ | 4.6 | $ | 0.3 | 6% | $ | 0.1 | 2% | |||||||||||
Cost of revenues - Service | 14.2 | 15.4 | 17.0 | (1.2 | ) | (8)% | (1.6 | ) | (9)% | ||||||||||||||
Research and development | 134.5 | 127.6 | 109.1 | 6.9 | 5% | 18.5 | 17% | ||||||||||||||||
Sales and marketing | 60.2 | 70.9 | 81.6 | (10.7 | ) | (15)% | (10.7 | ) | (13)% | ||||||||||||||
General and administrative | 26.1 | 26.0 | 31.1 | 0.1 | —% | (5.1 | ) | (16)% | |||||||||||||||
Total | $ | 240.0 | $ | 244.6 | $ | 243.4 | $ | (4.6 | ) | (2)% | $ | 1.2 | —% | ||||||||||
2014 Compared to 2013
Share-based compensation expense remained consistent in 2014, compared to 2013. The increase in expense related to RSUs, RSAs, and PSAs assumed in connection with our acquisition of WANDL in 2014 and the increase in grant date fair values due to higher stock prices was offset by a decrease in actual shares vested.
2013 Compared to 2012
Share-based compensation expense remained consistent in 2013, compared to 2012. Offsetting increases in expense related to RSAs assumed in connection with our acquisition of Contrail at the end of 2012 were decreases in actual shares vested and a decline in grant date fair values due to our lower stock prices.
Other Income (Expense), Net and Income Tax Provision
The following table presents other income (expense), net and income tax provision (in millions, except percentages):
Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2014 vs. 2013 | 2013 vs. 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||
$ Change | % Change | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||||||||
Interest income | $ | 10.0 | $ | 8.7 | $ | 11.0 | $ | 1.3 | 15% | $ | (2.3 | ) | (21)% | ||||||||||
Interest expense | (66.9 | ) | (58.4 | ) | (52.9 | ) | (8.5 | ) | 15% | (5.5 | ) | 10% | |||||||||||
Net gain on legal settlement | 196.1 | — | — | 196.1 | —% | — | —% | ||||||||||||||||
Gain on investments | 167.9 | 11.3 | 26.7 | 156.6 | 1,386% | (15.4 | ) | (58)% | |||||||||||||||
Gain on sale of Junos Pulse | 19.6 | — | — | 19.6 | —% | — | —% | ||||||||||||||||
Other | 6.7 | (2.0 | ) | (1.4 | ) | 8.7 | 435% | (0.6 | ) | 43% | |||||||||||||
Total other income (expense), net | $ | 333.4 | $ | (40.4 | ) | $ | (16.6 | ) | $ | 373.8 | 925% | $ | (23.8 | ) | 143% | ||||||||
Percentage of net revenues | 7.2 | % | (0.9 | )% | (0.4 | )% | |||||||||||||||||
Income tax provision | $ | 248.0 | $ | 85.7 | $ | 105.0 | $ | 162.3 | 189% | $ | (19.3 | ) | (18)% | ||||||||||
Effective tax rate | (287.4 | )% | 16.3 | % | 36.0 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Other Income (Expense), Net
Interest income primarily includes interest income from our cash, cash equivalents, and investments. Interest expense primarily includes interest, net of capitalized interest expense from our long-term debt and customer financing arrangements. Other typically consists of foreign exchange gains and losses and other non-operational income and expense items.
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2014 Compared to 2013
Interest Income
Interest income increased in 2014 compared to 2013, primarily due to a higher balance of longer term investments yielding higher interest.
Interest Expense
Interest expense increased in 2014, compared to 2013, primarily due to the issuance of our 2024 Notes in the first quarter of 2014. See Note 10, Long-Term Debt and Financing, in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 in Part II of this report for additional information regarding our 2024 Notes.
Gain on Legal Settlement
During the year ended December 31, 2014, we entered into a settlement agreement with PAN resolving patent litigation between the two companies, which resulted in a realized gain on legal settlement and subsequent sale of related securities of $196.1 million, net of legal fees.
Gain on Investments
During the year ended December 31, 2014, we recorded a gain of $163.0 million, primarily related to the sale of investments which were converted from privately-held investments to publicly-traded equity upon IPO and subsequently sold. During the year ended December 31, 2013, net gain on investments was primarily comprised of a gain of $7.1 million related to the Company's privately-held investments and publicly traded-equity investments.
Gain on Sale of Junos Pulse
The sale of our Junos Pulse product portfolio was completed on October 1, 2014 and we recorded a gain of $19.6 million in other income (expense), net in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. This sale was driven by product rationalization in connection with our initiative to focus on projects with the highest potential for growth. See Note 8. Other Financial Information, in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of Part II of this Report for further discussion on the sale Junos Pulse.
2013 Compared to 2012
Interest Income
Interest income decreased in 2013, compared to 2012, due to lower cash balances and interest rates, as well as a shift to certain investments yielding lower interest.
Interest Expense
Interest expense increased in 2013, compared to 2012, primarily due to higher capitalized interest in 2012 resulting from our phased Sunnyvale campus build-out.
Gain on Investments
Gain on investments decreased in 2013, compared to 2012, due to higher net gains recorded in 2012 related to our privately-held investments which included a $14.7 million gain from the acquisition of our privately-held investment in Contrail.
Income Tax Provision
The effective rate for 2014 differs from the federal statutory rate of 35% primarily due to the impact of the non-deductible goodwill charge and tax gain on sale of Junos Pulse offset by the benefit from release of the Company’s valuation allowance attributable to investment losses, the federal R&D credit, recognition of domestic production activities deductions, and earnings in foreign jurisdictions, which are subject to lower tax rates. The passage of Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 on December 19, 2014 retroactively reinstated the U.S. federal R&D tax credit from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014.
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The effective rate for 2013 was lower than the federal statutory rate of 35% primarily due to the benefit of the federal R&D credit, a tax settlement with the IRS, recognition of domestic production activities deductions, and earnings in foreign jurisdictions, which are subject to lower tax rates.
The effective tax rate for 2012 was substantially similar to the federal statutory rate of 35%. The effective rate for 2012 does not reflect the benefit of the federal R&D credit which expired on December 31, 2011.
Our effective tax rate could fluctuate significantly on a quarterly basis and could be adversely affected to the extent earnings are lower than anticipated in countries that have lower statutory rates and higher than anticipated in countries that have higher statutory rates. Our effective tax rate could also fluctuate due to changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets or liabilities, or by changes in tax laws, regulations, or accounting principles, as well as certain discrete items. As a result of the expiration of the federal research and development credit on December 31, 2014, we expect our effective tax rate to increase in 2015 See Item1A of Part I, "Risk Factors" of this Report for a description of relevant risks which may adversely affect our results.
For a complete reconciliation of our effective tax rate to the U.S. federal statutory rate of 35% and further explanation of our income tax provision, see Note 14, Income Taxes, in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of Part II of this Report.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Historically, we have funded our business primarily through our operating activities, the issuance of our common stock, and the issuance of our long-term debt. The following table shows our capital resources (in millions, except percentages):
As of December 31, | |||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||
Working capital | $ | 1,444.2 | $ | 2,262.5 | $ | (818.3 | ) | (36)% | |||||
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 1,639.6 | $ | 2,284.0 | $ | (644.4 | ) | (28)% | |||||
Short-term investments | 332.2 | 561.9 | (229.7 | ) | (41)% | ||||||||
Long-term investments | 1,133.1 | 1,251.9 | (118.8 | ) | (9)% | ||||||||
Total cash, cash equivalents, and investments | 3,104.9 | 4,097.8 | (992.9 | ) | (24)% | ||||||||
Long-term debt | 1,349.0 | 999.3 | 349.7 | 35% | |||||||||
Net cash, cash equivalents, and investments | $ | 1,755.9 | $ | 3,098.5 | $ | (1,342.6 | ) | (43)% | |||||
The significant components of our working capital are cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, and accounts receivable, reduced by accounts payable, accrued liabilities, and short-term deferred revenue. Working capital decreased by $818.3 million during the year ended December 31, 2014, primarily due to a decrease in cash and cash equivalents as a result of our stock repurchase activities, tax payments, dividends, and purchase of capital equipment, as well as a decline in short term investments.
Summary of Cash Flows
As of December 31, 2014, our cash and cash equivalents decreased by $644.4 million from December 31, 2013 primarily due to purchases and retirement of our common stock in connection with our stock repurchase program, capital expenditures, federal estimated tax payment, dividend payout and higher payments related to all restructuring plans, partially offset by the issuance of the 2024 Notes in February 2014, cash received from the sale of certain equity investments, cash received from the patent litigation settlement, and proceeds from the sale of Junos Pulse.
The following table summarizes cash flows from our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (in millions, except percentages):
Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2014 vs. 2013 | 2013 vs. 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||