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Check Point Software

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Employees 5001-10,000
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FY2009 Annual Report · Check Point Software
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 
Washington, D.C. 20549 
_______________ 

FORM 20-F 

(   ) 

(X) 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 
1934 

OR 

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 FOR 
THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2009 

(   ) 

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 

For the transition period from  

..... 

 to  

..... 

OR 

(   )  

SHELL  COMPANY  REPORT  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION  13  OR  15(d)  OF  THE  SECURITIES  EXCHANGE  ACT  OF 
1934 

OR 

Date of event requiring this shell company report............................. 

Commission file number 000-28584 

      CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter) 

  ISRAEL 
(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) 

     5 Ha’Solelim Street, Tel Aviv 67897, Israel  
(Address of principal executive offices) 

John Slavitt, Esq. 
General Counsel 
Check Point Software Technologies, Inc. 
800 Bridge Parkway 
Redwood City, CA 94065 U.S.A. 
Tel: (650) 628-2110 
Fax: (650) 649-1975 

(Name, Telephone, E-mail and/or Facsimile number and Address of Company Contact Person) 

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act. 

Title of each class 

Name of exchange on which registered 

Ordinary shares, NIS 0.01 nominal value 

NASDAQ Global Select Market 

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act. None 

Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act.  None 

Indicate  the  number  of  outstanding  shares  of  each  of  the  issuer’s  classes  of  capital  or  common  stock  as  of  December  31,  2009.  
209,099,392 ordinary shares, NIS 0.01 nominal value 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act: Yes   No  

1 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 
13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934: Yes       No  

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 filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes        No   

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 (§232.405 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        No   

Indicate  by  check  mark  whether  the  registrant  is  a  large  accelerated  filer,  an  accelerated  filer,  or  a  non-accelerated  filer.  See 
definitions of accelerated filer and large accelerated filer in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. 

Large Accelerated filer       Accelerated filer       Non-accelerated filer  

Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filing: 

  U.S. GAAP 

  International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board 

  Other 

If  “Other”  has  been  checked  in  response  to  the  previous  question,  indicate  by  check  mark  which  financial  statement  item  the 
registrant has elected to follow. 

Item 17      Item 18  

If this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange 
Act):  Yes       No  

2 

 
 
UTABLE OF CONTENTS 

PART I 

Item 1. 

Identity of Directors, Senior Management and Advisers ............................................................................. 5 

Item 2. 

Offer Statistics and Expected Timetable ...................................................................................................... 5 

Item 3. 

Key Information ........................................................................................................................................... 5 

Item 4. 

Information on Check Point ......................................................................................................................... 19 

Item 4A.  Unresolved Staff Comments ........................................................................................................................ 31 

Item 5. 

Operating and Financial Review and Prospects ........................................................................................... 32 

Item 6. 

Directors, Senior Management and Employees ........................................................................................... 52 

Item 7. 

Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions ................................................................................... 63 

Item 8. 

Financial Information ................................................................................................................................... 64 

Item 9. 

The Offer and Listing ................................................................................................................................... 66 

Item 10.  Additional Information ................................................................................................................................ 66 

Item 11.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk ...................................................................... 80 

Item 12.  Description of Securities Other than Equity Securities ................................................................................ 82 

PART II 

Item 13.  Defaults, Dividend Arrearages and Delinquencies ...................................................................................... 83 

Item 14.  Material Modifications to the Rights of Security Holders and Use of Proceeds ......................................... 83 

Item 15.  Controls and Procedures .............................................................................................................................. 83 

Item 16.  Reserved ....................................................................................................................................................... 84 

Item 16A.  Audit Committee Financial Expert .............................................................................................................. 84 

Item 16B.  Code of Ethics .............................................................................................................................................. 84 

Item 16C.  Principal Accountant Fees and Services ...................................................................................................... 84 

Item 16D.  Exemptions from the Listing Standards for Audit Committees ................................................................... 85 

Item 16E.  Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers ...................................................... 85 

Item 16F.   Change in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant ............................................................................................ 87 

Item 16G.   Corporate Governance  ................................................................................................................................ 87 

PART III 

Item 17. 

Financial Statements .................................................................................................................................... 88 

Item 18. 

Financial Statements .................................................................................................................................... 88 

Item 19. 

Exhibits ........................................................................................................................................................ 89 

3 

 
 
 
Currency of Presentation and Certain Defined Terms 

In this Annual Report on Form 20-F, references to “U.S.” or “United States” are to the United States of 

America, its territories and possessions; and references to “Israel” are to the State of Israel. References to “$”, 
“dollar” or “U.S. dollar” are to the legal currency of the United States of America; references to “NIS” or “Israeli 
shekel” are to the legal currency of Israel; references to “Euro” are to the legal currency of the European Union; 
and references to “Swedish Krona” are to the legal currency of the Kingdom of Sweden. Our financial statements 
are presented in U.S. dollars and are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the 
United States of America, or U.S. GAAP. 

All references to “we,” “us,” “our” or “Check Point” shall mean Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., 

and, unless specifically indicated otherwise or the context indicates otherwise, our consolidated subsidiaries. 

Forward-Looking Statements 

Some of the statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 20-F are forward-looking statements that 

involve risks and uncertainties. The statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 20-F that are not purely 
historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as 
amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including, without limitation, 
statements regarding trends related to our business and our expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding 
the future. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may 
cause our actual results to differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking statements. In some cases, 
you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology, such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “expects,” 
“plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “intends,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” or “continue” or the negative of 
these terms or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements also include, but are not limited to, 
statements in (i) “Item 4 – Information on Check Point” regarding our belief as to increased use of Internet 
technologies, continued expansion of connectivity services, acceleration of the use of networks, the need and 
demand for network, gateway and virtual security, the need and demand for flexible and extensible security, the 
demand for our new blade architecture and adoption of new licensing offerings, increasing demands on enterprise 
security systems, the impact of our relationship with our technology partners on our sales goals, the contribution of 
our products to our future revenue, our development of future products, and our ability to integrate, market and sell 
acquired products and technologies; and (ii) “Item 5 – Operating and Financial Review and Prospects” regarding, 
among other things, our expectations regarding our business and the markets in which we operate and into which 
we sell products, future amounts and sources of our revenue, our ongoing relationships with our current and future 
customers and channel partners, our future costs and expenses, the adequacy of our capital resources. 

Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions, and our actual results may differ 
materially from those predicted. Many of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions are described in the risk factors 
set forth in “Item 3 – Key Information – Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 20-F. All 
forward-looking statements included in this Annual Report on Form 20-F are based on information available to us 
on the date of the filing and reasonable assumptions. We undertake no obligation to update any of the forward-
looking statements after the date of the filing, except as required by applicable law. 

4 

 
 
 
 
 
ITEM 1. 

IDENTITY OF DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND ADVISERS 

PART I 

Not applicable. 

ITEM 2.  OFFER STATISTICS AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE 

Not applicable. 

ITEM 3.  KEY INFORMATION 

Selected Financial Data 

We prepare our historical consolidated financial statements in accordance with United States generally 

accepted accounting principles (U.S. GAAP). The selected financial data, set forth in the table below, have been 
derived from our audited historical financial statements for each of the years from 2005 to 2009. The selected 
consolidated statement of income data for the years 2007, 2008 and 2009, and the selected consolidated balance 
sheet data at December 31, 2008 and 2009, have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements 
set forth in “Item 18 – Financial Statements.” The selected consolidated statement of income data for the years 
2005 and 2006, and the selected consolidated balance sheet data at December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007, has been 
derived from our previously published audited consolidated financial statements, which are not included in this 
Annual Report on Form 20-F. This selected financial data should be read in conjunction with our consolidated 
financial statements, and are qualified entirely by reference to such consolidated financial statements.   

5 

 
 
 
 
2005   

Year Ended December 31, 
2007  
(in thousands, except per share data) 

2008  

2006  

2009 

Consolidated Statement of Income Data: 
Revenues ................................................................  
Operating expenses (*): 
  Cost of revenues ....................................................  
  Research and development ...................................  
  Selling and marketing ...........................................  
  General and administrative ...................................  
 Restructuring and other acquisition related costs 
  Acquired in-process R&D ....................................  
Total operating expenses ........................................  
Operating income ...................................................  
Financial income, net .............................................  
Other-than-temporary impairment, net of gain on 
sale of marketable securities previously impaired 
(**)  
Income before taxes on income ..............................  
Taxes on income ....................................................  
Net income .............................................................  
Basic earnings per share .........................................  
  Shares used in computing basic earnings 
  per share ...............................................................  

$579,350 

$575,141 

$730,877 

$808,490 

$924,417 

30,540 
50,542 
142,336 
24,244 
- 
- 
247,662 
331,688 
54,177 
- 

36,431 
62,210 
157,114 
43,503 
- 
1,060 
300,318 
274,823 
63,647 
- 

82,301 
80,982 
217,491 
53,527 
- 
17,000 
451,301 
279,576 
49,725 
- 

92,609 
91,629 
214,439 
53,313 
- 
- 
451,990 
356,500 
40,876 

133,270 
89,743 
220,877 
56,409 
9,101 
- 
509,400 
415,017 
32,058 

(11,221) 

(1,277) 

385,865 
66,181 
$319,684 
$1.30 

338,470 
60,443 
$278,027 
$1.18 

329,301 
48,237 
$281,064 
$1.26 

386,155 
62,189 
$323,966 
$1.51 

445,798 
88,275 
$357,523 
$1.71 

245,520 

235,519 

222,548 

214,361 

209,371 

Diluted earnings per share ......................................  

$1.27 

$1.17 

$1.25 

$1.50 

$1.68 

  Shares used in computing diluted earnings 
  per share ...............................................................  

251,747 

236,769 

225,442 

216,668 

212,208 

(*) Including pre-tax charges for amortization of intangible assets, acquisition related expenses and stock-based compensation 
in the following items: 

Amortization of intangible assets and acquisition 
related expenses  
      Cost of products and licenses ............................
      Selling and marketing .......................................
      General and administrative ...............................
Total 

Stock-based compensation 
    Cost of products and licenses .............................
    Cost  of  software  updates,  maintenance  and 

services 

    Research and development  ...............................
    Selling and marketing ........................................
    General and administrative ................................
Total 

  $5,414 
  228 
- 
$5,642 

   $- 
408 

  1,252 
  1,825 
  260 
$3,745 

$5,414 
604 
927 
$6,945 

$39 
470 

9,371 
7,997 
18,515 
$36,392 

$27,724 
12,260 
- 
$39,984 

$65 
668 

4,309 
8,780 
20,230 
$34,052 

$24,554 
12,428 

$36,982 

$48 
684 

5,037 
6,855 
19,703 
$32,327 

$28,224 
22,429 
- 
$50,653 

$47 
641 

6,649 
5,032 
18,538 
$30,907 

(**) The year ended December 31, 2008, includes a write down of $11.2 million (pre-tax) of marketable securities. The year 
ended December 31, 2009, includes a write down of $3.1 million related to auction rates securities, net of a $1.8 million gain 
on the sale of marketable securities that were previously impaired in 2008. 

6 

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
December 31, 

 2005 

2006  

2007  

2008  

2009 

(in thousands) 

Consolidated Balance Sheet Data: 
Working capital  ....................................................   $1,186,119 

$967,805 

$692,316 

$791,976 

$648,944 

Total assets ............................................................    2,092,495 

2,080,793 

2,368,575 

2,593,616 

3,069,594 

Shareholders’ equity  .............................................    1,775,721 

1,711,533 

1,856,955 

2,015,865 

2,319,718 

Capital stock  .........................................................   

387,303 

423,155 

465,104 

504,182 

528,648 

Risk Factors 

If  any  of  the  following  risks  actually  occurs,  our  business,  financial  condition,  results  of  operations,  and  future 
prospects could be materially and adversely affected. In that event, the market price of our ordinary shares could 
decline and you could lose part or all of your investment. 

Risks Related to Our Business and Our Market 

If the market for information and network security solutions does not continue to grow, our business will be 
adversely affected 

The market for information and network security solutions may not continue to grow. Continued growth of 

this market will depend, in large part, upon: 

 

 

 

 

the continued expansion of Internet usage and the number of organizations adopting or expanding 
intranets; 

the ability of their respective infrastructures to support an increasing number of users and services; 

the continued development of new and improved services for implementation across the Internet and 
between the Internet and intranets; 

the adoption of data security measures as it pertains to data encryption technologies; 

  government regulation of the Internet and governmental and non-governmental requirements and 

standards with respect to data security and privacy; and 

  general economic conditions in the markets in which we, our customers and our suppliers operate. 

Recently, economies around the world and financial markets experienced a significant slowdown caused by 

a multitude of factors, including adverse credit conditions, slower or receding economic activity, concerns about 
inflation and deflation, fluctuating energy costs, decreased consumer confidence, reduced corporate profits and 
capital spending, adverse business conditions and liquidity concerns and other factors. During this slowdown, many 
companies reduced expenditures, and if these adverse conditions continue, it may cause our customers to reduce or 
postpone their technology spending significantly, which could result in reductions in sales of our products, longer 
sales cycles, slower adoption of new technologies and increased price competition. 

Further, if the necessary infrastructure or complementary products and services are not developed in a 

timely manner and, consequently, the enterprise security, data security, Internet, or intranet markets fail to grow or 
grow more slowly than we currently anticipate, our business, operating results, and financial condition may be 
materially adversely affected. Additional details are provided in “Item 4 – Information on Check Point.” 

We may not be able to successfully compete against our competitors 

The market for information and network security solutions is intensely competitive and we expect that 

competition will continue to increase in the future. Our competitors include Cisco Systems, Inc., Juniper Networks, 
7 

 
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Inc., Fortinet Inc., SonicWall Inc., WatchGuard Technologies, Inc. McAfee, Inc. and other companies in the 
network security space. We also compete with several other companies, including Microsoft Corporation, 
Symantec Corporation, IBM Corporation with respect to specific products that we offer. There are hundreds of 
small and large companies that offer security products and services that we may compete with from time to time. 

Some of our current and potential competitors have various advantages over us, including longer operating 

histories; access to larger customer bases; significantly greater financial, technical and marketing resources; a 
broader portfolio of products, applications and services; and larger patent and intellectual property portfolios. As a 
result, they may be able to adapt better than we can to new or emerging technologies and changes in customer 
requirements, or to devote greater resources to the promotion and sale of their products. Furthermore, some of our 
competitors with more diversified product portfolios and larger customer bases may be better able to withstand a 
reduction in spending on information and network security solutions and a general slowdown or recession in 
economic conditions in the markets in which they operate. In addition, some of our competitors have greater 
financial resources than we do, and they have offered, and in the future may offer, their products at lower prices 
than we do, particularly when economic conditions are weak, which may cause us to lose sales or to reduce our 
prices in response to competition. 

In addition, consolidation in the markets in which we compete may affect our competitive position. This is 
particularly true in circumstances where customers are seeking to obtain a broader set of products and services than 
we are able to provide. The markets in which we compete also include many niche competitors, generally smaller 
companies at a relatively early stage of operations, which are focused on specific Internet and data security needs. 
These companies’ specialized focus may enable them to adapt better than we can to new or emerging technologies 
and changes in customer requirements in their specific areas of focus. In addition, some of these companies can 
invest relatively large resources on very specific technologies or customer segments. The effect of these 
companies’ activities in the market may result in price reductions, reduced gross margins and loss of market share, 
any of which will materially adversely affect our business, operating results, and financial condition. 

Further, vendors of operating system software or networking hardware may enhance their products to 

include functionality that is currently provided by our products. The widespread inclusion of similar functionality 
to that which is offered by our solutions, as standard features of operating system software or networking hardware, 
could significantly reduce the demand for our products, particularly if the quality of such functionality were 
comparable to that of our products. Furthermore, even if the network or application security functionality provided 
as standard features by operating systems software or networking hardware is more limited than that of our 
solutions, a significant number of customers may elect to accept more limited functionality in lieu of purchasing 
additional products. 

We may not be able to continue competing successfully against our current and future competitors, and 

increased competition may result in price reductions, reduced gross margins, and loss of market share, any of which 
will materially adversely affect our business, operating results, and financial condition. If any of the events 
described above occur, our business, operating results and financial condition could be materially adversely 
affected. Additional details are provided in “Item 4 – Information on Check Point.” 

If we fail to enhance our existing products, develop or acquire new and more technologically advanced products, 
or fail to successfully commercialize these products, our business and results of operations will suffer 

The information and network security industry is characterized by rapid technological advances, changes in 

customer requirements, frequent new product introductions and enhancements, and evolving industry standards in 
computer hardware and software technology. In particular, the markets for data security, Internet, and intranet 
applications are rapidly evolving. As a result, we must continually change and improve our products in response to 
changes in operating systems, application software, computer and communications hardware, networking software, 
programming tools, and computer language technology. Further, we must continuously improve our products to 
protect our customers’ data and networks from evolving security threats. 

8 

 
 
Our future operating results will depend upon our ability to enhance our current products and to develop 

and introduce new products on a timely basis; to address the increasingly sophisticated needs of our customers; and 
to keep pace with technological developments, new competitive product offerings, and emerging industry 
standards. Our competitors’ introduction of products embodying new technologies and the emergence of new 
industry standards may render our existing products obsolete or unmarketable. While we have historically been 
successful in developing, acquiring, and marketing new products and product enhancements that respond to 
technological change and evolving industry standards, we may not be able to continue to do so. In addition, we may 
experience difficulties that could delay or prevent the successful development, introduction, and marketing of these 
products, as well as the integration of acquired products. Furthermore, our new products or product enhancements 
may not adequately meet the requirements of the marketplace or achieve market acceptance. In some cases, a new 
product or product enhancements may negatively affect sales of our existing products. If we do not respond 
adequately to the need to develop and introduce new products or enhancements of existing products in a timely 
manner in response to changing market conditions or customer requirements, our business, operating results and 
financial condition may be materially adversely affected. Additional details are provided in “Item 4 – Information 
on Check Point” and under the caption “We may not be able to successfully compete” in this “Item 3 – Key 
Information – Risk Factors.” 

Product defects may increase our costs and impair the market acceptance of our products and technology 

Our products are complex and must meet stringent quality requirements. They may contain undetected 
hardware or software errors or defects, especially when new or acquired products are introduced or when new 
versions are released. In particular, the personal computer hardware environment is characterized by a wide variety 
of non-standard configurations that make pre-release testing for programming or compatibility errors very difficult 
and time-consuming. We may need to divert the attention of our engineering personnel from our research and 
development efforts to address instances of errors or defects. In addition, we may in the future incur costs 
associated with warranty claims. 

Our products are used to deploy and manage Internet security and protect information, which may be 

critical to organizations. As a result, the sale and support of our products entails the risk of product liability and 
related claims. We do not know whether, in the future, we will be subject to liability claims or litigation for 
damages related to product errors, or will experience delays as a result of these errors. Our sales agreements and 
product licenses typically contain provisions designed to limit our exposure to potential product liability or related 
claims. In selling our products, we rely primarily on “shrink wrap” licenses that are not signed by the end user, and 
for this and other reasons, these licenses may be unenforceable under the laws of some jurisdictions. As a result, the 
limitation of liability provisions contained in these licenses may not be effective. Although we maintain product 
liability insurance for most of our products, the coverage limits of these policies may not provide sufficient 
protection against an asserted claim. If litigation were to arise, it could, regardless of its outcome, result in 
substantial expense to us, significantly divert the efforts of our technical and management personnel, and disrupt or 
otherwise severely impact our relationships with current and potential customers. In addition, if any of our products 
fail to meet specifications or have reliability, quality or compatibility problems, our reputation could be damaged 
significantly and customers might be reluctant to buy our products, which could result in a decline in revenues, a 
loss of existing customers, and difficulty attracting new customers. 

We are subject to risks relating to acquisitions 

We have made acquisitions in the past and we may make additional acquisitions in the future. The pursuit 

of acquisitions may divert the attention of management and cause us to incur various expenses in identifying, 
investigating, and pursuing suitable acquisitions, whether or not they are consummated. 

Competition within our industry for acquisitions of businesses, technologies, assets and product lines has 
been, and may in the future continue to be, intense. As such, even if we are able to identify an acquisition that we 
would like to consummate, we may not be able to complete the acquisition on commercially reasonable terms or 

9 

 
 
because  the  target  is  acquired  by  another  company.  Furthermore,  in  the  event  that  we  are  able  to  identify  and 
consummate any future acquisitions, we could: 

 

 

 

 

issue equity securities which would dilute current shareholders’ percentage ownership; 

incur substantial debt; 

assume contingent liabilities; or 

expend significant cash. 

These  financing  activities  or  expenditures  could  harm  our  business,  operating  results  and  financial 
condition or the price of our ordinary shares. Alternatively, due to difficulties in the capital and credit markets, we 
may be unable to secure capital on acceptable terms, or at all, to complete acquisitions. 

In addition, if we acquire additional businesses, we may not be able to integrate the acquired personnel, 

operations, and technologies successfully or effectively manage the combined business following the completion of 
the acquisition. We may also not achieve the anticipated benefits from the acquired business due to a number of 
factors, including: 

  unanticipated costs or liabilities associated with the acquisition; 

 

incurrence of acquisition-related costs; 

  diversion of management’s attention from other business concerns; 

  harm to our existing business relationships with manufacturers, distributors and customers as a result of 

the acquisition; 

 

the potential loss of key employees; 

  use of resources that are needed in other parts of our business; 

  use of substantial portions of our available cash to consummate the acquisition; or 

  unrealistic goals or projections for the acquisition. 

Moreover, even if we do obtain benefits from acquisitions in the form of increased sales and earnings, there 
may be a delay between the time when the expenses associated with an acquisition are incurred and the time when 
we recognize such benefits.  

We are dependent on a small number of distributors 

We derive our sales primarily through indirect channels. During 2009, we derived approximately 58% of 

our sales from our 10 largest distributors, with the largest distributor accounting for approximately 18% of our 
sales, and the second largest distributor accounting for approximately 17% of our sales. During 2008, these two 
distributors accounted for approximately 30% of our sales in the aggregate. We expect that a small number of 
distributors will continue to generate a significant portion of our sales. Furthermore, there has been an industry 
trend toward consolidation among distributors, and we expect this trend to continue in the near future which could 
further increase our reliance on a small number of distributors for a significant portion of our sales. If these 
distributors reduce the amount of their purchases from us for any reason, including because they choose to focus 
their efforts on the sales of the products of our competitors, our business, operating results and financial condition 
could be materially adversely affected.  

Our future success is highly dependent upon our ability to establish and maintain successful relationships 
with our distributors. In addition, we rely on these entities to provide many of the training and support services for 
our products and equipment. Accordingly, our success depends in large part on the effective performance of these 
distributors. Recruiting and retaining qualified distributors and training them in our technology and products 

10 

 
 
 
 
 
requires significant time and resources. Further, we have no long-term contracts or minimum purchase 
commitments with any of our distributors, and our contracts with these distributors do not prohibit them from 
offering products or services that compete with ours. Our competitors may be effective in providing incentives to 
existing and potential distributors to favor their products or to prevent or reduce sales of our products. Our 
distributors may choose not to offer our products exclusively or at all. Our failure to establish and maintain 
successful relationships with distributors would likely materially adversely affect our business, operating results 
and financial condition. 

We purchase several key components and finished products from sole or limited sources, and we are increasingly 
dependent on contract manufacturers for our hardware products. 

Many components, subassemblies and modules necessary for the manufacture or integration of our 
hardware products are obtained from a sole supplier or a limited group of suppliers. Our reliance on sole or limited 
suppliers, particularly foreign suppliers, and our reliance on subcontractors involves several risks, including a 
potential inability to obtain an adequate supply of required components, subassemblies or modules and limited 
control over pricing, quality and timely delivery of components, subassemblies or modules. Replacing suppliers 
may be difficult and could result in an inability or delay in producing designated hardware products. Substantial 
delays would have a material adverse impact on our business.   

Managing our supplier and contractor relationships is particularly difficult during time periods in which we 
introduce  new  products  and  during  time  periods  in  which  demand  for  our  products  is  increasing,  especially  if 
demand increases more quickly than we expect. 

We are dependent on a limited number of product families 

Currently, we derive the majority of our revenues from sales of integrated appliances and Internet security 

products primarily under our UTM-1, Power-1, IP Series and related brands, as well as related revenues from 
software updates, maintenance and other services. We expect that this concentration of revenues from a small 
number of product families will continue to be the case in the foreseeable future. Endpoint security products and 
associated software updates, maintenance and support services represent an additional revenue source. Our future 
growth depends heavily on our ability to effectively develop and sell new and acquired products as well as add new 
features to existing products. For more details, see “Item 4 – Information on Check Point” and “Item 5 – Operating 
and Financial Review and Prospects.” 

We incorporate third party technology in our products, which may make us dependent on the providers of these 
technologies and expose us to potential intellectual property claims 

Our products contain certain technology that we license from other companies. Third party developers or 

owners of technologies may not be willing to enter into, or renew, license agreements with us regarding 
technologies that we may wish to incorporate in our products, either on acceptable terms or at all. If we cannot 
obtain licenses to these technologies, we may be at a disadvantage compared with our competitors who are able to 
license these technologies. In addition, when we do obtain licenses to third party technologies that we did not 
develop, we may have little or no ability to determine in advance whether the technology infringes the intellectual 
property rights of others. Our suppliers and licensors may not be required or may not be able to indemnify us in the 
event that a claim of infringement is asserted against us, or they may be required to indemnify us only up to a 
maximum amount, above which we would be responsible for any further costs or damages. Any failure to obtain 
licenses to intellectual property or any exposure to liability as a result of incorporating third party technology into 
our products could material and adversely affect our business, results or operations and financing condition. 

We incorporate open source technology in our products which may expose us to liability and have a material 
impact on our product development and sales 

Some of our products utilize open source technologies. These technologies are licensed to us under varying 

license structures, including the General Public License. If we have improperly integrated, or in the future 

11 

 
 
 
 
improperly integrate software that is subject to such licenses into our products, in such a way that our software 
becomes subject to the General Public License, we may be required to disclose our own source code to the public. 
This could enable our competitors to eliminate any technological advantage that our products may have over theirs. 
Any such requirement to disclose our source code or other confidential information related to our products could 
materially and adversely affect our competitive position and impact our business, results of operations and financial 
condition. 

We are the defendants in various lawsuits and are also subject to certain tax disputes and governmental 
proceedings, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition 

We  operate  our  business  in  various  countries,  and  accordingly  attempt  to  utilize  an  efficient  operating 
model to optimize our tax payments based on the laws in the countries in which we operate. This can cause disputes 
between us and various tax authorities in different parts of the world. 

In particular, following audits of our 2002 and 2003 corporate tax returns, the Israeli Tax Authority (the 

“ITA”) issued orders challenging our positions on several issues, including matters, such as the usage of funds 
earned by our approved enterprise for investments outside of Israel, deductibility of employee stock options 
expenses, percentage of foreign ownership of our shares, taxation of interest earned outside of Israel and 
deductibility of research and development expenses. The largest amount in dispute relates to the treatment 
of financial income on cash that is held and managed by our wholly-owned Singapore subsidiary, which the ITA is 
seeking to tax in Israel. In an additional challenge to this amount, the ITA reclassified the transfer of funds from 
Check Point to our subsidiary in Singapore as a dividend for purposes of the Law for the Encouragement of Capital 
Investments, which would result in tax on the funds transferred. The ITA orders also contest our positions on 
various other issues. The ITA, therefore, demanded the payment of additional taxes in the aggregate amount of NIS 
963 million with respect to 2002 (assessment received on December 27, 2007) and NIS 151 million with respect to 
2003 (assessment received on May 29, 2008), in each case including interest as of the assessment date. We have 
appealed the orders relating to both years with the Tel Aviv District Court, and these appeals are pending. There 
can be no assurance that the court will accept our positions on these matters or others and, in such an event, we may 
record additional tax expenses if these matters are settled for amounts in excess of our current provisions. In 
addition the ITA is currently examining the income tax returns for the years 2004-2007. The ITA has issued a 
preliminary assessment under which it demanded the payment of additional taxes in the aggregate amount of NIS 
817 million with respect to these years (assessment received on August 2, 2009) including interest as of the 
assessment date. We appealed such assessment and the ITA is currently conducting a re-examination. There can be 
no assurance that the ITA will accept our positions on matters raised and, in such an event, an order will be issued. 

We have also been named as a defendant in three patent related lawsuits: 1) Information Protection and 

Authentication of Texas, LLC filed a complaint against us on December 30, 2008, in the Eastern District of Texas, 
alleging infringement by us of U.S. patents nos. 5,311,591 and 5,412,717 and seeking an injunction and 
an unspecified amount of damages; 2) Enhanced Security Research filed a complaint against us on June 6, 2009, in 
the District of Delaware, alleging patent infringement; and 3) MPH filed a complaint against us on February 3, 
2010, in the Northern District Of Illinois, alleging patent infringement. All of the above complaints are filed against 
multiple security vendors and all of the plaintiffs are non practicing entities. They are businesses established to hold 
the patent. We currently intend to vigorously defend these claims. However, as with most litigation, the outcome is 
difficult to determine. 

We are currently engaged in various legal disputes with two minority shareholders of our subsidiary 
SofaWare Technologies Ltd. Both of these shareholders are alleging that we are oppressing them as minority 
shareholders. One of them is seeking to compel us to purchase his shares, currently values his shares at NIS 16 
million, and is seeking judicial appraisal with respect to his shares. The other minority shareholder is seeking 
remedies that include restrictions on our ability to develop products that compete with SofaWare, and changes in 
SofaWare’s board of directors. The same shareholder also filed a derivative claim against us on behalf of 
SofaWare. On February 14, 2008, the court hearing this case partially accepted the derivative claim and ordered 

12 

 
 
 
 
 
that we pay SofaWare NIS 13 million plus interest. Both parties have appealed this ruling. We are also engaged in 
additional litigation with these two minority shareholders. We believe that the claims filed by these two minority 
shareholders are without merit and intend to continue to contest these claims vigorously. 

Further, we are the defendant in various other lawsuits, including employment-related litigation claims, 

lease termination claims and other legal proceedings in the normal course of our business. Litigation and 
governmental proceedings can be expensive, lengthy and disruptive to normal business operations, and can require 
extensive management attention and resources, regardless of their merit. While we currently intend to defend the 
aforementioned matters vigorously, we cannot predict the results of complex legal proceedings, and an unfavorable 
resolution of a lawsuit or proceeding could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and 
financial condition. See also “Item 8 – Financial Information” under the caption “Legal Proceedings.” 

Class action litigation due to stock price volatility or other factors could cause us to incur substantial costs and 
divert our management’s attention and resources 

In the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of a public company’s securities, securities 

class action litigation has often been instituted against that company. Companies such as ours in the software 
industry, and other technology industries, are particularly vulnerable to this kind of litigation as a result of the 
volatility of their stock prices. We have been named as a defendant in this type of litigation in the past. Any 
litigation of this sort could result in substantial costs and a diversion of management’s attention and resources. 

We may not be able to successfully protect our intellectual property rights 

We seek to protect our proprietary technology by relying on a combination of statutory as well as common 
law copyright and trademark laws, trade secrets, confidentiality procedures, and contractual provisions as indicated 
below in the section entitled “Proprietary Rights” in “Item 4 – Information on Check Point.” We have certain 
patents in the United States and in some other countries, as well as pending patent applications. We cannot assure 
you that pending patent applications will be issued, either at all or within the scope of the patent claims that we 
have submitted. In addition, someone else may challenge our patents and these patents may be found invalid. 
Furthermore, others may develop technologies that are similar to or better than ours, or may work around any 
patents issued to us. Despite our efforts to protect our proprietary rights, others may copy aspects of our products or 
obtain and use information that we consider proprietary. Although we do not know the extent to which there is 
piracy of our software products, software piracy is a persistent problem. We try to police this type of activity, but it 
is difficult to do so effectively. In addition, the laws of some foreign countries do not protect our proprietary rights 
to the same extent as the laws of the United States, Israel or Sweden. Our efforts to protect our proprietary rights 
may not be adequate and our competitors may independently develop technology that is similar to our technology. 
If we are unable to secure, protect, and enforce our intellectual property rights, such failure could harm our brand 
and adversely impact our business, financial condition, and results of operations. 

If a third-party asserts that we are infringing its intellectual property, whether successful or not, it could subject us 
to costly and time-consuming litigation or expensive licenses, which could harm our business 

There is considerable patent and other intellectual property development activity in our industry. Our 

success depends, in part, upon our ability not to infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others. Our 
competitors, as well as a number of other entities and individuals, own or claim to own intellectual property 
relating to our industry. From time to time, third parties may claim that we are infringing upon their intellectual 
property rights, and we may be found to be infringing upon such rights. As noted above, we have been named in 
three patent related intellectual property lawsuits. In addition, third-parties have in the past sent us correspondence 
regarding their intellectual property and in the future we may receive claims that our products infringe or violate 
their intellectual property rights. Furthermore, we may be unaware of the intellectual property rights of others that 
may cover some or all of our technology or products. Any claims or litigation could cause us to incur significant 
expenses and, if successfully asserted against us, could require that we pay substantial damages or royalty 
payments, prevent us from selling our products, or require that we comply with other unfavorable terms. In 

13 

 
 
addition, we may decide to pay substantial settlement costs and/or licensing fees in connection with any claim or 
litigation, whether or not successfully asserted against us. Even if we were to prevail, any litigation regarding our 
intellectual property could be costly and time-consuming and divert the attention of our management and key 
personnel from our business operations. As such, third-party claims with respect to intellectual property may 
increase our cost of goods sold or reduce the sales of our products, and may have a material and adverse effect on 
our business. 

We are exposed to various legal, business, political and economic risks associated with international operations; 
these risks could increase our costs, reduce future growth opportunities and affect our results of operations 

We sell our products worldwide, and we book a significant portion of our revenue outside the United 

States. We intend to continue to expand our international operations, which will require significant management 
attention and financial resources. In order to continue to expand worldwide, we will need to establish additional 
operations, hire additional personnel and recruit additional channel partners, internationally. To the extent that we 
are unable to do so effectively, our growth is likely to be limited and our business, operating results and financial 
condition may be materially adversely affected. 

Our international revenues and operations subject us to many potential risks inherent in international 

business activities, including, but not limited to: 

 

 

 

 

 

technology import and export license requirements; 

costs of localizing our products for foreign countries, and the lack of acceptance of localized products 
in foreign countries; 

trade restrictions; 

imposition of or increases in tariffs or other payments on our revenues in these markets; 

changes in regulatory requirements; 

  greater difficulty in protecting intellectual property; 

  difficulties in managing our overseas subsidiaries and our international operations; 

  declines in general economic conditions; 

  political instability and civil unrest which could discourage investment and complicate our dealings 

with governments; 

  difficulties in complying with a variety of foreign laws and legal standards; 

 

expropriation and confiscation of assets and facilities; 

  difficulties in collecting receivables from foreign entities or delayed revenue recognition; 

  differing labor standards; 

  potentially adverse tax consequences, including taxation of a portion of our revenues at higher rates 

than the tax rate that applies to us in Israel; 

 

 

fluctuations in currency exchange rates and the impact of such fluctuations on our results of operations 
and financial position; and 

the introduction of exchange controls and other restrictions by foreign governments. 

These difficulties could cause our revenues to decline, increase our costs or both. This is also specifically 

tied to currency exchange rates which has an impact on our financial statements based on currency rate 
fluctuations. 

14 

 
 
 
Compliance with new and changing corporate governance and public disclosure requirements adds uncertainty to 
our compliance policies and increases our costs of compliance 

Changing laws, regulations and standards relating to accounting, corporate governance and public 
disclosure, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, new SEC regulations and NASDAQ Global Select Market 
rules are creating uncertainty for companies like ours. These new or changed laws, regulations and standards may 
lack specificity and are subject to varying interpretations. Their application in practice may evolve over time as 
new guidance is provided by regulatory and governing bodies. This could result in continuing uncertainty regarding 
compliance matters and higher costs of compliance as a result of ongoing revisions to such governance standards.  

In particular, continuing compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the related 

regulations regarding our required assessment of our internal control over financial reporting requires the 
commitment of significant financial and managerial resources and external auditor’s independent attestation on 
management’s assessment of the internal control over financial reporting. 

In connection with our Annual Report on Form 20-F for fiscal 2009, our management assessed our internal 
control over financial reporting, and determined that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of 
December 31, 2009, and our independent auditors have expressed an unqualified opinion over the effectiveness of 
our internal control over financial reporting as of the end of such period. However, we will undertake management 
assessments of our internal control over financial reporting in connection with each annual report, and any 
deficiencies uncovered by these assessments or any inability of our auditors to issue an unqualified report could 
harm our reputation and the price of our ordinary shares.  

If we fail to comply with new or changed laws or regulations, our business and reputation may be harmed. 

We are controlled by a small number of shareholders who may make decisions with which you or others may 
disagree 

As of January 31, 2010, our directors and executive officers owned approximately 20.8% of the voting 

power of our outstanding ordinary shares, or 24.3% of our outstanding ordinary shares if the percentage includes 
options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of January 31, 2010 (the exercise price of some of these 
options is greater than our current share market price). The interests of these shareholders may differ from your 
interests and present a conflict. If these shareholders act together, they could exercise significant influence over our 
operations and business strategy. For example, although these shareholders hold considerably less than a majority 
of our outstanding ordinary shares, they may have sufficient voting power to influence matters requiring approval 
by our shareholders, including the election and removal of directors and the approval or rejection of mergers or 
other business combination transactions. In addition, this concentration of ownership may delay, prevent or deter a 
change in control, or deprive a shareholder of a possible premium for its ordinary shares as part of a sale of our 
company.  

We may be required to indemnify our directors and officers in certain circumstances 

We have entered into agreements with each of our directors and senior officers to insure, indemnify and 
exculpate them against some types of claims, subject to dollar limits and other limitations. Subject to Israeli law, 
these agreements provide that we will indemnify each of these directors and senior officers for any of the following 
liabilities or expenses that they may incur due to an act performed or failure to act in their capacity as our director 
or senior officer: 

  Monetary liability imposed on the director or senior officer in favor of a third party in a judgment, 

including a settlement or an arbitral award confirmed by a court. 

  Reasonable legal costs, including attorneys’ fees, expended by a director or senior officer as a result of 
an investigation or proceeding instituted against the director or senior officer by a competent authority; 

15 

 
 
 
provided, however, that such investigation or proceeding concludes without the filing of an indictment 
against the director or senior officer and either: 

o  No financial liability was imposed on the director or senior officer in lieu of criminal 

proceedings, or 

o  Financial liability was imposed on the director or senior officer in lieu of criminal proceedings, 

but the alleged criminal offense does not require proof of criminal intent. 

  Reasonable legal costs, including attorneys’ fees, expended by the director or senior officer or for 

which the director or senior officer is charged by a court: 

o 

o 
o 

In an action brought against the director or senior officer by us, on our behalf or on behalf of a 
third party, 

In a criminal action in which the director or senior officer is found innocent, or 

In a criminal action in which the director or senior officer is convicted, but in which proof of 
criminal intent is not required. 

Our cash balances and investment portfolio have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by market 
conditions and interest rates 

We maintain substantial balances of cash and liquid investments, for purposes of acquisitions and general 

corporate purposes. Our cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaled $1,847 million as of December 31, 
2009. The performance of the capital markets affects the values of funds that are held in marketable securities. 
These assets are subject to market fluctuations and various developments, including, without limitation, rating 
agency downgrades that may impair their value. During 2008 and 2009, we recorded an other-than-temporary 
impairment of marketable securities in the amount of $11.2 million and $3.1 million respectively. We expect that 
market conditions will continue to fluctuate and that the fair value of our investments may be affected accordingly. 

Financial income is an important component of our net income. The outlook for our financial income is 

dependent on many factors, some of which are beyond our control, and they include the future direction of interest 
rates, the amount of any share repurchases or acquisitions that we effect and the amount of cash flows from 
operations that are available for investment. We rely on third-party money managers to manage the majority of our 
investment portfolio in a risk-controlled framework. Our investment portfolio throughout the world is invested in 
fixed-income securities and is affected by changes in interest rates which have declined considerably. Interest rates 
are highly sensitive to many factors, including governmental monetary policies and domestic and international 
economic and political conditions. In a declining interest rate environment, borrowers may seek to refinance their 
borrowings at lower rates and, accordingly, prepay or redeem securities we hold more quickly than we initially 
expected. This action may cause us to reinvest the redeemed proceeds in lower yielding investments. Any 
significant decline in our financial income or the value of our investments as a result of falling interest rates, 
deterioration in the credit of the securities in which we have invested, or general market conditions, could have an 
adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. 

We generally buy and hold our portfolio positions, while minimizing credit risk by setting maximum 

concentration limit per issuer and credit rating. Our investments consist primarily of government and corporate 
debentures. Although we believe that we generally adhere to conservative investment guidelines, the continuing 
turmoil in the financial markets may result in impairments of the carrying value of our investment assets. We 
classify our investments as available-for-sale. Changes in the fair value of investments classified as available-for-
sale are not recognized to income during the period, but rather are recognized as a separate component of equity 
until realized. Realized losses in our investments portfolio may adversely affect our financial position and results. 
Had we reported all the changes in the fair values of our investments into income, our reported net income for the 
year ended December 31, 2009, would have increased by $12.6 million.  

16 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Our business and operations are subject to the risks of earthquakes, fire, floods and other natural catastrophic 
events, as well as manmade problems such as power disruptions or terrorism 

 Our headquarters in the United States, as well as certain of our research and development operations, are 

located in the Silicon Valley area of Northern California, a region known for seismic activity. We also have 
significant operations in other regions that have experienced natural disasters. We also rely on information 
technology systems to communicate among our workforce located worldwide. Any disruption to our internal 
communications, whether caused by a natural disaster or by manmade problems, such as power disruptions or 
terrorism, could delay our research and development efforts. A significant natural disaster or manmade problem 
could damage our operations and properties, and adversely affect our business, operating results, and financial 
condition. 

Risks Related to Our Operations in Israel 

Potential political, economic and military instability in Israel, where our principal executive offices and our 
principal research and development facilities are located, may adversely affect our results of operations 

We are incorporated under the laws of the State of Israel, and our principal executive offices and principal 
research and development facilities are located in Israel. Accordingly, political, economic and military conditions 
in and surrounding Israel may directly affect our business. Since the State of Israel was established in 1948, a 
number of armed conflicts have occurred between Israel and its Arab neighbors, and recent years have witnessed 
increased terrorist activity within Israel. Terrorist attacks and hostilities within Israel, the hostilities between Israel 
and Hezbollah, and Israel and Hamas, the conflict between Hamas and Fatah, as well as tensions between Israel and 
Iran, have also heightened these risks. Any hostilities involving Israel, a significant increase in terrorism or the 
interruption or curtailment of trade between Israel and its present trading partners, or a significant downturn in the 
economic or financial condition of Israel, could materially adversely affect our operations. Ongoing and revived 
hostilities or other Israeli political or economic factors could materially adversely affect our business, operating 
results and financial condition. 

Our operations may be disrupted by the obligations of our personnel to perform military service 

Many of our officers and employees in Israel are obligated to perform annual military reserve duty in the 

Israel Defense Forces, in the event of a military conflict, could be called to active duty. Our operations could be 
disrupted by the absence of a significant number of our employees related to military service or the absence for 
extended periods of military service of one or more of our key employees. Military service requirements for our 
employees could materially adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition. 

The tax benefits available to us require us to meet several conditions, and may be terminated or reduced in the 
future, which would increase our taxes. 

For the year ended December 31, 2009, our effective tax rate was 20%. There can be no assurance that our 
effective tax rate will not change over time as a result of changes in corporate income tax rates, changes in the tax 
laws of the various countries in which we operate and fluctuations in the growth rate of our business. We have 
benefited or currently benefit from a variety of government programs and tax benefits that generally carry 
conditions that we must meet in order to be eligible to obtain any benefit. 

If we fail to meet the conditions upon which certain favorable tax treatment is based, we would not be able 

to claim future tax benefits and could be required to refund tax benefits already received. Additionally, some of 
these programs and the related tax benefits are available to us for a limited number of years, and these benefits 
expire from time to time. 

Any of the following could have a material effect on our overall effective tax rate: 

  Some programs may be discontinued, 

17 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  We may be unable to meet the requirements for continuing to qualify for some programs, 

  These programs and tax benefits may be unavailable at their current levels, 

  Upon expiration of a particular benefit, we may not be eligible to participate in a new program or 

qualify for a new tax benefit that would offset the loss of the expiring tax benefit, or 

  We may be required to refund previously recognized tax benefits if we are found to be in violation of 

the stipulated conditions. 

Additional details are provided in “Item 5 – Operating and Financial Review and Products” under the 
caption “Taxes on income”, in “Item 10 – Additional Information” under the caption “Israeli taxation, foreign 
exchange regulation and investment programs”, and in notes 10b and 11 to our consolidated financial statements. 

Provisions of Israeli law and our articles of association may delay, prevent or make difficult an acquisition of us, 
prevent a change of control, and negatively impact our share price 

Israeli corporate law regulates acquisitions of shares through tender offers and mergers, requires special 

approvals for transactions involving directors, officers or significant shareholders, and regulates other matters that 
may be relevant to these types of transactions. Furthermore, Israeli tax considerations may make potential 
acquisition transactions unappealing to us or to some of our shareholders. For example, Israeli tax law may subject 
a shareholder who exchanges his or her ordinary shares for shares in a foreign corporation, to taxation before 
disposition of the investment in the foreign corporation. These provisions of Israeli law may delay, prevent or make 
difficult an acquisition of our company, which could prevent a change of control and, therefore, depress the price of 
our shares. 

In addition, our articles of association contain certain provisions that may make it more difficult to acquire 

us, such as the provision which provides that our board of directors may issue preferred shares. These provisions 
may have the effect of delaying or deterring a change in control of us, thereby limiting the opportunity for 
shareholders to receive a premium for their shares and possibly affecting the price that some investors are willing to 
pay for our securities. 

Additional details are provided in “Item 10 – Additional Information” under the caption “Articles of 

association and Israeli Companies Law – Anti-takeover measures.” 

Our operations expose us to risks associated with fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates that could 
adversely affect our business 

Although we have operations throughout the world, the majority of our revenue and approximately 59% of 

our operating costs in 2009 were denominated in, or linked to, the U.S. dollar. Accordingly, we consider the U.S. 
dollar to be our functional currency. However, approximately 41% of our operating costs in 2009 were incurred in 
other currencies, particularly in Israeli Shekels, Euros, Swedish Krona and British Pounds. As a result of from time 
to time we may experience increases in the costs of our operations outside the United States, as expressed in 
dollars, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. 

We use derivative financial instruments, such as foreign exchange forward and option contracts, to mitigate 

the risk of changes in foreign exchange rates on balance sheet accounts and forecast cash flows. We may not 
purchase derivative instruments adequate to insulate ourselves from foreign currency exchange risks and over the 
past year, we have incurred losses as a result of exchange rate fluctuations that have not been offset in full by our 
hedging strategy.  

If foreign exchange currency markets continue to be volatile, such fluctuations in foreign currency 
exchange rates could materially and adversely affect our profit margins and results of operations in future periods. 

18 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Also, the volatility in the foreign currency markets may make it challenging to hedge our foreign currency 
exposures effectively. 

The imposition of exchange or price controls or other restrictions on the conversion of foreign currencies 

could also have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. 

ITEM 4. 

INFORMATION ON CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES   

Overview 

Check Point’s mission is to secure the Internet. Check Point was founded in 1993, and has since developed 
technologies to secure the use of the Internet by corporations and consumers when transacting and communicating. 
Seventeen years ago, risks and threats were limited and securing the Internet was relatively simple. A firewall and 
an antivirus solution were generally enough to secure a business. Today, many enterprises require many (in some 
cases 15 or more) point solutions to secure their information technology (IT) networks from the multitude of threats 
and potential attacks and are facing an increasingly complex IT security infrastructure. 

While Check Point’s mission is to secure the Internet, our core competency is reducing complexity in 
Internet security. We strive to solve the security maze by bringing more, better and simpler security solutions to our 
customers. 

Check Point develops, markets and supports a wide range of software, as well as combined hardware and 

software products and services for IT security. We offer our customers an extensive portfolio of network and 
gateway security solutions, data and endpoint security solutions and management solutions. Our solutions operate 
under a unified security architecture that enables end-to-end security with a single line of unified security gateways, 
and allow a single agent for all endpoint security that can be managed from a single unified management console. 
This unified management allows for ease of deployment and centralized control and is supported by and reinforced 
with real-time security updates. 

Check Point was an industry pioneer with our FireWall-1 and our patented Stateful Inspection technology. 
In 2009, Check Point continued to innovate with the development of our Software Blade architecture. The dynamic 
Software Blade architecture delivers secure, flexible and simple solutions that can be customized to meet the 
security needs of any organization or environment. 

Our products and services are sold to enterprises, service providers, small and medium sized businesses and 
consumers. Our Open Platform for Security (OPSEC) framework allows customers to extend the capabilities of our 
products and services with third-party hardware and security software applications. Our products are sold, 
integrated and serviced by a network of partners worldwide. Check Point customers include tens of thousands of 
businesses and organizations of all sizes including all Fortune 100 companies. Check Point’s award-winning 
ZoneAlarm solutions protect millions of consumers from hackers, spyware and identity theft. 

19 

 
 
 
Business Highlights 

In April 2009, we completed the acquisition of the security appliance business from Nokia pursuant to the 

terms of an Asset Purchase Agreement entered into on December 22, 2008. Prior to the completion of the 
acquisition, Check Point had collaborated with Nokia’s security appliance business over the past decade to deliver 
industry-leading enterprise security solutions. Since completing the acquisition, we have been extending the 
security appliance portfolio that is developed, manufactured and supported by Check Point. 

In November 2009, we acquired the application database of Facetime Communications. With the 
acquisition of the industry’s most comprehensive application classification and signature database, Check Point has 
been able to add security controls for over 50,000 Web 2.0 widgets and more than 4,500 Internet applications to its 
security gateways. The new solutions enabled by this acquisition provide businesses granular control over 
application usage and enable security administrators to prevent threats associated with the use of certain Internet 
applications. 

Additional details regarding the important events in the development of our business since the beginning of 

2009 are provided in “Item 5 – Operating and Financial Review and Prospects” under the caption “Overview.” 

We were incorporated as a company under the laws of the State of Israel in 1993 under the name of “Check 

Point Software Technologies Ltd.” Our registered office and principal place of business is located at 5 Ha’Solelim 
Street, Tel Aviv 67897 Israel. The telephone number of our registered office is 972-3-753-4555. Our company’s 
Web site is www.checkpoint.com. The contents of our Web site are not incorporated by reference into this Annual 
Report on Form 20-F. 

This Annual Report on Form 20-F is available on our Web site. If you would like to receive a printed copy 

via mail, please contact our Investor Relations department at 800 Bridge Parkway, Redwood City, CA 94065, 
U.S.A., Tel.: 650-628-2050, email: ir@us.checkpoint.com. 

Our agent for service of process in the United States is CT Corporation System, 818 West Seventh Street, 

Los Angeles, CA 90017 U.S.A., Tel.: 213-627-8252. 

Industry Background 

Several key factors and trends affect enterprise security. The first is the continuing evolution of threats and 

attacks, which over the years have become more sophisticated and targeted. Hackers use technology, the Internet 
and deception to acquire sensitive information. New threats such as drive-by downloads are polluting the Web by 
downloading malicious code on to a user’s PC to steal confidential and marketable information. The Gumblar.cn 
exploit is a good example of a sophisticated attack. It targets users of Internet Explorer and Google search, 
delivering malware through compromised sites to infect a user’s PC and subsequently intercept traffic between the 
user and the visited sites. Once infected, anything that is typed into the infected PC could be monitored and used to 
commit data theft. 

The second challenge is the mounting number of governmental regulations around the world on data 

privacy and compliance. Enterprises need to put in place data security technologies to protect themselves from 
violating applicable law regarding data privacy and protection, and avoid experiencing data loss or data theft which 
could cause them to suffer reputational harm and governmental sanctions, fines and penalties. 

The third factor is the growing number of people who work remotely or who conduct their activities over 

mobile devices. Whether remote or mobile, workers need constant connectivity to the enterprise network. The need 
for increased connectivity has, in turn, expanded the need to safeguard and manage the access to information 
available over IT networks and to secure sensitive information contained on connected systems. In addition, remote 
and mobile users are looking to access private enterprise networks and information from a growing spectrum of 
endpoint devices, including laptops, PDAs, smartphones, portable media players, and removable media storage 
devices. 

20 

 
 
Finally, another key trend affecting IT security is the complexity of deploying, managing and monitoring 

the many technologies needed to fully-secure the enterprise IT network. Each security solution comes with its own 
management console and requires specific training, stretching IT department resources. Integrated security 
solutions are sought in an effort to keep the security infrastructure simple to manage yet flexible enough to make 
changes. 

Product Offerings 

In an effort to simultaneously address the need for scalable security solutions and the retention of initial 

investments, Check Point introduced the Software Blade architecture in February 2009. The new architecture 
provides customers with the ability to tailor their security gateways based on their specific needs at any time. It 
offers enterprises a common platform to deploy independent, modular and interoperable security applications or 
“software blades,” such as firewall, virtual private network (VPN), intrusion prevention system (IPS), anti-virus, 
policy management or event analysis. The new architecture allows customers to select, from a library of over 30 
software blades, the exact security they need and to combine these blades into a single, centrally managed solution. 
Customers can easily extend their security solutions by adding new software blades without the need to purchase 
additional hardware. This allows our customers to deploy security dynamically, when needed, with lower total cost 
of ownership, full integration, and on a single management console. 

The Software Blade architecture is the foundation of our network, endpoint and security management 

offerings. 

1. Network security gateway software blades and appliances 

Our wide range of network security gateways allows our customers to implement their security policies on 

network traffic between internal networks and the Internet, as well as between internal networks and private 
networks that are shared with partners. These gateways are available as either appliances or software solutions, 
providing customers with a broad range of deployment options, including the ability to customize the configuration 
to best meet their security needs. 

Our security gateway product line includes the following offerings to secure traffic and optimize 

performance: 

Software Blades: 

  Firewall software blade – Inspects traffic as it passes through security gateways, classifying it based on various 
criteria, such as source and destination of connection, protocol, services and application used. This provides a 
means to allow, block and log each connection based on the enterprise’s security policy. Our firewall 
technology is based on several key differentiated technologies, including the patented Stateful Inspection 
technology that allows flexible and programmable classification of network traffic. 

 

Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) software blade – Monitors the network for malicious or unwanted traffic and 
is designed to be able to detect and block “known” and “unknown” attacks on the network or system. Our IPS 
software blade is supported by online security update services that provide the latest defense mechanisms, 
including “signatures” for the most recent attacks. 

  Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) software blade – Provides the means to enable private communication over a 
network by encrypting traffic between various sub-networks (site-to-site) or individual computers (such as 
laptops and other mobile devices) and the enterprise network. 

  Antivirus and Anti-Malware software blade – Stops viruses and other malware at the gateway before they affect 
users. Enables screening of specific application protocols such as Web traffic to allow/block access to specific 
Web addresses based on their content. It also includes screening for viruses to detect downloads of malicious 
applications. 

21 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Anti-Spam and Email Security software blade – Provides comprehensive protection for an enterprise’s 

messaging infrastructure. A multi-dimensional approach protects the email infrastructure, provides highly 
accurate spam protection, and defends organizations from a wide variety of virus and malware threats delivered 
within email. Continual updates though a Check Point software update service help to intercept threats before 
they spread. 

  Web Security software blade – Protects users and enterprises by restricting access to an array of potentially 

dangerous sites and content, blocking inappropriate Web surfing to over 20 million URLs. Content profiles are 
updated continually through a Check Point software update service. 

  Acceleration & Clustering software blade – Delivers a set of patented security acceleration technologies, 
SecureXL and ClusterXL, that work together to optimize performance and increase security in high-
performance environments. These technologies improve overall throughput and reduce latency through several 
different techniques, such as load balancing and sharing. 

  Advanced Networking software blade – Adds dynamic routing, multicast support and Quality of Service (QOS) 
to security gateways. This software blade makes it easier for administrators to deploy security within complex 
and highly utilized network environments where performance and availability are critical. 

Most of our products are sold as predefined bundles of “software blades”. These systems are offered as software 
only which run on a variety of operating systems or as “Appliances” that include hardware and software directly 
from Check Point.   

Appliances: 

  Power-1 Appliances – Enable enterprises to increase security in high-performance environments, such as large 
campuses or data centers. Our appliances include, Firewall, IPsec VPN, IPS, Acceleration and Clustering, and 
Advanced Networking, to deliver a high-performance security platform for multi-Gbps environments. 

 

IP Appliances – Proven for years in complex networking and high-performance environments, Check Point IP 
Appliances, formerly Nokia IP appliances, offer customers turnkey security functionality, such as firewall, 
VPN and Intrusion Prevention (IPS) across a wide range of models. 

  UTM-1 Appliances – Offer comprehensive all-in-one security designed to deliver out-of-box simplicity that is 
ideal for small and mid-sized businesses. Built-in security services include firewall, VPN, IPS, antivirus, anti-
malware, anti-spam, email security and URL filtering across a wide range of models. 

Virtualization and Cloud Computing: 

Consolidating multiple systems into single hardware platform is a recent trend in the IT industry 

(Virtualization). Another trend that is related is the use of shared computing services to outsource certain IT 
functions (cloud computing). Check Point has multiple offerings for these environments, enabling consolidating up 
to 250 physical Check Point gateways into a single high performance hardware platform.   

  VSX – Check Point gateways are available on a virtual security operations platform, enabling enterprises to 

consolidate multiple security gateways in a single hardware system and to secure virtual server environments. 
The VSX products that provide this capability are available on certain Check Point appliances – primarily 
Power-1 and IP Appliances and are also offered as software which can run on open servers. VSX has been 
available since 2002. 

  Virtual Edition (VE) – VE enables the deployment of a Check Point security gateway within a virtualized 

server running the VMWare environment and provides security between the various virtual systems on that 
server as well as through the gateway to other parts of the network.  VE was released in late 2008. 

2. Endpoint security 

22 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Our endpoint security offerings provide multiple software blades that run on individual computers that are 
connected to the network, such as desktop computers, laptop computers and other mobile devices. These offerings 
include: 

  Firewall & Security Compliance software blade – Prevents network attacks on individual computers by 

blocking internal attacks and the proliferation of network “worms” within the enterprise IT network, as well as 
attacks on desktop and laptop computers that are connected to public networks. It also provides information on 
the compliance of individual computers to the enterprise’s security policy and allows selective connectivity of 
devices to the network based on their compliance. 

  Full Disk Encryption (FDE) software blade – Fully-encrypts all data stored on a PC, so that unauthorized 

parties cannot read any data even if they get physical access to the disk drive. 

  Media Encryption (ME) and Port Protection software blade – Enables encryption of data stored on mobile 

devices, such as CDs and DVDs and other external removable media and allows an organization to control the 
transfer of information from individual computers to external devices, such as USB memory devices and 
external hard drives. 

  Remote Access VPN software blade – Enables mobile devices to securely access the enterprise IT network by 

encrypting all traffic and ensuring mobile devices and users are properly authenticated. 

  WebCheck Secure Browsing software blade – Segregates corporate data from the Internet with browser 

virtualization technology and provides advanced heuristics to stop users from accessing dangerous websites. 

  Anti-Malware and Program Control software blade – Detects viruses and other malware that try to run on any 
device and/or circumvent its operation. Program control ensures that only legitimate and approved programs 
are allowed to run on the endpoint. 

The endpoint security software blades are integrated into a single endpoint security agent with a single 

client, single interface, single login and single scan. This solution provides security, ease of use and ease of 
management. 

3. Security management 

A key element in implementing our security technologies is the ability to effectively manage their 
deployment while ensuring consistent operations in accordance with an enterprise’s security policy. Our vision is to 
provide a single console for security management. This single console reduces the need for multiple, sometimes 
conflicting, management systems that require a high degree of specialization and training. The key software blades 
included in our management offerings are: 

  Network Policy Management software blade – Provides comprehensive network security policy 

management via SmartDashboard, a single, unified console. 

  Endpoint Policy Management software blade – Enables central deployment, management, monitoring and 

enforcement of security policy for all endpoint devices across any sized organization. 

  Logging & Status software blade – Delivers comprehensive information in the form of logs and a complete 

visual picture of changes to gateways, tunnels, and users. 

  Monitoring software blade – Provides a complete view of network and security performance, enabling fast 

response to changes in traffic patterns and security events. 

  Management Portal software blade – Extends a browser-based view of security policies to outside groups, 

such as support staff, while maintaining central policy control. 

23 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  User Directory software blade – Enables Check Point gateways to leverage directory servers (LDAP) 

based user information stores, eliminating the risks associated with manually maintaining and 
synchronizing redundant data stores. 

 

IPS Event Analysis software blade – Provides a complete IPS event management system providing 
situational visibility, easy to use forensic tools, and reporting. 

  SmartProvisioning software blade – Provides centralized administration and provisioning of Check Point 

security devices via a single management console. 

  SmartWorkflow software blade – Delivers a formal process of policy change management that helps 

administrators reduce errors and enhance compliance. 

  Reporting software blade – Turns vast amounts of security and network data into graphical, easy-to-

understand reports. 

  SmartEvent software blade – Centralized, real-time security event correlation and management for Check 

Point and third-party devices. 

In addition, we offer our SMART-1 security management appliances that combine functionality, storage 

and turn-key deployment into a single device. 

Our software blades run in a variety of deployment environments and on platforms that include standard 
workstations, servers and dedicated appliances. Check Point has both software and dedicated appliance solutions 
for gateway and management offerings. Check Point offers integrated solutions that are sold and serviced jointly 
with key partners including Crossbeam Systems Inc. and International Business Machines Corporation (IBM). 
Different client products run on different client Operating Systems (OS), such as Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, 
Microsoft Windows Mobile, Symbian, Linux and PalmOS. 

Technologies 

We have developed and acquired a variety of technologies that secure networks, endpoints and 

information. 

  Stateful Inspection technology – Our patented Stateful Inspection technology is a premier network security 
technology. In order to provide accurate and highly efficient traffic inspection, Stateful Inspection extracts 
and maintains extensive “state information,” i.e., data that provides context for future screening decisions, 
from all relevant communication layers. Stateful Inspection runs on a network gateway or an endpoint, 
such as a PC, and enables our products to inspect network traffic at high speed. Our Stateful Inspection 
technology can be adapted to new protocols, software applications, and security threats. It can be run on a 
wide range of operating systems. 

  Application Intelligence – Provides a set of advanced capabilities that prevents the exploitation of 

vulnerabilities in business applications, including vulnerabilities in the application code, communication 
protocols, and the underlying operating system. 

  Security Management Architecture (SMART) – A core component of our unified security architecture, 

SMART enables our customers to configure and manage security policies from a central administrative 
point. This technology enables the definition and ongoing management of security policies for enterprises 
of all sizes. This object-oriented architecture maps real-world entities, such as networks and users, to 
graphical representations that can be manipulated in a database. Integrated monitoring and reporting tools 
improve the manageability of the system by providing administrators with real-time information on the 
state of network and security systems. These tools also provide longer term trending information that is 
useful for periodic security management tasks, such as security audits. 

24 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Security and Network Traffic Enforcement technologies – Based on our Stateful Inspection technology, the 

INSPECT engine scans all incoming and outgoing traffic at security enforcement points. These are 
typically located at the network perimeter as security gateways, on critical servers, or inside the network, 
dividing the network into separate segments. We have developed a broad range of technologies that can be 
implemented by our INSPECT engine. In addition, third party technologies can be implemented through 
our Open Platform for Security (OPSEC) framework. 

  SecurePlatform – Bundles the Check Point security solutions together with an operating system (OS) in a 
single package that is easy to deploy. It optimizes the performance of security and operating systems and 
includes a set of tools that ease setup and network configuration, thus reducing the total cost of ownership. 
SecurePlatform runs on a variety of open systems, i.e., systems whose key interfaces are based on widely 
supported standards. 

  ClusterXL – Provides high availability and load sharing to keep businesses running. It distributes traffic 
between clusters of redundant gateways so that the computing capacity of multiple machines may be 
combined to increase total throughput. If an individual gateway becomes unreachable, all connections are 
redirected to a designated backup without interruption. 

  CoreXL – Enables the intelligent balancing of security traffic loads between multiple cores on multi-core 

processors. It results in a higher level of performance for integrated intrusion prevention. 

  SecureXL – A framework of software and hardware technologies, including third-party technologies, 

SecureXL is designed to increase performance. By using SecureXL, hardware vendors can accelerate the 
performance of appliances on which our software is installed. With SecureXL, our products can be 
integrated into high-performance networks typically found in large enterprises and service providers. 

  TrueVector – A patented, flexible and efficient software technology for enabling high-performance, 
scalable and robust Internet security of PCs. TrueVector stops attempts to send confidential data to 
unauthorized parties by malicious software, such as keystroke loggers and Trojan horses. It monitors all 
applications running on protected computers, allowing trusted applications to engage in network 
communications, while blocking network connections by untrusted applications. 

  Full Disk Encryption Secure Pre-Boot Environment – Full Disk Encryption (FDE) Secure Pre-Boot 

Environment (PBE) is a secure, proprietary operating program. PBE, along with FDE’s access control and 
authentication architecture and Multi-Factor Authentication Engine (MFAE), encrypts all information 
stored on a PC’s hard disk, i.e., delivers full-disk encryption. The full-disk encryption technology protects 
every sector of the computer’s hard drive, including the operating system files. This prevents successful 
attacks on the OS and attacks to gain access to sensitive data on the drive. 

  Hybrid Detection Engine (HDE) – At the heart of the IPS software blade, the HDE utilizes multiple 
detection and analysis techniques to detect hostile or suspicious traffic. These techniques include the 
following: signature-based methods to detect known patterns of attacks targeted at the network and at 
vulnerabilities within the network; protocol analysis to validate that the traffic construct meets the expected 
standards; anomaly detection to identify instances where network traffic exhibits abnormal characteristics; 
OS fingerprinting to determine the OS type of the traffic destination, which ensures proper receipt and 
processing; multi-element correlation to detect widespread illicit activity launched from the same source 
address; dynamic worm mitigation whereby rapidly proliferating worms are detected and automatically 
blocked from spreading within the network; as well as other techniques to deliver comprehensive network 
protection. 

 

Intrusion Prevention with Confidence Indexing – Based on several analysis data points for every network 
traffic flow, the IPS software blade determines a level of confidence that a certain traffic flow is an attack. 

25 

 
 
This function reduces the occurrence of false positives by enabling a more granular prevention policy, 
which allows exploits to be blocked, without the concern of blocking critical business traffic. 

  Precision Virtualization – Virtualizing or emulating a limited set of processes creates a secure segment of 
the network without the overhead of a full OS virtual machine. This allows powerful but lightweight 
security just for a targeted area that might otherwise be vulnerable to attacks. WebCheck Secure Browsing 
software blade utilizes this to provide powerful security for Web-browsing activities. 

  Open Platform for Security (OPSEC) – Our OPSEC framework provides a single platform that enables the 
integration and interoperability of multi-vendor information security products and technologies. The 
OPSEC framework allows certified third-party security applications to plug into our solutions through our 
published application programming interfaces. Products that carry the OPSEC Certified seal have been 
tested and certified for integration and interoperability within the OPSEC framework. 

Revenues by category of activity 

The following table presents our revenues for the last three fiscal years by category of activity:  

Category of Activity: 
Products and licenses ......................................................................  
Software updates, maintenance and services ..................................  
Total revenues .................................................................................  

2007 

Year Ended December 31, 
2008 
(in thousands) 
$338,317 
470,173 
$808,490 

$309,785 
421,092 
$730,877 

2009 

$361,633 
562,784 
$924,417 

Our revenues for the last three fiscal years by geographic area are set out in “Item 5 – Operating and 

Financial Review and Prospects” under the caption “Overview”. 

Sales and Marketing 

We sell through a wide network of channel partners, including distributors, resellers, value-added resellers, 
system integrators and managed services providers. Our agreements with these channel partners are non-exclusive. 
Almost all of our enterprise sales are to our channel partners and not directly to our end users. Most of our sales to 
the consumer market are either direct, via our Web sites, or through retail stores. 

We use various marketing activities and tools to increase awareness and knowledge of our products and to 
promote sales. These include our corporate Web sites, seminars and tradeshows that we organize and participate in, 
print media and online advertising, online search optimization and telemarketing campaigns. In addition, in order to 
encourage trials of our products, we provide current and prospective customers with limited in time software 
evaluation licenses. We have strategic relationships with various hardware partners, including vendors providing 
server, workstation, appliance and networking products. These include Crossbeam Systems Inc., Dell Inc., Hewlett-
Packard Co., IBM, Microsoft Corporation, Siemens AG and SanDisk. 

As of December 31, 2009, we had 804 employees dedicated to sales and marketing, customer service and 

support. 

Support and Services 

We operate a worldwide technical services organization which provides a wide range of services including 

the following: (i) technical customer support programs and plans, such as Enterprise Based Support (“EBS”) and 

26 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Collaborative Enterprise Support (“CES”), which provides support for a customer’s entire Check Point product 
install base; (ii) certification and educational training on Check Point products; and (iii) professional services in 
implementing, upgrading, and optimizing Check Point products, such as design planning, security implementation, 
and project management. 

Our technical assistance centers in the United States, Israel, Canada and Japan offer support worldwide 24-
hour service, seven days per week. There are employees in additional locations supporting our call centers, as well 
as call centers operated by third parties (for consumer support only). As of December 31, 2009, we had 284 
employees dedicated to customer service and support. 

Our channel partners generally provide their customers with installation, training, maintenance and support, 

while we provide our high-level technical support to our channel partners. Alternatively, our customers may elect 
to receive support directly from us. As part of our pre-sale support to our channel partners, we employ technical 
consultants and systems engineers who work closely with our channel partners to assist them with pre-sale 
configuration, use and application support. In addition, because of the increased demand for our integrated 
appliance solutions we have expanded our technical support offerings around the world. This includes, same and 
next business day replacements and on-site support availability.  

Research and Product Development 

We believe that our future success will depend upon our ability to enhance our existing products, develop, 

acquire and introduce new products to address the increasingly sophisticated needs of our customers. We work 
closely with existing and potential customers, distribution channels, and major resellers, who provide significant 
feedback for product development and innovation. Our product development efforts are focused on providing a 
unified security architecture that functions throughout all layers of the network and devices that carry data. This 
includes enhancements to our current family of products and the continued development of new products to address 
network and data security covering perimeter, internal, Web and endpoint security needs, as well as the integrated 
management of these solutions. We expect to develop most of our new products internally and also expect to 
leverage the products and technologies recently acquired in our acquisitions of Protect Data AB and NFR Security, 
Inc., as well as the products and solutions acquired upon the acquisition of Nokia Corporation’s security appliance 
business. We may decide, based upon timing and cost considerations that it would be more efficient to acquire or 
license certain technologies or products from third parties, or to make acquisitions of other businesses. Research 
and development expenses were $81.0 million in 2007, $91.6 million in 2008 and $89.7 million in 2009. These 
amounts include stock-based compensation in the amount of $4.3 million in 2007, $5.0 million in 2008 and $6.6 
million in 2009. As of December 31, 2009, we had 727 employees dedicated to research and development activities 
and quality assurance.  

Competition 

Information concerning competition is provided in “Item 3 – Key Information” under the caption “Risk 

Factors – Risks Relating to Our Business and Our Market – We may not be able to successfully compete.” 

Proprietary Rights 

We use a combination of copyright and trademark laws, trade secrets, confidentiality procedures, and 

contractual provisions to protect our proprietary rights. We rely on trade secret and copyright laws to protect our 
software, documentation, and other written materials. These laws provide only limited protection. Further, we 
generally enter into confidentiality agreements with employees, consultants, customers and potential customers, 
and limit access and distribution of materials and information that we consider proprietary. 

We have 11 U.S. patents, over 25 U.S. patents pending, and additional patents issued and patent 

applications pending worldwide. Our efforts to protect our proprietary rights may not be adequate and/or our 

27 

 
 
 
 
competitors may independently develop technology that is similar but is based on our technology. Additional 
details are provided in “Item 3 – Key Information” under the caption “Risk Factors – Risks Relating to Our 
Business and Our Market – We may not be able to successfully protect our intellectual property rights.” 

Effect of Government Regulation on our Business 

Information concerning regulation is provided in “Item 5 – Operating and Financial Review and Products” 
under the caption “Taxes on income” and in “Item 10 – Additional Information” under the caption “Israeli taxation, 
foreign exchange regulation and investment programs.” 

Organizational Structure 

We are organized under the laws of the State of Israel. We wholly own the subsidiaries listed below, 

directly or through other subsidiaries, unless otherwise specified in the footnotes below: 

NAME OF SUBSIDIARY                                                  

COUNTRY OF INCORPORATION 

Check Point Software Technologies, Inc. 

United States of America (Delaware) 

Check Point Software Technologies (Canada) Inc.                      

Check Point Software Technologies (Japan) Ltd.                        

Canada 

Japan 

Check Point Software Technologies (Singapore) PTE Ltd. (1)        

Singapore 

Check Point Software Technologies (Netherlands) B.V.             

Netherlands 

Check Point Holding (Singapore) PTE Ltd. 

Singapore 

Check Point Holding (Singapore) PTE Ltd. – US Branch (2) 

United States of America (New York) 

Israel Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. China (3)     

China 

Check Point Holding AB (4) 

                             Sweden 

SofaWare Technologies Ltd. (5)                                               

Israel 

_______________________ 

(1)  The company filed an application for striking off with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority in Singapore. 

(2)   Branch of Check Point Holding (Singapore) PTE Ltd. 

(3)   Representative office of Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. 

(4)   Subsidiary of Check Point Holding (Singapore) PTE Ltd. (former name: Protect Data AB) 

(5)   We own 63% of the outstanding equity of SofaWare (61.3% on a fully diluted basis) as of December 31, 2009. 

28 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Check Point Software Technologies (Netherlands) B.V. acts as a holding company. It wholly owns the 

principal operating subsidiaries listed below, unless otherwise indicated in the footnotes below: 

NAME OF SUBSIDIARY                                                    

COUNTRY OF INCORPORATION 

Check Point Software Technologies S.A. 

Check Point Software Technologies (Australia) PTY Ltd.          

Check Point Software Technologies (Austria) GmbH                

Check Point Software Technologies (Belarus) LLC 

Check Point Software Technologies (Belgium) S.A. 

Check Point Software Technologies (Brazil) LTDA            

Argentina 

Australia 

Austria 

Belarus 

Belgium 

Brazil 

Check Point Software Technologies (Hong Kong) Ltd. (Guangzhou office) (1)  China 

Check Point Software Technologies (Hong Kong) Ltd. (Shanghai office) (1) 

China 

Check Point Software Technologies (Czech Republic) s.r.o.  

Czech Republic 

Check Point Software Technologies (Denmark) ApS 

Check Point Software Technologies (Finland) Oy 

Check Point Software Technologies SARL                                 

Check Point Software Technologies GmbH        

Check Point Software Technologies (Greece) SA 

Check Point Software Technologies (Hungary) Ltd. 

Denmark 

Finland 

France 

Germany 

Greece 

Hungary 

Check Point Software Technologies (Hong Kong) Ltd. 

Hong Kong 

Check Point Software Technologies (India) Private Limited 

Check Point Software Technologies (Italia) Srl (2) 

Check Point Software Technologies Mexico S.A. de C.V.     

India 

Italy 

Mexico 

Check Point Software Technologies B.V.                                   

Netherlands 

Check Point Software Technologies Norway A.S.                      

Check Point Software Technologies (Poland) Sp.z.o.o. 

CPST (Portugal), Sociedade Unipessoal Lda. 

Check Point Software Technologies (RMN) SRL. 

Check Point Software Technologies (Russia) OOO 

Check Point Software Technologies (Korea) Ltd.  

Check Point Software Technologies (Spain) S.A.                        

C.P.S.T. Sweden A.B.        

Norway 

Poland 

Portugal 

Romania 

Russia 

S. Korea 

Spain 

Sweden 

Check Point Software Technologies (Switzerland) A.G.             

Switzerland 

Check Point Software Technologies (Taiwan) Ltd. 

Check Point Yazilim Teknolojileri Pazarlama A.S. (3) 

Check Point Software Technologies (UK) Ltd.                    
_______________________ 
(1)  Representative office of Check Point Software Technologies (Hong Kong) Ltd. 

Taiwan 

Turkey 

United Kingdom 

(2)  97% owned by Check Point Software Technologies (Netherlands) B.V. and 3% owned by Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. 

(3)  96% owned by Check Point Software Technologies (Netherlands) B.V., 1% owned by Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., and 3% 
owned in trust by the directors of Check Point Yazilim Teknolojileri Pazarlama A.S. on behalf of Check Point Software Technologies 
(Netherlands) B.V. 

29 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Protect Data AB wholly owns the subsidiaries listed below, directly or through other subsidiaries: 

NAME OF SUBSIDIARY                                                    

COUNTRY OF INCORPORATION 

Check Point Software Technologies (Sweden) AB       

Pointsec Norway AS 

Oy Pointsec Finland AB (1) 

Pointsec Mobile Technologies, Inc. 

Pointsec Mobile Technologies Ltd. (2) 

Pointsec Mobile Technologies Pty Ltd. (3) 

Pointsec Mobile Technologies Limited (4) 

Pointsec Mobile Technologies Pte Ltd. (5) 

Reflex Software Ltd. (Jersey) 

Reflex Magnetics Ltd.  

Reflex Software Luxembourg SARL  

Sweden 

Norway 

Finland 

United States of America (California) 

United Kingdom 

Australia 

Hong Kong 

Singapore 

United Kingdom 

United Kingdom 

Luxembourg 

Check Point Software Technologies Inc. wholly owns the subsidiaries listed below: 

NAME OF SUBSIDIARY                                                  

COUNTRY OF INCORPORATION 

Pointsec Mobile Technologies, LLC. 

NFR Security, Inc.   

Zone Labs, L.L.C. 

_______________________ 

(1) The company is undergoing liquidation process. 

United States of America (California) 

United States of America (Delaware) 

United States of America (California) 

(2) The company filed an application for striking off with the Companies House in the United Kingdom. 

(3) The company filed an application for deregistration with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).  

(4) The company filed an application for deregistration with the Companies Registry in Hong Kong. 

(5)  The company filed an application for striking off with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority in Singapore. 

30 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Property, Plants and Equipment 

Our international headquarters are located in Tel Aviv, Israel. We occupy our headquarters pursuant to a 

lease with the City of Tel Aviv – Jaffa, which expires in August 2059. We are not required to make any additional 
payments under the lease.     

Our international headquarters building contains approximately 150,000 square feet of office space. Our 

international headquarters building is used for administration of our business, including sales and research and 
development. 

We also acquired the rights to construct an additional building with approximately 130,000 square feet. 

In addition, we lease offices in various locations around the world. Our principal offices locations are as 

follows: 

Location 

Primary Usage 

Redwood City, California 

U.S. Headquarters 

Irving, Texas 

Technical support, education and professional services 

Stockholm, Sweden 

Research and development 

In addition to the above, we lease the following office spaces:   

Location 

Primary Usage 

EMEA 

Americas 

Asia Pacific and Japan 

Sales, research and development 

Sales 

Sales 

Space (square 
feet) 

73,127  

26,725  

15,123 

Space (square 
feet) 

 53,118 

 41,786  

 12,708 

Principal Capital Expenditures and Divestitures 

For more information regarding our principal capital expenditures currently in progress, see “Item 5 – Operating 
and Financial Review and Prospects” under the caption “Liquidity and Capital Resources.” 

ITEM 4A. 

UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS 

None. 

31 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ITEM 5.  OPERATING AND FINANCIAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTS 

The following discussion and analysis is based on our consolidated financial statements including the 

related notes, and should be read in conjunction with them. Our consolidated financial statements are provided in 
“Item 18 – Financial Statements”. 

Overview 

We develop, market and support a wide range of software and combined hardware and software products 

and services for IT security and offer our customers an extensive portfolio of network and gateway security 
solutions, data and endpoint security solutions and management solutions. Our solutions operate under a unified 
security architecture that enables end-to-end security with a single line of unified security gateways and allow a 
single agent for all endpoint security. We also provide unified management which allows for ease of deployment 
and centralized control and is supported by and reinforced with real-time security updates. Our products and 
services are sold to enterprises, service providers, small and medium sized businesses and consumers. Our Open 
Platform for Security (OPSEC) framework allows customers to extend the capabilities of our products and services 
with third-party hardware and security software applications. Our products are sold, integrated and serviced by a 
network of channel partners worldwide. 

In January 2007, we completed the acquisition of Protect Data AB (“Protect Data”), which at the time was 

a public company listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. Protect Data operates its business through its wholly 
owned subsidiary, Pointsec Mobile Technologies AB, a worldwide provider of mobile data protection. Pointsec 
delivers solutions for automatic data encryption that keeps the sensitive information stored on mobile computing 
devices, such as laptops, PDAs, smartphones, and removable media (e.g., USB devices), confidential and secure. 
With the acquisition of Protect Data, Check Point entered the data security market. 

On April 13, 2009, we completed the acquisition of the security appliance business of Nokia Corporation 
(“Nokia”) pursuant to the terms of an Asset Purchase Agreement entered into on December 22, 2008. Prior to the 
completion of the acquisition, Check Point had collaborated with Nokia’s security appliance business over the past 
decade to deliver industry-leading enterprise security solutions. Since completing the acquisition, we have been 
building upon this collaboration to provide an extended security appliance portfolio that is developed, and 
supported by Check Point. 

On November 23, 2009, we completed the acquisition of the FaceTime application and signature database.  

We plan to utilize the database to bring a new level of granularity to the gateway.   

As a result of these acquisitions, our expenses in several categories increased commensurate with the costs 

of operating and integrating the acquired businesses. These increases were primarily attributable to increases in 
personnel expenses and related costs correlating to increases in cost of revenues, research and development, selling 
and marketing and general and administrative expenses. 

Our business is subject to the effects of general global economic conditions and, in particular, market 

conditions in the IT, Internet security, and data security industries. If general economic and industry conditions fail 
to improve, or if they deteriorate, demand for our products could be adversely affected. 

We derive most of our product revenues from sales of integrated appliances Internet security products 

primarily under our VPN-1 and related brands, as well as related revenues from software updates, maintenance and 
other services. Following the acquisition of the Nokia security appliances business, we expanded our appliances 
portfolio with the IP Series that generated a large portion of our products sales. We expect this to continue to be the 
case in the foreseeable future. 

32 

 
 
We derive our sales primarily through indirect channels. During 2009, we derived approximately 58% of 
our sales from our ten largest distributors, compared to 50% in 2008. In 2009, the largest distributor accounted for 
approximately 18% of our sales, and the second largest distributor accounted for approximately 17% of our sales 
compared to 16% and 14%, respectively, in 2008. 

The following table presents the percentage of total consolidated revenues that we derive from sales in each 

of the regions shown:  

Region: 
Americas, principally U.S.  ..................
Europe, Middle East and Africa ...........
Asia Pacific and Japan ..........................

Year Ended December 31, 
2008 
43% 
45% 
12% 

2007 
45% 
44% 
11% 

2009 
43% 
44% 
13% 

For information on the impact of foreign currency fluctuations, please refer to “Item 11 – Quantitative and 

Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk – Foreign Currency Risk.” 

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates 

Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting 

principles (U.S. GAAP). These accounting principles require us to make certain estimates, judgments and 
assumptions. We believe that the estimates, judgments and assumptions upon which we rely, are reasonably based 
upon information available to us at the time that these estimates, judgments and assumptions are made. These 
estimates, judgments and assumptions can affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the 
financial statements as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the periods presented. To the 
extent there are material differences between these estimates, judgments or assumptions and actual results, our 
consolidated financial statements will be affected. The accounting policies that reflect our more significant 
estimates, judgments and assumptions and which we believe are the most critical to aid in fully understanding and 
evaluating our reported financial results, include the following: 

  Revenue recognition, 

  Business combinations, 

  Goodwill, 

  Realizability of long-lived assets, 

  Accounting for income taxes, 

  Equity-based compensation expense, 

  Allowances for doubtful accounts, 

  Derivative and hedge accounting, and 

 

Impairment of marketable securities. 

In many cases, the accounting treatment of a particular transaction is specifically dictated by U.S. GAAP 

and does not require management’s judgment in its application. There are also areas in which management’s 
judgment in selecting among available alternatives would not produce a materially different result. Our senior 
management has reviewed these critical accounting policies and related disclosures with the Audit Committee of 
our Board of Directors. You can see a summary of our significant accounting policies in Note 2 to our consolidated 
financial statements. 

33 

 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
Revenue recognition 

We generally derive our revenues from two primary sources: 

  Software products and combined hardware and software products; and 

  Software updates, maintenance and services. 

We apply software revenue recognition guidance, ASC 985-605, “Software Revenue Recognition,” to all 

transactions involving the sale of software products and hardware products that include software. We recognize 
product and license revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the product has been delivered, 
there are no uncertainties surrounding product acceptance, there are no significant future performance obligations, 
the license fees are fixed or determinable, and collection of the license fee is considered probable. Amounts 
received in advance of meeting these criteria are deferred. Fees for arrangements with payment terms extending 
beyond customary payment terms are considered not to be fixed or determinable, in which case revenue is deferred 
and recognized when payments become due from the customer or are actually collected, provided that all other 
revenue recognition criteria have been met. As required by ASC 985-605, we determine the value of the product 
component of our multiple-element arrangements using the residual method when vendor specific objective 
evidence (VSOE) of fair value exists for the undelivered elements of the support and maintenance agreements.  
VSOE of fair value is based on the price charged when an element is sold separately or renewed. Under the residual 
method, the fair value of the undelivered elements is deferred and the remaining portion of the arrangement fee is 
allocated to the delivered elements and is recognized as revenue. For hardware transactions where software is not 
incidental, we do not separate the license fee and we do not apply separate accounting guidance to the hardware 
and software elements. 

Our software updates and maintenance provides customers with rights to unspecified software product 

upgrades released during the term of the agreement and other security solutions sold as a service or annuity. Our 
support offerings include multiple services to our customers primarily telephone access to technical support 
personnel and hardware support services. We recognize revenues from software updates, maintenance and services 
ratably over the term of the agreement. 

We determine the fair value for our software updates, maintenance and support services based upon the 

prices we charge customers for renewal. We offer several levels of services, classified by services offered, response 
time and availability. We have defined classes of customers, based on the total gross value of licensed software 
products the customer purchased from us. We price renewals for each service level and each class of customer as a 
fixed percentage of the total gross value of software products the customer licensed from us. 

We recognize revenues net of estimated amounts that may be refunded for sales returns and rebate 
arrangements with customers. Additionally, distributers may rotate our products, subject to varying limitations. We 
estimate and record these reductions based on our historical experience analysis of credit memo data, stock rotation 
and other known factors. In each accounting period, we use judgments and estimates of potential future sales 
credits, returns, and stock rotation, related to current period revenue. These estimates affect our “net revenue” line 
item on our consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income and affect our “accounts receivable, net” 
on our consolidated balance sheets. 

Business combinations 

In accordance with the revised business combination accounting, adopted on January 1, 2009, we allocate 
the purchase price of acquired companies to the tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed, as 
well as to in-process research and development based on their estimated fair values. In addition, in accordance with 
the revised guidance, we expense acquisition-related expenses and restructuring costs as they are incurred. We 
engage third-party appraisal firms to assist management in determining the fair values of certain assets acquired 
and liabilities assumed. Such valuations require management to make significant estimates and assumptions, 
especially with respect to intangible assets. 

34 

 
 
 
 
Management makes estimates of fair value based upon assumptions it believes to be reasonable. These 

estimates are based on historical experience and information obtained from the management of the acquired 
companies and relevant market and industry data and are, inherently, uncertain. Critical estimates made in valuing 
certain of the intangible assets include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) future expected cash flows from 
license sales, maintenance agreements, customer contracts and acquired developed technologies and patents; (ii) 
expected costs to develop the in-process research and development into commercially viable products and 
estimated cash flows from the projects when completed; (iii) the acquired company’s brand and market position as 
well as assumptions about the period of time the acquired brand will continue to be used in the combined 
company’s product portfolio; and (iv) discount rates. Unanticipated events and circumstances may occur which 
may affect the accuracy or validity of such assumptions, estimates or actual results. Changes to these estimates, 
relating to circumstances that existed at the acquisition date, are recorded as an adjustment to goodwill during the 
purchase price allocation period (generally within one year of the acquisition date) and as operating expenses, if 
otherwise. 

In connection with purchase price allocations, we estimate the fair value of the support obligations assumed 

in connection with acquisitions. The estimated fair value of the support obligations is determined utilizing a cost 
build-up approach. The cost build-up approach determines fair value by estimating the costs related to fulfilling the 
obligations plus a normal profit margin. The sum of the costs and operating profit approximates, in theory, the 
amount that we would be required to pay a third party to assume the support obligation. See Note 3 to our 
consolidated financial statements for additional information on accounting for our recent acquisitions. 

Goodwill  

Goodwill is measured as the excess of the cost of acquisition over the sum of the amounts assigned to 

tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired less liabilities assumed. We review goodwill for impairment 
annually on December 31st and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate its carrying value may not be 
recoverable in accordance with ASC 350 “Intangibles – Goodwill and other”. Goodwill impairment is deemed to 
exist if the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value. If the carrying value of a reporting unit’s 
goodwill exceeds its implied fair value, then we would record an impairment loss equal to the difference.   

We operate in one operating segment, and this segment comprises our only reporting unit. In calculating 

the fair value of the reporting unit, we used our market equity capitalization.  

If the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, we then calculate the goodwill’s implied fair 

value by performing a hypothetical allocation of the reporting unit’s fair value to the underlying assets and 
liabilities, with the residual being the implied fair value of goodwill. This allocation process involves using 
significant estimates; include estimates of future cash flows, future short-term and long-term growth rates, 
weighted average cost of capital and assumptions about the future deployment of the long-lived assets of the 
reporting unit. Other factors we consider are the brand awareness and the market position of the reporting unit and 
assumptions about the period of time we will continue to use the brand in our product portfolio. If these estimates 
or their related assumptions change in the future, we may be required to record impairment charges for our 
goodwill.  

Our most recent annual goodwill impairment analysis, which was performed during the fourth quarter of 

2009, did not result in an impairment charge.  

35 

 
 
 
 
 
Realizability of long-lived assets 

We are required to assess the impairment of tangible and intangible long-lived assets subject to 
amortization, under ASC 360 “Property, Plant and Equipment”, on a periodic basis, when events or changes in 
circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. Impairment indicators include any 
significant changes in the manner of our use of the assets or the strategy of our overall business, significant 
negative industry or economic trends and significant decline in our share price for a sustained period. 

Upon determination that the carrying value of a long-lived asset may not be recoverable based upon a 

comparison of aggregate undiscounted projected future cash flows from the use of the asset or asset group to the 
carrying amount of the asset, an impairment charge is recorded for the excess of carrying amount over the fair 
value. We measure fair value using discounted projected future cash flows. We base our fair value estimates on 
assumptions we believe to be reasonable but that are unpredictable and inherently uncertain. If these estimates or 
their related assumptions change in the future, we may be required to record impairment charges for our tangible 
and intangible long-lived assets subject to amortization. No impairment charges were recognized during 2007, 2008 
and 2009. 

Accounting for income tax 

We are subject to income taxes in Israel, the U.S. and numerous foreign jurisdictions. Significant judgment 

is required in evaluating our uncertain tax positions and determining our provision for income taxes. Based on the 
guidance in ASC 740 “Income Taxes”, we use a two-step approach to recognizing and measuring uncertain tax 
positions. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if the weight of available 
evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of 
related appeals or litigation processes, if any. The second step is to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount 
that is more than 50% likely of being realized upon settlement. 

Although we believe we have adequately reserved for our uncertain tax positions, no assurance can be 

given that the final tax outcome of these matters will not be different. We adjust these reserves in light of changing 
facts and circumstances, such as the closing of a tax audit, the refinement of an estimate or changes in tax laws. To 
the extent that the final tax outcome of these matters is different than the amounts recorded, such differences will 
impact the provision for income taxes in the period in which such determination is made. The provision for income 
taxes includes the impact of reserve provisions and changes to reserves that are considered appropriate, as well as 
the related interest and penalty. 

Accounting for tax positions requires judgments, including estimating reserves for potential uncertainties.  

We also assess our ability to utilize tax attributes, including those in the form of carry forwards for which the 
benefits have already been reflected in the financial statements. We do not record valuation allowances for deferred 
tax assets that we believe are more likely than not to be realized in future periods. While we believe the resulting 
tax balances as of December 31, 2009 and 2008 are appropriately accounted for, the ultimate outcome of such 
matters could result in favorable or unfavorable adjustments to our consolidated financial statements and such 
adjustments could be material. See Note 11 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for further information 
regarding income taxes. We have filed or are in the process of filing local and foreign tax returns that are subject to 
audit by the respective tax authorities. The amount of income tax we pay is subject to ongoing audits by the tax 
authorities, which often result in proposed assessments. We believe that we adequately provided for any reasonably 
foreseeable outcomes related to tax audits and settlement. However, our future results may include favorable or 
unfavorable adjustments to our estimated tax liabilities in the period the assessments are made or resolved, audits 
are closed or when statutes of limitation on potential assessments expire.  

36 

 
 
Equity-based compensation expense 

We account for equity-based compensation in accordance with ASC 718 “Compensation – Stock 
Compensation.” Under the fair value recognition provisions of this statement, stock-based compensation cost is 
measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is recognized as an expense over the requisite 
service periods. Determining the fair value of stock-based awards at the grant date requires the exercise of 
judgment, including the amount of stock-based awards that are expected to be forfeited. If actual forfeitures differ 
from our estimates, equity-based compensation expense and our results of operations would be impacted. 

We estimate the fair value of employee stock options using a Black-Scholes-Merton valuation model. The 
fair value of an award is affected by our stock price on the date of grant as well as other assumptions, including the 
estimated volatility of our stock price over the expected term of the awards, and the estimated period of time that 
we expect employees to hold their stock options. The risk-free interest rate assumption is based upon United States 
treasury interest rates appropriate for the expected life of the awards. We use the historical volatility of our publicly 
traded stock options in order to estimate future stock price trends. In order to determine the estimated period of 
time that we expect employees to hold their stock options, we use historical behavioral patterns rates of employee 
groups by job classification. Our expected dividend rate is zero since we do not currently pay cash dividends on our 
common stock and do not anticipate doing so in the foreseeable future. 

Allowance for doubtful accounts 

We maintain an allowance for doubtful accounts for losses that may result from the failure of our channel 
partners to make required payments. We estimate this allowance based on our judgment as to our ability to collect 
outstanding receivables. We form this judgment based on an analysis of significant outstanding invoices, the age of 
the receivables, our historical collection experience and current economic trends. If the financial condition of our 
channel partners were to deteriorate, resulting in their inability to make payments, we would need to increase the 
allowance for doubtful accounts. 

Derivative and Hedge Accounting 

Approximately 56% to 61% of our operating expenses are denominated in U.S. dollars or linked to the 

U.S. dollar. In 2009 we entered into foreign exchange forward contracts and options to hedge a significant portion 
of our foreign currency net exposure resulting expenses in major foreign currencies in which we operate, in order to 
reduce the impact of foreign currency on our results. We also entered into foreign exchange forward contracts and 
options to reduce the impact of foreign currency on balance sheet items, specifically for the new Israeli Shekel.  

37 

 
 
  
 
The accounting for changes in the fair value (i.e., gains or losses) of a derivative instrument depends on 
whether it has been designated and qualifies as part of a hedging relationship and further, on the type of hedging 
relationship. For those derivative instruments that are designated and qualify as hedging instruments, the Company 
must designate the hedging instrument, based upon the exposure being hedged, as a fair value hedge, cash flow 
hedge, or a hedge of a net investment in a foreign operation. If the derivatives meet the definition of a hedge and 
are so designated, depending on the nature of the hedge, changes in the fair value of such derivatives will either be 
offset against the change in fair value of the hedged assets, liabilities, or firm commitments through earnings, or 
recognized in other comprehensive income until the hedged item is recognized in earnings. The ineffective portion 
of a derivative’s change in fair value is recognized in earnings. We estimate the fair value of such derivative 
contracts by reference to forward and spot rates quoted in active markets. 

Establishing and accounting for foreign exchange contracts involve judgments, such as determining the fair 

value of the contracts, determining the nature of the exposure, assessing its amount and timing, and evaluating the 
effectiveness of the hedging arrangement. 

 Although we believe that our estimates are accurate and meet the requirement of hedge accounting, actual 

results could differ from these estimates, and such difference could cause fluctuation in our recorded operating 
expenses. 

Impairment of Marketable Securities 

All marketable securities are classified as available-for-sale securities. We assess our available-for-sale 
marketable securities on a regular basis for other-than-temporary impairment. Pursuant to accounting guidance 
effective April 1, 2009, if we have a security with a fair value less than its amortized cost and we intend to sell the 
security or it is more likely than not we will be required to sell the security before it recovers, other-than temporary 
impairment has occurred and we must record the entire amount of the impairment in earnings. If we do not intend 
to sell the security or it is not more likely than not we will be required to sell the security before it recovers in 
value, we must estimate the net present value of cash flows expected to be collected. If the amortized cost exceeds 
the net present value of cash flows, such excess is considered a credit loss and other-than-temporary impairment 
has occurred. The credit loss component is recognized in earnings and the residual portion of the other-than-
temporary impairment is recorded in other comprehensive income. The determination of credit losses requires 
significant judgment and actual results may be materially different than our estimate. We consider the likely reason 
for the decline in value, the period of time the fair value was below amortized cost, changes in and performance of 
the underlying collateral, the ability of the issuer to meet payment obligations, changes in ratings and market trends 
and conditions. Prior to April 1, 2009, other-than-temporary impairment was recorded based on similar factors, as 
well as our intent and ability to hold until recovery of loss. Any decline deemed other-than-temporary was 
recognized in earnings. 

 During 2008 and 2009, we recorded other-than-temporary impairment on our marketable securities net of 

gain of the sales of marketable securities that were previously impaired in the amount of $11.2 million and $1.3 
million pre-tax, respectively. 

38 

 
 
 
Results of operations 

The following table presents information concerning our results of operations in 2007, 2008 and 2009: 

2007 

Year Ended December 31, 
2008 
(in thousands) 

2009 

Revenues:  
   Products and licenses .........................................................  
   Software updates, maintenance and services  ....................  
Total revenues ......................................................................  

$309,785 
421,092 
730,877 

Operating expenses(*): 
   Cost of products and licenses 
   Cost of software updates, maintenance and services 
   Amortization of technology 
   Total cost of revenues ........................................................  
   Research and development  ...............................................  
   Selling and marketing ........................................................  
   General and administrative ................................................  
    Acquired in process research and development  
   Restructuring and other acquisition related costs ..............  
Total operating expenses ......................................................  

27,191 
27,386 
27,724 
82,301 
80,982 
217,491 
53,527 
                    17,000 
- 
451,301 

Operating income .................................................................  
Financial income, net ............................................................  
Other  than  temporary  impairment  net  of  gain  on  sale  of 
marketable securities previously impaired(**) 

Income before taxes on income ............................................  
Taxes on income ...................................................................  
Net income............................................................................  

_______________________ 

279,576 
49,725 
- 

329,301 
48,237 
$281,064 

$3
4

,
,
,490 

34,648 
33,407 
24,554 
92,609 
91,629 
214,439 
53,313 

$361,633 
562,784 
924,417 

61,495 
43,551 
28,224 
133,270 
89,743 
220,877 
56,409 

                          - 

                         - 

- 
451,990 

356,500 
40,876 
(11,221) 

386,155 
62,189 
$323,966 

9,101 
509,400 

415,017 
32,058 
(1,277) 

445,798 
88,275 
$357,523 

(*) Including pre-tax charges for amortization of intangible assets and stock-based compensation in the following items: 

Amortization of intangible assets  
      Selling and marketing .....................................................  
Total 

Stock-based compensation 
   Cost of products and licenses ...........................................  
   Cost of software updates, maintenance and services 
   Research and development  ..............................................  
   Selling and marketing .......................................................  
   General and administrative ...............................................  
Total 

_______________________ 

$12,260 
$12,260 

$65 
668 
4,309 
8,780 
20,230 
$34,052 

$12,428 
$12,428 

$22,429 
$22,429 

$48 
684 
5,037 
6,855 
19,703 
$32,327 

$47 
641 
6,649 
5,032 
18,538 
$30,907 

(**)  Year  ended  December  31,  2008,  includes  write  down  of  $  11.2  million,  of  our  marketable  securities.  Year  ended 
December 31, 2009, includes write down of $ 3.1 million related to our marketable securities net of $1.8 million gain on sale of 
marketable securities that were written down in 2008. 

39 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The following table presents information concerning our results of operations as a percentage of revenues 

for the periods indicated: 

Revenues: 
    Products and licenses ...................................................  
    Software updates, maintenance and services ...............  
Total revenues ..................................................................  

Operating expenses: 
   Cost of products and licenses 
   Cost of software updates, maintenance and services 
   Amortization of technology 
   Cost of revenues............................................................  
   Research and development ...........................................  
   Selling and marketing ...................................................  
        General and administrative ...........................................  

   Acquired in process research and development 
   Restructuring and other acquisition related costs ...............  
Total operating expenses..................................................  

Operating income .............................................................  
Financial income, net .......................................................  
Other  than  temporary  impairment  net  of  gain  on  sale  of 
marketable securities previously written down 

Income before taxes on income .......................................  
Taxes on income ..............................................................  
Net income .......................................................................  

Revenues 

2007 

42% 
58 
100% 

3 
4 
4 
11 
11 
30 
8  
2 
- 
62  

38 
7 
- 

45 
7 
38% 

Year Ended December 31, 
2008 

42% 
58 
100% 

4 
4 
3 
11 
11 
27 
7 

- 
56 

44 
5 
(1) 

48 
8 
40% 

2009 

39% 
61 
100% 

6 
5 
3 
14 
10 
24 
6 

1 
55 

45 
3 
- 

48 
9 
39% 

We derive our revenues mainly from the sale of products and licenses of software, and related software 
updates, maintenance and other services. Our revenues were $730.9 million in 2007, $808.5 million in 2008 and 
$924.4 million in 2009. 

Total revenues in 2009 grew by 14% compared to 2008. Product and license revenues increased by $23.3 

million, or 7%, from $338.3 million in 2008 to $361.6 million in 2009, which is attributable mostly to growth in 
sales of integrated appliances and the acquisition of the Nokia security appliance business. In 2009, product and 
license revenues as a percentage of total revenues was 39%, compared with 42% in the previous two years. This 
decrease is due primarily to our shift in an increase in product service offerings. Software updates, maintenance and 
services revenues increased by $92.6 million, or 20%, from $470.2 million in 2008 to $562.8 million in 2009, 
primarily as a result of renewals and new sales of maintenance contracts, increasing sales of IPS security services 
and the revenues from sales of services that we purchased when we acquired the Nokia security appliance business. 

40 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total revenues in 2008 grew by 11% compared to 2007. Product and license revenues increased by $28.5 

million, or 9%, from $309.8 million in 2007 to $338.3 million in 2008, which is attributable mostly to growth in 
sales of integrated appliances. Software updates, maintenance and services revenues increased by $49.1 million, or 
12%, from $421.1 million in 2007 to $470.2 million in 2008, primarily as a result of renewals and sales of new 
maintenance contracts and increasing sales of SmartDefense security services. 

Cost of Revenues 

Total cost of revenues was $82.3 million in 2007, $92.6 million in 2008 and $133.3 million in 2009. Cost 

of revenues includes cost of product and licenses, cost of software updates, maintenance and services and 
amortization of technology. Our cost of products and licenses is comprised of the cost of software and hardware 
production, manuals, packaging and license fees paid to third parties. Cost of products and licenses was $27.2 
million in 2007, $34.6 million in 2008 and $61.5 million in 2009, and represented 4% of revenues in 2007, 4% in 
2008 and 7% in 2009. The increase in 2008 was mainly due to increased hardware volume. In 2009, the increase 
was due primarily to the sale of security appliance products that we acquired from Nokia, which accounted for 
approximately $22.9 million, and to a lesser extent to continued increases in sales of hardware-based products. 

Our cost of software updates, maintenance and services includes the cost of post-sale customer support, 
training, consulting and license fees paid to third parties. The cost of software updates, maintenance and services 
was $27.4 million in 2007, $33.4 million in 2008, and $43.6 million in 2009, and represented 4% of revenues in 
2007 and 2008, and 5% of revenues in 2009. In 2007, we experienced an increase in cost of software updates, 
maintenance and services, primarily related to an increase in headcount in our technical services organization, both 
from organic growth and the inclusion of Protect Data. At the end of 2007, we had 225 employees in our technical 
services organization, of whom 18 were added as a result of the Protect Data acquisition, compared to 163 at the 
beginning of 2007. The increase in the number of employees resulted in additional compensation expense of 
approximately $4.8 million in 2007. In 2008, we experienced an increase in the cost of software updates, 
maintenance and services primarily related to an increase in compensation and payroll related expenses, as the 
average headcount in our technical services organization throughout 2008 was higher, in comparison to 2007, and 
as a result of the effect of exchange rate fluctuations on compensation expenses, which are reported in U.S. dollars 
but incurred in various currencies. In 2009, we experienced an increase of $10.1 million in cost of software 
updates, maintenance and services, primarily related to the support of the Nokia security appliance business 
hardware-based products. In 2007, amortization of technology increased to $27.7 million, with the inclusion of 
Protect Data and NFR. The intangible assets added in connection with the acquisitions are amortized over their 
useful lives on a straight-line basis, which represents the expected pattern of usage. In 2008, amortization of 
technology decreased to $24.6 million. The decrease resulted primarily from Zone Labs’ intangible assets being 
fully amortized at the beginning of 2008. In 2009, amortization of technology increased to $28.2 million, mainly 
due to the inclusion of Nokia security appliance business.  

41 

 
 
 
 
Research and Development 

Research and development expenses consist primarily of salaries and other related expenses for personnel, 

as well as the cost of facilities and depreciation of capital equipment. Research and development expenses were 
$81.0 million in 2007, $91.6 million in 2008, and $89.7 million in 2009, and represented 11% of revenues in 2007 
and 2008 and 10% of revenues in 2009. In 2008, approximately $4.2 million of the increase in research and 
development expenses compared to 2007 was related to an increase in the average number of research and 
development employees. In addition, approximately $4.5 million of the referenced increase resulted from the 
appreciation of the Israeli Shekel, the Euro, and the Swedish Krona compared to the U.S. dollar. In 2009, we had a 
decrease of $1.9 million in research and development expenses as explained below. Currency fluctuations 
accounted for a $5.4 million, decrease in compensation expenses,  these were partially offset by an increase in 
headcount committed to research and development from 679 at the end of 2008 to 740 at the end of 2009, which 
added $3.9 million in compensation expenses. The majority of our developers are located in Israel, where 
compensation related expenses are paid in Israeli Shekels, and in Sweden, where compensation related expenses are 
paid in Swedish Krona, while our research and development expenses are reported in U.S. dollars. Therefore, 
changes to the exchange rate between the Israeli Shekel, the Swedish Krona and the U.S. dollar, have affected and 
may in the future affect our expense level. Beginning in 2009 Check Point established forward contracts to hedge 
against a certain portion of the exposure mentioned above. 

Selling and Marketing 

Selling and marketing expenses consist primarily of salaries, commissions, advertising, trade shows, 
seminars, public relations, travel and other related expenses. Selling and marketing expenses were $217.5 million in 
2007, $214.4 million in 2008, and $220.9 million in 2009 and represented 30% of revenues in 2007, 27% of 
revenues in 2008, and 24% of revenues in 2009. In 2008, the decrease in selling and marketing expenses compared 
to 2007 was primarily due to a decrease in our sales and marketing headcount, from 717 at the end of 2007 to 701 
at the end of 2008. In 2009, the increase in selling and marketing expenses was primarily due to an increase in our 
sales and marketing headcount, from 701 at the end of 2008 to 804 at the end of 2009, and the associated increase 
in travel, entertainment and facilities expenses. The increase of 103 employees resulted primarily from the 
acquisition of the Nokia security appliance business, resulting in a net increase in expenses of approximately $12.1 
million. In addition, the amortization of intangible assets related to the Nokia security appliance business increased 
selling and marketing expenses in 2009 by $10.0 million. These increases were partially offset in the aggregate 
amount of $15.6 million primarily from currency fluctuations and expense reductions.    

In 2007 and 2008, the strengthening of the Euro compared to the U.S. dollar contributed approximately 

$2.2 million and $0.3 million, respectively, to compensation expenses. In 2009, the weakening of the Israeli 
Shekel, the Euro, and the Swedish Krona compared to the U.S. dollar contributed $6.3 million to the decrease in 
compensation expenses. Our expenses in Israel and Europe, which primarily relate to compensation, travel, 
facilities and marketing, are paid in local currencies but are reported in U.S. dollars. Therefore, changes to the 
exchange rates between the Israeli Shekel, the Euro and the Swedish Krona and the U.S. dollar have affected, and 
may in the future affect, our expense level. In addition, due to expense management other related expenses 
decreased by approximately $7.0 million in 2009 as compared to 2008. 

42 

 
 
 
General and Administrative 

General and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries and headcount related expenses, 
professional fees, insurance costs and other expenses. General and administrative expenses were $53.5 million in 
2007, $53.3 million in 2008, and $56.4 million in 2009, and represented 8% of revenues in 2007, 7% of revenues in 
2008, and 6% of revenues in 2009. In 2008, the expense level remained flat relative to 2007. In 2009, the increase 
in general and administrative expenses, as compared to 2008, is mainly due to increase in various donations of $1.9 
million and an increase in legal expenses of $2.9 million, which were partly offset by a decrease in stock based 
compensation expenses of $1.2 million. 

Restructuring and other acquisition related costs 

Restructuring and other acquisition related expenses consist primarily of severance payments paid for 
former Nokia security appliance business employees and other associated costs. Restructuring and other acquisition 
related expenses were $9.1 million in 2009. 

In-Process Research and Development 

Upon the acquisition of Protect Data in January 2007, we recorded a $17 million charge for acquired in-

process research and development (IPR&D). This expense was attributable to projects which had not yet reached 
technological feasibility and had no alternative future use. The value of IPR&D was determined using the 
discounted cash flow approach. Starting 2009, we are no longer required to expense IPR&D at the acquisition date 
under the new Business Combination accounting guidance. Such amounts are recognized as an intangible asset 
pending future completion or abandonment of the project.   

Operating Margin 

We had operating margins of 38% in 2007, 44% in 2008, and 45% in 2009. 

The increase of 6% in operating margin between 2007 and 2008 (or the increase of 3% with the exclusion 
of IPR&D in 2007) is attributable primarily to revenue growth and the full integration of Protect Data’s operations 
into our business. 

The increase of 1% in operating margin between 2008 and 2009 is attributable primarily to the realization 

of synergies from the integration of Nokia security appliance business into our business. 

We may experience future fluctuations or declines in operating margins from historical levels due to 
several factors, as described above in “Item 3 – Key Information” under the caption “Risk Factors – Risks Relating 
to Our Business and Our Market – Our operating margins may decline.” 

43 

 
 
 
Financial Income, Net 

Net financial income consists primarily of interest earned on cash equivalents and marketable securities. 

Net financial income was $49.7 million in 2007, $40.9 million in 2008, and $32.1 million in 2009. Because we 
generally hold debt securities until maturity, our current portfolio’s yield is derived primarily from market interest 
rates and the yield of securities on the date of the investment. Since most of our investments are in U.S. dollars, our 
financial income is heavily dependent on prevailing U.S. interest rates. The decrease in net financial income in 
2008 and 2009 was primarily due to the decrease in interest rates in the U.S. 

We review various factors in determining whether we should recognize an impairment charge for our 
marketable securities, including whether the Company intends to sell, or it is more likely than not that the Company 
will be required to sell before recovery of their amortized cost basis, the length of time and extent to which the fair 
value has been less than its cost basis, the credit ratings of the securities, the nature of underlying collateral as 
applicable and the financial condition, expected cash flow and near-term prospects of the issuer. Based on our 
consideration of these factors, in 2008 we recognized an other-than-temporary impairment on marketable securities 
in the total amount of $11.2 million, pretax, out of which $6.3 million, pretax, was related to Auction Rate 
Securities. The remaining impairment of $4.9 million related to corporate obligations of U.S. corporate issuers with 
the original principal amounting to $8.0 million. In 2009, we recognized an other-than-temporary impairment on 
marketable securities in the total amount of $3.1 million, pre-tax, related to our Auction Rate Securities which was 
offset by a gain of $1.9 million, pre-tax, related to the sale of marketable securities previously impaired in 2008. In 
evaluating when declines in fair value are other-than-temporary, we considered all available evidence, including 
market declines subsequent to the end of the period. We may recognize additional losses in the future should the 
market prospects of the issuers of these securities continue to deteriorate. 

Because interest rates in the U.S. remained low in the first quarter of 2010 and are not expected to 
significantly increase during 2010, we believe that this trend will result in a lower portfolio yield in the near term. 
See also Item 3, “Risk Factors – Risks Related to Our Business and Our Market – We Face the Risk of a Decrease 
in Our Cash Balances and Losses in Our Investment Portfolio.” 

Taxes on Income 

Our effective tax rate was 15% in 2007, 16% in 2008 and 20% in 2009. Our effective tax rate increased in 
2008 and again in 2009, despite the decrease in the statutory tax rate in Israel from 27% in 2008 to 26% in 2009, as 
a result of an increase in taxable income of certain of our foreign subsidiaries and an increase in tax positions. See 
Note 11 to our consolidated financial statements for further information. 

Additional details are provided in “Item 10 – Additional Information” under the caption “Israeli taxation, 

foreign exchange regulation and investment programs” and “Item 3 – Key Information” under the caption “The tax 
benefits available to us under Israeli law require us to meet several conditions, and may be terminated or reduced in 
the future, which would increase our taxes.” 

44 

 
 
 
 
Quarterly Results of Operations 

The following tables set forth certain unaudited quarterly consolidated statements of income data from the 

reports on Form 6-K that we furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as the percentage of 
our revenues represented by each item. We prepare our unaudited quarterly consolidated financial statements on the 
same basis as our audited annual consolidated financial statements and include all adjustments (consisting only of 
normal recurring adjustments) that we consider necessary for a fair presentation of such information. You should 
read this information in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements, including the related notes, 
appearing in “Item 18 – Financial Statements.” 

Year Ended December 31, 2008 

Year Ended December 31, 2009 

Q1 

Q2 

Q3 

Q4 

Q1 

Q2 

Q3 

Q4 

Unaudited 
(in thousands, except per share amounts) 

Revenues: 
   Products and licenses 
   Software  updates,  maintenance 

and services 

Total revenues .........................  
Operating expenses: 
   Cost of products and licenses 
   Cost of software updates, 

maintenance and services 
  Amortization of technology 
  Total cost of revenues ...........  
  Research and development ....  
  Selling and marketing ............  
  General and administrative ....  
  Restructuring and other 

acquisition related costs 

$77,379 

$84,973 

$81,925 

$94,040 

$71,744 

$82,801 

$86,883 

 $120,205 

114,218 

114,633 

117,795 

123,527 

123,268 

140,840 

146,759 

151,917 

191,597 

199,606 

199,720 

217,567 

195,012 

223,641 

233,642 

272,122 

7,549 

8,608 

8,553 

9,938 

7,686 

15,045 

17,848 

20,916 

8,194 
7,154 
22,897 
22,745 
53,660 
13,566 

8,186 
5,800 
22,594 
23,824 
56,588 
13,005 

8,655 
5,800 
23,008 
23,193 
50,796 
12,294 

8,372 
5,800 
24,110 
21,867 
53,395 
14,448 

7,769 
5,800 
21,255 
19,787 
47,072 
14,617 

12,567 
7,230 
34,842 
23,468 
56,939 
12,680 

10,783 
7,471 
36,102 
22,426 
56,379 
13,190 

12,432 
7,723 
41,071 
24,062 
60,487 
15,922 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

9,034 

67 

- 

Total operating expenses(*) ....  

112,868 

116,011 

109,291 

113,820 

102,731 

136,963 

128,164 

141,542 

Operating income ....................  
Financial income, net ..............  
Other than temporary impairment net 
of  gain  on  sale  of  marketable 
securities  previously  written  down 
(**) 

Income  before  taxes  on  income
 .............................................  
Taxes on income .....................  
Net Income ..............................  

Basic earnings per share..........  
Shares  used  in  computing  basic 
earnings per share  ...............  
Diluted earnings per share ......  
Shares used in computing diluted 
earnings per share  ...............  
_______________________ 

78,729 
12,363 

83,595 
7,949 

90,429 
10,039 

103,747 
10,525 

92,281 
8,413 

86,678 
8,130 

105,478 
7,825 

130,581 
7,690 

- 

- 

(2,288) 

(8,933) 

- 

- 

- 

(1,277) 

91,092 

91,544 

98,180 

105,339 

100,694 

94,808 

113,303 

136,993 

12,834 
$78,258 

12,371 
$79,173 

18,119 
$80,061 

18,865 
$86,474 

19,773 
$80,921 

19,205 
$75,603 

21,839 
$91,464 

27,458 
$109,535 

$0.36 

   $0.37 

$0.37 

$0.41 

$0.39 

   $0.36 

$0.44 

$0.52 

217,065 

215,030 

213,728 

211,731 

210,153 

209,521 

208,738 

209,093 

$0.36 

$0.36 

$0.37 

$0.41 

$0.38 

$0.36 

$0.43 

$0.51 

219,393 

217,951 

216,567 

212,874 

212,083 

211,615 

211,688 

213,469 

45 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(*) Including pre-tax charges for amortization of intangible assets related to our acquisitions and Stock-based compensation in 
the following items: 

Year Ended December 31, 2008 

Year Ended December 31, 2009 

Q1 

Q2 

Q3 

Q4 

Q1 

Q2 

Q3 

Q4 

Unaudited 
(in thousands) 

Amortization  of 

intangible 

assets  

Selling and marketing .............  

$3,149 

$3,093 

$3,093 

$3,093 

$3,093 

$6,223 

$6,830 

$6,283 

Total 

3,149 

3,093 

3,093 

3,093 

3,093 

6,223 

6,830 

6,283 

Stock-based compensation 
Cost of products and 
licenses 
Cost of software updates, 
maintenance and services 
  Research and development ....  
  Selling and marketing ............  
  General and administrative ....  
Total 

$12 

$15 

$15 

$6 

$8 

$13 

$14 

$12 

183 
1,097 
2,240 
5,539 
$9,071 

194 
1,204 
1,926 
5,046 
$8,385 

133 
1,364 
1,696 
3,649 
$6,857 

174 
1,372 
993 
5,469 
8,014 

193 
1,258 
1,740 
4,604 
$7,803 

107 
1,515 
976 
4,660 
$7,271 

236 
1,998 
1,769 
3,678 
$7,695 

105 
1,878 
547 
5,596 
8,138 

(**) Including write down of $2.3 million pre-tax in the third quarter of 2008, $8.9 pre-tax million in the fourth quarter of 2008 
and $3.1 pre-tax million in the fourth quarter of 2009 of marketable securities in accordance with ASC 320. 

_______________________ 

46 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As a percentage of total revenues: 

Year Ended December 31, 
2008 

Q1 

Q2 

Q3 

Q4 

Year Ended December 31, 
2009 

Q1 

Q2 

Q3 

Q4 

Revenues: 
   Products and licenses 
   Software updates, maintenance and services 

Total revenues.......................... 

Operating expenses: 

   Cost of products and licenses 

   Cost of software updates, maintenance and services 

  Amortization of technology 

  Total cost of revenues ............ 

  Research and development ..... 

  Selling and marketing............. 
  General and administrative ..... 

Restructuring and other acquisition related costs 

Total operating expenses ......... 

Operating income .................... 
Financial income, net ............... 

Other  than  temporary  impairment  net  of  gain  on  sale  of 

marketable securities previously impaired 

Income before taxes on income 
Taxes on income ...................... 

Net Income .............................. 

40% 

43% 

41% 

43% 

37% 

37% 

37% 

44% 

60 

57 

59 

57 

63 

63 

63 

56 

100 

100 

100 

100 

100 

100 

100 

100 

4 

4 

4 
12 

12 

28 
7 

- 

59 

41 
7 

- 

48 
7 

4 

4 

3 
11 

12 

28 
7 

- 

58 

42 
4 

- 

46 
6 

4 

5 

3 
12 

12 

25 
6 

- 

55 

45 
5 

(1) 

49 
9 

5 

3 

3 
11 

10 

24 
7 

- 

52 

48 
5 

(4) 

49 
9 

4 

4 

3 
11 

10 

24 
7 

- 

53 

47 
4 

- 

52 
10 

7 

6 

3 
16 

10 

25 
6 

4 

61 

39 
4 

- 

42 
9 

8 

4 

3 
15 

10 

24 
6 

- 

55 

45 
3 

- 

48 
9 

8 

4 

3 
15 

9 

22 
6 

- 

52 

48 
3 

- 

50 
10 

41% 

40% 

40% 

40% 

41% 

34% 

39% 

40% 

Our future revenues and operating results are uncertain and may fluctuate from quarter to quarter and from 

year to year due to several factors, as described above in “Item 3 – Key Information” under the caption “Risk 
Factors – Risks Relating to Our Business and Our Market – Our quarterly operating results are likely to fluctuate, 
which could cause us to miss expectations about these results and cause the trading price of our ordinary shares to 
decline.” 

Historically, our revenues have reflected seasonal fluctuations related to the year-end purchasing cycles of 

many users of our products. We believe that we will continue to encounter quarter-to-quarter seasonality. 

Our expense levels are based, in part, on expectations as to future revenues. If our revenue levels are below 

expectations, our operating results are likely to be adversely affected, since most of our expenses are not variable. 
As a result, we believe that period-to-period comparisons of our results of operations are not necessarily 
meaningful and should not be relied upon as indications of future performance. Due to the above, it is likely that in 
some future quarters, our operating results may be below the expectations of public market analysts and investors. 
In this event, the price of our ordinary shares would likely decline significantly. 

47 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
New Accounting Pronouncements 

In December 2007, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued authoritative guidance on 

business combinations. The guidance significantly changes the accounting for business combinations and 
establishes principles and requirements for how an acquirer recognizes and measures in its financial statements the 
identifiable assets acquired, the liabilities assumed and any non-controlling interest in the acquiree and recognizes 
and measures the goodwill acquired in the business combination or a gain from a bargain purchase. Among the 
more significant changes, acquired in-process research and development will be capitalized and upon completion 
amortized over its useful life; acquisition costs will be expensed as incurred; restructuring costs will generally be 
expensed in periods after the acquisition date; contingent consideration will be recognized at fair value at the 
acquisition date with subsequent changes recognized in earnings, and reductions in deferred tax valuation 
allowance relating to a business acquisition will be recognized in earnings. In April 2009, the FASB issued an 
amendment to the revised business combination guidance regarding the accounting for assets acquired and 
liabilities assumed in a business combination that arise from contingencies. This guidance was adopted by us for 
business combinations for which the acquisition date is on or after January 1, 2009. 

In June 2009, the FASB issued a standard that established the FASB Accounting Standards Codification 

(“ASC”) and amended the hierarchy of generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) such that the ASC 
became the single source of authoritative U.S. GAAP. Rules and interpretive releases issued by the SEC under 
authority of federal securities law are also sources of the authoritative GAAP for SEC registrants. All other 
literature is considered non-authoritative. New accounting standards issued subsequent to June 30, 2009 are 
communicated by the FASB through Accounting Standards Updates (“ASUs”). The ASC is effective for the 
Company from September 1, 2009. Throughout the notes to the consolidated financial statements references that 
were previously made to former authoritative U.S. GAAP pronouncements have been changed to coincide with the 
appropriate section of the ASC. 

In October 2009, the FASB issued an update to ASC 985-605, “Software-Revenue Recognition” (originally 
issued as EITF 09-3). In accordance with the update to the ASC, tangible products containing software components 
and non-software components that function together to deliver the tangible product’s essential functionality are 
excluded from the scope of the software revenue recognition guidance. In addition, hardware components of a 
tangible product containing software component are always excluded from the software revenue guidance. The 
mandatory adoption is on January 1, 2011. We may elect to adopt the update prospectively, to new or materially 
modified arrangements beginning on the adoption date, or retrospectively, for all periods presented. We are 
currently evaluating the impact of this new guidance on our consolidated results of operations and financial 
condition. 

This was compounded with an update to ASC 605-25, “Revenue recognition – Multiple-Element 

Arrangements”, that provides amendments to the criteria for separating consideration in multiple-deliverable 
arrangements to: (1) provide updated guidance on whether multiple deliverables exist, how the deliverables in an 
arrangement should be separated, and how the consideration should be allocated; (2) require an entity to allocate 
revenue in an arrangement using estimated selling prices (“ESP”) of deliverables if a vendor does not have vendor-
specific objective evidence of selling price (“VSOE”) or third-party evidence of selling price (“TPE”); (3) eliminate 
the use of the residual method and require an entity to allocate revenue using the relative selling price method; and 
(4) require expanded disclosures of qualitative and quantitative information regarding application of the multiple-
deliverable revenue arrangement guidance. The mandatory adoption is on January 1, 2011. We may elect to adopt 
the update prospectively, to new or materially modified arrangements beginning on the adoption date, or 
retrospectively, for all periods presented. We are currently evaluating the impact of this new guidance on our 
consolidated results of operations and financial condition. 

48 

 
 
 
 
Liquidity and Capital Resources 

During 2008 and 2009, we financed our operations through cash generated from operations. Our total cash 
and cash equivalents, short-term deposits, short-term investments, and long-term interest bearing investments, were 
$1,443.8 million as of December 31, 2008, and $1,847.0 million as of December 31, 2009. Our cash and cash 
equivalents and short-term investments were $914.4 million as of December 31, 2008, and $884.0 million as of 
December 31, 2009. Our long-term interest bearing investments were $529.4 million as of December 31, 2008, and 
$963.0 million as of December 31, 2009. At the end of 2002, we established a wholly owned subsidiary in 
Singapore that serves as a vehicle for a significant portion of our international investments and manages those 
financial assets. 

We generated net cash from operations of $375.0 million in 2007, $434.0 million in 2008 and $557.1 

million in 2009. Net cash from operations for 2007 consisted primarily of net income adjusted for non-cash 
activity, including in-process research and development, stock-based compensation expenses, amortization of 
intangible assets, and an increase in deferred income taxes, net plus an increase in deferred revenue, offset by a 
decrease in accrued expenses and other liabilities and trade payables and an increase in trade receivables, net. Net 
cash from operations for 2008 consisted primarily of net income adjusted for non-cash activity, including other-
than-temporary impairment on marketable securities, stock-based compensation expenses, depreciation, 
amortization of intangible assets and deferred income taxes benefit plus an increase in deferred revenue and 
accrued expenses and other liabilities, partially offset by an increase in trade receivables, net. Net cash from 
operations for 2009 consisted primarily of net income adjusted for non-cash activity, including other-than-
temporary impairment on marketable securities, stock-based compensation expenses, depreciation, amortization of 
intangible assets and deferred income taxes benefit plus an increase in deferred revenue and accrued expenses and 
employee benefit liabilities, partially offset by increases in trade receivables and other current assets.  

Net cash used in investing activities was $206.5 million in 2007, $209.0 million in 2008 and $584.4 million 

in 2009. In 2007, net cash used in investing activities consisted primarily of net cash paid in conjunction with the 
acquisition of Protect Data, investments in marketable securities and renovations to our office building in Israel 
offset by proceeds from sales and maturity of marketable securities. In 2008, net cash used in investing activities 
consisted primarily of investments in marketable securities and short term deposits offset by proceeds from sale and 
maturities of marketable securities. In 2009, net cash used in investing activities consisted primarily of investments 
in marketable securities and net cash paid in conjunction with 2009 acquisitions, partially offset by proceeds from 
sale and maturities of marketable securities. Our capital expenditures amounted to $16.7 million in 2007, $8.3 
million in 2008 and $4.3 million in 2009. In 2007, our capital expenditures consisted primarily of renovation of our 
office building in Israel, computer equipment and software for our research and development and technical services 
organization’s efforts, as well as an increasing infrastructure to enable operation expansions. In 2008, our capital 
expenditures consisted primarily of renovation of our office building in Israel, computer equipment and software 
for our research and development and technical services organization’s efforts, as well as an increased 
infrastructure to enable operation expansions. In 2009, our capital expenditure consisted primarily of computer 
equipment and software for research and development and leasehold improvement and furniture. 

We funded the acquisition of Protect Data in 2007 for approximately $614 million from our cash and cash 

equivalents balances, as well as our marketable securities portfolio. We funded roughly 62% of the acquisition 
price with our money market funds balances, and the remainder was funded by selling a small portion of our 
marketable securities portfolio. During 2009 we funded the acquisitions of Nokia Security Appliance business and 
Facetime for approximately $59 million from our cash and cash equivalents balances.  

49 

 
 
 
 
Net cash used in financing activities was approximately $178.3 million in 2007, $191.5 million in 2008 and 
$101.8 million in 2009. In 2007, 2008 and 2009, net cash used in financing activities was attributed primarily to the 
purchase of treasury shares. Our board of directors approved six programs to repurchase ordinary shares in an 
aggregate amount of $1.85 billion. Each of the first three programs authorized the repurchase of up to $200 million, 
the fourth program authorized the repurchase of up to $600 million, and the fifth program authorized the repurchase 
of up to $400 million. The first program was announced on October 28, 2003, and ended on August 24, 2004. The 
second program was announced on October 28, 2004, and ended on May 31, 2005. The third program was 
announced on July 25, 2005, and ended on May 18, 2006. The fourth program was announced on May 22, 2006, 
and ended on March 5, 2008. The fifth program was announced on March 26, 2008. On January 27, 2010, the sixth 
program was announced. The sixth program authorized the repurchase of up to an additional $250 million. Under 
the repurchase programs, we may purchase our ordinary shares from time to time, depending on market conditions, 
share price, trading volume, and other factors. We fund the share purchases from available working capital. The 
current repurchase program has no time limit and may be suspended from time to time or discontinued. In 2007, we 
purchased a total of 9.0 million shares at a total cost of $209.8 million, at an average price of $23.3 per share. In 
2008, we purchased a total of 10.9 million shares at a total cost of $239.5 million, at an average price of $21.9 per 
share. In 2009, we purchased a total of 7.8 million shares at a total cost of $202.3 million, at an average price of 
$25.9 per share. Since the first repurchase program was implemented, through the end of 2009, we purchased a 
total of 73.6 million shares for a total cost of $1,568.6 million, at an average price of $21.3 per share. From time to 
time we re-issue the repurchased shares to settle exercises of options and awards of restricted share units to our 
employees and directors. Proceeds from such activities were $24.6 million, $35.0 million and $93.0 million in 
2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively. 

Our securities are classified as available-for-sale. Available-for-sale securities are carried at fair value, with 

the unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, reported in other comprehensive income. Amortization of premium, 
discount and interest is recorded in our statements of income. 

Our liquidity could be negatively affected by a decrease in demand for our products and services, including 
the impact of changes in customer buying that may result from the current general economic downturn. Also, if the 
financial system or the credit markets continue to deteriorate or remain volatile, our investment portfolio may be 
impacted and the values and liquidity of our investments could be adversely affected. 

Our principal sources of liquidity consist of our cash and cash equivalents, short-term deposits and 

marketable securities (which aggregated $1,847.0 million as of December 31, 2009), our cash flow from 
operations, and our net financial income. We believe that these sources of liquidity will be sufficient to satisfy our 
capital requirements for the next twelve months. 

Research and Development, Patents and Licenses, etc. 

Additional details are provided in this Item 5, under the caption “Results of operations”. 

Trend Information 

Additional details are provided in this Item 5, under the caption “Results of operations”. 

50 

 
 
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements 

We are not a party to any off-balance sheet arrangements. In addition, we have no unconsolidated special 

purpose financing or partnership entities that are likely to create contingent obligations. 

Tabular Disclosure of Contractual Obligations 

The following table summarizes our contractual obligations as of December 31, 2009: 

Total 

Payments due by period  
1-3 years 

Less than 1 
year 

(in thousands) 

4-5 years 

More than 5 
years 

Operating lease obligations ....   

$12,186 

$6,576 

$5,523 

$87 

Uncertain income tax 
position(*)  .............................   

$132,908 

Severance pay(**) ..................   

$11,061 

- 

- 

- 

Total .......................................   
_______________________ 

$156,155 

$6,576 

$5,523 

$87 

- 

- 

- 

(*) Accrual for uncertain income tax position under ASC 740 “Income Taxes,” is paid upon settlement and we are unable to 
reasonably estimate the ultimate amount or timing of settlement. See Note 11a of our Consolidated Financial Statements for 
further information regarding the Company’s liability under ASC 740. 

(**) Severance pay obligations to our Israeli employees, as required under Israeli labor law, are payable only upon 
termination, retirement or death of the respective employee and there is no obligation for benefits accrued prior to 2007, if 
the employee voluntarily resigns. Of this amount, $4.7 million is unfunded. 

51 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ITEM 6.  DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES 

Directors and Senior Management 

Our directors and executive officers as of December 31, 2009, were as follows:   

Name 

Position 

 Gil Shwed .....................

Marius Nacht .................

Jerry Ungerman .............
Tal Payne  ......................
Yoav Chelouche (3) ......
Irwin Federman (3)........
Guy Gecht .....................
Dan Propper ..................
Ray Rothrock ................
David Rubner ................
Tal Shavit ......................

Chief 

Executive 
Officer and Chairman 
of the Board .................
Vice  Chairman  of  the 
Board ............................
Vice  Chairman  of  the 
Board ............................
Chief Financial Officer ...
Director ...........................
Director ...........................
Director ...........................
Director ...........................
Director ...........................
Director ...........................
Director ...........................

Independent 
Director (1) 

Outside 
Director (2) 

Member of 
Audit 
Committee 

Member of 
Compensation 
Committee 

Member of 
Nominating 
Committee 

√ 
√ 
√ 
√ 
√ 
√ 
√ 

√ 
√ 
√ 

√ 

√ 
√ 
√ 

√ 
√ 

√ 
√ 

√ 

√ 

√ 
√ 
√ 

(1)  “Independent Director” under the NASDAQ Global Select Market regulations (see explanation below). 

(2)  “Outside Director” as required by the Israeli Companies Law (see explanation below). 

(3)  “Financial expert” as required by the Israeli Companies Law and NASDAQ requirements with respect to membership on 

the Audit Committee (see “Item 16A – Audit Committee Financial Expert”). 

Gil Shwed, one of our founders, is the Chairman of our board of directors, a position he has held since 
1998. He is also our Chief Executive Officer and one of our directors, both positions he has held since we were 
incorporated in 1993. Mr. Shwed is considered the inventor of the modern Firewall and holds several patents, such 
as the company’s Stateful Inspection technology. Mr. Shwed has received numerous prestigious accolades for his 
individual achievements and industry contributions, including an honorary Doctor of Science from the Technion – 
Israel Institute of Technology, the World Economic Forum’s Global Leader for Tomorrow for his commitment to 
public affairs and leadership in areas beyond immediate professional interests, and the Academy of Achievement’s 
Golden Plate Award for his innovative contribution to business and technology. Mr. Shwed is a member of the 
Board of Trustees of Tel Aviv University and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Youth University of Tel 
Aviv University. 

Marius Nacht, one of our founders, has served as Vice Chairman of our board of directors since 2001. Mr. 
Nacht has served as one of our directors since we were incorporated in 1993. From 1999 through 2005, Mr. Nacht 
served as our Senior Vice President. Mr. Nacht earned a B.S. (cum laude) in Physics and Mathematics from the 
Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1983, and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering and Communication Systems from 
Tel Aviv University in 1987. 

Jerry Ungerman has served as Vice Chairman of our board of directors since 2005. From 2001 until 2005, 

Mr. Ungerman served as our President and before that, from 1998 until 2000, he served as our Executive Vice 
President. Prior to joining us, Mr. Ungerman accumulated more than 30 years of high-tech sales, marketing and 
management experience at Hitachi Data Systems (HDS), a data storage company and a member of the Hitachi, Ltd. 
group. He began his career with International Business Machines Corp. (IBM), a global technology products and 
services company, after earning a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Minnesota. 

52 

 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
Tal Payne has served as our Chief Financial Officer since June 2008. Prior to joining us in 2008, Ms. Payne 
was chief financial officer at Gilat Satellite Networks, Ltd., a leading provider of products and services for satellite-
based communications networks. During her tenure at Gilat, Ms. Payne was responsible for the strategic planning, 
development and leadership of the finance organization, and held the role of vice president of finance for over five 
years. Ms. Payne led the company’s public offerings, capital restructurings and other transactions. Before joining 
Gilat, she was previously employed at PricewaterhouseCoopers, a professional services company specializing in 
accounting and consulting. Ms. Payne holds a B.A. in Economics and Accounting and an Executive M.B.A., both 
from Tel-Aviv University. She is also a Certified Public Accountant. 

Yoav Chelouche has served on our board of directors since 2006. Mr. Chelouche has also served as one of 

our outside directors under the Israeli Companies Law since 2006. Mr. Chelouche has been Managing Partner of 
Aviv Venture Capital since August 2000. Prior to joining Aviv Venture Capital, Mr. Chelouche served as President 
and Chief Executive Officer of Scitex Corp., a world leader in digital imaging and printing systems, from 
December 1994 until July 2000. From August 1979 until December 1994, Mr. Chelouche held various managerial 
positions with Scitex, including VP Strategy and Business Development, VP Marketing and VP Finance for 
Europe. Mr. Chelouche is the Chairman of the Board of Dmatek Ltd., Chairman of the Board of Rosetta Genomics 
Ltd., and a member of the board of directors of a number of private companies. He is also Chairman of Taasiyeda, 
an Israeli nonprofit organization that promotes the development of leadership and technology skills in children. Mr. 
Chelouche earned a B.A. in Economics and Statistics from Tel Aviv University, and an M.B.A. from INSEAD 
University in Fontainebleau, France. 

Irwin Federman has served on our board of directors since 1995. Mr. Federman has also served as one of 

our outside directors under the Israeli Companies Law since 2000. Mr. Federman has been a General Partner of 
U.S. Venture Partners, a venture capital firm, since 1990. Mr. Federman serves as director of SanDisk Corp., 
Mellanox Technologies Ltd. and a number of private companies. Mr. Federman received a B.S. in Economics from 
Brooklyn College. 

Guy Gecht has served on our board of directors since 2006. Mr. Gecht has also served as one of our outside 

directors under the Israeli Companies Law since 2006. Mr. Gecht is the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of 
the Board of Electronics For Imaging, Inc. (EFI), a company that provides digital imaging and print management 
solutions for commercial and enterprise printing. Mr. Gecht has served in this position since January 2000. From 
October 1995 until January 2000, Mr. Gecht held various positions with EFI, including President of the company. 
Prior to joining EFI, Mr. Gecht held various software engineering positions with technology companies. Mr. Gecht 
holds a B.S. in Computer Science and Mathematics from Ben-Gurion University in Israel. 

Dan Propper has served as one of our directors since 2006. Mr. Propper is the Chairman of the Board of the 
Osem group, a leading Israeli manufacturer of food products. Mr. Propper served as the Chief Executive Officer of 
Osem for 25 years until April 2006. In addition to his role at Osem, from 1993 until 1999, Mr. Propper served as 
President of the Manufacturers’ Association of Israel, an independent umbrella organization representing industrial 
enterprises in Israel, and as Chairman of the Federation of Economic Organizations in Israel, which unites 
economic and business organizations that represents all business sectors in Israel. Mr. Propper has received 
numerous awards for his contributions to the Israeli industry and economy, including an honorary Doctorate from 
the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in 1999. Mr. Propper serves as a member of the board of directors of 
Teva Pharmaceuticals, Osem Investments Ltd. and a number of private companies. Mr. Propper is also a member of 
the board of the Technion, the Weizmann Institute of Science and Ben-Gurion University in Israel. Mr. Propper 
earned a B.Sc. (summa cum laude) in Chemical Engineering and Food Technology from the Technion. 

Ray Rothrock has served on our board of directors since 1995. Mr. Rothrock has also served as one of our 

outside directors under the Israeli Companies Law since 2000. Mr. Rothrock is Managing General Partner of 
Venrock Associates, a venture capital firm, where he has been a member since 1988 and a general partner since 
1995. Mr. Rothrock is also a director of a number of private companies. Mr. Rothrock received a B.S. in 
Engineering from Texas A&M University, an M.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and an M.B.A. 
from the Harvard Business School. 

53 

 
 
David Rubner has served on our board of directors since 1999. Mr. Rubner is Chairman and Chief 
Executive Officer of Rubner Technology Ventures Ltd., a venture capital firm, and is a general partner in Hyperion 
Israel Advisors Ltd., a venture capital fund. Prior to founding Rubner Technology Ventures, Mr. Rubner served as 
President and Chief Executive Officer of ECI Telecommunications Ltd., a provider of telecommunications 
networking infrastructure solutions from September 1991 to February 2000. Prior to his appointment as President 
and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Rubner held various management positions in ECI Telecom. Mr. Rubner serves 
as a member of the boards of directors of Elbit Imaging Ltd., Messaging International Ltd., Radware Ltd. and a 
number of private companies. Mr. Rubner is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Bar-Ilan University and 
Shaare Zedek Hospital, and chairman of the Petach-Tikva Foundation. Mr. Rubner holds a B.S. in Engineering 
from Queen Mary College, University of London and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon 
University, and he was a recipient of the Industry Prize in 1995. 

Dr. Tal Shavit has served on our board of directors since 2000. Dr. Shavit is an organizational consultant 

specializing in international collaboration between Israeli and American companies, consulting in the management 
of cultural differences in order to forge effective collaboration. Her work with leading management teams includes 
a defining of organizational culture as the engine of the company’s activities. She consults with companies 
undergoing structural change with emphasis on organizational growth through effective mergers and acquisitions 
and a redefining of management roles in order to meet market changes. 

Of the individuals mentioned above, only Gil Shwed and Marius Nacht owned more than one percent of 
our outstanding shares as of December 31, 2009. Additional details are provided in this Item 6, under the caption 
“Share ownership” and in “Item 7 – Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions.” 

Some of our directors are board members of multiple companies, some of which may be technology 
companies. The board of directors has determined that there are no current conflicts of interest with respect to any 
of our directors. 

The term of each director, other than our outside directors (as described below), will expire at our 2010 

annual meeting of shareholders. The terms of our outside directors will expire in 2011 and 2012, as described 
below. 

Compensation of directors and officers 

The total direct cash compensation that we accrued for our directors and executive officers as a group was 
approximately $2.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2007, approximately $1.4 million for the year ended 
December 31, 2008, and approximately $1.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2009. This does not include 
amounts accrued for expenses related to business travel, professional and business association dues, and other 
business expenses reimbursed to officers. We do not have any agreements with our directors who are also officers 
that provide for benefits upon termination of employment, except for severance payments mandated by Israeli law 
for all employees employed in Israel. In addition, only directors who are not officers receive compensation for 
serving as directors. 

From time to time, we grant options and awards under our stock option and equity incentive plans 
(described below) to our executive officers and directors. Option grants to directors who are not officers are made 
pursuant to the automatic option grant program under these plans, while option and other award grants to directors 
who are officers are made only with audit committee, board of directors and shareholder approval. 

Our non-employee directors receive an automatic option grant under the 2005 U.S. Plan or the 2005 Israel 

Plan (but not both), and are also eligible for discretionary awards under the plans. Currently, automatic option 
grants under the 2005 U.S. Plan are made to non-employee directors who are citizens or residents of the United 
States or other countries other than Israel, and automatic option grants under the 2005 Israel Plan are made to non-
employee directors who are citizens or residents of Israel. 

54 

 
 
 
Each non-employee director who is first elected or appointed to the board of directors is granted an option 

to purchase 50,000 ordinary shares on the date of the initial election or appointment, vesting in equal annual 
installments over a four-year period. On the date of each annual general meeting of shareholders, each 
non-employee director who is to continue to serve as a non-employee director after the annual meeting is granted 
an option to purchase an additional 25,000 ordinary shares, of which 50% vest six months after the grant date, 25% 
vest nine months after the grant date, and another 25% vest a year after the grant date, provided that the director has 
served as a non-employee director for at least six months prior to the date of the annual meeting. The directors in 
office immediately prior to the date of initial appointment or election, or of the annual meeting, as applicable, may 
determine to reduce the initial or annual grant to all non-employee directors or specific non-employee directors. 

All options to directors are granted at an exercise price equal to 100% of the closing price of the ordinary 

shares on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on the date of grant. 

As of December 31, 2009, our executive officers and directors held options to purchase an aggregate of 

approximately 10.1 million shares and held 17,131 restricted stock units under our stock option and equity 
incentive plans. The exercise prices of these options range between $16.8 and $79.8, and their expiration dates 
range between July 2010 and July 2016. During 2009, we granted our executive officers and directors options to 
purchase an aggregate of approximately 1.2 million shares under our stock option and equity incentive plans. The 
exercise price of these options is $26.47, and their expiration date is on July 28, 2016. Other than as specified in the 
share ownership table under the caption “Share ownership” below, none of our directors and executive officers 
holds more than 1% of our outstanding shares. 

Board Practices 

Our board of directors currently consists of ten members. Under our articles of association, the board is to 

consist of between six and twelve members. Each director (other than an outside director as described below) is 
elected to serve until the next annual general meeting of shareholders and until his or her successor has been 
elected. Each executive officer is elected by the board of directors and serves at the discretion of the board. All of 
our executive officers and directors, other than non-employee directors, devote substantially all of their working 
time to our business. There are no family relationships among any of our directors, officers or key employees. 

Our articles of association provide that any director may, by written notice to us, appoint another person to 
serve as an alternate director or may cancel the appointment of an alternate director. Any person eligible to serve as 
a director, other than a person who is already a director or an alternate director, may act as an alternate director. 
The term of appointment of an alternate director may be for one meeting of the board, for a specified period of 
time, a specified meeting or action of the board or until notice is given of the cancellation of the appointment. No 
director has appointed, and, to our knowledge, no director currently intends to appoint, any other person as an 
alternate director. 

Outside and independent directors 

Outside directors.  In accordance with the Israeli Companies Law and the relevant regulations, we must 

have at least two outside directors who meet the Israeli statutory requirements of independence. At least one of the 
outside directors is required to have “financial and accounting expertise” and the other outside director or directors are 
required to have “professional expertise,” all as defined under the Companies Law. Our board of directors has 
determined that Yoav Chelouche and Irwin Federman have “financial and accounting expertise,” and Guy Gecht and 
Ray Rothrock have “professional expertise”. 

An outside director serves for a term of three years, which may be extended for additional three-year terms. 
An outside director can be removed from office only under very limited circumstances. All of the outside directors 
must serve on the company’s audit committee, and at least one outside director must serve on each committee of 
the board of directors. As of December 31, 2009, Yoav Chelouche, Irwin Federman, Guy Gecht and Ray Rothrock 

55 

 
 
 
are our outside directors under the Israeli Companies Law. Irwin Federman’s and Ray Rothrock’s term of office 
will expire in 2011, and Yoav Chelouche’s and Guy Gecht’s term of office will expire in 2012. 

Independent directors. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as well as related rules subsequently implemented 

by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the NASDAQ Global Select Market, requires issuers to comply 
with various corporate governance practices. Under the rules applicable to us as a foreign private issuer, we are 
required to have a majority of independent directors within the meaning of the applicable NASDAQ regulations. 
Our board of directors complies with these requirements by including a majority of members who are independent 
directors within the meaning of the applicable NASDAQ regulations. As of December 31, 2009, Yoav Chelouche, 
Irwin Federman, Guy Gecht, Dan Propper, Ray Rothrock, David Rubner and Tal Shavit are our independent 
directors under the applicable NASDAQ regulations. Our independent directors have regularly held meetings at 
which only independent directors are present. 

Pursuant to the Israeli Companies Law, an Israeli company, whose shares are publicly traded, may elect to 
adopt a provision in its articles of association pursuant to which a majority of its board of directors will constitute 
individuals complying with certain independence criteria prescribed by the Companies Law. We have not included 
such a provision in our articles of association because our board of directors already complies with the 
independence requirements under the rules of the NASDAQ Global Select Market, as described above. 

Committees of the board of directors 

Our articles of association provide that the board of directors may delegate all of its powers to committees 
of the board as it deems appropriate, subject to the provisions of Israeli law. Our board of directors has established 
an audit committee, compensation committee and nominating committee. 

Audit committee.  Under the Israeli Companies Law, the board of directors of any public company must 
establish an audit committee. The audit committee must consist of at least three directors and must include all of 
the outside directors. The audit committee may not include the chairman of the board, any director whom we 
employ or who provides services to us on a regular basis, a controlling shareholder, or certain relatives of a 
controlling shareholder. In addition, the NASDAQ regulations also require us to maintain an audit committee 
consisting of at least three directors, all of whom must be independent under the NASDAQ regulations applicable 
to audit committee members. Irwin Federman is the chairman of the audit committee. Yoav Chelouche, Guy Gecht, 
Ray Rothrock and David Rubner serve as the other members of our audit committee. The audit committee has 
adopted an audit committee charter as required by the NASDAQ regulations. 

The audit committee’s duties include providing assistance to the board of directors in fulfilling its legal and 

fiduciary obligations in matters involving our accounting, auditing, financial reporting, internal control and legal 
compliance functions. In this respect the audit committee approves the services performed by our independent 
accountants and reviews their reports regarding our accounting practices and systems of internal accounting 
controls. The audit committee also oversees the audits conducted by our independent accountants and takes those 
actions, as it deems necessary to satisfy itself that the accountants are independent of management. Under the 
Israeli Companies Law, the audit committee also is required to monitor whether there are any deficiencies in the 
administration of our company, including by consulting with the internal auditor, and to review and approve related 
party transactions. 

Compensation committee. Our compensation committee consists of Irwin Federman, Guy Gecht and Ray 

Rothrock. The compensation committee’s duties include making recommendations to the board of directors 
regarding the issuance of employee equity incentives under our equity incentive plans, and determining salaries and 
bonuses for some of our executive officers and incentives for our other employees. The compensation committee 
has adopted a compensation committee charter. 

56 

 
 
Nominating committee.  The nominating committee identifies prospective board candidates, recommends 

nominees for election to our board of directors, develops and recommends board member selection criteria, 
considers committee member qualification, supervises the selection and composition of committees of our board of 
directors, and provides oversight in the evaluation of our board of directors and each committee. Our nominating 
committee consists of Irwin Federman, Ray Rothrock, David Rubner and Tal Shavit. The nominating committee 
has adopted a nominating committee charter. 

Employees 

As of December 31, 2009, we had 2,112 employees. 

Over the past three years, the number of our employees by function was as follows:  

Function: 
Research, development and quality assurance  
Marketing, sales and business development  
Customer support  
Information systems, administration, finance and 

operations 

Total  

As of December 31, 

2007 
673 
717 
225 

286 

2008 
678 
701 
222 

283 

2009  
740 
804 
284 

284 

1,901 

1,884 

2,112 

From time to time, we also engage a limited number of subcontractors. As of December 31, 2009, we had 

66 contractors.    

Over the past three years, the number of our employees by geographic area was as follows: 

Region: 
Israel  
United States  
Rest of the World  
Total  

As of December 31 
2008 
812 
617 
455 
1,884 

2007 
797 
615 
489 
1,901 

2009 
866 
675 
571 
2,112 

We are subject to Israeli labor laws and regulations with respect to our Israeli employees. The Israeli labor 

laws differ materially from U.S. labor laws and, in some cases, impose material obligations on us (such as 
severance pay and mandatory cost of living increases). We are also subject to the labor laws and regulations of 
other jurisdictions in the world where we have employees. 

Share Ownership 

The following table shows information regarding beneficial ownership by our directors and executive 

officers as of January 31, 2010. Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with rules of the Securities and 
Exchange Commission. 

All information with respect to the beneficial ownership of any principal shareholder has been furnished by 

such shareholder and, unless otherwise indicated below, we believe that persons named in the table have sole 
voting and sole investment power with respect to all of the shares shown as beneficially owned, subject to 
community property laws, where applicable. The shares beneficially owned by the directors include the shares 
owned by their family members to which such directors disclaim beneficial ownership.  

57 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The share numbers and percentages listed below are based on 209,752,992 shares outstanding as of January 

31, 2010.  

Name  

Gil Shwed .........................
Marius Nacht (4) ...............
All directors and officers 
as  a  group  (11  persons 
including Messrs. Shwed 
and Nacht) (5). ..................

Number of 
shares 
beneficially 
owned (1) 
32,363,600 
19,101,796 
53,287,160 

_______________________  

% of class 
of shares 
(2) 

Title of  
securities 
covered by the 
options 

Number 
of options 
(3) 

Exercise price 

Date of expiration 

14.9%  Ordinary shares 
9.1%  Ordinary shares 
24.3%  Ordinary shares 

7,400,000  $[16.80] - $[26.99] 
600,000  $[23.19] - $[26.99] 
9,708,000  $[16.80] - $[79.79] 

 [06/29/2011-07/28/2016]           
[06/29/2011-09/26/2012]         
 [07/27/2010-07/28/2016]             

(1)  The number of ordinary shares shown includes shares that each shareholder has the right to acquire pursuant to stock 
options that are exercisable within 60 days after January 31, 2010 (as determined in accordance with footnote (3)). 

(2)  If a shareholder has the right to acquire shares by exercising stock options (as determined in accordance with footnote (3)), 

these shares are deemed outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage owned by the specific shareholder (that 
is, they are included in both the numerator and the denominator), but they are disregarded for the purpose of computing 
the percentage owned by any other shareholder. 

(3)  Number of options immediately exercisable or exercisable within 60 days from January 31, 2010. The exercise price of 

some of these options is greater than our current share market price. 

(4)  In addition to the amount above for which Mr. Nacht claims beneficial ownership, Mr. Nacht is the beneficiary of a trust 
that holds 1,946,800 shares. The trust, which was initially established in May 2005, is irrevocable and is currently 
scheduled to expire in May 2011. Mr. Nacht does not control the trust and has limited access to information concerning 
activities and holdings of the trust. Mr. Nacht disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held in the trust. 

(5)  Each of Messrs. Ungerman, Payne, Chelouche, Federman, Gecht, Propper, Rothrock, Rubner and Dr. Shavit beneficially 

owns less than one percent of our outstanding ordinary shares. 

58 

 
 
 
  
  
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Equity Incentive Plans 

The following table summarizes our equity incentive plans as of December 31, 2009: 

Option and 
RSUs 
grants net 
(*)  

Outstanding 
options and 
RSUs 

Options 
outstanding 
exercise 
price 

Share 
reserved 

Date of expiration 

Options and 
RSUs 
exercisable 

28,000,000 

1,799,853 

1,338,094  $16.80-$32.31  09/26/2012-11/10/2016 

663,903 12 

Plan  

2005 United States 
Equity Incentive 
Plan ..........................

2005 Israel Equity 

Incentive Plan ..........

42,000,000 

9,661,565 

 8,909,912  $16.80-$26.77  09/26/2012-08/05/2016 

3,687,240 

1996 United States 

Stock Option Plan. ...

40,919,020 

40,919,020 

833,619  $15.99-$79.79  04/28/2010-07/24/2012 

828,619 

1996 Israel Stock 

Option Plan. .............

36,635,755 

36,635,755 

 7,025,139  $16.45-$26.99  07/30/2010-09/26/2012 

5,183,612 

Zone Labs 1998 

Stock Option Plan ....

2,461,943 

2,461,943 

50,270 

$2.99-$6.08  10/11/2010-02/16/2014 

50,270 

Employee Stock 

Purchase Plan ..........

6,000,000 

 3,461,088   

Pointsec Stock 

Option Plan ..............

488,633 

488,633 

55,664  $7.43-$19.45  05/13/2011-02/28/2012 

55,664 

_______________ 

(*) “Grants net” is calculated by subtracting options expired or forfeited. 

In 2005, we adopted our 2005 United States Equity Incentive Plan, which we refer to as the 2005 U.S. 

Plan; and our 2005 Israel Equity Incentive Plan, which we refer to as the 2005 Israel Plan. Both of these plans are 
in effect until 2015. Following ratification of the new plans by our shareholders in September 2005, we stopped 
issuing options under our 1996 United States Stock Option Plan and 1996 Israel Stock Option Plan. 

Number of ordinary shares reserved for future grants under 2005 plans 

We initially reserved a total of 50,000,000 ordinary shares for future grants under the 2005 U.S. plan and 
the 2005 Israel plan (specifically, 20,000,000 ordinary shares under the 2005 U.S. Plan, and 30,000,000 ordinary 
shares under the 2005 Israel Plan). These are in addition to the shares issuable upon the exercise of options 
outstanding under our 1996 United States Stock Option Plan, our 1996 Israel Stock Option Plan, the Zone Labs 
1998 Stock Option Plan, and Pointsec Mobile Technologies 2003, 2005 and 2006 Stock Option Plans, and the 
shares issuable under our Employee Stock Purchase Plan, which are described in greater detail below. Since 
January 2006, this number increases automatically by an aggregate of 5,000,000 shares a year for both plans 
combined, of which 2,000,000 ordinary shares are added each January 1st to the number of shares reserved under 
the 2005 U.S. Plan, and 3,000,000 ordinary shares are added each January 1st to the number of shares reserved 
under the 2005 Israel Plan. 

Any ordinary shares subject to awards under our 2005 U.S. Plan or 2005 Israel Plan are deducted from the 

number of ordinary shares reserved for issuance under that plan. If any ordinary shares are issued as Restricted 
Stock, Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), or Performance Shares under our 2005 U.S. Plan or 2005 Israel Plan, and 
they have a per share or unit purchase price lower than 100% of the fair market value on the date of grant, twice 
this number of ordinary shares is deducted from the number of ordinary shares reserved for issuance under that 
plan. Shares that are issued pursuant to any award under our 2005 U.S. Plan or 2005 Israel Plan are not returned to 
the plan. However, if an award under our 2005 U.S. Plan or 2005 Israel Plan expires or becomes unexercisable 

59 

 
 
 
  
  
   
 
  
   
 
   
 
 
 
  
 
without having been exercised in full, or is forfeited, or repurchased by us at its original price due to the failure to 
vest, the shares which were subject to the award, become available for future grant or sale under that plan. 

As of December 31, 2009, we had granted options to purchase an aggregate of 10,413,690 ordinary shares 

under the 2005 U.S. Plan and the 2005 Israel Plan combined, of which options to purchase 8,635,983 ordinary 
shares were outstanding on that date. The option exercise prices range between $16.80 and $32.31 per share. As of 
December 31, 2009, we had granted an aggregate of 3,061,050 RSUs under the 2005 U.S. Plan and the 2005 Israel 
Plan combined, of which 1,612,023 RSUs were outstanding on that date. 

Administration 

Both the 2005 U.S. Plan and the 2005 Israel Plan are administered by our board of directors or a committee 

of our board. The compensation committee of our board of directors currently operates as the administrator of the 
plans. The administrator has full power to determine the persons to whom awards shall be granted and the other 
terms of the awards granted, including (a) the number of shares subject to each award, (b) the duration of the 
related award agreement, (c) the time, manner and form of payment upon the exercise of an award, and (d) other 
terms and provisions governing the awards. The administrator also establishes the vesting schedule of awards that 
are granted. 

2005 United States Equity Incentive Plan 

Awards.  The 2005 U.S. Plan provides for the following kinds of awards, which we refer to generically as 

awards: (i) Incentive Stock Options (ISOs), (ii) Non-statutory Stock Options (NSOs), (iii) Restricted Stock, (iv) 
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), (v) Performance Shares, (vi) Performance Units, and (vii) Deferred Stock Units.  
All of these awards can vest based on time or performance milestones. 

Granting of options, price and duration.  Our 2005 U.S. Plan provides that each option will expire on the 
date stated in the notice of grant, which will not be more than seven years from its date of grant (or five years, in 
the case of an ISO granted to a person who on the date of grant owns 10% or more of our voting power). The 
exercise price of an option cannot be less than 100% of the fair market value per share on the date of grant (or 
110% of the fair market value, in the case of an ISO granted to a person who on the date of grant owns 10% or 
more of our voting power). The administrator will fix the period within which the award can be exercised and the 
exercise price. No award can vest until at least six months after the grant date. 

Granting of awards other than options and price. The administrator can determine the conditions that must 

be satisfied, which typically will be based principally or solely on the recipient’s continuing to provide services to 
us, but conditions may also include a performance-based component. We can issue ordinary shares under grants of 
Restricted Stock, RSUs, Performance Shares and Performance Units upon payment of their nominal value. No 
award can vest until at least one year after the grant date. Deferred Stock Units consist of Restricted Stock, RSUs, 
Performance Shares or Performance Units that the administrator permits to be paid out in installments or on a 
deferred basis. 

2005 Israel Equity Incentive Plan 

Awards.  The 2005 Israel Plan provides for the following kinds of awards, which we refer to generically as 

awards: (i) “Approved 102 Options/Shares,” which are grants to employees and officers that are eligible for 
favorable tax treatment in Israel and which must be held by a trustee for a minimum period; (ii) “Non-approved 102 
Options/Shares,” which are grants of options or shares that are not eligible for favorable tax treatment in Israel and 
which may be held directly by the participants; (iii) Restricted Stock; (iv) RSUs; (v) Performance Shares; (vi) 
Performance Units; and (vii) Deferred Stock Units. All of these awards can vest based on time or performance 
milestones. 

60 

 
 
Trustee.  A trustee designated by our board of directors and approved by the Israel Tax Authority must hold 

any shares allocated or issued upon exercise of Approved 102 Options or other shares subsequently received 
following any realization of rights, including bonus shares (stock dividends), for at least the period of time 
specified by Section 102 of Israel’s Income Tax Ordinance. 

Granting of options, price and duration.  Our 2005 Israel Plan provides that each option will expire on the 

date stated in the option agreement, which will not be more than seven years from its date of grant. The exercise 
price of an option cannot be less than 100% of the fair market value per share on the date of grant. The 
administrator will fix the period within which the award can be exercised and the exercise price. No option can vest 
until at least six months after the grant date. 

Granting of awards, other than options, and price.  The administrator can determine the conditions that 

must be satisfied, which typically will be based principally or solely on the recipient’s continuing to provide 
services to us, but conditions may also include a performance-based component. We can issue ordinary shares 
under grants of Restricted Stock, RSUs, Performance Shares and Performance Units upon payment of their nominal 
value. No award can vest until at least one year after the grant date. Deferred Stock Units consist of Restricted 
Stock, RSUs, Performance Shares, or Performance Units that the administrator permits to be paid out in 
installments or on a deferred basis. 

Change of control arrangements.  Upon a change of control of us, if the successor entity refuses to assume 
or provide substitute awards, then the administrator of the plans, which is currently the compensation committee of 
our board of directors, can either terminate all unvested awards or accelerate the vesting period of any award under 
our 2005 U.S. Plan and our 2005 Israel Plan. The administrator also has the authority to accelerate the vesting of 
the ordinary shares subject to outstanding awards held by our directors, officers, and employees in connection with 
the subsequent termination of some officers’ employment following a change of control event. 

1996 United States Stock Option Plan and 1996 Israel Stock Option Plan 

As of December 31, 2009, we had outstanding options to acquire an aggregate of 7,858,758 ordinary shares 
under our 1996 United States Stock Option Plan and 1996 Israel Stock Option Plan combined. The option exercise 
prices range between $15.99 and $79.79 per share. We do not issue any more stock options under our 1996 United 
States Stock Option Plan and 1996 Israel Stock Option Plan. 

Zone Labs 1998 Stock Option Plan 

In connection with our acquisition of Zone Labs in March 2004, we assumed all of the outstanding Zone 
Labs stock options under the Zone Labs 1998 Stock Option Plan, which were converted into options to purchase 
approximately 2.8 million of our ordinary shares. As of December 31, 2009, 2,411,673 ordinary shares had been 
issued under the Zone Labs 1998 Stock Option Plan, and options to purchase 50,270 ordinary shares were 
outstanding on that date. The stock options generally have terms of between five and ten years and all the 
outstanding options are immediately exercisable. The option exercise prices range between $2.99 and $6.08 per 
share. No further stock options can be granted under the Zone Labs 1998 Stock Option Plan. 

61 

 
 
Protect Data Stock Option Plans 

In connection with our acquisition of Protect Data in 2007, we assumed all of the outstanding options to 

purchase shares of Protect Data issued under the Pointsec Mobile Technologies 2003, 2005 and 2006 Stock Option 
Plans, which were converted into options to purchase 751,769 of our ordinary shares. As of December 31, 2009, we 
had outstanding options to acquire an aggregate of 55,664 ordinary shares under these plans combined. 

 The options generally have terms of between five and six years and all the outstanding options are 

immediately exercisable. The option exercise prices range between $7.43 and $19.45 per share. No further stock 
options can be granted under these plans. 

Employee Stock Purchase Plan 

In 1996, we adopted an Employee Stock Purchase Plan, which we refer to as the “ESPP”. The ESPP 
permits our full-time employees (and full-time employees of some of our subsidiaries) to purchase ordinary shares 
through payroll deductions. Under the ESPP, 6,000,000 ordinary shares were authorized for issuance. As of 
December 31, 2009, 3,461,088 ordinary shares had been issued under the ESPP. The ESPP has six-month offering 
periods, with purchases occurring in January and July. The compensation committee of our board of directors 
administers the ESPP. The ESPP will terminate on the earliest of (i) the last business day in January 2016, (ii) when 
no more shares are available for issuance under the ESPP, or (iii) when all purchase rights under the ESPP are 
granted or exercised in connection with a “Corporate Transaction” as defined in the ESPP. 

An eligible employee can purchase ordinary shares at a price of 85% of the fair market value of the 
ordinary shares at the beginning of the six-month offering period (or 85% of the fair market value of the ordinary 
shares on the semi-annual purchase date, if that is lower). Each eligible employee can elect to purchase ordinary 
shares under the ESPP in an amount of up to 15% of the employee’s compensation, but not more than 1,250 shares 
per participant on any purchase date. Employees may terminate their participation in the ESPP at any time during 
the offering period, and participation ends automatically on termination of employment with us. Each outstanding 
purchase right will be exercised immediately prior to our merger or consolidation with another company. Our board 
of directors may amend or terminate the ESPP immediately after the close of any purchase date. The board may 
not, unless shareholders approve, materially increase the number of ordinary shares available for issuance, reduce 
the purchase price payable for ordinary shares, or materially modify the eligibility requirements for participation or 
the benefits available to participants. 

62 

 
 
 
 
 
 
ITEM 7. 

MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS  

The following table shows information as of December 31, 2007, 2008 and 2009, for each person who, to 

the best of our knowledge, beneficially owned more than 5% of our outstanding ordinary shares as of December 31, 
2009:  

Name of Five Percent 
Shareholders 

No. of shares 
beneficially 
held (1) 

% of class 
of shares  
(2) 

No. of shares 
beneficially 
held (1) 

% of class 
of shares 
(2) 

No. of shares 
beneficially 
held (1) 

% of class 
of shares 
(2) 

Gil Shwed .........................................
Marius Nacht (3) ..............................
Franklin Resources, Inc. (4). ............

Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (5)  .........
FMR LLC (6)  ..................................

_______________________ 

December 31, 2007 
33,309,822 
20,851,795  
34,573,925  

14.7% 
 9.4% 
15.8% 

December 31, 2008 
34,314,442  
20,253,945 
23,253,624 

15.6% 
9.6%  
11.1% 

December 31, 2009 
15.1% 
9.1%  
5.9% 

32,763,434  
19,101,796 
12,232,744 

14,049,274 

6.7% 

11,759,204 
10,756,471 

5.6% 
5.2% 

(1)  The amount includes ordinary shares owned by each of the individuals, directly or indirectly, and options immediately 
exercisable or that are exercisable within 60 days from December 31st, of each of the years shown in this table. The 
exercise price of some of these options is greater than our current share market price.  

(2)  If a shareholder has the right to acquire shares by exercising stock options exercisable within 60 days from December 31st, 
of each of the years shown in this table, these shares are deemed outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage 
owned by the specific shareholder (that is, they are included in both the numerator and the denominator), but they are 
disregarded for the purpose of computing the percentage owned by any other shareholder. 

(3)  In addition to the amount above for which Mr. Nacht claims beneficial ownership, Mr. Nacht is the beneficiary of a trust 
that holds 1,946,800 shares. The trust, which was initially established in May 2005, is irrevocable and is currently 
scheduled to expire in May 2011. Mr. Nacht does not control the trust and has limited access to information concerning 
activities and holdings of the trust. Mr. Nacht disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held in the trust. 

(4)  As of December 31, 2007 and 2008 and 2009, based on information contained in a Schedule 13G/A filed with the 

Securities and Exchange Commission. In the Schedule 13G/A filed on February 7, 2008, Franklin Resources, Inc., Charles 
B. Johnson, Rupert H. Johnson, Jr., Templeton Global Advisors Limited, Templeton Investment Counsel, LLC, Franklin 
Templeton Investments Corp., Franklin Templeton Portfolio Advisors, Inc., Franklin Templeton Investments (Asia) 
Limited, Franklin Templeton Investment Management Limited, Franklin Advisors, Inc., Franklin Templeton Investments 
Australia Limited, Templeton Asset Management, Ltd. and Franklin Templeton Investments Japan Limited disclaim any 
pecuniary interest in any of the securities. In the Schedule 13G/A filed on February 6, 2009, Franklin Resources, Inc., 
Charles B. Johnson, Rupert H. Johnson, Jr., Templeton Investment Counsel, LLC, Templeton Global Advisors Limited, 
Franklin Templeton Investments Corp., Franklin Templeton Portfolio Advisors, Inc., Franklin Templeton Investments 
(Asia) Limited, Franklin Templeton Investment Management Limited, Franklin Templeton Investments Australia Limited, 
Franklin Advisors, Inc., Templeton Asset Management, Ltd. and Fiduciary Trust Company International disclaim any 
pecuniary interest in any of the securities. In the Schedule 13G/A filed on January 27, 2010, Franklin Resources, Inc., 
Charles B. Johnson, Rupert H. Johnson, Jr., Templeton Global Advisors Limited, Templeton Investment Counsel, LLC, 
Franklin Templeton Investments Corp., Franklin Templeton Portfolio Advisors, Inc., Franklin Templeton Investments 
(Asia) Limited, Franklin Advisors, Inc., Franklin Templeton Investments Australia Limited, Franklin Templeton 
Investment Management Limited and Templeton Asset Management, Ltd. disclaim any pecuniary interest in any of the 
securities. The address for Franklin Resources, Inc. is One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, California 94403. 

(5)  As  of  December  31,  2008  and  2009,  based  on  information  contained  in  a  Schedule  13G  filed  jointly  by  Ameriprise 
Financial, Inc. and RiverSource Investments, LLC with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 12, 2009 
and in a Schedule 13G/A filed jointly by Ameriprise Financial, Inc. and RiverSource Investments, LLC with the Securities 
and  Exchange  Commission  on  February  12,  2010.  Based  on  information  available  to  us,  as  of  December  31,  2007, 
Ameriprise Financial, Inc. did not beneficially own more than 5% of our outstanding ordinary shares. The address for the 
parties is c/o Ameriprise Financial, Inc., 145 Ameriprise Financial Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55474. 

(6)  As  of  December  31,  2009,  based  on  information  contained  in  a  Schedule  13G  filed  FMR  LLC  with  the  Securities  and 
Exchange Commission on February 16, 2010. Based on information available to us, as of December 31, 2007 and 2008, 
FMR LLC did not beneficially own more than 5% of our outstanding ordinary shares. The address for FMR LLC is 82 
Devonshire Street, Boston Massachusetts 02109. 

63 

 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Our major shareholders do not have different voting rights from other shareholders with respect to our 

ordinary shares. 

According to our transfer agent, as of December 31, 2009, there were 206 holders of record of our ordinary 

shares in the United States, representing approximately 85% of our outstanding shares. The number of record 
holders in the United States is not representative of the number of beneficial holders nor is it representative of 
where such beneficial holders are resident since many of these ordinary shares were held by brokers or other 
nominees. 

We are not controlled by another corporation or by any foreign government, directly or through any other 

entity. Each of our outstanding ordinary shares has identical rights in all respects. 

As of December 31, 2006, we had employee and payroll accrual for related parties, for the years 1999 

through 2006, in a total amount of $8.9 million. As of December 31, 2007, we had employee and payroll accrual 
for related parties in the amount of $7.9 million, for the years 1999 through 2007. As of December 31, 2008, this 
accrual decreased to a total of $5.6 million, for the years 2001 through 2007. As of December 31, 2009, this accrual 
decreased to a total of $5.3 million, for the years 2002 through 2005. 

ITEM 8. 

FINANCIAL INFORMATION 

Consolidated Financial Statements 

You can find our financial statements in “Item 18 – Financial Statements.” 

Dividend policy.  Out of our retained earnings of $2,978 million as of December 31, 2009, approximately 

$1,247 million are from tax-exempt income because they are attributable to our facilities’ status as Approved 
Enterprises and Privileged Enterprises under the Law for the Encouragement of Capital Investments, 1959 (the 
“Law”). Our board of directors has currently resolved not to distribute any dividend from our undistributed tax-
exempt income. The undistributed tax-exempt income is currently expected to be essentially permanent by 
reinvesting. 

Legal Proceedings  

We operate our business in various countries, and accordingly, attempt to utilize an efficient operating 

model to optimize our tax payments based on the laws in the countries in which we operate. This can cause disputes 
between us and various tax authorities in different parts of the world. 

In particular, following audits of our 2002 and 2003 corporate tax returns, the Israeli Tax Authority (the 

“ITA”) issued orders challenging our positions on several issues, including matters, such as the usage of funds 
earned by our approved enterprise for investments outside of Israel, deductibility of employee stock options 
expenses, percentage of foreign ownership of our shares, taxation of interest earned outside of Israel and 
deductibility of research and development expenses. The largest amount in dispute relates to the treatment 
of financial income on cash that is held and managed by our wholly-owned Singapore subsidiary, which the ITA is 
seeking to tax in Israel. In an additional challenge to this amount, the ITA reclassified the transfer of funds from 
Check Point to our subsidiary in Singapore as a dividend for purposes of the Law, which would result in tax on the 
funds transferred. The ITA orders also contest our positions on various other issues. The ITA, therefore, demanded 
the payment of additional taxes in the aggregate amount of NIS 963 million with respect to 2002 (assessment 

64 

 
 
 
 
 
received on December 27, 2007) and NIS 151 million with respect to 2003 (assessment received on May 29, 2008), 
in each case including interest as of the assessment date. We have appealed the orders relating to both years with 
the Tel-Aviv District Court, and these appeals are pending. There can be no assurance that the Court will accept our 
positions on these matters or others and, in such an event, we may record additional tax expenses if these matters 
are settled for amounts in excess of our current provisions. In addition the ITA is currently examining the income 
tax returns for the years 2004-2007. The ITA has issued a preliminary assessment under which it demanded the 
payment of additional taxes in the aggregate amount of NIS 817 million with respect to these years (assessment 
received on August 2, 2009) including interest as of the assessment date. We appealed such assessment and the ITA 
is currently conducting a re-examination. There can be no assurance that the ITA will accept our positions on 
matters raised and, in such an event, an order will be issued. 

We have also been named as a defendant in three patent related lawsuits.    

1)  Information  Protection  and  Authentication  of  Texas,  LLC in  the Eastern  District  of Texas  on 
December 30,  2008. The  plaintiff’s  complaint  in  the  lawsuit  alleges  infringement  by  us  of  U.S.  patents 
nos. 5,311,591 and 5,412,717 and seeks an injunction and an unspecified amount of damages.   

2) Enhanced Security Research filed a complaint against us on June 6, 2009, in the District of Delaware 

alleging patent infringement and  

3) MPH filed a complaint against us on February 3, 2010 alleging patent infringement.  

All of the above complaints are filed against multiple security vendors and all of the plaintiffs are non 

practicing entities. They are businesses established to hold the patent. To date, no claim has alleged infringement 
against our core technology. Further, we currently intend to vigorously defend these claims. However, as with most 
litigation the outcome is difficult to determine. 

We are also engaged in various legal disputes with two minority shareholders of our subsidiary SofaWare 
Technologies Ltd. One of these shareholders is alleging we are oppressing him as a minority shareholder, and he is 
seeking to compel us to purchase his shares. The other minority shareholder claims that we are oppressing him as a 
minority shareholder and is seeking remedies that include restrictions on our ability to develop products that 
compete with SofaWare and changes in SofaWare’s board of directors. The same shareholder also filed a derivative 
claim against us on behalf of SofaWare. On February 14, 2008, the court partially accepted these claims and 
ordered that we pay SofaWare NIS 13 million plus interest. Both parties appealed this ruling. Our management 
believes that the claims filed by these two minority shareholders are without merit and intends to contest these 
claims vigorously. 

We are also engaged in additional litigation with these two minority shareholders, including a claim we 

filed in the Tel-Aviv District Court on December 3, 2009, against these two minority shareholders for the amount 
of approximately NIS16 million due to damages caused to us in connection with the development of a new product 
and such shareholders violation of their obligations to act in good faith. 

Further, we are the defendants in various lawsuits, including employment-related litigation claims, lease 

termination claims, patent infringement and other legal proceedings in the normal course of our business. Litigation 
and governmental proceedings can be expensive, lengthy and disruptive to normal business operations, and can 
require extensive management attention and resources, regardless of their merit. While we intend to defend the 
aforementioned matters, we cannot predict the results of complex legal proceedings, and an unfavorable resolution 
of a lawsuit or proceeding could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial 
condition. 

65 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ITEM 9.  THE OFFER AND LISTING 

Our ordinary shares are traded publicly on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “CHKP.” 

The following table lists the high and low prices of the ordinary shares on the NASDAQ Global Select 

Market for the periods indicated:   

Year 
2005 ................................................................................................................................................
2006 ................................................................................................................................................
2007 ................................................................................................................................................
2008 ................................................................................................................................................
2009 ................................................................................................................................................

$25.42 
  23.21 
  26.79 
  25.81 
  34.57 

$19.57 
16.27 
20.47 
16.80 
18.94 

High 

Low 

2008 

First quarter ....................................................................................................................................
Second quarter ................................................................................................................................
Third quarter ...................................................................................................................................
Fourth quarter .................................................................................................................................

  24.25 
  25.81 
  25.74 
  23.00 

2009 

First quarter ....................................................................................................................................
Second quarter ................................................................................................................................
Third quarter ...................................................................................................................................
Fourth quarter .................................................................................................................................

Most recent six months 
September 2009 ...............................................................................................................................
October 2009 ..................................................................................................................................
November 2009 ..............................................................................................................................
December 2009 ...............................................................................................................................
January 2010 ...................................................................................................................................
February 2010 .................................................................................................................................
March 2010 (through March 22, 20010) ........................................................................................

  23.55 
  25.44 
  28.73 
  34.57 

28.47 
32.49 
33.24 
34.57 
34.97 
33.24 
34.96 

20.00 
20.84 
21.32 
16.80 

18.94 
21.78 
22.01 
27.88 

26.50 
27.88 
30.65 
31.65 
31.80 
31.41 
32.48 

On March 22, 2010, the last reported sale price of our ordinary shares on the NASDAQ Global Select 

Market was $34.81 per share. 

ITEM 10.  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

We were incorporated in Israel in July 1993, and we are registered with the Israeli Registrar of Companies 

as public company number 52-004282-1. 

The objectives and purposes stated in our memorandum of association are to engage in any lawful activity. 

We develop market and support a wide range of software and combined hardware and software products and 
services for IT security, and offer our customers an extensive portfolio of network security, endpoint security, data 
security and management, Firewall and VPN solutions. A broad range of our network security solutions operate 
under a unified security architecture, with central management and enforcement of security policy, and with 
centralized real-time security updates. Our products and services are sold to enterprises, service providers, small 
and medium-sized businesses and consumers. 

66 

 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Articles of Association and Israeli Companies Law 

The following is a summary of the material provisions of our articles of association and related provisions 

of Israeli corporate law. For the complete text of our articles of association, see “Item 19 – Exhibits.” 

Description of shares 

Our authorized share capital consists of the following: (i) 500,000,000 ordinary shares, NIS 0.01 nominal 
value; (ii) 5,000,000 preferred shares, NIS 0.01 nominal value; and (iii) 10 deferred shares, NIS 1 nominal value. 

Description of ordinary shares  

All of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares are validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable. The 
ordinary shares do not have pre-emptive rights. Our memorandum of association, our articles of association, and 
Israeli law do not restrict in any way the ownership or voting of our ordinary shares by non-residents of Israel, 
except with respect to citizens of countries that are in a state of war with Israel. 

Dividend and liquidation rights.  The holders of our ordinary shares will be entitled to their proportionate 

share of any cash dividend, share dividend, or dividend in kind distributed with respect to our ordinary shares. This 
right may be changed if shares with special dividend rights are authorized in the future. Under the Israeli 
Companies Law, we may declare dividends out of the higher of retained earnings and earnings generated over the 
two most recent years (the profits test), in either case, provided that our board of directors reasonably believes that 
the dividend will not render us unable to meet our current or foreseeable obligations when due (the solvency test). 
Even if we do not comply with the profits test, a court may allow us to distribute a dividend as long as the court is 
convinced that the solvency test is fulfilled. 

Our articles of association provide that the board of directors may declare and distribute interim dividends 

without the approval of the shareholders. Shareholder approval is required for the payment of a final dividend 
proposed by the board of directors, but shareholders cannot approve a final dividend that is greater than the board’s 
proposal. In addition, once an interim dividend has been declared and paid, it cannot be affected by any subsequent 
resolution of the shareholders or the shareholders’ failure to approve a final dividend. 

In the event of our liquidation, holders of our ordinary shares have the equal right to participate in the 

distribution of assets remaining after payment of liabilities. This right may be changed if shares with special 
liquidation or dividend rights are issued in the future. 

Voting, shareholder meetings and resolutions. Holders of ordinary shares have one vote for each ordinary 

share held on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders. This right may be changed if shares with special 
voting rights are issued in the future. 

Under the Israeli Companies Law, we must hold an annual meeting of our shareholders once every 
calendar year and not more than 15 months from the date of the previous annual shareholders’ meeting. The board 
of directors determines the location of the meeting, which can be in Israel or elsewhere. In addition, our board of 
directors may, in its discretion, convene additional meetings as “special shareholders’ meetings.” The board of 
directors is also required to convene a special shareholders’ meeting upon the demand of any of the following:  (i) 
two directors; (ii) one quarter of the directors in office; (iii) the holder or holders of 5% of our outstanding share 
capital and 1% of our voting power; or (iv) the holder or holders of 5% of our voting power. Our articles of 
association provide that each shareholder of record is entitled to receive prior notice of any shareholders’ meeting 
in accordance with the requirements of the Israeli Companies Law. The law currently provides for at least 21 days’ 
notice, with certain specified matters requiring at least 35 days’ notice. For purposes of determining the 
shareholders entitled to notice and to vote at such meeting, the board of directors may fix a record date, which shall 
be between 4 and 40 days prior to the date of the meeting. 

67 

 
 
 
The quorum required for a meeting of shareholders consists of at least two shareholders present in person 

or by proxy and holding more than 50% of the voting power. The chairman of the board of directors presides at 
each of our shareholders’ meetings. The chairman of the meeting does not have an additional or casting vote. A 
meeting adjourned for lack of a quorum will be adjourned to the same day in the following week, at the same time 
and place, or to the day, time and place that the chairman determines, with the consent of the holders of a majority 
of the shares present in person or by proxy and voting on the question of adjournment. At the reconvened meeting, 
the required quorum consists of any two shareholders, regardless of the number of shares they hold or represent. 

The Israeli Companies Law requires that shareholders approve certain transactions, actions and 
arrangements, as described below under the caption “Approval of certain transactions; obligations of directors, 
officers and shareholders.” 

Shareholders’ resolutions will be deemed adopted if approved by the holders of a majority of the voting 

power voting at a shareholders’ meeting, except for the following decisions which require a different majority: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

A special or extraordinary resolution (such as a resolution amending our memorandum of 
association or articles of association). A majority of at least 75% of the shares voting on the matter 
is needed. 

A voluntary liquidation process or a merger. A majority of at least 75% of the shares voting on the 
matter is needed. 

A compromise or arrangement between us and our creditors or shareholders, reorganization, stock 
split or reverse split. This has to be approved by a majority in the number of the persons 
participating in the vote (except for those abstaining) who together hold at least 75% of the value 
represented at the vote. In addition, court approval is needed. 

(4) 

The nomination and dismissal of outside directors. Outside directors may be elected or removed by 
a majority vote at a shareholders’ meeting, as long as either: 

(i)  The majority of shares includes at least one-third of the shares of non-controlling shareholders 

voted at the meeting, or 

(ii)  The total number of shares of non-controlling shareholders voted against the proposal does not 

exceed 1% of our aggregate voting rights. 

(5) 

Extraordinary transactions with a controlling shareholder (i.e., any shareholder that has the ability 
to direct our actions, including any shareholder who holds 25% or more of our voting rights if no 
other shareholder owns more than 50% of our voting rights), with another person in which the 
controlling shareholder has a personal interest; or a transaction with a controlling shareholder (or a 
relative of such controlling shareholder) concerning terms of compensation for service as an office 
holder. Following audit committee and board of directors approval, these transactions must be 
approved by a majority vote at a shareholders’ meeting, as long as either: 

(i)  The majority of shares includes at least one-third of the shares of the voting shareholders who 

have no personal interest in the transaction, or 

(ii)  The total shareholdings of those who have no personal interest in the transaction and who vote 

against the transaction does not exceed 1% of our aggregate voting rights. 

Transfer of shares.  Fully paid ordinary shares are issued in registered form and, subject to applicable 

securities laws, may be transferred freely. 

68 

 
 
Election of directors.  Our ordinary shares do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors. 

Therefore, the holders of shares representing more than 50% of the voting rights at the shareholders’ meeting, 
voting in person or by proxy, have the power to elect any or all of the directors whose positions are being filled at 
that meeting, subject to the special approval requirements for outside directors described above. 

Transfer agent and registrar. The transfer agent and registrar for our ordinary shares is American 
Stock Transfer & Trust Company, 59 Maiden Lane, Plaza Level, New York, NY 10038 U.S.A., Tel.: 718-
921-8124. 

Description of preferred shares 

We have 5,000,000 preferred shares authorized. Our articles of association provide that the board of 

directors has the authority to issue the preferred shares in one or more series and to fix the rights, preferences, 
privileges and restrictions of the preferred shares, including dividend rights, dividend rates, conversion rights, 
voting rights, terms of redemption, redemption prices, liquidation preferences and the number of shares constituting 
any series, without further vote or action by the shareholders. If this provision withstands judicial scrutiny under 
the Israeli Companies Law, the issuance of preferred shares may have the effect of delaying, deferring or 
preventing a change in control of us without further action by the shareholders. For example, the board of directors 
could issue preferred shares with voting and conversion rights that may adversely affect the voting power of the 
holders of ordinary shares, including the loss of voting control to others. We currently have no plans to issue any 
preferred shares. 

Anti-takeover measures 

Some of the provisions of our articles of association and Israeli law could, together or separately: 

  Discourage potential acquisition proposals, 

  Delay or prevent a change in control, 

  Limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for our ordinary shares. 

Israeli corporate law regulates acquisitions of shares through tender offers and mergers; requires special 

approvals for transactions involving directors, officers or significant shareholders; and regulates other matters that 
may be relevant to these types of transactions. 

Under the Israeli Companies Law, in the case of a merger, the shareholders and board of directors of each 
of the merging companies generally need to approve the merger. Shares held in one of the merging companies by 
the other merging company (or certain of its affiliates) are not counted toward the required approval. If a merging 
company has different classes of shares, the approval of each class may be required. Under the Israeli Companies 
Law, a merger of our company requires the approval of a supermajority of at least 75% of our shares that are voted 
on the merger. A merger cannot be completed until 30 days have passed after shareholder approval of each of the 
merging companies, all approvals have been submitted to the Israeli Registrar of Companies and 50 days have 
passed from the time that a proposal for approval of the merger is filed with the Registrar of Companies. In 
addition, a creditor can seek to block a merger on the ground that the surviving company will not be able to meet its 
obligations. 

The Israeli Companies Law also provides that an acquisition of shares in a public company, such as our 
company, must be made by means of a tender offer, if as a result of the acquisition, the purchaser would become 
the holder of 25% or more of the voting rights in the company (unless there is another 25% shareholder of the 
company, or the shares are acquired from another 25% shareholder). Similarly, the Israeli Companies Law provides 
that an acquisition of shares in a public company, such as our company, must be made by means of a tender offer, if 
as a result of the acquisition the purchaser would hold more than 45% of the shares of the company (unless there is 

69 

 
 
another holder of more than 45% of the shares of the company, or the shares are acquired from another holder of 
more than 45% of the shares of the company). These rules do not apply if the acquisition takes the form of a 
merger. 

Regulations promulgated under the Israeli Companies Law provide that these tender offer requirements do 
not apply to companies whose shares are listed for trading outside of Israel if, according to the law in the country in 
which the shares are traded or the rules and regulations of the stock exchange on which the shares are traded: 

  There is a limitation on acquisition of any level of control of the company, or 

  The acquisition of any level of control requires the purchaser to make a tender offer to the public. 

The Israeli Companies Law provides specific rules and procedures for the acquisition of shares held by 
minority shareholders if the majority shareholder holds more than 90% of the outstanding shares. Israeli tax law 
treats specified acquisitions, including a stock-for-stock swap between an Israeli company and a foreign company, 
less favorably than does U.S. tax law.  

In addition, our articles of association contain certain provisions that may make it more difficult to acquire 

us, such as the ability of our board of directors to issue preferred shares, as described above under the caption 
“Description of preferred shares.” 

Our articles of association provide that we may not engage in any business combination with an interested 
shareholder for a period of three years after the date that the shareholder became an interested shareholder, unless: 

  Prior to that date, the board of directors approved either the business combination or the 
transaction that resulted in the shareholder becoming an interested shareholder; or 

  Upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the shareholder becoming an interested 

shareholder, the interested shareholder owned at least 75% of our voting shares outstanding at the 
time the transaction commenced. 

A business combination includes: 

  Any merger or consolidation between the interested shareholder and us; 

  Any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition of 10% or more of our assets in a transaction 

involving the interested shareholder; 

  Subject to certain exceptions, any transaction that results in our issuance or transfer of any of our 

shares to the interested shareholder; 

  Any transaction in which we are involved that has an effect of increasing the proportionate share 

of our shares, of any class or series, beneficially owned by the interested shareholder; or 

  The receipt by the interested shareholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, 

pledges, or other financial benefits provided by or through us. 

In general, the articles of association define an interested shareholder as any entity or person that 

beneficially owns 15% or more of our outstanding voting shares and any entity or person affiliated with, controlling 
or controlled by such entity or person. 

In addition, our shareholders are not able to cumulate votes at a meeting, which may require the acquirer to 

hold more shares to gain representation on the board of directors than if cumulative voting were permitted. 

70 

 
 
Approval of certain transactions; obligations of directors, officers and shareholders 

Officers and directors.  The Israeli Companies Law codifies the fiduciary duties that office holders, which 

under the law, includes our directors and executive officers, owe to a company. 

Fiduciary duties.  An office holder’s fiduciary duties consist of a duty of loyalty and a duty of care. The 

duty of loyalty requires an office holder to act in good faith and for the benefit of the company, including to avoid 
any conflict of interest between the office holder’s position in the company and personal affairs, and proscribes any 
competition with the company or the exploitation of any business opportunity of the company in order to receive 
personal advantage for himself or herself or for others. This duty also requires an office holder to reveal to the 
company any information or documents relating to the company’s affairs that the office holder has received due to 
his or her position as an office holder. A company may approve any of the acts mentioned above; provided, 
however, that all the following conditions apply: the office holder acted in good faith; neither the act nor the 
approval of the act prejudices the good of the company; and the office holder disclosed the essence of his or her 
personal interest in the act, including any substantial fact or document, in a reasonable time before the date for 
discussion of the approval. The duty of care requires an office holder to act with a level of care that a reasonable 
office holder in the same position would employ under the same circumstances. This includes the duty to use 
reasonable means to obtain information regarding the advisability of a given action submitted for his or her 
approval or performed by virtue of his or her position and all other relevant information material to these actions. 

Compensation.  Under the Israeli Companies Law, the compensation arrangements for officers who are not 

directors require the approval of the board of directors, unless the articles of association provide otherwise. 
Arrangements regarding the compensation of directors require the approval of the audit committee, the board, and 
the shareholders, in that order. 

Disclosure of personal interest.  The Israeli Companies Law requires that an office holder promptly 
disclose to the company any personal interest that he or she may have and all related material information or 
documents known to him or her, in connection with any existing or proposed transaction by the company. 
“Personal interest,” as defined by the Israeli Companies Law, includes a personal interest of any person in an act or 
transaction of the company, including a personal interest of his relative or of a corporation (i) in which that person 
or a relative of that person is a 5% or greater shareholder, a holder of 5% or more of the voting rights, or a director 
or general manager, or (ii) in which he or she has the right to appoint at least one director or the general manager. 
“Personal interest” does not apply to a personal interest stemming merely from holding shares in the company. 

The office holder must immediately make the disclosure of his or her personal interest and no later than the 
first meeting of the company’s board of directors that discusses the particular transaction. This duty does not apply 
to the personal interest of a relative of the office holder in a transaction unless it is an “extraordinary transaction.” 
The Israeli Companies Law defines an “extraordinary transaction” as a transaction that is not in the ordinary course 
of business of a company, or that is not on market terms, or which is likely to have a material impact on the 
company’s profitability, assets or liabilities. The Israeli Companies Law defines a “relative” as a spouse, sibling, 
parent, grandparent, descendent, spouse’s descendant, and the spouse of any of the foregoing. 

Approvals. The Israeli Companies Law provides that a transaction with an office holder or a transaction in 

which an office holder has a personal interest requires board approval, unless the transaction is an extraordinary 
transaction or the articles of association provide otherwise. The transaction may not be approved if it is adverse to 
the company’s interest. If the transaction is an extraordinary transaction, or if it concerns exculpation, 
indemnification or insurance of an office holder, then the approval of the company’s audit committee and the board 
of directors is required. Exculpation, indemnification, insurance or compensation of a director also requires 
shareholder approval. A director who has a personal interest in a matter that is considered at a meeting of the board 
of directors or the audit committee generally may not attend that meeting or vote on that matter, unless a majority 
of the board of directors or the audit committee also has a personal interest in the matter. If a majority of the board 

71 

 
 
of directors has a personal interest in the transaction, all directors may attend that meeting and vote, and a 
shareholder approval also would be required. 

Shareholders.  The Israeli Companies Law imposes the same disclosure requirements described above on a 

controlling shareholder of a public company that it imposes on an office holder. For this purpose, a “controlling 
shareholder” is any shareholder who has the ability to direct the company’s actions, including any shareholder 
holding 25% or more of the voting rights, if no other shareholder owns more than 50% of the voting rights in the 
company. Two or more shareholders with a personal interest in the approval of the same transaction are deemed to 
be one shareholder. 

Under the Israeli Companies Law, a shareholder has a duty to act in good faith toward the company and 

other shareholders and refrain from abusing his or her power in the company, including, among other things, voting 
in the general meeting of shareholders on the following matters: 

  Any amendment to the articles of association, 

  An increase of the company’s authorized share capital, 

  A merger, or 

  Approval of interested party transactions that require shareholder approval. 

In addition, any controlling shareholder, any shareholder who can determine the outcome of a shareholder 
vote, and any shareholder who under the company’s articles of association can appoint or prevent the appointment 
of an office holder, is under a duty to act with fairness towards the company. The Israeli Companies Law provides 
that a breach of the duty of fairness will be governed by the laws governing breach of contract. The Israeli 
Companies Law does not describe the substance of this duty. 

Indemnification and insurance of directors and officers; limitations on liability 

Our articles of association allow us to indemnify, exculpate and insure our office holders to the fullest 

extent permitted under the Israeli Companies Law, provided that procuring this insurance or providing this 
indemnification or exculpation is approved by the audit committee and the board of directors, as well as by the 
shareholders if the office holder is a director. 

Under the Israeli Companies Law, we may indemnify an office holder for any of the following liabilities or 

expenses that they may incur due to an act performed or failure to act in his or her capacity as our office holder: 

  Monetary liability imposed on the office holder in favor of a third party in a judgment, including a 

settlement or an arbitral award confirmed by a court. 

  Reasonable legal costs, including attorneys’ fees, expended by an office holder as a result of an 

investigation or proceeding instituted against the office holder by a competent authority, provided that 
such investigation or proceeding concludes without the filing of an indictment against the office holder, 
and either: 

o  No financial liability was imposed on the office holder in lieu of criminal proceedings, or 
o  Financial liability was imposed on the office holder in lieu of criminal proceedings, but the 

alleged criminal offense does not require proof of criminal intent. 

  Reasonable legal costs, including attorneys’ fees, expended by the office holder or for which the office 

holder is charged by a court: 

o 
o 

In an action brought against the office holder by us, on our behalf or on behalf of a third party, 

In a criminal action in which the office holder is found innocent, or 

72 

 
 
 
o 

In a criminal action in which the office holder is convicted, but in which proof of criminal 
intent is not required. 

A company may indemnify an office holder in respect of these liabilities either in advance of an event or 

following an event. If a company undertakes to indemnify an office holder in advance of an event, the 
indemnification, other than litigation expenses, must be limited to foreseeable events in light of the company’s 
actual activities when the company undertook such indemnification, and reasonable amounts or standards, as 
determined by the board of directors. 

A company may obtain insurance for an office holder against liabilities incurred in his or her capacity as an 

office holder. These liabilities include a breach of duty of care to the company or a third party including a breach 
arising out of negligent conduct of the office holder, a breach of duty of loyalty and any monetary liability imposed 
on the office holder in favor of a third party. A company may also exculpate an office holder from a breach of duty 
of care in advance of that breach. Our articles of association provide for exculpation both in advance or 
retroactively, to the extent permitted under Israeli law. A company may not exculpate an office holder from a 
breach of duty of loyalty towards the company or from a breach of duty of care concerning dividend distribution or 
a purchase of the company’s shares by the company or other entities controlled by the company. 

Under the Israeli Companies Law, a company may indemnify or insure an office holder against a breach of 

duty of loyalty only to the extent that the office holder acted in good faith and had reasonable grounds to assume 
that the action would not prejudice the company. In addition, a company may not indemnify, insure or exculpate an 
office holder against a breach of duty of care if committed intentionally or recklessly (excluding mere negligence), 
or committed with the intent to derive an unlawful personal gain, or for a fine or forfeit levied against the office 
holder in connection with a criminal offense. 

Our audit committee, board of directors and shareholders have resolved to indemnify our directors and 

officers, to the extent permitted by law and by our articles of association, for liabilities not covered by insurance, 
that are of certain enumerated types of events, and subject to limitations as to amount. 

We have also entered into indemnification, insurance, and exculpation agreements with our directors and 

officers undertaking to indemnify, insure, and exculpate them to the full extent permitted by the Israeli Companies 
Law. The entry into such agreements received the prior approval of our audit committee, board of directors and 
shareholders.  

Borrowing power: amendment of rights of ordinary shares 

Our articles of association grant broad powers to the board of directors to have us borrow, repay 
borrowings, make guarantees, and grant security interests in borrowings. The rights and provisions of the ordinary 
shares may be cancelled, added to, restricted, amended, or otherwise altered with a vote of the holders of at least 
75% of the outstanding ordinary shares voting at a duly convened shareholders’ meeting. 

Availability of Annual Report on Form 20-F 

In accordance with our articles of association, we post our Annual Report on Form 20-F on our Web site 

(www.checkpoint.com

), rather than mail it to shareholders as required by the NASDAQ rules. 

NASDAQ Global Select Market corporate governance rules 

NASDAQ Rule 5620(c) requires that an issuer listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market should have a 

quorum requirement that in no case be less than 33 1/3% of the outstanding shares of the company’s common 
voting stock. However, our articles of association, consistent with the Israeli Companies Law, provide that the 
quorum requirements for an adjourned meeting are the presence of a minimum of two shareholders present in 

73 

 
 
person. Our quorum requirements for an adjourned meeting do not comply with the requirements of Rule 5620(c) 
and we instead follow our home country practice. 

Material Contracts 

None 

Israeli Taxation, Foreign Exchange Regulation and Investment Programs 

The following is a summary of the principal Israeli tax laws applicable to us, the Israeli Government 

programs from which we benefit, and Israeli foreign exchange regulations. This section also contains a discussion 
of material Israeli tax consequences to our shareholders who are not residents or citizens of Israel. This summary 
does not discuss all aspects of Israeli tax law that may be relevant to a particular investor in light of his or her 
personal investment circumstances, or to some types of investors subject to special treatment under Israeli law. 
Examples of investors subject to special treatment under Israeli law include residents of Israel, traders in securities, 
or persons who own, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of our outstanding voting capital, all of whom are subject 
to special tax regimes not covered in this discussion. Some parts of this discussion are based on new tax legislation 
that has not been subject to judicial or administrative interpretation. The discussion should not be construed as legal 
or professional tax advice and does not cover all possible tax consequences. 

You are urged to consult your own tax advisor as to the Israeli and other tax consequences of the 

purchase, ownership and disposition of our ordinary shares, including, in particular, the effect of any non-
Israeli, state or local taxes. 

General corporate tax structure in Israel 

Israeli companies were subject to corporate tax at the rate of 26% in 2009. Pursuant to tax reform 
legislation that came into effect in 2005 and 2009, the corporate tax rate is to undergo further staged reductions to 
25% in 2010, 24% in 2011, 23% in 2012, 22% in 2013, 21% in 2014, 20% in 2015 and from 2016 onward the tax 
rate will be reduced to 18%. 

However,  as  discussed  below,  the  rate  is  effectively  reduced  for  income  derived  from  our  Approved 

Enterprise and Privileged Enterprise plans. 

Law for the Encouragement of Capital Investments, 1959 

Our facilities in Israel have been granted Approved Enterprise status under the Law for the Encouragement 

of Capital Investments, 1959, commonly referred to as the “Investment Law”. The Investment Law provides that 
capital investments in a production facility (or other eligible assets) may be designated as an Approved Enterprise. 
Until 2005, the designation required advance approval from the Investment Center of the Israel Ministry of 
Industry, Trade and Labor. Each certificate of approval for an Approved Enterprise relates to a specific investment 
program, delineated both by the financial scope of the investment and by the physical characteristics of the facility 
or the asset. 

Under the Approved Enterprise programs, a company is eligible for governmental grants, but may elect to 

receive an alternative package comprised of tax benefits (Alternative Track). Under the alternative package, a 
company’s undistributed income derived from an Approved Enterprise is exempt from corporate tax for an initial 
period (two to ten years, depending on the geographic location of the Approved Enterprise within Israel). The 
exemption begins in the first year that the company realizes taxable income from the Approved Enterprise. 

After expiration of the initial tax exemption period, the company is eligible for a reduced corporate tax rate 
of 10% to 25% for the following five to eight years, depending on the extent of foreign investment in the company 

74 

 
 
(as shown in the table below). The benefits period under Approved Enterprise status is limited to 12 years from 
completion of the investment or commencement of production, or 14 years from the approval year, whichever is 
earlier. 

On April 1, 2005, an amendment to the Investment Law came into effect. The amendment revised the 

criteria for investments qualified to receive tax benefits. An eligible investment program under the amendment will 
qualify for benefits as a Privileged Enterprise (rather than the previous terminology of Approved Enterprise). 
Among other things, the amendment provides tax benefits to both local and foreign investors and simplifies the 
approval process. The period of tax benefits for a new Privileged Enterprise commences in the “Year of 
Commencement.” This year is the later of (1) the year in which taxable income is first generated by a company, or 
(2) a year selected by the company for commencement, on the condition that the company meets certain provisions 
provided by the Investment Law (Year of Election). The amendment does not apply to investment programs 
approved prior to December 31, 2004. The new tax regime applies to new investment programs only. Therefore, 
our four active Approved Enterprises will not be subject to the provisions of the amendment. 

The tax benefits available under Approved Enterprise or Privileged Enterprise relate only to taxable income 
attributable to the specific Approved Enterprise or Privileged Enterprise, and our effective tax rate will be the result 
of a weighted combination of the applicable rates. 

Percent of 
Foreign Ownership 

Rate of 
Reduced Tax 

0-25% .....................................
25-49% ...................................
49-74% ...................................
74-90% ...................................
90-100% .................................

25% 
25% 
20% 
15% 
10% 

Reduced Tax Period 

Tax Exemption Period 

5 years 
8 years 
8 years 
8 years 
8 years 

2 years 
2 years 
2 years 
2 years 
2 years 

As mentioned above, currently, we have four active Approved Enterprise programs under the Alternative 

Track of the Investment Law which entitle us to tax benefits. Our first and second investment programs benefits 
period have ended and, therefore, are not entitled to tax benefits. Currently, we have two Privileged Enterprise 
program. We have derived, and expect to continue to derive, a substantial portion of our operating income from our 
Approved Enterprise and Privileged Enterprise facilities. We are, therefore, eligible for a tax exemption for a 
limited period on undistributed Approved Enterprise and Privileged Enterprise income, and an additional 
subsequent period of reduced corporate tax rates ranging between 10% and 25%, depending on the level of foreign 
ownership of our shares. The tax benefits attributable to our current Approved Enterprises and Privileged 
Enterprise are scheduled to expire in phases by 2017.   

The benefits available to an Approved Enterprise and a Privileged Enterprise are conditioned upon terms 

stipulated in the Investment Law and the related regulations and the criteria set forth in the applicable certificate of 
approval (for an Approved Enterprise). If we do not fulfill these conditions, in whole or in part, the benefits can be 
cancelled and we may be required to refund the amount of the benefits, linked to the Israeli consumer price index 
plus interest. We believe that our Approved Enterprise and Privileged Enterprise programs currently operate in 
compliance with all applicable conditions and criteria, but we cannot assure you that they will continue to do so. 
However, we currently have disputes with the Israeli Tax Authority (“ITA”) on matters, such as the usage of funds 
earned by our approved enterprise for investments outside of Israel, deductibility of employees stock options 
expenses, percentage of foreign ownership of our shares, taxation of interest earned outside of Israel and 
deductibility of research and development expenses See “Item 8 –Financial Information” under the caption “Legal 
Proceedings”. 

If a company requested the alternative package of benefits for an Approved Enterprise under the old law 
before the 2005 amendment, it was precluded from filing a Year of Election notice for a Privileged Enterprise for 

75 

 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
three years after the year in which the Approved Enterprise was activated (the “Cooling Period”). In November 
2008, the law was amended to shorten the Cooling Period to two years. Following the amendment, the Year of 
Election for our first Privileged Enterprise is 2006. 

If a company distributes dividends from tax-exempt income, the company will be taxed on the otherwise 

exempt income at the same reduced corporate tax rate that would have applied to that income. Distribution of 
dividends derived from income that was taxed at reduced rates, but not tax-exempt, does not result in additional tax 
consequences to the company. Shareholders who receive dividends derived from Approved Enterprise or Privileged 
Enterprise income are generally taxed at a rate of 15%, which is withheld and paid by the company paying the 
dividend, if the dividend is distributed during the benefits period or within the following 12 years (the limitation 
does not apply to a Foreign Investors Company, which is a company that more than 25% of its shares owned by 
non-Israeli residents). 

The amendment to the Investment Law treats the repurchase of shares out of Privileged Enterprise tax 

exempt income as deemed-dividend. Through December 31, 2009, we repurchased 73,589,872 ordinary shares in a 
total amount of $1,568,589,743. Our retained earnings attributed to taxable income are higher than the total shares 
repurchased and, therefore, should not trigger a deemed-dividend event. See Annual Report (“Purchases of Equity 
Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers”) and Note 12e to Consolidated Financial Statements for further 
information regarding our repurchase program. 

As a result of the 2005 amendment, tax-exempt income attributed to Privileged Enterprise will subject us to 
taxes also upon complete liquidation. As of December 31, 2009, we generated tax-exempt income in the amount of 
$533.9 million from our Privileged Enterprise. 

Our board of directors has determined that we will not distribute any amounts of our tax-exempt income as 
dividend. We intend to reinvest our tax-exempt income. Accordingly, no deferred income taxes have been provided 
on income attributable to our Approved Enterprise and Privileged Enterprise programs as the undistributed tax-
exempt income is essentially permanent in duration. 

Law for the Encouragement of Industry (Taxes), 1969 

We believe that we currently qualify as an Industrial Company within the meaning of the Law for the 

Encouragement of Industry (Taxes), 1969 (the “Industrial Encouragement Law”). The Industrial Encouragement 
Law defines an “Industrial Company” as a company that is resident in Israel and that derives at least 90% of its 
income in any tax year, other than income from defense loans, capital gains, interest and dividends, from an 
enterprise whose major activity in a given tax year is industrial production. 

Under the industrial Encouragement Law we are entitled to amortization of the cost of purchased know-
how and patents over an eight year period for tax purposes and an accelerated depreciation rate on equipment.   

Eligibility for the benefits under the Industry Encouragement Law is not subject to receipt of prior approval 
from any governmental authority. We cannot assure you that we qualify or will continue to qualify as an Industrial 
Company or that the benefits described above will be available in the future. 

Foreign Exchange Regulations 

Under the Foreign Exchange Regulations, an Israeli company calculates its tax liability in US dollars 
according to certain orders. The tax liability, as calculated in US dollars is translated into NIS according to the 
exchange rate as of December 31st of each year. 

Dividends, if any, paid to the holders of our ordinary shares, and any amounts payable upon our 
dissolution, liquidation or winding up, as well as the proceeds of any sale in Israel of our ordinary shares to an 
Israeli resident, may be paid in non-Israeli currency. If these amounts are paid in Israeli currency, they may be 

76 

 
 
converted into freely repatriable U.S. dollars at the rate of exchange prevailing at the time of conversion. In 
addition, the statutory framework for the potential imposition of exchange controls has not been eliminated, and 
may be restored at any time by administrative action. 

Taxation of Non-Israeli Shareholders on Receipt of Dividends 

Under Israeli tax law, a distribution of dividends from income attributable to an Approved Enterprise or 

Privileged Enterprise will be subject to tax in Israel at the rate of 15%, which is withheld and paid by the company 
paying the dividend, if the dividend is distributed during the benefits period or within the following 12 years (this 
limitation does not apply to a Foreign Investors Company). Any distribution of dividends from income that is not 
attributable to an Approved Enterprise or Privileged Enterprise will be subject to tax in Israel at the rate of 25%, 
except that dividends distributed to an individual who is deemed “a non-substantial shareholder” will be subject to 
tax at the rate of 20%. 

Under the United States-Israel tax treaty, the maximum tax on dividends paid to a holder of ordinary shares 

who is a United States resident is 25%. Dividends received by a United States company that holds at least 10% of 
our voting rights, will be subject to withholding tax at the rate of 12.5%, provided that certain other conditions in 
the tax treaty are met (or at the tax rate of 15% in respect of dividends paid from income attributable to our 
Approved Enterprises or Privileged Enterprise). Dividends distributed to other foreign shareholders may be subject 
to different withholding tax rates based on the applicable tax treaty. 

Capital Gains Taxes Applicable to Non-Israeli Shareholders 

Capital gains from the sale of our ordinary shares by non-Israeli shareholders are exempt from Israeli 

taxation under the Israeli domestic tax law, provided that the capital gain is not derived from a permanent 
establishment in Israel. In addition, the United States-Israel tax treaty exempts United States residents who hold 
less than 10% of our voting rights, and who held less than 10% of our voting rights during the 12 months prior to a 
sale of their shares, from Israeli capital gains tax in connection with such sale. 

United States Federal Income Tax Considerations 

The following discussion describes the material U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to the 

ownership or disposition of our ordinary shares to a holder who is: 

  A citizen or resident (as defined for U.S. federal income tax purposes) of the United States; 

  A corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation, created or organized in or under the laws of 

the United States or any of its states; 

  An estate, if the estate’s income is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; 

or 

  A trust, if a U.S. court is able to exercise primary supervision over its administration and one or 

more U.S. persons (e.g., a U.S. citizen, resident, or corporation) have the authority to control all of 
its substantial decisions. 

We refer to any of the above as a “U.S. Shareholder”. 

This discussion is based on the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, referred to as 
the “Code”, U.S. Treasury Regulations promulgated under the Code and administrative and judicial interpretations 
of the Code, all as in effect as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 20-F. This discussion generally considers 
only U.S. Shareholders who will hold the ordinary shares as capital assets. The discussion does not consider: 

77 

 
 
 
  Aspects of U.S. federal income taxation relevant to U.S. Shareholders by reason of their particular 

circumstances (including potential application of the alternative minimum tax). 

  U.S. Shareholders subject to special treatment under the U.S. federal income tax laws, such as financial 
institutions, insurance companies, broker-dealers, tax-exempt organizations, and foreign individuals or 
entities. 

  U.S. Shareholders who own 10% or more of our outstanding voting shares, either directly or by attribution. 

  U.S. Shareholders who hold our ordinary shares as part of a hedging, straddle, or conversion transaction. 

  U.S. Shareholders who acquire their ordinary shares in a compensatory transaction. 

  U.S. Shareholders whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar. 

  Any aspect of state, local, or non-U.S. tax law. 

The following summary does not address all of the tax consequences of owning or disposing of our 
ordinary shares to you based on your individual tax circumstances. Accordingly, you should consult your 
own tax advisor as to the particular tax consequences to you of owning or disposing of our ordinary shares, 
including the effects of applicable state, local, or non-U.S. tax laws and possible changes in the tax laws. 

Dividends Paid on the Ordinary Shares 

A U.S. Shareholder, as defined above, will generally be required to include in gross income the amount of 
any distributions paid in respect of the ordinary shares to the extent that the distributions are paid out of our current 
or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The amount of the 
distribution would include any Israeli taxes withheld as part of the distributions. A maximum U.S. federal income 
tax rate of 15% will apply for individual shareholders and 35% for corporate shareholders if certain holding period 
requirements are met. The individual shareholder rate is applicable in tax years beginning after December 31, 2002, 
and before January 1, 2011, for “qualified dividend income” received by an individual as well as certain trusts and 
estates. Qualified dividend income generally includes dividends paid by a U.S. corporation or a “qualified foreign 
corporation.” A non-U.S. corporation, such as ours, generally will be considered to be a qualified foreign 
corporation if (i) our shares are readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States, or (ii) we 
are eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive U.S. income tax treaty determined to be satisfactory to the U.S. 
Department of the Treasury. The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service have 
determined that the United States-Israel tax treaty is satisfactory for this purpose. In addition, the U.S. Department 
of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service have determined that ordinary shares are considered readily 
tradable on an established securities market if they are listed on an established securities market in the United 
States, such as the NASDAQ Global Select Market. The information returns, reporting the dividends paid to U.S. 
Shareholders, will identify the amount of dividends eligible for the reduced rates. 

Any distributions in excess of earnings and profits will be treated first as non-taxable return of capital, 

reducing a U.S. Shareholder’s tax basis in the ordinary shares to the extent of the distributions, and then as capital 
gain from a sale or exchange of the ordinary shares. Our dividends will generally not qualify for the dividends 
received deduction available to corporations. Any cash distribution paid in Israeli Shekels will equal the U.S. dollar 
value of the distribution, calculated based on the spot exchange rate in effect on the date of the distribution. 

Credit for Israeli Taxes Withheld 

Subject to certain conditions and limitations, a U.S. Shareholder will generally be eligible for a credit 

against United States federal income tax liability for any Israeli tax withheld or paid with respect to dividends on 
the ordinary shares. The Code provides limitations on the amount of foreign tax credits. These limitations include 
extensive separate computation rules under which foreign tax credits allowable with respect to specific categories 
of income cannot exceed the U.S. federal income taxes otherwise payable with respect to each such category of 

78 

 
 
income. A shareholder who does not elect to claim a foreign tax credit may instead claim a deduction for Israeli 
income tax withheld or paid, but only if the shareholder elects to do so for all foreign income taxes in that year. 
Special rules for determining a U.S. Shareholder’s foreign tax credit limitation apply in the case of qualified 
dividend income. Rules similar to those concerning adjustments to the foreign tax credit limitation to reflect any 
capital gain rate differential also apply to any qualified dividend income. The rules relating to foreign tax credits 
are complex and each shareholder should consult his, her, or its own tax advisor to determine whether and if the 
specific shareholder would be entitled to this credit. 

Disposition of the Ordinary Shares 

The sale or exchange of ordinary shares will generally result in the recognition of capital gain or loss. The 
amount of gain or loss is the difference between the amounts realized on the sale or exchange and the tax basis in 
the ordinary shares. If a U.S. Shareholder’s holding period for the ordinary shares exceeds one year at the time of 
the disposition, the amount of the shareholder’s gain or loss generally will be long-term capital gain or loss. Long-
term capital gains realized upon a sale or exchange of ordinary shares generally will be subject to a maximum U.S. 
federal income tax rate of 15% for taxable years which begin before January 1, 2011. Gain or loss recognized by a 
U.S. Shareholder on a sale or exchange of ordinary shares generally will be treated as U.S. source income or loss 
for U.S. foreign tax credit purposes. Under the United States-Israel tax treaty, gain derived from the sale, exchange, 
or other disposition of ordinary shares by a holder, who is a resident of the United States for purposes of the treaty 
and who sells the ordinary shares within Israel, may be treated as foreign source income for U.S. foreign tax credit 
purposes. 

Passive Foreign Investment Company Status 

Based upon our income, assets and activities, we believe that we are not currently, and have not been in 

prior years, a passive foreign investment company (PFIC) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. We do not 
currently anticipate that we will be a PFIC for any subsequent year. We would be classified as a PFIC if, for any 
taxable year, either: 

  75% or more of our gross income in the taxable year is passive income, or 

  50% or more of the average percentage of our assets held during the taxable year, produce or are held 

for the production of passive income. 

For this purpose, passive income includes dividends, interest, royalties, rents, annuities, and the excess of 

gain over losses from the disposition of assets that produce passive income. 

If we were a PFIC for any taxable year during which you held shares as a U.S. Shareholder and you did not 

timely elect to treat us as a “qualified electing fund” under Section 1295 of the Code or elect to mark the ordinary 
shares to market, you would be subject to special tax rules on the receipt of an “excess distribution” on the ordinary 
shares. Generally, a distribution is considered an excess distribution to the extent it exceeds 125% of the average 
annual distributions in the prior three years. You would also be subject to special tax rules on the gain from the 
disposition of the ordinary shares. 

A U.S. Shareholder may be able to mitigate certain adverse tax consequences of holding shares in a PFIC 

by making a “qualified electing fund,” “deemed sale” or “mark-to-market” election. However, as a U.S. 
Shareholder you may make a qualified electing fund election only if we agree to furnish certain tax information 
annually. We do not presently prepare or provide this information, and this information may not be available to you 
if we are subsequently determined to be a PFIC. A number of specific rules and requirements apply to a U.S. 
Shareholder under either of the elections available to owners of a PFIC. You are urged to consult your tax advisor 
concerning these elections. 

79 

 
 
Information Reporting and Back up Withholding 

Dividend payments and proceeds from the sale or disposal of ordinary shares may be subject to information 

reporting to the Internal Revenue Service and possible U.S. federal backup withholding at the current rate of 28% 
(increases to 31% for taxable years beginning in 2011 or later). However, backup withholding will not apply to a 
holder who furnishes a correct taxpayer identification number or certificate of foreign status and makes any other 
required certification, or who is otherwise exempt from backup withholding (for example, a corporation). Any U.S. 
Shareholder who is required to establish exempt status generally must file IRS Form W-9 (Request for Taxpayer 
Identification Number and Certification). Amounts withheld as backup withholding may be credited against a U.S. 
Shareholder’s federal income tax liability. A U.S. Shareholder may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld 
under the backup withholding rules by filing the appropriate claim for refund with the Internal Revenue Service and 
furnishing any required information. 

Documents on Display 

This report and other information filed or to be filed by us can be inspected and copied at the public 

reference facilities maintained by the Securities and Exchange Commission at: 

Securities and Exchange Commission 
100 F Street, NE 
Public Reference Room 
Washington, D.C. 20549 

Copies of these materials can also be obtained from the Public Reference Section of the Securities and 

Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates. 

 The Securities and Exchange Commission maintains a Web site at www.sec.gov that contains reports, 

proxy and information statements, and other information regarding registrants that make electronic filings with the 
Securities and Exchange Commission using its EDGAR system. We intend to post our Annual Report on Form 20-
F on our website (www.checkpoint.com) promptly following the filing of our Annual Report with the Securities 
and Exchange Commission. 

Additionally, documents referred to in this Annual Report on Form 20-F may be inspected at our principal 

executive offices located at 5 Ha’Solelim Street, Tel Aviv 67897 Israel. 

ITEM 11.  

QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK 

We are exposed to market risks that result primarily from weak economic conditions in the markets in 

which we sell our products, and from changes in exchange rates or in interest rates. 

Securities representing 43.8% of our investments portfolios are rated as AAA; securities representing 

24.5% of the portfolio are rated as AA; and securities representing 31.5% of the portfolio are rated as A; securities 
representing 0.2% of the portfolio are rated as BBB and below. 

80 

 
 
 
 
The table below provides information regarding our investments in cash, cash equivalents, short-term 

deposit and marketable securities, as of December 31, 2009.  

Maturity 

Total 

Amortized 
cost 

Fair 
Value at 
Dec. 31, 
2009 

2010 

2011 

2012 

2013 

2014 
onwards 

(in thousands) 

$193,902 

$224,964 

$305,029 

$144,719 

$51,405 

$920,019 

$935,009 

$239,609 

$60,147 

$12,952 

$11,858 

$8,092 

$332,658 

$333,985 

$12,128 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

$12,128 

$12,090 

$8,776 

$8,776 

$8,776 

$21,764 

$50,910 

$56,681 

$6,284 

$7,100 

$142,739 

$143,054 

$414,085 

- 

- 

- 

- 

$414,085 

$414,085 

$881,488 

$336,021 

$374,662 

$162,861 

$75,373 

$1,830,405  $1,846,999 

Government and corporate      
debentures - fixed interest rates ...   
US Agencies 

Structured note (*) .......................   

Auction rate securities(**) ...........   
Government and corporate 
debentures - floating interest 

Short-term deposit, money 
market instruments & cash  .........   

Total .............................................   
_______________________ 

(*) The structured note is comprised solely from an inverse floating interest rate bond, maturing during March 2010. Inverse 
floating rate bonds are bonds where the coupon varies inversely with changes in specified interest rates or indices (for example, 
LIBOR). 

(**) The balance is comprised of four auction rate securities, which have suffered from failed auctions since September 2007. 
As a result of the auction failures these auction rate securities do not have a readily determinable market value. As such, since 
2008, we obtain a third party valuation to determine the fair values of these securities. 

Foreign Currency Risk 

Most of our sales are denominated in U.S. dollars, and we incur most of our expenses in U.S. dollars, 

Euros, Swedish Krona and Israeli Shekels. According to the salient economic factors indicated in ASC 830, 
“Foreign Currency Matters,” our cash flow, sale price, sales market, expense, financing and inter-company 
transactions, and arrangement indicators, are predominantly denominated in U.S. dollars. In addition, the U.S. 
dollar is the primary currency of the economic environment in which we operate, and thus, the U.S. dollar is our 
functional and reporting currency. 

In our balance sheet, we remeasure into U.S. dollars all monetary accounts (principally liabilities) that are 

maintained in other currencies. For this remeasurement, we use the relevant foreign exchange rate at the balance 
sheet date. Any gain or loss that results from this remeasurement is reflected in the statement of income as financial 
income or financial expense, as appropriate. 

We measure and record non-monetary accounts in our balance sheet (principally fixed assets and prepaid 
expenses) in U.S. dollars. For this measurement, we use the U.S. dollar value in effect at the date that the asset or 
liability was initially recorded in our balance sheet (the date of the transaction). 

We entered into forward contracts to hedge the fair value of assets and liabilities denominated in Israeli 

Shekels, Euros, British Pounds, Swedish Krona, Norwegian Krone and Japanese Yen. As of December 31, 2009, 
we had outstanding forward contracts that did not meet the requirement for hedge accounting, in the amount of 
$142.4 million. These contracts were for a period of up to twelve months. The net gains (losses) recognized in 
“financial income, net” during 2009 were $6 million.  

81 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
During 2009 we entered into forward contracts to hedge against the risk of overall changes in future cash 

flow from payments of payroll and related expenses denominated in Israeli Shekels. As of December 31, 2009, 
there were no outstanding contracts. These contracts met the requirement for cash flow hedge accounting and as 
such gains in the amount of $2 million were recognized when the related expense were incurred and classified in 
operating expenses during 2009.  

The Company’s operating expenses may be effected by fluctuations in the value of the U.S dollar as it 

relates to foreign currencies; with Israel and Europe having the greatest potential impact. In managing our foreign 
exchange risk we periodically enter into foreign exchange hedging contracts. Our goal is to mitigate the potential 
exposure with these contracts. By way of example, a 10% weakening in the value of the dollar relative to the 
currencies in which the Company’s operating expenses are denominated in 2009 would result in an increase in 
operating expenses of $17.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2009. This calculation assumes that each 
exchange rate would change in the same direction relative to the U.S. dollar. 

Interest Rate Risk 

Our exposure to market risk for changes in interest rates relates primarily to our investment in marketable 

securities. Our marketable securities portfolio includes government and government agencies debt instruments 
(U.S., European and other) and corporate debt instruments. By policy, we limit the amount of credit exposure to 
any one issuer. 

Investments in both fixed rate and floating rate interest bearing securities carry a degree of interest rate 

risk. Fixed rate securities may have their fair market value adversely impacted due to a rise in interest rates, while 
floating rate securities may produce less income than predicted if interest rates fall. Due in part to these factors, our 
income from investments may decrease in the future in the event that interest rates fluctuate. 

ITEM 12.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES OTHER THAN EQUITY SECURITIES 

Not applicable. 

82 

 
 
 
 
 
PART II 

ITEM 13.  DEFAULTS, DIVIDEND ARREARAGES AND DELINQUENCIES 

There are no defaults, dividend arrearages, or delinquencies that are required to be disclosed. 

ITEM 14.  MATERIAL MODIFICATIONS TO THE RIGHTS OF SECURITY HOLDERS AND USE OF 

PROCEEDS 

There are no material modifications to, or qualifications of, the rights of security holders that are required 

to be disclosed. 

ITEM 15.  CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES 

Disclosure Controls and Procedures 

As of December 31, 2009, we performed an evaluation under the supervision and with the participation of 

our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the 
design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under 
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)). Our management recognizes that any 
controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of 
achieving their objectives and our management necessarily applies its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit 
relationship of possible controls and procedures. Based on this evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief 
Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective as of December 31, 2009, to 
provide reasonable assurance that the information required to be disclosed in filings and submissions under the 
Exchange Act, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified by the Securities 
and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms, and that such information related to us and our consolidated 
subsidiaries is accumulated and communicated to management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief 
Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions about required disclosure. 

Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting and Attestation Report of 
Registered Public Accounting Firm 

Our management report on our internal control over financial reporting (as such defined in Rules 13a-15(f) 

and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act), and the related attestation report of our independent public accounting 
firm, are included in pages F-2 and F-4 to F-5 of our audited consolidated financial statements set forth in “Item 18 
– Financial Statements,” and are incorporated herein by reference. 

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting 

During the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 20-F, no changes in our internal control over 

financial reporting have occurred that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal 
control over financial reporting. 

ITEM 16.  Reserved. 

ITEM 16A.  AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT 

83 

 
 
Our board of directors has determined that Messrs. Yoav Chelouche and Irwin Federman are “audit 

committee financial experts” and that they are independent under the applicable Securities and Exchange 
Commission and NASDAQ Global Select Market rules. 

ITEM 16B.  CODE OF ETHICS 

In March 2004, our board of directors adopted a Code of Ethics that applies to all of our employees, 
directors and officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, principal accounting officer 
or controller and other individuals who perform similar functions. The Code of Ethics is updated from time to time. 
You can obtain a copy of our Code of Ethics without charge, by sending a written request to our investor relations 
department at Check Point Software Technologies Inc., Attn: Investor Relations, 800 Bridge Parkway, Redwood 
City, California 94065 U.S.A; Tel: 650-628-2000; Email: ir@us.checkpoint.com. 

ITEM 16C.  PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES 

Fees and Services 

The following table sets forth the aggregate fees billed to us for the audit and other services provided by 

Kost, Forer, Gabbay & Kasierer, a member of Ernst & Young (“E&Y”) during the years ended December 31, 2008 
and 2009 (in thousands):  

Audit fees (1) ...................................  
Audit-related fees .............................  
Tax fees (3) ......................................  
[All other fees (if any)] 
Total .................................................  
_______________________ 

Year Ended December 31, 2008 
Percentage 

Amount  

Year Ended December 31, 2009 
Percentage 

Amount  

$965 
- 
323 

(in thousands, except percentages) 
        75% 
- 
25% 

$864 
- 
198 

$1,288 

    100% 

$1,062 

81% 
- 
19% 

100% 

(1)  “Audit fees” are fees for audit services for each of the years shown in this table, including fees associated with the annual 
audit  (including  audit  of  our  internal  control  over  financial  reporting)  and  reviews  of  our  quarterly  financial  results 
submitted on Form 6-K, consultations on various accounting issues and audit services provided in connection with other 
statutory or regulatory filings. 

(2)   “Tax fees” are fees for professional services rendered by our auditors for tax compliance, tax planning and tax advice on 
actual or contemplated transactions, tax consulting associated with international transfer prices and employee benefits. 

Audit committee’s pre-approval policies and procedures 

Our audit committee chooses and engages our independent auditors to audit our financial statements, with 

the approval of our shareholders as required by Israeli law. In March 2004, our audit committee adopted a policy 
requiring our management to obtain the audit committee’s approval before engaging our independent auditors to 
provide any audit or permitted non-audit services to us or our subsidiaries. The policy was last amended in October 
2004. This policy, which is designed to assure that such engagements do not impair the independence of our 
auditors, requires pre-approval from the audit committee on an annual basis for the various audit and non-audit 
services that may be performed by our auditors. In addition, the audit committee limited the aggregate amount of 
fees our auditors may have received during 2008 and 2009, and may receive during 2010 for non-audit services in 
certain categories. 

84 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Our controller reviews all management requests to engage our auditors to provide services and approves a 
request if the requested services are of those that have received pre-approval from our audit committee. We inform 
our audit committee of these approvals at least quarterly and prior to the commencement of the related services. If 
the services are not included in those categories that were pre-approved by our audit committee, then specific 
approval is needed from our audit committee before these services are commenced. Our audit committee is not 
permitted to approve the engagement of our auditors for any services that would be inconsistent with maintaining 
the auditor’s independence or that are not permitted by applicable law. 

ITEM 16D.  EXEMPTIONS FROM THE LISTING STANDARDS FOR AUDIT COMMITTEES 

None. 

ITEM 16E.  PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY THE ISSUER AND AFFILIATED 
PURCHASERS 

Our board of directors approved six programs to repurchase ordinary shares. The first program was 

announced on October 28, 2003, and ended on August 24, 2004, and authorized the repurchase of up to $200 
million of our ordinary shares. The second program was announced on October 28, 2004, and ended on May 31, 
2005, and authorized the repurchase of up to $200 million of our ordinary shares. The third program was 
announced on July 25, 2005, and ended on May 18, 2006, and authorized the repurchase of up to $200 million of 
our ordinary shares. The fourth program was announced on May 22, 2006, and ended on March 5, 2008, and 
authorized the repurchase of up to $600 million of our ordinary shares. The fifth program was announced on March 
26, 2008, and authorized the repurchase of up to $400 million of our ordinary shares. The sixth program was 
announced on January 27, 2010, and authorized the repurchase of up to $250 million of our ordinary shares. 

85 

 
 
During 2009, we spent $202.3 million to repurchase approximately 7.8 million ordinary shares which were 

repurchased under the fifth program, as described above. The table below provides detailed information.  

Period 

(a)  Total Number of 
Ordinary Shares 
Purchased 

(b)  Average Price per 
Ordinary Share 

  January 1 – January 31 ................  

  February 1 – February 28 ............  

  March 1 – March 31  ...................  

  April 1 – April 30  .......................  

  May 1 – May 31  .........................  

  June 1 – June 30  .........................  

  July 1 – July 31 ...........................  

  August 1 – August 31  .................  

  September 1 – September 30  ......  

  October 1 – October 31  ..............  

  November 1 – November 30  ......  

  December 1 – December 31  .......  

N/A 

1,823,750 

497,600 

N/A 

1,860,000 

298,600 

N/A 

1,209,900 

585,769 

N/A 

1,161,621 

376,900 

 Total .............................................  

7,814,140 

N/A 
$ 22.7 
$22.1 

N/A 

$23.0 

$23.2 

N/A 

$27.6 

$27.9 

N/A 

$31.9 

$32.3 

25.9 

(c) Total Number of 
Ordinary Shares 
Purchased as Part 
of Publicly 
Announced Plans 
or Programs 

(d) Approximate 

Dollar Amount 
Available for 
Repurchase 
under the Plans 
or Programs 

(in thousands) 

N/A 

1,823,750 

497,600 

N/A 

1,860,000 

298,600 

N/A 

1,209,900 

585,769 

N/A 

1,161,621 

376,900 

7,814,140 

$233,695  

$192,453  

$181,407  

$181,407  

$138,344  

$131,409  

$131,409  

$97,758  

$81,410  

$81,410  

$43,601  

$31,411  

N/A 

86 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ITEM 16F.  CHANGE IN REGISTRANT’S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT 

Not applicable. 

ITEM 16G.  CORPORATE GOVERNANCE 

As a foreign private issuer whose shares are listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, we are 

permitted to follow certain home country corporate governance practices instead of certain requirements of the 
NASDAQ Marketplace Rules. 

As described in Item 10 “Additional Information – NASDAQ Global Select Market corporate governance 

rules,” we do not comply with the NASDAQ requirement that an issuer listed on the NASDAQ Global Select 
Market have a quorum requirement that in no case be less than 33 1/3% of the outstanding shares of the company’s 
common voting stock. However, our articles of association, consistent with the Israeli Companies Law, provide 
that the quorum requirements for an adjourned meeting are the presence of a minimum of two shareholders present 
in person. Our quorum requirements for an adjourned meeting do not comply with the NASDAQ requirements and 
we instead follow our home country practice. 

As a foreign private issuer listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, we may also follow home country 
practice with regard to, among other things, composition of the board of directors, director nomination process and 
regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present. In addition, we may follow our home 
country practice, instead of the NASDAQ Marketplace Rules, which require that we obtain shareholder approval 
for certain dilutive events, such as for the establishment or amendment of certain equity based compensation plans, 
an issuance that will result in a change of control of the company, certain transactions other than a public offering 
involving issuances of a 20% or more interest in the company and certain acquisitions of the stock or assets of 
another company. A foreign private issuer that elects to follow a home country practice instead of NASDAQ 
requirements must submit to NASDAQ in advance a written statement from an independent counsel in such 
issuer’s home country certifying that the issuer’s practices are not prohibited by the home country’s laws. In 
addition, a foreign private issuer must disclose in its annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission or on its website each such requirement that it does not follow and describe the home country practice 
followed by the issuer instead of any such requirement. Accordingly, our shareholders may not be afforded the 
same protection as provided under NASDAQ’s corporate governance rules. 

See Item 6 “Directors, Senior Management and Employees – Board Practices” and Item 10 “Additional 

Information – Articles of Association and Israeli Companies Law” for a detailed description of the significant ways 
in which the registrant’s corporate governance practices differ from those followed by U.S. companies under the 
listing standards of the NASDAQ Global Select Market. 

87 

 
 
PART III 

ITEM 17.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

Check Point has responded to Item 18. 

ITEM 18.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

See pages F-1 to F-50 below. 

88 

 
 
 
ITEM 19.  EXHIBITS 

1 

4.1 

4.2 

4.3 

4.4 

4.5 

4.6 

4.7 

4.8 

4.9 

4.10 

4.11 

4.12 

4.13 

Articles of Association of Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (1) 

Form  of  Director  Insurance,  Indemnification  and  Exculpation  Agreement  between  Check  Point 
Software Technologies Ltd. and its directors (2) 

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. 1996 Israel Stock Option Plan (3)  

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. Restated and Amended 1996 Section 102 Share Option Plan 
(4) 

Addendum—Israel  to  the  Check  Point  Software  Technologies  Ltd.  Restated  and  Amended  1996 
Section 102 Share Option Plan (5) 

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. 1996 United Stated Stock Option Plan (6) 

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. 2005 Israel Equity Incentive Plan (7) 

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. 2005 United States Equity Incentive Plan (8) 

Zone Labs, Inc. 1998 Stock Option Plan (9) 

Pointsec Mobile Technologies Inc. 2003 Stock Option Plan (10) 

Pointsec Mobile Technologies Inc. 2005 Stock Option Plan (11) 

Pointsec Mobile Technologies Inc. 2006 Stock Option Plan (12) 

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. Employee Stock Purchase Plan (13) 

A translation of an agreement between Tzlil Ad Ltd. and Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., 
for the purchase of the leasing rights of a building in Tel Aviv, Israel, dated as of March 19, 2006 
(14) 

8 

List of subsidiaries (15) 

12.1 

Certification of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to §302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 

12.2 

Certification of the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to §302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002  

13  

15 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

Certification of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 
1350 

Consent of Kost, Forer, Gabbay & Kasierer, a Member of Ernst & Young Global 

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 of Check Point’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 
31, 2005. 

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of Check Point’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 
31, 2005. 

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 of Check Point’s Registration Statement on Form F-1 originally filed with 
the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 31, 1996. 

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.6 of Check Point’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 
31, 2004. 

89 

 
 
(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

(10) 

(11) 

(12) 

(13) 

(14) 

(15) 

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.7 of Check Point’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 
31, 2004. 

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.8 of Check Point’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 
31, 2004. 

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.7 of Check Point’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 
31, 2005. 

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.8 of Check Point’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 
31, 2005. 

Incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit  4.1  of  Check  Point  Software  Technologies  Ltd.’s  Registration  Statement  on 
Form S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 15, 2004. 

Incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit  4.1  of  Check  Point  Software  Technologies  Ltd.’s  Registration  Statement  on 
Form S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 19, 2007. 

Incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit  4.2  of  Check  Point  Software  Technologies  Ltd.’s  Registration  Statement  on 
Form S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 19, 2007. 

Incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit  4.3  of  Check  Point  Software  Technologies  Ltd.’s  Registration  Statement  on 
Form S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 19, 2007. 

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.10 of Check Point’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 
31, 2005. 

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.11 of Check Point’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 
31, 2006. 

Incorporated by reference to “Item 4 – Information on Check Point – Organizational Structure” in this Annual Report 
on Form 20-F. 

90 

 
 
 
 
 
CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 

AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2009 

IN U.S. DOLLARS 

INDEX 

Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting 

Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 

Consolidated Balance Sheets 

Consolidated Statements of Income 

Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows 

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 

- - - - - - - - 

Page 

F-2 

F-3 – F-5 

F-6 - F-7 

F-8 

F-9 - F-10 

F-11 

F-12 - F-50 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MANAGEMENT’S REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING 

Our  management  is  responsible  for  establishing  and  maintaining  adequate  internal  control  over  financial 
reporting as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act. Our internal control over financial 
reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and 
the  preparation  of  financial  statements  for  external  purposes  in  accordance  with  generally  accepted  accounting 
principles. Our internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that: 

• 

• 

• 

pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions 
and dispositions of our assets, 

provide reasonable assurance  that  transactions  are recorded  as necessary  to  permit  preparation  of  financial 
statements  in  accordance  with  generally  accepted  accounting  principles,  and  that  our  receipts  and 
expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of our management and directors, and 

provide  reasonable  assurance  regarding  prevention  or  timely  detection  of  unauthorized  acquisition,  use  or 
disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. 

Our management recognizes that there are inherent limitations in the effectiveness of any system of internal 
control  over  financial  reporting,  including  the  possibility  of  human  error  and  the  circumvention  or  override  of 
internal control. Accordingly, even effective internal control over financial reporting can provide only reasonable 
assurance with respect to financial statement preparation, and may not prevent or detect all misstatements. Further, 
because of changes in conditions, the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting may vary over time. 

Our management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 
31, 2009. In conducting its assessment of internal control over financial reporting, management based its evaluation 
on  the  framework  in  “Internal  Control  –  Integrated  Framework”  issued  by  the  Committee  of  Sponsoring 
Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). Our management has concluded based on its assessment, that 
our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2009, based on these criteria. 

Our  financial  statements  and  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  have  been  audited  by  Kost,  Forer, 

Gabbay & Kasierer (A Member of Ernst & Young Global), an independent registered public accounting firm. 

F- 2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kost Forer Gabbay & Kasierer 
3 Aminadav St. 
Tel-Aviv 67067, Israel 

Tel:  972 (3)6232525 
Fax: 972 (3)5622555 
www.ey.com/il 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM 

To the Shareholders and Board of Directors of 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. 
(the “Company”) and its subsidiaries as of December 31, 2009 and 2008, and the related consolidated statements of 
income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2009. 
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an 
opinion on these financial statements based on our audits. 

We  conducted  our  audits  in  accordance  with  the  standards  of  the  Public  Company  Accounting  Oversight 
Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance 
about  whether the financial  statements  are  free of  material  misstatement.  An  audit includes  examining,  on  a  test 
basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing 
the  accounting  principles  used  and  significant  estimates  made  by  management,  as  well  as  evaluating  the  overall 
financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion. 

In  our  opinion,  the  financial  statements  referred  to  above  present  fairly,  in  all  material  respects,  the 
consolidated  financial  position  of  the  Company  and  its  subsidiaries  as  of  December 31,  2009  and  2008,  and  the 
consolidated  results  of  their  operations  and  their  cash  flows  for  each  of  the  three  years  in  the  period  ended 
December 31, 2009, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. 

As discussed in Note 2x, effective January 1, 2009, the Company adopted new guidance on accounting for 

business combinations. 

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board 
(United States), the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2009, based on criteria 
established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the 
Treadway Commission and our report dated March 29, 2010, expressed an unqualified opinion thereon. 

Tel-Aviv, Israel 
March 29, 2010 

KOST FORER GABBAY & KASIERER 
A Member of Ernst & Young Global 

F- 3 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kost Forer Gabbay & Kasierer 
3 Aminadav St. 
Tel-Aviv 67067, Israel 

Tel:  972 (3)6232525 
Fax: 972 (3)5622555 
www.ey.com/il 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM ON INTERNAL 
CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING 

To the Shareholders and Board of Directors of 
CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 

We  have  audited  Check  Point  Software  Technologies  Ltd.’s  (“Check  Point”  or  the  “Company”)  internal 
control  over  financial  reporting  as  of  December  31,  2009,  based  on  criteria  established  in  Internal  Control-
Integrated  Framework  issued  by  the  Committee  of  Sponsoring  Organizations  of  the  Treadway  Commission  (the 
“COSO  criteria”).  Check  Point’s  management  is  responsible  for  maintaining  effective  internal  control  over 
financial  reporting  and  for  its  assessment  of  the  effectiveness  of  internal  control  over  financial  reporting.  Our 
responsibility  is  to  express  an  opinion  on  the  Company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  based  on  our 
audit. 

We  conducted  our  audit  in  accordance  with  the  standards  of  the  Public  Company  Accounting  Oversight 
Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance 
about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit 
included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material 
weakness  exists,  testing  and  evaluating  the  design  and  operating  effectiveness  of  internal  control  based  on  the 
assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe 
that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. 

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance 
regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in 
accordance  with  generally  accepted  accounting  principles.  A  company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting 
includes  those  policies  and  procedures  that  (1)  pertain  to  the  maintenance  of  records  that,  in  reasonable  detail, 
accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable 
assurance  that transactions  are recorded  as  necessary  to  permit  preparation  of  financial  statements  in  accordance 
with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made 
only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable 
assurance  regarding  prevention  or  timely  detection  of  unauthorized  acquisition,  use,  or  disposition  of  the 
company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. 

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

F- 4 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kost Forer Gabbay & Kasierer 
3 Aminadav St. 
Tel-Aviv 67067, Israel 

Tel:  972 (3)6232525 
Fax: 972 (3)5622555 
www.ey.com/il 

In  our  opinion,  Check  Point  maintained  in  all  material  respects,  effective  internal  control  over  financial 

reporting as of December 31, 2009, based on the COSO criteria. 

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board 
(United  States),  the  consolidated  balance  sheets  of  Check  Point  and  subsidiaries  as  of  December  31,  2009  and 
2008, and the related consolidated statements of income, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows for each of 
the  three  years  in  the  period  ended  December 31,  2009,  and  our  report  dated  March  ,  2010,  expressed  an 
unqualified opinion thereon. 

Tel-Aviv, Israel 
March 29, 2010 

KOST FORER GABBAY & KASIERER 
A Member of Ernst & Young Global 

F- 5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share amounts) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

ASSETS 

CURRENT ASSETS: 

Cash and cash equivalents 
Short-term deposit 
Marketable securities 
Trade receivables (net of allowances for doubtful accounts and sales 

reserves of $ 9,125 and $ 19,335 as of December 31, 2008, and 2009, 
respectively) 

Prepaid expenses and other current assets 

Total

 current assets 

LONG-TERM ASSETS: 
Marketable securities 
Property and equipment, net 
Severance pay fund 
Deferred tax asset, net 
Other intangible assets, net 
Goodwill 
Other assets 

Total

 long-term assets 

Total

 assets 

December 31, 

2008 

2009 

  $ 

543,190 
26,302 
344,895 

  $       414,085 
- 
469,913 

251,771 
28,372 

283,668 
34,544 

1,194,530 

1,202,210 

529,445 
40,248 
5,817 
19,003 
123,151 
664,602 
16,820 

963,001 
38,936 
6,314 
16,307 
114,192 
708,458 
20,176 

1,399,086 

1,867,384 

$  2,593,616 

  $    3,069,594 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements. 

F- 6 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share amounts) 

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY 

CURRENT LIABILITIES: 

Trade payables 
Employee and payroll accruals 
Deferred revenues 
Accrued expenses and other liabilities 

Total

 current liabilities 

 LONG-TERM LIABILITIES: 

Deferred revenues 
Income tax accrual  
Deferred tax liability 
Accrued severance pay  

Total

 liabilities 

SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY: 

Share capital - 

Preferred shares, NIS 0.01 par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized, no 

shares issued 

Deferred shares, NIS 1 par value, 10 shares authorized, 1 share issued and 

outstanding 

Ordinary shares, NIS 0.01 par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized, 
261,223,970 shares issued as of December 31, 2008 and 2009; 
210,042,282 and 209,099,392 shares outstanding as of December 31, 
2008 and 2009, respectively 

Additional paid-in capital 
Treasury shares at cost - 51,181,688 and 52,124,578 Ordinary shares as of 

December 31, 2008 and 2009, respectively 
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) 
Retained earnings 

Total

 shareholders’ equity 

Total

 liabilities and shareholders’ equity 

December 31, 

2008 

2009 

  $ 

7,087 
47,004 
289,998 
58,465 

  $           8,860 
67,167 
384,255 
92,984 

402,554 

553,266 

40,799 
101,230 
22,225 
10,943 

41,005 
132,908 
11,636 
11,061 

175,197 

196,610 

577,751 

749,876 

- 

- 

- 

- 

774 
503,408 

774 
527,874 

(1,105,250)   
(4,673)   

2,621,606 

(1,199,752) 
12,555 
2,978,267 

2,015,865 

2,319,718 

$  2,593,616 

  $    3,069,594 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements. 

F-7 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except per share amounts) 

Year ended December 31, 
2008 

2009 

2007 

Revenues: 

Products and licenses 
Software updates, maintenance and services 

  $  309,785 
421,092 

  $  338,317 
470,173 

  $    361,633 
562,784 

Total revenues 

Operating expenses: (*) 

Cost of products and licenses (**) 
Cost of software updates, maintenance and services (**)   
Amortization of technology 

Total cost of revenues 

Research and development  
Selling and marketing  
General and administrative  
Restructuring and other acquisition related costs 
Acquired in-process research and development  

730,877 

808,490 

924,417 

27,191 
27,386 
27,724 

82,301 

80,982 
217,491 
53,527 
- 
17,000 

34,648 
33,407 
24,554 

92,609 

91,629 
214,439 
53,313 
- 
- 

61,495 
43,551 
28,224 

133,270 

89,743 
220,877 
56,409 
9,101 
- 

Total operating expenses 

451,301 

451,990 

509,400 

Operating income 
Financial income, net 
Other than temporary impairment net of gain on sale of 

marketable securities previously impaired  

279,576 
49,725 

356,500 
40,876 

415,017 
32,058 

- 

(11,221) 

(1,277) 

Income before taxes on income  
Taxes on income 

329,301 
48,237 

386,155 
62,189 

445,798 
88,275 

Net income 

  $  281,064 

  $  323,966 

  $    357,523 

 Basic earnings per Ordinary share  

 Diluted earnings per Ordinary share 

  $ 

1.26 

  $ 

1.25 

(*) Includes stock-based compensation to employees in the following items: 

Cost of products and licenses 
Cost of software updates, maintenance and services 
Research and development 
Selling and marketing 
General and administrative 

  $ 

65 
668 
4,309 
8,780 
20,230 

  $ 

  $ 

  $ 

1.51 

  $          1.71 

1.50 

  $          1.68 

48 
684 
5,037 
6,855 
19,703 

  $           47 
641 
6,649 
5,032 
18,538 

Total stock-based compensation expenses 

  $  34,052 

  $  32,327 

  $    30,907 

(**) Not including amortization of technology shown separately below. 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements. 

F-8 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share amounts) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

Balance as of December 31, 2006 
Tax benefit related to exercise of stock options 
Issuance of treasury shares under stock plans, upon exercise of options and 

 $ 

vesting of restricted stock units (1,885,379 Ordinary shares net of 
16,578 for taxes)  

Treasury shares at cost (9,021,500 Ordinary shares) 
Stock-based compensation expense related to employees 
Issuance of stock options related to the acquisition of Protect Data  
Comprehensive income, net of tax - 
Reclassification adjustments to income on marketable securities 
Unrealized gains on marketable securities, net of $ 2,430 tax  
Net income 
Total comprehensive income 

  Additional 

  Treasury 

Share 
capital 

paid-in 
capital 

shares 
at cost 

  Accumulated 
other 
  comprehensive 
income (loss) 

  Retained 
earnings 

Total 
  comprehensive 

income  

Total 

  Shareholders’ 

equity 

774 
- 

 $ 

422,381 
6,828 

 $ 

(728,909) 
- 

 $ 

(6,293) 
- 

 $  2,023,580 
- 

 $ 

1,711,533 
6,828 

- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
34,052 
1,069 

- 
- 
- 

31,644 
(209,757) 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 

983 
6,543 
- 

(7,004) 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
281,064 

 $ 

 $ 

983 
6,543 
281,064 
288,590 

24,640 
(209,757) 
34,052 
1,069 

983 
6,543 
281,064 

Balance as of December 31, 2007 

 $ 

774 

  $ 

464,330 

  $ 

(907,022) 

  $ 

1,233 

  $  2,297,640 

  $ 

1,856,955 

Unrealized gains on marketable securities, net of $ 374 tax 
Accumulated other comprehensive gains as of December 31, 2007 

 $ 
 $ 

1,233 
1,233 

F-9 

 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share amounts)  

  Additional 

  Treasury 

  Share 
capital 

paid-in 
capital 

shares 
at cost 

  Accumulated 
other 
  comprehensive 
income (loss) 

  Retained 
earnings 

Total 
  comprehensive 

income  

Total 
shareholders' 
Equity 

Balance as of December 31, 2007 
Tax benefit related to exercise of stock options 
Issuance of treasury shares under stock plans, upon exercise of options and 

 $ 

vesting of restricted stock units (2,402,792 Ordinary shares net of 
29,383 for taxes)  

Treasury shares at cost (10,914,008 Ordinary shares) 
Stock-based compensation expense related to employees 
Comprehensive income, net of tax - 
Reclassification adjustments to income on marketable securities, net of $ 

403 tax 

Other than temporary impairment on marketable securities, net of $2,272 

tax 

Unrealized losses on marketable securities, net of $ (4,304) tax  
Net income 
Total comprehensive income 

774 
- 

 $ 

464,330 
13,019 

 $ 

(907,022) 
- 

 $ 

1,233 
- 

 $  2,297,640 
- 

   $ 

1,856,955 
13,019 

- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
- 

(6,268) 
- 
32,327 

41,314 
(239,542) 
- 

- 

- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 

1,091 

8,949 
(15,946) 
- 

- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
323,966 

 $ 

 $ 

1,091 

8,949 
(15,946) 
323,966 
318,060 

35,046 
(239,542) 
32,327 

1,091 

8,949 
(15,946) 
323,966 

Balance as of December 31, 2008 

 $ 

774 

  $ 

503,408 

  $ (1,105,250) 

  $ 

(4,673) 

  $  2,621,606 

  $ 

2,015,865 

Unrealized losses on marketable securities, net of $ 1,255 tax 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss as of December 31, 2008 

 $ 
 $ 

(4,673) 
(4,673) 

Balance as of December 31, 2008 
Tax benefit related to exercise of stock options 
Issuance of treasury shares under stock plans, upon exercise of options and 

vesting of restricted stock units (6,871,250 Ordinary shares net of 
43,805 for taxes)  

Treasury shares at cost (7,814,140 Ordinary shares) 
Stock-based compensation expense related to employees 
Comprehensive income, net of tax - 
Reclassification adjustments to income on marketable securities, net of 

$(122) tax 

Other than temporary impairment, net of $669 tax 
Unrealized gain on marketable securities, net of $ 4,747 tax  
Net income 
 Total comprehensive income 

 $ 

  $ 

774 
- 

503,408 
7,502 

  $ (1,105,250) 
- 

  $ 

(4,673) 
- 

  $  2,621,606 
- 

  $ 

2,015,865 
7,502 

- 
- 

(13,943) 
- 

107,783 
(202,285) 

        - 

         30,907 

- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 

    - 

- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 

- 

104 
2,523 
14,601 
- 

(862) 
- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
357,523 

 $ 

 $ 

104 
2,523 
14,601 
357,523 
374,751 

92,978 
(202,285) 

30,907 

104 
2,523 
14,601 
357,523 

Balance as of December 31, 2009 

 $ 

774 

  $ 

527,874 

  $ (1,199,752) 

  $ 

12,555 

  $  2,978,267 

  $ 

2,319,718 

Unrealized gain on marketable securities, net of $ 4,039 tax 
Accumulated other comprehensive income as of December 31, 2009 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements. 

 $ 
 $ 

12,555 
12,555 

F-10 

 
 
 
  
  
  
  
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS 
U.S. dollars in thousands 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

Cash flows from operating activities

: 

Net income 
Adjustments required to reconcile net income to net cash provided by 

operating activities: 
Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment 
Amortization of marketable securities premium and (accretion of discount),  

    net  

Other than temporary impairment net of gain on sale of marketable securities 

previously impaired 

Realized loss on sale of marketable securities, net 
Acquisition of in-process research and development  
Amortization of intangible assets  
Stock-based compensation 
Foreign currency on amount due to Protect Data shareholders 
Deferred income taxes, net 
Increase in trade receivables, net of allowances for doubtful accounts and 

Year ended December 31, 
2008 

2009 

2007 

  $ 

281,064 

  $ 

323,966 

  $ 

357,523 

8,541 

(247) 

- 
983 
17,000 
39,984 
34,052 
- 
(19,323) 

8,648 

3,099 

11,221 
1,494 
- 
36,982 
32,327 
(463) 
(14,034) 

8,885 

8,414 

1,277 
1,896 
- 
50,653 
30,907 
- 
(11,386) 

sales reserves 

(29,003) 

(50,256) 

(11,256) 

Decrease (increase) in prepaid expenses and other current assets and other  

    assets 

Increase (decrease) in trade payables 
Increase (decrease) in employees and payroll accruals 
Increase (decrease) in accrued expenses and other liabilities 
Increase in deferred revenues 
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation 
(Decrease) increase in accrued severance pay, net 

4,761 
(3,929) 
(977) 
(7,594) 
56,000 
(6,828) 
521 

(3,521) 
744 
1,289 
38,423 
57,104 
(13,019) 
25 

1,285 
(2,405) 
20,163 
63,026 
46,006 
(7,502) 
(379) 

Net cash provided by operating activities 

375,005 

434,029 

557,107 

Cash flows from investing activities

: 

Cash paid in conjunction with acquisitions, net of acquired cash 
Payments made in connection with prior years acquisitions 
Proceeds from maturity of marketable securities 
Proceeds from sale of marketable securities 
Investment in marketable securities 
Investment in short term deposits 
Proceeds from maturity of short term deposits 
Purchase of property and equipment 

Net cash used in investing activities 

Cash flows from financing activities

: 

(594,964) 
(2,674) 
345,389 
250,201 
(187,720) 
- 
- 
(16,727) 

- 
(8,579) 
311,134 
259,803 
(736,781) 
(26,302) 
- 
(8,301) 

(58,787) 
- 
427,660 
27,006 
(1,002,305) 
- 
26,302 
(4,283) 

(206,495) 

(209,026) 

(584,407) 

Proceeds from issuance of shares under stock purchase plan and upon exercise 

of options 

Purchase of treasury shares at cost 
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation 

24,640 
(209,757) 
6,828 

35,046 
(239,542) 
13,019 

92,978 
(202,285) 
7,502 

Net cash used in financing activities 

(178,289) 

(191,477) 

(101,805) 

Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year 

(9,779) 
519,443 

33,526 
509,664 

(129,105) 
543,190 

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year 

  $ 

509,664 

  $ 

543,190 

  $ 

414,085 

Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information
Cash paid during the year for income taxes 

: 

  $ 

55,345 

  $ 

63,251 

  $ 

55,440 

Supplemental disclosures of non cash financing and investing activities 
   Net change in unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities 
   Fair value of vested Protect Data’s options assumed  
   Amount due to shareholders in connection with Protect Data’s acquisition (see   

   Note 3 for liabilities assumed in acquisitions)  

  $ 
  $ 

  $ 

9,956 
1,069  

  $ 
  $ 

(7,535) 
- 

  $ 
  $ 

22,521 
- 

8,579 

  $ 

- 

  $ 

- 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements. 

F-11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 1:- 

GENERAL 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

a. 

b. 

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (“Check Point Ltd.”), an Israeli corporation, and 
its  subsidiaries  (collectively,  the  “Company”  or  “Check  Point”),  are  engaged  in 
developing,  marketing  and  supporting  software  and  combined  hardware  and  software 
products  and  services,  by  offering  network  security,  data  security  and  management 
solutions for enterprise networks and service providers. 

The Company operates in one reportable segment and its revenues are mainly derived from 
the  sales  of  its  network  and  data  security  products,  including  licenses,  related  software 
updates,  maintenance,  support  and  other  services.  The  Company  sells  its  products 
worldwide primarily through multiple distribution channels (“channel partners”), including 
distributors,  resellers,  system  integrators,  Original  Equipment  Manufacturers  (“OEMs”), 
system integrators and Managed Security Service Providers (“MSPs”). 

During 2009, approximately 35% of the Company’s revenues were derived from the same 
two channel partners, 18% from one channel partner and 17% from the other. During 2007 
and 2008, approximately 30% of the Company’s revenues were derived from the same two 
channel partners, 16% from one channel partner and 14% from the other. Trade receivable 
balance from the two largest channel partners was $ 81,931 as of December 31, 2008, and 
$ 101,094 as of December 31, 2009. 

NOTE 2:- 

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES 

The consolidated financial statements are prepared according to United States generally accepted 
accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”). 

a. 

Use of estimates: 

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally 
accepted  accounting  principles  requires  management  to  make  estimates,  judgments  and 
assumptions.  The  Company’s  management  believes  that  the  estimates,  judgments  and 
assumptions  used  are  reasonable  based  upon  information  available  at  the  time  they  are 
made.  These  estimates,  judgments  and  assumptions  can  affect  the  reported  amounts  of 
assets and liabilities  and  disclosure  of  contingent assets and liabilities at  the  dates  of the 
financial  statements,  and  the  reported  amounts  of  revenue  and  expenses  during  the 
reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. 

b. 

Financial statements in United States dollars: 

Most  of  the  Company’s  revenues  and  costs  are  denominated  in  United  States  dollars 
(“dollars”). The Company’s management believes that the dollar is the primary currency of 
the economic environment in which Check Point Ltd. and each of its subsidiaries operate. 

Thus,  the  dollar  is  the  Company’s  functional  and  reporting  currency.  Accordingly, 
monetary  accounts  maintained  in  currencies  other  than  the  dollar  are  remeasured  into 
dollars in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) No. 830 “Foreign 
Currency Matters”. Changes in currency exchange rates between the Company’s functional 
currency  and  the  currency  in  which  a  transaction  is  denominated  are  included  in  the 
Company’s results of operations as financial income (expense) in the period in which the 
currency exchange rates change. 

F-12 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 2:- 

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.) 

c. 

Principles of consolidation: 

The  consolidated  financial  statements  include  the  accounts  of  Check  Point  Ltd.  and  its 
subsidiaries.  Intercompany  transactions  and  balances  have  been  eliminated  upon 
consolidation. 

d. 

Reclassifications: 

Certain amounts in prior years’ financial statements have been reclassified to conform to 
the current year’s presentation. 

e. 

Cash equivalents: 

Cash  equivalents  are  short-term  highly  liquid  investments  that  are  readily  convertible  to 
cash with original maturities of three months or less at acquisition. 

f. 

Short-term deposit: 

Bank  deposits  with  maturities  of  more  than  three  months  but  less  than  one  year  are 
included  in  short-term  deposits.  Such  short-term  deposits  are  stated  at  cost  which 
approximates market values. 

g. 

Investments in marketable securities: 

The Company accounts for investments in marketable securities in accordance with ASC 
No. 320, “Investments – Debt and Equity Securities”. 

Management  determines  the  appropriate  classification  of  its  investments  at  the  time  of 
purchase and reevaluates such determinations at each balance sheet date. 

The Company classifies all of its marketable securities as available for sale. Available for 
sale  securities  are  carried  at  fair  value,  with  the  unrealized  gains  and  losses,  net  of  tax, 
reported  in  “accumulated  other  comprehensive  income  (loss)”  in  shareholders’  equity. 
Realized  gains  and  losses on  sale  of  investments  are  included  in  “financial income,  net” 
and  are  derived  using  the  specific  identification  method  for  determining  the  cost  of 
securities. 

The  amortized  cost  of  debt  securities  is  adjusted  for  amortization  of  premiums  and 
accretion of discounts to maturity. Such amortization together with interest and dividends 
on securities are included in “financial income, net”. 

F-13 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 2:- 

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

The  Company  recognizes  an  impairment  charge  when  a  decline  in  the  fair  value  of  its 
investments  below  the  cost  basis  is  judged  to  be  other-than-temporary.  The  entire 
difference  between  amortized  cost  and  fair  value  is  recognized  in  earnings.  Factors 
considered  in  making  such  a  determination  include  the  duration  and  severity  of  the 
impairment,  the  reason  for  the  decline  in  value,  the  potential  recovery  period  and  the 
Company’s  intent  to  sell,  including  whether  it  is  more  likely  than  not  that  the  Company 
will be required to sell the investment before recovery of cost basis. For securities that are 
deemed other-than-temporary impaired, the amount of impairment is recognized in “other 
than  temporary  impairment,  net  of  gain  on  sale  of  marketable  securities  previously 
impaired” in the statement of income and is limited to the amount related to credit losses, 
while impairment related to other factors is recognized in other comprehensive income. 

During  2007,  2008  and  2009,  other-than-temporary  impairment  net  of  gain  on  sale  of 
marketable  securities  previously  impaired  amounted  to  $0,  $  11,221  and  $  1,277, 
respectively. In 2009, the Company recognized a loss of $3,134 and a gain of $1,857 on 
sale of securities previously impaired. See further details in Note 4. 

h. 

Property and equipment: 

Property and equipment are stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is 
calculated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets at the 
following annual rates: 

Computers and peripheral equipment 
Office furniture and equipment 
Building 
Leasehold improvements 

% 

33-50 
10-20 
4 
The shorter of term of the lease or the 
useful life of the asset 

Property  and  equipment  are  reviewed  for  impairment  in  accordance  with  ASC  No.  360, 
“Property,  Plant  and  Equipment,”  whenever  events  or  changes  in  circumstances  indicate 
that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be 
held  and  used  is  measured  by  a  comparison  of  the  carrying  amount  of  the  assets  to  the 
future undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the assets. If such assets are 
considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by 
which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets. During 2007, 
2008 and 2009, no impairment losses have been recorded. 

i. 

Goodwill and other intangible assets: 

Goodwill and certain other purchased intangible assets have been recorded as a result of 
acquisitions.  Goodwill  represents  the  excess  of  the  purchase  price  in  a  business 
combination over the fair value of net tangible and intangible assets acquired. Goodwill is 
not  amortized,  but  rather  is  subject  to  an  impairment  test.  The  Company  performs  an 
annual impairment test during the fourth quarter of each fiscal year, or more frequently if 
impairment indicators are present. The Company operates in one operating segment, and 
this segment comprises its only reporting unit. 

F-14 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 2:- 

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

Intangible assets that are not considered to have an indefinite useful life are amortized over 
their  estimated  useful  lives,  which  range  from  0.5  to  20  years.  Some  of  the  acquired 
customer arrangements are amortized over their estimated useful lives in proportion to the 
economic  benefits  realized.  This  accounting  policy  results  in  accelerated  amortization  of 
such  customer  arrangements  as  compared  to  the  straight-line  method.  All  other  acquired 
customer  arrangements  are  amortized  over  their  estimated  useful  lives  on  a  straight-line 
basis.  Other  intangible  assets  consist  primarily  of  core  technology,  trademarks,  and 
backlog and are amortized over their estimated useful lives on a straight-line basis. 

The carrying amount of these assets to be held and used is reviewed whenever events or 
changes  in  circumstances  indicate  that  the  carrying  value  of  an  asset  may  not  be 
recoverable.  Recoverability  of  these  assets  is  measured  by  comparison  of  the  carrying 
amount  of  each  asset  to  the  future  undiscounted  cash  flows  the  asset  is  expected  to 
generate.  If  the  asset  is  considered  to  be  impaired,  the  amount  of  any  impairment  is 
measured as the difference between the carrying value and the fair value of the impaired 
asset. During 2007, 2008 and 2009, no impairment loss was recorded. 

In  determining  the fair  values  of  long-lived  assets  for  purpose  of  measuring  impairment, 
starting  in  2009,  the  Company’s  assumptions  include  those  that  market  participants  will 
consider in valuations of similar assets. 

j. 

Research and development costs: 

Research and development costs are charged to the statement of income as incurred. ASC 
No.  985,  “Software”,  requires  capitalization  of  certain  software  development  costs 
subsequent to the establishment of technological feasibility. 

Based  on  the  Company’s  product  development  process,  technological  feasibility  is 
established upon completion of a working model. Costs incurred by the Company between 
completion  of  the  working  models  and  the  point  at  which  the  products  are  ready  for 
general release has been insignificant. Therefore, all research and development costs have 
been expensed. 

k. 

Revenue recognition: 

The Company derives its revenues mainly from products, licenses, combined hardware and 
software  products,  software  updates,  maintenance  and  support  services.  The  Company’s 
products are generally integrated with software that is essential to the functionality of the 
equipment. The  Company  sells its  products  primarily  through  channel  partners  including 
distributors,  resellers,  OEMs,  system  integrators  and  MSPs,  all  of  whom  are  considered 
end-users. The Company also sells its products directly to end users primarily through its 
web site.  

The  Company  applies  software  revenue  recognition  guidance,  ASC  985-605,  “Software 
Revenue  Recognition”,  to  all  transactions  involving  the  sale  of  software  products  and 
hardware  products  that  include  software.  Product  and  software  license  revenue  is 
recognized  when  persuasive  evidence  of  an  arrangement  exists,  the  software  license  has 
been  delivered,  there  are  no  uncertainties  surrounding  product  acceptance,  there  are  no 
significant future performance obligations, the license fees are fixed or determinable and 
collection  of  the  license  fee  is  considered  probable.  For  hardware  transactions  where 
software is not incidental, the Company does not separate the license fee and does not  

F-15 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 2:- 

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

apply  separate  accounting  guidance  to  the  hardware  and  software  elements.  Fees  for 
arrangements  with  payment  terms  extending  beyond  customary  payment  terms  are 
considered  not  to  be  fixed  or  determinable,  in  which  case  revenue  is  deferred  and 
recognized  when  payments  become  due  from  the  customer  or  are  actually  collected, 
provided that all other revenue recognition criteria have been met. 

As  required  by  ASC  985-605,  the  Company  determines  the  value  of  the  software 
component  of  its  multiple-element  arrangements  using  the  residual  method  when  vendor 
specific objective evidence (VSOE) of fair value exists for the undelivered elements of the 
support  and  maintenance  agreements.  VSOE  is  based  on  the  price  charged  when  an 
element  is  sold  separately  or  renewed.  Under  the  residual  method,  the  fair  value  of  the 
undelivered  elements  is  deferred  and  the  remaining  portion  of  the  arrangement  fee  is 
allocated to the delivered elements and is recognized as revenue. 

Our  software  updates  and  maintenance  provides  customers  with  rights  to  unspecified 
software  product  upgrades  released  during  the  term  of  the  agreement  and  other  security 
solutions  sold  as  a  service  or  annuity.  Our  support  offerings  include  multiple  services to 
our  customers  primarily  telephone  access  to  technical  support  personnel  and  hardware 
support services. We recognize revenues from software updates, maintenance and services 
ratably over the term of the agreement. 

Deferred revenues represent mainly the unrecognized fees billed for unspecified software 
updates, maintenance and support services. 

The Company determines the fair value of each type of undelivered element as follows: 

For  enterprise  products,  the  Company  determines  the  fair  value  based  on  the  renewal 
prices  charged  for  unspecified  software  updates,  maintenance  and  support  services.  The 
Company  offers  several  levels  of  services,  classified  by  services  offered,  response  time, 
and availability. The Company has defined classes of customers, based on the total gross 
value  of  licensed  software  products  the  customer  purchased  from  the  Company.  The 
Company  prices  renewals  for  each  service  level  and  each  class  of  customer  as  a  fixed 
percentage of the total gross value of licensed software products the customer purchased. 

For  its  consumer  products,  the  Company  determines the  fair  value  based  on  the  renewal 
prices of unspecified software updates, maintenance and support services for the different 
products offered. The renewal prices are based on the Company’s price list. 

The  Company  records  a  provision  for  estimated  sales  returns,  stock  rotations  and  other 
rights  granted  to  customers  on  product  and  service  related  sales  in  the  same  period  the 
related revenues are recorded in accordance with ASC No. 985-605. These estimates are 
based  on  historical  sales  returns,  analysis  of  credit  memo  data,  stock  rotation  and  other 
known  factors.  Such  provisions  amounted  to  $ 2,330  and  $ 10,762  as  of  December 31, 
2008 and 2009, respectively. 

l. 

Cost of revenues: 

Cost of products and licenses is comprised of cost of software and hardware production, 
manuals, packaging and license fees paid to third parties. 

Cost  of  software  updates,  maintenance  and  services  is  comprised  of  cost  of  post  sale 
customer support and license fees paid to third parties. 

F-16 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 2:- 

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.) 

Amortization of technology is comprised of amortization of core technology assets which 
are used in the Company’s operations, and is included separately in cost of revenues. 

m. 

Severance pay: 

The  Company’s  liability  for  severance  pay  for  periods  prior  to  January  1,  2007,  is 
calculated  pursuant  to  Israeli  severance  pay  law  based  on  the  most  recent  salary  of  the 
employees multiplied by the number of years of employment as of the balance sheet date. 
The Company recorded as expenses the increase in the severance liability, net of earnings 
(losses) from the related investment fund. Employees were entitled to one month’s salary 
for each year of employment, or a portion thereof. Until January 1, 2007, the Company’s 
liability  is  partially  funded  by  monthly  payments  deposited  with  insurers;  any  unfunded 
amounts would be paid from operating funds and are covered by a provision established by 
the Company. 

The  carrying  value  of  deposited  funds  prior  to  January  1,  2007,  includes  profits  (losses) 
accumulated  up  to  the  balance  sheet  date.  The  deposited  funds  may  be  withdrawn  only 
upon  the  fulfillment  of  the  obligation  pursuant  to  Israeli  severance  pay  law  or  labor 
agreements. 

Effective January 1, 2007, the Company’s agreements with employees in Israel, are under 
section 14 of the Severance Pay Law -1963. The Company’s contributions for severance 
pay  shall  replace  its  severance  obligation.  Upon  contribution  of  the  full  amount  of  the 
employee’s  monthly  salary,  no  additional  calculations  shall  be  conducted  between  the 
parties regarding the matter of severance pay and no additional payments shall be made by 
the  Company  to  the  employee.  Further,  the  related  obligation  and  amounts  deposited  on 
behalf  of  such  obligation  are  not  stated  on  the  balance  sheet,  as  the  Company  is  legally 
released from obligation to employees once the deposit amounts have been paid. Effective 
from  January  1,  2007,  the  Company  increased  its  contribution  to  the  deposited  funds  to 
cover the full amount of the employee’s monthly salary. 

Severance expenses for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2008 and 2009, were $ 3,982, 
$ 5,134 and $ 4,037, respectively. 

n. 

Employee benefit plan: 

The  Company  has  a  401(K)  defined  contribution  plan  covering  certain  employees  in  the 
U.S. All eligible employees may elect to contribute up to 50%, but generally not greater 
than  $16,500  per  year  (and  an  additional  amount  of $5,500  for  employees  aged  50  and 
over),  of  their  annual  compensation  to  the  plan  through  salary  deferrals,  subject  to  IRS 
limits.  Effective  from  January  1,  2006,  the  Company  matches  50%  of  employee 
contributions to the plan up to a limit of 3% of their eligible compensation. In 2007, 2008 
and 2009, the Company matched contributions in the amount of $ 623, $ 684 and $ 848, 
respectively. 

F-17 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 2:- 

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.) 

o. 

Income taxes: 

The  Company  accounts  for  income  taxes  in  accordance  with  ASC  No.  740,  “Income 
Taxes”. ASC No. 740 prescribes the use of the liability method whereby deferred tax asset 
and  liability  account  balances  are  determined  based  on  differences  between  financial 
reporting  and  tax  bases  of  assets  and  liabilities  and  are  measured  using  the  enacted  tax 
rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. The  

Company  provides  a  valuation  allowance,  if  necessary,  to  reduce  deferred  tax  assets  to 
amounts more likely than not to be realized. 

Deferred  tax  liabilities  and  assets  are  classified  as  current  or  non-current  based  on  the 
classification  of  the  related  asset  or  liability  for  financial  reporting,  or  according  to  the 
expected  reversal  dates  of the specific  temporary  differences  if  not  related  to  an  asset or 
liability for financial reporting. 

ASC  740  contains  a  two-step  approach  to  recognizing  and  measuring  a  liability  for 
uncertain tax positions. The first step is to evaluate the tax position taken or expected to be 
taken in a tax return by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates that it is 
more likely than not that, on an evaluation of the technical merits, the tax position will be 
sustained on audit, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes. The 
second step is to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 50% likely 
to  be  realized  upon  ultimate  settlement.  The  Company  accrues  interest  and  penalties 
related to unrecognized tax benefits in its taxes on income. 

p. 

Advertising expenses: 

Advertising  costs  are  expensed  as  incurred.  Advertising  expenses  for  the  years  ended 
December 31, 2007, 2008 and 2009, were $ 3,736, $ 2,796 and $ 1,400, respectively. 

q. 

Concentrations of credit risk: 

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk 
consist principally of cash and cash equivalents, short-term deposit, marketable securities 
and trade receivables. 

The  Company’s  cash  and  cash  equivalents,  short-term  deposit  and  marketable  securities 
are  held  mainly  by  the  Company’s  Singaporean  subsidiary,  U.S.  subsidiary  and  Check 
Point Ltd., are invested in dollar and dollar-linked investments, and are deposited in major 
banks in the U.S. and Europe. Deposits in the U.S. may be in excess of insured limits and 
are  not  insured  in  other  jurisdictions.  Generally,  these  deposits  may  be  redeemed  upon 
demand and therefore bear minimal risk. 

The  Company’s  marketable  securities  consist  of  investment-grade  corporate  bonds,  U.S. 
government  agency  securities  and  sovereign  bonds.  The  Company’s  investment  policy, 
approved by the Board of Directors, limits the amount the Company may invest in any one 
type of investment or issuer, thereby reducing credit risk concentrations. 

F-18 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 2:- 

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

The Company’s trade receivables are geographically diversified and derived from sales to 
channel partners mainly in the United States, Europe and Asia. Concentration of credit risk 
with respect to trade receivables is limited by credit limits, ongoing credit evaluation and 
account monitoring procedures. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its 
channel partners and establishes an allowance for doubtful accounts based upon a specific 
review of all significant outstanding invoices. For those invoices not specifically reviewed, 
provisions  are  recorded  at  a  specific  rate,  based  upon  the  age  of  the  receivable,  the 
collection history and current economic trends. Allowance for doubtful accounts amounted 
to  $ 6,795  and  $ 8,573  as  of  December 31,  2008  and  2009,  respectively.  The  Company 
charges off receivables when they are deemed uncollectible. Actual collection experience 
may not meet expectations and may result in increased bad debt expense. Bad debt expense 
amounted  to  $ 2,316,  $ 1,898  and  $ 2,052  in  2007,  2008  and  2009,  respectively.  Total 
write offs during 2007, 2008 and 2009 amounted to $ 571, $ 726 and $ 274, respectively. 

r. 

Derivatives and hedging: 

The Company accounts for derivatives and hedging based on ASC No. 815, “Derivatives 
and  Hedging”.  ASC  No.  815  requires  the  Company  to  recognize  all  derivatives  on  the 
balance  sheet  at  fair  value.  The  accounting  for  changes  in  the  fair  value  (i.e.,  gains  or 
losses) of a derivative instrument depends on whether it has been designated and qualifies 
as part of a hedging relationship and further, on the type of hedging relationship. For those 
derivative  instruments  that  are  designated  and  qualify  as  hedging  instruments,  the 
Company must designate the hedging instrument, based upon the exposure being hedged, 
as  a  fair  value  hedge,  cash  flow  hedge,  or  a  hedge  of  a  net  investment  in  a  foreign 
operation.  If  the  derivatives  meet  the  definition  of  a  hedge  and  are  so  designated, 
depending  on  the  nature  of  the  hedge,  changes  in  the  fair  value  of  such  derivatives  will 
either  be  offset  against  the  change  in  fair  value  of  the  hedged  assets,  liabilities,  or  firm 
commitments  through  earnings,  or  recognized  in  other  comprehensive  income  until  the 
hedged item is recognized in earnings. The ineffective portion of a derivative’s change in 
fair value is recognized in earnings. 

The Company entered into forward contracts to hedge the fair value of assets and liabilities 
denominated in Israeli Shekels, Euros, British Pounds, Swedish Krona, Norwegian Krone 
and  Japanese  Yen.  As  of  December  31,  2008  and  2009,  the  Company  had  outstanding 
forward contracts that did not meet the requirement for hedge accounting, in the amount of 
$71,400 and $142,400, respectively. In addition, as of December 31, 2008, the Company 
had  outstanding  option  contracts  in  the  amount  of  $25,000.  These  contracts  were  for  a 
period of up to twelve months. The Company measured the fair value of the contracts in 
accordance with ASC No.  820 at level 2. The net gains (losses) recognized in “financial 
income, net” during 2008 and 2009 were ($3,075) and $6,048 respectively. The net gains 
recognized during 2007 were immaterial. 

During  2009,  the  Company  entered  into  forward  contracts  to  hedge  against  the  risk  of 
overall  changes  in  future  cash  flow  from  payments  of  payroll  and  related  expenses 
denominated  in  Israeli  Shekels.  As  of  December  31,  2009,  there  were  no  outstanding 
contracts. The Company measured the fair value of the contracts in accordance with ASC 
No. 820. These contracts met the requirement for cash flow hedge accounting and as such 
gains in the amount of $2,102 were recognized when the related expense were incurred and 
classified in operating expenses during 2009. 

F-19 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 2:- 

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.) 

s. 

Basic and diluted earnings per share: 

Basic earnings per share is computed based on the weighted average number of Ordinary 
shares outstanding during each year. Diluted earnings per share is computed based on the 
weighted  average  number  of  Ordinary  shares  outstanding  during  each  year,  plus  dilutive 
potential  Ordinary  shares outstanding  during  the  year,  in  accordance  with  ASC  No.  260, 
“Earnings Per Share”. 

The total weighted average number of shares related to the outstanding options excluded 
from  the  calculations  of  diluted  earnings  per  share,  since  it  would  have  an  anti-dilutive 
effect, was 14,284,200, 14,461,565 and 8,386,309 for 2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively. 

t. 

Accounting for stock-based compensation: 

The  Company  accounts  for  stock-based  compensation  in  accordance  with  ASC  No.  718, 
“Compensation-Stock  Compensation”.  ASC  No.  718  requires  companies  to  estimate  the 
fair  value  of  equity-based  payment  awards  on  the  date  of  grant  using  an  option-pricing 
model.  The  value  of  the  portion  of  the  award  that  is  ultimately  expected  to  vest  is 
recognized as an expense over the requisite service periods in the Company’s consolidated 
statements of income. 

The Company recognizes compensation expenses for the value of its awards granted based 
on the straight line method over the requisite service period of each of the awards, net of 
estimated forfeitures. ASC No. 718 requires forfeitures to be estimated at the time of grant 
and  revised,  if  necessary,  in  subsequent  periods  if  actual  forfeitures  differ  from  those 
estimates. Estimated forfeitures are based on actual historical pre-vesting forfeitures. 

ASC  No.  718  requires  the  cash  flows  resulting  from  the  tax  deductions  in  excess  of  the 
compensation  costs  recognized  for  those  stock  options  to  be  classified  as  financing  cash 
flows. 

The  Company  selected  the  Black-Scholes-Merton  option  pricing  model  as  the  most 
appropriate fair value method for its stock-options awards and values restricted stock based 
on the market value of the underlying shares at the date of grant. The option-pricing model 
requires  a  number  of  assumptions,  of  which  the  most  significant  are  the  expected  stock 
price  volatility  and  the  expected  option  term.  Expected  volatility  was  calculated  based 
upon  actual  historical  stock  price  movements.  The  expected  term  of  options  granted  is 
based upon historical experience and represents the period of time that options granted are 
expected  to  be  outstanding.  The  risk-free  interest  rate  is  based  on  the  yield  from  U.S. 
treasury bonds with an equivalent term. The Company has historically not paid dividends 
and has no foreseeable plans to pay dividends. 

The fair value for options granted in 2007, 2008 and 2009 is estimated at the date of grant 
using a Black-Scholes-Merton options pricing model with the following weighted average 
assumptions: 

F-20 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 2:- 

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

Employee Stock Options 

Expected volatility 
Risk-free interest rate 
Dividend yield 
Expected term from vesting date (years)  

Employee Stock Purchase Plan 

Expected volatility 
Risk-free interest rate 
Dividend yield 
Expected term (years) 

u. 

Fair value of financial instruments: 

Year ended December 31, 

2007 

2008 

2009 

42.81% 
4.60% 
0.0% 
3.24 

22.78% 
2.00% 
0.0% 
0.5 

38.57% 
3.05% 
0.0% 
3.55 

  35.00% 
  2.61% 
0.0% 
3.62 

31.15% 
1.92% 
0.0% 
0.5 

  46.90% 
  0.31% 
0.0% 
0.5 

The  Company  measures  its  cash  equivalents,  marketable  securities,  ARS,  and  foreign 
currency  derivative  contracts  at  fair  value.  Fair  value  is  an  exit  price,  representing  the 
amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly 
transaction  between  market  participants.  As  such,  fair  value  is  a  market-based 
measurement  that  should  be  determined  based  on  assumptions  that  market  participants 
would use in pricing an asset or a liability. A three-tier fair value hierarchy is established 
as  a  basis  for  considering  such  assumptions  and  for  inputs  used  in  the  valuation 
methodologies in measuring fair value: 

Level 1 -  Observable inputs that reflect quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or 

liabilities in active markets. 

Level 2 - 

Include  other  inputs  that  are  directly  or  indirectly  observable  in  the 
marketplace. 

Level 3 -  Unobservable inputs which are supported by little or no market activity. 

The fair value hierarchy also requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs 
and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. 

v. 

Comprehensive income 

The  Company  accounts  for  comprehensive  income  in  accordance  with  ASC  No.  220, 
“Comprehensive  Income”.  This  statement  establishes  standards  for  the  reporting  and 
display  of  comprehensive  income  and  its  components  in  a  full  set  of  general  purpose 
financial  statements.  Comprehensive 
in 
shareholders’  equity  during  the  period  except  those  resulting  from  investments  by,  or 
distributions  to,  shareholders.  The  Company  determined  that  its  items  of  other 
comprehensive  income  relates  to  gain  and  loss  on  hedging  derivative  instruments  and 
unrealized gains and losses on available for sale securities. 

income  generally  represents  all  changes 

w. 

Treasury stock 

The Company repurchases its Ordinary shares from time to time on the open market or in 
other transactions and holds such shares as treasury stock. The Company presents the cost 
to repurchase treasury stock as a reduction of shareholders’ equity. 

F-21 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 2:- 

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

From  time  to  time  the  Company  reissues  treasury  shares  under  the  stock  purchase  plan, 
upon exercise of option and upon vesting of restricted stock units. When treasury stock is 
reissued, the Company accounts for the re-issuance in accordance with ASC No. 505-30, 
“Treasury  Stock”  and  charges  the  excess  of  the  purchase  cost,  including  related  stock-
based  compensation  expenses,  over  the  re-issuance  price  to  retained  earnings.  The 
purchase  cost  is  calculated  based  on  the  specific  identification  method.  In  case  the 
purchase  cost  is  lower  than  the  re-issuance  price,  the  Company  credits  the  difference  to 
additional paid-in capital. 

x. 

Impact of recently issued accounting standards: 

In June 2009, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued a standard that 
established  the  FASB  Accounting  Standards  Codification  (“ASC”)  and  amended  the 
hierarchy  of  generally  accepted  accounting  principles  (“GAAP”)  such  that  the  ASC 
became  the  single  source  of  authoritative  U.S.  GAAP.  Rules  and  interpretive  releases 
issued  by  the  SEC  under  authority  of  federal  securities  law  are  also  sources  of  the 
authoritative  GAAP  for  SEC  registrants.  All  other  literature  is  considered  non-
authoritative.  New  accounting  standards  issued  subsequent  to  June  30,  2009,  are 
communicated by the FASB through Accounting Standards Updates (“ASUs”). The ASC 
is  effective  for  the  Company  from  September  1,  2009.  Throughout  the  notes  to  the 
consolidated  financial  statements  references  that  were  previously  made  to  former 
authoritative  U.S.  GAAP  pronouncements  have  been  changed  to  coincide  with  the 
appropriate section of the ASC. 

In December 2007, the FASB issued authoritative guidance on business combinations. The 
guidance  significantly  changes  the  accounting  for  business  combinations  and  establishes 
principles and requirements for how an acquirer recognizes and measures in its financial 
statements the identifiable assets acquired, the liabilities assumed and any noncontrolling 
interest in the acquiree and recognizes and measures the goodwill acquired in the business 
combination  or  a  gain  from  a  bargain  purchase.  Among  the  more  significant  changes, 
acquired  in-process  research  and  development  will  be  capitalized  and  upon  completion 
amortized over its useful life; acquisition costs will be expensed as incurred; restructuring 
costs  will  generally  be  expensed  in  periods  after  the  acquisition  date;  contingent 
consideration  will  be  recognized  at  fair  value  at  the  acquisition  date  with  subsequent 
changes recognized in earnings, and reductions in deferred tax valuation allowance relating 
to a business acquisition will be recognized in earnings. In April 2009, the FASB issued an 
amendment  to  the  revised  business  combination  guidance  regarding  the  accounting  for 
assets  acquired  and  liabilities  assumed  in  a  business  combination  that  arise  from 
contingencies. This guidance was adopted by the Company for business combinations for 
which the acquisition date is on or after January 1, 2009. 

In  October 2009,  the  FASB  issued  an  update  to  ASC  985-605,  “Software-Revenue 
Recognition” (originally issued as EITF 09-3). In accordance with the update to the ASC, 
tangible  products  containing  software  components  and  non-software  components  that 
function together to deliver the tangible product’s essential functionality are excluded from 
the scope of the software revenue recognition guidance. In addition, hardware components 
of  a  tangible  product  containing  software  component  are  always  excluded  from  the 
software revenue guidance. The mandatory adoption is on January 1, 2011. The Company 
may elect to adopt the update prospectively, to new or materially modified arrangements 
beginning on the adoption date, or retrospectively, for all periods presented. The Company 
is  currently  evaluating  the  impact  on  its  consolidated  results  of  operations  and  financial 
condition. 

F-22 

 
 
 
 
 
 
CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 2:- 

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.) 

This was compounded with an update to ASC 605-25, “Revenue recognition – Multiple-
Element  Arrangements”,  that  provides  amendments  to  the  criteria  for  separating 
consideration  in  multiple-deliverable  arrangements  to:  (1)  provide  updated  guidance  on 
whether  multiple  deliverables  exist,  how  the  deliverables  in  an  arrangement  should  be 
separated, and how the consideration should be allocated; (2) require an entity to allocate 
revenue  in  an  arrangement  using  estimated  selling  prices  (“ESP”)  of  deliverables  if  a 
vendor  does  not  have  vendor-specific  objective  evidence  of  selling  price  (“VSOE”)  or 
third-party evidence of selling price (“TPE”); (3) eliminate the use of the residual method 
and  require  an  entity  to  allocate  revenue  using  the  relative  selling  price  method;  and  (4) 
require  expanded  disclosures  of  qualitative  and  quantitative  information  regarding 
application  of  the  multiple-deliverable  revenue  arrangement  guidance.  The  mandatory 
adoption is on January 1, 2011. The Company may elect to adopt the update prospectively, 
to  new  or  materially  modified  arrangements  beginning  on  the  adoption  date,  or 
retrospectively, for all periods presented. The Company is currently evaluating the impact 
on its consolidated results of operations and financial condition. 

NOTE 3:- 

ACQUISITIONS 

a. 

On  January  17,  2007,  the  Company  completed  the  acquisition  of  98.5%  of  shares  of 
Protect Data AB (“Protect Data”) that at the time of the acquisition was a public company 
listed  on  the  Stockholm  Stock  Exchange.  During  January  2007,  the  Company  initiated a 
delisting of the shares in Protect Data from the Stockholm Stock Exchange. On February 
13,  2007,  Protect  Data,  in  consultation  with  the  Stockholm  Stock  Exchange,  resolved  to 
delist the shares in Protect Data from the Stockholm Stock Exchange. Protect Data’s last 
day of trading was February 12, 2007. As of December 31, 2007, the Company obtained 
legal ownership of all of the shares of Protect Data on a fully diluted basis and recorded a 
liability to Protect Data’s former shareholders in the amount of $ 8,579, which was fully 
paid in June 2008. 

Protect  Data  operates  its  business  through  its  wholly-owned  subsidiary,  Pointsec  Mobile 
Technologies  AB,  a  worldwide  provider  of  mobile  data  protection.  Pointsec  delivers 
solutions for automatic data encryption that keeps sensitive information, stored on mobile 
computing devices, such as laptops, PDAs, smartphones and removable media (e.g., USB 
devices)  confidential  and  secure. With  the  acquisition  of  Protect  Data,  the  Company 
entered into the data security market. The acquisition was accounted for using the purchase 
method of accounting and, accordingly the operating results of Protect Data are included in 
the  Company’s  accompanying  consolidated  financial  statements  from  the  date  of 
acquisition, January 17, 2007. 

The total purchase price of Protect Data was composed of the following: 

Cash paid  
Amount paid to remaining shareholders in June 2008 
Fair value of vested Protect Data options assumed 
Acquisition related transaction costs 

Total purchase price 

  $ 

613,361 
8,579 
1,069 
2,039 

  $ 

625,048 

F-23 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 3:- 

ACQUISITIONS (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

The fair value of the vested option assumed was determined using a Black-Scholes-Merton 
valuation model with the following assumptions: expected life of 3 years, risk-free interest 
rate of 4.69%, expected volatility of 31% and no dividend yield. The fair value of unvested 
Protect  Data  options  related  to  future  service  is  being  amortized  on  a  straight-line  basis 
over  the  remaining  service  period,  while  the  value  of  vested  options  is  included  in  total 
purchase price. 

Acquisition related transaction costs include investment banking fees, legal and accounting 
fees and other external costs directly related to the acquisition. 

Purchase Price Allocation 

Under business combination accounting, the total purchase price was allocated to Protect 
Data’s net tangible and identifiable intangible assets based on their estimated fair values as 
set  forth  below.  The  excess  of  the  purchase  price  over  the  net  tangible  and  identifiable 
intangible assets was recorded as goodwill. 

Cash and cash equivalents  
Accounts receivable 
Other assets 
Accounts payable and other liabilities  
Deferred revenues 
Intangible assets 
In process research and development 
Goodwill (Not tax deductible) 
Other accrued liabilities (including payable to remaining 

shareholders) 

Deferred tax liabilities 

Total purchase price  

Intangible Assets 

  $ 

20,436 
31,179 
7,287 
(32,651) 
(13,315) 
177,000 
17,000  
481,243 

(13,571) 
(49,560)  

  $ 

625,048  

In performing the purchase price allocation, the Company considered, among other factors, 
the intention for future use of acquired assets, analyses of historical financial performance 
and  estimates  of  future  performance  of  Protect  Data’s  products.  The  fair  value  of 
intangible assets was based on a valuation completed by a third party valuation firm using 
an  income  approach  and  estimates  and  assumptions  provided  by  management.  The 
following table sets forth the components of intangible assets associated with the Protect 
Data acquisition: 

Customer relationships (1) 
Core technology (2) 
Trade names (3) 

Fair value 

  Useful life 

  $ 

52,000 
107,000 
18,000 

  5 years  
  5 years  
  15 years  

Total intangible assets  
  $ 
(*)  Weighted average amortization period of 6 years. 

177,000 

(*) 

F-24 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 3:- 

ACQUISITIONS (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

(1)  Customer  relationships  represent  the  underlying  relationships  and  agreements  with 
Protect Data’s installed customer base. 

(2) Core technology represents a combination of Protect Data processes, patents and trade 
secrets  related  to  the  design  and  development  of  its  software  products.  This  proprietary 
know-how  can  be  leveraged  to  develop  new  technology  and  improve  the  Company’s 
software products. 

(3) Trade names value represents the recognition value of Protect Data’s brand name as a 
result  of  advertising  expenditures  for  customer  relations  and 
technological 
development  to  provide  consistent,  leading  edge  products  and  a  strong  research  and 
development commitment by the Company. 

the 

The Company expensed in-process research and development (“IPR&D”) in the amount of 
$ 17,000  upon  acquisition  as  it  represents  incomplete  Protect  Data  research  and 
development projects that had not reached technological feasibility and had no alternative 
future use as of the date of the acquisition. The value assigned to IPR&D was determined 
by considering the importance of the project to the Company’s overall development plan, 
estimating  costs  to  develop  the  purchased  IPR&D  into  commercially  viable  products, 
estimating the resulting net cash flow from the project when completed and discounting the 
net  cash  flow  to  its  present  value  based  on  the  percentage  of  completion  of  the  IPR&D 
projects. 

The  Company  recorded  a  deferred  tax  liability  on  the  purchase  date  for  the  difference 
between the assigned values and the tax bases of the net assets acquired in the acquisition. 

During  the  first  quarter  of fiscal  year  2007,  the  Company  approved  a  plan  to  restructure 
certain  operations  of  Protect  Data  to  eliminate  redundant  costs  resulting  from  the 
acquisition  and  improve  efficiencies  in  operations.  The  restructuring  charges  recorded 
were based on a restructuring plan that have been committed to by management. 

The  total  estimated  restructuring  costs  associated  with  exiting  activities  of  Protect  Data 
were  $ 2,742,  consisting  of  employee  severance  costs  as  well  as  excess  facilities 
obligations through fiscal 2008. These costs were recognized as a liability assumed in the 
purchase business combination and included in the allocation of the cost to acquire Protect 
Data and, accordingly, have resulted in an increase to goodwill. 

Summary of 
the plan 

Estimated 
costs 

Cash 
payments 

Accrued as of 
December 31, 
2007 

Cash 
payments 

Balance as of 
December 31, 
2008 

Severance 
Facilities 

  $ 

2,153 
589 

 $ 

(1,258) 
(104) 

 $ 

895 
485 

 $ 

 $ 

(895) 
(485) 

Total restructuring 

  $ 

2,742 

 $ 

(1,362) 

` $ 

1,380 

 $ 

(1,380) 

 $ 

- 
- 

- 

The  acquisition did not have  a  material  effect on  pro  forma  financial  data for  the  period 
from January 1, 2007 to January 16, 2007. 

F-25 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
   
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 3:- 

ACQUISITIONS (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

b. 

On  April  14,  2009,  the  Company  completed  the  acquisition  of  the  security  appliance 
business of Nokia Corporation (“Nokia”). Prior to the completion of the acquisition, Check 
Point  had  collaborated  with  Nokia’s  security  appliance  business  over  the  past  decade  to 
deliver  enterprise  security  solutions. Since  completing  the  acquisition,  the  Company  has 
been building upon this collaboration and the synergies between the Company and Nokia’s 
security  appliance  business  to  provide  an  extended  security  appliance  portfolio  that  is 
developed,  manufactured  and  supported  by  Check  Point.  Total  purchase  price  was 
$54,037.  A  significant  amount  of  the  acquisition  was  recorded  as  goodwill  due  to  the 
synergies and previous collaboration with Nokia. 

Purchase Price allocation 

Under business combination accounting, the total purchase price was allocated to Nokia’s 
net tangible and intangible assets based on their estimated fair values as set forth below. 
The  excess  of  the  purchase  price  over  the  net  tangible  and  identifiable  intangible  assets 
was recorded as goodwill. 

Accounts receivable 
Inventory 
Other assets 
Accounts payable and other liabilities  
Deferred revenues 
Intangible assets 
Goodwill (tax deductible) 

Total purchase price  

Intangible Assets 

  $ 

27,674 
7,575 
8,148 
(21,703) 
(48,457) 
36,944 
43,856 

  $ 

54,037  

In performing the purchase price allocation, the Company considered, among other factors, 
analysis of historical financial performance, highest and best use of the acquired assets and 
estimates  of  future  performance  of  Nokia’s  products.  The  fair  value  of  intangible  assets 
was based on market participant approach to valuation performed by a third party valuation 
firm using an income approach and estimates and assumptions provided by management. 
The  following  table  sets  forth  the  components  of  intangible  assets  associated  with  the 
Nokia acquisition: 

Fair value 

  Useful life 

Customer relationships (1) 
Core technology (2) 
In-Process research and development (3) 
Backlog 
Trade names (4) 

  $ 

11,909 
20,058 
2,741 
1,280 
956 

  2 years  
  3 years  
 (*)  
 0.5 years  

  3 years  

Total intangible assets  

  $ 

36,944 

(*) Will be determined upon completion of development 

F-26 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 3:- 

ACQUISITIONS (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

(1)  Customer  relationships  represent  the  underlying  relationships  and  agreements  with 
Nokia’s installed customer base and will be amortized over 2 years using the accelerated 
method. 

(2) Core technology represents a combination of Nokia processes, patents and trade secrets 
related to the design and development of its products. This proprietary know-how can be 
leveraged to develop new technology and improve the Company’s products. 

(3) In-process research and development (“IPR&D”) represents incomplete Nokia research 
and  development  projects  that  had  not  reached  technological  feasibility  and  had  no 
alternative  future  use  as  of  the  date  of  the  acquisition.  Upon  completion  of  development, 
the  acquired  IPR&D  will  be  considered  finite-lived  asset  and  will  be  amortized 
accordingly.  

(4) Trade names value represents the recognition value of Nokia’s brand name as a result 
of  advertising  expenditures  for  customer  relations  and  the  technological  development  to 
provide  consistent,  leading  edge  products  and  a  strong  research  and  development 
commitment by the Company. 

During the second quarter of fiscal year 2009, the Company approved a plan to restructure 
certain operations of Nokia to eliminate redundant costs resulting from the acquisition and 
improve  efficiencies  in  operations.  The  restructuring  charges  recorded  are  based  on  a 
restructuring plan that have been committed to by management. 

The total  restructuring  and  other  acquisition  related  costs  of  $ 9,101  consisted  mainly  of 
employee  severance  costs in the amount  of  $7,700  out  of  which $7,237  was paid  during 
2009.  The  remaining  balance  is  expected  to  be  paid  in  2010.  Also  included  are  excess 
facilities obligations through fiscal 2010 and other acquisition costs. 

F-27 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

The following unaudited condensed combined pro forma information for the years ended 
December 31, 2008 and 2009, gives effect to the acquisition of Nokia as if the acquisition 
had occurred on January 1, 2008. The pro forma information is not necessarily indicative 
of the results of operations, which actually would have occurred had the acquisitions been 
consummated  on  that  date,  nor  does  it  purport  to  represent  the  results  of  operations  for 
future periods. For the purposes of the pro forma information, the Company has assumed 
that,  net  income  includes  additional  amortization  of  intangible  assets  related  to  the 
acquisition of $ 16,623 and $2,738 in 2008 and 2009, respectively, and related tax effects. 

Revenues(*) 

Net income 

Basic earnings per share 

Diluted earnings per share 

Year ended December 31, 
2009 
2008 
Unaudited 
Unaudited 

  $ 

1,006,204 

$ 

971,993 

  $ 

355,035 

$        368,788 

  $ 

  $ 

1.66 

1.64 

$ 

$ 

1.76 

1.74 

(*) Nokia revenues prior to the acquisition date were denominated in currencies other than 
the US dollar; such revenues were remeasured into US dollars in accordance with ASC 
830. 

F-28 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTE 4:- 

MARKETABLE SECURITIES 

Marketable securities with contractual maturities of less than one year are as follows: 

2008 

December 31, 

Amortized 
cost 

Gross 
unrealized 
gains 

Gross 
unrealized 
losses 

  Fair value   

Amortized 
cost 

2009 

Gross 
unrealized 
gains 

Gross 
unrealized 
losses 

  Fair value 

Government and corporate 

debentures - fixed 
interest rate 

Government-sponsored 

enterprises 

Structured notes (*)  
Government and corporate 
debentures – floating 
interest rate  

Mortgage and asset backed 

securities  

  $204,873 

$264 

$(3,645) 

  $201,492    $193,902 

$2,643 

($134) 

  $196,411 

108,016 
31,813 

1,111 
1,049 

(11) 
(3,356) 

109,116   
29,506   

239,609 
12,128 

4,771 

24 

1 

- 

(15) 

4,757   

21,764 

(***)- 

24   

- 

605 
- 

7 

- 

(562) 
(38) 

239,652 
12,090 

(11) 

21,760 

- 

- 

  $349,497 

$2,425 

$(7,027) 

  $344,895    $467,403 

$3,255 

($745) 

  $469,913 

Marketable securities with contractual maturities of over one year through five years are as 
follows: 

2008 

December 31, 

Amortized 
Cost  

Gross 
unrealized 
gains 

Gross 
unrealized 
losses 

  Fair value 

Amortized 
Cost  

2009 

Gross 
unrealized 
gains 

Gross 
unrealized 
losses 

  Fair value 

Government and corporate 

debentures - fixed interest 
rate 

Government-sponsored 

enterprises 

Government and corporate 
debentures – floating 
interest rate  

Mortgage and asset backed 

securities  

Auction rate securities (**) 

  $423,641 

$3,514 

$(7,203) 

  $419,952 

$726,117 

$13,823 

($1,342) 

  $738,598 

82,307 

2,831 

- 

85,138 

93,049 

1,551 

(267) 

94,333 

10,922 

1,991 
11,910 

- 

8 
- 

(476) 

10,446 

120,975 

459 

(140) 

121,294 

- 
- 

1,999 
11,910 

- 
8,776 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
8,776 

  $530,771 

$6,353 

$(7,679) 

  $529,445 

  $948,917 

$15,833 

($1,749) 

  $963,001 

F-29 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
   
   
 
 
   
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
   
 
 
   
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 4:- 

MARKETABLE SECURITIES (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

Investments with continuous unrealized losses for less than 12 months and 12 months or 
greater and their related fair values were as follows: 

Government and corporate debentures – 

fixed interest rate 

Government-sponsored enterprises 
Structured note (*) 
Government and corporate debentures – 

floating interest rate  

Investments with 
continuous unrealized 
losses for less than 12 
months 

December 31, 2009 
Investments with 
continuous unrealized 
losses for 12 months or 
greater 

Total Investments with 
continuous unrealized losses 

  Fair value 

Unrealized 
losses 

  Fair value 

unrealized 
losses 

 Fair value 

unrealized 
losses 

$260,225    
155,577  
12,090  

($1,475)   
(830) 
(38) 

45,107  

(151) 

$472,999  

($2,494)   

-   
- 
- 

- 

-   

- 
- 
- 

- 

- 

$260,225  
155,577  
12,090  

($1,475) 
(830) 
(38) 

45,107  

(151) 

$472,999  

($2,494) 

Investments with 
continuous unrealized 
losses for less than 12 
months 

December 31, 2008 
Investments with 
continuous unrealized 
losses for 12 months or 
greater 

Total Investments with 
continuous unrealized losses 

  Fair value 

Unrealized 
losses 

  Fair value 

unrealized 
losses 

 Fair value 

unrealized 
losses 

Government and corporate debentures – 

fixed interest rate 

Government-sponsored enterprises 
Structured notes (*) 
Government and corporate debentures – 

floating interest rate  
Asset backed securities 

$374,248 

$(10,848)   

15,431 
9,903 

14,022 
24 

(11) 
(1,912) 

(491) 
(***)- 

-   
- 
8,556 

- 
- 
(1,444) 

- 
- 

- 
- 

$374,248 
15,431 
18,459 

14,022 
24 

$(10,848) 
(11) 
(3,356) 

(491) 
(***)- 

$413,628 

$(13,262)   

$8,556   

$(1,444) 

$422,184 

  $ (14,706) 

(*) The  structured  note  as of December  31,  2009, is  comprised  solely  of  an  inverse  floating  interest 
rate bond, maturing during March 2010. Inverse floating rate bonds are bonds where the coupon varies 
inversely with changes in specified interest rates or indices (for example, LIBOR). 

(**) The balance is comprised of four auction rate securities, which have suffered from failed auctions 
since September 2007. As a result of the auction failures these auction rate securities do not have a 
readily determinable market value. As such, since 2008, we obtain a third party valuation to determine 
the fair values of these securities (see Note 5). 

(***) Less than $1. 

As  of  December  31,  2008  and  2009,  interest  receivable  amounted  to  $ 11,371  and 
$ 12,400, respectively, and is included within other current assets in the balance sheets. 

The Company recognized in 2009 an other-than-temporary impairment in a total amount of 
$3,134 related to its auction rate securities loss and a gain of $1,857 on sale of marketable 
securities that were impaired in 2008. 

The  other-than-temporary  loss  recognized  in  earnings  during  2008  was  $ 11,221,  out  of 
which  $6,290  pretax  was related to  auction  rate  securities. The  Company  may  recognize 
additional losses in the future should the market prospects of the issuers of these securities 
continue to deteriorate. 

F-30 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 5:- 

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

In  accordance  with  ASC  820,  the  Company  measures  its  cash  equivalents,  short-term 
deposits,  marketable  securities,  auction  rate  securities  and  foreign  currency  derivative 
contracts at fair value. Cash equivalents, short-term deposits, marketable securities, except 
investments  in  auction  rate  securities  are  classified  within  Level  1  or  Level  2.  This  is 
because these assets are valued using quoted market prices or alternative pricing sources 
and  models  utilizing  market  observable  inputs.  Foreign  currency  derivative  contracts  are 
classified  within  Level  2  as  the  valuation  inputs  are  based  on  quoted  prices  and  market 
observable data of similar instruments. Investments in auction rate securities are classified 
within Level 3 because they are valued using valuation techniques. Some of the inputs to 
these models are unobservable in the market and are significant. 

The Company values the Level 3 investments based on an externally developed valuation 
using  discounted  cash  flow  model,  whose  inputs  include  interest  rate  curves,  credit 
spreads,  bond  prices,  volatilities and illiquidity  considerations.  Unobservable inputs  used 
in these models are significant to the fair value of the investments. 

The  Company’s  financial  assets  measured  at  fair  value  on  a  recurring  basis,  excluding 
accrued  interest  components,  consisted  of  the  following  types  of  instruments  as  of  the 
following dates: 

December 31, 2009 
Fair value measurements using input type 

Level 1 

Level 2 

Level 3 

Total 

Cash equivalents:  
Money market funds 
Commercial papers 
Government and corporate 

debentures – fixed interest rate   

Marketable securities: 
Government and corporate 

debentures – fixed interest rate   

Government-sponsored 

enterprises 
Structured notes  
Government and corporate 

debentures – floating interest 
rate  

Auction rate securities  
Foreign currency derivative 

contracts 

$281,427 
- 

- 

- 

- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 

$- 
22,780 

6,004 

935,009 

333,985 
12,090 

143,054 
- 

435 

$- 
- 

- 

- 

- 

- 
- 

- 
8,776 

- 

$281,427 
22,780 

6,004 

935,009 

333,985 
12,090 

143,054 
8,776 

435 

Total Financials Assets 

$281,427 

  $1,453,357 

$8,776 

  $1,743,560 

F-31 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 5:- 

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

December 31, 2008 
Fair value measurements using input type 

Level 1 

Level 2 

Level 3 

Total 

Cash equivalents:  
Money market funds 
Commercial papers 
Treasury notes 
Short-term deposits 
Marketable securities: 
Government and corporate 

  $ 

 $ 

398,534 
- 
- 
- 

 $ 

- 
12,502 
13,998 
26,302 

debentures – fixed interest rate 
Government-sponsored enterprises 
Structured notes  
Government and corporate 

debentures – floating interest rate   

Asset-backed securities  
Auction rate securities  
Foreign currency derivative 

contracts 

- 
- 

- 

- 

621,444 
194,254 
29,506 

15,203 
2,023 
- 

860 

 $ 

- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
11,910 

- 

398,534 
12,502 
13,998 
26,302 

621,444 
194,254 
29,506 

15,203 
2,023 
11,910 

860 

Total Financials Assets 

  $ 

398,534 

 $ 

916,092 

 $ 

11,910 

 $  1,326,536 

The following table presents the changes in Level 3 instruments measured on a recurring 
basis for the year ended December 31, 2009. The Company’s Level 3 instruments consist 
of  Auction  Rate  Securities  classified  as  available-for-sale  with  the  unrealized  gains  and 
losses,  net  of  tax,  reported  in  “accumulated  other  comprehensive  income  (loss)”  in 
shareholders’ equity. 

Fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3): 

Balance at January 1, 2008 
Transfer to Level 3 
Unrealized losses included in earning (other than temporary impairment) 
Balance at December 31, 2008 
Unrealized losses included in earning (other than temporary impairment) 

Balance at December 31, 2009 

Auction rate 
securities 
- 

$18,920 
(6,290) 
11,910 
(3,134) 

$8,776 

F-32 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 6:- 

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

Cost: 

Computers and peripheral equipment 
Office furniture and equipment 
Building 
Leasehold improvement 

Accumulated depreciation and amortization 

  $ 

December 31, 

2008 

46,578 
5,063 
32,025 
5,484 

89,150 
48,902 

2009 

  $      52,830 
5,311 
32,201 
4,423 

94,765 
55,829 

Property and equipment, net 

  $ 

40,248 

  $      38,936 

In March 2006, the Company purchased a tract of land and a building in Tel-Aviv, Israel, 
for a total amount of $ 35,250. Additional payments for taxes related to the purchase and 
for  the  building  renovations  totaled  $  7,043,  $ 2,614 and  $ 176 in  2007,  2008  and  2009, 
respectively.  The  Company  moved  into  the  new  building  in  May  2007,  and  commenced 
depreciation of the building at that time. 

During  2008  and  2009,  the  Company  recorded  a  reduction  of  $ 6,521  and  $ 1,947, 
respectively,  to  the cost  and  accumulated  depreciation  of  fully  depreciated  equipment  no 
longer in use. 

NOTE 7:- 

GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS, NET 

a. 

Goodwill: 

Changes in goodwill for the years ended December 31, 2008 and 2009 are as follows: 

Year ended December 31, 

2008 

2009 

Goodwill, beginning of year 
Acquisition of Nokia Appliance Business 
Adjustment 

  $  664,910 
- 
(308) 

  $    664,602 
43,856 
- 

Goodwill, end of year 

  $  664,602 

  $    708,458  

F-33 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 7:- 

GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS, NET (Cont.) 

b. 

Other intangible assets, net 

Net other intangible assets consisted of the following:  

Original amount: 

Core technology 
Trademarks and Trade names 
Customer relationship  
In process research and development 
Backlog 
Contracts 

Accumulated amortization: 

Core technology 
Trademarks 
Customer relationship 
Backlog 
Contracts 

Other intangible assets, net: 

Core technology 
Trademarks 
Customer relationship 
In Process Research and development 

  Useful life   

2008 

2009 

December 31, 

2-5 
3-20 
2-5 
(*) 
0.5 

  $  135,859 
25,660 
53,580 
- 
- 
910 

  $    139,008 
26,476 
65,489 
2,741 
1,280 
- 

216,009 

234,994 

67,173 
3,618 
21,157 
- 
910 

92,858 

68,686 
22,042 
32,423 
- 

73,739 
5,281 
40,502 
1,280 
- 

120,802 

65,269 
21,195 
24,987 
2,741 

(*) Will be determined upon completion of development 

  $  123,151 

  $    114,192 

The  estimated  future  amortization expense  of  other  intangible  assets as  of  December  31, 
2009 is as follows: 

2010 
2011 
2012 
2013  
2014 
2015 and thereafter 

  $    48,311 
42,504 
4,905 
1,576 
1,576 
12,579 

  $   111,451 

NOTE 8:- 

EMPLOYEE AND PAYROLL ACCRUALS 

As of December 31, 2008 and 2009, employee and payroll accruals include a total amount of $ 5,569 and 
$ 5,273, respectively,  related  to  payroll  accrued for  the  benefit  of  certain  related  parties  since  2001  until 
2007 and 2002 until 2005, respectively. 

F-34 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 9:- 

ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER LIABILITIES 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

Income taxes payable  
Accrued products and licenses costs 
Current deferred tax liability, net 
Marketing expenses payable 
Legal accrual 
Purchase commitment to subcontractors  
Accrued expenses  

  $ 

December 31, 

2008 

18,456 
11,118 
7,238 
4,506 
3,383 
- 
13,764 

2009 

  $      24,851 
22,276 
7,420 
5,176 
11,025 
4,486 
17,750 

  $ 

58,465 

  $      92,984 

NOTE 10:- 

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES 

a. 

Lease commitments 

Certain facilities of the Company are rented under operating lease agreements that expire 
between  2010  and  2014.  Certain  of  these  agreements  have  immaterial  free  rent  payment 
provisions. The Company recognizes rent expense under such arrangements on a straight-
line basis. The Company leases vehicles under standard commercial operating leases. 

Aggregate  minimum  lease  commitments  under  non-cancelable  operating  leases  as  of 
December 31, 2009, were as follows: 

2010 
2011 
2012 
2013  
2014 

  $           6,576 
3,427 
1,705 
391 
87 

  $         12,186 

Rent  expenses  for  the  years  ended  December  31,  2007,  2008  and  2009,  were  $ 8,295,  $ 
7,307 and $ 7,068, respectively. 

b. 

Litigation:  

Following audits  of  the  Company’s  2002 and  2003  corporate  tax  returns, the  Israeli  Tax 
Authority (the  “ITA”) issued orders challenging the Company’s positions on several issues 
including  matters,  such  as  the  usage  of  funds  earned  by  its  approved  enterprise  for 
investments outside of Israel, deductibility of employee’s stock options expenses, percentage 
of  foreign  ownership  of  its  shares,  taxation  of  interest  earned  outside  of  Israel  and 
deductibility of research and development expenses. The largest amount in dispute relates to 
the  treatment  of financial  income  on  cash  that  is  held  and  managed  by  the  Company’s 
wholly-owned  Singapore  subsidiary,  which  the  ITA  is  seeking  to  tax  in  Israel.  In  an 
additional  challenge  to  this  amount,  the  ITA reclassified  the  transfer  of  funds  from  the 
Company  to  its  subsidiary  in  Singapore  as  a  dividend  for  purposes  of  the  Law  for  the 
Encouragement of Capital Investments, which would result in tax on the funds transferred. 
The  ITA  orders  also  contest  the  Company’s  positions on  various  other  issues.  The  ITA 
therefore demanded the payment of additional taxes in the aggregate amount of NIS 963 

F-35 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 10:- 

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

million  with  respect  to  2002  (assessment  received  on  Dec  27,  2007)  and  NIS  151  million 
with respect to 2003 (assessment received on May 29, 2008), in each case including interest 
as of the assessment date. The Company has appealed the orders relating to both years with 
the Tel-Aviv District Court, and these appeals are pending. There can be no assurance that 
the  Court  will  accept  the  Company’s  positions  on  these  matters  or  others  and,  in  such  an 
event,  the  Company  may  record  additional  tax  expenses  if  these  matters  are  settled  for 
amounts in excess of our current provisions. In addition the ITA is currently examining the 
income tax returns for the years 2004-2007. The ITA has issued a preliminary assessment 
under which it demanded the payment of additional taxes in the aggregate amount of NIS 
817 million with respect to these years (assessment received on August 2, 2009) including 
interest as of the assessment date. The Company appealed such assessment and the ITA is 
currently conducting a re-examination. There can be no assurance that the ITA will accept 
the Company’s positions on matters raised and, in such an event, an order will be issued. 

The  Company  is  currently  engaged  in  various  legal  disputes  with  two  minority 
shareholders  of  the  Company’s  subsidiary  SofaWare  Technologies  Ltd.  One  shareholder 
alleges the Company is oppressing him as minority shareholder and is seeking to compel 
the Company to purchase his shares which he estimates at NIS 16 million which is subject 
to  change.  The  other  minority  shareholder  claims  that  minority  shareholders,  himself 
included, are entitled to exercise veto rights with respect to certain actions of SofaWare. 
The  same  shareholder  also  filed  a  derivative  claim  against  the  Company  on  behalf  of 
SofaWare. On February 14, 2008, the court partially accepted these claims and ordered that 
the  Company  pay  SofaWare  NIS 13  million  plus  interest. The  Company  has  appealed  this 
ruling.  The  Company’s  management  believes  that  the  claims  filed  by  these  two  minority 
shareholders are without merit and intends to contest these claims vigorously. 

The Company is also engaged in additional litigation with these two minority shareholders, 
including  a  claim  filed  by  the  Company  in  the  Tel-Aviv  District  Court  on  December  3, 
2009  against  these  two  minority  shareholders  for  the  amount  of  approximately  NIS16 
million due to damages caused to the Company in connection with the development of a 
new product and such shareholders violation of their obligations to act in good faith. 

We  have  also  been  named  as  a  defendant  in  three  patent  related  lawsuits:  1)  Information 
Protection and Authentication of Texas, LLC filed a complaint against us on December 30, 
2008  in  the Eastern  District  of Texas,  alleging  infringement  by  us  of  U.S.  patents 
nos. 5,311,591  and  5,412,717  and seeking  an  injunction  and  an unspecified  amount  of 
damages; 2) Enhanced Security Research filed a complaint against us on June 6, 2009 in the 
District of Delaware, alleging patent infringement; and 3) MPH filed a complaint against us 
on February 3, 2010, in the Northern District of Illinois, alleging patent infringement. All of 
the above complaints are filed against multiple security vendors and all of the plaintiffs are 
non practicing entities. They are businesses established to hold the patent. To date, no claim 
has  alleged  infringement  against  our  core  technology.  Further,  we  currently  intend  to 
vigorously defend these claims. However, as with most litigation the outcome is difficult to 
determine. 

Further,  the  Company  is  the  defendant  in  various  lawsuits,  including  employment-related 
litigation claims, lease termination claims and other legal proceedings in the normal course 
of its business. The resolution of these matters is not expected to have a significant effect on 
the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.  

The Company has increased its legal accrual to $11,025 to address various matters inclusive 
of the applicable litigation claims set forth above.     

F-36 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTE 11:-  TAXES ON INCOME 

a. 

A  reconciliation  of  the  beginning  and  ending  amount  of  unrecognized  tax  benefits  is  as 
follows: 

2008 

2009 

 Beginning balance 
 Additions for prior year tax positions 
 Additions for current year tax position 

$ 

 $ 

78,545 
18,736 
3,949  

101,230 
28,264 
3,414 

Ending balance 

$ 

101,230 

 $ 

132,908 

As of December 31, 2009, the entire amount of the unrecognized tax benefits could affect 
the Company’s income tax provision and the effective tax rate. 

During  the  years  ended  December  31,  2007,  2008  and  2009,  the  Company  recorded 
$3,400,  $ 5,904  and  $ 8,239,  respectively  for  interest  expense  related  to  uncertain  tax 
positions. As of December 31, 2008 and 2009, the Company had accrued interest liability 
related  to  uncertain  tax  positions  in  the  amounts  of  $  15,504  and  $  23,743,  respectively, 
which is included within income tax accrual on the balance sheets. 

Domestically, the Israeli Tax Authorities (“ITA”) issued an order with respect to income 
tax returns of the Company for years 2002 and 2003. The ITA disagreed with several of 
the  Company’s  positions  as  it  pertains  to  the  treatment  of  taxes.  In  addition,  the  ITA  is 
currently examining the income tax returns for the years 2004-2007. The ITA has issued a 
preliminary  assessment  under  which  it  demanded  the  payment  of  additional  taxes  in  the 
aggregate amount of NIS 817 million with respect to these years (assessment received on 
August 2, 2009) including interest as of the assessment date. The Company appealed such 
assessment  and  the  ITA  is  currently  conducting  a  re-examination.  There  can  be  no 
assurance that the ITA will accept the Company’s positions on matters raised and, in such 
an event, an order will be issued (see Note 10b).  

The  Company’s  U.S.  subsidiaries  file  income  tax  return  in  the  U.S. federal  jurisdiction, 
and  various  states.  All  the  Company’s  tax  years  are  subject  to  examination  by  the  U.S. 
federal and most U.S. state tax authorities due to the Company’s Net Operating Loss and 
overall credit carry-forward position. 

The  Company  believes  that  it  has  adequately  provided  for  any  reasonably  foreseeable 
outcomes related to tax audits and settlement. The final tax outcome of its tax audits could 
be  different  from  that  which  is  reflected  in  the  Company’s  income  tax  provisions  and 
accruals.  Such  differences  could  have  a  material  effect  on  the  Company’s  income  tax 
provision and net income in the period in which such determination is made. 

b. 

Israeli taxation: 

1. 

Corporate tax structure: 

Taxable income of Israeli companies is subject to tax at the rate of, 29% in 2007, 
27%  in  2008,  26%  in  2009,  25%  in  2010,  24%  in  2011,  23%  in  2012,  22%  in 
2013, 21% in 2014, 20% in 2015 and 18% in 2016 and thereafter. 

F-37 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 11:- 

TAXES ON INCOME (Cont.) 

2. 

Tax benefits under the Law for the Encouragement of Capital Investments, 1959 
(the “Law”): 

Check Point Ltd. is entitled to tax benefits under the Law. Certain production and 
development  facilities  of  Check  Point  Ltd.  have  been  granted  “Approved 
Enterprise”  status  pursuant  to the  Law,  which  provides  certain  tax  benefits  to  its 
investment programs. 

A company that obtained an Approved Enterprise approval may elect to forego the 
entitlement  to  grants  and  apply  for  an  alternative  package  of  tax  benefits  (the 
“Alternative Package”). Under the Alternative Package, undistributed income from 
the  Approved  Enterprise  operations  is  fully  tax  exempt  (the  “tax  holiday”)  for  a 
defined period and is subject to reduced tax for an additional defined period. 

On April 1, 2005, an amendment to the Law came into effect (the “Amendment”) 
and  has  significantly  changed  the  provisions  of  the  Law  (the  “Old  Law”). 
Generally,  investment  programs  of  Check  Point  Ltd.  that  have  already  obtained 
approval for an Approved Enterprise by the Israeli Investment Center will continue 
to  be  subject  to  the  Old  Law’s  provisions.  On  the  Alternative  Package  the 
Amendment  enacted  major  changes  in  the  manner  in  which  tax  benefits  are 
awarded  under  the  Law  so  that  companies  are  no  longer  required  to  obtain 
Investment Center approval in order to qualify for tax benefits. Such an enterprise 
is  a  “Privileged  Enterprise”,  rather  than  the  previous  terminology  of  Approved 
Enterprise. The period of tax benefits for a new Privileged Enterprise commences 
in the “Year of Commencement”. This year is the later of: (1) the year in which 
taxable income is first generated by the company, or (2) the Year of Election. If a 
company requested the Alternative Package of benefits for an Approved Enterprise 
under the Law, it was precluded from filing a Privileged Enterprise status for three 
years  after  the  year  in  which  the  Approved  Enterprise  was  activated  (“Cooling 
Period”). In November 2008, the law was amended to shorten the Cooling Period 
to two years. Following the amendment, the Year of Election for the Company’s 
first Privileged Enterprise is 2006. 

Check Point Ltd. has been granted the status of Approved Enterprises, under the 
Law,  in  six  investment  programs  (the  “Programs”).  Out  of  the  Programs,  the 
Company’s  benefit  period  related  to  its  first  and  second  investment  programs 
ended, therefore, the Company’s income attributed to these investment programs is 
not entitled to tax benefits. For all of such Approved Enterprises, the Company has 
elected the Alternative Package. 

As  of  December  31,  2009,  Check  Point  Ltd.  has  elected  the  status  of  Privileged 
Enterprise, under the Amendment, for its seventh and eighth plans. 

The  tax  benefits  attributable  to  the  Company’s  current  Approved  and  Privileged 
Enterprises are scheduled to expire in phases by 2017. 

F-38 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 11:- 

TAXES ON INCOME (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

The benefits available to an Approved Enterprise and a Privileged Enterprise relate 
only  to  taxable  income  attributable  to  the  specific  investment  program  and  are 
conditioned  upon  terms  stipulated  in  the  Investment  Law  and  the  related 
regulations and the criteria set forth in the applicable certificate of approval (for an 
Approved Enterprise). If the Company does not fulfill these conditions, in whole 
or  in  part,  the  benefits  can  be  cancelled  and  the  Company  may  be  required  to 
refund the amount of the benefits, linked to the Israeli consumer price index plus 
interest. 

The  Company’s  income  attributed  to  the  Approved  Enterprise  and  Privileged 
Enterprise  under  the  alternative  package  is  tax  exempt  for  a  period  of  two  years 
and  is  subject  to  a  reduced  corporate  tax  rate  of  10%  -  25%  for  an  additional 
period of five to eight years, based on the percentage of foreign investment. 

In  the  event  of  distribution  of  dividends  from  the  above  mentioned  tax-exempt 
income, the amount distributed will be subject to the same reduced corporate tax 
rate  that  would  have  been  applied  to  the  Approved  Enterprise’s  and  Privileged 
Enterprise’s income. 

The  amendment  to  the  Investment  Law  treats  repurchase  of  shares  out  of 
Privileged Enterprise tax exempt income as deemed-dividend. Through December 
31,  2009,  the  Company  repurchased  73,589,872  of  its  Ordinary  shares  in  a  total 
amount  of  $ 1,568,590.  The  Company’s  retained  earnings  attributed  to  taxable 
income  are  higher  than  the  total  shares  repurchased  and  therefore  should  not 
trigger  a  deemed-dividend  event.  For  further  information  about  the  Company’s 
repurchase program refer to Note 12e. 

Out of the Company’s retained earnings as of December 31, 2009, $ 713,007 are 
tax-exempt  attributable  to  its  Approved  Enterprise  programs.  If  such  tax-exempt 
income  is  distributed  in  a  manner  other  than  upon  complete  liquidation  of  the 
Company,  it  would  be  taxed  at the reduced  corporate  tax rate  applicable to  such 
profits (between 10%-25%), and an income tax liability of up to $ 163,617 would 
be incurred as of December 31, 2009. 

In  addition,  as  a  result  of  the  amendment,  tax-exempt  income  attributed  to 
Privileged Enterprise, will subject the Company to taxes upon distribution in any 
manner  including  complete  liquidation.  As  of  December  31,  2009,  the  Company 
has  $ 533,904  tax-exempt  income  attributed  to  its  Privileged  Enterprise  plan.  In 
case of distribution or complete liquidation of the Company, it would be taxed at 
the reduced corporate tax rate between 10%-25% and an income tax liability of up 
to $ 90,111 would be incurred as of December 31, 2009. 

The  Company’s  board  of  directors  has  determined  that  it  will  not  distribute  any 
amounts of its undistributed tax-exempt income as dividend. The Company intends 
to reinvest its tax-exempt income and not to distribute such income as a dividend. 
Accordingly, no deferred income taxes have been provided on income attributable 
to the Company’s Approved Enterprise and Privileged Enterprise programs as the 
undistributed tax exempt income is essentially permanent by reinvestment. 

F-39 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 11:- 

TAXES ON INCOME (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

Income from sources other than the Approved and Privileged Enterprise programs 
is subject to tax at regular Israeli corporate tax rate. 

3. 

Foreign Exchange Regulations: 

Under the Foreign Exchange Regulations the Israeli company is calculating its tax 
liability in U.S. Dollars according to certain orders. The tax liability, as calculated 
in  U.S.  Dollars  is  translated  into  NIS  according  to  the  exchange  rate  as  of 
December 31st of each year. 

4. 

Tax benefits under the Law for the Encouragement of Industry (Taxes), 1969: 

The Company qualifies as an Industrial Company within the meaning of the Law 
for the Encouragement of Industry (Taxes), 1969 (the “Industrial Encouragement 
Law”). The Industrial Encouragement Law defines an “Industrial Company” as a 
company that is resident in Israel and that derives at least 90% of its income in any 
tax  year,  other  than  income  from  defense  loans,  capital  gains,  interest  and 
dividends, from an enterprise whose major activity in a given tax year is industrial 
production.  Under the  Industrial  Encouragement  Law  the  Company  is  entitled  to 
amortization  of  the  cost  of  purchased  know-how  and  patents  over  an  eight-year 
period for tax purposes as well as accelerated depreciation rates on equipment and 
buildings. 

Eligibility for the benefits under the Industry Encouragement Law is not subject to 
receipt of prior approval from any governmental authority. 

c. 

Income taxes on non-Israeli subsidiaries: 

Non-Israeli subsidiaries are taxed according to the tax laws in their respective country of 
residence. 

Israeli  income  taxes  and  foreign  withholding  taxes  were  not  provided  for  undistributed 
earnings  of  the  Company’s  foreign  subsidiaries.  Undistributed  earnings  amounted  to 
$211,283 as of December 31, 2009. The Company’s board of directors has determined that 
the Company will not distribute any amounts of its undistributed earnings as dividend. The 
Company  intends  to  reinvest  these  earnings  indefinitely  in  their  foreign  subsidiaries. 
Accordingly,  no  deferred  income  taxes  have  been  provided.  If  these  earnings  were 
distributed to Israel in the form of dividends or otherwise, the Company would be subject 
to  additional  Israeli  income  taxes  (subject  to  an  adjustment  for  foreign  tax  credits)  and 
foreign withholding taxes. 

d. 

Deferred tax assets and liabilities: 

Deferred  taxes  reflect  the  net  tax  effects  of  temporary  differences  between  the  carrying 
amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for 
income tax purposes. As of December 31, 2008 and 2009, the Company’s deferred taxes 
were in respect of the following: 

F-40 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 11:- 

TAXES ON INCOME (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

Carry-forward tax losses 
Deferred revenues 
Employee stock based compensation 
Accrued employees costs 
Reserves and allowances 
 Unrealized losses on marketable securities, net 
 Fixed assets  
Intangible assets 
Tax credits 

December 31, 

2008 

2009 

  $ 

276,724 
3,429 
15,344 
3,900 
2,984 
1,255 
2,566 
- 
8,523 

  $ 

269,469 
3,194 
14,316 
3,098 
4,137 
- 
3,070 
2,314 
9,791 

Deferred tax assets before valuation allowance 
Valuation allowance 

314,725 
(280,393) 

309,389 
(275,013) 

Deferred tax asset 

Intangible assets 
Unrealized gains on marketable securities, net 
Other  

Deferred tax liability 

34,332 

34,376 

(34,058) 
- 
(313) 

(23,681) 
(4,039) 
(604) 

(34,371) 

(28,324) 

Deferred tax asset (liability), net  

  $ 

 (39) 

  $ 

6,052 

Domestic: 
  Current deferred tax asset, net 
  Non current deferred tax asset, net 

Foreign: 
  Current deferred tax asset, net 
  Current deferred tax liability, net 
  Non current deferred tax asset, net 
  Non current deferred tax liability 

December 31, 

2008 

2009 

  $ 

1,129 
9,502 

  $ 

634 
9,772 

10,631 

10,406 

9,292 
(7,238) 
9,501 
(22,225) 

(10,670) 

8,167 
(7,420) 
6,535 
(11,636) 

(4,354) 

  $ 

(39) 

  $ 

6,052 

Current deferred tax asset, net, is included within other current assets in the balance sheets. 
Current deferred tax liability, net, is included within accrued expenses and other liabilities 
in the balance sheets. 

F-41 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 11:- 

TAXES ON INCOME (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

The subsidiaries in the U.S. have provided valuation allowance in respect of deferred tax 
assets  resulting  from  carry  forwards  of  net  operating  loss  and  research  and  development 
tax credit. ASC No. 718 prohibits recognition of a deferred income tax asset for excess tax 
benefits due to stock option exercises that have not yet been realized through a reduction in 
income tax payable. All net operating loss carry-forwards relate to excess tax deductions 
from  stock  options  which  have  not  yet  been  realized.  Such  unrecognized  deferred  tax 
benefits will be accounted for as a credit to additional paid-in-capital, if and when realized. 
The Company has recorded a valuation allowance for the research and development credit 
carry-forwards  due  to  uncertainties  about  whether  it  will  be  able  to  utilize  these  assets 
before  they  expire.  The  net  change  in  the  valuation  allowance  was  $  5,380,  which 
primarily relates to stock option benefits and were accounted for as a credit to additional 
paid-in-capital. 

Through December 31, 2009, the U.S. subsidiaries had a U.S. federal loss carryforward of 
approximately  $  665,000  resulting  from  tax  benefits  related  to  employees  stock  option 
exercises  that  can  be  carried  forward  and  offset  against  taxable  income  up  to  20  years, 
expiring  before  2025.  Excess  tax  benefits  related  to  employee  stock  option  exercises  for 
which  no  compensation  expense  was  recognized  will  be  credited  to  additional  paid-in 
capital when realized. Through December 31, 2009, the U.S. subsidiaries had a U.S. state 
net loss carryforward of approximately $ 674,000, which expire between fiscal 2010 and 
fiscal 2024, and are subject to limitations on their utilization. Through December 31, 2009, 
the U.S. subsidiaries had research and development tax credits of approximately $ 8,960, 
which  expire  between  fiscal  2011  and  fiscal  2028  and  are  subject  to  limitations  on  their 
utilization. 

e. 

Income before taxes on income is comprised of the following: 

Year ended December 31, 
2008 

2007 

2009 

Domestic 
Foreign 

  $  304,883 

24,418(*)  

  $  350,963 
35,192 

  $  421,471 
24,327 

  $  329,301 

  $  386,155 

  $  445,798 

(*)  Including  write-off  of  acquired  in-process  research  and  development  of  $ 17,000  in 
2007 

F-42 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 11:-  TAXES ON INCOME (Cont.) 

f. 

Taxes on income are comprised of the following: 

Year ended December 31, 
2008 

2007 

2009 

Current 
Deferred 

Domestic 
Foreign 

Domestic taxes: 

Current 
Deferred 

  $ 

67,560 
(19,323)   

  $ 

76,223 
(14,034)   

  $ 

99,661 
(11,386) 

  $ 

48,237 

  $ 

62,189 

  $ 

88,275 

  $ 

45,015 
3,222    

  $ 

59,870 
2,319 

  $ 

85,626 
2,649 

  $ 

48,237 

  $ 

62,189 

  $ 

88,275 

 $ 

47,512 
  (2,497) 

 $ 

62,650 
(2,780) 

 $ 

88,398 
(2,772) 

Total domestic taxes 

  45,015 

59,870 

85,626 

Foreign taxes - US: 

Federal taxes: 

Current 
Deferred 

State taxes: 
Current 
Deferred 

Other international locations: 

Current 
Deferred 

  8,205 
  (4,160) 

7,101 
(2,762) 

  4,045 

4,339 

734 
(642) 

92 

650 
226 

876 

7,166 
1,281 

8,447 

977 
423 

1,400 

  11,109 
 (12,024) 

5,822 
(8,718) 

3,120 
(10,318) 

(915) 

(2,896) 

(7,198) 

Total foreign taxes 

  3,222 

2,319 

2,649 

Taxes on income 

 $ 

48,237 

 $ 

62,189 

 $ 

88,275 

g. 

Reconciliation of the theoretical tax expenses: 

A reconciliation between the theoretical tax expenses, assuming all income is taxed at the 
statutory rate applicable and the actual income tax as reported in the statements of income 
is as follows: 

F-43 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 11:- 

TAXES ON INCOME (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

Year ended December 31, 
2008 

2007 

2009 

Income before taxes as reported in the 

statements of income 

 $ 

329,301 

 $ 

386,155 

 $ 

445,798 

Statutory tax rate in Israel 

29% 

27% 

26% 

Decrease in taxes resulting from: 
Effect of “Approved and Privileged 

Enterprise” status (*) 

Foreign exchange (see note h below) 
Stock based compensation – non 

deductible expense 

Others, net 

Effective tax rate 

(*)  Basic earnings per share amounts 
of the benefit resulting from the 
“Approved and Privileged 
Enterprise” status 

Diluted earnings per share amounts 
of the benefit resulting from the 
“Approved and Privileged 
Enterprise” status 

(**) less than 1% 

(14%) 
- 

-)** 
-)** 

(12%) 
1% 

2% 
(2%) 

15%   

16%   

(13%) 
1% 

1% 
5% 

20% 

 $ 

0.21 

 $ 

0.21 

 $ 

0.27 

 $ 

0.20 

 $ 

0.21 

 $ 

0.27 

h. 

Measurement of income tax in foreign subsidiaries: 

Results of the Company’s subsidiary for tax purposes are measured and reflected in terms 
of earnings in SEK. As explained in Note 2b, the financial statements are measured in U.S. 
dollars. The difference between the annual changes in the SEK/dollar exchange rate causes 
a  further  difference  between  taxable  income  and  the  income  before  taxes  shown  in  the 
financial statements. In accordance with ASC 740-10-25-f, the Company’s subsidiary has 
not provided deferred income taxes on the difference between the reporting currency and 
the tax bases of assets and liabilities resulting from changes in exchange rate. 

NOTE 12:-  SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY 

a. 

General: 

Ordinary shares confer upon their holders the right to receive notice to participate and vote 
in general meetings of the Company, and the right to receive dividends if declared. 

Dividends declared on Ordinary shares will be paid in NIS. Dividends paid to shareholders 
outside  Israel  will  be  converted  into  U.S.  dollars,  on  the  basis  of  the  exchange  rate 
prevailing at the date of payment. The Company’s board of directors has determined that it 
will not distribute any amounts of its undistributed tax exempt income as dividend. 

F-44 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 12:-  SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (Cont.) 

b. 

Deferred share: 

The Deferred share is not entitled to any rights other than the right to receive its nominal 
value upon liquidation of the Company. 

c. 

Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”): 

The Company reserved a total of 6,000,000 Ordinary shares for issuance under the ESPP. 
Eligible employees use up to 15% of their salaries to purchase Ordinary shares but no more 
than 1,250 shares per participant on any purchase date. The ESPP is implemented through 
an offering every six months. The price of an Ordinary share purchased under the ESPP is 
equal  to  85%  of  the  lower  of  the  fair  market  value  of  the  Ordinary  share  on  the 
subscription date of each offering period or on the purchase date. 

During  2007,  2008  and  2009,  employees  purchased  389,367,  474,550  and  478,231 
Ordinary shares at average prices of $ 16.73, $ 18.29 and $ 19.19 per share, respectively. 

As  of  December  31,  2009,  2,538,912  Ordinary  shares  were  available  for  future  issuance 
under the ESPP. 

In  accordance  with  ASC  No.  820,  the  ESPP  is  compensatory  and  as  such  results  in 
recognition of compensation cost. For the years ended December 31, 2007, 2008 and 2009, 
the  Company  recognized  $  1,666,  $  2,770  and  $ 3,061,  respectively,  of  compensation 
expense in connection with the ESPP. 

d. 

Stock options: 

In  2005,  the  Company  adopted  two  new  equity  incentive  plans:  the  2005  United  States 
Equity  Incentive  Plan,  which  is  referred  to  as  the  2005  U.S.  Plan,  and  the  2005  Israel 
Equity Incentive Plan, which is referred to as the 2005 Israel Plan. Both of these plans will 
be  in  effect  until  2015.  Following  ratification  of  the  new  plans  by  its  shareholders  in 
September 2005, the Company stopped issuing stock options under the plans approved in 
1996. 

Under the Company’s 2005 equity incentive plans (the “2005 Plans”), options are granted 
to  employees,  officers  and  directors  at  an  exercise  price  equal  to  at  least  the  fair  market 
value at the date of grant and are granted for periods not to exceed seven years. Options 
granted  under  the  2005  Plans  generally  vest  over  a  period  of  four  to  five  years  of 
employment.  Any  options  that  are  cancelled  or  forfeited  before  expiration  become 
available for future grants. The Company can also issue a variety of other equity incentives 
under  the  2005  Plans.  In  addition  to  granting  stock  options,  since  2006,  the  Company 
started  to  routinely  grant  Restricted  Stock  Units  (“RSUs”)  under  the  2005  Plans.  The 
Company does not record compensation expenses for performance based options for which 
the grantees did not reach the performance targets. RSUs vest over a four year period of 
employment  and  may  be  subject  to  performance  criteria.  RSUs  that  are  cancelled  or 
forfeited become available for future grants. 

Under the 2005 Plans, the Company’s non-employee directors receive an automatic annual 
option grant. 

F-45 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 12:-  SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

In connection with its acquisition of Protect Data in January 2007, the Company assumed 
all  of  the  outstanding  stock  options  under  the  Pointsec  Mobile  Technologies  Inc.  2003, 
2005  and  2006  Stock  Option  Plans  (the  “Pointsec  Plans”),  which  were  converted  into 
options to purchase 751,769 shares of the Company’s Ordinary shares. These stock options 
generally  have  terms  of  between  five  and  six  years  and  generally  vest  over  a  three-year 
period. Options that are cancelled or forfeited before expiration do not become available 
for future grant. 

Under the terms of the 2005 Plans, options to purchase 50,000,000 Ordinary shares were 
reserved for issuance (increasing by 5,000,000 Ordinary shares on January 1 of each year 
beginning January 1, 2006), out of which as of December 31, 2009, 56,110,078 Ordinary 
shares  were  available  for  future  grant  under  the  2005  Plans.  As  of  December  31,  2009, 
10,248,006 options and RSUs were outstanding under the 2005 Plans, 7,858,758 options 
were  outstanding  under  the  plans  approved  in  1996,  50,270  were  outstanding  under  the 
Zone Labs plan and 55,664 were outstanding under the Pointsec Plan. 

A  summary  of  the  Company’s  stock  option  activity  and  related  information,  including 
options  under  the  Zone  Labs  1998  Stock  Option  Plan  assumed  by  the  Company  (in 
connection with the Zone Labs acquisition in 2004) and Pointsec Plans, is as follows: 

Options (in thousands) 
2008 

2009 

2007 

  Weighted average exercise price 
2009 

2007 

2008 

Outstanding at beginning of year 
Granted 
Exercised 
Expired 
Forfeited  

  24,606 
2,927 
(1,339) 
(1,043) 
(995) 

  24,156 
1,900 
(1,713) 
(1,761) 
(1,000) 

  21,582 
1,845 
(6,039) 
(591) 
(196) 

 $ 
 $ 
 $ 
 $ 
 $ 

23.17   $ 
21.29   $ 
13.82   $ 
53.17   $ 
26.76   $ 

22.02   $ 20.97 
23.21   $ 25.86 
16.41   $ 16.40 
41.89   $ 23.31 
21.45   $ 19.60 

Outstanding as of December 31,  

  24,156  

  21,582 

  16,601(*) 

 $ 

22.02   $ 

20.97   $ 23.12 

Exercisable as of December 31, 

  15,074 

  14,629 

  10,469 

 $ 

22.32   $ 

20.47   $ 22.86 

(*) As  of  December  31,  2009,  approximately  16.4  million  options  were  outstanding  and 
expected to vest. Options expected to vest reflect an estimated forfeiture rate for purposes of 
determining related compensation expense. 

F-46 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 12:-  SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

Outstanding at beginning of year  
Granted 
Exercised 
Forfeited 

Year ended 
December 31, 2009 

  Options  

Aggregate 
intrinsic value  

(in thousands) 

21,582 
1,845 
(6,039) 
       (787)  

   $      25,790 
N/A 
63,213 
N/A 

Outstanding as of December 31,  

16,601 

  $181,798(**) 

Exercisable as of December 31,  

10,469 

 $118,490(***) 

(**)  Represents intrinsic value of 16,533 thousand outstanding options that are in-the-money as 
of  December  31,  2009.  The  remaining  68  thousand  outstanding  options  are  out  of  the 
money as of December 31, 2009, and their intrinsic value was considered as zero. 

(***) Represents intrinsic value of 10,402 thousand exercisable options that are in-the-money as 
of  December  31,  2009.  The  remaining  67  thousand  exercisable  options  are  out  of  the 
money as of December 31, 2009, and their intrinsic value was considered as zero. 

The following table summarizes information relating to RSUs, as well as changes to such 
awards during 2007, 2008 and 2009: 

 2007 

Year ended December 31,  
2008 
Number (in thousands) 

2009 

Outstanding at beginning of year 
Granted 
Vested 
Forfeited 

980 
593 
(174) 
(167) 

1,232 
676 
(245) 
(265) 

Outstanding as of December 31,  

1,232 

1,398 

1,398 
755 
(398) 
(143) 

1,612 

The  weighted  average  fair  values  at  grant  date  of  RSUs  granted  for  the  years  ended 
December 31, 2007, 2008 and 2009 were $ 23.79, $ 22.25 and $ 23.87, respectively. 

F-47 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 12:-  SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (Cont.) 

The  options  outstanding  as  of  December  31,  2009,  have  been  separated  into  ranges  of 
exercise price, as follows: 

Outstanding 
Weighted 
average 
remaining 
contractual 
life 
(years) 

Number 
outstanding 
(in thousands)   

Weighted 
average 
exercise price  
$ 

Number 
exercisable  
(in 
thousands) 

Exercisable 
Weighted 
average 
remaining 
contractual 
life 
(years) 

Weighted 
average 
exercise price  
$ 

Exercise price   
$ 

2.99-7.43 
15.99-16.80 
17.43-21.95 
22.41-23.46 
23.65-23.65 
24.01-26.77 
26.99-32.31 
79.79-79.79 

57 
2,346 
2,555 
3,630 
2,125 
2,700 
3,120 
68 

2.99-79.79 

16,601 

1.53 
3.52 
2.67 
2.82 
4.67 
6.18 
1.53 
0.57 

3.42 

5.97 
16.79 
20.06 
23.17 
23.65 
25.44 
27.02 
79.79 

23.12 

57 
1,920 
1,353 
2,671 
1,325 
575 
2,500 
68 

10,469 

1.53 
3.51 
1.70 
2.74 
4.67 
5.67 
1.49 
0.57 

2.83 

5.97 
16.79 
19.85 
23.16 
23.65 
24.01 
26.99 
79.79 

22.86 

The  weighted  average  fair  values  at  grant  date  of  options  granted  for  the  years  ended 
December 31, 2007, 2008 and 2009, with an exercise price equal to the market value at the 
date  of  grant  were  $ 11.92,  $  9.61  and  $  9.98,  respectively.  The  weighted  average  fair 
values at grant date of options assumed in Protect Data’s acquisition with an exercise price 
lower than the market value at the date of grant was $ 12.64. 

As  of  December  31,  2009,  the  Company  had  approximately  $ 66,863  of  unrecognized 
compensation expense related to non-vested stock options and non-vested restricted stock 
awards, expected to be recognized over four years. 

e. 

The Company’s board of directors approved five programs to repurchase Ordinary shares 
for  a  total  of  $ 1,600,000.  The  first  program  was  announced  on  October  28,  2003,  and 
ended  on  August  24,  2004,  and  authorized  the  repurchase  of  up  to  $  200,000  of  its 
Ordinary shares. The second program was announced on October 28, 2004, and ended on 
May 31, 2005, and authorized the repurchase of up to $ 200,000, of its Ordinary shares. 
The  third  program  was  announced  on  July  25,  2005,  and  ended  on  May  18,  2006,  and 
authorized the repurchase of up to $ 200,000 of its Ordinary shares. The fourth program 
was  announced  on  May  22,  2006,  and  ended  on  March  5,  2008,  and  authorized  the 
repurchase of up to $ 600,000 of its Ordinary shares. The fifth program was announced on 
March  26,  2008,  and  as  of  December  31,  2009  is  still  in  effect,  and  authorizes  the 
repurchase of up to $ 400,000 of its Ordinary shares. Under the repurchase programs, share 
purchases  may  be  made  from  time  to  time  depending  on  market  conditions,  share  price, 
trading volume and other factors and will be funded from available working capital. 

F-48 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

NOTE 12:-  SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (Cont.) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

The repurchase programs have no time limit and may be suspended from time to time or 
discontinued. Under the above programs, the Company repurchased during 2007, 2008 and 
2009  approximately  9.02,  10.9  and  7.81  million  shares,  respectively,  at  a  total  cost  of 
$ 209,757,  $ 239,542  and  $ 202,285,  respectively.  The  average  purchase  price  per  share 
during  2007,  2008  and  2009  was  $ 23.26,  $ 21.95  and  $ 25.89,  respectively.  Such 
purchases of Ordinary shares are accounted for as treasury stock and result in a reduction 
of  shareholders’  equity.  As  of  December  31,  2009,  there  is  approximately  $  31,411 
remaining out of the $400,000 authorized under the share repurchase program in 2008. On 
January 27, 2010, a sixth program was announced, and authorized the repurchase of up to 
$250,000 of Ordinary shares. 

Through  December  31,  2009,  the  Company  reissued  21,555,289  of  its  repurchased 
Ordinary shares in consideration for the exercise of stock options and restricted shares by 
employees and for shares issued under the ESPP. 

NOTE 13:-  EARNINGS PER SHARE 

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share: 

Years ended December 31,  
2008 

2009 

2007 

Net income  

  $  281,064 

 $  323,966 

 $    357,523 

Weighted average Ordinary shares outstanding 

(in thousands)  

222,548 

214,361 

209,371 

Dilutive effect: 
Employee stock options and RSUs (in 

thousands)  

2,894 

2,307 

2,837 

Diluted weighted average Ordinary shares 

outstanding (in thousands)  

225,442 

216,668 

212,208 

Basic earnings per Ordinary share 

Diluted earnings per Ordinary share 

  $ 

  $ 

1.26 

1.25 

 $ 

 $ 

1.51 

1.50 

 $ 

 $ 

1.71 

1.68 

NOTE 14:-  GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION AND SELECTED STATEMENTS OF INCOME DATA 

a. 

Summary information about geographical areas: 

The Company operates in one reportable segment (see Note 1 for a brief description of the 
Company’s  business). The  total revenues  are attributed  to  geographic  areas based  on the 
location  of  the  Company’s  channel  partners  which  are  considered  as  end  customers,  as 
well as direct customers of the Company. 

The  following  present  total  revenues  for  the  years  ended  December  31,  2007,  2008  and 
2009, and long-lived assets as of December 31, 2008 and 2009, by geographic area: 

F-49 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share amounts) 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 
AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTE 14:-  GEOGRAPHIC  INFORMATION  AND  SELECTED  STATEMENTS  OF  INCOME  DATA 

(Cont.) 

1.  Revenues based on the channel partners’ location: 

Year ended December 31,  
2008 

2009 

2007 

Americas, principally U.S. 
Europe, Middle East and Africa 
Asia Pacific and Japan  

  $  329,681 
319,871 
81,325 

  $  349,614 
360,161 
98,715 

  $  395,835 
405,334 
123,248 

  $  730,877 

  $  808,490 

  $  924,417 

2.  Long-lived assets: 

U.S. 
Israel 
Sweden 
Rest of the world 

b. 

Financial income, net: 

Financial income: 
Interest income 
Amortization of marketable securities 

premium and accretion of discount, net 

Realized gain on sale of marketable 

securities 

Foreign currency re-measurement gain 

and others 

Financial expense: 

Amortization of marketable securities 

premium and accretion of discount, net 

Foreign currency re-measurement loss 
Realized loss on sale of marketable 

securities 

Others  

December 31 

2008 

2009 

  $ 

196,739 
52,182 
594,513 
754 

  $      196,336 
118,827 
561,128 
1,173 

  $ 

844,188 

  $      877,464 

Year ended December 31,  
2008 

2009 

2007 

  $ 

48,375 

  $ 

51,776 

  $      41,346 

247 

867 

3,327 

- 

125 

- 

- 

- 

2,061 

52,816 

51,901 

43,407 

- 
- 

1,850 
1,241 

3,091 

3,099 
4,311 

1,619 
1,996 

8,414 
- 

1,897 
1,038 

11,025 

11,349 

  $ 

49,725 

  $ 

40,876 

  $      32,058 

-------------------

F-50 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[This Page Intentionally Left Blank] 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SIGNATURES 

The registrant hereby certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form 20-F and that it has 

duly caused and authorized the undersigned to sign this annual report on its behalf. 

CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. 

By:   /s/ Gil Shwed
Gil Shwed 
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board 

______________________________ 

By:   /s/ Tal Payne 
Tal Payne 
Chief Financial Officer 

____________________________ 

Date:  March 29, 2010. 

91 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Exhibit 12.1 

I, Gil Shwed, certify that: 

CERTIFICATION 

1. 

I have reviewed this Annual Report on Form 20-F of Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.; 

2.  Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a 
material  fact  necessary  to  make  the  statements  made,  in  light  of  the  circumstances  under  which  such 
statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report; 

3.  Based  on  my  knowledge,  the  financial  statements,  and  other  financial  information  included  in  this  report, 
fairly  present  in  all  material  respects  the  financial  condition,  results  of  operations  and  cash  flows  of  the 
company as of, and for, the periods presented in this report; 

4. 

The  company’s  other  certifying  officer  and  I  are  responsible  for  establishing  and  maintaining  disclosure 
controls  and  procedures  (as  defined  in  Exchange  Act  Rules  13a-15(e)  and  15d-15(e))  and  internal  control 
over  financial  reporting  (as  defined  in  Exchange  Act  Rules  13a-15(f)  and  15d-15(f))  for  the  company  and 
have: 

(a)  Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to 
be  designed  under  our  supervision,  to  ensure  that  material  information  relating  to  the  company, 
including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly 
during the period in which this report is being prepared; 

(b)  Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial 
reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability 
of  financial  reporting  and  the  preparation  of  financial  statements  for  external  purposes  in  accordance 
with generally accepted accounting principles; 

(c)  Evaluated the effectiveness of the company’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this 
report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of 
the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and 

(d)  Disclosed  in  this  report  any  change  in  the  company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  that 
occurred during the period covered by the annual report that has materially affected, or is reasonably 
likely to materially affect, the company’s internal control over financial reporting; and 

5. 

The company’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal 
control over financial reporting, to the company’s auditors and the audit committee of the company’s board 
of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions): 

(a)  All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over 
financial  reporting  which  are  reasonably  likely  to  adversely  affect  the  company’s  ability  to  record, 
process, summarize and report financial information; and 

(b)  Any  fraud,  whether  or  not  material,  that  involves  management  or  other  employees  who  have  a 

significant role in the company’s internal control over financial reporting. 

Date:   March 29, 2010 

By:   /s/ Gil Shwed

______________________________ 

Gil Shwed 
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board 

 
 
Exhibit 12.2 

I, Tal Payne, certify that: 

CERTIFICATION 

1. 

I have reviewed this Annual Report on Form 20-F of Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.; 

2.  Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a 
material  fact  necessary  to  make  the  statements  made,  in  light  of  the  circumstances  under  which  such 
statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report; 

3.  Based  on  my  knowledge,  the  financial  statements,  and  other  financial  information  included  in  this  report, 
fairly  present  in  all  material  respects  the  financial  condition,  results  of  operations  and  cash  flows  of  the 
company as of, and for, the periods presented in this report; 

4. 

The  company’s  other  certifying  officer  and  I  are  responsible  for  establishing  and  maintaining  disclosure 
controls  and  procedures  (as  defined  in  Exchange  Act  Rules  13a-15(e)  and  15d-15(e))  and  internal  control 
over  financial  reporting  (as  defined  in  Exchange  Act  Rules  13a-15(f)  and  15d-15(f))  for  the  company  and 
have: 

(a)  Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to 
be  designed  under  our  supervision,  to  ensure  that  material  information  relating  to  the  company, 
including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly 
during the period in which this report is being prepared; 

(b)  Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial 
reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability 
of  financial  reporting  and  the  preparation  of  financial  statements  for  external  purposes  in  accordance 
with generally accepted accounting principles; 

(c)  Evaluated the effectiveness of the company’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this 
report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of 
the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and 

(d)  Disclosed  in  this  report  any  change  in  the  company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  that 
occurred during the period covered by the annual report that has materially affected, or is reasonably 
likely to materially affect, the company’s internal control over financial reporting; and 

5. 

The company’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal 
control over financial reporting, to the company’s auditors and the audit committee of the company’s board 
of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions): 

(a)  All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over 
financial  reporting  which  are  reasonably  likely  to  adversely  affect  the  company’s  ability  to  record, 
process, summarize and report financial information; and 

(b)  Any  fraud,  whether  or  not  material,  that  involves  management  or  other  employees  who  have  a 

significant role in the company’s internal control over financial reporting. 

Date:  March 29, 2010 

By:   /s/ Tal Payne 

____________________________ 

Tal Payne 
Chief Financial Officer 

 
 
 
Exhibit 13 

CERTIFICATION 

PURSUANT TO SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002 
(SUBSECTIONS (a) AND (b) OF SECTION 1350, CHAPTER 63 OF 
TITLE 18, UNITED STATES CODE) 

Pursuant  to  Section  906  of  the  Sarbanes-Oxley  Act  of  2002  (subsections  (a)  and  (b)  of  Section  1350, 
Chapter  63  of  Title  18,  United  States  Code),  each  of  the  undersigned  officers  of  Check  Point  Software 
Technologies Ltd., a company organized under the laws of the State of Israel (the “Company”), does hereby certify 
that the Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2009 (the “Form 20-F”) of the Company 
fully  complies  with  the  requirements  of  Section  13(a)  or  15(d)  of  the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934  and  the 
information  contained  in  the  Annual  Report  on  Form  20-F  fairly  presents,  in  all  material  respects,  the  financial 
condition and results of operations of the Company. 

Date: March 29, 2010 

By:   /s/ Gil Shwed

_______________________________ 

Gil Shwed 
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board 

  By:   /s/ Tal Payne 

_______________________________ 

Tal Payne 
Chief Financial Officer 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Exhibit 15 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM 

We consent to the incorporation by reference, in the Registration Statements (Form S-8 Nos. 333-6032, 333-7260, 
333-132954  and  333-142213),  pertaining  to  the  Israel  Stock  Option  Plan,  the  United  States  Stock  Option  Plan,   
Zone Labs, Inc. 1998 Stock Option Plan and Pointsec Mobile Technologies Inc. 2003 Stock Option Plan, Pointsec 
Mobile Technologies Inc. 2005 Stock Option Plan, Pointsec Mobile Technologies Inc. 2006 Stock Option Plan of 
our  reports  dated  March  ,  2010,  with  respect  to  the  consolidated  financial  statements  of  Check  Point  Software 
Technologies Ltd. and subsidiaries, and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of Check Point 
Software Technologies Ltd. included in this Annual Report (Form 20-F) for the year ended December 31, 2009. 

Tel Aviv, Israel  
March 29, 2010  

KOST, FORER, GABBAY & KASIERER 
   A Member of Ernst & Young Globa