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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
____________________________________________
FORM 10-K
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(Mark one) þ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018
or
o TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from ________________ to ________________
Commission file number: 001-37444
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FITBIT, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
____________________________________________
Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
20-8920744
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
199 Fremont Street, 14th Floor
San Francisco, California 94105
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
(415) 513-1000
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class
Class A Common Stock, par value $0.0001
Name of each exchange on which registered
New York Stock Exchange
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes þ
No o
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes o
No þ
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 þ
No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant
to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§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 þ
No
o
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of
registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or emerging growth company. See the
definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer
Non-accelerated filer
þ
o (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
Accelerated filer
Smaller reporting company
Emerging growth company
o
o
o
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting
standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes o
No þ
The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the registrant, based on the closing sale price of the registrant's Class A common stock on June
30, 2018, the last business day of the registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter, as reported on the New York Stock Exchange, was approximately $1.4 billion.
As of February 20, 2019, there were 221,444,789 shares of the registrant’s Class A common stock outstanding and 31,281,638 shares of the registrant’s Class B common stock outstanding.
Portions of the registrant’s Definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders are incorporated herein by reference in Part II and Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K to
the extent stated herein. Such proxy statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days of the registrant’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Table of Contents
Fitbit, Inc.
Form 10-K
For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2018
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Item 1.
Item 1A.
Item 1B.
Item 2.
Item 3.
Item 4.
Item 5.
Item 6.
Item 7.
Item 7A.
Item 8.
Item 9.
Item 9A.
Item 9B.
Item 10.
Item 11.
Item 12.
Item 13.
Item 14.
Item 15.
Part I
Business
Risk Factors
Unresolved Staff Comments
Properties
Legal Proceedings
Mine Safety Disclosures
Part II
Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity
Securities
Selected Financial Data
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
Controls and Procedures
Other Information
Part III
Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
Executive Compensation
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Director Independence
Principal Accounting Fees and Services
Part IV
Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules
Signatures
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NOTE ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that involve
risks and uncertainties. All statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding our
future results of operations and financial position, our business strategy and plans, and our objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements. The
words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K include, but are not limited to, statements about:
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continued investments in research and development, sales and marketing and international expansion and the impact of those investments;
trends in our revenue, cost of revenue, gross margin, operating expenses, including personnel costs, research and development expense, sales and
marketing expense and general and administrative expense;
competitors and competition in our markets;
our ability to anticipate and satisfy consumer preferences;
our smartwatches and their market acceptance and future potential;
our ability to develop and introduce new products and services, including recurring non-device revenue offerings such as subscription-based premium
services, and improve our existing products and services;
our ability to engage, expand and further monetize our user base;
the impact of tariffs or other restrictions placed on our products imported into the United States from China;
potential insurance recoveries;
our ability to accurately forecast consumer demand and adequately manage inventory;
our ability to deliver an adequate supply of product to meet demand;
our ability to maintain and promote our brand and expand brand awareness;
our ability to detect, prevent, or fix defects;
our reliance on third-party suppliers, contract manufacturers and logistics providers and our limited control over such parties;
our ability to increase sales of devices and software services to employers, health plans and health systems through our Fitbit Health Solutions channel;
trends in our quarterly operating results and other operating metrics;
legal proceedings and the impact of such proceedings;
the impact of changes in tax law on our operating results;
the impact of our adoption of accounting pronouncements;
the effect of seasonality on our results of operations;
our ability to attract and retain highly skilled employees;
our expectations to derive the substantial majority of our revenue from sales of devices;
our expectations with respect to shifts in advertising and marketing spend;
the impact of our acquisitions in enhancing the features and functionality of our devices;
the impact of foreign currency exchange rates;
the sufficiency of our existing cash and cash equivalent balances and cash flow from operations to meet our working capital and capital expenditure
needs for at least the next 12 months; and
general market, political, economic and business conditions, including potential changes in tariffs .
We caution you that the foregoing list does not contain all of the forward-looking statements made in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. We have based the forward-looking statements contained in this Annual
Report on Form 10-K primarily on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our business, financial
condition, operating results, and prospects. The outcome of the events described in these forward-looking statements is subject to risks, uncertainties, and other
factors described in the section titled “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly
changing environment. New risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all risks and uncertainties that could have an
impact on the forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We cannot assure you that the results, events, and circumstances
reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur, and actual results, events, or circumstances could differ materially from those described in
the forward-looking statements.
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The forward-looking statements made in this Annual Report on Form 10-K relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. We undertake no
obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this Annual
Report on Form 10-K or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. We may not actually achieve the plans,
intentions, or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Our forward-
looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures, or investments we may make.
PART I
Item 1. Business
Our Vision
To make everyone in the world healthier.
Our Mission
To help people achieve positive health, wellness, and fitness outcomes by empowering them with intelligent insights, personalized guidance, and the
motivation to reach their goals.
Overview
Fitbit is a technology company focused on delivering health solutions that impact health outcomes. The Fitbit platform combines wearable devices with
software and services to give our users tools to help them reach their health and fitness goals, augmented by general purpose features that add further utility and
drive user engagement. Our wearable devices, which include health and fitness trackers and smartwatches, enable our users to view data about their daily activity,
exercise and sleep in real-time. Our software and services, which include an online dashboard and mobile app, provide our users with data analytics, motivational
and social tools, and virtual coaching through customized fitness plans and interactive workouts. In addition, our software and services drive engagement and can
be leveraged to provide personalized insights. Together, our devices, services, and software have helped millions of users on their health and fitness journeys be
more active, sleep better, eat smarter, and manage their weight. Fitbit appeals to a wide spectrum of consumers by addressing key health and fitness needs with
advanced technology embedded in simple-to-use products and services.
The core of our platform is our family of wearable devices. These devices automatically track users’ daily steps, calories burned, distance traveled, and
active minutes, and display real-time feedback to encourage users to become more active in their daily lives. Most of our wearable devices also measure floors
climbed, and sleep duration and quality, and our more advanced products track heart rate, and GPS-based information such as speed, distance, and exercise routes.
Several of our devices also have more advanced features such as the ability to receive call and text notifications, and certain of our devices offer contactless
payments, on-board music, notifications, and several apps. To accompany certain of our products, we offer accessories that include wireless headphones,
interchangeable wrist bands and frames, colored clips, device charging cables, wireless sync dongles, band clasps, and Fitbit apparel. In addition, we offer a Wi-Fi
connected scale that records weight, body fat, and BMI. We are able to enhance the functionality and features of our wearables through wireless updates.
Our platform also includes software that helps to encourage healthy behavior changes in three areas: activity, sleep, and nutrition. The software includes our
online dashboard and mobile apps, which wirelessly and automatically sync with our devices. It enables users to see trends and achievements and, access
motivational tools such as coaching and guidance, or connections to our community. We believe gamifying behaviors and providing virtual badges, real-time
progress notifications, social support, and a competition dashboard helps drive engagement. Our direct connection with our users also enables us to provide
personalized insights. In addition, we extend the value of our platform through our open API, which enables third-party developers to create health and fitness apps
that interact with our platform. Through our open platform and our large community of users, we have established an ecosystem that includes thousands of third-
party health and fitness apps that connect with our products and enhance the Fitbit experience.
Our platform enables a wide range of people to get fit their own way, whatever their interests and goals. Our users range from people interested in improving
their health and fitness through everyday activities to endurance athletes seeking to maximize their performance. To address this wide range of needs, we design
our devices, apps, and services to be easy to use so that they fit seamlessly into peoples’ daily lives and activities. Our users can sync their Fitbit devices with and
view their dashboard on their
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computers and over 200 mobile devices, including iOS, Android, and Windows Phone products. This cross-platform capability coupled with broad global
distribution have enabled us to attract what we believe is one of the largest community of wearable device users. The size of our user community increases the
likelihood that our users will be able to find and engage with like-minded individuals, friends, and family, creating positive network effects that reinforce our
growth. In addition, data from our large community enables us to enhance our product features, provide improved insights, and offer more valuable guidance for
our users.
The Fitbit Platform
Our wearable platform is designed to enable our users to improve their health and fitness by:
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Tracking activities through our wearable devices. We empower users to live healthier, more active lifestyles by both tracking the information that
matters most to them and providing them with real-time feedback. Our wearable devices span multiple styles, form factors, and price points, and, as a
result, address the needs of a wide range of people—from people simply looking to get fit by increasing their activity levels to endurance athletes seeking
to maximize their performance. Our devices, which include both health and fitness trackers and smartwatches and our Wi-Fi connected scale, feature
proprietary and advanced sensor technologies and algorithms and long battery lives. In addition, the ease of use and small, lightweight, and durable
designs of our devices help them fit effortlessly into our users’ lifestyles.
Learning through our online dashboard and mobile apps. We offer our users a personalized online dashboard and mobile apps that sync automatically
with and display data from our wearable devices. We provide our users with a wide range of information and analytics, such as charts and graphs of their
progress and the ability to log caloric intake. Both our online dashboard and mobile apps are free and work with all of our wearable devices. Our
internally-developed software is regularly updated and enhanced, increasing the utility of our platform.
Staying motivated through social features, notifications, challenges, and virtual badges. Our products help millions of users achieve their goals both
individually and within the community that they choose. On an individual level, we motivate users by delivering real-time feedback, including
notifications, leaderboard and challenge updates, and virtual badges. Our platform also offers users social features that allow them to view and participate
in a social feed, receive and provide support through specific groups organized by activity or health, and engage in friendly competition. Users can
securely share some or all of their health and fitness information on an opt-in basis with friends, family, and other parties and compete against each other
on key statistics through leaderboards and daily or multi-day fitness challenges. In addition, users can choose to share their data with thousands of third-
party apps and through social networks on an opt-in basis. As users create more connections on our network, they often benefit from higher levels of
activity.
Improving health and fitness through goal-setting, personalized insights, premium services, and virtual coaching. Our primary goal is to help our users
improve their health and fitness. We believe our platform assists users in changing their daily behavior, such as going for a run or walking more to reach a
goal or win a challenge. We empower our users to set their own health and fitness goals and track their progress towards these goals. We also offer
premium services on a subscription basis that provide personalized insights and virtual coaching through customized fitness plans and interactive video-
based exercise experiences on mobile devices and computers. Our premium services feature in-depth data analysis and personalized reports, as well as
benchmarking against peers.
Our Competitive Strengths
We believe our competitive strengths are brand, community, and data.
Brand
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Fitbit is a leading global wearables brand. We stand for health and fitness and have a trusted relationship with our users. We have a singular focus on
driving positive health outcomes by targeting activity, sleep, and nutrition.
Broad and differentiated go-to-market strategy. We have developed a broad go-to-market strategy that reaches individuals regardless of where they shop.
We sell our products in over 39,000 retail stores and in 87 countries, through our retailers’ websites, through our online store at Fitbit.com, and through
Fitbit Health Solutions. We believe the breadth and depth of our established selling channels and prominent presence in retail stores would be difficult for
a competitor to replicate.
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Community
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Broad range of wearable devices. We believe everyone’s approach to fitness is different, so we offer our users a range of wearable devices spanning
multiple styles, form factors, and price points to allow people to find the devices that fit their lifestyles and goals. In addition to our wrist-based and
clippable wearable health and fitness devices, we also offer a Wi-Fi connected scale that tracks weight, body fat, and BMI. We believe the breadth of our
wearable devices provides us with a competitive advantage over our competitors, which often have a more limited line of products.
Large and growing community and powerful network effects. We believe the size of our community of users makes it more likely that users can connect
with like-minded individuals, friends, and family and attracts many new users to our platform. Achieving meaningful health and fitness outcomes over the
long-term is difficult. We believe that access to a network of users who provide support and motivation can increase a user’s engagement with and
duration on the platform, especially when that network provides positive support as observed on our social feed. Each of our users adds value to our
platform by making progress towards their goals and syncing their data with our platform, which we leverage to provide better insights for our users. As
our community of users continues to grow, we will develop a deeper understanding of our users and expect to deliver additional value to them through
more detailed insights and analysis. We believe the growth and scale of our user community allows users to become not only more engaged with
personalized and relevant content, but also less likely to leave a community in which many of their friends and family are active members.
Direct relationship and continuous communication with our users. The connectivity of our devices allows us to better understand our users’ health and
fitness goals. This connectivity also allows us to communicate the most relevant analysis, features, advice, and content to our users throughout the day
with our online dashboard, mobile apps, emails, and notifications. It also allows us to focus on developing software that influences the behavior of our
users to improve health outcomes, which can not only drive new forms of monetization, but also further engagement and duration of usage. We also
utilize these communication channels to help our users become aware of our new products and services.
Data
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Advanced, purpose-built hardware and software technologies. Our wearable devices leverage industry-standard technologies, such as Bluetooth low
energy, as well as proprietary technologies, such as our PurePulse continuous heart rate tracking and our algorithms that measure and analyze user health
and fitness metrics. We devote significant resources to ensure that our devices effortlessly fit into our users’ lifestyles. For example, we design our small,
lightweight, durable, and fashionable products to be optimized for power efficiency, which enables automatic wireless data syncing without
compromising battery life. We place a similarly strong emphasis on our online dashboard and mobile apps to provide users with visualization of their
progress and personalized guidance. Our highly-scalable cloud infrastructure enables millions of users around the world to engage with our platform in
real-time.
Broad mobile compatibility and open API. Our broad mobile compatibility and open API enable a large health and fitness ecosystem that provides
additional value to our existing users and extends our reach to potential new users. Our users can sync their Fitbit devices with and view their online
dashboard on their computers and over 200 mobile devices, including iOS, Android, and Windows Phone products. Additionally, we enable seamless
integration with thousands of apps across iOS, Android, and Windows Phone through our open API, which allows our users to share data with third-party
apps on an opt-in basis.
Our Devices and Accessories
Our line of devices includes Fitbit Charge 3™, Fitbit Surge®, Fitbit Blaze®, Fitbit Charge 2®, Alta HR™, Alta®, Fitbit Ace™, Fitbit Flex
2®, Fitbit One® and Fitbit Zip® activity trackers, as well as Fitbit Ionic™ and Fitbit Versa™ smartwatches, and Fitbit Aria 2™ Wi-Fi Smart Scales. We also offer
a line of accessories including bands and frames for some of our devices, as well as Fitbit Flyer™, our wireless headphone designed for fitness.
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Our Software and Services
We believe our software and services offer the ability to engage the user and effect behavior change, representing an opportunity to diversify our revenue
stream and deepen our relationship with our users. As we continue to work towards driving and influencing health outcomes, we believe there is an opportunity for
our software to play a role in chronic disease management. We offer both enterprise software such as corporate challenges for Fitbit Health Solutions customers
and coaching and guidance for our retail customers. Revenue from our software and services has historically represented less than one percent of our annual
revenue.
Fitbit online dashboard and mobile apps. We offer our users a personalized online dashboard and mobile apps that sync automatically with, and display
real-time data from, our wearable devices. Through these offerings, we provide users with charts and graphs of their progress, deeper analysis of their activities,
and the ability to log caloric intake. Additionally, we motivate users through real-time feedback including notifications, leaderboard and challenge updates, and
virtual badges. Our platform also offers users social features, such as access to an online community of users, leaderboards and challenges, that allow users to
receive and provide support and engage in friendly competition. Our online dashboard and mobile apps are available for free through the iOS App Store, Google
Play, Windows Store, and on Fitbit.com.
Fitbit Coach. In March 2015, we acquired FitStar, a provider of interactive video-based exercise experiences on mobile devices and computers that utilize
proprietary algorithms to adjust and customize workouts for individual users based on data gathered during their workouts. We rebranded FitStar to Fitbit Coach
beginning in October 2017. Through our Fitbit Coach offering, we provide exercise programs through personal trainer and yoga apps that continuously adjust to
our users based on feedback throughout the workout.
Fitbit Care ™ . In September 2018, we launched Fitbit Care, a connected health platform for health plans, employers, and health systems that combines
health coaching and virtual care through the new Fitbit Plus™ app, Fitbit’s wearable devices and self-tracking and personalized digital interventions to help
improve wellness, disease management and prevention. Fitbit Care combines our experience inspiring people to get healthy with the clinically-proven behavior
change principles of Twine Health, which Fitbit acquired in March 2018 to improve care team collaboration and health outcomes across the spectrum of care. Fitbit
Care is sold through our Fitbit Health Solutions channel.
Our Commitment to Privacy
We are committed to respecting our users’ privacy, letting our users decide how their information is used and shared, and keeping their data safe.
We have developed our data collection and use practices in accordance with the Fair Information Practice Principles, or FIPPs. We are committed to the
following privacy principles as outlined in our privacy policy:
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Transparent and Easy to Understand Policies. We are transparent about our data practices and explain them in clear language. Our data collection
practices are designed to only collect data that is useful to improving our products, services, and user experience.
No Unexpected Uses. We never sell personally identifiable data or use it other than as described in our privacy policy.
Clear Notice and Consent. We only share personally identifiable data with third parties, including employers, when our users consent to the sharing and
under the limited circumstances outlined in our privacy policy where users’ personally identifiable data can be shared without specific consent, such as
our receipt of search warrants or subpoenas from law enforcement agencies or in response to a validly issued legal process in a civil litigation matter.
Prioritize Security. We take the security of our users’ data seriously. We use a combination of technical and administrative security controls to help
ensure the security of user data.
Research and Development
We are passionate about developing innovative products and services that empower our users to reach their health and fitness goals. We believe our future
success depends on our ability to develop new products and features that expand the versatility and performance of our existing platform, and we plan to continue
to invest significant resources to enhance performance, functionality, convenience, and style for our users.
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Our global research and development team supports the design and development of our wearable devices, proprietary sensors, firmware, data algorithms, and
online dashboard and mobile apps. Our team is also researching new advanced science to help deepen our penetration of wearable devices. The team is comprised
of dedicated research employees, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, firmware engineers, site operations engineers, and mobile app developers. Our
research and development team is primarily based at our headquarters in San Francisco, California, as well as several other worldwide locations.
Manufacturing, Logistics and Fulfillment
We outsource the manufacturing of our products to several contract manufacturers. These contract manufacturers produce our products in their facilities,
which are primarily located in Asia. The components used in our products are sourced either directly by us or on our behalf by our contract manufacturers from a
variety of component suppliers selected by us and our contract manufacturers, and are located worldwide. Our operations employees coordinate our relationships
with our contract manufacturers and component suppliers. We believe that using outsourced manufacturing enables greater scale and flexibility at lower costs than
establishing our own manufacturing facilities. We evaluate our current contract manufacturers and component suppliers on an ongoing basis, including whether or
not to utilize new or alternative contract manufacturers or component suppliers.
We work with third-party fulfillment partners that deliver our products from multiple locations worldwide, which allows us to reduce order fulfillment time,
reduce shipping costs, and improve inventory flexibility.
Sales Channels and Customers
We sell our products through three primary channels:
Retail and distribution channel. We offer our products in over 39,000 retail stores and in 87 countries. We focus on building close relationships with our
retailers, working with them to merchandise our products in a compelling manner both in-store and on their e-commerce sites, promoting our products through
their marketing efforts, and educating their sales forces about our products. In addition, we sell to distributors who resell our products to retailers.
Consumer electronics and specialty retailers. Our products are sold by retailers with a large domestic and international presence such as Best Buy.
e-Commerce retailers. Our products are sold on Amazon.com, in addition to the e-commerce sites of our retailers.
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• Mass merchant , department store, and club retailers. Our products are sold by large retailers, including Target, Costco, Macy’s, Kohl’s, and Walmart.
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Sporting goods and outdoors retailers. Our products are sold by sporting goods and outdoors retailers, including Dick’s Sporting Goods and REI.
• Wireless carriers. Our products are sold by wireless carriers, including Verizon.
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Distributors. Our products are sold by a network of distributors.
Consumer direct channel. We sell our full line of products directly to consumers in the United States and other countries through our online store at
Fitbit.com, which represented 10% of our revenue in both 2018 and 2017. We drive consumers to our website through online and offline advertising as well as
marketing promotions.
Fitbit Health Solutions channel. Fitbit Health Solutions delivers health and wellness solutions designed to increase engagement, improve health outcomes
and drive positive returns for employers, health plans, and health systems. It leverages our consumer device technology to build a platform of hardware and
software tools to motivate people to make sustained behavior change. We believe our strong brand recognition and success with consumers makes Fitbit a desirable
partner for the healthcare and enterprise ecosystem. Fitbit Health Solutions partners and sells offerings to employer health and wellness plans, health plans,
hospitals, and researchers through a direct sales team and indirectly through partners. In the fall, we launched Fitbit Care, a connected health platform for health
plans, employers, and health systems that combines health coaching and virtual care, wearable devices, and personalized digital interventions to better support
patients outside the walls of the clinical environment.
Backlog
There is a relatively short cycle between order and shipment of our sales. Therefore, we believe that backlog information is not material to the understanding
of our business.
Marketing and Advertising
Our marketing and advertising programs are focused on building global brand awareness, increasing product adoption, including the launch of new product
offerings, and driving sales. Our marketing and advertising efforts target a wide range of
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consumers and leverage traditional advertising methods (including television, cinema, and print magazines), sponsorships and public relations, digital marketing,
channel marketing, and endorsements by professional athletes and celebrities.
Our in-store merchandising strategy focuses on our point of purchase, or POP displays. We install our freestanding, in-line, and endcap POP displays of
varying sizes at our various retailers. These displays communicate our marketing messages, present our products and their features and, in many cases, allow
consumers to try on our devices and view an interactive app that enables them to learn more about our products.
Intellectual Property
Intellectual property is an important aspect of our business, and we seek protection for our intellectual property as appropriate. We rely upon a combination
of patent, copyright, trade secret, and trademark laws and contractual restrictions, such as confidentiality agreements and licenses, to establish and protect our
proprietary rights.
We have developed a significant patent portfolio to protect certain elements of our proprietary technology. As of December 31, 2018 , we had 480 issued
patents. We continually review our development efforts to assess the existence and patentability of new intellectual property. We pursue the registration of our
domain names and trademarks and service marks in the United States and in certain locations outside the United States.
Competition
The market for wearable devices is both evolving and competitive. The wearable devices category has a multitude of participants including specialized
consumer electronics companies such as Garmin and Withings, and traditional watch companies such as Fossil. In addition, many large, broad-based consumer
electronics companies either compete in our market or adjacent markets or have announced plans to do so, including Apple, Google, LG, and Samsung. For
example, Apple sells the Apple Watch, which is a smartwatch with broad-based functionalities, including some health and fitness tracking capabilities, and Apple
has sold a significant volume of its smartwatches since introduction. We also face competition from manufacturers of lower-cost devices, such as Xiaomi and its
Mi Band device. In addition, we compete with a wide range of stand-alone health and fitness-related mobile apps that can be purchased or downloaded through
mobile app stores.
The principal competitive factors in our market include:
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brand awareness and focus;
breadth of product offerings;
battery life, sensor technology, and tracking features;
online and mobile app experience;
cross-platform capability (iOS, Android, and Windows Phone);
software algorithms;
partnerships;
strength of sales and marketing efforts; and
distribution strategy.
We believe we compete favorably with our competitors on the basis of these factors as a result of our community of users, leading global brand, and data.
The size of our user community increases the likelihood that our users will be able to find and engage with like-minded individuals, friends, and family, creating
positive network effects. We believe that our success with consumers, along with our focus on health and fitness, makes us an attractive wearables partner for the
healthcare and enterprise ecosystem. Furthermore, our platform and open API have together enabled us to establish a large and growing health and fitness
ecosystem that not only provides additional value to our existing users, but also extends our reach to potential new users.
Employees
As of December 31, 2018 , we had 1,694 global employees. We have not experienced any work stoppages. We consider our relationship with our employees
to be good.
Information about Geographic Revenue
Information about geographic revenue is described in Note 11, “Significant Customer Information and Other Information” in the notes to our consolidated
financial statements.
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Corporate Information
We were incorporated in Delaware in March 2007 as Healthy Metrics Research, Inc. We changed our name to Fitbit, Inc. in October 2007. We completed
our initial public offering, or IPO, in June 2015 and our Class A common stock is listed on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “FIT.” Our principal
executive offices are located at 199 Fremont Street, 14th Floor, San Francisco, California 94105, and our telephone number is (415) 513-1000. Our website address
is www.fitbit.com and our investor relations website address is http://investor.fitbit.com. The information on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not
incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Fitbit, the Fitbit logo, Fitbit Versa, Fitbit Ionic, Fitbit Flyer, Fitbit Surge, Fitbit Blaze, Fitbit
Charge 3, Fitbit Charge 2, Fitbit Charge HR, Alta, Fitbit Charge, Fitbit Flex 2, Fitbit Flex, Fitbit One, Fitbit Zip, Aria, PurePulse, SmartTrack, FitStar, and our
other registered or common law trade names, trademarks, or service marks appearing in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are our intellectual property. This
Annual Report on Form 10-K contains additional trade names, trademarks, and service marks of other companies that are the property of their respective owners.
Through a link on our website, we make available the following filings as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished
to the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC: our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and any
amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. All
such filings are available free of charge. The public may also read and copy any materials we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F
Street, NE, Washington DC 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The
SEC also maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains all reports that we file or furnish with the SEC electronically.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
An investment in our Class A common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below,
together with all of the other information in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes, before making a decision to invest in our Class A common
stock. Our business, operating results, financial condition, or prospects could be materially and adversely affected by any of these risks and uncertainties. If any of
these risks actually occurs, the trading price of our Class A common stock could decline and you might lose all or part of your investment. Our business, operating
results, financial performance, or prospects could also be harmed by risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently do not believe are
material.
Risks Related to Our Business
We operate in a highly competitive market. If we do not compete effectively, our prospects, operating results, and financial condition could be adversely
affected.
The wearable device market is highly competitive, with companies offering a variety of products and services. Wearables can be broadly defined as trackers,
fitness watches, smartwatches and devices beyond the wrist. We expect competition in our market to intensify in the future as new and existing competitors
introduce new or enhanced products and services that are potentially more competitive than our products and services. In terms of units sold, we have primarily
operated in the health and fitness tracker and smartwatch segments of the wearables device market. The wearable device market has a multitude of participants,
including specialized consumer electronics companies, such as Garmin and Withings, and traditional watch companies such as Fossil.
In addition, many large, broad-based consumer electronics companies either compete in our market or adjacent markets or have announced plans to do so,
including Apple, Google, LG and Samsung. For example, Apple sells the Apple Watch, which is a smartwatch with broad-based functionalities, including some
health and fitness tracking capabilities, and Apple has sold a significant volume of its smartwatches since introduction. Moreover, smartwatches with health and
fitness functionalities may displace the market for traditional tracker devices. For example, Apple’s recently introduced Apple Watch includes ECG functionality
and fall detection capability. We also face competition from manufacturers of lower-cost devices, such as Xiaomi and its Mi Band devices. In addition, we compete
with a wide range of stand-alone health and fitness-related mobile apps that can be purchased or downloaded through mobile app stores.
We believe many of our competitors and potential competitors have significant advantages, including longer operating histories, ability to leverage their
sales efforts and marketing expenditures across a broader portfolio of products and services, larger and broader customer bases, more established relationships with
a larger number of suppliers, contract manufacturers, and channel partners, greater brand recognition, ability to leverage app stores which they may operate,
experience manufacturing
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particular wearable devices, such as smartwatches, and greater financial, research and development, marketing, distribution, and other resources than we do.
Some of our competitors may aggressively discount their products and services in order to gain market share, which could result in pricing pressures,
reduced profit margins, lost market share, or a failure to grow market share for us. In addition, new products may have lower selling prices or higher costs than
legacy products, which could negatively impact our gross margins and operating results. Our competitors and potential competitors may also be able to develop
products or services that are equal or superior to ours, achieve greater market acceptance of their products and services, and increase sales by utilizing different
distribution channels than we do.
Furthermore, current or potential competitors may be acquired by third parties with greater available resources. As a result of such acquisitions, our current
or potential competitors might be able to adapt more quickly to new technologies and consumer needs, devote greater resources to the promotion or sale of their
products and services, initiate or withstand substantial price competition, take advantage of acquisition or other opportunities more readily or develop and expand
their products and services more quickly than we do. If we are not able to compete effectively against our current or potential competitors, our prospects, operating
results, and financial condition could be adversely affected.
If we are unable to anticipate and satisfy consumer preferences in a timely manner, our business may be adversely affected.
Our success depends on our ability to anticipate and satisfy consumer preferences in a timely manner. All of our products and services are subject to
changing consumer preferences that cannot be predicted with certainty. In terms of units sold, we have primarily operated in the tracker segment of the wearables
device market. However, consumer preference has increasingly shifted to the smartwatch segment of the wearables device market. Although we are building out
our smartwatch offerings, consumers may ultimately decide not to purchase our products and services as their preferences could shift rapidly to different types of
wearable devices or away from these types of products and services altogether. In addition, adoption of our products may vary by geographic region. Our future
success depends in part on our ability to anticipate and respond to shifts in consumer preferences. If we do not anticipate such shifts in a timely manner, our
reputation and business may be adversely affected.
Our newer products and services that have additional features or new product designs, such as Fitbit Versa, may also have higher prices than many of our
earlier products and the products of some of our competitors, which may not appeal to consumers or only appeal to a smaller subset of consumers. It is also
possible that competitors could introduce new products and services that negatively impact consumer preference for our wearable devices, which could result in
decreased sales of our products and services and a loss in market share.
In addition, although we intend to build out our recurring non-device revenue offerings, such as with a premium experience that offers a variety of features,
insights and programs, it is possible that consumers or enterprise customers may not be receptive to these new services or that revenue from these offerings may
continue to be immaterial. For example, in the first quarter of 2018, we acquired Twine Health, Inc., or Twine Health, a health coaching platform and in the third
quarter of 2018, we introduced Fitbit Care, a connected health platform for health plans and employers, and revenue from these offerings is an immaterial portion
of our overall revenue. In addition, we have limited experience operating services outside of our core device business, and our ability to forecast revenue and other
financial and operating results for any new service, such as Fitbit Care, is inherently uncertain, and our actual results may vary significantly from what we desire or
predict or the estimates of analysts.
Accordingly, if we fail to anticipate and satisfy consumer preferences in a timely manner, or if it is perceived that our future products and services will not
satisfy consumer preferences, our business may be adversely affected.
If we are unable to successfully develop, timely introduce, and effectively manage the introduction of new products and services or enhance existing products
and services, our business may be adversely affected.
We must continually develop and introduce new products and services and improve and enhance our existing products and services to maintain or increase
our sales. We believe that our future growth depends on continuing to engage and expand our user base by introducing new form factors, software
services and other offerings. For example, in the first quarter of 2018, we started shipping Fitbit Versa, our second smartwatch; in the second quarter of 2018, we
started shipping Fitbit Ace, our activity tracker designed for kids ages 8 and older; and in the third quarter of 2018, we started shipping Fitbit Charge 3, our newest
activity tracker. In addition, in the first quarter of 2018, we acquired Twine Health, and in the third quarter of 2018, we introduced Fitbit Care. The success of new
or enhanced products and services may depend on a number of factors including, among other things, anticipating and effectively addressing consumer preferences
and demand, timely and successful research and development, the success of our
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sales and marketing efforts, effective forecasting and management of product demand, purchase commitments, and inventory levels, effective management of
manufacturing and supply costs, and the quality of or defects in our products.
The development of our products and services is complex and costly, and we typically have several products and services in development at the same time.
Given the complexity, we occasionally have experienced, and could experience in the future, delays in completing the development and introduction of new and
enhanced products and services, product costs that are higher than planned, or lower than expected manufacturing yields of new and enhanced products, which may
adversely affect our revenue and gross margins.
If revenues decline, we may be forced to reduce costs and may not be able to compete effectively. Unanticipated problems in developing products and
services could also divert substantial research and development resources, which may impair our ability to develop new products and services and enhancements of
existing products and services, and could substantially increase our costs. Problems in the design or quality of our products or services may also have an adverse
effect on our brand, business, financial condition, and operating results.
We must also successfully manage introductions of new or enhanced products or services. Introductions of new or enhanced products or services could also
adversely impact the sales of our existing products to retailers and consumers. For instance, retailers often purchase less of our existing products in advance of new
product launches. Furthermore, we may experience greater returns from retailers or users of existing products, or retailers may be granted stock rotation rights and
price protection. Moreover, consumers may decide to purchase new or enhanced products instead of existing products. We may face challenges managing the
inventory of existing products, which could lead to excess inventory and discounting of our existing products. In addition, new products may have lower selling
prices or higher costs than legacy products, which could negatively impact our gross margins and operating results. We have also historically incurred higher levels
of sales and marketing expenses accompanying each product introduction. Accordingly, if we fail to effectively manage introductions of new or enhanced
products, our operating results could be harmed.
Our operating results could be materially harmed if we are unable to accurately forecast consumer demand for our products and services and adequately
manage our inventory.
If we fail to accurately forecast consumer demand, we may experience excess inventory levels or a shortage of products available for sale. Our ability to
accurately forecast demand for our products and services could be affected by many factors, including an increase or decrease in consumer demand for our
products and services or for the products and services of our competitors, product and service introductions by us and our competitors, channel inventory levels,
sales promotions by us or our competitors, unanticipated changes in general market conditions, and the weakening of economic conditions or consumer confidence
in future economic conditions. To ensure adequate inventory supply, we must forecast inventory needs and expenses and place orders sufficiently in advance with
our suppliers and contract manufacturers based on our estimates of future demand for particular products. We have previously faced and may continue to face
challenges acquiring adequate and timely supplies of our products to satisfy demand, particularly in connection with new product introductions, which we believe
may negatively affect our revenue. For example, during the three months ended June 30, 2018, we were impacted by supply constraints associated with Fitbit
Versa, which limited our ability to fully satisfy all of the current demand for this product. As we continue to introduce new products, we may face challenges
managing the inventory of existing products. No assurance can be given that we will not incur additional charges in future periods related to our inventory
management or that we will not underestimate or overestimate forecasted sales in a future period.
Inventory levels in excess of consumer demand may result in inventory write-downs or write-offs and the sale of inventory at discounted prices, which have
caused and may continue to cause our gross margin to decline and could impair the strength of our brand. For example, during the fourth quarter of 2016, as a
result of reduced demand, we recorded write-downs for excess and obsolete inventory, accelerated depreciation of manufacturing and tooling equipment, and
recorded a liability to our contract manufacturers for unutilized manufacturing capacity and components. In addition, we offered, and recorded reserves for,
additional rebates and promotions during the fourth quarter of 2016 to retailers and distributors. During 2017, we recorded additional write-downs for excess and
obsolete inventory, accelerated depreciation of manufacturing and tooling equipment due to continued reduced demand, price protection on certain products, and
rebates. Reserves and write-downs for rebates, promotions, excess inventory, tooling and manufacturing capacity are recorded based on our forecast of future
demand. Actual future demand could be less than our forecast which may result in additional reserves and write-downs in the future or actual demand could be
stronger than forecast which may result in a reduction to previously recorded reserves and write-downs in the future and increase the volatility of our operating
results.
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Conversely, if we underestimate consumer demand for our products, we may in future periods be unable to meet customer, retailer or distributor demand for
our products. We may also be required to incur higher costs to secure the necessary production capacity and components if we underestimate demand and our
business and operating results could be adversely affected, including damage to our brand and customer relationships.
Our quarterly operating results or other operating metrics may fluctuate significantly, which could cause the trading price of our Class A common stock to
decline.
Our quarterly operating results and other operating metrics have fluctuated in the past and may continue to fluctuate from quarter to quarter. We expect that
this trend will continue as a result of a number of factors, many of which are outside of our control and may be difficult to predict, including:
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the level of demand for our wearable devices and our ability to maintain or increase the size and engagement of our community of users;
the timing and success of new product and service introductions by us and the transition from legacy products;
the timing and success of new product and service introductions by our competitors or any other change in the competitive landscape of our market;
the mix of products sold in a quarter;
the continued market acceptance of, and the growth of the market for, wearable devices, and evolution of this market into smartwatches and other form
factors;
pricing pressure as a result of competition or otherwise;
delays or disruptions in our supply, manufacturing, or distribution chain;
errors in our forecasting of the demand for our products, which could lead to lower revenue or increased costs, or both;
seasonal buying patterns of consumers;
increases in levels of channel inventory resulting from sales to our retailers and distributors in anticipation of future demand;
increases in and timing of sales and marketing and other operating expenses that we may incur to grow and expand our operations and to remain
competitive;
impact of sales and marketing efforts and promotions by competitors, which are difficult to predict;
insolvency, credit, or other difficulties faced by our distributors and retailers, affecting their ability to purchase or pay for our products;
insolvency, credit, or other difficulties confronting our suppliers, contract manufacturers, or logistics providers leading to disruptions in our supply or
distribution chain;
levels of product returns, stock rotation, and price protection rights;
levels of warranty claims or estimated costs of warranty claims;
adverse litigation judgments, settlements, or other litigation-related costs;
changes in the legislative or regulatory environment, such as with respect to privacy, information security, health and wellness devices, consumer product
safety, advertising, and taxes;
product recalls, regulatory proceedings, or other adverse publicity about our products;
fluctuations in foreign exchange rates;
costs related to the acquisition of businesses, talent, technologies, or intellectual property, including potentially significant amortization costs and possible
write-downs; and
general economic conditions in either domestic or international markets, including potential changes in tariffs.
Any one of the factors above or the cumulative effect of some of the factors above may result in significant fluctuations in our operating results.
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The variability and unpredictability of our quarterly operating results or other operating metrics could result in our failure to meet our expectations, those of
any analysts that publish financial coverage of us, or investors with respect to revenue or other operating results for a particular period. If we fail to meet or exceed
such expectations for these or any other reasons, the market price of our Class A common stock could fall substantially, and we could face costly lawsuits,
including securities class action suits.
We may not be able to achieve revenue growth or profitability in the future.
Our historical revenue growth should not be considered indicative of our future performance. Our revenue has declined in recent periods, and we expect our
revenue growth to be slower than in the past or to decline in future periods due to a number of factors which may include slowing demand for our products and
services, increasing competition, a decrease in the growth of our overall market, our failure, for any reason, to capitalize on growth opportunities, or the maturation
of our business.
From 2014 to 2016, our annual revenue grew rapidly from $745.4 million to $2.2 billion. However, in recent quarters, our revenue growth has declined, and
our historical growth should not be considered as indicative of our future performance. Although our annual revenue in 2016 was up 17% compared to 2015, our
annual revenue in 2017 declined 26% compared to 2016, and our revenue in 2018 declined 6% compared to 2017. In future periods, we could again experience a
decline in revenue, or revenue could grow more slowly than we expect, which could have a material negative effect on our future operating results.
Because we have only a limited history operating our business at its current scale, it is difficult to evaluate our current business and future prospects,
including our ability to plan for and model future growth. Our limited operating experience at this scale, combined with the rapidly evolving nature of the market in
which we sell our products and services, substantial uncertainty concerning how these markets may develop, and other economic factors beyond our control,
reduces our ability to accurately forecast quarterly or annual revenue. As such, any predictions about our future revenue and expenses may not be as accurate as
they would be if we had a longer operating history or operated in a more developed and predictable market. Failure to manage our future growth effectively could
have an adverse effect on our business, which, in turn, could have an adverse impact on our operating results and financial condition.
In addition, we have not consistently achieved profitability on a quarterly or annual basis. For example, we recorded a net loss of $185.8 million in 2018 and
a net loss of $277.2 million in 2017. Lower levels of revenue and higher levels of operating expenses may result in limited profitability or losses in the future.
If we fail to manage our operating expenses effectively, our financial performance may be negatively impacted.
Our success also depends on our ability to manage our operating expenses effectively. Our employee headcount and the scope and complexity of our
business have increased significantly during recent years and we had 1,694 employees as of December 31, 2018 . We have incurred significant net losses of $185.8
million , $277.2 million and $102.8 million in 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.
In addition, we are also investing in areas we believe will grow revenue and our operating expenses might increase as a result of these investments. The
development of our products and services is complex and costly, and we typically have several products and services in development at the same time. Our
research and development efforts may require us to incur substantial expenses to support the development of our next generation devices and other new products
and services. Our research and development expenses were $332.2 million , $343.0 million and $320.2 million , for 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.
We could also be required to continue to expand our sales and marketing, product development, and distribution functions, to upgrade our business
information technology systems and other processes and technology, and to obtain more space for our expanding workforce. These efforts could increase the strain
on our resources, and we could experience serious operating difficulties, including difficulties in hiring, training, and managing employees.
If our continued investments do not result in future revenue as expected, we may incur greater than expected losses and our liquidity position may be
materially adversely affected.
Conversely, in the future, we may again need to strategically realign our resources, adjust our product line and/or enact price reductions in order to stimulate
demand, implement additional restructuring and workforce reductions or downsize our facilities for our reduced workforce. Any such actions may result in the
recording of special charges including inventory-related write-offs, workforce reductions, or other restructuring costs. Additionally, our estimates with respect to
the useful life or ultimate recoverability of our assets, including purchased intangible assets and tooling, could also change and result in impairment charges.
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If we are unable to operate efficiently and manage our costs, we may continue to incur significant losses in the future and may not be able to achieve or
maintain profitability.
Because some of the key components in our products come from a limited number or single source of supply, we are susceptible to supply shortages, long lead
times for components, and supply changes, any of which could disrupt our supply chain.
Some of the key components used to manufacture our products come from a limited or single source of supply. Our contract manufacturers generally
purchase these components on our behalf, subject to certain approved supplier lists. We are subject to the risk of shortages and long lead times in the supply of
these components and the risk that our suppliers discontinue or modify components used in our products. In addition, the lead times associated with certain
components are lengthy and preclude rapid changes in quantities and delivery schedules. We have in the past experienced and may in the future experience
component shortages, and the predictability of the availability of these components may be limited. While component shortages have historically been immaterial,
they could be material in the future. In the event of a component shortage or supply interruption from suppliers of these components, we may not be able to
develop suitable alternate sources in a timely manner. In addition, some of our suppliers, contract manufacturers, and logistics providers may have more
established relationships with our competitors, and as a result of such relationships, such suppliers may choose to limit or terminate their relationship with us.
Developing suitable alternate sources of supply for these components may be time-consuming, difficult, and costly and we may not be able to source these
components on terms that are acceptable to us, or at all, which may adversely affect our ability to meet our requirements or to fill our orders in a timely or cost-
effective manner. Any interruption or delay in the supply of any of these parts or components, or the inability to obtain these parts or components from alternate
sources at acceptable prices and within a reasonable amount of time, would harm our ability to meet our scheduled product deliveries to our customers and users.
This could harm our relationships with our channel partners and users and could cause delays in shipment of our products and adversely affect our operating
results. In addition, increased component costs could result in lower gross margins. If we are unable to buy these components in quantities sufficient to meet our
requirements on a timely basis, we will not be able to deliver products and services to our customers and users, which could adversely impact our revenue, gross
margins, and operating results.
Our future success depends on the continuing efforts of our key employees, including our founders, James Park and Eric N. Friedman, and on our ability to
attract and retain highly skilled personnel and senior management.
Our future success depends, in part, on our ability to continue to attract and retain highly skilled personnel. In particular, we are highly dependent on the
contributions of our co-founders, James Park and Eric N. Friedman, as well as other members of our management team. The loss of any key personnel could make
it more difficult to manage our operations and research and development activities to deliver on our product road map, reduce our employee retention and revenue,
and impair our ability to compete. Although we have generally entered into employment offer letters with our key personnel, these agreements have no specific
duration and provide for at-will employment, which means they may terminate their employment relationship with us at any time.
Competition for highly skilled personnel is often intense, especially in the San Francisco Bay area where we are located, and we may incur significant costs
to attract them. We may not be successful in attracting, integrating, or retaining qualified personnel to fulfill our current or future needs. We have, from time to
time, experienced, and we expect to continue to experience, difficulty in hiring and retaining highly skilled employees with appropriate qualifications. Job
candidates and existing employees often consider the value of the equity awards they receive in connection with their employment, and the significant decline in
the price of our Class A common stock since our initial public offering may adversely affect our ability to attract or retain highly skilled employees. Fluctuations in
the price of our Class A common stock may also make it more difficult or costly to use equity awards to motivate, incentivize and retain our employees.
Furthermore, there can be no assurances that the number of shares reserved for issuance under our equity incentive plans will be sufficient to grant equity awards
adequate to recruit new employees and to compensate existing employees. Additionally, changes in immigration laws may make it harder to attract and retain
highly skilled employees. If we fail to attract new personnel or fail to retain and motivate our current personnel, our business and future growth prospects could be
severely harmed.
We spend significant amounts on advertising and other marketing campaigns to acquire new users, which may not be successful or cost effective.
We spend significant amounts on advertising and other marketing campaigns, such as television, cinema, print advertising, and social media, to acquire new
users and we expect to continue to spend significant amounts marketing our products and services to acquire new users and increase awareness of our products and
services. In 2018, 2017 and 2016, advertising expenses, excluding
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co-op advertising and rebates which are recorded as contra-revenue, were $161.5 million , $226.3 million and $316.8 million, respectively, representing
approximately 11%, 14% and 15% of our revenue, respectively. Co-op advertising costs were $80.3 million , $45.0 million, and $52.9 million for 2018, 2017 and
2016, respectively. A significant portion of our advertising and marketing spend is typically incurred in the fourth quarter as part of our holiday promotions, as well
as when new products are released. While we seek to structure our advertising campaigns in the manner that we believe is most likely to encourage people to buy
our products and services, we may fail to identify advertising opportunities that satisfy our anticipated return on advertising spend as we scale our investments in
marketing, accurately predict user acquisition, or fully understand or estimate the conditions and behaviors that drive user behavior. Particularly during the holiday
season, there is significant competition for holiday spending; if competitors or other products offer more compelling promotions or products, we may not realize
our expected sales or recover our advertising and promotional spend. If new products do not meet customer expectations, we may not recover our advertising and
promotional spend for new product introductions. If for any reason any of our advertising campaigns prove less successful than anticipated in attracting new users,
we may not be able to recover our advertising spend, and our rate of user acquisition may fail to meet market expectations, either of which could have an adverse
effect on our business. There can be no assurance that our advertising and other marketing efforts will result in increased sales of our products and services.
Further, promotional activity may adversely affect our gross margin.
Our current and future products and services may experience quality problems from time to time that can result in adverse publicity, product recalls, litigation,
regulatory proceedings, and warranty claims resulting in significant direct or indirect costs, decreased revenue and operating margin, and harm to our brand.
We sell complex products and services that could contain design and manufacturing defects in their materials, hardware, and firmware. These defects could
include defective materials or components, or “bugs,” that can unexpectedly interfere with the products’ intended operations or cause injuries to users or property.
Although we extensively test new and enhanced products and services before their release, there can be no assurance we will be able to detect, prevent, or fix all
defects. For example, our products may fail to provide accurate measurements and data to all users under all circumstances, or there may be reports or claims of
inaccurate measurements under certain circumstances.
Failure to detect, prevent, or fix defects, or an increase in defects could result in a variety of consequences including a greater number of returns of products
than expected from users and retailers, increases in warranty costs, regulatory proceedings, product recalls, and litigation, which could harm our revenue and
operating results. For example, in 2016, we experienced an increase in actual and estimated warranty claims of $108.5 million as compared to 2015, which caused
a 4% decline in gross margin in 2016 as compared to 2015. We generally provide a 45-day right of return for purchases through Fitbit.com and a 12-month limited
warranty on all of our products, though warranty duration and scope may vary by jurisdiction in compliance with applicable local law. The occurrence of real or
perceived quality problems or material defects in our current and future products could expose us to warranty claims in excess of our current reserves. Moreover,
we may offer stock rotation rights and price protection to our distributors. If we experience greater returns from retailers or users, or greater warranty claims, in
excess of our reserves, our business, revenue, gross margin, and operating results could be harmed. In addition, any negative publicity or lawsuits filed against us
related to the perceived quality and safety of our products could also affect our brand and decrease demand for our products and services, adversely affecting our
operating results and financial condition.
We rely on a limited number of suppliers, contract manufacturers, and logistics providers, and each of our products is manufactured by a single contract
manufacturer.
We rely on a limited number of suppliers, contract manufacturers, and logistics providers. In particular, we use contract manufacturers located in Asia, and
each of our products is manufactured by a single contract manufacturer. Our reliance on a sole contract manufacturer for each of our products increases the risk
that in the event of an interruption from any one of these contract manufacturers, including, without limitation, due to a natural catastrophe, labor dispute or
increased tariffs on goods produced in certain countries, we may not be able to develop an alternate source without incurring material additional costs and
substantial delays. Accordingly, an interruption from any key supplier, contract manufacturer, or logistics provider could adversely impact our revenue, gross
margins, and operating results.
If we experience a significant increase in demand, or if we need to replace an existing supplier, contract manufacturer, or logistics provider or move our
contract manufacturing to a different country, we may be unable to supplement or replace such supply, contract manufacturing, or logistics capacity on terms that
are acceptable to us, which may adversely impact our ability to deliver our products to customers in a timely manner. For example, for certain of our products, it
may take a significant amount of time to onboard a contract manufacturer that has the capability and resources to build the product to our specifications in
sufficient volume. Identifying suitable suppliers, contract manufacturers, and logistics providers is an extensive process that requires
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us to become satisfied with their quality control, technical capabilities, responsiveness and service, financial stability, regulatory compliance, and labor and other
ethical practices. In addition, our contract manufacturers often make significant investments to build capacity based upon our forecasted production. If we
experience a significant decrease in demand as compared to our forecast, our contract manufacturers may seek to renegotiate the terms of their commitments or
choose to limit or terminate their relationship with us. Accordingly, a loss of any key supplier, contract manufacturer, or logistics provider could adversely impact
our revenue, gross margins, and operating results.
We have limited control over our suppliers, contract manufacturers, and logistics providers, which subjects us to significant risks, including the potential
inability to obtain or produce quality products on a timely basis or in sufficient quantity.
We have limited control over our suppliers, contract manufacturers, and logistics providers, including aspects of their specific manufacturing processes and
their labor, environmental, or other practices, which subjects us to significant risks, including the following:
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inability to satisfy demand for our products;
reduced control over delivery timing and product reliability;
reduced ability to oversee the manufacturing process and components used in our products;
reduced ability to monitor compliance with our product manufacturing specifications;
price increases;
insolvency, credit problems, or other financial difficulties confronting our suppliers, contract manufacturers, or logistic providers;
difficulties in establishing additional or alternative contract manufacturing relationships if we experience difficulties with our existing suppliers, contract
manufacturers or logistic providers;
shortages of materials or components;
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suppliers, contract manufacturers, and logistics providers may choose to limit or terminate their relationship with us;
exposure to natural catastrophes, political unrest, terrorism, labor disputes, and economic instability resulting in the disruption of trade from foreign
countries in which our products are manufactured;
changes in local economic conditions in countries where our suppliers, contract manufacturers, or logistics providers are located;
the imposition of new laws and regulations, including those relating to labor conditions, quality and safety standards, imports, duties, taxes, and other
charges on imports, as well as trade restrictions and restrictions on currency exchange or the transfer of funds and tariffs; and
insufficient warranties and indemnities on components supplied to our contract manufacturers.
If there are defects in the manufacture of our products, we may face negative publicity, government investigations, and litigation, and we may not be fully
compensated by our contract manufacturers for any financial or other liability that we suffer as a result.
To date, we have derived substantially all of our revenue from sales of our wearable devices, and revenue from our Fitbit Health Solutions channel has
historically accounted for less than 10% of our revenue
To date, substantially all of our revenue has been derived from sales of our wearable devices, and we expect to continue to derive the substantial majority of
our revenue from sales of these devices for the foreseeable future. In 2018 and 2017, we derived less than 10% of our revenue from sales of devices and software
services through our Fitbit Health Solutions channel. However, in the future we plan to increase sales of devices and software services to employers, health plans
and health systems through our Fitbit Health Solutions channel. For example, in September 2018, we launched Fitbit Care, a connected health platform for health
plans, employers, and health systems that combines health coaching and virtual care, wearable devices, and personalized digital interventions to better support
patients outside the walls of the clinical environment. If reception from employers, health plans, health systems or end users is unfavorable, or if we are unable to
successfully further develop, and market and sell our devices
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and software services through the Fitbit Health Solutions channel, we may be deprived of a potentially significant source of revenue in the future.
To date, we have derived substantially all of our revenue from sales of our wearable devices, and sales of our subscription-based premium services to
consumers have historically accounted for less than 1% of our revenue.
To date, substantially all of our revenue has been derived from sales of our wearable devices, and we expect to continue to derive the substantial majority of
our revenue from sales of these devices for the foreseeable future. In 2018 and 2017, we derived less than 1% of our revenue from sales of our subscription-based
premium services to consumers. However, in the future we plan to increase sales of subscriptions to these services. For example, in October 2017, we launched
Fitbit Coach, our premium guidance and coaching paid offering, and we intend to further build out our recurring non-device revenue offerings, such as with a
premium experience that offers additional features, insights and programs. If consumer reception is unfavorable or we are unable to successfully further develop,
and market and sell our premium services, we may be deprived of a potentially significant source of revenue in the future. In addition, sales of our premium
services may lead to additional sales of our wearable devices and user engagement with our platform. As a result, our future growth and financial performance may
depend, in part, on our ability to sell more subscriptions to our premium services.
We are, and may in the future, be subject to claims and lawsuits alleging that our products fail to provide accurate measurements and data to our users.
Our products and services are used to track and display various information about users’ activities, such as daily steps taken, calories burned, distance
traveled, floors climbed, active minutes, sleep duration and quality, and heart rate and GPS-based information such as speed, distance, and exercise routes. We
anticipate new features and functionality in the future, as well. From time to time, there have been reports and claims made against us alleging that our products do
not provide accurate measurements and data to users, including claims asserting that certain features of our products do not operate as advertised. Such reports and
claims have resulted in negative publicity, and, in some cases, have required us to expend time and resources to defend litigation. For example, in the first quarter
of 2016, class action lawsuits were filed against us based upon claims that the PurePulse heart rate tracking technology in the Fitbit Charge HR, Fitbit Surge, and
Fitbit Blaze do not consistently and accurately record users’ heart rates during high-intensity exercise. If our products fail to provide accurate measurements and
data to users, or if there are reports or claims of inaccurate measurements, claims of false advertisement, or claims of inaccuracy regarding the overall health
benefits of our products and services in the future, we may become the subject of negative publicity, litigation, including class action litigation, regulatory
proceedings, and warranty claims, and our brand, operating results, and business could be harmed.
Our gross margins have declined, and may continue to decline, and we have experienced operating losses as a result of decreased revenues, increasing product
costs and operating expenses.
Our business is subject to significant pressure on pricing and costs caused by many factors, including intense competition, new product introductions, the
cost of components used in our products, labor costs, constrained sourcing capacity, inflationary pressure, pressure from users to reduce the prices we charge for
our products and services, warranty claims, and changes in consumer demand. Costs for the components used in the manufacture of our products are affected by,
among other things, energy prices, consumer demand, fluctuations in commodity prices and currency, tariffs, and other factors that are generally unpredictable and
beyond our control. Any change to pricing and costs could have an adverse effect on, among other things, our average selling price, the cost of our products, gross
margins, operating results, financial condition, and cash flows. Moreover, if we are unable to offset any decreases in our average selling price by increasing our
sales volumes or by adjusting our product mix, or if our sales volume declines and we are not able to reduce our costs, our operating results and financial condition
may be harmed.
A substantial portion of our expenses are personnel related and include salaries, stock-based compensation and benefits, which are not seasonal in nature.
Accordingly, in the event of revenue shortfalls, we are generally unable to mitigate a negative impact on operating margins in the short term. To the extent such
revenue shortfalls recur in future periods, our operating results would be harmed.
Our success depends on our ability to maintain our brand. If events occur that damage our brand, our business and financial results may be harmed.
Our success depends on our ability to maintain the value of the “Fitbit” brand. The “Fitbit” name is integral to our business as well as to the implementation
of our strategies for expanding our business. Maintaining, promoting, and positioning our brand will depend largely on the success of our marketing and
merchandising efforts, our ability to provide consistent, high quality
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products and services, and our ability to successfully secure, maintain, and defend our rights to use the “Fitbit” mark and other trademarks important to our brand.
Our brand could be harmed if we fail to achieve these objectives or if our public image or brand were to be tarnished by negative publicity. For example, there has
been media coverage of some of the users of our products reporting skin irritation, as well as personal injury lawsuits filed against us relating to the Fitbit Zip,
Fitbit One, Fitbit Flex, Fitbit Charge, Fitbit Charge HR, and Fitbit Surge products. We also believe that our reputation and brand may be harmed if we fail to
maintain a consistently high level of customer service. In addition, we believe the popularity of the “Fitbit” brand makes it a target for counterfeiting or imitation,
with third parties attempting to sell counterfeit and “knock-off” products that attempt to replicate our products and infringe on our intellectual property.
In addition, our products may be diverted from our authorized retailers, distributors, and other business partners and sold on the “gray market.” Gray market
products result in shadow inventory that is not visible to us, thus making it difficult to forecast demand accurately. Also, when gray market products enter the
market, we and our channel partners compete with often heavily discounted gray market products, which adversely affects demand for our products and negatively
impacts our margins. In addition, our inability to control gray market activities could result in user satisfaction issues, which may have a negative impact on our
brand. When products are purchased outside our authorized retailers and distributors, there is a risk that our customers are buying substandard products, including
products that may have been designated for scrap, altered, mishandled, damaged, or used products represented as new.
Any occurrence of counterfeiting, imitation, or confusion with our brand could adversely affect our reputation, place negative pricing pressure on our
products, reduce sales of our products, and impair the value of our brand. Additionally, counterfeit and unauthorized grey market sales may result in secondary
warranty replacement and service costs. Maintaining, protecting, and enhancing our brand may require us to make substantial investments, and these investments
may not be successful. If we fail to successfully maintain, promote, and position our brand and protect our reputation or if we incur significant expenses in this
effort, our business, financial condition and operating results may be adversely affected.
If significant tariffs or other restrictions are placed on our goods imported into the United States from China or any related counter-measures are taken by
China, our revenue, gross margin, and results of operations may be materially harmed.
If significant tariffs or other restrictions are placed on our goods imported into the United States from China or any related counter-measures are taken by
China, our revenue and results of operations may be materially harmed. Between July and September 2018, the U.S. Trade Representative imposed additional
duties, ranging from 10% to 25%, on a variety of goods imported from China. While these tariffs do not currently apply to our products, if additional tariffs that
cover our products are imposed, the cost of our products may increase. In addition, any such additional tariffs may also make our products more expensive for
consumers, which may reduce consumer demand. We may need to offset the financial impact by, among other things, moving our product manufacturing to other
locations, modifying other business practices or raising prices. If we are not successful in offsetting the impact of any such tariffs, our revenue, gross margins, and
operating results may be adversely affected.
Any insolvency, credit problems, or other financial difficulties impacting our retailers and distributors could expose us to financial risk.
Some of our retailers and distributors have experienced and may continue to experience financial difficulties. Insolvency, credit challenges, or other financial
difficulties may impact our retailers and distributors and could expose us to significant financial risk. In addition, if the credit capacity of any retailer or distributor
declines due to deterioration in their financial condition or increases in their outstanding payable balance to us, we may be subject to additional financial risk.
Financial difficulties of our retailers and distributors could impede their effectiveness and also expose us to risks if they are unable to pay for the products they
purchase from us. For example, Wynit Distribution, LLC, or Wynit, historically our largest customer, filed for bankruptcy protection in September 2017, which
caused us to incur $7.6 million in net bad debt expenses and $1.4 million in net cost of revenues in 2017. Credit and financial difficulties of our retailers and
distributors may also lead to a reduction in sales, price reductions, increased returns of our products, and adverse effects on our brand and operating results. We
maintain credit insurance for the majority of our customer balances, perform ongoing credit evaluations of our customers, and maintain allowances for potential
credit losses on customers’ accounts when deemed necessary. Credit and financial difficulties may lead to an increase in our credit insurance premiums and make it
more difficult or impossible to obtain sufficient coverage, which could increase our exposure and result in increased bad debt expense or additional write-offs. We
also may not have sufficient insurance coverage to cover losses resulting from the credit and financial difficulties of our retailers and distributors. Any reduction in
sales by our current retailers or distributors, loss of large retailers or distributors, or decrease in revenue from our retailers or distributors could adversely affect our
revenue, operating results, and financial condition.
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We depend on retailers and distributors to sell and market our products, and our failure to maintain and further develop our sales channels could harm our
business.
We primarily sell our products through retailers and distributors and depend on these third-parties to sell and market our products to consumers. Any changes
to our current mix of retailers and distributors could adversely affect our gross margin and could negatively affect both our brand image and our reputation. Our
sales depend, in part, on retailers adequately displaying our products, including providing attractive space and point of purchase displays in their stores, and
training their sales personnel to sell our products. Our retailers also often offer products and services of our competitors in their stores. If our retailers and
distributors are not successful in selling our products or overestimate demand for our products or promote competing products and services more effectively than
our products and services, our revenue would decrease and our gross margins could decline due to increased product returns or price protection claims. In addition,
our success in expanding and entering into new markets internationally will depend on our ability to establish relationships with new retailers and distributors. We
also sell and will need to continue to expand our sales through online retailers, such as Amazon.com, and through our direct channel, Fitbit.com, as consumers
increasingly make purchases online. If we do not maintain our relationship with existing retailers and distributors or develop relationships with new retailers and
distributors our ability to sell our products and services could be adversely affected and our business may be harmed.
In 2018 and 2017, our five largest retailers and distributors accounted for approximately 42% and 43%, respectively, of our revenue. Of these retailers and
distributors, D&H Distribution Company and Amazon.com each accounted for approximately 10% of our revenue for 2018, and Amazon.com accounted for
approximately 13% of our revenue for 2017. No other retailers or distributors accounted for 10% or more of our revenue during these periods. Accordingly, the
loss of a small number of our large retailers and distributors, or the reduction in business with one or more of these retailers and distributors, could have a
significant adverse impact on our operating results. For example, Wynit, historically our largest customer at the time, filed for bankruptcy protection in September
2017. While we have agreements with these large retailers and distributors, these agreements do not require them to purchase any meaningful amount of our
products.
Consolidation of retailers or concentration of retail market share among a few retailers may increase and concentrate our credit risk and impair our ability to
sell products.
The electronics retail and sporting goods markets in some countries, including the United States, our largest market, are dominated by a few large retailers
with many stores. These retailers have in the past increased their market share and may continue to do so in the future by expanding through acquisitions and
construction of additional stores. This can further concentrate our credit risk to a relatively small number of retailers, and, if any of these retailers were to
experience credit or liquidity issues, it would increase the risk that our receivables from these customers may not be paid. In addition, increasing market share
concentration among one or a few retailers in a particular country or region increases the risk that if any one of them substantially reduces their purchases of our
wearable devices, we may be unable to find a sufficient number of other retail outlets for our products to sustain the same level of sales. These situations also may
result in pricing pressure to us. Any reduction in sales by our retailers would adversely affect our revenue, operating results, and financial condition.
Our business is affected by seasonality and if our sales fall below our forecasts, our overall financial conditions and operating results could be adversely
affected.
Our revenue and operating results are affected by general seasonal spending trends associated with holidays. For example, our fourth quarter has typically
been our strongest quarter in terms of revenue and operating income, reflecting our historical strength in sales during the holiday season. We generated
approximately 38%, 35% and 26% of our full year revenue during the fourth quarters of 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Accordingly, any shortfall in expected
fourth quarter revenue would adversely affect our annual operating results, as was the case in the fourth quarter of 2016. In addition, although we expect to achieve
cash flow breakeven in 2019, we expect to incur net cash outflows in the first and second quarters of 2019, and positive cash flows in the third and fourth quarters
of 2019. Any shortfall in revenue, particularly in the fourth quarter of 2019, would negatively affect our ability to achieve cash flow breakeven in 2019, and may
adversely affect our liquidity. We may also experience excess inventory levels or a shortage of products available for sale if we fail to accurately forecast consumer
demand for the holiday season.
Furthermore, our growth rate in recent years may obscure the extent to which seasonality trends have affected our business and may continue to affect our
business. Accordingly, yearly or quarterly comparisons of our operating results may not be useful and our results in any particular period will not necessarily be
indicative of the results to be expected for any future period. Seasonality in our business can also be significantly impacted by introductions of new or enhanced
products and services, including the costs associated with such introductions.
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We collect, store, process, and use personal information and other customer data, which subjects us to governmental regulation and other legal obligations
related to privacy, information security, and data protection, and any security breaches or our actual or perceived failure to comply with such legal obligations
could harm our business.
We collect, store, process, and use personal information and other user data, and we rely on third parties that are not directly under our control to do so. Our
users’ exercise and activity-related data and other personal information may include, among other information, names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses,
payment account information, height, weight, and information such as heart rates, sleeping patterns, GPS-based location, and activity patterns.
Due to the volume of the personal information and data we manage and the nature of our products, the security features of our platform and information
systems are critical. If our security measures, some of which we manage using third-party solutions, are breached or fail, unauthorized persons may be able to
obtain access to or acquire our users’ data. Furthermore, if third-party service providers that host user data on our behalf experience security breaches or violate
applicable laws, agreements, or our policies, such events may also put our users’ information at risk and could in turn have an adverse effect on our business.
Additionally, if we or any third-party, including third-party applications, with which our users choose to share their Fitbit data were to experience a breach of
systems compromising our users’ personal data, our brand and reputation could be adversely affected, use of our products and services could decrease, and we
could be exposed to a risk of loss, litigation, and regulatory proceedings.
Depending on the nature of the information compromised, in the event of a data breach or other unauthorized access to or acquisition of our user data, we
may also have obligations to notify users about the incident and we may need to provide some form of remedy, such as a subscription to a credit monitoring
service, for the individuals affected by the incident. A growing number of legislative and regulatory bodies have adopted consumer notification requirements in the
event of unauthorized access to or acquisition of certain types of personal data. Such breach notification laws continue to evolve and may be inconsistent from one
jurisdiction to another. Complying with these obligations could cause us to incur substantial costs and could increase negative publicity surrounding any incident
that compromises user data. Our users may also inadvertently disclose or lose control of their passwords, creating the perception that our systems are not secure
against third-party access. While we maintain insurance coverage that, subject to policy terms and conditions and a significant self-insured retention, is designed to
address certain aspects of cyber risks, such insurance coverage may be insufficient to cover all losses or all types of claims that may arise in the event we
experience a security breach. In addition, any such security breaches may result in negative publicity, adversely affect our brand, decrease demand for our products
and services, and adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.
Our failure to comply with U.S. and foreign laws related to privacy, data security, and data protection, such as the European Union’s General Data Protection
Regulation, which has broad scope, raised standards, and substantial penalties, and requires an adequate legal mechanism for the transfer of personal data
outside of Europe, could adversely affect our financial condition, operating results, and our brand.
We are or may become subject to a variety of laws and regulations in the United States and abroad regarding privacy, data protection, and data security.
These laws and regulations are continuously evolving and developing. The scope and interpretation of the laws that are or may be applicable to us are often
uncertain and may be conflicting, particularly with respect to foreign laws.
In particular, there are numerous U.S. federal, state, and local laws and regulations and foreign laws and regulations regarding privacy and the collection,
sharing, use, processing, disclosure, and protection of personal data. Such laws and regulations often have changes in scope, may be subject to differing
interpretations, and may be inconsistent among different jurisdictions. For example, the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, became effective in May
2018. The GDPR includes operational requirements for companies that receive or process personal data of residents of the European Union that are more stringent
than those previously in place in the European Union, and that will include significant penalties for non-compliance, including fines of up to €20 million or 4% of
total worldwide revenue. Additionally, in June 2018, California passed the California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA, provides new data privacy rights for
consumers and new operational requirements for companies, effective in 2020. Fines for noncompliance may be up to $7,500 per violation. The costs of
compliance with, and other burdens imposed by, the GDPR and CCPA may limit the use and adoption of our products and services and could have an adverse
impact on our business.
Additionally, we rely on various legal mechanisms for transferring certain personal data outside of the European Economic Area, or EEA, including the EU-
US Privacy Shield Framework, or Privacy Shield, and EU Standard Contractual Clauses, or SCCs. In November 2016, the US Department of Commerce approved
our Privacy Shield self-certification, which is available on the Department’s Privacy Shield website. Both Privacy Shield and the SCCs are the subject of ongoing
legal challenges in European courts. If we fail or are perceived to fail to meet the Privacy Shield principles or our obligations under the SCCs, or if any of these
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legal mechanisms for transferring data from the EEA are invalidated by European courts or otherwise become defunct, EU data protection authorities or the
Federal Trade Commission could bring enforcement actions seeking to prohibit or suspend our data transfers or alleging unfair or deceptive practices. In such
cases, we could be required to make potentially expensive changes to our information technology infrastructure and business operations, and we could face legal
liability, fines, negative publicity, and resulting loss of business.
Certain privacy laws and regulations also apply to the collection of personal information from children, including the Children’s Online Privacy Protection
Act, or COPPA, and GDPR. In the first quarter of 2018, we introduced Fitbit Ace, our first activity tracker designed for kids ages 8 and up and Fitbit family
accounts. If these products no not comply with any applicable laws or regulations, we could be subject to claims, legal liabilities, penalties, fines, and negative
publicity, which could harm our operating results.
We strive to comply with all applicable laws, policies, legal obligations, and industry codes of conduct relating to privacy, data security, and data protection.
However, given that the scope, interpretation, and application of these laws and regulations are often uncertain and may be conflicting, it is possible that these
obligations may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another and may conflict with other rules or our practices. Any
failure or perceived failure by us or third-party service-providers to comply with our privacy or security policies or privacy-related legal obligations, or the failure
or perceived failure by third-party apps with which our users choose to share their Fitbit data to comply with their privacy policies or privacy-related legal
obligations as they relate to the Fitbit data shared with them, or any compromise of security that results in the unauthorized release or transfer of personal data, may
result in governmental enforcement actions, litigation, or negative publicity, and could have an adverse effect on our brand and operating results.
Certain health-related laws and regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, and the Health Information
Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, or HITECH, may have an impact on our business. For example, in September 2015 we announced that we
intend to offer HIPAA compliant capabilities to certain customers of Fitbit Health Solutions who are “covered entities” under HIPAA, which may include our
execution of Business Associate Agreements with such covered entities. In addition, changes in applicable laws and regulations may result in the user data we
collect being deemed protected health information, or PHI, under HIPAA and HITECH. Furthermore, because we accept payment via credit cards, we are subject
to payment card association operating rules and certification requirements, including the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, or PCI DSS. If we are
unable to comply with the applicable privacy and security requirements under HIPAA, HITECH, or PCI DSS, or we fail to comply with Business Associate
Agreements that we enter into with covered entities, we could be subject to claims, legal liabilities, penalties, fines, and negative publicity, which could harm our
operating results.
Governments are continuing to focus on privacy and data security and it is possible that new privacy or data security laws will be passed or existing laws will
be amended in a way that is material to our business. Any significant change to applicable laws, regulations, or industry practices regarding our users’ data could
require us to modify our services and features, possibly in a material manner, and may limit our ability to develop new products, services, and features. Although
we have made efforts to design our policies, procedures, and systems to comply with the current requirements of applicable state, federal, and foreign laws,
changes to applicable laws and regulations in this area could subject us to additional regulation and oversight, any of which could significantly increase our
operating costs.
Cybersecurity risks could adversely affect our business and disrupt our operations.
The threats to network and data security are increasingly diverse and sophisticated. Despite our efforts and processes to prevent breaches, our devices, as
well as our servers, computer systems, and those of third parties that we use in our operations are vulnerable to cybersecurity risks, including cyber-attacks such as
viruses and worms, phishing attacks, denial-of-service attacks, physical or electronic break-ins, employee theft or misuse, and similar disruptions from
unauthorized tampering with our servers and computer systems or those of third parties that we use in our operations, which could lead to interruptions, delays, loss
of critical data, unauthorized access to user data, and loss of consumer confidence. In addition, we may be the target of email scams that attempt to acquire
personal information or company assets. Despite our efforts to create security barriers to such threats, we may not be able to entirely mitigate these risks. Any
cyber-attack that attempts to obtain our or our users’ data and assets, disrupt our service, or otherwise access our systems, or those of third parties we use, if
successful, could adversely affect our business, operating results, and financial condition, be expensive to remedy, and damage our reputation. In addition, any
such breaches may result in negative publicity, adversely affect our brand, decrease demand for our products and services, and adversely affect our operating
results and financial condition.
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Any material disruption of our information technology systems, or those of third-party partners and data center providers could materially damage user and
business partner relationships, and subject us to significant reputational, financial, legal, and operational consequences.
We depend on our information technology systems, as well as those of third parties, to develop new products and services, operate our website, host and
manage our services, store data, process transactions, respond to user inquiries, and manage inventory and our supply chain. Any material disruption or slowdown
of our systems or those of third parties whom we depend upon, including a disruption or slowdown caused by our failure to successfully manage significant
increases in user volume or successfully upgrade our or their systems, system failures, or other causes, could cause outages or delays in our services, which could
harm our brand and adversely affect our operating results. In addition, such disruption could cause information, including data related to orders, to be lost or
delayed which could---especially if the disruption or slowdown occurred during the holiday season---result in delays in the delivery of products to stores and users
or lost sales, which could reduce demand for our merchandise, harm our brand and reputation, and cause our revenue to decline. Problems with our third-party data
center service providers, the telecommunications network providers with whom they contract, or with the systems by which telecommunications providers allocate
capacity among their users could adversely affect the experience of our users. Our third-party data center service providers could decide to close their facilities or
cease providing us services without adequate notice. Any changes in third-party service levels at our data centers or any errors, defects, disruptions, or other
performance problems with our platform could harm our brand and may damage the data of our users. If changes in technology cause our information systems, or
those of third parties whom we depend upon, to become obsolete, or if our or their information systems are inadequate to handle our growth, we could lose users
and our business and operating results could be adversely affected.
Our failure or inability to protect our intellectual property rights, or claims by others that we are infringing upon or unlawfully using their intellectual property
could diminish the value of our brand and weaken our competitive position, and adversely affect our business, financial condition, operating results, and
prospects.
We currently rely on a combination of patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret, and unfair competition laws, as well as confidentiality agreements and
procedures and licensing arrangements, to establish and protect our intellectual property rights. We have devoted substantial resources to the development of our
proprietary technologies and related processes. In order to protect our proprietary technologies and processes, we rely in part on trade secret laws and
confidentiality agreements with our employees, licensees, independent contractors, commercial partners, and other advisors. These agreements may not effectively
prevent disclosure of confidential information and may not provide an adequate remedy in the event of unauthorized disclosure of confidential information. We
cannot be certain that the steps taken by us to protect our intellectual property rights will be adequate to prevent infringement of such rights by others, including
imitation of our products and misappropriation of our brand. Additionally, the process of obtaining patent or trademark protection is expensive and time-
consuming, and we may not be able to file, apply for or prosecute all necessary or desirable patent applications or trademark applications at a reasonable cost or in
a timely manner. We have obtained and applied for U.S. and foreign trademark registrations for the “Fitbit” brand and a variety of our product names, and will
continue to evaluate the registration of additional trademarks as appropriate. However, we cannot guarantee that any of our pending trademark or patent
applications will be approved by the applicable governmental authorities. Moreover, intellectual property protection may be unavailable or limited in some foreign
countries where laws or law enforcement practices may not protect our intellectual property rights as fully as in the United States, and it may be more difficult for
us to successfully challenge the use of our intellectual property rights by other parties in these countries. Costly and time-consuming litigation could be necessary
to enforce and determine the scope of our proprietary rights, and our failure or inability to obtain or maintain trade secret protection or otherwise protect our
proprietary rights could adversely affect our business.
We are and may in the future be subject to patent infringement and trademark claims and lawsuits in various jurisdictions, and we cannot be certain that our
products or activities do not violate the patents, trademarks, or other intellectual property rights of third-party claimants. Companies in the technology industry and
other patent, copyright, and trademark holders seeking to profit from royalties in connection with grants of licenses own large numbers of patents, copyrights,
trademarks, domain names, and trade secrets and frequently commence litigation based on allegations of infringement, misappropriation, or other violations of
intellectual property or other rights. Companies and individuals may also be subject to criminal prosecution for trade secret theft under 18 U.S.C. section 1832. As
we face increasing competition, the intellectual property rights claims against us and asserted by us have grown and will likely continue to grow. For example, we
have been involved in litigation with Jawbone, as well as in a related federal criminal investigation concerning alleged theft of Jawbone’s trade secrets, which is
described in Note 7 of the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In addition, on June 14, 2018,
the six former Jawbone employees who were named as individual defendants in the state trade secret case were charged in a federal indictment with being in
possession of certain Jawbone trade secrets.
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We intend to vigorously defend and prosecute litigation matters against us. However, litigation is inherently uncertain, and any judgment or injunctive relief
entered against us or any adverse settlement could materially and adversely impact our business, financial condition, operating results, and prospects. In addition,
litigation can involve significant management time and attention and can be expensive, regardless of outcome. During the course of these litigation matters, there
may be announcements of the results of hearings and motions, and other interim developments related to the litigation matters. If securities analysts or investors
regard these announcements as material and negative, the market price of our Class A common stock may decline.
Further, from time to time, we have received and may continue to receive letters from third parties alleging that we are infringing upon their intellectual
property rights. Successful infringement claims against us could result in significant monetary liability, prevent us from selling some of our products and services,
or require us to change our branding. In addition, resolution of claims may require us to redesign our products, license rights from third parties at a significant
expense, or cease using those rights altogether. We have also in the past and may in the future bring claims against third parties for infringing our intellectual
property rights. Costs of supporting such litigation and disputes may be considerable, and there can be no assurances that a favorable outcome will be obtained.
Patent infringement, trademark infringement, trade secret misappropriation, and other intellectual property claims and proceedings brought against us or brought
by us, whether successful or not, could require significant attention of our management and resources and have in the past and could further result in substantial
costs, harm to our brand, and have an adverse effect on our business.
We are regularly subject to general litigation, regulatory disputes, and government inquiries.
We are regularly subject to claims, lawsuits, including potential class actions, government investigations, and other proceedings involving competition and
antitrust, intellectual property, privacy, consumer protection, accessibility claims, securities, tax, labor and employment, commercial disputes, and other matters.
The number and significance of these disputes and inquiries have increased as our company has grown larger, our business has expanded in scope and geographic
reach, and our products and services have increased in complexity.
The outcome and impact of such claims, lawsuits, government investigations, and proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty. Regardless of the outcome,
such investigations and proceedings can have an adverse impact on us because of legal costs, diversion of management resources, and other factors. Determining
reserves for our pending litigation is a complex, fact-intensive process that is subject to judgment calls. It is possible that a resolution of one or more such
proceedings could require us to make substantial payments to satisfy judgments, fines, or penalties or to settle claims or proceedings, any of which could harm our
business. These proceedings could also result in reputational harm, criminal sanctions, or orders preventing us from offering certain products, or services, or
requiring a change in our business practices in costly ways, or requiring development of non-infringing or otherwise altered products or technologies. Any of these
consequences could harm our business.
We may experience difficulties managing our cloud infrastructure migration.
We recently announced our move to the Google Cloud Platform. Cloud infrastructure migrations are complex, time-consuming, and can involve substantial
expenditures. Our cloud service is critical to developing and providing products and services to our customers, scaling our business for future growth, accurately
maintaining data and otherwise operating our business; any such implementation involves risks inherent in the conversion to a new system, including loss of
information and potential disruption to our normal operations. We may discover deficiencies in our design or implementation or maintenance of the new cloud
system that could adversely affect our business.
The market for wearable devices is still evolving and if it does not continue to grow, grows more slowly than we expect, or fails to grow as large as we expect,
our business and operating results would be harmed.
The market for wearable devices, which includes both health and fitness trackers and smartwatches, is still evolving and it is uncertain whether wearable
devices will sustain high levels of demand and wide market acceptance. Our success will depend to a substantial extent on the willingness of people to widely
adopt these products and services. In part, adoption of our products and services will depend on the increasing prevalence of wearable devices driven by the
introduction of new form factors, related software services and other offerings. However, it is not certain whether consumers will respond to these new form
factors, software services and other offerings, and if our offerings fail to satisfy consumer preferences, our business may be adversely affected.
Furthermore, some individuals may be reluctant or unwilling to use wearable devices because they have concerns regarding the risks associated with data
privacy and security. If the wider public does not perceive the benefits of our wearable devices or chooses not to adopt them as a result of concerns regarding
privacy or data security or for other reasons, then the market for these products and services may not further develop, it may develop more slowly than we expect,
or it may not achieve the growth
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potential we expect it to, any of which would adversely affect our operating results. The development and growth of this market may not be sustained.
Our active user metric is only an indicator of potential repeat behavior. Therefore, you should not rely on the active user metric as a guarantee of repeat
purchasing behavior.
Our active user metric tracks the first instance of a Fitbit device (excluding Aria, Aria 2, Flyer and other accessories) pairing to a user account during the
three months ending on the date of measurement, as well as a Fitbit user who previously activated another Fitbit device to his or her account.
The active user metric is only an indicator of potential repeat behavior. Actual repeat purchase behavior may depend on a number of factors, including but
not limited to our ability to anticipate and satisfy consumer preferences. Therefore, you should not rely on our active user metric as a guarantee of repeat purchase
behavior. Further, we do not believe that the active user metric has a direct effect on our revenue and operating results since substantially all of our revenue to date
has been derived from sales of our wearable devices. However, we believe the size of our active user population is a potential indicator of future demand from
repeat buyers for our devices and for other future monetization opportunities such as software services or coaching revenue.
See the sections titled, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations-Key Business Metrics-Activations,” in this
Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information.
Our business and products are subject to a variety of additional U.S. and foreign laws and regulations that are central to our business; our failure to comply
with these laws and regulations could harm our business or our operating results.
We are or may become subject to a variety of laws and regulations in the United States and abroad that involve matters central to our business, including
laws and regulations regarding consumer protection, advertising, privacy, intellectual property, manufacturing, anti-bribery and anti-corruption, and economic or
other trade prohibitions or sanctions.
The manufacturing, labeling, distribution, importation, marketing, and sale of our products are subject to extensive regulation by various U.S. state and
federal and foreign agencies, including the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, or CPSC, FTC, FDA, Federal Communications Commission, and state
attorneys general, as well as by various other federal, state, provincial, local, and international regulatory authorities in the countries in which our products and
services are manufactured, distributed marketed or sold. If we fail to comply with any of these regulations, we could become subject to enforcement actions or the
imposition of significant monetary fines, other penalties, or claims, which could harm our operating results or our ability to conduct our business.
The global nature of our business operations also create various domestic and foreign regulatory challenges and subject us to laws and regulations such as
the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA, the U.K. Bribery Act, and similar anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws in other jurisdictions, and our products
are also subject to U.S. export controls, including the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Export Administration Regulations and various economic and trade
sanctions regulations established by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Controls. If we become liable under these laws or regulations, we may be
forced to implement new measures to reduce our exposure to this liability. This may require us to expend substantial resources or to discontinue certain products or
services, which would negatively affect our business, financial condition, and operating results. In addition, the increased attention focused upon liability issues as
a result of lawsuits, regulatory proceedings, and legislative proposals could harm our brand or otherwise impact the growth of our business. Any costs incurred as a
result of compliance or other liabilities under these laws or regulations could harm our business and operating results.
Our international operations subject us to additional costs and risks, and our continued expansion internationally may not be successful.
We have entered into many international markets in a relatively short time and may enter into additional markets in the future. Outside of the United States,
we currently have operations in Australia and a number of countries in Asia and Europe. There are significant costs and risks inherent in conducting business in
international markets, including:
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establishing and maintaining effective controls at foreign locations and the associated increased costs;
adapting our technologies, products, and services to non-U.S. consumers’ preferences and customs;
variations in margins by geography;
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increased competition from local providers of similar products;
longer sales or collection cycles in some countries;
compliance with foreign laws and regulations;
compliance with the laws of numerous taxing jurisdictions where we conduct business, potential double taxation of our international earnings, and
potentially adverse tax consequences due to U.S. and foreign tax laws as they relate to our international operations;
compliance with anti-bribery laws, such as the FCPA and the U.K. Bribery Act, by us, our employees, and our business partners;
complexity and other risks associated with current and future foreign legal requirements, including legal requirements related to consumer protection,
consumer product safety, and data privacy frameworks, such as the GDPR, and any applicable privacy and data protection laws in foreign jurisdictions
where we currently conduct business or intend to conduct business in the future;
currency exchange rate fluctuations and related effects on our operating results;
economic and political instability in some countries, particularly those in China where we have expanded;
the uncertainty of protection for intellectual property rights in some countries and practical difficulties of enforcing rights abroad;
tariffs and customs duties and the classification of our products by applicable governmental bodies; and
other costs of doing business internationally.
Our products are manufactured overseas and imported into the United States, the European Union, and other countries and may be subject to duties, tariffs
and anti-dumping penalties imposed by applicable customs authorities. Those duties and tariffs are based on the classification of each of our products and is
routinely subject to review by the applicable customs authorities. We are unable to predict whether those authorities will agree with our classifications and if those
authorities do not agree with our classifications additional duties, tariffs or other trade restrictions may be imposed on the importation of our products. Such actions
could result in increases in the cost of our products generally and might adversely affect our sales and profitability.
These factors and other factors could harm our international operations and, consequently, materially impact our business, operating results, and financial
condition. Further, we may incur significant operating expenses as a result of our international expansion, and it may not be successful. We have limited experience
with regulatory environments and market practices internationally, and we may not be able to penetrate or successfully operate in new markets. We may also
encounter difficulty expanding into new international markets because of limited brand recognition in certain parts of the world, leading to delayed acceptance of
our products and services by users in these new international markets. If we are unable to continue to expand internationally and manage the complexity of our
global operations successfully, our financial condition and operating results could be adversely affected.
Our Aria scales are subject to FDA and corresponding regulations, and sales of this product or future regulated products could be adversely affected if we fail
to comply with the applicable requirements.
Medical devices, including our Aria scales, are regulated by the FDA and corresponding state regulatory agencies in the United States and separate
governmental authorities outside of the United States, and we may have future software features or hardware products that are regulated as medical devices by the
FDA. In the United States, the medical device industry is regulated by governmental authorities, principally the FDA and corresponding state regulatory agencies.
Before we can market or sell a new regulated product or make a significant modification to an existing medical device in the United States, we must comply with
FDA Quality Management System regulations, and must obtain regulatory clearance or approval from the FDA, unless an exemption from pre-market review
applies. In addition, certain future software functionality, whether standalone or embedded in existing or future devices, may be regulated as a medical device and
require pre-market review and clearance or approval by the FDA. The process of obtaining regulatory clearances or approvals to market a medical device can be
costly and time consuming, and we may not be able to obtain these clearances or approvals on a timely basis, or at all, for future products. Any delay in, or failure
to receive or maintain, clearance or approval for any medical device products under development could prevent us from generating revenue from these products.
Medical devices are also subject to numerous ongoing compliance requirements under the regulations of the FDA and corresponding state regulatory
agencies, which can be costly and time consuming. For example, under FDA regulations medical
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device manufacturers are required to, among other things, (i) establish a quality management system to help ensure that their products consistently meet applicable
requirements and specifications, (ii) establish and maintain procedures for receiving, reviewing, and evaluating complaints, (iii) establish and maintain a corrective
and preventive action procedure, (iv) report certain device-related adverse events and product problems to the FDA, and (v) report to the FDA the removal or
correction of a distributed product. If we experience any product problems requiring reporting to the FDA or if we otherwise fail to comply with applicable FDA
regulations or the regulations of corresponding state regulatory agencies, with respect to our Aria scales or future regulated products, we could jeopardize our
ability to sell our products and could be subject to enforcement actions such as fines, civil penalties, injunctions, recalls of products, delays in the introduction of
products into the market, and refusal of the FDA or other regulators to grant future clearances or approvals, which could harm our reputation, business, operating
results, and financial condition.
In addition, in the United States, the FDA has taken the position that device manufacturers are prohibited from promoting their products other than for the
uses and indications set forth in the approved product labeling, and any failure to comply could subject us to significant civil or criminal exposure, administrative
obligations and costs, and/or other potential penalties from, and/or agreements with, the federal government.
Government regulations outside the United States have, and may continue to, become increasingly stringent and common. In the European Union, for
example, a new Medical Device Regulation was published in 2017 which, when it enters into full force in 2020, will include significant additional premarket and
post-market requirements. Penalties for regulatory non-compliance could be severe, including fines and revocation or suspension of a company’s business license,
mandatory price reductions, and criminal sanctions. Future laws and regulations may have a material adverse effect on us.
An economic downturn or economic uncertainty may adversely affect consumer discretionary spending and demand for our products and services.
Our products and services may be considered discretionary items for consumers. Factors affecting the level of consumer spending for such discretionary
items include general economic conditions, and other factors, such as consumer confidence in future economic conditions, fears of recession, the availability and
cost of consumer credit, levels of unemployment, and tax rates. As global economic conditions continue to be volatile or economic uncertainty remains, including
economic conditions resulting from recent volatility in European markets, trends in consumer discretionary spending also remain unpredictable and subject to
reductions. Unfavorable economic conditions may lead consumers to delay or reduce purchases of our products and services and consumer demand for our
products and services may not grow as we expect. Our sensitivity to economic cycles and any related fluctuation in consumer demand for our products and services
may have an adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition.
Our financial performance is subject to risks associated with changes in the value of the U.S. dollar versus local currencies.
Our primary exposure to movements in foreign currency exchange rates relates to non-U.S. dollar denominated sales and operating expenses worldwide.
Weakening of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar, while beneficial to our operating expenses, adversely affects the U.S. dollar value of our foreign
currency-denominated sales and earnings, and generally leads us to raise international pricing, potentially reducing demand for our products. In some
circumstances, for competitive or other reasons, we may decide not to raise local prices to fully offset the strengthening of the U.S. dollar, or at all, which would
adversely affect the U.S. dollar value of our foreign currency denominated sales and earnings. Conversely, a strengthening of foreign currencies relative to the U.S.
dollar, while generally beneficial to our foreign currency-denominated sales and earnings, could cause us to reduce international pricing, incur losses on our
foreign currency derivative instruments, and incur increased operating expenses, thereby limiting any benefit. Additionally, strengthening of foreign currencies
may also increase our cost of product components denominated in those currencies, thus adversely affecting gross margins.
We use derivative instruments, such as foreign currency forward contracts, to hedge certain exposures to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. The
use of such hedging activities may not offset any, or more than a portion, of the adverse financial effects of unfavorable movements in foreign exchange rates over
the limited time the hedges are in place. In addition, our counterparties may be unable to meet the terms of the agreements. We seek to mitigate this risk by limiting
counterparties to major financial institutions and by spreading the risk across several major financial institutions.
Changes in our tax rates or exposure to additional tax liabilities could adversely affect our earnings and financial condition.
We are subject to income taxes in the United States and foreign jurisdictions in which we do business. These foreign jurisdictions have statutory tax rates
different from those in the United States. Accordingly, our provision for income taxes is
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subject to volatility and could be adversely affected by earnings being lower than anticipated in countries where we have lower statutory rates and higher than
anticipated in countries where we have higher statutory rates, by changes in foreign currency exchange rates, or by changes in the relevant tax, accounting, and
other laws, regulations, principles, and interpretations, or by changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities. As we operate in numerous taxing
jurisdictions, the application of tax laws can be subject to diverging and sometimes conflicting interpretations by tax authorities of these jurisdictions.
Uncertainties in the interpretation and application of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act could materially affect our tax obligations and effective tax rate.
On December 22, 2017, the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, or the “2017 Tax Act,” was signed into law and includes several key tax provisions that
affected us, including a reduction of the statutory corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, elimination of
certain deductions, and changes to how the United States imposes income tax on multinational corporations, among others. The 2017 Tax Act requires complex
computations to be performed that were not previously required in U.S. tax law, significant judgments to be made in interpretation of the provisions of the 2017
Tax Act, significant estimates in calculations, and the preparation and analysis of information not previously relevant or regularly produced. The U.S. Treasury
Department, the IRS, and other standard-setting bodies will continue to interpret or issue guidance on how provisions of the U.S. Tax Act will be applied or
otherwise administered. As future guidance is issued, we may make adjustments to amounts that we have previously recorded that may materially impact our
financial statements in the period in which the adjustments are made.
If we are unable to protect our domain names, our brand, business, and operating results could be adversely affected.
We have registered domain names for websites, or URLs, that we use in our business, such as Fitbit.com. If we are unable to maintain our rights in these
domain names, our competitors or other third parties could capitalize on our brand recognition by using these domain names for their own benefit. In addition,
although we own the “Fitbit” domain name under various global top level domains such as .com and .net, as well as under various country-specific domains, we
might not be able to, or may choose not to, acquire or maintain other country-specific versions of the “Fitbit” domain name or other potentially similar URLs. The
regulation of domain names in the United States and elsewhere is generally conducted by Internet regulatory bodies and is subject to change. If we lose the ability
to use a domain name in a particular country, we may be forced to either incur significant additional expenses to market our solutions within that country, including
the development of a new brand and the creation of new promotional materials, or elect not to sell our solutions in that country. Either result could substantially
harm our business and operating results. Regulatory bodies could establish additional top-level domains, appoint additional domain name registrars, or modify the
requirements for holding domain names. As a result, we may not be able to acquire or maintain the domain names that utilize the name “Fitbit” in all of the
countries in which we currently conduct or intend to conduct business. Further, the relationship between regulations governing domain names and laws protecting
trademarks and similar proprietary rights varies among jurisdictions and is unclear in some jurisdictions. Domain names similar to ours have already been
registered in the United States and elsewhere, and we may be unable to prevent third parties from acquiring and using domain names that infringe, are similar to, or
otherwise decrease the value of, our brand or our trademarks. Protecting and enforcing our rights in our domain names and determining the rights of others may
require litigation, which could result in substantial costs, divert management attention, and not be decided favorably to us.
Our use of “open source” software could negatively affect our ability to sell our products and subject us to possible litigation.
A portion of the technologies we use incorporates “open source” software, and we may incorporate open source software in the future. From time to time,
companies that incorporate open source software into their products have faced claims challenging the ownership of open source software or compliance with open
source license terms. Therefore, we could be subject to suits by parties claiming ownership of what we believe to be open source software or noncompliance with
open source licensing terms. Some open source licenses may subject us to certain unfavorable conditions, including requirements that we offer our products and
services that incorporate the open source software for no cost or that we make publicly available all or part of the source code for modifications or derivative
works. Additionally, if a third-party software provider has incorporated open source software into software that we license or obtain from such provider, we could
be required to disclose or provide at no cost all or part of our source code that incorporates such licensed software. If a copyright holder that distributes open source
software that we use or license or other third party were to allege that we had not complied with the conditions of the applicable license, we could be required to
incur significant legal expenses defending against such allegations and may be required to release portions of our proprietary source code, subject to significant
damages, re-engineer our products and services, enjoined from the sale of our products and services that contained the open source software if re-engineering our
products or services cannot be accomplished on a timely basis, or take other remedial action that may divert resources away from our development efforts. Any of
the foregoing could disrupt the distribution and sale of our products and services and harm our business.
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We may engage in merger and acquisition activities, which could require significant management attention, disrupt our business, dilute stockholder value, and
adversely affect our operating results.
As part of our business strategy, we may make investments in other companies, products, or technologies. For example, in 2016, we acquired assets from
Coin, Inc., Pebble Industries, Inc., and Vector Watch S.R.L and in 2018 we acquired Twine Health, Inc. We may not be able to find suitable acquisition candidates
and we may not be able to complete acquisitions on favorable terms, if at all. If we do complete acquisitions, we may not ultimately strengthen our competitive
position or achieve our goals, and any acquisitions we complete could be viewed negatively by users or investors. In addition, if we fail to successfully integrate
such acquisitions, or the technologies associated with such acquisitions, into our company, the revenue and operating results of the combined company could be
adversely affected.
Acquisitions may disrupt our ongoing operations, divert management from their primary responsibilities, subject us to additional liabilities, increase our
expenses, and adversely impact our business, financial condition, operating results, and cash flows. We may not successfully evaluate or utilize the acquired
technology and accurately forecast the financial impact of an acquisition transaction, including accounting charges. We would have to pay cash, incur debt, or issue
equity securities to pay for any such acquisition, each of which may affect our financial condition or the value of our capital stock and could result in dilution to
our stockholders. If we incur more debt it would result in increased fixed obligations and could also subject us to covenants or other restrictions that would impede
our ability to manage our operations. Additionally, we may receive indications of interest from other parties interested in acquiring some or all of our business. The
time required to evaluate such indications of interest could require significant attention from management, disrupt the ordinary functioning of our business, and
adversely affect our operating results.
There have been reports that some users of certain of our devices have experienced skin irritations, which could result in additional negative publicity or
otherwise harm our business. In addition, some of our users have filed personal injury lawsuits against us relating to certain of our devices, which could divert
management’s attention from our operations and result in substantial legal fees and other costs.
Due to the nature of some of our wearable devices, some users have had in the past and may in the future experience skin irritations or other biocompatibility
issues not uncommon with jewelry or other wearable products that stay in contact with skin for extended periods of time. There have been reports of some users of
certain of our devices experiencing skin irritations. This negative publicity could harm sales of our products and also adversely affect our relationships with
retailers that sell our products, including causing them to be reluctant to continue to sell our products. In addition, in the past, some of our users have filed personal
injury lawsuits against us arising out of such claims relating to certain of our devices. While we do not believe that these lawsuits are material, due to the inherent
uncertainties of litigation, we cannot accurately predict the ultimate outcome of any proceedings arising from such claims, and these actions or other third-party
claims against us may result in the diversion of our management’s time and attention from other aspects of our business and may cause us to incur substantial
litigation or settlement costs. If large numbers of users experience these problems, we could be subject to enforcement actions or the imposition of significant
monetary fines, other penalties, or proceedings by the CPSC or other U.S. or foreign regulatory agencies and face additional personal injury or class action
litigation, any of which could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and operating results.
We may be subject to CPSC recalls, regulatory proceedings and litigation in various jurisdictions, including multi-jurisdiction federal and state class action
and personal injury claims, which may require significant management attention and disrupt our business operations, and adversely affect our financial
condition, operating results, and our brand.
We face product liability, product safety and product compliance risks relating to the marketing, sale, use, and performance of our products. The products
we sell must be designed and manufactured to be safe for their intended purposes. Certain of our products must comply with certain federal and state laws and
regulations. For example, all of our products are subject to the Consumer Product Safety Act and the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which empower
the CPSC. The CPSC is empowered to take action against hazards presented by consumer products, up to and including product recalls. We are required to report
certain incidents related to the safety and compliance of our products to the CPSC, and failure to do so could result in a civil penalty.
Our products may, from time to time, be subject to recall for product safety and compliance reasons. For example, in March 2014, we recalled one of our
products, the Fitbit Force, after some of our users experienced allergic reactions to adhesives in the wristband. These reactions included skin irritation, rashes, and
blistering. The recall had a negative impact on our operating results,
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primarily in our fourth quarter of 2013, the first quarter of 2014, and the fourth quarter of 2015. We have provided and are continuing to provide full refunds to
consumers who return the Fitbit Force. If returns of the Fitbit Force or other costs related to the recall are higher than anticipated, we will be required to increase
our reserves related to the recall which would negatively impact our operating results in the future.
The recall was conducted in conjunction with the CPSC, which monitored recall effectiveness and compliance. In addition to the financial impacts discussed
elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, this recall required us to collect a significant amount of information for the CPSC, which takes significant time and
internal and external resources.
A large number of lawsuits, including multi-jurisdiction complex federal and state class action and personal injury claims, were filed against us relating to
the Fitbit Force. These litigation matters required significant attention of our management and resources and disrupted the ordinary course of our business
operations. We have settled all of the class action lawsuits and related individual personal injury claims. In the fourth quarter of 2015, we received proceeds from
the insurance policies that apply to these claims and related legal fees, and we recorded an accrual for liabilities arising under these claims that was immaterial and
falls within the amount of the insurance proceeds received.
In addition, the CPSC has conducted investigations into several of our products. Although the CPSC did not find a substantial product hazard, there can be
no assurances that investigations will not be conducted in the future or that product hazards or other defects will not be found in the future with respect to our
products. The Fitbit Force product recall, regulatory proceedings, and litigation have had and may continue to have, and any future recalls, regulatory proceedings,
and litigation could have an adverse impact on our financial condition, operating results, and brand. Furthermore, because of the global nature of our product sales,
in the event we experience defects with respect to products sold outside the United States, we could become subject to recalls, regulatory proceedings, and
litigation by foreign governmental agencies and private litigants, which could significantly increase the costs of managing any product issues. Any ongoing and
future regulatory proceedings or litigation, regardless of their merits, could further divert management’s attention from our operations and result in substantial legal
fees and other costs.
If we fail to maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting, our ability to produce timely and accurate
financial statements or comply with applicable regulations could be impaired.
We are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the rules and regulations
of the applicable listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange. We expect that the requirements of these rules and regulations will continue to increase our
legal, accounting, and financial compliance costs, make some activities more difficult, time-consuming, and costly, and place strain on our personnel, systems, and
resources.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires, among other things, that we maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial
reporting. We are also required to make a formal assessment and provide an annual management report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial
reporting, which must be attested to by our independent registered public accounting firm. In order to maintain the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and
procedures and internal control over financial reporting, we have expended, and anticipate that we will continue to expend, resources, including accounting-related
costs and management oversight.
As disclosed in Item 9A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we did not maintain effective controls over the accuracy of invoicing gross revenue. This
represented a material weakness that did not result in the identification of any adjustments to our annual or interim consolidated financial statements. A material
weakness is defined as a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a
material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. As a result of the material
weakness identified, our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of December 31, 2018, which was previously
reported in Item 9A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017. Management has identified and implemented changes to our
internal control over financial reporting to remediate the control deficiencies that led to this material weakness. However, we cannot assure you that remediation
efforts will be effective, and the enhanced controls and procedures could require increased management time and attention and resources.
Additional current controls and any new controls that we develop may become inadequate because of changes in conditions in our business. Further,
additional weaknesses in our disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting may be discovered in the future. Any failure to maintain or develop
effective controls or any difficulties encountered in their implementation or improvement could harm our operating results or cause us to fail to meet our reporting
obligations and may result in a restatement of our financial statements for prior periods. Any failure to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting
also could adversely affect the results of periodic management evaluations and annual independent registered public accounting firm attestation
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reports regarding the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. Ineffective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial
reporting could also cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial and other information, which would likely have a negative effect on the trading
price of our Class A common stock. In addition, if we are unable to continue to meet these requirements, we may not be able to remain listed on the New York
Stock Exchange.
Our business is subject to the risk of political events, war, terrorism, other business interruptions, earthquakes, fire, power outages, floods, and other
catastrophic events.
War, terrorism, geopolitical uncertainties, trade restrictions, public health issues, natural disasters and other business interruptions have caused and may
cause damage or disruption to the economy and commerce on a global, regional or country-specific basis, which could have a material adverse effect on our
business, our customers, and companies with which we do business. For example, the Trump Administration recently signaled that it may alter trade terms between
China and the United States, including limiting trade with China and/or imposing tariffs on imports from China. Political uncertainty surrounding these trade terms
could have a negative effect on consumer confidence and spending, which could adversely affect our business.
Our business is also vulnerable to damage or interruption from earthquakes, fires, floods, power losses, telecommunications failures, human errors, break-
ins, and similar events. The third-party systems and operations and contract manufacturers we rely on, such as the data centers we lease, are subject to similar risks.
For example, a significant natural disaster, such as an earthquake, fire, or flood, could have an adverse effect on our business, operating results, and financial
condition, and our insurance coverage may be insufficient to compensate us for losses that may occur. Our corporate offices and one of our data center facilities are
located in California, a state that frequently experiences earthquakes. In addition, the facilities at which our contract manufacturers manufacture our products are
located in parts of Asia that frequently endure typhoons and earthquakes. Acts of terrorism, which may be targeted at metropolitan areas that have higher
population density than rural areas, could also cause disruptions in our or our suppliers’, contract manufacturers’, and logistics providers’ businesses or the
economy as a whole. We may not have sufficient protection or recovery plans in some circumstances, such as natural disasters affecting California or other
locations where we have data centers or store significant inventory of our products. As we rely heavily on our data center facilities, computer and communications
systems, and the Internet to conduct our business and provide high-quality customer service, these disruptions could negatively impact our ability to run our
business and either directly or indirectly disrupt suppliers’ businesses, which could have an adverse effect on our business, operating results, and financial
condition.
If our estimates or judgments relating to our critical accounting policies prove to be incorrect, our operating results could be adversely affected.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts
reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that
we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, as provided in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in
this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The results of these estimates form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets, liabilities, and equity,
and the amount of revenue and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. Significant assumptions and estimates used in preparing our consolidated
financial statements include those related to revenue recognition, inventories, product warranty reserves, business combinations, accounting for income taxes, and
stock-based compensation expense. Our operating results may be adversely affected if our assumptions change or if actual circumstances differ from those in our
assumptions, which could cause our operating results to fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors, resulting in a decline in the price of our
Class A common stock.
We are exposed to fluctuations in the market values of our investments.
Credit ratings and pricing of our investments can be negatively affected by liquidity, credit deterioration, financial results, economic risk, political risk,
sovereign risk, changes in interest rates, or other factors. As a result, the value and liquidity of our cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities may fluctuate
substantially. Therefore, although we have not realized any significant losses on our cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, future fluctuations in their
value could result in a significant realized loss, which could materially adversely affect our financial condition and operating results.
Regulations related to conflict minerals may cause us to incur additional expenses and could limit the supply and increase the costs of certain metals used in
the manufacturing of our products.
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We are subject to requirements under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, which will require us to conduct due
diligence on and disclose whether or not our products contain conflict minerals. The implementation of these requirements could adversely affect the sourcing,
availability, and pricing of the materials used in the manufacture of components used in our products. In addition, we will incur additional costs to comply with the
disclosure requirements, including costs related to conducting diligence procedures to determine the sources of minerals that may be used or necessary to the
production of our products and, if applicable, potential changes to products, processes, or sources of supply as a consequence of such due diligence activities. It is
also possible that we may face reputational harm if we determine that certain of our products contain minerals not determined to be conflict free or if we are unable
to alter our products, processes, or sources of supply to avoid such materials.
Risks Related to Ownership of Our Class A Common Stock
The market price of our Class A common stock has been and will likely continue to be volatile, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
The market price of our Class A common stock has been, and will likely continue to be, volatile. Since shares of our Class A common stock were sold in our
IPO in June 2015 at a price of $20.00 per share, our stock price has ranged from $4.23 to $51.90 through December 31, 2018 . In addition, the trading prices of the
securities of technology companies in general have been highly volatile.
The market price of our Class A common stock may continue to fluctuate significantly in response to numerous factors, many of which are beyond our
control, including:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
overall performance of the equity markets;
actual or anticipated fluctuations in our revenue and other operating results;
changes in the financial projections we may provide to the public or our failure to meet these projections;
failure of securities analysts to initiate or maintain coverage of us, changes in financial estimates by any securities analysts who follow our company, or
our failure to meet these estimates or the expectations of investors;
recruitment or departure of key personnel;
the economy as a whole and market conditions in our industry;
negative publicity related to problems in our manufacturing or the real or perceived quality of our products, as well as the failure to timely launch new
products that gain market acceptance;
rumors and market speculation involving us or other companies in our industry;
announcements by us or our competitors of significant technical innovations, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures, or capital commitments;
new laws or regulations or new interpretations of existing laws or regulations applicable to our business;
lawsuits threatened or filed against us;
other events or factors, including those resulting from war, incidents of terrorism, or responses to these events; and
sales of shares of our Class A common stock by us or our stockholders.
In addition, the stock markets have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have affected and continue to affect the market prices of equity
securities of many companies. Stock prices of many companies have fluctuated in a manner unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of those
companies. We are currently subject to securities litigation, which is described in Note 7 of the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” included elsewhere
in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This or any future securities litigation could subject us to substantial costs, divert resources and the attention of management
from our business, and adversely affect our business.
Sales of substantial amounts of our Class A common stock in the public markets, or the perception that they might occur, could cause the market price of our
Class A common stock to decline.
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Sales of a substantial number of shares of our Class A common stock into the public market, particularly sales by our directors, executive officers, and
principal stockholders, or the perception that these sales might occur, could cause the market price of our Class A common stock to decline.
As of December 31, 2018 , there were 252.4 million shares of Class A and Class B common stock outstanding. All shares of our common stock are available
for sale in the public market, subject in certain cases to volume limitations under Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act,
various vesting agreements, as well as our insider trading policy.
In addition, as of December 31, 2018 , we had stock options outstanding that, if fully exercised, would result in the issuance of 1.3 million shares of Class A
common stock and 14.9 million shares of Class B common stock (which shares of Class B common stock generally convert to Class A common stock upon their
sale or transfer). We also had restricted stock units, or RSUs, outstanding as of December 31, 2018 that may be settled for 18.4 million shares of Class A common
stock and 0.1 million shares of Class B common stock. As of December 31, 2018 , all of the shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options or settlement of
RSUs and the shares reserved for future issuance under our equity incentive plans, are registered for public resale under the Securities Act. Accordingly, these
shares may be freely sold in the public market upon issuance subject to applicable vesting requirements.
In addition, certain holders of our capital stock have rights, subject to some conditions, to require us to file registration statements for the public resale of
their shares or to include such shares in registration statements that we may file for us or other stockholders.
The dual class structure of our common stock has the effect of concentrating voting control with our founders and certain other holders of our Class B
common stock, including our directors, executive officers, and significant stockholders. This will limit or preclude your ability to influence corporate matters,
including the election of directors, amendments of our organizational documents, and any merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of our assets,
or other major corporate transaction requiring stockholder approval.
Our Class B common stock has ten votes per share and our Class A common stock has one vote per share. As of December 31, 2018 , our directors,
executive officers, and holders of more than 5% of our common stock, and their respective affiliates, held a substantial majority of the voting power of our capital
stock. Because of the ten-to-one voting ratio between our Class B and Class A common stock, our co-founders, who currently serve as our chief executive officer
and chief technology officer, control a majority of the combined voting power of our common stock and therefore are able to control all matters submitted to our
stockholders for approval until the earlier of June 17, 2027 or the date the holders of a majority of our Class B common stock choose to convert their shares. This
concentrated control will limit or preclude your ability to influence corporate matters for the foreseeable future, including the election of directors, amendments of
our organizational documents, and any merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of our assets, or other major corporate transaction requiring stockholder
approval. In addition, this may prevent or discourage unsolicited acquisition proposals or offers for our capital stock that you may feel are in your best interest as
one of our stockholders.
Transfers by holders of Class B common stock will generally result in those shares converting to Class A common stock, subject to limited exceptions, such
as certain transfers effected for estate planning purposes. The conversion of Class B common stock to Class A common stock will have the effect, over time, of
increasing the relative voting power of those holders of Class B common stock who retain their shares in the long term.
If securities or industry analysts do not publish research, or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research, about our business, the price of our Class A common
stock and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our Class A common stock depends in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our
business. We do not have any control over these analysts. If industry analysts cease coverage of us, the trading price for our common stock would be negatively
affected. If one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our Class A common stock or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our
common stock price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts’ cease coverage of us or fail to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our Class A
common stock could decrease, which might cause our Class A common stock price and trading volume to decline.
We do not intend to pay dividends for the foreseeable future.
We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our common stock and do not intend to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. We
anticipate that we will retain all of our future earnings for use in the development of our business and for general corporate purposes. Any determination to pay
dividends in the future will be at the discretion of our board of directors.
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Accordingly, investors must rely on sales of their common stock after price appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize any future gains on
their investments.
Provisions in our charter documents and under Delaware law could make an acquisition of our company more difficult, limit attempts by our stockholders to
replace or remove our current management, limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, or
employees, and limit the market price of our common stock.
Provisions in our restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control or changes in our
management. Our restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws include provisions that:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
provide that our board of directors will be classified into three classes of directors with staggered three-year terms at such time as the outstanding shares
of our Class B common stock represent less than a majority of the combined voting power of our common stock;
permit the board of directors to establish the number of directors and fill any vacancies and newly created directorships;
require super-majority voting to amend some provisions in our restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws;
authorize the issuance of “blank check” preferred stock that our board of directors could use to implement a stockholder rights plan;
provide that only the chairman of our board of directors, our chief executive officer, or a majority of our board of directors will be authorized to call a
special meeting of stockholders;
provide for a dual class common stock structure in which holders of our Class B common stock have the ability to control the outcome of matters
requiring stockholder approval, even if they own significantly less than a majority of the outstanding shares of our Class A and Class B common stock,
including the election of directors and significant corporate transactions, such as a merger or other sale of our company or its assets;
prohibit stockholder action by written consent, which requires all stockholder actions to be taken at a meeting of our stockholders;
provide that the board of directors is expressly authorized to make, alter, or repeal our bylaws; and
establish advance notice requirements for nominations for election to our board of directors or for proposing matters that can be acted upon by
stockholders at annual stockholder meetings.
In addition, our restated certificate of incorporation provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for: any
derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; any action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty; any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to the
Delaware General Corporation Law, our restated certificate of incorporation, or our restated bylaws; or any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by
the internal affairs doctrine. This choice of forum provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes
with us or any of our directors, officers, or other employees, which may discourage lawsuits with respect to such claims. Alternatively, if a court were to find the
choice of forum provision contained in our restated certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs
associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could harm our business, operating results, and financial condition.
Moreover, Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law may discourage, delay, or prevent a change in control of our company. Section 203
imposes certain restrictions on mergers, business combinations, and other transactions between us and holders of 15% or more of our common stock.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
None.
Item 2. Properties
We are a global company with our corporate headquarters located in San Francisco, California. Our headquarters facilities in San Francisco comprise
approximately 324,000 square feet of space pursuant to several leases that expire at various dates through June 2024. Our corporate headquarters serve as the
principal facilities for our administrative, sales, marketing, product
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development, and customer support groups. We also lease additional office space in San Francisco and around the world for various product development,
operational and support purposes. We believe our existing facilities are adequate to meet our current requirements. If we were to require additional space, we
believe we will be able to obtain such space on acceptable and commercially reasonable terms.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
For a discussion of legal proceedings, see Note 7 in the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on
Form 10-K, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Further, we are and, from time to time, we may become, involved in legal proceedings or be subject to claims arising in the ordinary course of our business.
We are not presently a party to any other legal proceedings that in the opinion of our management, if determined adversely to us, would individually or taken
together have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, financial condition, or cash flows.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
None.
PART II
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters, and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Market Information
Our Class A common stock has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “FIT” since June 18, 2015. Prior to that date, there was no
public trading market for our Class A common stock. Our Class B common stock is neither listed nor traded.
Holders of Record
As of December 31, 2018 , we had 32 holders of record of our Class A common stock. Because many of our shares of Class A common stock are held by
brokers and other institutions on behalf of stockholders, we are unable to estimate the total number of stockholders represented by these record holders. As of
December 31, 2018 , we had 25 holders of record of our Class B common stock.
Dividends
We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our capital stock. We currently intend to retain any future earnings and do not expect to pay any cash
dividends on our common stock for the foreseeable future. Any determination to pay dividends in the future will be at the discretion of our board of directors,
subject to applicable laws, and will depend on our financial condition, operating results, capital requirements, general business conditions, and other factors that
our board of directors considers relevant.
Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans
The information required by this item with respect to our equity compensation plans is incorporated by reference to our Proxy Statement for the 2018 Annual
Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the SEC within 120 days of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 .
Stock Performance Graph
The following graph compares the cumulative total return on our Class A common stock with that of the S&P 500 Index and the Nasdaq Composite Index.
The period shown commences on June 18, 2015, our initial public offering date, and ends on December 31, 2018 , the end of our last fiscal year. The graph
assumes $100 was invested at the close of market on June 18, 2015 in our Class A common stock, the S&P 500 Index and the Nasdaq Composite Index, and
assumes the reinvestment of any dividends. The stock price performance on the following graph is not intended to forecast or be indicative of future stock price
performance of our Class A common stock.
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This performance graph shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any of our other filings under the Exchange Act, or the Securities Act, except to the
extent we specifically incorporate it by reference into such filing.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.
None.
Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers
None.
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Item 6. Selected Financial Data
We derived the selected consolidated statements of operations data for 2018 , 2017 and 2016 and the selected consolidated balance sheet data as of
December 31, 2018 and 2017 from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The consolidated
statements of operations data for 2015 and 2014 , and the consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2016 , 2015 and 2014 are derived from consolidated
financial statements that are not included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be
expected in the future. You should read this data together with our “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and
the consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Consolidated Statements of Operations Data :
Revenue
Cost of revenue (2)
Gross profit
Operating expenses:
Research and development (2)
Sales and marketing (2)
General and administrative (2)
Change in contingent consideration
Total operating expenses
Operating income (loss)
Interest income (expense), net
Other income (expense), net
Income (loss) before income taxes
Income tax expense (benefit) (3)
Net income (loss)
Net income (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders (4) :
Basic
Diluted
Other Data :
Devices sold (5)
Active users (6)
Adjusted EBITDA (7)
Free cash flow (8)
For the Year Ended December 31,
2018
2017
2016
2015 (1)
2014 (1)
(in thousands, except per share data)
$
1,511,983 $
1,615,519 $
2,169,461 $
1,857,998 $
908,404
603,579
924,618
1,323,577
690,901
845,884
956,935
901,063
332,169
344,091
116,627
—
343,012
415,042
133,934
—
320,191
491,255
146,903
—
792,887
891,988
958,349
(189,308)
(201,087)
(112,465)
7,808
(2,642)
3,647
2,796
3,156
14
(184,142)
(194,644)
(109,295)
1,687
82,548
(6,518)
150,035
332,741
77,793
(7,704)
552,865
348,198
(1,019)
(59,230)
287,949
112,272
745,433
387,776
357,657
54,167
112,005
33,556
—
199,728
157,929
(2,222)
(15,934)
139,773
7,996
$
$
$
$
$
(185,829) $
(277,192) $
(102,777) $
175,677 $
131,777
(0.76) $
(0.76) $
(1.19) $
(1.19) $
(0.47) $
(0.47) $
0.88 $
0.75 $
0.70
0.63
13,939
27,627
15,343
25,367
22,295
23,238
21,355
16,903
10,904
6,700
(31,361) $
(52,158) $
29,985 $
389,879 $
191,042
60,327 $
(24,919) $
60,080 $
110,691 $
(7,708)
(1)
In March 2014, we recalled Fitbit Force. The recall, which primarily affected our results for the first quarter of 2014 and the fourth quarter of 2015, had the following effect on our income
(loss) before income taxes in 2015 and 2014. The recall had a negligible effect on our loss before income taxes in 2016.
Reduction of revenue
Incremental (benefit to) cost of revenue
Impact on gross profit
Incremental general and administrative expenses (benefit)
Impact on income (loss) before income taxes
35
Year Ended December 31,
2015
2014
(in thousands)
— $
(5,755)
(5,755)
(4,416)
10,171 $
(8,112)
11,339
(19,451)
3,389
(22,840)
$
$
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(2)
Includes stock-based compensation expense as follows:
Cost of revenue
Research and development
Sales and marketing
General and administrative
Total
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
Year Ended December 31,
(in thousands)
$
$
7,312 $
5,312 $
4,797 $
4,739 $
57,188
14,726
17,783
54,123
14,959
17,187
47,207
11,575
15,853
18,251
7,419
10,615
97,009 $
91,581 $
79,432 $
41,024 $
890
2,350
1,295
2,269
6,804
(3)
In 2017, we established a valuation allowance of $99.6 million against our U.S. deferred tax assets. See Note 9 of the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” included elsewhere in
this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further details.
(4) See Notes 2 and 10 of the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for an explanation of the calculations of our net income
(loss) per share attributable to common stockholders, basic and diluted.
(5) See the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Key Business Metrics—Devices Sold” for more information.
(6) See the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Key Business Metrics—Active Users” for more information.
(7) Adjusted EBITDA is a financial measure that is not calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP. See the section below titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measures—Adjusted EBITDA” for
information regarding our use of adjusted EBITDA and a reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss).
(8) Free cash flow is a financial measure that is not calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP. See the section below titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measures—Free cash flow” for information
regarding our use of free cash flow and a reconciliation to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities.
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
As of December 31,
(in thousands)
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data :
Cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities
$
723,449 $
679,300 $
706,013 $
664,478 $
Working capital
Total assets
Total long-term debt
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)
Total stockholders’ equity
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
592,428
683,065
724,231
847,157
1,515,547
1,582,075
1,821,926
1,519,066
—
(319,067)
735,938
—
(132,112)
823,963
—
140,142
998,532
—
242,919
981,451
195,626
101,860
633,051
132,589
67,242
75,262
To supplement our consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we monitor and consider adjusted EBITDA and free cash
flow, which are non-GAAP financial measures. These non-GAAP financial measures are not based on any standardized methodology prescribed by U.S. GAAP
and are not necessarily comparable to similarly-titled measures presented by other companies.
Adjusted EBITDA
We define adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) adjusted to exclude stock-based compensation expense, depreciation and intangible assets amortization,
litigation expense (credit) related to matters with Aliphcom, Inc. d/b/a Jawbone, or Jawbone, the impact of our restructuring in 2017, the impact of the Fitbit Force
recall, impairment of equity investment, the revaluation of our redeemable convertible preferred stock warrant liability prior to our initial public offering, or IPO,
change in contingent consideration, interest income (expense), net, and income tax expense (benefit). We began excluding Jawbone related litigation expense in the
second quarter of 2016 because we do not believe these expenses have a direct correlation to the operations of our business and because of the singular nature of
the claims underlying the Jawbone litigation matters.
We use adjusted EBITDA to evaluate our operating performance and trends and make planning decisions. We believe that adjusted EBITDA helps identify
underlying trends in our business that could otherwise be masked by the effect of the expenses
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and other items that we exclude in adjusted EBITDA. In particular, the exclusion of the effect of stock-based compensation expense and certain expenses in
calculating adjusted EBITDA can provide a useful measure for period-to-period comparisons of our business. Accordingly, we believe that adjusted EBITDA
provides useful information to investors and others in understanding and evaluating our operating results, enhancing the overall understanding of our past
performance and future prospects, and allowing for greater transparency with respect to a key financial metric used by our management in its financial and
operational decision-making.
Adjusted EBITDA is not prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, and should not be considered in isolation of, or as an alternative to, measures prepared in
accordance with U.S. GAAP. There are a number of limitations related to the use of this non-GAAP financial measure rather than net income (loss), which is the
nearest U.S. GAAP equivalent of adjusted EBITDA. Some of these limitations are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
adjusted EBITDA excludes stock-based compensation expense, which has been, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future, a significant recurring
expense for our business and an important part of our compensation strategy;
adjusted EBITDA excludes depreciation and intangible assets amortization expense and, although these are non-cash expenses, the assets being
depreciated and amortized may have to be replaced in the future;
adjusted EBITDA excludes external litigation expenses to support our legal proceedings with Jawbone, which is no longer a recurring expense;
adjusted EBITDA excludes the Fitbit Force recall, which primarily impacted our results for the fourth quarter of 2013, first quarter of 2014, and the fourth
quarter of 2015;
adjusted EBITDA excludes the impact of our restructuring in 2017, which has not been a recurring expense;
adjusted EBITDA excludes the revaluation of our redeemable convertible preferred stock warrant liability, which was a historically recurring non-cash
charge prior to our initial public offering, but will not recur in the periods following the completion of our initial public offering;
adjusted EBITDA excludes change in contingent consideration, a non-recurring benefit received for the reversal of a contingent liability incurred in
connection with the acquisition of FitStar;
adjusted EBITDA excludes impairment charge to reflect the write-down of an equity investment in 2018;
adjusted EBITDA excludes interest expense, or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments on our debt, which reduces cash
available to us;
adjusted EBITDA excludes income tax expense (benefit); and
the expenses and other items that we exclude in our calculation of adjusted EBITDA may differ from the expenses and other items, if any, that other
companies may exclude from adjusted EBITDA when they report their operating results.
Because of these limitations, adjusted EBITDA should be considered along with other operating and financial performance measures presented in
accordance with U.S. GAAP.
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The following table presents a reconciliation of net income (loss) to adjusted EBITDA:
Net income (loss)
Stock-based compensation expense *
Depreciation and amortization
Litigation expense, net — Jawbone
Impact of restructuring
Impact of Fitbit Force recall
Impairment of equity investment
Revaluation of redeemable convertible preferred stock warrant liability
Change in contingent consideration
Interest (income) expense, net
Income tax expense (benefit)
Adjusted EBITDA
Year Ended December 31,
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
(in thousands)
$
(185,829) $
(277,192) $
(102,777) $
175,677 $
131,777
97,009
56,815
765
—
—
6,000
—
—
(7,808)
1,687
90,853
45,693
3,212
6,375
—
—
—
—
79,432
38,133
24,845
—
26
—
—
—
(3,647)
82,548
(3,156)
(6,518)
41,024
21,107
—
—
(10,171)
—
56,655
(7,704)
1,019
112,272
6,804
6,131
—
—
22,840
—
13,272
—
2,222
7,996
$
(31,361) $
(52,158) $
29,985 $
389,879 $
191,042
* A portion of stock-based compensation expense for the year ended December 31, 2017 was allocated to and included in "Impact of restructuring," thus explaining the difference between the
total by function presented in this table compared to the amounts presented in the above tables.
Free cash flow
We define free cash flow as net cash provided by (used in) operating activities less purchase of property and equipment. We consider free cash flow to be a
liquidity measure that provides useful information to management and investors about the amount of cash generated by the business that can possibly be used for
investing in our business and strengthening thebalance sheet, but it is not intended to represent the residual cash flow available for discretionary expenditures. Free
cash flow is not prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, and should not be considered in isolation of, or as an alternative to, measures prepared in accordance
with U.S. GAAP.
The following table presents a reconciliation of net cash provided by (used in) operating activities to free cash flow:
Net cash provided by operating activities (9)
Purchase of property and equipment
Free cash flow
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
Net cash provided by financing activities (9)
Year Ended December 31,
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
(in thousands)
$
$
$
$
113,207 $
64,241 $
138,720 $
141,257 $
(52,880)
(89,160)
(78,640)
(30,566)
60,327 $
(24,919) $
60,080 $
110,691 $
18,787
(26,495)
(7,708)
17,496 $
(28,718) $
(392,666) $
(170,027) $
(24,185)
1,287 $
4,635 $
19,794 $
368,953 $
119,251
(9) Our adoption of ASU 2016-09 on January 1, 2017 resulted in excess tax benefits for share-based payments recorded as a reduction of income tax expense and reflected within operating
cash flows, rather than recorded within equity and reflected within financing cash flows. We elected to adopt this new standard retrospectively, which impacted the presentation for all
periods prior to the adoption date. See Note 1 of the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements - Recent Accounting Pronouncements” included elsewhere in this Annual Report on
Form 10-K for additional information.
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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the section titled “Selected
Financial Data” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This discussion contains
forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from such forward-looking statements. Factors that
could cause or contribute to those differences include, but are not limited to, those identified below and those discussed above in the section titled “Risk Factors”
included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Overview
Today, most of our revenue comes from the sale of wearable devices, including both trackers and smartwatches. Our products are available in 87 countries
worldwide through a variety of channels, including 39,000 retail stores, retailer websites, Fitbit.com and through Fitbit Health Solutions.
In 2018, we focused on providing more choice and accessibility to consumers in wearables to drive acquisition of users. We introduced Fitbit Versa, our
first mass appeal smartwatch in the second quarter, resulting in increased smartwatch revenue over the course of 2018. Smartwatch revenue increased to 44% of
revenue in 2018, from 8% in 2017. We also launched Fitbit Charge 3, which innovates on our Charge family of trackers, and which has sold more than 38 million
devices. It gives people health and fitness features in a slim, premium tracker design, with smart functionality, and long battery life at an affordable price. The
introduction of Fitbit Ace, a tracker designed for kids ages 8 and up and Fitbit family accounts, also expanded our addressable market.
The mix shift towards smartwatches favorably impacted the average selling price of our devices, but negatively impact our gross margin. This was partially
mitigated by improvement in operating efficiency. Operating efficiencies were driven by four key areas: returns, warranty claims, product quality and customer
support costs.
Acquiring customers through the sale of a device increases the size of our community of users and also increases the potential for future demand for devices
and other monetization opportunities, such as software services or coaching revenue. While software revenue was immaterial in 2018, a growing community of
active users provides us an opportunity to introduce or further develop software services for the community in the future.
In addition, we focused on growing our Fitbit Health Solutions channel, which delivers health and wellness solutions for employers, health plans and health
systems. In the fall, we launched Fitbit Care, a connected health platform that combines health coaching and virtual care, wearable devices, and personalized digital
interventions to better support patients outside the walls of the clinical environment. While revenue from the Fitbit Health Solutions channel was immaterial in
2018, growth of the channel provides us an opportunity to drive demand for devices and software services.
The following are financial highlights for 2018 , 2017 and 2016 :
Revenue
Net loss
Key Business Metrics
Year Ended December 31,
2018
2017
(in thousands)
2016
$
$
1,511,983 $
1,615,519 $
(185,829) $
(277,192) $
2,169,461
(102,777)
In addition to the measures presented in our consolidated financial statements, we use the following key metrics to evaluate our business, measure our
performance, develop financial forecasts, and make strategic decisions.
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Devices sold
Active users
Adjusted EBITDA
Free cash flow
Devices Sold
For the Year Ended and As Of December 31,
2018
2017
(in thousands)
2016
13,939
27,627
(31,361) $
60,327 $
15,343
25,367
(52,158) $
(24,919) $
22,295
23,238
29,985
60,080
$
$
Devices sold represents the number of wearable devices that are sold during a period, net of expected returns. Devices sold does not include sales of
accessories. Growth rates between devices sold and revenue are not necessarily correlated because our revenue is affected by other variables, such as the types of
products sold during the period, the introduction of new product offerings with differing U.S. manufacturer’s suggested retail prices, or MSRPs, and sales of
accessories and premium services.
Active Users
Fitbit builds its community of users through device sales and investment in its software to drive engagement. We define an active user as a registered Fitbit
user who, within the three months prior to the date of measurement, has (a) an active Fitbit Coach subscription, (b) paired a wearable device or Aria scale with his
or her Fitbit account, or (c) logged at least 100 steps with a wearable device or a weight measurement using an Aria scale. Active users can be new users who
joined the community during the past ninety days, existing users who have remained active and met our definition of an active user, or previously active users who
were inactive for 90 days or greater. The active user number excludes users who have downloaded our mobile apps without purchasing any of our wearable devices
and users who have downloaded free versions of Fitbit Coach but are not subscribers to its paid premium offerings.
The active user metric is intended to provide a snapshot of the potential size and growth of our engaged user community. We believe interest in health and
fitness ebbs and flows and as such, the active user metric is not designed to be a measure of the levels of continuous engagement of our individual users and does
not track the number of individual users that have become inactive on our platform in a period. Accordingly, this metric does not take into account the extent to
which inactive users are offset by new active users or how long an individual user remains active.
The number of active users is based on activity associated with each Fitbit user account. A user establishes an account with us by registering his or her email
with us at Fitbit.com or through our app. As such, the active user metric reflects the number of Fitbit users who meet our definition of an active user during the
measurement period; it is not associated with the particular device(s) owned by a user. Accordingly, a user with multiple devices synced to his or her account
would only be counted as one active user. As a percentage of the active user metric, users who logged at least 100 steps with a health and fitness tracker or a
weight measurement using an Aria scale but had an existing user account in a prior quarter increased from 79% as of December 31, 2017 to 82% percent as of
December 31, 2018.
However, it is also possible to have multiple active users associated with a single device at different points in time, such as with users who acquired a
refurbished device and with users who acquired a device directly from another user. In such cases, particularly the latter instance, it is also possible that the prior
owner and new owner of a single device could each be counted as unique active users during the same measurement period. However, we believe it is appropriate
to include both new and prior owners of a particular device in the active user metric because the metric is intended to provide a snapshot of the potential size and
growth of our engaged user community during the measurement period. Since both the new and prior owners meet the active user metric, we believe both users
would be appropriately included in the active user metric as both users independently have demonstrated a level of engagement with our devices and platform.
In addition, the active user metric is not intended to be an indicator of device sales in any period, as device sales are reported as a separate metric. We do not
believe that the active user metric has a direct effect on our revenue and operating results since substantially all of our revenue to date has been derived from sales
of our wearable devices. However, we believe the size of our active user population is a potential indicator of future demand from repeat buyers for our devices
and for other future monetization opportunities such as software services or coaching revenue. We aim to increase the active user metric by developing products,
services and content that are compelling for new, existing, and prior users.
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Activations - Repeat and Re-Activated Users
We define an “Activation” as the first instance of a Fitbit device (excluding Aria, Aria 2, Flyer and other accessories) pairing to a user account during the
three months prior to the date of measurement. A “Repeat User” is defined as a Fitbit user who activated a Fitbit device to his or her account during the
measurement period and activated a different Fitbit device to his or her account during a prior period. A “Re-Activated User” is defined as Repeat User who has
not synced his or her prior device and taken at least 100 steps for 90 days or more prior to the measurement period with such device.
In the three months ended December 31, 2018, 35.1% of Activations came from Repeat Users, with Re-Activated Users representing 56.5% of those Repeat
Users. In the three months ended December 31, 2017, 32.6% of Activations came from Repeat Users, with Re-Activated Users representing 47.1% of those Repeat
Users. In the twelve months ended December 31, 2018, 37.6% of Activations came from Repeat Users, with Re-Activated Users representing 52.0% of those
Repeat Users. In the twelve months ended December 31, 2017, 36.9% of Activations came from Repeat Users, with Re-Activated Users representing 41.3% of
those Repeat Users. We calculated the full year Activation metric by summing the Activations from Repeat Users and Re-Activated Users in each of the four
quarters in 2018 and 2017. As such, a user who activated more than one Fitbit device to his or her account during the year and had activated a different Fitbit
device in a prior year would count as a Repeat User more than once.
We believe that the Activations metric is a potential indicator of repeat purchase behavior but not a guarantee of repeat purchase behavior. Actual repeat
purchase behavior may depend on a number of factors, including but not limited to our ability to anticipate and satisfy consumer preferences.
Adjusted EBITDA
We define adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) adjusted to exclude stock-based compensation expense, depreciation and intangible assets amortization,
litigation expense related to matters with Aliphcom, Inc. d/b/a Jawbone, or Jawbone, the impact of our restructuring in 2017, the impact of the Fitbit Force recall,
impairment of equity investment, the revaluation of our redeemable convertible preferred stock warrant liability prior to our initial public offering, or IPO, change
in contingent consideration, interest income (expense), net, and income tax expense (benefit). See the section titled “Selected Financial Data-Non-GAAP Financial
Measures-Adjusted EBITDA” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for information regarding our use of adjusted EBITDA and a reconciliation of adjusted
EBITDA to net income (loss).
Free cash flow
We define free cash flow as net cash provided by (used in) operating activities less purchase of property and equipment. See the section titled “Selected
Financial Data—Non-GAAP Financial Measures— Free cash flow” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for information regarding our use of free cash flow and a
reconciliation of free cash flow to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities.
Factors Affecting Our Future Performance
Product Introductions
To date, product introductions have often had a significant, positive impact on our operating results due primarily to increases in revenue associated with
sales of the new products in the quarters following their introduction. Furthermore, new product introductions, or NPI, which we define as new products shipped in
the past 12 months, could also adversely impact the sales of our existing products to retailers and users. New products may also have higher costs associated with
them, which could adversely affect our margins. In addition, we have incurred higher levels of sales and marketing expenses accompanying each product
introduction. In the future, we intend to continue to release new products and enhance our existing products, and we expect that our operating results will be
impacted by these releases.
International Expansion
Our revenue, based on ship-to destinations, from sales outside of the United States represented 42% of our revenue in both 2017 and 2018. We believe our
global opportunity is significant, and to address this opportunity, we intend to continue to invest in sales and marketing efforts, distribution channels, and
infrastructure and personnel to support our international expansion, including establishing additional sales offices globally. Our growth will depend in part on the
adoption and sales of our products and services in international markets. Moreover, our international expansion efforts have resulted and will continue to result in
increased costs and are subject to a variety of risks, including increased competition, uncertain enforcement of our intellectual property rights, more complex
distribution logistics, and the complexity of compliance with foreign laws and regulations.
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Category Adoption, Expansion of our Total Addressable Market, and Market Growth
As a pioneer of the wearable device market, we believe we have contributed significantly to the market’s growth. However, our future growth depends in
part on the continued consumer adoption of wearable devices as a means to improve health and fitness and the growth of this market. In addition, our long-term
growth depends in part on our ability to expand into adjacent markets in the future.
Competition
The market for wearable devices is both evolving and competitive. The wearable devices category has a multitude of participants, including specialized
consumer electronics companies such as Garmin and Withings, and traditional watch companies such as Fossil. In addition, many large, broad-based consumer
electronics companies either compete in our market or adjacent markets or have announced plans to do so, including Apple, Google, LG, and Samsung. For
example, Apple sells the Apple Watch, which is a smartwatch with broad-based functionalities, including some health and fitness tracking capabilities, and has
sold a significant volume of its smartwatches since introduction. Moreover, smartwatches with health and fitness functionalities may displace the market for
traditional tracker devices. For example, Apple’s recently introduced Apple Watch includes ECG functionality and fall detection capability. We also face
competition from manufacturers of lower-cost devices, such as Xiaomi and its Mi Band device. In addition, we compete with a wide range of stand-alone health
and fitness-related mobile apps that can be purchased or downloaded through mobile app stores.
Seasonality
Historically, we have experienced higher revenue in the fourth quarter compared to other quarters due in large part to seasonal holiday demand. For example,
in 2018, 2017 and 2016, our fourth quarter represented 38%, 35% and 26% of our annual revenue, respectively. We also incur higher sales and marketing expenses
during these periods.
Investing in Growth
Our business is in a multi-year transition process where we expect to leverage our core assets of brand, community, and data to focus on four key areas:
adapting to the changing wearable device market; deepening our reach within healthcare; increasing our agility and optimizing our cost structure; and transforming
our business from an episodic driven model centered around device sales to more life time value and recurring revenue. We expect our device mix to continue to
shift towards smartwatches in 2019. This will benefit average selling price, but will not offset the decline in our tracker unit growth. We expect the device mix
shift to negatively impact gross margins, partially offset by operating efficiencies. For the full year 2019, operating expenses are expected to decline in absolute
dollars as compared to the full year 2018. We intend to drive incremental margin on the device side of the business and redeploy capital to grow international
sales, Fitbit Health Solutions and recurring revenue opportunities.
We also expect to leverage the strength of our partners or acquire where necessary to increase speed to market and our ability to scale the business more
effectively. For example, in 2016 we acquired assets from Coin, Pebble and Vector Watch to enhance the features and functionality of our devices, accelerate the
expansion of our platform and ecosystem, and grow our capabilities in lower cost regions of the world. In 2018 we acquired Twine Health to further extend our
reach into healthcare and to lay the foundation to expand our offerings to health plans, health systems and self-insured employers, including the introduction of
Fitbit Care, a connected health platform for health plans and employers, in the third quarter of 2018, while creating opportunities to increase our subscription-based
revenue.
Furthermore, we intend to increase our focus on the health ecosystem, building relationships with employers, wellness providers, and payers. The corporate
wellness market for wearable devices market is new and is subject to a variety of challenges, including whether employers, health systems, and payers will
continue to invest in such programs, long sales cycles, and substantial upfront sales costs. In each of 2018, 2017 and 2016, we derived less than 10% of our
revenue from our Fitbit Health Solutions offerings. However, we believe that as healthcare costs continue to rise and as the healthcare ecosystem continues to seek
ways to manage their costs, this represents an opportunity to grow revenue. In order to grow our Fitbit Health Solutions presence, we intend to enhance our
offerings as well as expand our sales team focused on this market.
Product Quality
We sell complex products and services that could contain design and manufacturing defects in their materials, hardware, and firmware. These defects could
include defective materials or components, or “bugs,” that can unexpectedly interfere with the products’ intended operations or cause injuries to users or property.
Although we extensively and rigorously test new and enhanced products and services before their release, there can be no assurance we will be able to detect,
prevent, or fix all defects. In addition, we utilize products and services provided by third-parties, such as vendors and contract manufacturers, and we rely on their
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representations and do not have full control over their processes. Failure to detect, prevent, or fix defects, or an increase in defects could result in a variety of
consequences including a greater number of returns of products than expected from users and retailers, increases in warranty costs, regulatory proceedings, product
recalls, and litigation, which could harm our revenue and operating results.
Components of our Operating Results
Revenue
We have three sources of revenue: consumer device revenue, Fitbit Health Solutions revenue, and consumer non-device revenue. The vast majority of our
total revenue comes from the sale of wearable devices through the retail, direct, and Fitbit Health Solutions channels. Within the Fitbit Health Solutions channel,
revenue is comprised of devices, services, and software with most of it driven by device sales. Consumer non-device revenue represents a small portion of total
revenue, primarily from our subscription-based Fitbit Coach services.
We generate substantially all of our revenue from the sale of our wearable devices, which includes both trackers and accessories and smartwatches sold both
directly to consumers as well as through our Fitbit Health Solutions channel. We also generate a small portion of our revenue from our subscription-based Fitbit
Coach services and from software services sold through our Fitbit Health Solutions channel.
Cost of Revenue
Cost of revenue consists of product costs, including costs of contract manufacturers for production, shipping and handling costs, warranty replacement costs,
packaging, fulfillment costs, manufacturing and tooling equipment depreciation, warehousing costs, hosting costs, write-downs of excess and obsolete inventory,
amortization of developed technology intangible assets acquired, and certain allocated costs related to management, facilities, and personnel-related expenses and
other expenses associated with supply chain logistics. Personnel-related expenses include salaries, bonuses, benefits, and stock-based compensation.
Operating Expenses
Operating expenses consist of research and development, sales and marketing, general and administrative expenses, and change in contingent consideration.
Research and Development . Research and development expenses consist primarily of personnel-related expenses, consulting and contractor expenses,
tooling and prototype materials, and allocated overhead costs.
Substantially all of our research and development expenses are related to developing new products and services and improving our existing products and
services. To date, research and development expenses have been expensed as incurred, because the release of products and services for sale has been short and
development costs qualifying for capitalization have been insignificant.
Sales and Marketing. Sales and marketing expenses represent a significant component of our operating expenses and consist primarily of advertising and
marketing promotions of our products and services and personnel-related expenses, as well as sales incentives, trade show and event costs, sponsorship costs,
consulting and contractor expenses, travel, POP display expenses and related amortization, and allocated overhead costs.
General and Administrative . General and administrative expenses consist of personnel-related expenses for our finance, legal, human resources, and
administrative personnel, as well as the costs of professional services, allocated overhead, information technology, bad debt expense, amortization of intangible
assets acquired, and other administrative expenses.
Interest Income (Expense), Net
Interest income (expense), net consists of interest expense associated with our debt financing arrangements, amortization of debt issuance costs, and interest
income earned on our cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities.
Other Income (Expense), Net
Other income (expense), net consists of foreign currency gains and losses, and impairment loss from an equity investment.
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)
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We are subject to income taxes in the United States and foreign jurisdictions in which we do business. These foreign jurisdictions have statutory tax rates
different from those in the United States. Accordingly, our effective tax rates will vary depending on the relative proportion of foreign to U.S. income, the
utilization of foreign tax credits, and changes in tax laws.
On July 24, 2018, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an opinion in Altera Corp. v. Commissioner requiring related parties in an intercompany cost-
sharing arrangement to share expenses related to share-based compensation. This opinion reversed the prior decision of the United States Tax Court. On August 7,
2018, the Court withdrew the opinion issued on July 24, 2018 to allow time for a reconstituted panel of judges to confer. We will continue to monitor the case.
On December 22, 2017, the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, or the 2017 Tax Act, was signed into law and includes several key tax provisions that
affected us, including a reduction of statutory corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, elimination of certain
deductions, and changes to how the U.S. imposes income tax on multinational corporations, among others. We are required to recognize the effect of tax law
changes in the period of enactment, such as re-measuring our U.S. deferred tax assets and liabilities, as well as re-assessing the net realizability of our deferred tax
assets. As of December 31, 2018, we finalized all provisional amounts related to the 2017 Tax Act. Finalizing provisional adjustments related to the 2017 Tax Act
did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018.
Operating Results
The following tables set forth the components of our consolidated statements of operations for each of the periods presented and as a percentage of our
revenue for those periods. The period-to-period comparison of operating results is not necessarily indicative of results for future periods.
Consolidated Statements of Operations Data :
Revenue
Cost of revenue (1)
Gross profit
Operating expenses:
Research and development (1)
Sales and marketing (1)
General and administrative (1)
Total operating expenses
Operating loss
Interest income, net
Other income (expense), net
Loss before income taxes
Income tax expense (benefit)
Net loss
(1)
Includes stock-based compensation expense as follows:
Cost of revenue
Research and development
Sales and marketing
General and administrative
Total
Year Ended December 31,
2018
2017
(in thousands)
2016
$
1,511,983 $
1,615,519 $
908,404
603,579
332,169
344,091
116,627
792,887
924,618
690,901
343,012
415,042
133,934
891,988
2,169,461
1,323,577
845,884
320,191
491,255
146,903
958,349
(189,308)
(201,087)
(112,465)
7,808
(2,642)
(184,142)
1,687
3,647
2,796
(194,644)
82,548
(185,829) $
(277,192) $
3,156
14
(109,295)
(6,518)
(102,777)
Year Ended December 31,
2018
2017
(in thousands)
2016
7,312 $
5,312 $
57,188
14,726
17,783
54,123
14,959
17,187
97,009 $
91,581 $
4,797
47,207
11,575
15,853
79,432
$
$
$
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Consolidated Statements of Operations Data :
Revenue
Cost of revenue
Gross profit
Operating expenses:
Research and development
Sales and marketing
General and administrative
Total operating expenses
Operating loss
Interest income, net
Other income (expense), net
Loss before income taxes
Income tax expense (benefit)
Net loss
Revenue
Year Ended December 31,
2018
2017
2016
(as a percentage of revenue)
100 %
100 %
100 %
60
40
22
23
8
53
(13)
1
—
(12)
—
(12)%
57
43
21
26
8
55
(12)
—
—
(12)
5
(17)%
61
39
15
22
7
44
(5)
—
—
(5)
—
(5)%
2018
2017
2016
2018 vs. 2017
2017 vs. 2016
Year Ended December 31,
Revenue
$
1,511,983 $
1,615,519 $
2,169,461 $
$ Change
(in thousands)
(103,536)
% Change
$ Change
% Change
(6)% $
(553,942)
(26)%
Revenue decreased $103.5 million , or 6% , from $1.6 billion for 2017 to $1.5 billion for 2018. The decrease was primarily from a 9% reduction in devices
sold driven by a decline in the demand for our trackers as the wearable market shifted from trackers to smartwatches. This shift adversely impacted us since
trackers represented the majority of our revenue in 2017. Our tracker decline was partially offset by the growth in sales of our smartwatches, primarily from our
introduction of Fitbit Versa in 2018, our first mass appeal smartwatch, which has enabled us to participate in the faster growing portion of the wearables device
market. As a result, our smartwatch revenue grew by 437%, from 8% of our revenue in 2017 to 44% of our revenue in 2018, and our tracker revenue declined by
44%, from 88% of our revenue in 2017 to 53% of our revenue in 2018, compared to the prior fiscal year. The product mix shift towards higher end smartwatches
favorably impacted the ASP of our devices. ASP increased by 4%, from $101 in 2017 to $105 in 2018. During 2018, we benefited from an improved lower rate of
product returns and from $12.4 million in revenue from the release of outstanding product return and rebate reserves related to Wynit, as we believe the possibility
of future claims associated with these reserves is remote. Revenue from NPI increased by 74%, from $498.3 million, or 31% of revenue, in 2017, to $869.4
million, or 57% of revenue, in 2018. NPI revenue for 2018 was primarily from Fitbit Versa, Fitbit Charge 3 and Fitbit Ace. Revenue from our direct channel,
Fitbit.com, decreased by 8% to $154.7 million, or 10% of revenue in 2018, compared to the prior fiscal year. The decrease in our direct channel revenue was
primarily due to a decline in discounted sales derived from customer claims. In response to customer complaints about out of warranty devices, we offer certain
customers discounts on new products in lieu of providing replacements. These discounts are generally redeemed through our direct channel. The improved quality
of our products has resulted in fewer customer complaints and, as a result, the issuance of fewer discount offers, therefore driving a decrease in direct channel
revenue. Revenue from accessories declined by 32% and software services increased by 29%, compared to the prior fiscal year.
Revenue decreased $553.9 million , or 26% , from $2.2 billion for 2016 to $1.6 billion for 2017 . Our 2017 results reflect lower demand for our trackers as
consumers started migrating towards higher-end smartwatches, compared to the same period in 2016, primarily in the United States. A substantial majority of the
decrease was due to a 31% decline in the number of devices sold, from 22.3 million in 2016 to 15.3 million in 2017. The decrease was offset in part by an 8%
increase in the average selling price of our devices, from $94 for 2016 to $101 for 2017, due to favorable product mix primarily from our special edition devices.
Revenue from NPI decreased by 67%, from $1.5 billion, or 70% of revenue, in 2016, to $498.3 million, or 31% of revenue, in
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2017. NPI revenue for 2017 included Fitbit Ionic, Fitbit Alta HR, Fitbit Aria 2 and Fitbit Flyer. Revenue from our direct channel, Fitbit.com, increased by 11% to
$167.9 million, or 10% of revenue, in 2017, compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year.
U.S. revenue, based on ship-to destinations, decreased $63.5 million, or 7%, from $944.1 million for 2017 to $880.5 million for 2018 . International revenue
decreased $40.0 million, or 6%, from $671.5 million for 2017 to $631.4 million for 2018, primarily due to decreases of 13% in the EMEA region, and 13% in the
Americas excluding the United States region, offset in part by a 27% increase in the APAC region. The decline in EMEA was driven primarily by revenue declines
in the United Kingdom region due to an increased competitive environment.
U.S. revenue, based on ship-to destinations, decreased $595.5 million, or 39%, from $1.5 billion for 2016 to $944.1 million for 2017. International revenue
increased $41.6 million, or 7%, from $629.9 million for 2016 to $671.5 million for 2017, due to increases in revenue of 13% in the EMEA region and 6% in the
Americas excluding the United States region, partially offset by a decrease in revenue of 12% in the APAC region.
For the full year 2019, we expect revenue to increase modestly as compared to the full year 2018.
Cost of Revenue
2018
2017
2016
2018 vs. 2017
2017 vs. 2016
Year Ended December 31,
Cost of revenue
$
908,404
$
924,618
$
1,323,577
$
Gross profit
Gross margin
603,579
690,901
845,884
40%
43%
39%
$ Change
(in thousands)
(16,214)
(87,322)
% Change
$ Change
% Change
(2)% $
(398,959)
(13)%
(154,983)
(30)%
(18)%
Cost of revenue decreased $16.2 million , or 2% , from $924.6 million for 2017 to $908.4 million for 2018. The decrease was due to a 9% decline in the
number of devices sold during 2018 and lower warranty costs and lower customer support contact rates due to improved quality of our products, offset in part by
product mix shift towards higher cost smartwatches, which increased from 8% of revenue for 2017 to 44% of revenue for 2018. Gross margin decreased to 40% for
2018 from 43% for 2017 primarily due to our product mix shift towards higher cost smartwatches which have lower gross margins than our health and fitness
trackers, offset in part by lower warranty costs and lower customer support contact rates due to improved quality of our products, and the recognition of revenue
due to the release of outstanding product return and rebate reserves related to Wynit described above.
Cost of revenue decreased $399.0 million , or 30% , from $1.3 billion for 2016 to $924.6 million for 2017. The decrease was primarily due to the 31%
decline in the number of devices sold during 2017, a decrease in excess manufacturing capacity costs, a decrease in excess and obsolete inventory write-downs for
certain legacy products, a decrease in accelerated depreciation of manufacturing and tooling equipment, and lower warranty costs. Gross margin increased to 43%
for 2017 from 39% for 2016 primarily due to the significant drop in demand that occurred in the fourth quarter of 2016, causing us to incur significant excess
manufacturing capacity costs, excess and obsolete inventory write-downs for certain legacy products, and accelerated depreciation of manufacturing and tooling
equipment in 2016, combined with lower warranty costs in 2017. In 2017, we also benefited from an initiative to improve our forecasting accuracy that reduced our
exposure to the above described significant costs that we experienced during the fourth quarter of 2016.
We expect our gross margin to decrease in 2019 compared to 2018 primarily due to the continued mix shift towards lower margin smartwatches and the
introduction of lower priced devices. We expect these to be partially offset by lower warranty costs and customer contact rates, and improved manufacturing
processes.
Research and Development
2018
2017
2016
2018 vs. 2017
2017 vs. 2016
Year Ended December 31,
Research and development
$
332,169 $
343,012 $
320,191 $
$ Change
(in thousands)
(10,843)
% Change
$ Change
% Change
(3)% $
22,821
7%
Research and development expenses decreased $10.8 million , or 3% , from $343.0 million for 2017 to $332.2 million for 2018. The decrease was due to a
$9.0 million decrease in tooling and prototype material costs and a $4.6 million decrease in
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consulting and contractor expenses, offset in part by a $1.9 million increase in personnel-related expenses primarily from an average headcount increase of 2% in
2018, compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year.
Research and development expenses increased $22.8 million , or 7% , from $320.2 million for 2016 to $343.0 million for 2017. The increase was primarily
due to an increase of $27.3 million in personnel-related expenses due to an average headcount increase of 7% in 2017, a $8.1 million increase in allocated
overhead, and a $3.6 million increase in third-party hosting costs, partially offset by a decrease of $13.8 million in consulting and contractor expenses and a $1.1
million decrease in tooling and prototype material costs.
For the full year 2019, we expect research and development expenses to decrease in absolute dollars and decrease as a percentage of revenue as compared to
the full year 2018.
Sales and Marketing
2018
2017
2016
2018 vs. 2017
2017 vs. 2016
Year Ended December 31,
Sales and marketing
$
344,091 $
415,042 $
491,255 $
$ Change
(in thousands)
(70,951)
% Change
$ Change
% Change
(17)% $
(76,213)
(16)%
Sales and marketing expenses decreased $71.0 million , or 17% , from $415.0 million for 2017 to $344.1 million for 2018. The decrease was primarily due to
a $33.8 million decrease in marketing activities accounted for as a reduction to revenue instead of sales and marketing expense in prior periods due to a shift
towards direct promotion programs from marketing incentives. Additionally, we further reduced our sales and marketing expenses by $17.9 million due to a shift in
focus from traditional television marketing to digital media, by $14.9 million in lower customer support costs due to lower contact rates resulting from improved
quality of our products, and by $12.0 million in POP display costs due to a reduced number of new displays, offset in part by a $7.3 million increase in personnel-
related expenses primarily due to an average headcount increase of 4% in 2018, compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year.
Sales and marketing expenses decreased $76.2 million , or 16% , from $491.3 million for 2016 to $415.0 million for 2017. The decrease was primarily due to
a $103.9 million decrease in advertising and marketing expense and a $8.5 million decrease in consulting and contractor expenses, partially offset by a $16.9
million increase in personnel-related expenses due to an average headcount increase of 11% in 2017, a $9.7 million increase in allocated overhead, a $7.2 million
increase in sales transaction expenses, and a $3.6 million increase in expenses for purchased software.
For the full year 2019, we expect sales and marketing expenses to decrease in absolute dollars and decrease as a percentage of revenue as compared to the
full year 2018.
General and Administrative
2018
2017
2016
2018 vs. 2017
2017 vs. 2016
Year Ended December 31,
General and administrative
$
116,627 $
133,934 $
146,903 $
$ Change
% Change
$ Change
% Change
(in thousands)
(17,307)
(13)% $
(12,969)
(9)%
General and administrative expenses decreased $17.3 million , or 13% , from $133.9 million for 2017 to $116.6 million for 2018. The decrease was primarily
due to a $7.6 million decrease in bad debt expense resulting from Wynit’s bankruptcy filing in 2017, a $5.1 million decrease in legal fees, a $2.9 million decrease
in allocated overhead, and a $2.0 million decrease in consulting and contractor expense, offset in part by a $3.3 million increase in personnel-related expenses
primarily due to an average headcount increase of 5% in 2018, compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year.
General and administrative expenses decreased $13.0 million , or 9% , from $146.9 million for 2016 to $133.9 million for 2017. The decrease was primarily
due to a $23.9 million decrease in legal fees primarily due to decreased litigation expense as a result of our global settlement of all outstanding civil litigation with
Jawbone, and a $4.1 million decrease in consulting and contractor expense, partially offset by a $11.0 million increase in personnel-related expenses due to an
average headcount increase of 8% in 2017, and a $7.6 million increase in bad debt expense resulting from Wynit’s bankruptcy filing.
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For the full year 2019, we expect general and administrative expenses to remain relatively consistent in absolute dollars and as a percentage of revenue as
compared to the full year 2018.
Interest and Other Income (Expense), Net
2018
2017
2016
2018 vs. 2017
2017 vs. 2016
$ Change
% Change
$ Change
% Change
Year Ended December 31,
Interest income, net
$
7,808 $
3,647 $
3,156 $
(in thousands)
4,161
Other income (expense), net
(2,642)
2,796
14
(5,438)
114 % $
(194)%
491
2,782
16%
19,871%
Interest income, net increased $4.2 million , or 114% , from $3.6 million for 2017 to $7.8 million for 2018, primarily due to higher interest rates earned on
cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities. Other income (expense), net decreased primarily due to an impairment loss of $6.0 million on an equity
investment.
Interest income, net increased $0.5 million , or 16% , from $3.2 million for 2016 to $3.6 million for 2017, primarily due to higher interest earned on cash,
cash equivalents, and marketable securities, offset in part by the net write-down of deferred financing costs resulting from the May 2017 amendment of our Senior
Facility that reduced our borrowing capacity from $250.0 million to $100.0 million. Other income, net increased $2.8 million primarily due to an increase in
foreign currency gains.
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)
2018
2017
2016
2018 vs. 2017
2017 vs. 2016
Year Ended December 31,
$ Change
% Change
$ Change
% Change
(in thousands)
Income tax expense (benefit)
$
1,687
$
82,548
$
(6,518)
$
(80,861)
(98)% $
89,066
(1,366)%
Effective tax rate
(0.9)%
(42.4)%
6.0%
Income tax expense decreased $80.9 million , from an expense of $82.5 million for 2017 to an expense of $1.7 million for 2018. Our effective tax rate was
(0.9)% and (42.4)% for 2018 and 2017, respectively. The decrease in income tax expense for 2018 was primarily due to the establishment of a full valuation
allowance on our U.S. deferred tax assets in 2017, the mix of income or losses between our foreign jurisdictions, and pretax losses in jurisdictions for which no tax
benefit will be recognized.
Income tax expense increased $89.1 million , from a benefit of $6.5 million for 2016 to an expense of $82.5 million for 2017. Our effective tax rate was
(42.4)% and 6.0% for 2017 and 2016, respectively. The increase in income tax expense for 2017 was primarily due to establishment of a full valuation allowance
on our U.S. deferred tax assets, partially offset by an anticipated carryback of losses incurred in 2017.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Our operations have been financed primarily through cash flow from operating activities and net proceeds from the sale of our equity securities. As of
December 31, 2018 , we had cash and cash equivalents of $474.0 million and marketable securities of $249.5 million , approximately 85% of which are held on-
shore by a U.S. legal entity.
Of our total cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, $111.3 million is held by our foreign subsidiaries. Our intent is to indefinitely reinvest our
earnings from foreign operations and current plans do not anticipate that we will require funds generated from foreign operations to fund our domestic operations.
In the event funds from foreign operations are needed to fund operations in the United States in the future, we may be required to accrue and pay additional taxes
on repatriated funds at that time.
We believe our existing cash, cash equivalent, and marketable securities balances, and cash flow from operations will be sufficient to meet our working
capital and capital expenditure needs for at least the next 12 months. Our future capital requirements may vary materially from those currently planned and will
depend on many factors, including our levels of revenue, the timing and extent of spending on research and development efforts and other business initiatives, the
expansion of sales and marketing activities, the timing of new product introductions, market acceptance of our products, acquisitions, and overall economic
conditions. To the extent that current and anticipated future sources of liquidity are insufficient to fund our future business activities and requirements, we may be
required to seek additional equity or debt financing. The sale of additional equity would result in
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additional dilution to our stockholders. The incurrence of debt financing would result in debt service obligations and the instruments governing such debt could
provide for operating and financing covenants that would restrict our operations.
Credit Facility
On November 21, 2018, we voluntarily terminated our Senior Facility. As of the date of termination, we did not have any outstanding borrowings under the
Senior Facility but did have outstanding letters of credit totaling $36.6 million , issued to cover various security deposits on our facility leases. In connection with
this termination, all outstanding letters of credit issued under the Senior Facility are being held with SVB on an unsecured basis. We did not incur any early
termination penalties in connection with the termination of the Senior Facility. See Note 6 of the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” included elsewhere
in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further details.
As of December 31, 2018 , we had outstanding letters of credit of $36.6 million issued to cover various security deposits on our facility leases.
Cash Flows
The following table summarizes our cash flows for the periods indicated:
Net cash provided by (used in):
Operating activities
Investing activities
Financing activities
Net change in cash and cash equivalents
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Year Ended December 31,
2018
2017
(in thousands)
2016
$
$
113,207 $
64,241 $
17,496
1,287
(28,718)
4,635
131,990 $
40,158 $
138,720
(392,666)
19,794
(234,152)
Net cash provided by operating activities of $113.2 million for 2018 was primarily due to a decrease in net change in operating assets and liabilities of
$122.8 million, which consisted of a decrease in prepaid expenses and other assets primarily due to the receipt of a $72 million income tax refund, and an increase
in accounts payables, offset in part by an increase in inventory primarily related to Fitbit Charge 3 and Fitbit Versa, a decrease in accrued liabilities as a result of
lower operating activity during the current period, and an increase in accounts receivables. The net change in operating assets and liabilities was also impacted by
non-cash adjustments of $176.3 million, primarily resulting from stock-based compensation expense of $97.0 million, depreciation and amortization expense of
$56.8 million, provision for inventory obsolescence of $11.8 million, write-off of property and equipment of $7.7 million and impairment loss from an equity
investment of $6.0 million, partially offset by a net loss of $(185.8) million . Our days sales outstanding in accounts receivable, calculated as the number of days
represented by the accounts receivable balance as of period end, decreased from 76 days as of December 31, 2017 to 70 days as of December 31, 2018 due to
higher collections during the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to the fourth quarter of 2017.
Net cash provided by operating activities of $64.2 million for 2017 was primarily due to a decrease in net change in operating assets and liabilities of $1.1
million, which consisted of a decrease in inventory as a result of lower inventory purchases which decreased accounts payable and decreased accrued
manufacturing expense and freight (included in accrued liabilities) as a result of lower operating activity during 2017, a decrease in account receivables resulting
from higher collections and from taking a full reserve on Wynit’s outstanding account receivables, offset by an increase in prepaid expenses and other assets
primarily from an increase in income tax receivable due to expected refunds from prior tax years and from an insurance receivable due to a litigation settlement.
The net change in operating assets and liabilities was also impacted by non-cash adjustments of $340.3 million, primarily resulting from a valuation allowance
recorded against our U.S. deferred tax assets of $173.8 million, stock-based compensation expense of $91.6 million, depreciation and amortization expense of
$45.7 million, provision for inventory obsolescence of $14.8 million, and provision for doubtful accounts of $7.9 million, partially offset by a net loss of $277.2
million. Our days sales outstanding in accounts receivable, calculated as the number of days represented by the accounts receivable balance as of period end,
decreased from 85 days as of December 31, 2016 to 76 days as of December 31, 2017 due to higher collections during the fourth quarter of 2017 compared to the
fourth quarter of 2016.
Net cash provided by operating activities of $138.7 million for 2016 was primarily due to an increase in net change in operating assets and liabilities of
$199.2 million and non-cash adjustments of $42.3 million, partially offset by a net loss of $102.8
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million. The increase in net change in operating assets and liabilities was primarily due to a $259.0 million increase in accounts payable and accrued liabilities,
largely driven by increases in the product warranty reserve, sales rebates accruals, and reserves for excess components, partially offset by a $62.0 million increase
in inventories, a $37.9 million increase in prepaid expenses and other assets, and an $8.7 million increase in accounts receivable. Non-cash adjustments primarily
consisted of stock-based compensation expense, depreciation and amortization, and the abandonment of property and equipment, partially offset by deferred taxes.
Our days sales outstanding in accounts receivable increased from 56 days as of December 31, 2015 to 85 days as of December 31, 2016 due to slower collections
in the fourth quarter of 2016 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2015.
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
Net cash provided by investing activities for 2018 of $17.5 million was primarily due to maturities and sales of marketable securities of $443.6 million,
partially offset by purchases of marketable securities of $353.9 million, purchases of property and equipment of $52.9 million, the cash portion of an acquisition of
$13.6 million, net of cash acquired, and acquisition-related holdback payments of $5.6 million.
Net cash used in investing activities for 2017 of $28.7 million was primarily due to maturities and sales of marketable securities of $664.9 million, partially
offset by purchases of marketable securities of $597.9 million, purchases of property and equipment of $89.2 million, an equity investment of $6.0 million, and an
asset purchase of $0.6 million.
Net cash used in investing activities for 2016 of $392.7 million was due to the purchases of marketable securities of $638.1 million, partially offset by the
sale and maturities of marketable securities of $362.3 million, purchases of property and equipment of $78.6 million, and the cash portion of acquisitions of
$38.3 million, net of cash acquired.
We may continue to use cash in the future to acquire businesses and technologies that enhance and expand our product offerings. Due to the nature of these
transactions, it is difficult to predict the amount and timing of such cash requirements to complete such transactions. We may be required to raise additional funds
to complete future acquisitions.
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Net cash provided by financing activities for 2018 of $1.3 million was primarily due to $21.5 million of proceeds from the exercise of stock options and
stock purchases made through our 2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, or the 2015 ESPP, offset in part by $19.4 million in net cash used for payment of taxes on
common stock issued under our employee equity incentive plans.
Net cash provided by financing activities for 2017 of $4.6 million was primarily due to $19.0 million of proceeds from the exercise of stock options and
stock purchases made through our 2015 ESPP, offset in part by $14.4 million in net cash used for payment of taxes on common stock issued under our employee
equity incentive plans.
Net cash provided by financing activities for 2016 of $19.8 million was primarily related to net proceeds from the issuance of common stock related to
employee equity incentive plans of $21.0 million.
Contractual Obligations and Other Commitments
The following table summarizes our non-cancelable contractual obligations as of December 31, 2018 :
Operating leases (1)
Capital leases
Total
Less than
1 Year
Payments Due By Period
1-3
Years
(in thousands)
3-5
Years
More than
5 Years
$
146,405 $
27,473 $
54,586 $
52,237 $
12,109
2,700
2,700
—
—
—
Total
149,105 $
(1) Represents expected future minimum lease payments, net of minimum sublease rental income, under noncancellable operating leases for our facilities. See Note 7 of the “Notes to
52,237 $
30,173 $
54,586 $
12,109
$
Consolidated Financial Statements” included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further details.
Purchase orders or contracts for the purchase of certain goods and services are not included in the above table. The aggregate amount of open purchase
orders as of December 31, 2018 was approximately $517.6 million , of which $185.0 million related to our transition to a third-party hosting provider and $2.9
million was accrued for as of December 31, 2018. We cannot determine the aggregate amount of such purchase orders that represent contractual obligations
because purchase orders may represent authorizations to purchase rather than binding agreements. Our purchase orders are based on our current needs and are
fulfilled
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by our suppliers, contract manufacturers, and logistics providers within short periods of time. We subcontract with other companies to manufacture our products.
During the normal course of business, we and our contract manufacturers procure components based upon a forecasted production plan. If we cancel all or
part of the orders, or materially reduce forecasted orders, we may be liable to our suppliers and contract manufacturers for the cost of the excess components
purchased by our contract manufacturers. As of December 31, 2018 , approximately $10.8 million was accrued for such liabilities to contract manufacturers.
The table above excludes the liability for uncertain tax positions of $27.7 million as of December 31, 2018 , due to the uncertainty of when the related tax
settlements will become due.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We have not entered into any off-balance sheet arrangements and do not have any holdings in variable interest entities.
Critical Accounting Polices and Estimates
Our management’s discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our consolidated financial statements, which have
been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The preparation of these consolidated financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect
the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported
revenue generated and expenses incurred during the reporting periods. Our estimates are based on our historical experience and on various other factors that we
believe are reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are
not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. We believe that the accounting
policies discussed below are critical to understanding our historical and future performance, as these policies relate to the more significant areas involving
management’s estimates, assumptions, and judgments.
Revenue Recognition
We recognize revenue upon transfer of control of promised goods or services to customers at transaction price, an amount that reflects the consideration we
expect to receive in exchange for those goods or services. Transaction price is calculated as selling price net of variable consideration which may include estimates
for future returns and sales incentives related to current period product revenue.
Products and Services
We derive substantially all of our revenue from sales of our wearable devices, which includes trackers, smartwatches and accessories. We also generate a
small portion of revenue from our subscription-based services. We consider delivery of our products to have occurred once control has transferred and delivery of
services to have occurred as control is transferred. We recognize revenue, net of estimated sales returns, sales incentives, discounts, and sales tax.
Arrangements with Multiple Performance Obligations
We enter into contracts that have multiple performance obligations that include hardware, software, and services. The first performance obligation is the
hardware and firmware essential to the functionality of the tracker or smartwatch delivered at the time of sale. The second performance obligation is the software
services included with the products, which are provided free of charge and enable users to sync, view, and access real-time data on our online dashboard and
mobile apps. The third performance obligation is the embedded right included with the purchase of the device to receive, on a when-and-if-available basis, future
unspecified firmware upgrades and features relating to the product’s essential firmware. In addition, we occasionally offer a fourth performance obligation in
bundled arrangements that allows access to subscription-based services related to our Fitbit Coach offering.
We allocate revenue to all performance obligations based on their relative standalone selling prices (“SSP”). Our process for determining SSP considers
multiple factors including consumer behaviors, our internal pricing model, and cost-plus margin, and may vary depending upon the facts and circumstances
related to each deliverable. SSP for the trackers and smartwatches reflect our best estimate of the selling prices if they were sold regularly on a stand-alone basis
and comprise the majority of the arrangement consideration. SSP for upgrade rights currently ranges from $1.00 to $3.00 . SSP for the online dashboard and
mobile apps is currently estimated at $0.99 . SSP for access to Fitbit Coach subscription-based services is based on the price charged when sold separately.
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Amounts allocated to the delivered wearable devices are recognized at the time of delivery, provided the other conditions for revenue recognition have been
met. Amounts allocated to the online dashboard and mobile apps and unspecified upgrade rights are deferred and recognized on a straight-line basis over the
estimated usage period.
We offer our users the ability to purchase subscription-based services, through which the users receive incremental features, including access to a digital
personal trainer, in-depth analytics regarding the user’s personal metrics, or video-based customized workouts. Amounts paid for subscriptions are deferred and
recognized ratably over the service period, which is typically one year. Revenue from subscription-based services was less than 1% of revenue for all periods
presented.
In addition, we offer subscription-based software and services to certain customers in Fitness Health Solutions, which includes a real-time dashboard, and the
ability to create corporate challenges. SSP for the Fitness Health Solutions subscription is determined based on our internal pricing model for anticipated renewals
for existing customers and pricing for new customers. Revenue allocated to the Fitness Health Solutions subscription is deferred and recognized on a straight-line
basis over the estimated access period of one year, which is the typical service period. Revenue for Fitness Health Solutions software and services was less than
1% of revenue for all periods presented.
We apply a practical expedient to expense costs to obtain a contract with a customer as incurred when the amortization period would be one year or less. We
apply a practical expedient to not consider the effect of a significant financing component as we expect that the period between transfer of control and payment
from customer to be one year or less.
We account for shipping and handling fees billed to customers as revenue. Sales taxes and value added taxes, or VAT, collected from customers which are
remitted to governmental authorities are not included in revenue, and are reflected as a liability on the consolidated balance sheets.
Rights of Return, Stock Rotation Rights, and Price Protection
We offer limited rights of return, stock rotation rights, and price protection under various policies and programs with our retailer and distributor customers
and end-users. Below is a summary of the general provisions of such policies and programs:
•
•
•
•
Retailers and distributors are generally allowed to return products that were originally sold through to an end-user under provisions of their contracts, called
“open-box” returns, and such returns may be made at any time after the original sale.
All purchases through Fitbit.com are covered by a 45-day right of return.
Certain distributors are allowed stock rotation rights which are limited rights of return of products purchased during a prior period, generally one quarter.
Certain distributors are offered price protection that allows for the right to a partial credit for unsold inventory held by the distributor if we reduce the selling
price of a product.
We estimate reserves for these policies and programs based on historical experience, and record the reserve as a reduction of revenue and an accrued liability.
Through December 31, 2018 , actual returns have primarily been open-box returns. On a quarterly basis, the amount of revenue that is reserved for future returns
is calculated based on historical trends and data specific to each reporting period. The historical trends consider product life cycles, new product introductions,
market acceptance of products, product sell-through, the type of customer, seasonality, and other factors. Return rates can fluctuate over time, but have been
sufficiently predictable to allow us to estimate expected future product returns. We review the actual returns evidenced in prior quarters as a percent of related
revenue to determine the historical rate of returns. We then apply the historical rate of returns to the current period revenue as a basis for estimating future returns.
When necessary, we also provide a specific reserve for products in the distribution channel in excess of estimated requirements. This estimate can be affected by
the amount of a particular product in the channel, the rate of sell-through, product plans, and other factors. We also consider whether there are circumstances which
may result in anticipated returns higher than the historical return rate from direct customers and record an additional specific reserve as necessary. The estimates
and assumptions used to reserve for rights of return, stock rotation rights, and price protection have been accurate in all material respects and have not materially
changed in the past.
Sales Incentives
We offer sales incentives through various programs, consisting primarily of cooperative advertising and pricing promotions to retailers and distributors. We
record advertising with customers as a reduction to revenue unless we receive a distinct benefit in exchange for credits claimed by the customer and can
reasonably estimate the fair value of the distinct benefit received, in
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which case we record it as a marketing expense. We recognize a liability and reduce revenue for rebates or other incentives based on the estimated amount of
rebates or credits that will be claimed by customers.
Inventories
Inventories consist of finished goods and component parts, which are purchased from contract manufacturers and component suppliers. Inventories are stated
at the lower of cost or net realizable value. We assess the valuation of inventory and periodically write down the value for estimated excess and obsolete inventory
based upon estimates of future demand and market conditions.
Product Warranty
We offer a standard product warranty that our products will operate under normal use for a period of one-year from the date of original purchase, except in
the European Union and certain Asia Pacific countries where we provide a two-year warranty. We have the obligation, at our option, to either repair or replace a
defective product. At the time revenue is recognized, an estimate of future warranty costs is recorded as a component of cost of revenues. The estimate of future
warranty costs is based on historical and projected warranty claim rates, historical and projected cost-per-claim and knowledge of specific product failures, if any,
that are outside of our typical experience. We regularly review these estimates to assess the appropriateness of our recorded warranty liabilities and adjust the
amounts as necessary. Factors that affect the warranty obligation include product failure rates, service delivery costs incurred in correcting the product failures, and
warranty policies. Our products are manufactured by contract manufacturers, and in certain cases, we may have recourse against such contract manufacturers.
Should actual product failure rates, use of materials or other costs differ from our estimates, additional warranty liabilities could be incurred, which could
materially affect our results of operations. The estimates and assumptions used to reserve for product warranty have been accurate in all material respects and have
not materially changed in the past.
Business Combinations, Goodwill, and Intangible Assets
We allocate the fair value of purchase consideration to tangible assets, liabilities assumed, and intangible assets acquired based on their estimated fair values.
The excess of the fair value of purchase consideration over the fair values of these identifiable assets and liabilities is allocated to goodwill. The allocation of the
purchase consideration requires management to make significant estimates and assumptions, especially with respect to intangible assets. These estimates can
include, but are not limited to, future expected cash flows of acquired customers, acquired technology, and trade names from a market participant perspective, and
estimates of useful lives, and discount rates. Management’s estimates of fair value are based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable, but which are inherently
uncertain and unpredictable and, as a result, actual results may differ from estimates. During the measurement period, which is up to one year from the acquisition
date, we may record adjustments to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed, with the corresponding offset to goodwill. Upon the conclusion of the measurement
period, any subsequent adjustments are recorded to earnings.
We assess goodwill for impairment at least annually during the fourth quarter and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying
value of the asset may not be recoverable. Consistent with our determination that we have one operating segment, we have determined that there is one reporting
unit and test goodwill for impairment at the entity level. We test goodwill using the two-step process in accordance with ASC 350, Intangibles—Goodwill and
Other . In the first step, we compare the carrying amount of the reporting unit to the fair value based on the fair value of our common stock. If the fair value of the
reporting unit exceeds the carrying value, goodwill is not considered impaired and no further testing is required. If the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeds
the fair value, goodwill is potentially impaired and the second step of the impairment test must be performed. In the second step, we would compare the implied
fair value of the goodwill, as defined by ASC 350, to our carrying amount to determine the amount of impairment loss, if any. We tested goodwill for impairment
as of October 31, 2018 and 2017, and the fair value of our reporting unit exceeded the carrying value. We considered other factors in the performance of the annual
goodwill impairment test in the fourth quarter of 2018, including assumptions about expected future revenue forecasts, changes in the overall economy, trends in
our stock price, and other operating conditions. It is reasonably possible that we could perform significantly below our expectations or a deterioration of market
and economic conditions could occur. This would adversely impact our ability to meet our projected results, which could cause our goodwill to become
impaired. If we determine that our goodwill is impaired, we would be required to record a non-cash charge that could have a material adverse effect on our results
of operations and financial position.
Acquired finite-lived intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives. We evaluate the recoverability of our intangible assets for possible
impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable. Recoverability of these assets is measured
by a comparison of the carrying amounts to the future undiscounted cash flows the assets are expected to generate. If such review indicates that the carrying
amount of intangible assets is not recoverable, the carrying amount of such assets is reduced to fair value. We have not recorded any such impairment charge
during the years presented.
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Income Taxes
We utilize the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes, which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for expected
future consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting and income tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates. We make
estimates, assumptions, and judgments to determine our expense (benefit) for income taxes and also for deferred tax assets and liabilities and any valuation
allowances recorded against our deferred tax assets. We assess the likelihood that our deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable income and, to the
extent we believe that recovery is not likely, we establish a valuation allowance.
The calculation of our income tax expense involves the use of estimates, assumptions, and judgments while taking into account current tax laws, our
interpretation of current tax laws, and possible outcomes of future tax audits. We have established reserves to address potential exposures related to tax positions
that could be challenged by tax authorities. Although we believe our estimates, assumptions, and judgments to be reasonable, any changes in tax law or our
interpretation of tax laws and the resolutions of potential tax audits could significantly impact the amounts provided for income taxes in our consolidated financial
statements.
The calculation of our deferred tax asset balance involves the use of estimates, assumptions, and judgments while taking into account estimates of the
amounts and type of future taxable income. Actual future operating results and the underlying amount and type of income could differ materially from our
estimates, assumptions and judgments, thereby impacting our financial position and operating results.
We include interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits within income tax expense. Interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits
have been recognized in the appropriate periods presented.
Stock-Based Compensation
Stock-based compensation is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is recognized as expense, over the requisite service period,
which is generally the vesting period of the applicable award.
Determining the fair value of stock-based awards at the grant date requires judgment.
The fair value of restricted stock units, or RSUs, without market conditions is the fair value of our common stock on the grant date. We estimate the fair
value of RSUs subject to market conditions using a Monte Carlo simulation model. The determination of the fair value is affected by our stock price, as well as
assumptions regarding a number of complex and subjective variables including our expected stock price volatility over the expected term of the awards, and risk-
free interest rates.
We use the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to determine the fair value of stock options and warrants and shares issued under our 2015 ESPP. The
determination of the grant date fair value of stock options and warrants and shares issued under our 2015 ESPP using an option-pricing model is affected by our
estimated common stock fair value as well as assumptions regarding a number of variables. These variables include the fair value of our common stock, our
expected common stock price volatility over the expected life of the stock options and warrants, the expected term of the stock option and warrants, risk-free
interest rates, and the expected dividends, which are estimated as follows:
Fair Value of Our Common Stock . The fair value of our stock options, warrants and RSUs are based on the closing price of our Class A common stock as
reported on the New York Stock Exchange on the date of grant.
Expected Term . The expected term represents the period over which we anticipate stock-based awards to be outstanding. We do not have sufficient historical
exercise data to provide a reasonable basis upon which to estimate expected term due to the limited period of time stock-based awards have been exercisable. As a
result, for stock options and warrants, we used the simplified method to calculate the expected term estimate based on the vesting and contractual terms of the stock
option. Under the simplified method, the expected term is equal to the average of the stock-based award’s weighted average vesting period and its contractual term.
The expected term of equity awards issued under our 2015 ESPP is the contractual term.
Volatility . Expected volatility is a measure of the amount by which the stock price is expected to fluctuate. Prior to 2018, we estimated the expected
volatility of the common stock underlying our stock options, warrants and equity awards issued under our 2015 ESPP at the grant date by taking the average
historical volatility of the common stock of a group of comparable publicly traded companies over a period equal to the expected life. We used this method
because we had limited information on the volatility of our Class A common stock because of our short trading history. Beginning in 2018, we now use a
combination of historical volatility from our Class A common stock along with historical volatility from the group of comparable publicly traded companies.
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Risk-Free Rate . The risk-free interest rate is the estimated average interest rate based on U.S. Treasury zero-coupon notes with terms consistent with the
expected term of the awards.
Dividend Yield . We have never declared or paid any cash dividends and do not presently plan to pay cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Consequently,
we used an expected dividend yield of zero.
The assumptions used in calculating the fair value of the stock-based awards represent management judgment. As a result, if factors change and different
assumptions are used, the stock-based compensation expense could be materially different in the future.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
See Note 2, “Significant Accounting Policies,” in the notes to our consolidated financial statements for a full description of recent accounting
pronouncements, including expected dates of adoption and estimated effects on results of operations and financial condition.
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Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
We are exposed to market risks in the ordinary course of our business. These risks primarily include interest rate and foreign currency risks as follows:
Interest Rate Risk
Our exposure to changes in interest rates relates primarily to our investment portfolio. As of December 31, 2018 , we had cash and cash equivalents of
$474.0 million and marketable securities of $249.5 million which consisted primarily of bank deposits, money market funds, U.S. government and agency
securities, commercial paper, and corporate notes and bonds. The primary objectives of our investment activities are to preserve principal and provide liquidity
without significantly increasing risk. Our investment policy specifies credit quality standards for our investments and limits the amount of credit exposure to any
single issue, issuer, or type of investment.
To date, we have not been exposed, nor do we anticipate being exposed, to material risks due to changes in interest rates. A hypothetical 10% change in
interest rates during any of the periods presented would not have had a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
Foreign Currency Risk
To date, all of our inventory purchases have been denominated in U.S. dollars. Our international sales are primarily denominated in foreign currencies and
any unfavorable movement in the exchange rate between U.S. dollars and the currencies in which we conduct sales in foreign countries could have an adverse
impact on our revenue. A portion of our operating expenses are incurred outside the United States and are denominated in foreign currencies, which are also
subject to fluctuations due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates. In addition, our suppliers incur many costs, including labor costs, in other currencies. To
the extent that exchange rates move unfavorably for our suppliers, they may seek to pass these additional costs on to us, which could have a material impact on our
gross margins. Our operating results and cash flows are, therefore, subject to fluctuations due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates. However, we believe
that the exposure to foreign currency fluctuation from operating expenses is relatively small at this time as the related costs do not constitute a significant portion
of our total expenses.
To partially mitigate the impact of changes in currency exchange rates on net cash flows from our foreign currency denominated revenue and expenses, we
enter into foreign currency exchange forward and option contracts. We also hedge certain monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies, which
reduces but does not eliminate our exposure to currency fluctuations between the date a transaction is recorded and the date that cash is collected or paid. In
general, the market risks of these contracts are offset by corresponding gains and losses on the transactions being hedged.
We had no outstanding contracts in cash flow hedges for forecasted revenue and expense transactions as of December 31, 2018 . We had outstanding balance
sheet hedges with a total notional amount of $101.4 million as of December 31, 2018 . We assessed our exposure to movements in currency exchange rates by
performing a sensitivity analysis of adverse changes in exchange rates and the corresponding impact to our results of operations. Based on transactions
denominated in currencies other than respective functional currencies, a hypothetical change of 10% would have resulted in an impact on loss before income taxes
of approximately $11.9 million for 2018 .
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Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
FITBIT, INC.
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Consolidated Financial Statements:
Consolidated Balance Sheets
Consolidated Statements of Operations
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
57
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58
60
61
62
63
64
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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of Fitbit, Inc.
Opinions on the Financial Statements and Internal Control over Financial Reporting
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Fitbit, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, and the related
consolidated statements of operations, of comprehensive loss, of stockholders’ equity, and of cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2018,
including the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). We also have audited the Company's internal control over financial reporting as
of December 31, 2018, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway
Commission (COSO).
In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2018 and
2017, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2018 in conformity with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America. Also in our opinion, the Company did not maintain, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of
December 31, 2018, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the COSO because a material weakness in internal control over
financial reporting related to accuracy of inputs in the sales order entry process existed as of that date.
A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material
misstatement of the annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. The material weakness referred to above is described in
Management's Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting appearing under Item 9A. We considered this material weakness in determining the nature, timing, and
extent of audit tests applied in our audit of the 2018 consolidated financial statements, and our opinion regarding the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over
financial reporting does not affect our opinion on those consolidated financial statements.
Change in Accounting Principle
As discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company changed the manner in which it accounts for revenues from contracts with customers
in 2018.
Basis for Opinions
The Company's management is responsible for these consolidated financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment
of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in management's report referred to above. Our responsibility is to express opinions on the Company’s
consolidated financial statements and on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal
securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about
whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud, and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was
maintained in all material respects.
Our audits of the consolidated financial statements included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether
due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and
disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well
as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of
internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control
based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a
reasonable basis for our opinions.
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting
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 (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the
company; (ii) 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
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of the company; and (iii) 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.
/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
San Francisco, California
March 1, 2019
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2011.
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FITBIT, INC.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Accounts receivable, net
Inventories
Income tax receivable
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Total current assets
Property and equipment, net
Goodwill
Intangible assets, net
Deferred tax assets
Other assets
Total assets
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities
Deferred revenue
Income taxes payable
Total current liabilities
Long-term deferred revenue
Other liabilities
Total liabilities
Commitments and contingencies (Note 7)
Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value, 10,000,000 shares authorized
Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value, 600,000,000 shares authorized; 221,081,203 and 207,453,624 shares
issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively
Class B common stock, $0.0001 par value, 350,000,000 shares authorized; 31,281,638 and 31,302,898 shares
issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively
Additional paid-in capital
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
Accumulated deficit
Total stockholders’ equity
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
December 31,
2018
2017
$
473,956 $
249,493
414,209
124,871
6,957
42,325
1,311,811
106,286
60,979
23,620
4,489
8,362
341,966
337,334
406,019
123,895
77,882
97,269
1,384,365
104,908
51,036
22,356
3,990
15,420
$
$
1,515,547 $
1,582,075
251,657 $
437,234
29,400
1,092
719,383
7,436
52,790
779,609
—
22
3
1,055,046
(66)
(319,067)
735,938
212,731
452,137
35,504
928
701,300
6,928
49,884
758,112
—
21
3
956,060
(9)
(132,112)
823,963
$
1,515,547 $
1,582,075
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
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Revenue
Cost of revenue
Gross profit
Operating expenses:
Research and development
Sales and marketing
General and administrative
Total operating expenses
Operating loss
Interest income, net
Other income (expense), net
Loss before income taxes
Income tax expense (benefit)
Net loss
FITBIT, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
Year Ended December 31,
2018
2017
2016
$
1,511,983 $
1,615,519 $
908,404
603,579
332,169
344,091
116,627
792,887
924,618
690,901
343,012
415,042
133,934
891,988
2,169,461
1,323,577
845,884
320,191
491,255
146,903
958,349
(189,308)
(201,087)
(112,465)
7,808
(2,642)
(184,142)
1,687
3,647
2,796
(194,644)
82,548
(185,829) $
(277,192) $
(0.76) $
(0.76) $
(1.19) $
(1.19) $
244,603
244,603
232,032
232,032
3,156
14
(109,295)
(6,518)
(102,777)
(0.47)
(0.47)
220,405
220,405
$
$
$
Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders:
Basic
Diluted
Shares used to compute net loss per share attributable to common stockholders:
Basic
Diluted
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
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Net loss
Other comprehensive loss:
Cash flow hedges:
FITBIT, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss
(In thousands)
Year Ended December 31,
2018
2017
2016
$
(185,829) $
(277,192) $
(102,777)
7,587
(19,422)
9,422
(7,587)
—
19,965
543
(10,650)
(1,228)
(68)
11
(57)
—
125
(13)
112
314
(126)
(6)
(132)
(309)
$
(185,886) $
(276,223) $
(104,446)
Change in unrealized gain (loss) on cash flow hedges, net of tax expense (benefit) of $819,
($1) and ($1,251), respectively
Less reclassification for realized net (gain) loss included in net loss, net of tax expense of
($819), $74 and $509, respectively
Net change, net of tax
Available-for-sale investments:
Change in unrealized gain (loss) on investments
Less reclassification for realized net (gain) loss included in net loss
Net change, net of tax
Change in foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax
Comprehensive loss
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
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Balance at December 31, 2015
Issuance of common stock
Stock-based compensation expense
Taxes related to net share settlement of restricted stock
units
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation
Net loss
Other comprehensive loss
Balance at December 31, 2016
Issuance of common stock
Stock-based compensation expense
Taxes related to net share settlement of restricted stock
units
Cumulative effect adjustment related to recognition of
previously unrecognized excess tax benefits from
adoption of ASU 2016-09
Net loss
Other comprehensive income
Balance at December 31, 2017
Issuance of common stock
Stock-based compensation expense
Taxes related to net share settlement of restricted stock
units
Cumulative effect adjustment related to opening retained
earnings for adoption of ASU 2014-09
Net loss
Other comprehensive loss
Balance at December 31, 2018
FITBIT, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity
(In thousands except share amounts)
Class A and Class B Common Stock
Shares
Amount
Additional
Paid-In
Capital
Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income (Loss)
Retained
Earnings
(Accumulated
Deficit)
Total
Stockholders’
Equity
214,781,573 $
10,881,704
—
21 $
2
—
737,820 $
25,812
79,107
—
—
—
—
225,663,277
13,093,245
—
—
—
—
—
238,756,522
13,606,319
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
23
1
—
—
—
—
—
24
1
—
—
—
—
—
25 $
(4,939)
21,545
—
—
859,345
19,010
92,081
(14,376)
—
—
—
956,060
21,469
96,953
(19,436)
—
—
—
$
691
—
—
—
—
—
(1,669)
(978)
—
—
—
—
—
969
(9)
—
—
—
—
—
(57)
242,919 $
—
—
—
—
(102,777)
—
140,142
—
—
—
4,938
(277,192)
—
(132,112)
—
—
—
(1,126)
(185,829)
—
981,451
25,814
79,107
(4,939)
21,545
(102,777)
(1,669)
998,532
19,011
92,081
(14,376)
4,938
(277,192)
969
823,963
21,470
96,953
(19,436)
(1,126)
(185,829)
(57)
$
(319,067) $
735,938
(66)
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
252,362,841 $
1,055,046 $
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FITBIT, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(In thousands)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Net loss
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:
Provision for doubtful accounts
Provision for excess and obsolete inventory
Depreciation
Amortization of intangible assets
Accelerated depreciation of property and equipment
Amortization of issuance costs and discount on debt
Stock-based compensation
Deferred income taxes
Impairment of equity investment
Other
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:
Accounts receivable
Inventories
Prepaid expenses and other assets
Fitbit force recall reserve
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities and other liabilities
Deferred revenue
Income taxes payable
Net cash provided by operating activities
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
Purchase of property and equipment
Purchase of marketable securities
Sales of marketable securities
Maturities of marketable securities
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired
Equity investment
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Repayment of debt
Payment of offering costs
Proceeds from issuance of common stock
Taxes paid related to net share settlement of restricted stock units
Net cash provided by financing activities
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
Supplemental Disclosure
Cash paid for interest
Cash paid (received) for income taxes, net of $72 million income tax refund in 2018
Supplemental Disclosure of Non-Cash Investing and Financing Activity
Purchase of property and equipment included in accounts payable and accrued liabilities
Property acquired under capital leases
Year Ended December 31,
2018
2017
2016
$
(185,829)
$
(277,192) $
(102,777)
56
11,828
48,889
7,926
7,731
785
97,009
(2,548)
6,000
(1,395)
(8,036)
(12,860)
125,914
(445)
35,207
(11,978)
(5,622)
575
113,207
(52,880)
(353,948)
9,983
433,594
(19,253)
—
17,496
(747)
—
21,470
(19,436)
1,287
131,990
—
341,966
473,956
$
631
(69,868)
6,615
2,700
$
$
$
$
7,893
14,833
39,971
5,722
5,250
951
91,581
173,906
—
216
63,784
92,129
(113,111)
(789)
(86,115)
56,172
(7,472)
(3,488)
64,241
(89,160)
(597,933)
42,406
622,525
(556)
(6,000)
(28,718)
—
—
19,011
(14,376)
4,635
40,158
488
301,320
341,966 $
1,019 $
382 $
4,197 $
— $
339
4,993
36,046
2,087
19,805
466
79,432
(100,434)
—
(423)
(8,701)
(61,975)
(37,876)
(3,869)
45,654
213,361
5,456
47,136
138,720
(78,640)
(638,055)
46,511
315,774
(38,256)
—
(392,666)
—
(1,236)
25,969
(4,939)
19,794
(234,152)
(374)
535,846
301,320
624
34,014
19,778
—
$
$
$
$
$
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
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1. Business Overview and Basis of Presentation
Description of Business
FITBIT, INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Fitbit, Inc. (the “Company”) is a technology company focused on driving health solutions and positively impacting health outcomes. The Fitbit platform
combines wearable devices with software and services to give its users tools to help them reach their health and fitness goals. The Company’s wearable devices,
which include trackers and smartwatches, enable its users to view data about their daily activity, exercise and sleep in real-time. The Company’s software and
services, which include an online dashboard and mobile app, provide its users with data analytics, motivational and social tools, and virtual coaching through
customized fitness plans and interactive workouts, drive engagement and can be leveraged to provide personalized insights. The Company sells devices through
diversified sales channels that include distributors, retailers, Fitbit Health Solutions, and Fitbit.com. The Company has established wholly-owned subsidiaries
globally and its corporate headquarters are located in San Francisco, California.
Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”). The consolidated
financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated.
The Company’s fiscal year ends on December 31 of each year. The Company operates on a 4-4-5 week quarterly calendar.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the
amounts reported and disclosed in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. The primary estimates and assumptions made by management
are related to revenue recognition, reserves for sales returns and incentives, reserves for warranty, valuation of stock-based awards, fair value of derivative assets
and liabilities, allowance for doubtful accounts, inventory valuation, fair value of goodwill and acquired tangible and intangible assets and liabilities assumed
during acquisitions, the number of reportable segments, the recoverability of intangible assets and their useful lives, contingencies, income taxes, recoverability of
unused advertising credits, and impairment of an equity investment. Actual results could differ from those estimates, and such differences may be material to the
consolidated financial statements.
Comprehensive Loss
Comprehensive loss consists of two components, net loss and other comprehensive loss, net of tax. Other comprehensive loss refers to revenue, expenses,
and gains and losses that are recorded as an element of stockholders’ equity but are excluded from net loss. The Company’s other comprehensive loss consists of
net unrealized gains and losses on derivative instruments accounted for as cash flow hedges, foreign currency translation adjustments from those subsidiaries not
using the U.S. dollar as their functional currency, and unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities.
Customer Bankruptcy
In September 2017, Wynit Distribution (“Wynit”) filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. Wynit was the
Company’s largest customer, historically representing 11% of total revenue during the six months ended July 1, 2017 and 19% of total accounts receivables as of
July 1, 2017. In connection with Wynit’s bankruptcy filing, the Company believed that the collectability of the product shipments to Wynit during the third quarter
of 2017 was not reasonably assured. However, as of July 1, 2017, collectability of accounts receivables from Wynit was reasonably assured.
The Company ceased to recognize revenue from Wynit, which totaled $8.1 million during the third quarter of 2017. Additionally, the Company recorded a
charge of $35.8 million during the third quarter ended September 30, 2017 comprised of cost of revenue of $5.5 million associated with shipments to Wynit in the
third quarter of 2017 and bad debt expense of $30.3 million associated with all of Wynit’s outstanding accounts receivables. The Company maintains credit
insurance that covers a portion of the exposure related to its customer receivables. The Company recorded an insurance receivable based on an analysis of its
insurance policies, including their exclusions, an assessment of the nature of the claim, and information from its insurance carrier. As of September 30, 2017, the
Company had recorded an insurance receivable of $26.8 million , included in prepaid
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expenses and other current assets, associated with the amount it had concluded was probable related to the claim. The $26.8 million insurance receivable allowed
the Company to recover $22.7 million of bad debt expense and $4.1 million of cost of revenue, resulting in a net charge of $9.0 million in the consolidated
statement of operations comprised of net bad debt expense of $7.6 million and net cost of revenue of $1.4 million . The Company received $21.4 million of the
insurance receivable during the fourth quarter of 2017, and the remaining $5.4 million in January 2018.
During 2018, the Company released $12.4 million in product return and rebate reserves related to Wynit, as it believes the possibility of future claims
associated with these reserves is remote. This reserve release resulted in a $12.4 million increase in revenue during the year ended December 31, 2018 .
Non-Monetary Transaction
The Company entered into an agreement with a third party during 2016 to exchange inventory for advertising credits and cash, which was amended in
October 2018 to extend the contractual period from four to six years. The Company recorded the transaction based on the estimated fair value of the products
exchanged. For the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company recorded $15.0 million of revenue and $7.0 million of associated cost of goods sold upon
exchange of the products for advertising credits of $13.0 million and cash of $2.0 million . The $13.0 million of unused advertising credits remaining as of
December 31, 2016 were recorded in prepaid expenses and other current assets, and other assets. Such credits are expected to be used over the contractual period of
six years, and will be expensed as advertising services are received. During the year ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, $2.3 million and $0.8 million ,
respectively, of credits were utilized. The Company’s prepaid and other assets related to unused advertising credits as of December 31, 2018 and December 31,
2017 were $9.9 million and $12.2 million , respectively.
2. Significant Accounting Policies
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities
Cash and cash equivalents include all cash balances and highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less from the date of purchase.
Cash equivalents and marketable securities consist of money market funds, U.S. government and agency securities, commercial paper, and corporate notes and
bonds.
The Company’s marketable securities are classified as available-for-sale as of the balance sheet date and are reported at fair value with unrealized gains and
losses reported, net of tax, as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in stockholders’ equity. Because the Company views
marketable securities as available to support current operations as needed, it has classified all available-for-sale securities as current assets. Realized gains or losses
and other-than-temporary impairments, if any, on available-for-sale securities are reported in other expense, net as incurred. Realized gains and losses on the sale
of securities are determined by specific identification of each security’s cost basis. Investments are reviewed periodically to identify possible other-than-temporary
impairments. No impairment loss has been recorded on the securities as the Company believes that any decrease in fair value of these securities is temporary and
expects to recover up to, or beyond, the initial cost of investment for these securities.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
Assets and liabilities recorded at fair value on a recurring basis are categorized based upon the level of judgment associated with inputs used to measure their
fair values. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market
participants at the reporting date.
The Company estimates fair value by applying the following hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value into three levels and bases the
categorization within the hierarchy upon the lowest level of input that is available and significant to the fair value measurement:
Level 1 —Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;
Level 2 —Observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or
liabilities in inactive markets, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or
liabilities; and
Level 3 —Inputs that are generally unobservable and typically reflect management’s estimate of assumptions that market participants would use in pricing
the asset or liability.
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Foreign Currencies
The Company and all of its wholly-owned subsidiaries use the U.S. dollar as their functional currency.
The Company’s subsidiaries that use the U.S. dollar as their functional currency remeasure local currency denominated monetary assets and liabilities at
exchange rates in effect at the end of each period, and inventories, property, plant and equipment and other nonmonetary assets and liabilities at historical rates.
Gains and losses from these remeasurements have been included in the Company’s operating results within other income (expense), net. Local currency
transactions of these international operations are remeasured into U.S. dollars at the rates of exchange in effect at the date of the transaction. Foreign currency
transaction gains were $4.6 million , $2.6 million , and $11.7 million for 2018 , 2017 , and 2016, respectively.
Derivative Instruments
The Company accounts for its derivative instruments as either assets or liabilities and carries them at fair value. Derivatives held by the Company that are not
designated as hedges are adjusted to fair value through earnings at each reporting date. In addition, the Company enters into derivatives that are accounted for as
cash flow hedges. The Company records the gains or losses, net of tax, related to the effective portion of its cash flow hedges as a component of accumulated other
comprehensive income (loss) in stockholders’ equity and subsequently reclassifies the gains or losses into revenue and operating expenses when the underlying
hedged transactions are recognized. The Company periodically assesses the effectiveness of its cash flow hedges. The fair value of derivative assets and liabilities
are included in prepaid expenses and other current assets and accrued liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets.
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash, cash equivalents, marketable securities,
accounts receivables, and derivative instruments. Cash is deposited with high quality financial institutions and may, at times, exceed federally insured limits. The
Company’s Investment Policy requires that cash equivalents and marketable securities are invested only in investment grade securities and limits the amount of
credit exposure to any single issuance, issuer, or type of investment. Management believes that the financial institutions that hold the Company’s deposits are
financially credit worthy and, accordingly, minimal credit risk exists with respect to those balances. Generally, these deposits may be redeemed upon demand and,
therefore, bear minimal interest rate risk.
The Company’s accounts receivable is derived from customers located principally in the United States. The Company maintains credit insurance for the
majority of its customer balances, performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers, and maintains allowances for potential credit losses on customers’
accounts when deemed necessary. Credit losses historically have not been significant. The Company continuously monitors customer payments and maintains an
allowance for doubtful accounts based on its assessment of various factors including historical experience, age of the receivable balances, and other current
economic conditions or other factors that may affect customers’ ability to pay.
The Company’s derivative instruments expose it to credit risk to the extent that its counterparties may be unable to meet the terms of the agreements. The
Company seeks to mitigate this risk by limiting counterparties to major financial institutions and by spreading the risk across several major financial institutions. In
addition, the potential risk of loss with any one counterparty resulting from this type of credit risk is monitored on an ongoing basis.
Supplier Concentration
The Company relies on third parties for the supply and manufacture of its products, as well as third-party logistics providers. In instances where these parties
fail to perform their obligations, the Company may be unable to find alternative suppliers or satisfactorily deliver its products to its customers on time, if at all.
Inventories
Inventories consist of finished goods and component parts, which are purchased from contract manufacturers and component suppliers. Inventories are stated
at the lower of cost or net realizable value. The Company assesses the valuation of inventory and periodically writes down the value for estimated excess and
obsolete inventory based upon estimates of future demand and market conditions.
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Property and Equipment, Net
Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment is
calculated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Cost of maintenance and repairs that do not improve or extend the lives of the
respective assets are expensed as incurred.
The useful lives of the property and equipment are as follows:
Tooling and manufacturing equipment
Furniture and office equipment
Purchased software
Capitalized internally-developed software
Leasehold improvements
Internally-Developed Software Costs
One to three years
Three years
Three years
Two to eight years
Shorter of remaining lease term or ten years
The Company capitalizes eligible costs to acquire, develop, or modify internal-use software that are incurred subsequent to the preliminary project stage.
Capitalized internally-developed software costs, net, not yet placed in service were $2.6 million as of December 31, 2018 and $11.2 million as of December 31,
2017.
Research and Development
Research and development expenses consist primarily of personnel-related expenses, consulting and contractor expenses, tooling and prototype materials,
and allocated overhead costs. Substantially all of the Company’s research and development expenses are related to developing new products and services and
improving existing products and services. To date, research and development expenses have been expensed as incurred, because the release of products and
services for sale has been short and development costs qualifying for capitalization have been immaterial.
Business Combinations, Goodwill, and Intangible Assets
The Company allocates the fair value of purchase consideration to tangible assets, liabilities assumed, and intangible assets acquired based on their estimated
fair values. The excess of the fair value of purchase consideration over the fair values of these identifiable assets and liabilities is allocated to goodwill. The
allocation of the purchase consideration requires management to make significant estimates and assumptions, especially with respect to intangible assets. These
estimates can include, but are not limited to, future expected cash flows from acquired customers, acquired technology, and trade names from a market participant
perspective, useful lives, and discount rates. Management’s estimates of fair value are based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable, but which are inherently
uncertain and unpredictable and, as a result, actual results may differ from estimates. During the measurement period, which is up to one year from the acquisition
date, the Company may record adjustments to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed, with the corresponding offset to goodwill. Upon the conclusion of the
measurement period, any subsequent adjustments are recorded to earnings.
The Company assesses goodwill for impairment at least annually during the fourth quarter and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the
carrying value of the asset may not be recoverable. Consistent with the determination that the Company has one operating segment, the Company has determined
that there is one reporting unit and tests goodwill for impairment at the entity level. Goodwill is tested using the two-step process in accordance with ASC 350,
Intangibles—Goodwill and Other . In the first step, the carrying amount of the reporting unit is compared to the fair value based on the fair value of the Company’s
common stock. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds the carrying value, goodwill is not considered impaired and no further testing is required. If the
carrying value of the reporting unit exceeds the fair value, goodwill is potentially impaired and the second step of the impairment test must be performed. In the
second step, the implied fair value of the goodwill, as defined by ASC 350, is compared to its carrying amount to determine the amount of impairment loss, if any.
The Company tested goodwill for impairment as of October 31, 2018 and 2017, and the fair value of the reporting unit exceeded the carrying value. The Company
considered other factors in the performance of the annual goodwill impairment test in the fourth quarter of 2018, including assumptions about expected future
revenue forecasts, changes in the overall economy, trends in its stock price, and other operating conditions. It is reasonably possible that the Company could
perform significantly below its expectations or a deterioration of market and economic conditions could occur. This would adversely impact the Company's ability
to meet its projected results, which could cause its goodwill to become impaired. If the Company determines that its goodwill is impaired, it would be required to
record a non-cash charge that could have a material adverse effect on its results of operations and financial position.
Acquired finite-lived intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives. The Company evaluates the recoverability of intangible assets for
possible impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of
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such assets may not be recoverable. Recoverability of these assets is measured by a comparison of the carrying amounts to the future undiscounted cash flows the
assets are expected to generate. If such review indicates that the carrying amount of intangible assets is not recoverable, the carrying amount of such assets is
reduced to fair value. The Company has not recorded any such impairment charge during the years presented.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
The Company evaluates its long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may
not be recoverable. Recoverability is measured by comparison of the carrying amounts to the expected future undiscounted cash flows attributable to these assets.
If it is determined that an asset is not recoverable, an impairment loss is recorded in the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the expected
discounted future cash flows arising from those assets. The Company has not recorded any such impairment charge during the years presented.
Revenue Recognition
The Company recognizes revenue upon transfer of control of promised goods or services to customers at transaction price, an amount that reflects the
consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. Transaction price is calculated as selling price net of variable consideration
which may include estimates for future returns and sales incentives related to current period product revenue.
Products and Services
The Company derives substantially all of its revenue from sales of its wearable devices, which includes trackers, smartwatches and accessories. The
Company also generates a small portion of revenue from its subscription-based services. The Company considers delivery of its products to have occurred once
control has transferred and delivery of services to have occurred as control is transferred. The Company recognizes revenue, net of estimated sales returns, sales
incentives, discounts, and sales tax.
Arrangements with Multiple Performance Obligations
The Company enters into contracts that have multiple performance obligations that include hardware, software, and services. The first performance
obligation is the hardware and firmware essential to the functionality of the tracker or smartwatch delivered at the time of sale. The second performance
obligation is the software services included with the products, which are provided free of charge and enable users to sync, view, and access real-time data on the
Company’s online dashboard and mobile apps. The third performance obligation is the embedded right included with the purchase of the device to receive, on a
when-and-if-available basis, future unspecified firmware upgrades and features relating to the product’s essential firmware. In addition, the Company
occasionally offers a fourth performance obligation in bundled arrangements that allows access to subscription-based services related to the Company’s Fitbit
Coach offering.
The Company allocates revenue to all performance obligations based on their relative standalone selling prices (“SSP”). The Company’s process for
determining its SSP considers multiple factors including consumer behaviors, the Company’s internal pricing model, and cost-plus margin and may vary
depending upon the facts and circumstances related to each deliverable. SSP for the trackers and smartwatches reflect the Company’s best estimate of the selling
prices if they were sold regularly on a stand-alone basis and comprise the majority of the arrangement consideration. SSP for upgrade rights currently ranges from
$1.00 to $3.00 . SSP for the online dashboard and mobile apps is currently estimated at $0.99 . SSP for access to Fitbit Coach subscription-based services is based
on the price charged when sold separately.
Amounts allocated to the delivered wearable devices are recognized at the time of delivery, provided the other conditions for revenue recognition have been
met. Amounts allocated to the online dashboard and mobile apps and unspecified upgrade rights are deferred and recognized on a straight-line basis over the
estimated usage period.
The Company offers its users the ability to purchase subscription-based services, through which the users receive incremental features, including access to a
digital personal trainer, in-depth analytics regarding the user’s personal metrics, or video-based customized workouts. Amounts paid for subscriptions are deferred
and recognized ratably over the service period, which is typically one year. Revenue from subscription-based services was less than 1% of revenue for all periods
presented.
In addition, the Company offers subscription-based software and services to certain customers in Fitness Health Solutions, which includes a real-time
dashboard, and the ability to create corporate challenges. SSP for the Fitness Health Solutions subscription is determined based on the Company’s internal pricing
model for anticipated renewals for existing customers and
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pricing for new customers. Revenue allocated to the Fitness Health Solutions subscription is deferred and recognized on a straight-line basis over the estimated
access period of one year, which is the typical service period. Revenue for Fitness Health Solutions software and services was less than 1% of revenue for all
periods presented.
The Company applies a practical expedient to expense costs to obtain a contract with a customer as incurred when the amortization period would be one year
or less. The Company applies a practical expedient to not consider the effect of a significant financing component as it expects that the period between transfer of
control and payment from customer to be one year or less.
The Company accounts for shipping and handling fees billed to customers as revenue. Sales taxes and value added taxes (“VAT”) collected from customers
which are remitted to governmental authorities are not included in revenue, and are reflected as a liability on the consolidated balance sheets.
Rights of Return, Stock Rotation Rights, and Price Protection
The Company offers limited rights of return, stock rotation rights, and price protection under various policies and programs with its retailer and distributor
customers and end-users. Below is a summary of the general provisions of such policies and programs:
•
•
•
•
Retailers and distributors are generally allowed to return products that were originally sold through to an end-user under provisions of their contracts, called
“open-box” returns, and such returns may be made at any time after the original sale.
All purchases through Fitbit.com are covered by a 45-day right of return.
Certain distributors are allowed stock rotation rights which are limited rights of return of products purchased during a prior period, generally one quarter.
Certain distributors are offered price protection that allows for the right to a partial credit for unsold inventory held by the distributor if the Company reduces
the selling price of a product.
The Company estimates reserves for these policies and programs based on historical experience, and records the reserves as a reduction of revenue and an
accrued liability. Through December 31, 2018 , actual returns have primarily been open-box returns. On a quarterly basis, the amount of revenue that is reserved
for future returns is calculated based on historical trends and data specific to each reporting period. The historical trends consider product life cycles, new product
introductions, market acceptance of products, product sell-through, the type of customer, seasonality, and other factors. Return rates can fluctuate over time, but
have been sufficiently predictable to allow the Company to estimate expected future product returns. The Company reviews the actual returns evidenced in prior
quarters as a percent of related revenue to determine the historical rate of returns. The Company then applies the historical rate of returns to the current period
revenue as a basis for estimating future returns. When necessary, the Company also provides a specific reserve for products in the distribution channel in excess of
estimated requirements. This estimate can be affected by the amount of a particular product in the channel, the rate of sell-through, product plans, and other factors.
The Company also considers whether there are circumstances which may result in anticipated returns higher than the historical return rate from direct customers
and records an additional specific reserve as necessary. The estimates and assumptions used to reserve for rights of return, stock rotation rights, and price
protection have been accurate in all material respects and have not materially changed in the past.
Sales Incentives
The Company offers sales incentives through various programs, consisting primarily of cooperative advertising and pricing promotions to retailers and
distributors. The Company records advertising with customers as a reduction to revenue unless it receives a distinct benefit in exchange for credits claimed by the
customer and can reasonably estimate the fair value of the distinct benefit received, in which case the Company records it as a marketing expense. The Company
recognizes a liability and reduces revenue for rebates or other incentives based on the estimated amount of rebates or credits that will be claimed by customers.
Refer to Note 11, “Significant Customer Information and Other Information,” for disaggregated revenue by geographic region, based on ship-to destinations.
Cost of Revenue
Cost of revenue consists of product costs, including costs of contract manufacturers for production, shipping and handling costs, warranty replacement costs,
packaging, fulfillment costs, manufacturing and tooling equipment depreciation, warehousing costs, hosting costs, write-downs of excess and obsolete inventory,
amortization of developed technology intangible assets acquired,
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and certain allocated costs related to management, facilities, and personnel-related expenses and other expenses associated with supply chain logistics. Personnel-
related expenses include salaries, bonuses, benefits, and stock-based compensation.
Advertising Costs and Point of Purchase (“POP”) Displays
Costs related to advertising and promotions, excluding cooperative advertising costs, are expensed to sales and marketing as incurred. Advertising and
promotion expenses, including expenses for POP displays, for 2018 , 2017 , and 2016 were $161.5 million , $226.3 million and $316.8 million , respectively. Co-
op advertising costs are recorded as a reduction to revenue, and for 2018, 2017, and 2016 were $80.3 million , $45.0 million and $52.9 million , respectively.
The Company provides retailers with POP displays, generally free of charge, in order to facilitate the marketing of the Company’s products within retail
stores. Any amounts capitalized related to the costs of the POP displays are recorded as prepaid expenses and other current assets on the consolidated balance
sheets and recognized as expense over the expected period of the benefit provided by these assets, which is generally 12 months. The related expenses are included
in sales and marketing expenses on the consolidated statements of operations.
Product Warranty
The Company offers a standard product warranty that its products will operate under normal use for a period of one -year from the date of original purchase,
except in the European Union and certain Asia Pacific countries where the Company provides a two -year warranty. The Company has the obligation, at its option,
to either repair or replace a defective product. At the time revenue is recognized, an estimate of future warranty costs is recorded as a component of cost of
revenues. The estimate of future warranty costs is based on historical and projected warranty claim rates, historical and projected cost-per-claim and knowledge of
specific product failures, if any, that are outside of the Company’s typical experience. The Company regularly review these estimates to assess the appropriateness
of its recorded warranty liabilities and adjust the amounts as necessary. Factors that affect the warranty obligation include product failure rates, service delivery
costs incurred in correcting the product failures, and warranty policies. The Company’s products are manufactured by contract manufacturers, and in certain cases,
the Company may have recourse against such contract manufacturers. Should actual product failure rates, use of materials or other costs differ from the Company’s
estimates, additional warranty liabilities could be incurred, which could materially affect its results of operations. The estimates and assumptions used to reserve
for product warranty have been accurate in all material respects and have not materially changed in the past.
Stock-Based Compensation
Stock-based compensation is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is recognized as expense over the requisite service period,
which is generally the vesting period of the respective award. Determining the fair value of stock-based awards at the grant date requires judgment. The fair value
of restricted stock units, or RSUs, without market conditions is the fair value of the Company’s common stock on the grant date. The Company estimates the fair
value of RSUs subject to market conditions using a Monte Carlo simulation model. The Company uses the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to determine the
fair value of stock options, warrants and shares issued under the 2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “2015 ESPP”).
The Company recognizes tax benefits related to stock-based compensation to the extent that the total reduction to its income tax liability from stock-based
compensation is greater than the amount of the deferred tax assets previously recorded in anticipation of these benefits.
Segment Information
The Company operates as one operating segment as it only reports financial information on an aggregate and consolidated basis to its Chief Executive
Officer, who is the Company’s chief operating decision maker.
Income Taxes
The Company utilizes the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes, which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for
expected future consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting and income tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates. The
Company makes estimates, assumptions, and judgments to determine its expense (benefit) for income taxes and also for deferred tax assets and liabilities and any
valuation allowances recorded against its deferred tax assets. The Company assesses the likelihood that its deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable
income and, to the extent it believes that recovery is not likely, the Company establishes a valuation allowance.
The calculation of the Company’s income tax expense involves the use of estimates, assumptions, and judgments while taking into account current tax laws,
its interpretation of current tax laws, and possible outcomes of future tax audits. The Company
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has established reserves to address potential exposures related to tax positions that could be challenged by tax authorities. Although the Company believes its
estimates, assumptions, and judgments to be reasonable, any changes in tax law or its interpretation of tax laws and the resolutions of potential tax audits could
significantly impact the amounts provided for income taxes in its consolidated financial statements.
The calculation of the Company’s deferred tax asset balance involves the use of estimates, assumptions, and judgments while taking into account estimates
of the amounts and type of future taxable income. Actual future operating results and the underlying amount and type of income could differ materially from its
estimates, assumptions, and judgments, thereby impacting its financial position and operating results.
The Company includes interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits within income tax expense. Interest and penalties related to unrecognized
tax benefits have been recognized in the appropriate periods presented.
Net Income (Loss) per Share Attributable to Common Stockholders
Basic and diluted net income (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders is presented in conformity with the two-class method required for
participating securities. The Company considers its redeemable convertible preferred stock to be participating securities. The holders of the redeemable convertible
preferred stock did not have a contractual obligation to share in losses. In accordance with the two-class method, earnings allocated to these participating securities
and the related number of outstanding shares of the participating securities, which include contractual participation rights in undistributed earnings, have been
excluded from the computation of basic and diluted net income per share attributable to common stockholders. For the calculation of diluted net income per share,
net income attributable to common stockholders for basic net income per share is adjusted by the effect of dilutive securities. Diluted net income per share
attributable to common stockholders is computed by dividing the net income attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common
shares outstanding, including all potentially dilutive common shares, if the effect of such shares is dilutive.
In connection with the Company’s initial public offering (“IPO”) in 2015, the Company established two classes of authorized common stock: Class A
common stock and Class B common stock. As a result, all then-outstanding shares of common stock were converted into shares of Class B common stock. The
rights of the holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock are identical, except with respect to voting and conversion. Each share of Class A
common stock is entitled to one vote per share and each share of Class B common stock is entitled to ten votes per share. Each share of Class B common stock is
convertible at any time at the option of the stockholder into one share of Class A common stock, generally automatically converts into Class A common stock upon
a transfer, and has no expiration date. The Company applies the two-class method of calculating earnings per share, but as the dividend rights of both classes are
identical, basic and diluted earnings per share are the same for both classes.
As the Company was in a net loss position from 2016 through 2018, basic net loss per share attributable to common stockholders was the same as diluted net
loss per share attributable to common stockholders as the inclusion of all potential shares of common stock outstanding would have been anti-dilutive.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted
In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) and subsequent amendments to the
initial guidance; ASU 2017-13, ASU 2018-10 and ASU 2018-11 (collectively, Topic 842). Topic 842 requires lessees to recognize right-of-use assets and lease
liabilities for operating leases, initially measured at the present value of the lease payments, on the balance sheet. Topic 842 will become effective for the Company
on January 1, 2019, and requires adoption using a modified retrospective approach. The Company has assessed the impact of the guidance, which includes
evaluating contracts, developing policies, processes and information technology tools to report financial results, and implementing and evaluating the Company’s
internal controls over financial reporting that will be necessary under the new standard. The Company will adopt Topic 842 utilizing the modified retrospective
transition method through a cumulative-effect adjustment on January 1, 2019, and will not restate comparative periods. Upon adoption, the Company elected the
transition package of practical expedients permitted within the new standard, which allows the carryforward of the assessment of whether contracts contain or are
leases, historical lease classification, and remaining lease terms. Based on the Company’s lease portfolio, it anticipates recording right-of-use assets between a
range of approximately $95.0 million to $115.0 million and aggregate current and non-current liabilities between a range of approximately $125.0 million to
$145.0 million on its consolidated balance sheet. However, the Company does not expect the adoption to have a material impact on its consolidated statement of
operations or consolidated statement of cash flows.
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In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.
ASU 2016-13 provides for a new impairment model which requires measurement and recognition of expected credit losses for most financial assets and certain
other instruments, including but not limited to accounts receivable and available for sale debt securities. ASU 2016-13 will become effective for the Company on
January 1, 2020 and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements.
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. ASU 2017-04
simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill by eliminating the second step of the goodwill impairment test. The second step measures a goodwill
impairment loss by comparing the implied fair value of a reporting unit’s goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. Under ASU 2017-04, a company will
record an impairment charge based on the excess of a reporting unit’s carrying amount over its fair value. ASU 2017-04 will be applied prospectively and is
effective for annual or interim goodwill impairment tests in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for interim or annual
goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates after January 1, 2017. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this guidance on its consolidated
financial statements.
In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-02, Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. Under
existing U.S. GAAP, the effects of changes in tax rates and laws on deferred tax balances are recorded as a component of income tax expense in the period in
which the law was enacted. When deferred tax balances related to items originally recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income are adjusted, certain tax
effects become stranded in accumulated other comprehensive income. The amendments in ASU No. 2018-02 allow a reclassification from accumulated other
comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“2017 Tax Act”). The amendments in
ASU No. 2018-02 also require certain disclosures about stranded tax effects. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 and
interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company does not expect the impact of adoption to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment
Accounting. ASU 2018-07 expands the scope of Topic 718 to include share-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from nonemployees.
ASU 2018-07 will become effective for the Company on January 1, 2019 and early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect adoption of this guidance
will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for
Fair Value Measurement. ASU 2018-13 modifies the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements and will become effective for the Company on January 1,
2020 and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements.
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other-Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for
Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract. ASU 2018-15 clarifies the accounting for implementation costs in
cloud computing arrangements and will become effective for the Company on January 1, 2020 and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently
evaluating the impact of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements.
Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted
In May 2014, the FASB, issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which affects any entity that either enters into contracts
with customers to transfer goods and services or enters into contracts for the transfer of nonfinancial assets. The standard’s core principle is that a company will
recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be
entitled in exchange for those goods or services.
The Company adopted ASU 2014-09 effective January 1, 2018, utilizing the modified retrospective transition method. Prior periods were not retrospectively
adjusted. Upon adoption, the Company recognized an immaterial cumulative effect of adopting this guidance as an adjustment to its opening accumulated deficit
balance. The new standard impacted the timing of when revenue is recognized for certain products shipped, and the timing and classification of certain sales
incentives, which are generally recognized earlier than historical guidance. The Company believes the new guidance is materially consistent with its historical
revenue recognition policy. In addition, ASU 2014-09 requires the presentation of sales returns reserve as a current liability. The Company’s sales return reserve
was $104.0 million as of December 31, 2018 , presented within “Accrued liabilities” and was $109.9 million as of December 31, 2017, presented within “Accounts
receivable, net.”
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The impact to revenue, accounts receivable, deferred revenue, and accrued liabilities as a result of applying ASU 2014-09 for the year ended or as of
December 31, 2018 was as follows (in thousands):
Revenue
Accounts receivable, net
Deferred revenue
Accrued liabilities
Accumulated deficit
Year Ended December 31, 2018
Under ASC 605
Impact
Under ASC 606
$
1,511,999 $
(16) $
1,511,983
310,208
37,635
333,201
(319,052)
104,001
(799)
104,033
(15)
414,209
36,836
437,234
(319,067)
The impact to other financial statement line items was immaterial. Adoption of the standard had no impact to net cash from or used in operating, investing, or
financing activities in the Company’s consolidated statement of cash flows.
In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, Financial Instruments - Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and
Financial Liabilities, which updates certain aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of financial instruments. The Company has elected to
measure equity investments that do not have readily determinable fair values at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable
price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the
Company’s consolidated financial statements.
In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230). ASU 2016-15 provides guidance intended to reduce diversity in
practice in how certain transactions are classified in the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-15 provides guidance in a number of situations including, among
others, contingent consideration payments made after a business combination, proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims, distributions received from equity
method investees, and classifying cash receipts and payments that have aspects of more than one class of cash flows. ASU 2016-15 became effective for the
Company on January 1, 2018. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, Income Taxes: Intra-Entity Transfers Other than Inventory (Topic 740), which requires entities to
recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory when the transfer occurs. The Company adopted ASU No. 2016-
16 on January 1, 2018, and the adoption of the guidance did not have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business. The purpose of ASU 2017-01
is to change the definition of a business to assist entities with evaluating when a set of transferred assets and activities is a business. ASU 2017-01 became effective
for the Company on January 1, 2018. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting. ASU 2017-09 was issued
to clarify and reduce both (i) diversity in practice and (ii) cost and complexity when applying the guidance in Topic 718 to a change to the terms and conditions of
a share-based payment award. ASU 2017-09 became effective for the Company on January 1, 2018. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact
on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. ASU
2017-12 amends the hedge accounting rules to simplify the application of hedge accounting standard and better portray the economic results of risk management
activities in the financial statements. The standard expands the ability to hedge non-financial and financial risk components, reduces complexity in fair value
hedges of interest rate risk, eliminates the requirement to separately measure and report hedge ineffectiveness, as well as eases certain hedge effectiveness
assessment requirements. The Company early adopted this new standard in the first quarter of 2018. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact
on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
3. Fair Value Measurements
Fair Value Measurement of Financial Assets and Liabilities
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The carrying values of the Company’s accounts receivable and accounts payable, approximated their fair values due to the short period of time to maturity or
repayment.
The following tables set forth the Company’s financial instruments that were measured at fair value on a recurring basis by level within the fair value
hierarchy (in thousands):
Assets:
Money market funds
U.S. government agencies
Corporate debt securities
Derivative assets
Total
Liabilities:
Derivative liabilities
Stock warrant liability
Total
Assets:
Money market funds
U.S. government agencies
Corporate debt securities
Total
Liabilities:
Derivative liabilities
Stock warrant liability
Total
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total
December 31, 2018
273,546 $
— $
—
—
—
72,840
228,953
623
273,546 $
302,416 $
— $
—
— $
549 $
—
549 $
— $
—
—
—
— $
— $
410
410 $
273,546
72,840
228,953
623
575,962
549
410
959
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total
December 31, 2017
193,066 $
— $
—
—
79,624
291,582
193,066 $
371,206 $
— $
—
— $
2,138 $
—
2,138 $
— $
—
—
— $
— $
208
208 $
193,066
79,624
291,582
564,272
2,138
208
2,346
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
The fair value of the Company’s Level 1 financial instruments is based on quoted market prices in active markets for identical instruments. The fair value of
the Company’s Level 2 financial instruments is based on observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities, quoted
prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in inactive markets, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data.
In addition, Level 2 assets and liabilities include derivative financial instruments associated with hedging activity, which are further discussed in Note 4.
Derivative financial instruments are initially measured at fair value on the contract date and are subsequently remeasured to fair value at each reporting date using
inputs such as spot rates, forward rates, and discount rates. There is not an active market for each hedge contract, but the inputs used to calculate the value of the
instruments are tied to active markets.
There were no Level 3 financial assets during 2018 and 2017. There were Level 3 financial liabilities as of December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017.
There have been no transfers between fair value measurement levels during 2018 , 2017 and 2016 .
In 2017, the Company acquired an equity ownership interest in a privately-held company in exchange for $6.0 million in cash. The Company does not have a
controlling interest or the ability to exercise significant influence over the investee, and this investment does not have a readily determinable fair value. Upon
adoption of ASU 2016-01 on January 1, 2018, the Company elected to measure equity investments that do not have readily determinable fair values at cost minus
impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same
issuer. Such changes in the basis of the equity investment are recognized in “Other income (expense), net” in the Company’s consolidated statement of operations.
In 2018, the Company identified events and circumstances that indicated that there was a
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decline in the fair value of this investment. As a result, the Company performed an assessment of the financial condition, financial forecast, near-term financing
prospects, and other factors of the issuer, and concluded that this equity investment was fully impaired and recorded an impairment loss of $6.0 million . This
equity investment was classified within “Other assets” on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2017.
4. Financial Instruments
Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities
The Company’s marketable securities are classified as available-for-sale as of the balance sheet date and are reported at fair value with unrealized gains and
losses reported, net of tax, as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in stockholders’ equity. Because the Company views
marketable securities as available to support current operations as needed, it has classified all available-for-sale securities as current assets. Realized gains or losses
and other-than-temporary impairments, if any, on available-for-sale securities are reported in other income (expense), net, as incurred.
Investments are reviewed periodically to identify potential other-than-temporary impairments. No impairment loss has been recorded on the securities
included in the tables below because the Company believes that the decrease in fair value of these securities is temporary and expects to recover up to, or beyond,
the initial cost of investment for these securities.
The following table sets forth the cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities as of December 31, 2018 (in thousands):
Cash
Money market funds
U.S. government agencies
Corporate debt securities
Total
Amortized
Cost
148,110 $
273,546
72,884
229,040
723,580 $
$
$
Gross
Unrealized
Gains
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
Fair Value
Cash and
Cash
Equivalents
Marketable
Securities
— $
— $
148,110 $
148,110 $
—
1
—
—
(45)
(87)
273,546
72,840
228,953
273,546
9,738
42,562
1 $
(132) $
723,449 $
473,956 $
—
—
63,102
186,391
249,493
The following table sets forth the cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities as of December 31, 2017 (in thousands):
Cash
Money market funds
U.S. government agencies
Corporate debt securities
Total
$
$
Amortized
Cost
115,028 $
193,066
79,722
291,738
Gross
Unrealized
Gains
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
Fair Value
Cash and
Cash
Equivalents
Marketable
Securities
— $
— $
115,028 $
115,028 $
—
1
15
—
(99)
(171)
193,066
79,624
291,582
193,066
6,595
27,277
—
—
73,029
264,305
337,334
679,554 $
16 $
(270) $
679,300 $
341,966 $
The gross unrealized gains or losses on marketable securities as of December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 were not material. There were no
available-for-sale investments as of December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 that have been in a continuous unrealized loss position for greater than twelve
months on a material basis.
The following table classifies marketable securities by contractual maturities (in thousands):
Due in one year
Due in one to two years
Total
December 31, 2018
$
$
249,493 $
—
249,493 $
December 31, 2017
319,112
18,222
337,334
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Derivative Financial Instruments
The Company operates in foreign countries, which exposes it to market risk associated with foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations between the U.S.
dollar and various foreign currencies. In order to manage this risk, the Company may hedge a portion of its foreign currency exposures related to outstanding
monetary assets and liabilities as well as forecasted revenues and expenses, using foreign currency exchange forward or option contracts. In general, the market
risk related to these contracts is offset by corresponding gains and losses on the hedged transactions. The Company does not enter into derivative contracts for
trading or speculative purposes.
Cash Flow Hedges
The Company has entered into foreign currency derivative contracts designated as cash flow hedges to hedge certain forecasted revenue and expense
transactions denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. The Company’s cash flow hedges consist of forward contracts with maturities of 12 months or
less.
The Company periodically assesses the effectiveness of its cash flow hedges. Effectiveness represents a derivative instrument’s ability to generate offsetting
changes in cash flows related to the hedged risk. The Company records the gains or losses, net of tax, related to its cash flow hedges as a component of
accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in stockholders’ equity and subsequently reclassifies the gains or losses into revenue and operating expenses when
the underlying hedged transactions are recognized. If the hedged transaction becomes probable of not occurring, the corresponding amounts in accumulated other
comprehensive income (loss) would immediately be reclassified to other income (expense), net. Cash flows related to the Company’s cash flow hedging program
are recognized as cash flows from operating activities in its statements of cash flows. Prior to the adoption of ASU 2017-12, the Company recorded the gains or
losses related to the ineffective portion of its cash flow hedges, if any, immediately in other income (expense), net. For the period ended December 31, 2017, the
ineffective portion of the Company’s cash flow hedges were not material. For the period ended December 31, 2018, there was no ineffective impact from the
Company’s cash flow hedges.
The Company had no outstanding contracts that were designated in cash flow hedges for forecasted revenue as of December 31, 2018 and December 31,
2017.
Balance Sheet Hedges
The Company enters into foreign exchange contracts to hedge monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in currencies other than the functional
currency of its subsidiaries. These foreign exchange contracts are carried at fair value, do not qualify for hedge accounting treatment and are not designated as
hedging instruments. Changes in the value of the foreign exchange contracts are recognized in other expense, net and offset the foreign currency gain or loss on the
underlying net monetary assets or liabilities.
The Company had outstanding balance sheet hedges with a total notional amount of $101.4 million and $141.2 million as of December 31, 2018 and
December 31, 2017 , respectively.
Fair Value of Foreign Currency Derivatives
The foreign currency derivative contracts that were not settled at the end of the period are recorded at fair value, on a gross basis, in the consolidated balance
sheets. The following table presents the fair value of the Company’s foreign currency derivative contracts as of the dates presented (in thousands):
Hedges not designated
Balance Sheet Location
Prepaid expense and other current
assets
Hedges not designated
Accrued liabilities
Total fair value of derivative instruments
Financial Statement Effect of Foreign Currency Derivative Contracts
77
December 31, 2018
December 31, 2017
Fair
Value
Derivative
Assets
Fair
Value
Derivative
Liabilities
Fair
Value
Derivative
Assets
Fair
Value
Derivative
Liabilities
$
$
623 $
—
623 $
— $
549
549 $
— $
—
— $
—
2,138
2,138
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The following table presents the pre-tax impact of the Company’s foreign currency derivative contracts on other comprehensive income (“OCI”) and the
consolidated statement of operations for the periods presented (in thousands):
Income Statement Location
2018
2017
2016
Year Ended
December 31,
Foreign exchange cash flow hedges:
Gain (loss) recognized in OCI—effective portion
$
8,405 $
(19,436) $
Gain (loss) reclassified from OCI into income—effective portion
Revenue
Gain (loss) reclassified from OCI into income—effective portion
Operating expenses
Gain (loss) recognized in income—ineffective portion
Gain recognized in income—excluded time value portion
Other income (expense), net
Other income (expense), net
8,405
—
—
—
(18,532)
(1,405)
21
1,771
8,171
10,153
17
(1,026)
—
Foreign exchange balance sheet hedges:
Gain (loss) recognized in income
Other income (expense), net $
6,240 $
(10,516) $
10,916
As of December 31, 2018 , all net derivative gains related to the Company’s cash flow hedges have been reclassified from OCI into net income.
Effect of Derivative Contracts on Consolidated Statements of Operations
The following table provides the location in the consolidated statements of operations and amount of the recognized gains or losses to the Company’s
derivative instruments designated as hedging instruments (in thousands):
Total amounts presented in the consolidated statement of operations in which the effects of cash
flow hedges are recorded in revenue
Total amounts presented in the consolidated statement of operations in which the effects of cash
flow hedges are recorded in operating expenses
Gain (loss) on foreign exchange contracts designated as cash flow hedges reclassified from OCI into
revenue
Gain (loss) on foreign exchange contracts designated as cash flow hedges reclassified from OCI into
operating expenses
Offsetting of Foreign Currency Derivative Contracts
Year Ended December 31,
2018
2017
2016
$
1,511,983
$
1,615,519
$
2,169,461
792,887
891,988
958,349
8,405
—
(18,532)
10,153
(1,405)
17
The Company presents its derivative assets and derivative liabilities at gross fair values in the consolidated balance sheets. The Company generally enters
into master netting arrangements, which mitigate credit risk by permitting net settlement of transactions with the same counterparty. The Company is not required
to pledge, and is not entitled to receive, cash collateral related to these derivative instruments.
The following table sets forth the available offsetting of net derivative assets and net derivative liabilities under the master netting arrangements as of
December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 (in thousands):
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Table of Contents
Gross Amounts Offset in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
Gross Amounts Not Offset in Consolidated Balance Sheets
Gross Amount
Recognized
Gross Amount
Offset
Net Amount
Presented
Financial
Instruments
Cash Collateral
Received
Net Amount
December 31, 2018
Foreign exchange contracts assets
$
Foreign exchange contracts liabilities
623 $
549
— $
—
623 $
549
549 $
549
— $
—
74
—
Gross Amounts Offset in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
Gross Amounts Not Offset in Consolidated Balance Sheets
Gross Amounts
Recognized
Gross Amounts
Offset
Net Amount
Presented
Financial
Instruments
Cash Collateral
Received
Net
Amount
December 31, 2017
Foreign exchange contracts assets
$
Foreign exchange contracts liabilities
— $
2,138
— $
—
— $
2,138
— $
—
— $
—
—
2,138
5. Balance Sheet Components
Deferred Revenue
Deferred revenue relates to performance obligations for which payments have been received by the customer prior to revenue recognition. Deferred revenue
primarily consists of deferred software, or amounts allocated to mobile dashboard and on-line apps and unspecified upgrade rights. Deferred revenue also includes
deferred subscription-based services. The deferred software and deferred subscription-based service performance obligations are anticipated to be recognized over
the useful life or service periods of twelve to seventeen months.
Changes in the total short-term and long-term deferred revenue balance were as follows (in thousands):
Beginning balances
Deferral of revenue
Recognition of deferred revenue
Ending balances
Revenue Returns Reserve
Changes in the revenue returns reserve were as follows (in thousands):
Beginning balances
Increases (1)
Returns taken
Ending balances
(1) Increases in the revenue returns reserve include provisions for open box returns and stock rotations.
79
December 31,
2018
2017
2016
42,432 $
49,904 $
40,003
(45,599)
46,193
(53,665)
36,836 $
42,432 $
44,448
61,226
(55,770)
49,904
December 31,
2018
2017
2016
109,872 $
98,851 $
170,957
(176,828)
229,610
(218,589)
104,001 $
109,872 $
74,045
275,815
(251,009)
98,851
$
$
$
$
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Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
Changes in the allowance for doubtful accounts were as follows (in thousands):
Beginning balances
Increases
Write-offs
Ending balances
(1) Write-offs in 2017 was primarily related to the Wynit bankruptcy described in Note 1.
Inventories
Inventories consisted of the following (in thousands):
Components
Finished goods
Total inventories
Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets
Prepaid expenses and other current assets consisted of the following (in thousands):
Prepaid expenses
Point-of-purchase displays, net
Prepaid marketing
Derivative assets
Insurance receivable
Other
Total prepaid expenses and other current assets
Property and Equipment, Net
Property and equipment, net, consisted of the following (in thousands):
Tooling and manufacturing equipment
Furniture and office equipment
Purchased and internally-developed software
Leasehold improvements
Total property and equipment
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization
Property and equipment, net
2018
December 31,
2017 (1)
9,229 $
56
(5,543)
3,742 $
282 $
30,551
(21,604)
9,229 $
$
$
2016
1,825
339
(1,882)
282
December 31,
2018
2017
8,866 $
116,005
124,871 $
3,825
120,070
123,895
December 31,
2018
2017
18,100 $
5,143
3,258
623
—
15,201
42,325 $
24,204
14,750
6,074
—
37,300
14,941
97,269
December 31,
2018
2017
80,685 $
22,738
21,741
67,715
192,879
(86,593)
106,286 $
66,854
20,942
18,112
58,431
164,339
(59,431)
104,908
$
$
$
$
$
$
Total depreciation and amortization expense related to property and equipment, net was $48.9 million , $40.0 million and $36.0 million for 2018 , 2017 and
2016, respectively.
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Goodwill and Intangible Assets
The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill were as follows (in thousands):
Balance at December 31, 2016
Goodwill acquired
Balance at December 31, 2017
Goodwill acquired
Balance at December 31, 2018
Goodwill
51,036
—
51,036
9,943
60,979
$
$
The carrying amounts of the intangible assets as of December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 were as follows (in thousands):
Gross
December 31, 2018
Accumulated
Amortization
Net
Gross
December 31, 2017
Accumulated
Amortization
Net
Developed technology
Customer relationships
Trademarks and other
Total intangible assets, net
$
$
35,988 $
(15,983) $
20,005 $
30,588 $
(8,738) $
21,850
3,790
1,278
(451)
(1,002)
3,339
276
—
1,278
—
(772)
—
506
41,056 $
(17,436) $
23,620 $
31,866 $
(9,510) $
22,356
The increase in the carrying amount of goodwill and intangible assets during the year ended December 31, 2018 was attributable to an acquisition in
February 2018 described in Note 12, “Acquisitions.”
Total amortization expense related to intangible assets was $7.9 million , $5.7 million and $2.1 million for 2018 , 2017 and 2016, respectively. The
estimated future amortization expense of acquired finite-lived intangible assets to be charged to cost of revenue and operating expenses after 2018 , is as follows
(in thousands):
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Thereafter
Total intangible assets, net
Accrued Liabilities
Accrued liabilities consisted of the following (in thousands):
81
Cost of
Revenue
Operating
Expenses
Total
6,634 $
827 $
5,854
5,854
1,180
—
—
643
597
597
597
837
7,461
6,497
6,451
1,777
597
837
19,522 $
4,098 $
23,620
$
$
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Accrued sales incentives
Sales returns reserve (1)
Product warranty
Employee-related liabilities
Accrued co-op advertising and marketing development funds
Accrued manufacturing expense and freight
Sales taxes and VAT payable
Accrued sales and marketing
Accrued research and development
Inventory received but not billed
Accrued legal settlements and fees
Derivative liabilities
Other
Accrued liabilities
December 31,
$
2018
126,400 $
104,001
45,605
33,916
30,435
21,357
20,121
18,171
8,783
6,373
2,821
549
18,702
2017
111,592
—
87,882
33,266
30,408
41,901
21,340
44,401
8,983
10,526
36,693
2,138
23,007
$
437,234 $
452,137
(1) The adoption of ASU 2014-09 on January 1, 2018 requires the presentation of sales returns reserve as a current liability. This reserve was reported within “Accounts receivables, net”
prior to the adoption of this new standard.
Product warranty reserve activities were as follows (in thousands):
Beginning balances
Charged to cost of revenue
Changes in estimate related to pre-existing warranties (1)
Settlement of claims
Ending balances
2018
December 31,
2017
87,882 $
99,923 $
15,720
(20,545)
(37,452)
53,840
11,788
(77,669)
45,605 $
87,882 $
$
$
2016
40,212
185,434
4,072
(129,795)
99,923
(1) During 2018, the change related to pre-existing warranties resulted primarily from improved product quality and a decrease in the estimated cost of replacement units. During 2017
and 2016, changes related to pre-existing warranties resulted primarily from an increase in the estimated cost of replacement units.
The Company corrected the allocation of customer support costs and freight and fulfillment to the amounts in “Charged to cost of revenue” and “Settlement
of claims” for the year ended December 31, 2016, which resulted in an increase in “Charged to cost of revenue” and “Settlement of claims” of $50.7 million .
These costs are included in the warranty reserve beginning and ending balances. The Company does not consider this correction to be material and there was no
impact to its consolidated balance sheets, statement of operations, and statement of cash flows.
Restructuring
In January 2017, the Company announced cost-efficiency measures to be implemented in 2017 that include realigning sales and marketing spend and
improved optimization of research and development investments. In addition, the Company announced a reorganization, including a reduction in workforce. This
reorganization impacted approximately 110 employees, or approximately 6% of the Company’s global workforce. The Company recorded $6.4 million in total
restructuring expenses, substantially all of which were severance and related costs, in the first quarter of 2017. The Company completed the reorganization in the
fourth quarter of 2017.
The restructuring reserve activities were as follows (in thousands):
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Balance at December 31, 2016
Restructuring charges
Cash paid
Other - noncash
Balance at December 31, 2017
Restructuring Reserve
—
$
6,375
(4,983)
(1,392)
—
$
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
The components and activity of accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”), net of tax, were as follows (in thousands):
Unrealized Gains (Losses)
on Cash Flow Hedges
Currency Translation
Adjustments
Unrealized Gains (Losses) on
Available-for-Sale
Investments
Total
Balance at December 31, 2016
Other comprehensive income (loss) before
reclassifications
Amounts reclassified from AOCI
Other comprehensive income
Balance at December 31, 2017
Other comprehensive income (loss) before
reclassifications
Amounts reclassified from AOCI
Other comprehensive loss
Balance at December 31, 2018
6. Long-Term Debt
2015 Credit Agreement
$
$
(477) $
(314)
$
(187)
$
(978)
(19,422)
19,965
543
66
7,587
(7,587)
—
66 $
314
—
314
—
—
—
—
— $
125
(13)
112
(75)
(68)
11
(57)
(132)
$
(18,983)
19,952
969
(9)
7,519
(7,576)
(57)
(66)
In December 2015, the Company entered into a second amended and restated credit agreement (the “Senior Facility”) with Silicon Valley Bank (“SVB”), as
administrative agent, collateral agent, and lender, SunTrust Bank as syndication agent, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. and several other lenders to replace the
existing asset-based credit facility and cash flow facility. The Senior Facility allowed the Company to borrow up to $250.0 million , including up to 50.0 million
for the issuance of letters of credit and up to $25.0 million for swing line loans, subject to certain financial covenants and ratios. The Company has the option to
repay its borrowings under the Senior Facility without penalty prior to maturity. The Senior Facility requires the Company to comply with certain financial and
non-financial covenants. The Senior Facility contains customary covenants that restrict the Company’s ability to, among other things, incur additional
indebtedness, sell certain assets, guarantee certain obligations of third parties, declare dividends or make certain distributions, and undergo a merger or
consolidation or certain other transactions. Obligations under the Senior Facility are collateralized by substantially all of the Company’s assets, excluding its
intellectual property.
In May 2017, the Company entered into a first amendment to the Senior Facility (the “First Amendment”), pursuant to which the aggregate amount the
Company can borrow under the Senior Facility was reduced from $250.0 million to $100.0 million , with up to $50.0 million available for the issuance of letters of
credit and up to $25.0 million available for swing line loans. In addition, pursuant to the First Amendment, the applicable margin in respect of the interest rates
under the Senior Facility was amended to be based on the Company’s level of liquidity (defined as the sum of the Company’s aggregate cash holdings and the
amount available under its revolving commitments) and range from, with respect to Alternate Base Rate loans, 0.5% to 1.0% , and, with respect to LIBOR loans,
1.5% to 2.0% . Among other changes, the First Amendment also removed the fixed charge coverage ratio covenant and the consolidated leverage ratio covenant,
and added a general liquidity covenant requiring the Company to maintain liquidity of at least $200.0 million in unrestricted cash, of which $100.0 million in cash
or cash equivalents must be held in accounts subject to control agreements with, and maintained by, SVB or its affiliates.
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Table of Contents
On November 21, 2018, the Company voluntarily terminated the Senior Facility. As of the date of termination, the Company did not have any outstanding
borrowings under the Senior Facility but did have outstanding letters of credit totaling $36.6 million , issued to cover various security deposits on its facility leases.
In connection with this termination, all outstanding letters of credit issued under the Senior Facility are being held with SVB on an unsecured basis. The Company
did not incur any early termination penalties in connection with the termination of the Senior Facility.
Capitalized issuance costs were amortized to interest expense over the term of the related financing arrangement on a straight-line basis. As a result of the
voluntary termination of the Senior Facility, the Company wrote-off the remaining capitalized issuance costs of $0.5 million in 2018. Interest expense related to
issuance costs for 2018 , 2017 and 2016 was $0.6 million , $1.1 million and $0.5 million , respectively.
Letters of Credit
As of December 31, 2018 and 2017 , the Company had outstanding letters of credit of $36.6 million and $36.9 million , respectively, issued to cover the
security deposit on the lease of its office headquarters in San Francisco, California, and other facility leases.
7. Commitments and Contingencies
Leases
The Company’s principal facility is located in San Francisco, California. The Company also leases office space in various locations with expiration dates
between 2019 and 2024. The lease agreements often include leasehold improvement incentives, escalating lease payments, renewal provisions and other provisions
which require the Company to pay taxes, insurance, maintenance costs or defined rent increases. The Company’s leases are primarily accounted for as operating
leases. In June 2018, the Company notified the lessor of its intent to sublease a portion of one of its San Francisco offices. Under the terms of the lease, the lessor
has the right to recapture this space. The lessor elected to exercise their recapture right effective August 1, 2018, which resulted in a reduction of approximately
$81.4 million in the Company’s future lease obligations associated with this lease.
Future minimum payments under the leases as of December 31, 2018 were as follows (in thousands):
Year ending December 31,
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Thereafter
Total minimum lease payments
Capital Leases
Operating Leases
2,700
$
—
—
—
—
—
2,700
$
27,473
27,655
26,931
26,801
25,436
12,109
146,405
$
$
Rent expense is recorded over the lease terms on a straight-line basis. Total rent expense, net of sublease rental income, was $25.4 million , $39.2 million
and $29.9 million for 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Total sublease rental income was $5.0 million , $0.8 million and nil for 2018, 2017 and 2016,
respectively.
Purchase Commitments
The aggregate amount of open purchase orders as of December 31, 2018 was approximately $517.6 million , of which $185.0 million related to the
Company’s transition to a third-party hosting provider and $2.9 million was accrued for as of December 31, 2018 . The Company cannot determine the aggregate
amount of such purchase orders that represent contractual obligations because purchase orders may represent authorizations to purchase rather than binding
agreements. The Company’s purchase orders are based on its current needs and are fulfilled by its suppliers, contract manufacturers, and logistics providers within
short periods of time.
During the normal course of business, the Company and its contract manufacturers procure components based upon a forecasted production plan. If the
Company cancels all or part of the orders, or materially reduce forecasted orders, it may be liable
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to its suppliers and contract manufacturers for the cost of the excess components purchased by its contract manufacturers. As of December 31, 2018 , $10.8 million
was accrued for such liabilities to contract manufacturers.
Legal Proceedings
Jawbone. On May 27, 2015, Aliphcom, Inc. d/b/a Jawbone (“Jawbone”), filed a lawsuit in the Superior Court of California in the County of San Francisco
against the Company and five of its employees who were formerly employed by Jawbone, alleging trade secret misappropriation and unfair and unlawful business
practices against all defendants, and alleging breach of contract and breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing against the employee defendants. The
complaint sought unspecified damages, including punitive damages and injunctive relief. On June 23, 2016, Jawbone filed a Second Amended Complaint, adding a
sixth employee defendant and related allegations.
On June 10, 2015, Jawbone and BodyMedia, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jawbone (“BodyMedia”), filed a lawsuit against the Company in the U.S.
District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging that the Company infringes certain U.S. patents. The complaint sought unspecified compensatory
damages and attorneys’ fees from the Company and to permanently enjoin the Company from making, manufacturing, using, selling, importing, or offering the
Company’s products for sale. The lawsuit was stayed pending resolution the investigation in the U.S. International Trade Commission (the “ITC”).
On July 7, 2015, Jawbone and BodyMedia filed a complaint with the ITC requesting an investigation into purported violations of the Tariff Act of 1930 by
the Company and Flextronics International Ltd. and Flextronics Sales and Marketing (A-P) Ltd. The complaint makes the same patent infringement and trade
secret misappropriation claims as the two earlier cases. The complaint seeks a limited exclusion order and a cease and desist order halting the importation and sale
of the infringing products. The ITC instituted the investigation on August 17, 2015. As a result of motions, all of the patent infringement claims were dismissed
from the case. A trial on the trade secrets allegations took place from May 9 to 17, 2016. On August 23, 2016, the administrative law judge concluded that the
Company did not misappropriate any Jawbone trade secrets. On October 20, 2016, the ITC terminated the investigation in the ITC. Jawbone appealed the dismissal
of the patent infringement claims to the Federal Circuit. Oral argument was scheduled for November 9, 2017.
On September 3, 2015, the Company filed a lawsuit against Jawbone in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, alleging that Jawbone’s activity
trackers infringe certain U.S. patents. This case was transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The trial was scheduled for July
13, 2020. On September 8, 2015, the Company filed a complaint for patent infringement against Jawbone in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of
California, asserting that Jawbone’s activity trackers infringe certain U.S. patents. No trial date was set. On October 29, 2015, the Company filed a complaint for
patent infringement against Jawbone in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, asserting that Jawbone’s activity trackers infringe certain U.S. patents.
That case was also transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. No trial date was set.
On November 2, 2015, the Company filed a complaint with the ITC requesting an investigation into violations of the Tariff Act of 1930 by Jawbone and
Body Media. The complaint asserted that Jawbone’s products infringe certain U.S. patents. The complaint sought a limited exclusion order and a cease and desist
order halting the importation and sale of infringing products. The ITC instituted the investigation on December 1, 2015. On December 23, 2016, the Company filed
a motion to terminate the investigation, and the ITC terminated the investigation on February 1, 2017.
On December 8, 2017, the parties announced the global settlement of all of the outstanding civil litigation on confidential terms. Each of the pending cases
has been dismissed with prejudice.
On August 12, 2016, the Company was notified by Jawbone that Jawbone had received a confidential subpoena from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the
Northern District of California requesting certain of the Company’s confidential business information that appeared to be related to Jawbone’s allegations of trade
secret misappropriation. On February 17, 2017, the Company received a subpoena for documents from the same office. On February 1, 2018, the Company
received a second subpoena for documents. The Company is cooperating with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. On June 14, 2018, the six former Jawbone employees
who were named as individual defendants in the state trade secret case were charged in a federal indictment with being in possession of certain Jawbone trade
secrets.
Sleep Tracking . On May 8, 2015, a purported class action lawsuit was filed against the Company in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of
California, alleging that the sleep tracking function available in certain trackers does not perform as advertised. Plaintiffs seek class certification, restitution, an
award of unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, an award of reasonable costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, and other further relief as the
Court may deem just and proper. On January 31, 2017, plaintiffs filed a motion for class certification. Plaintiffs’ motion for class certification was granted on
November
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20, 2017. On April 20, 2017, the Company filed a motion for summary judgment. The Company’s motion for summary judgment was denied on December 8,
2017. During the three months ended June 30, 2018, the parties agreed to a settlement and on August 1, 2018, the plaintiffs filed a motion for preliminary approval
of the class action settlement. On September 13, 2018, the Court held a hearing and denied preliminary settlement approval without prejudice and ordered revised
settlement papers be filed by October 26, 2018. On November 29, 2018, the Court granted preliminary settlement approval. The final approval hearing is scheduled
for July 11, 2019.
Heart Rate Tracking. On January 6, 2016 and February 16, 2016, two purported class action lawsuits were filed against the Company in the U.S. District
Court for the Northern District of California, alleging that the PurePulse® heart rate tracking technology does not consistently and accurately record users’ heart
rates. Plaintiffs allege common law claims, as well as violations of various states’ false advertising, unfair competition, and consumer protection statutes, and seek
class certification, injunctive and declaratory relief, restitution, an award of unspecified compensatory damages, exemplary damages, punitive damages, and
statutory penalties and damages, an award of reasonable costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, and other further relief as the Court may deem just and
proper. On April 15, 2016, the plaintiffs filed a Consolidated Master Class Action Complaint and, on May 19, 2016, filed an Amended Consolidated Master Class
Action Complaint. On January 9, 2017, the Company filed a motion to compel arbitration. On October 11, 2017, the Court granted the motion to compel
arbitration. Plaintiffs filed a motion for reconsideration, and that motion was denied on January 24, 2018.
On February 20, 2018, plaintiffs filed a Second Amended Consolidated Master Class Action Complaint (“SAC”) on behalf of plaintiff Rob Dunn, the only
plaintiff not ordered to arbitration, as a purported class action. The SAC alleges the same common law claims, as well as violations of false advertising, unfair
competition, and consumer protection statutes of California and Arizona, and also seeks class certification, injunctive and declaratory relief, restitution, an award
of unspecified compensatory damages, exemplary damages, punitive damages, and statutory penalties and damages, an award of reasonable costs and expenses,
including attorneys’ fees, and other further relief as the Court may deem just and proper. On March 13, 2018, the Company filed a motion to dismiss for failure to
state a claim and separately moved to strike the class allegations. The Court dismissed the claims for revocation of acceptance, violation of California’s Song-
Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, and unjust enrichment, and allowed the remaining claims pending amendment to the complaint with further details. Plaintiff filed
a Third Amended Complaint on June 19, 2018. The Court granted the motion to strike and ordered the plaintiff to amend to make clear that he is seeking to
represent a class of opt-outs only, but that plaintiff would be free to amend in the event Fitbit’s arbitration agreement was found to be unenforceable.
In response to an April 3, 2018 arbitration demand from Kate McLellan, one of the original plaintiffs who was compelled to arbitration, the Company
attempted to resolve the individual claim with Ms. McLellan. At the May 31, 2018 hearing, the Court expressed concern that the Company was “picking off”
McLellan and thereby undermining the arbitration option and the Court’s prior order on arbitration, and ordered additional briefing. On July 24, 2018, the Court
awarded the plaintiffs their attorneys’ fees on the motion practice, but denied plaintiffs’ request that the arbitration right should be waived as a sanction. The parties
are moving forward in private arbitration with Ms. McLellan.
The Company believes that the plaintiffs’ allegations are without merit, and intends to vigorously defend against the claims. Because the Company is in the
early stages of this litigation matter, the Company is unable to estimate a reasonably possible loss or range of loss, if any, that may result from this matter.
Securities Litigation. On January 11, 2016, a putative securities class action was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
naming as defendants the Company, certain of its officers and directors, and the underwriters of the Company’s initial public offering (the “IPO”). On May 10,
2016, the Court appointed the Fitbit Investor Group (consisting of five individual investors) as lead plaintiff, and an Amended Complaint was filed on July 1, 2016.
Plaintiffs allege violations of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, based on
alleged materially false and misleading statements about the Company’s products between October 27, 2014 and November 23, 2015. Plaintiffs seek to represent a
class of persons who purchased or otherwise acquired the Company’s securities (i) on the open market between June 18, 2015 and May 19, 2016; and/or (ii)
pursuant to or traceable to the IPO. Plaintiffs seek class certification, an award of unspecified compensatory damages, an award of reasonable costs and expenses,
including attorneys’ fees, and other further relief as the Court may deem just and proper. On July 29, 2016, the Company filed a motion to dismiss. The court
denied the motion on October 26, 2016. On April 26, 2017, the Company filed a motion for summary judgment.
On April 28, 2016, a putative class action lawsuit alleging violations of the Securities Act was filed in the Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo,
naming as defendants the Company, certain of its officers and directors, the underwriters of the IPO, and a number of its investors. Plaintiffs allege that the IPO
registration statement contained material misstatements about the Company’s products. Plaintiffs seek to represent a class of persons who purchased the
Company’s common stock in and/or traceable to the IPO and/or the November 2015 follow-on public offering (the “Secondary Offering”). Plaintiffs seek class
certification, an
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award of unspecified compensatory damages, an award of reasonable costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, and other further relief as the Court may deem
just and proper. On May 17, 2016, a similar class action lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The cases were
consolidated in the County of San Francisco. On April 7, 2017, the Court granted a motion to dismiss the Section 11 claim based on the Secondary Offering and
stayed the cases.
On January 8, 2018, the plaintiffs in the federal and class action cases filed their motion for preliminary approval of settlement of the putative federal and
state class actions for $33.3 million , which the Company accrued for as of December 31, 2017. On January 19, 2018, the court entered an order preliminarily
approving the proposed settlement, and on April 20, 2018, the court approved the final settlement. The federal and class action cases have been dismissed with
prejudice.
On November 11, 2016, a derivative lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California derivatively on behalf of the Company
naming as defendants certain of its officers and directors and as a nominal plaintiff the Company. The plaintiffs allege breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment,
section 14(a), and misappropriation based on the same set of alleged facts in the federal and state securities class action litigation. On February 2, 2017, a second
derivative lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware on the same allegations and also including claims for abuse of control, gross
mismanagement, and waste. On June 27, 2017, another derivative law suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on the same
allegations. The Courts have ordered a stay in all three cases.
On June 1, 2017 and June 9, 2017, two additional derivative lawsuits were filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery. Plaintiffs allege breach of fiduciary duty
and insider trading against certain defendants who sold shares in the IPO and/or the Secondary Offering. On August 3, 2017, another derivative lawsuit was filed in
the Delaware Court of Chancery on the same allegations. On March 15, 2018, the three derivative lawsuits were consolidated and a Second Amended Complaint
was filed on the same allegations of the individual complaints, alleging the same claims, and seeking the same remedy. On April 26, 2017, the Company filed a
motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim. On December 14, 2018, the Court denied the motion to dismiss. The Company filed a motion for interlocutory appeal,
which was denied on January 14, 2019. That same day, the Company filed a Notice of Appeal in Delaware Supreme Court, which was denied on January 30, 2019.
On October 31, 2017, a seventh derivative lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of California, Country of San Francisco, on the same allegations. On
November 21, 2018, the case was removed to federal court. The case has been stayed.
On June 27, 2017, an individual investor lawsuit alleging violations of the Securities Act and state law claims for statutory fraud and unfair business practice
was filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Alameda, naming as defendants the Company and certain of its officers. The allegations are based on the
same set of alleged facts in the federal and state securities class action litigation. The individual case was resolved at a June 13, 2018 mediation.
The Company believes that the plaintiffs’ allegations in the derivative actions are without merit, and intends to vigorously defend against the claims. Because
the Company is in the early stages of these litigation matters, the Company is unable to estimate a reasonably possible loss or range of loss, if any, that may result
from these matters.
Immersion. On July 10, 2017, Immersion Corporation filed a lawsuit against the Company in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California,
alleging that certain Fitbit devices infringe on U.S. Patent Nos. 8,059,105, 8,351,299, and 8,638,301. On October 5, 2017, the Company filed a motion to dismiss
on grounds the patents are not eligible subject matter for patents. On March 5, 2018, the Court granted in part and denied in part, granting as to the ‘301 patent, but
denying as to the other two patents.
On July 10, 2017, Immersion Corporation also filed a lawsuit against the Company in the Shanghai Intellectual Property Court, alleging infringement of three
Immersion Chinese patents. In addition to the Company, Immersion named Runtong, one of the Company’s former distributors in China. On August 23, 2017, two
additional defendants were added, Fitbit Shanghai and Rkylin, a current distributor in China. In December 2017, the Company filed petitions to invalidate the
patents. The invalidation proceedings as to all three patents were instituted. Hearings on two of the patents were held on April 16, 2018 and April 26, 2018; the
third was scheduled for May 30, 2018.
On July 8, 2018, the parties entered into a settlement agreement resolving the litigation globally. The cases have been dismissed with prejudice.
Other. The Company is and, from time to time, may in the future become, involved in other legal proceedings in the ordinary course of business. The
Company currently believes that the outcome of any of these existing legal proceedings, including the aforementioned cases, either individually or in the aggregate,
will not have a material impact on the operating results, financial condition or cash flows of the Company. With respect to existing legal proceedings, the Company
has either determined that the
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existence of a material loss is not reasonably possible or that it is unable to estimate a reasonably possible loss or range of loss. The Company may incur substantial
legal fees, which are expensed as incurred, in defending against these legal proceedings.
Indemnification
In the ordinary course of business, the Company enters into commercial agreements that may include indemnification provisions. Pursuant to such
agreements, the Company may indemnify, hold harmless and defend an indemnified party for losses suffered or incurred by the indemnified party. Some of the
provisions will limit losses to those arising from third-party actions. In some cases, the indemnification will continue after the termination of the agreement. The
maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these provisions is not determinable. To date, the Company has not
incurred material costs to defend lawsuits or settle claims related to these indemnification provisions. The Company has also entered into indemnification
agreements with its directors and officers that may require the Company to indemnify its directors and officers against liabilities that may arise by reason of their
status or service as directors or officers to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware corporate law. The Company also currently has directors’ and officers’
insurance.
8. Stockholders’ Equity
Redeemable convertible preferred stock and redeemable convertible preferred stock warrants
In connection with the Company’s IPO, the then-outstanding 141.3 million shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock were converted into Class B
common stock upon the closing of the IPO. In addition, the then-outstanding 0.4 million redeemable convertible preferred stock warrants automatically converted
to Class B common stock warrants upon the closing of the IPO. These remaining outstanding Class B common stock warrants were exercised subsequent to the
IPO during 2015.
Preferred Stock
Upon completion of its IPO on June 22, 2015, the Company filed a Restated Certificate of Incorporation, which authorized the issuance of preferred stock
with rights and preferences, including voting rights, designated from time to time by the board of directors. As of December 31, 2018 , there were 10 million
shares of preferred stock authorized with a par value of $0.0001 per share, and no shares of preferred stock issued or outstanding.
Common Stock
The Company has two classes of authorized common stock: Class A common stock with 600 million shares authorized with a par value of $0.0001 per share
and Class B common stock with 350 million shares authorized with a par value of $0.0001 per share. As of December 31, 2018 , the Company 221.1 million
shares of Class A common stock were issued and outstanding and 31.3 million shares of Class B common stock were issued and outstanding. As of December 31,
2017 , 207.5 million shares of Class A common stock were issued and outstanding and 31.3 million shares of Class B common stock were issued and outstanding.
Holders of Class A common stock are entitled to one vote for each share of Class A common stock held on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders
and holders of Class B common stock are entitled to ten votes for each share of Class B common stock held on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders.
Except with respect to voting, the rights of the holders of Class A and Class B common stock are identical. Shares of Class B common stock are voluntarily
convertible into shares of Class A common stock at the option of the holder and generally automatically convert into shares of the Company’s Class A common
stock upon a transfer.
Stock Option Exchange
On May 25, 2017, the Company’s stockholders approved a stock option exchange program (“the Program”) at the 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The
Program allowed the Company employees, including its executive officers other than its President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman, Chief Technology
Officer, and Chief Financial Officer (“Eligible Employees”), to exchange out-of-the-money or “underwater” options to purchase shares of the Company’s Class A
common stock or Class B common stock currently held by such Eligible Employees for a lesser number of restricted stock units (“RSUs”) that may be settled for
shares of its Class A common stock, (“New RSUs”), under the Company’s 2015 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2015 Plan”). Eligible Employees participating in the
Program received one New RSU for every two “out-of-the-money” options that they exchanged. The New RSUs would generally vest over the remaining vesting
period of the exchanged option (subject to a one-year minimum vesting period). None of the members of the Company’s board of directors were eligible to
participate in the Program. A total of 3.7 million “underwater” stock options were tendered by the Eligible Employees, representing approximately 85% of the
stock options eligible for exchange. On July 20, 2017, the Company granted an aggregate of 1.8 million New RSUs under the
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2015 Plan in exchange for the “underwater” stock options tendered. The completion of the Program resulted in total incremental unrecognized stock-based
compensation expense of $8.5 million , to be recognized over the greater of one year or the remaining vesting service period of the tendered stock options.
2007 Equity Incentive Plan
The Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Plan (the “2007 Plan”) provided for the grant of incentive and non-statutory stock options and RSUs to employees,
directors, and consultants under terms and provisions established by the board of directors. Stock options granted under the 2007 Plan are generally subject to a
four -year vesting period, with 25% vesting after a one -year period and monthly vesting thereafter. Stock options expire after ten years. RSUs granted under the
2007 Plan are generally subject to a three - or four -year vesting period with annual vesting.
The 2015 Plan became effective in June 2015. As a result, the Company will not grant any additional stock options under the 2007 Plan and the 2007 Plan
has been terminated. Any outstanding stock options and RSUs granted under the 2007 Plan will remain outstanding, subject to the terms of the 2007 Plan and
applicable award agreements, until such shares are issued under those awards, by exercise of stock options or settlement of RSUs, or until the awards terminate or
expire by their terms.
2015 Equity Incentive Plan
In May 2015, the Company’s board of directors and stockholders adopted and approved the 2015 Plan. The 2015 Plan became effective in June 2015 and
serves as the successor to the 2007 Plan. The remaining shares available for issuance under the 2007 Plan became reserved for issuance under the 2015 Plan. The
number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2015 Plan will increase automatically on the first day of January of each year starting in 2016 through 2025 by
the number of shares of Class A common stock equal to 5% of the total outstanding shares of common stock as of the immediately preceding December 31. The
share reserve may also increase to the extent that outstanding awards expire or terminate un-exercised. As of December 31, 2018 , 19.4 million shares were
available for grant under the 2015 Plan.
The 2015 Plan authorizes the award of stock options, restricted stock awards, stock appreciation rights, RSUs, performance awards, and stock bonuses to
employees, directors, consultants, independent contractors, and advisors. In general, stock options and RSUs will vest over a three - or four -year period, and have
a maximum term of ten years. The exercise price of a stock option will be not less than 100% of the fair market value of the shares on the date of grant.
2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
In May 2015, the Company’s board of directors adopted the 2015 ESPP, which became effective in June 2015. The number of shares reserved for issuance
under the 2015 Plan will increase automatically on the first day of January of each year starting in 2016 through 2025 by the number of shares of Class A common
stock equal to 1% of the total outstanding shares of common stock as of the immediately preceding December 31. The 2015 ESPP allows eligible employees to
purchase shares of the Company’s Class A common stock at a discount through payroll deductions of up to 15% of eligible compensation, subject to any plan
limitations. Except for the initial offering period, the 2015 ESPP provides for 6-month offering periods beginning in May and November of each year. The initial
offering period began June 17, 2015, and ended in May 2016. As of December 31, 2018 , 4.3 million shares were available for grant under the 2015 ESPP.
On each purchase date, eligible employees will purchase Class A common stock at a price per share equal to 85% of the lesser of the fair market value of the
Company’s Class A common stock (i) on the first trading day of the applicable offering period and (ii) the last trading day of each purchase period in the applicable
offering period.
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Stock Options
Activity under the 2007 Plan and 2015 Plan is as follows (in thousands except per share amounts):
Balance—December 31, 2017
Granted
Exercised
Canceled
Balance—December 31, 2018
Stock options exercisable—December 31, 2018
Stock options vested and expected to vest—December 31, 2018
Number of
Shares Subject
to
Stock Options
Stock Options Outstanding
Weighted–
Average
Exercise
Price
Weighted–
Average Remaining
Contractual Term
(in years)
Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value
21,386
$
— $
(4,375)
(748)
16,263
15,131
16,253
$
$
$
$
$
3.01
—
2.29
7.33
3.00
2.80
3.00
$
21,744
4.9 $
4.8 $
4.9 $
38,459
37,707
38,455
The aggregate intrinsic values of stock options outstanding, exercisable, vested and expected to vest were calculated as the difference between the exercise
price of the stock options and the fair value of the Class A common stock of $4.97 as of December 31, 2018 .
Restricted Stock Units
RSU activity under the equity incentive plans is as follows:
Unvested balance—December 31, 2017
Granted
Vested
Forfeited or canceled
Unvested balance—December 31, 2018
RSUs
Outstanding
(in thousands)
19,188 $
14,666
(10,113)
(5,365)
18,376
Weighted-
Average
Grant Date
Fair Value
9.13
5.14
8.39
7.95
6.69
On May 4, 2018, the Company issued 0.8 million shares of RSUs with market conditions that vest based upon the achievement of a specified stock price.
Market conditions were factored into the grant date fair value using a Monte Carlo valuation model. Stock-based compensation expense related to these awards
will be recognized over the requisite service period regardless of whether the market condition is satisfied, provided that the requisite service period has been
completed.
Warrants
On July 10, 2017, the Company issued a warrant to a third party vendor to purchase 0.5 million shares of Class A common stock. The warrant is exercisable
based on service and performance-based conditions and has an exercise price of $5.23 per share and a contractual term of ten years. As of December 31, 2018 ,
0.2 million shares were vested and exercisable.
Stock-Based Compensation Expense
Total stock-based compensation recognized was as follows (in thousands):
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Cost of revenue
Research and development
Sales and marketing
General and administrative
Total stock-based compensation expense
Year Ended December 31,
2018
2017
2016
$
$
7,312 $
5,312 $
57,188
14,726
17,783
54,123
14,959
17,187
97,009 $
91,581 $
4,797
47,207
11,575
15,853
79,432
The weighted-average grant date fair value of stock options granted during 2017 and 2016 was $2.00 and $5.89 per share, respectively. There were no stock
options granted in 2018. The total grant date fair value of stock options that vested during 2018 , 2017 , and 2016 was $10.1 million , $20.2 million and $32.9
million , respectively. As of December 31, 2018 , the total unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested stock options was $2.6 million , which the
Company expects to recognize over an estimated weighted average period of 0.7 years . As of December 31, 2018 , the total unrecognized compensation expense
related to unvested RSUs was $106.8 million , which the Company expects to recognize over an estimated weighted average period of 1.9 years . As of
December 31, 2018 , the total unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested warrants was $0.5 million , which the Company expects to recognize over
an estimated weighted average period of 0.5 years .
Stock-based compensation is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is recognized as expense over the requisite service period,
which is generally the vesting period of the respective award. The fair value of RSUs without market conditions is the fair value of the Company’s Class A
common stock on the grant date. The fair value of RSUs with market conditions is estimated using a Monte Carlo simulation model. In determining the fair value
of the stock options, warrants and the equity awards issued under the 2015 ESPP, the Company uses the Black-Scholes option-pricing model and assumptions
discussed below. Each of these inputs is subjective and generally requires significant judgment.
Fair Value of Common Stock —The fair value of the shares of common stock underlying stock options had historically been established by the Company’s
board of directors. Following the completion of the IPO, the Company began using the market closing price for the Company’s Class A common stock as reported
on the New York Stock Exchange.
Expected Term —The Company does not have sufficient historical exercise data to provide a reasonable basis upon which to estimate expected term due to
the limited period of time stock-based awards have been exercisable. As a result, for stock options, the Company used the simplified method to calculate the
expected term, which is equal to the average of the stock-based award’s weighted average vesting period and its contractual term. The expected term of the 2015
ESPP is based on the contractual term.
Volatility —The Company estimates the expected volatility of the common stock underlying its stock options at the grant date. Prior to 2018, the Company
estimated the expected volatility of the common stock underlying stock options, warrants and equity awards issued under its 2015 ESPP at the grant date by taking
the average historical volatility of the common stock of a group of comparable publicly traded companies over a period equal to the expected life. The Company
used this method because it had limited information on the volatility of its Class A common stock because of its short trading history. Beginning in 2018, the
Company now uses a combination of historical volatility from its Class A common stock along with historical volatility from the group of comparable publicly
traded companies.
Risk-Free Rate —The risk-free interest rate is estimated average interest rate based on U.S. Treasury zero-coupon notes with terms consistent with the
expected term of the awards.
Dividend Yield —The Company has never declared or paid any cash dividends and does not presently plan to pay cash dividends in the foreseeable future.
Consequently, it used an expected dividend yield of zero.
The assumptions used in calculating the fair value of the stock-based awards represent management judgment. As a result, if factors change and different
assumptions are used, the stock-based compensation expense could be materially different in the future. The fair value of the stock option awards, warrants, awards
issued under the 2015 ESPP, and awards granted to employees was estimated at the date of grant using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The fair value of the
RSUs with market conditions were estimated using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model combined with a Monte Carlo simulation model. The fair value of these
awards were estimated using the following Black-Scholes assumptions:
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Employee stock options
Expected term (in years)
Volatility
Risk-free interest rate
Dividend yield
Warrants
Expected term (in years)
Volatility
Risk-free interest rate
Dividend yield
Employee stock purchase plan
Expected term (in years)
Volatility
Risk-free interest rate
Dividend yield
RSUs with market conditions
Expected term (in years)
Volatility
Risk-free interest rate
Dividend yield
9. Income Taxes
2018
—
—%
—%
—%
—
—%
—%
—%
0.5
47.8% - 60.1%
2.1% - 2.5%
—%
3.0
39.3%
2.6%
—%
Year Ended December 31,
2017
6.25
32.2%
2.1%
—%
9.5
32.0%
2.1%
—%
0.5
27.7% - 31.3%
1.0% - 1.4%
—%
—
—%
—%
—%
2016
6.25
40.7%
1.6%
—%
—
—%
—%
—%
0.5
30.1% - 39.0%
0.4% - 0.6%
—%
—
—%
—%
—%
The following table presents domestic and foreign components of loss before income taxes for the periods presented (in thousands):
United States
Foreign
Total
Year Ended December 31,
2018
2017
2016
$
$
(170,040) $
(158,187) $
(14,102)
(36,457)
(184,142) $
(194,644) $
5,577
(114,872)
(109,295)
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The income tax expense (benefit) is composed of the following (in thousands):
Current tax provision:
Federal
State
Foreign
Total current
Deferred tax provision:
Federal
State
Foreign
Total deferred
Total income tax expense (benefit)
Year Ended December 31,
2018
2017
2016
$
(1,048) $
(87,961) $
388
4,895
4,235
(1,570)
(210)
(768)
(2,548)
(8,429)
5,032
(91,358)
154,817
18,902
187
173,906
$
1,687 $
82,548 $
78,782
9,878
5,256
93,916
(87,584)
(11,622)
(1,228)
(100,434)
(6,518)
The reconciliation of the Company’s effective tax rate to the statutory federal rate is as follows:
Tax at federal statutory rate
State taxes, net of federal effect
Foreign rate differential
Tax credits
Domestic production activities deduction
Stock-based compensation (1)
Change in prior year reserves
Out-of-period adjustment
Change in valuation allowance
Effect of change in tax rate due to Tax Act
Other (2)
Effective tax rate
Year Ended December 31,
2018
2017
2016
21.0 %
35.0 %
(0.1)
(3.9)
6.3
—
(4.9)
(0.1)
—
(15.2)
—
(4.0)
(0.9)%
(5.4)
(9.3)
4.1
(3.5)
(5.3)
(2.0)
—
(35.2)
(23.4)
2.6
(42.4)%
35.0 %
4.3
(38.9)
9.0
5.0
(4.6)
1.9
(2.8)
—
—
(2.9)
6.0 %
(1) Starting in 2017, excess tax benefits from share-based award activity are reflected as reduction of the provision for income taxes, whereas they were previously recognized in equity. This
will result in increased volatility in the Company’s effective tax rate. The amount of net stock compensation windfalls previously recognized by the Company in equity in 2016 was $22.0
million .
(2) For the year ended December 31, 2018, this is inclusive of (3.8)% impact that is primarily related to the change in uncertain tax positions.
For 2018, the Company recorded an expense for income taxes of $1.7 million , resulting in an effective tax rate of (0.9)% . The effective tax rate is different
than the statutory federal tax rate primarily due to the full valuation allowance on its U.S. deferred tax assets, the mix of income/losses between the Company’s
foreign jurisdictions, and pretax losses in jurisdictions for which no tax benefit will be recognized.
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The 2017 Tax Act was enacted on December 22, 2017, and includes several key tax provisions that affected the Company, including a reduction of the
statutory corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, elimination of the carryback of net operating losses
generated after December 31, 2017, and changes to how the United States imposes income tax on multinational corporations, among others. In December 2017, the
SEC staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118, Income Tax Accounting Implications of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (SAB 118), which allowed the Company
to record provisional amounts during a measurement period not to extend beyond one year of the enactment date. As of December 31, 2018, the Company has
finalized all provisional amounts related to the 2017 Tax Act. Finalizing provisional adjustments related to the 2017 Tax Act did not have a material impact on the
Company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018.
On July 24, 2018, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an opinion in Altera Corp. v. Commissioner requiring related parties in an intercompany cost-
sharing arrangement to share expenses related to share-based compensation. This opinion reversed the prior decision of the United States Tax Court. On August 7,
2018, the court withdrew the opinion issued on July 24, 2018 to allow time for a reconstituted panel of judges to confer. The Company will continue to monitor
this case.
The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets were as follows (in thousands):
Deferred tax assets:
Net operating losses and credits
Fixed assets and intangible assets
Accruals and reserves
Stock-based compensation
Inventory
Other
Total deferred tax assets
Less: valuation allowance
Deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance
Deferred tax liabilities:
Other
Total deferred tax liabilities
Net deferred tax assets
December 31,
2018
2017
$
61,494 $
55,476
53,818
9,494
911
4,806
185,999
(181,122)
4,877
(560)
(560)
$
4,317 $
23,338
10,625
49,886
12,154
4,345
3,325
103,673
(99,570)
4,103
(369)
(369)
3,734
The Company accounts for deferred taxes under ASC Topic 740, “Income Taxes” (“ASC 740”) which involves weighing positive and negative evidence
concerning the realizability of the Company’s deferred tax assets in each jurisdiction. The Company evaluated its ability to realize the benefit of its net deferred tax
assets and weighed all available positive and negative evidence both objective and subjective in nature. In determining the need for a valuation allowance, the
weight given to positive and negative evidence is commensurate with the extent to which the evidence may be objectively verified. Consideration was given to
negative evidence such as: the duration and severity of losses in prior years, high seasonal revenue concentrations, increasing competitive pressures, and a
challenging retail environment. Realization of the Company’s net deferred tax assets is dependent upon its generation of sufficient taxable income in future years in
appropriate tax jurisdictions to obtain benefit from the reversal of temporary differences, net operating loss carryforwards and tax credit carryforwards. The amount
of net deferred tax assets considered realizable is subject to adjustment in future periods if estimates of future taxable income change.
The Company recorded a valuation allowance to reduce its deferred tax assets to the net amount that the Company believes is more likely than not to be
realized. As of December 31, 2018, the Company has a valuation allowance of $136.8 million against its U.S. deferred tax assets and a valuation allowance of
$44.3 million against certain of its foreign deferred tax assets that the Company is not expected to realize. The Company will continue to assess the realizability of
its deferred tax assets in each of the applicable jurisdictions going forward.
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As of December 31, 2018 , the Company has federal net operating loss carryforwards of $120.8 million which expire beginning after 2032, California net
operating loss carryforwards of $34.7 million which expire beginning after 2034, and other states net operating loss carryforwards of $50.7 million which expire
beginning after 2021. As of December 31, 2018 , the Company has federal research tax credit carryforwards of approximately $12.3 million , which if not utilized,
begin to expire after 2030, California research tax credit carryforwards of approximately $36.9 million , which do not expire, Massachusetts research tax credit
carryforwards of approximately $2.1 million , which if not utilized, begin to expire after 2028, and California hiring tax credit carryforwards of approximately $0.3
million , which if not utilized, begin to expire after 2025. As of December 31, 2018 , the Company has United Kingdom net operating loss carryforwards of $12.1
million , which do not expire.
Utilization of the net operating loss and tax credit carry forwards are subject to an annual limitation due to the ownership percentage change limitations
provided by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and similar state provisions. The annual limitation may result in the expiration of the net operating loss before
utilization. The Company does not expect the limitation to result in a reduction in total amount utilizable.
The Company is subject to income taxes in the U.S. (federal and state) and numerous foreign jurisdictions. Significant judgment is required in evaluating the
Company’s tax positions and determining its provision for income taxes. During the ordinary course of business, there are many transactions and calculations for
which the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. The Company establishes reserves for tax-related uncertainties based on estimates of whether, and the extent to
which, additional taxes will be due. These reserves are established when the Company believes that certain positions might be challenged despite its belief that its
tax return positions are fully supportable. The Company adjusts these reserves in light of changing facts and circumstances, such as the outcome of tax audits. The
provision for income taxes includes the impact of reserve provisions and changes to reserves that are considered appropriate. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017,
the Company had $41.2 million and $29.9 million of unrecognized tax benefits, respectively. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized
tax benefits is as follows (in thousands):
Balance at beginning of year
Reductions based on tax positions related to prior year
Additions based on tax positions related to prior year
Additions based on tax positions related to current year
Reductions due to tax authorities’ settlements
Reductions due to expiration of statutes of limitation
Balance at end of year
December 31,
2018
2017
2016
29,938 $
35,584 $
(820)
263
11,860
(43)
—
(6,335)
108
9,289
(8,603)
(105)
23,518
(2,100)
2,809
11,357
—
—
41,198 $
29,938 $
35,584
$
$
At December 31, 2018 , the total amount of gross unrecognized tax benefits was $41.2 million , of which $24.6 million would affect the Company’s effective
tax rate if recognized. The Company does not have any tax positions as of December 31, 2018 for which it is reasonably possible the total amount of gross
unrecognized tax benefits will increase or decrease within the following 12 months . The Company’s policy is to record interest and penalties related to
unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company has accrued $3.1 million and $2.4 million related to interest
and penalties.
The Company is subject to taxation in the United States and various states and foreign jurisdictions. The material jurisdictions in which the Company is
subject to potential examination include the United States and Ireland. The Company believes that adequate amounts have been reserved for these jurisdictions. For
the United States, the Company is currently under examination by the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") for fiscal 2015 to 2017. For state and non-U.S. tax returns,
the Company is generally no longer subject to tax examinations for years prior to 2014.
10. Net Loss Per Share Attributable to Common Stockholders
The following table sets forth the computation of the Company’s basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders (in thousands,
except per share amounts):
Numerator:
Net loss
Denominator:
Weighted-average shares of common stock—basic for Class A and Class B
Effect of dilutive securities
Weighted-average shares of common stock—diluted for Class A and Class B
Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders:
Basic
Diluted
Year Ended December 31,
2018
2017
2016
$
(185,829) $
(277,192) $
(102,777)
244,603
—
244,603
232,032
—
232,032
$
$
(0.76) $
(0.76) $
(1.19) $
(1.19) $
220,405
—
220,405
(0.47)
(0.47)
The following potentially dilutive common shares on a weighted average basis were excluded from the computation of diluted net loss per share for the
periods presented because including them would have been antidilutive (in thousands):
2018
December 31,
2017
2016
Stock options to purchase common stock
RSUs
Warrants
Diluted common stock subject to vesting
Diluted impact of ESPP
Total
11,647
8,514
230
—
159
17,469
10,030
216
84
162
34,454
11,578
—
—
—
20,550
27,961
46,032
11. Significant Customer Information and Other Information
Retailer and Distributor Concentration
Retailers and distributors with revenue equal to or greater than 10% of total revenue were as follows:
C
D
A
B
*
Revenue was less than 10%.
2018
December 31,
2017
2016
10%
13%
10
*
*
*
*
*
14%
*
14
10
Retailers and distributors that accounted for equal to or greater than 10% of accounts receivable at December 31, 2018 and 2017 were as follows:
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B
C
E
F
D
*
Accounts receivable were less than 10%.
Geographic and Other Information
Revenue by geographic region, based on ship-to destinations, was as follows (in thousands):
December 31,
2018
2017
16%
12
11
10
10
13%
17
*
11
*
United States
Americas excluding United States
Europe, Middle East, and Africa
APAC
Total
2018
December 31,
2017
2016
$
$
880,534 $
944,052 $
1,539,600
101,282
384,196
145,971
116,330
440,135
115,002
110,111
389,154
130,596
1,511,983 $
1,615,519 $
2,169,461
The United States represented 58% , 58% and 71% of revenue for 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The United Kingdom represented 12% of revenue for
2017. No other single country represented more than 10% of revenue during these periods. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017 , long-lived assets, which represent
property and equipment, located outside the United States were $36.9 million and $30.0 million , respectively.
12. Acquisitions
2018 Acquisition
In February 2018, the Company completed a purchase of Twine Health, Inc., a privately-held company, which was accounted for as a business combination,
for total purchase price consideration of $16.7 million , of which $5.4 million was allocated to developed technology intangible assets, $3.8 million to customer
relationships intangible asset, $9.9 million to goodwill, $1.7 million to deferred tax liabilities, $0.2 million to deferred revenue, and $0.6 million to net assumed
liabilities. The allocation of the purchase price consideration is provisional and the Company will complete its analysis within the measurement period pursuant to
Topic 805, with any adjustments being recorded to goodwill. Approximately $2.6 million of the consideration payable to Twine Health, Inc. was held as partial
security for certain indemnification obligations, and will be held back for payment until August 2019. The acquisition is expected to extend the Company’s reach
into healthcare and lay the foundation to expand its offerings to health plans, health systems and self-insured employers, while creating opportunities to increase
subscription-based revenue. The amortization period of the acquired developed technology and customer relationships are approximately four and seven years,
respectively. Goodwill is not deductible for tax purposes.
2016 Acquisitions
In December 2016, the Company completed a purchase of certain assets from Pebble Industries, Inc., a privately-held company, which was accounted for as a
business combination, for total cash consideration of $23.4 million , of which $9.6 million was allocated to developed technology intangible assets, $14.4 million
to goodwill, and $0.6 million to assumed liabilities. Approximately $3.5 million of the consideration payable to Pebble Industries, Inc. was held as partial security
for certain indemnification obligations, and was paid in March 2018. The acquisition is expected to enhance the features and functionality of the Company’s
devices. The amortization period of the acquired developed technology is approximately 5 years . Goodwill is deductible for tax purposes.
In December 2016, the Company completed a purchase of certain assets from Vector Watch S.R.L., a privately-held company, which was accounted for as a
business combination, for total cash consideration of $15.0 million , of which $3.9 million was
allocated to developed technology intangible assets, $11.4 million to goodwill, and $0.3 million to assumed liabilities. Approximately $2.3 million of the
consideration payable to Vector Watch S.R.L. was held as partial security for certain indemnification obligations, and was paid in December 2018. The acquisition
is expected to enhance the features and functionality of the Company’s devices. The amortization period of the acquired developed technology is approximately 2.5
years . Goodwill is deductible for tax purposes.
In May 2016, the Company completed a purchase of certain assets from Coin, Inc., a privately-held company, which was accounted for as a business
combination, for total cash consideration of $7.0 million , of which $3.9 million was allocated to in-process research and development intangible assets, and $3.1
million to goodwill. Approximately $1.4 million of the consideration payable to Coin, Inc. was held as partial security for certain indemnification obligations, and
was paid in November 2017. The acquisition is expected to enhance the features and functionality of the Company’s devices. In-process research and
development is not amortized until the completion or abandonment of the related development. Goodwill is deductible for tax purposes.
13. Selected Unaudited Quarterly Financial Data
The following tables show a summary of the Company’s unaudited quarterly financial information for each of the four quarters of 2018 and 2017 (in
thousands, except per share amounts):
Three Months Ended
Revenue
Gross profit
Net income (loss)
$
$
$
Net income (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders—basic $
Net income (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders—
diluted
Revenue
Gross profit
Net loss
Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders—basic
Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders—diluted
$
$
$
$
$
$
December 31,
2018
September 29,
2018
June 30,
2018
March 31,
2018
571,199 $
216,927 $
15,372 $
0.06 $
393,575 $
153,514 $
(2,056) $
(0.01) $
299,344 $
119,015 $
(118,268) $
(0.49) $
247,865
114,123
(80,877)
(0.34)
0.06 $
(0.01) $
(0.49) $
(0.34)
December 31,
2017 (3)
September 30,
2017 (2)
July 1,
2017
April 1,
2017 (1)
Three Months Ended
570,756 $
248,597 $
(45,470) $
(0.19) $
(0.19) $
392,522 $
174,760 $
(113,403) $
(0.48) $
(0.48) $
353,299 $
149,245 $
(58,240) $
(0.25) $
(0.25) $
298,942
118,299
(60,079)
(0.27)
(0.27)
(1) During the first quarter of 2017, the Company recorded restructuring expenses of $6.3 million . See Note 5 for more information. In addition, the
Company’s adoption of ASU 2016-09 on January 1, 2017 resulted in an increase to the provision for income taxes of $2.8 million . See Note 2 for more
information.
(2) During the third quarter of 2017, as a result of one of the Company’s customers filing for bankruptcy, the Company recorded a net charge of $9.0 million
comprised of net bad debt expense of $7.6 million and net cost of revenue of $1.4 million . See Note 1. Customer Bankruptcy for more information. In
addition, during the third quarter of 2017, the Company recorded a $111.4 million valuation allowance against a portion of its U.S. deferred taxes.
(3) During the fourth quarter of 2017, as a result of the Tax Act, the Company recorded a provisional tax expense for the impact of the 2017 Tax Act of $45.5
million as a result of re-measurement of the federal portion of its deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2017 from 35% to the new 21% tax rate.
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Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
None.
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
We maintain “disclosure controls and procedures,” as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act, that are designed to ensure that
information required to be disclosed by a company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported,
within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to
ensure that information required to be disclosed by a company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to
the company’s management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required
disclosure.
Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and
procedures as of December 31, 2018. Based on the evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2018, our Chief Executive Officer and
Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of such date, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective due to the material weakness described below.
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 Rule 13a-15(f) under the
Exchange Act). Our management conducted an assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the criteria established in
Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). A material
weakness is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material
misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.
As of December 31, 2018, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as a result of the material weakness in our internal control over financial
reporting, previously reported in Item 9A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, which has not yet been fully
remediated. Management determined that we did not maintain effective controls over the accuracy of the inputs in the sales order entry process. Specifically, we
did not sufficiently execute controls over the review of data inputs in the sales order entry process to ensure accuracy of the price, quantity, and related customer
data. This control deficiency did not result in a misstatement in fiscal years 2017 and 2018; however, this control deficiency could result in a misstatement of
revenue that would result in a material misstatement to the annual or interim consolidated financial statements that would not be prevented or detected .
Accordingly, our management has determined that this control deficiency constitutes a material weakness.
Because of this material weakness, our management has concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of December 31, 2018,
based on the criteria in Internal Control Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the COSO.
The effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018 has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent
registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Remediation Plans
We have identified and begun implementing changes to our internal control over financial reporting to remediate the control deficiencies that led to the material
weakness. We have made progress toward remediating the material weakness by:
•
•
•
redesigning controls over the inputs of the sales order entry process, including the design of systematic checks and new reports to review inputs,
adding additional resources, and
enhancing existing order entry controls and procedures, including implementation of more robust review procedures for accuracy of sales orders.
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The material weakness will not be considered remediated until the applicable measures have been implemented for a sufficient period of time and management has
concluded, through testing, that the enhanced control is operating effectively.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There was no change in our internal control over financial reporting identified in connection with the evaluation required by Rule 13a-15(d) and 15d-15(d) of the
Exchange Act that occurred during the three months ended December 31, 2018 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal
control over financial reporting.
Inherent Limitations on Effectiveness of Controls
Our management, including the CEO and CFO, recognizes that our disclosure controls or our internal control over financial reporting cannot prevent or detect all
possible instances of errors and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that
the control system’s objectives will be met. The design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must
be considered relative to their costs.
Item 9B. Other Information
None.
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PART III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
The information required for this Item is incorporated by reference from our Proxy Statement to be filed in connection with our 2019 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 .
Item 11. Executive Compensation
The information required for this Item is incorporated by reference from our Proxy Statement to be filed in connection with our 2019 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 .
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
The information required for this Item is incorporated by reference from our Proxy Statement to be filed in connection with our 2019 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 .
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transaction, and Director Independence
The information required for this Item is incorporated by reference from our Proxy Statement to be filed in connection with our 2019 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 .
Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services
The information required for this Item is incorporated by reference from our Proxy Statement to be filed in connection with our 2019 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 .
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PART IV
ITEM 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules.
(a) The following documents are filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K:
1. Consolidated Financial Statements
The financial statements filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K are listed in the “Index to Consolidated Financial Statements” under Part
II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
2. Financial Statement Schedules
All schedules are omitted as the required information is inapplicable or the information is presented in the consolidated financial statements or notes
to consolidated financial statements under Item 8.
3. Exhibits
See Exhibit Index following the signature page of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit
Number
3.1
3.2
4.1
4.2
4.3
Exhibit Description
Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Registrant.
Restated Bylaws of Registrant.
Form of Registrant’s Class A common stock certificate.
Incorporated by Reference
Form
File No.
Exhibit
10-Q
10-Q
S-1/A
001-37444
001-37444
333-203941
3.1
3.2
4.1
Filed
Herewith
Filing
Date
8/7/2015
8/7/2015
6/2/2015
Third Amended and Restated Investors’ Rights Agreement by and among
the Registrant and certain stockholders of the Registrant, dated June 6,
2013.
Warrant to Purchase Stock by and between the Registrant and Granite
Peak Technologies, LLC, dated July 10, 2017.
S-1
333-203941
4.2
5/7/2015
10-Q
001-37444
10.1
11/3/2017
10.1*
Form of Indemnification Agreement.
S-1
333-203941
10.1
5/7/2015
10.2*
Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Plan, as amended, and forms of award
agreements.
S-1
333-203941
10.2
5/7/2015
10.3*
2015 Equity Incentive Plan and forms of award agreements.
S-1
333-203941
10.3
5/7/2015
10.4*
10.5*
Form of Notice of Stock Option Grant and Stock Option Agreement under
the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan.
Form of Global Notice of Performance Restricted Stock Unit Award and
Global Performance Restricted Stock Unit Agreement under the 2015
Equity Incentive Plan.
8-K
001-37444
10.1
2/9/2016
8-K
001-37444
10.1
3/26/2018
10.6*
2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
S-1
333-203941
10.4
5/7/2015
10.7*
10.8*
10.9*
10.10
10.11
Offer Letter by and between the Registrant and Andy Missan, dated
March 15, 2013.
Offer Letter by and between the Registrant and Jeff Devine, dated January
26, 2017.
Offer Letter by and between the Registrant and Ronald Kisling, dated July
28, 2014.
Office Lease by and between the Registrant and 405 Howard, LLC, dated
September 30, 2013.
Office Lease by and between the Registrant and GLL BIT Fremont Street
Partners, L.P., dated June 26, 2015.
10-K
001-37444
10.8
2/29/2016
10-K
001-37444
10.8
3/1/2018
8-K
S-1
001-37444
10.1
6/6/2018
333-203941
10.6
5/7/2015
10-Q
001-37444
10.3
8/7/2015
10.12*
Form of Retention Agreement.
S-1/A
333-203941
10.1
5/21/2015
10.13*
Retention Agreement by and between the Registrant and Ronald Kisling,
dated June 15, 2015.
8-K
001-37444
10.2
6/6/2018
10.14*
Fitbit, Inc. Bonus Plan, as amended.
10-K
001-374744
10.2
3/1/2018
10.15*
Global Notice of Stock Option Grant and Global Stock Option Agreement
under the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan.
10-Q
001-37444
10.3
5/6/2016
101
Table of Contents
Exhibit
Number
10.16†
10.17†
21.1
23.1
24.1
31.1
31.2
32.1◊
32.2◊
Exhibit Description
Office Sublease, dated April 11, 2016, by and between the Registrant and
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
First Amendment to Office Sublease, dated May 30, 2018, by and
between the Registrant and Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
List of Subsidiaries of Registrant.
Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent registered public
accounting firm.
Power of Attorney.
Rule 13a-14(a)/ 15d-14(a) Certification of Chief Executive Officer.
Rule 13a-14(a)/ 15d-14(a) Certification of Chief Financial Officer.
Section 1350 Certification of Chief Executive Officer.
Section 1350 Certification of Chief Financial Officer.
101.INS
XBRL Instance Document.
101.SCH
XBRL Schema Linkbase Document.
101.CAL
XBRL Calculation Linkbase Document.
101.DEF
XBRL Definition Linkbase Document.
101.LAB
XBRL Extension Label Linkbase Document.
101.PRE
XBRL Presentation Linkbase Document.
Incorporated by Reference
Form
File No.
Exhibit
Filing
Date
Filed
Herewith
10-Q
001-37444
10.1
8/4/2016
10-Q
001-37444
10.4
8/6/2018
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
*
†
◊
Indicates a management contract or compensatory plan.
Portions of this exhibit have been granted confidential treatment by the SEC.
These certifications are deemed not filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liability of that
section, nor shall they be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act.
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
SIGNATURES
March 1, 2019
FITBIT, INC.
By:
/s/ James Park
James Park
President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS that each individual whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints James Park and Ronald W.
Kisling, and each of them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power of substitution, for him and in his name, place, and stead, in any and all
capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and
perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in
person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or his or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to
be done or by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant
and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
102
Table of Contents
Name
/s/ James Park
James Park
/s/ Ronald W. Kisling
Ronald W. Kisling
/s/ Eric N. Friedman
Eric N. Friedman
/s/ Laura J. Alber
Laura J. Alber
/s/ Bradley M. Fluegel
Bradley M. Fluegel
/s/ Glenda Flanagan
Glenda Flanagan
/s/ Steven Murray
Steven Murray
/s/ Christopher Paisley
Christopher Paisley
/s/ Matthew Bromberg
Matthew Bromberg
Title
Date
President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman
March 1, 2019
(Principal Executive Officer)
Chief Financial Officer
March 1, 2019
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
Chief Technology Officer and Director
March 1, 2019
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
103
March 1, 2019
March 1, 2019
March 1, 2019
March 1, 2019
March 1, 2019
March 1, 2019
LIST OF SUBSIDIARIES
FITBIT, INC.*
EXHIBIT 21.1
Fitbit International Limited (Ireland)
*Pursuant to Item 601(b)(21)(ii) of Regulation S-K, the names of other subsidiaries of Fitbit, Inc. are omitted because, considered in the aggregate, they would not constitute a significant
subsidiary as of the end of the year covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
EXHIBIT 23.1
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statements on Form S-8 (No. 333-223381, No. 333-216382, No. 333-209787 and No. 333-
205045) of Fitbit, Inc. of our report dated March 1, 2019 relating to the financial statements and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, which
appears in this Form 10-K.
/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
San Francisco, California
March 1, 2019
CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE
SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
EXHIBIT 31.1
I, James Park, certify that:
1. I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Fitbit, Inc.;
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 registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4. The registrant’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 registrant 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 registrant, 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 registrant’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 registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal
quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s
internal control over financial reporting.
5. The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s
auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’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 registrant’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 registrant’s internal control over
financial reporting.
Date:
March 1, 2019
/s/ James Park
James Park
President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman
(Principal Executive Officer)
EXHIBIT 31.2
CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE
SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
I, Ronald W. Kisling, certify that:
1. I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Fitbit, Inc.;
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 registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4. The registrant’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 registrant 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 registrant, 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 registrant’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 registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal
quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s
internal control over financial reporting.
5. The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s
auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’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 registrant’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 registrant’s internal control over
financial reporting.
Date:
March 1, 2019
/s/ Ronald W. Kisling
Ronald W. Kisling
Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
EXHIBIT 32.1
I, James Park, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Fitbit Inc., do hereby certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to
Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that to the best of my knowledge:
•
•
the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Fitbit, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2018 fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and
the information contained in such Annual Report on Form 10-K fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of
Fitbit, Inc.
Date:
March 1, 2019
By:
/s/ James Park
James Park
President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman
(Principal Executive Officer)
CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
EXHIBIT 32.2
I, Ronald W. Kisling, Chief Financial Officer of Fitbit Inc., do hereby certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that to the best of my knowledge:
•
•
the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Fitbit, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2018 fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and
the information contained in such Annual Report on Form 10-K fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of
Fitbit, Inc.
Date:
March 1, 2019
By:
/s/ Ronald W. Kisling
Ronald W. Kisling
Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)