# APPLIED MATERIALS INC /DE (AMAT) FY 2024 MD&A

Verbatim Item 7 Management's Discussion and Analysis from APPLIED MATERIALS INC /DE's 10-K for fiscal year 2024.

SEC filing source: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/6951/000000695124000044/amat-20241027.htm
Accession: 0000006951-24-000044
Filing date: 2024-12-13
Report date: 2024-10-27
Extracted structurally from real Item 7 body heading to real Item 7A/8 boundary.
Confidence: high

Company profile: /company/AMAT/
All MD&A years: /company/AMAT/mda/
Previous year: /company/AMAT/mda/fy2023/ (FY 2023)
Next year: /company/AMAT/mda/fy2025/ (FY 2025)

Item 7:      Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Introduction

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (MD&A) is intended to facilitate an understanding of our business and results of operations. This MD&A should be read in conjunction with our Consolidated Financial Statements and the accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this Form 10-K. The following discussion contains forward-looking statements and should also be read in conjunction with the cautionary statement set forth at the beginning of this Form 10-K.

The following section generally discusses 2024 and 2023 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2024 and 2023. Discussions of 2023 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2023 and 2022 that are not included in this Form 10-K can be found in "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in Part II, Item 7 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 29, 2023, filed on December 15, 2023.

Overview

We provide equipment, services and software to the semiconductor, display, and related industries. Our customers include manufacturers of semiconductor wafers and chips, liquid crystal and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays, and other electronic devices. Our customers’ products are used in a wide variety of products such as personal computing devices, mobile phones, artificial intelligence (AI) and data center servers, automobiles, connected devices, industrial applications and consumer electronics. Each of our segments is subject to variable industry conditions, as demand for equipment and services can change depending on supply and demand for chips, display technologies and other electronic devices, as well as other factors, such as global economic, political and market conditions, and the nature and timing of technological advances in fabrication processes.

Our strategic priorities include developing products that help solve customers’ challenges at technology inflections; expanding our served market opportunities in the semiconductor and display industries; and growing our service business. Our long-term growth strategy requires continued development of new materials engineering capabilities, including products and platforms that enable expansion into new and adjacent markets. Our significant investments in research, development and engineering (RD&E) are intended to enable us to deliver new products and technologies before the emergence of strong demand, allowing customers to incorporate these products into their manufacturing plans during early-stage technology selection. We collaborate closely with our global customers to design systems and processes to meet their technical and production requirements.

Our future operating results depend to a considerable extent on our ability to maintain a competitive advantage in the equipment and service products we provide. Development cycles depend on whether the product is an enhancement of an existing product, which typically has a shorter development cycle, or a new product, which typically has a longer development cycle. Most of our existing products resulted from internal development activities and innovations involving new technologies, materials and processes. In certain instances, we acquire technologies, either in existing or new product areas, to complement our existing technology capabilities and to reduce time to market. Product development and manufacturing activities occur primarily in the United States, Europe, Israel, and Asia. Our portfolio of equipment and service products are highly technical and are sold primarily through a direct sales force.

We believe that it is critical to make substantial investments in RD&E to assure the availability of innovative technology that meets the current and projected requirements of our customers’ most advanced designs. We have and continue to invest in RD&E in order to continue to offer new products and technologies.

We operate in three reportable segments: Semiconductor Systems, Applied Global Services® (AGS), and Display. A summary of financial information for each reportable segment is found in Note 14 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. A discussion of factors that could affect our operations is set forth under “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Our results are driven primarily by customer spending on capital equipment and services to support key technology transitions or to increase production volume in response to worldwide demand for semiconductors and displays.

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The Semiconductor Systems segment is comprised primarily of capital equipment used to fabricate semiconductor chips. Spending by semiconductor customers, which include companies that operate in the foundry, logic, memory, and other semiconductor chip markets, is driven by demand for products such as smartphones, mobile devices, personal computers, servers for artificial intelligence (AI) and data centers, automobiles, clean energy, storage, and other products, and the nature and timing of technological advances in fabrication processes. The growth of data and emerging end-market drivers such as AI, the internet of things, 5G networks, electric and autonomous vehicles and augmented and virtual reality are also creating the next wave of growth for the industry. As a result, products within the Semiconductor Systems segment are subject to significant changes in customer requirements, including transitions to smaller dimensions, increasingly complex chip architectures, new materials and an increasing number of applications. Spending can also depend on customer facility readiness and timeline for installation of capital equipment at customer sites. Development efforts are focused on solving customers’ key technical challenges in patterning, transistor, interconnect, process control, and packaging performance.

The AGS segment provides services, spares and factory automation software to customer fabrication plants globally to help customers optimize performance of our large, global installed base of semiconductor, display and other equipment. The AGS segment also includes 200mm and other equipment, which is shipped to many customers globally that serve the non-leading-edge end markets. Demand for AGS’ service and spares is driven by our large and growing installed base of manufacturing systems, and customers’ needs to shorten ramp times, improve system performance, and optimize factory output and operating costs. Industry conditions that affect AGS’ sales of spares and services are primarily characterized by changes in semiconductor manufacturers’ wafer starts and utilization rates, growth of the installed base of equipment and growing service intensity of newer tools. Our strategy is to continue to shift the AGS’ service and spares business to a subscription agreement model, improving customer factory performance and optimizing operating costs, and providing us a more predictable revenue stream.

The Display segment encompasses products for manufacturing liquid crystal and OLED displays, and other display technologies for TVs, monitors, laptops, personal computers (PC), tablets, smart phones, other consumer-oriented devices, equipment upgrades and solar energy cells. The segment is focused on expanding its presence through technologically-differentiated equipment and products that provide customers with improved performance and yields. Display segment growth depends primarily on consumer demand for increasingly larger and more advanced TVs and high-resolution displays for mobile devices and information technology (IT) products, including laptops, monitors and tablets, as well as new form factors, including thin, light, curved and flexible displays, and new applications such as augmented and virtual reality. The timing of customer investment in manufacturing equipment is also affected by the timing of next-generation process development and of capacity expansion to meet end-market demand.

The Corporate and Other category includes revenues and costs of product sold from other products, as well as certain operating expenses that are not allocated to our reportable segments and are managed separately at the corporate level. These operating expenses include costs for certain management, finance, legal, human resource, and RD&E functions performed at the corporate level; and unabsorbed information technology and occupancy. In addition, we do not allocate to our reportable segments severance, asset impairment and any associated charges related to restructuring actions, unless these actions pertain to a specific reportable segment. Effective in the first quarter of fiscal 2024, management began including share-based compensation expense in the evaluation of reportable segments' performance. Prior-year numbers have been recast to conform to the current-year presentation.

The United States government has implemented export regulations for U.S. semiconductor technology sold or provided to customers in China, which have limited our ability to provide certain products and services to customers in China, over the past several years. The U.S. government continues to issue new export licensing requirements, and additional updates and other requirements that have had the effect of further limiting our ability to provide certain products and services to customers outside the U.S., including in China. For a description of these risks, see the risk factor entitled “Business and Industry Risks - Global trade issues and changes in and uncertainties with respect to trade policies and export regulations, including import and export license requirements, trade sanctions, tariffs and international trade disputes, have adversely impacted and could further adversely impact our business and operations, and reduce the competitiveness of our products and services relative to local and global competitors” in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors.”

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Results of Operations

Our fiscal 2024 and 2023 each contained 52 weeks.

The following table presents certain significant measurements for the periods indicated:

[[GREPCENT_TABLE]]
[["","","","","","","","Change"],["","2024","","2023","","","","2024 over 2023"],["","(In millions, except per share amounts and percentages)"],["Net revenue","$","27,176","","","$","26,517","","","","","$","659"],["Gross margin","47.5","%","","46.7","%","","","","0.8 points"],["Operating income","$","7,867","","","$","7,654","","","","","$","213"],["Operating margin","28.9","%","","28.9","%","","","","\u2014 points"],["Net income","$","7,177","","","$","6,856","","","","","$","321"],["Earnings per diluted share","$","8.61","","","$","8.11","","","","","$","0.50"]]
[[/GREPCENT_TABLE]]

Net revenue by segment for the periods presented were as follows: 

[[GREPCENT_TABLE]]
[["","","","","","","","","","","","","","","","","","Change"],["","2024","","","","2023","","","","","","2024 over 2023"],["","(In millions, except percentages)"],["Semiconductor Systems","$","19,911","","","73%","","","","$","19,698","","","74%","","","","","","","","1","%"],["Applied Global Services","6,225","","","23%","","","","5,732","","","22%","","","","","","","","9","%"],["Display","885","","","3%","","","","868","","","3%","","","","","","","","2","%"],["Corporate and Other","155","","","1%","","","","219","","","1%","","","","","","","","(29)","%"],["Total","$","27,176","","","100%","","","","$","26,517","","","100%","","","","","","","","2","%"]]
[[/GREPCENT_TABLE]]

Net revenue for Semiconductor Systems by market for the periods presented were as follows:

[[GREPCENT_TABLE]]
[["","2024","","2023"],["Foundry, logic and other","68","%","","77","%"],["Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM)","28","%","","17","%"],["Flash memory","4","%","","6","%"],["","100","%","","100","%"]]
[[/GREPCENT_TABLE]]

Net revenue in fiscal 2024 increased as compared to the prior year. Gross margin increased primarily driven by lower material, freight, logistics, and manufacturing costs, favorable changes in customer and product mix and lower depreciation expense as a result of changes in certain assets’ useful lives effective as of the beginning of fiscal 2024, partially offset by an increase in labor costs.

Semiconductor Systems net revenue increased in fiscal 2024 as compared to the prior year as customers continued to make strategic investments in new capacity and new technology transitions. Foundry and logic customers’ spending decreased driven primarily by lower customer investments in leading-edge manufacturing technologies, partially offset by increased customer investments in non-leading edge manufacturing technologies. Memory customers’ spending in fiscal 2024 was higher due to increased investments in DRAM technology transitions. Investments by semiconductor equipment customers are expected to remain strong with growth in the adoption of high-bandwidth memory and other forms of advanced packaging, continued demand for AI and data center computing, and for non-leading edge nodes. The Semiconductor Systems segment continued to represent the largest contributor of net revenue.

Our AGS net revenue in fiscal 2024 increased primarily due to an increase in net revenue associated with long-term service agreements and customer spending on spares, partially offset by lower customer spending on 200mm equipment. Demand for services is expected to grow as our installed base of systems and chambers increases and customers renew long-term service agreements.

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Our Display net revenue increased in fiscal 2024 compared to the prior year primarily due to higher customer investments in display fabrication equipment for IT products including laptops, monitors and tablets, partially offset by lower customer investments in display fabrication equipment for TVs.

Over the longer term, we believe secular drivers such as AI, data center computing, the internet of things, 5G networks, electric and autonomous vehicles and augmented and virtual reality will create the next wave of growth for semiconductors and expand our served market opportunities.

Net revenue by geographic region, determined by the location of customers’ facilities to which products were shipped and services were performed, was as follows:

[[GREPCENT_TABLE]]
[["","","","","","","","","","","","","","","","","","Change"],["","2024","","","","2023","","","","","","2024 over 2023"],["","(In millions, except percentages)"],["China","$","10,117","","","37%","","","","$","7,247","","","27%","","","","","","","","40","%"],["Korea","4,493","","","17%","","","","4,609","","","18%","","","","","","","","(3)","%"],["Taiwan","4,010","","","15%","","","","5,670","","","21%","","","","","","","","(29)","%"],["Japan","2,154","","","8%","","","","2,075","","","8%","","","","","","","","4","%"],["Southeast Asia","1,141","","","4%","","","","758","","","3%","","","","","","","","51","%"],["Asia Pacific","21,915","","","81%","","","","20,359","","","77%","","","","","","","","8","%"],["United States","3,818","","","14%","","","","4,006","","","15%","","","","","","","","(5)","%"],["Europe","1,443","","","5%","","","","2,152","","","8%","","","","","","","","(33)","%"],["Total","$","27,176","","","100%","","","","$","26,517","","","100%","","","","","","","","2","%"]]
[[/GREPCENT_TABLE]]

Net revenue increased from customers in China in fiscal 2024 primarily due to investments in semiconductor equipment and spending on spares and services, partially offset by a decrease in investments in 200mm equipment. Net revenue decreased from customers in Europe primarily due to lower investments in semiconductor equipment. Net revenue from customers in Taiwan decreased primarily due to lower investments in semiconductor equipment and spares, offset by higher spending on services. The changes in net revenue from customers in all other regions for fiscal 2024 primarily reflected changes in investment and spending on semiconductor equipment and services.

Operating Expenses

Operating expenses for the periods presented were as follows:

[[GREPCENT_TABLE]]
[["","","","","","","","Change"],["","2024","","2023","","","","2024 over 2023"],["","(In millions)"],["Research, development and engineering (RD&E)","$","3,233","","","$","3,102","","","","","$","131"],["Marketing and selling","$","836","","","$","776","","","","","$","60"],["General and administrative","$","961","","","$","852","","","","","$","109"]]
[[/GREPCENT_TABLE]]

The year-over-year change in RD&E expenses was primarily due to additional headcount to support our ongoing investments in product development initiatives, consistent with our growth strategy, offset by lower depreciation expense as a result of changes in certain assets’ useful lives effective as of the beginning of fiscal 2024. We continued to prioritize existing RD&E investments in technical capabilities and critical RD&E programs in current and new markets, with a focus on the development of new unit process systems and integrated materials solutions. Areas of investment in Semiconductor Systems include etch, deposition, metrology and inspection, patterning, packaging and other technologies to improve chip performance, power, area, cost and time-to-market. In Display, RD&E investments were focused on expanding our market opportunity with new display technologies.

Marketing and selling expenses for fiscal 2024 increased primarily due to additional headcount.

General and administrative expenses in fiscal 2024 increased primarily due to the increases in share-based compensation expense and professional fees.

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Interest Expense and Interest and Other Income (expense), net

Interest expense and interest and other income (expense), net for the periods presented were as follows:

[[GREPCENT_TABLE]]
[["","","","","","","","Change"],["","2024","","2023","","","","2024 over 2023"],["","(In millions)"],["Interest expense","$","247","","","$","238","","","","","$","9"],["Interest and other income (expense), net","$","532","","","$","300","","","","","$","232"]]
[[/GREPCENT_TABLE]]

Interest expense incurred was primarily associated with issued senior unsecured notes. Interest expense in fiscal 2024 increased slightly as a result of the issuance of senior unsecured notes in June 2024.

Interest and other income (expense), net in fiscal 2024 increased primarily driven by higher interest income due to higher cash balances and lower impairment on equity investment, partially offset by higher net loss on equity investment.

Income Taxes

Provision for income taxes and effective tax rates for the periods indicated were as follows:

[[GREPCENT_TABLE]]
[["","","","","","","","Change"],["","2024","","2023","","","","2024 over 2023"],["","(In millions, except percentages)"],["Provision for income taxes","$","975","","","$","860","","","","","$","115"],["Effective income tax rate","12.0","%","","11.1","%","","","","0.9 points"]]
[[/GREPCENT_TABLE]]

Our provision for income taxes and effective tax rate are affected by the geographical composition of pre-tax income which includes jurisdictions with differing tax rates, conditional reduced tax rates and other income tax incentives. It is also affected by events that vary from period to period, such as changes in income tax laws and the resolution of prior years’ income tax filings.

Our effective tax rate for fiscal 2024 was higher than the prior fiscal year primarily due to lower tax credits in fiscal 2024, partially offset by higher proportion of pre-tax income in lower tax jurisdictions in fiscal 2024.

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Segment Operating Income

Operating income by segment for the periods presented were as follows: 

[[GREPCENT_TABLE]]
[["","","","","","","","Change"],["","2024","","2023","","","","2024 over 2023"],["","(In millions, except percentages and ratios)"],["Operating income (loss)"],["Semiconductor Systems","$","6,981","","","$","6,879","","","","","$","102","","","1","%"],["Applied Global Services","1,812","","","1,529","","","","","283","","","19","%"],["Display","51","","","114","","","","","(63)","","","(55)","%"],["Corporate and Other","(977)","","","(868)","","","","","(109)","","","13","%"],["Total","$","7,867","","","$","7,654","","","","","$","213","","","3","%"],["Operating margin"],["Semiconductor Systems","35.1","%","","34.9","%","","","","0.2 points"],["Applied Global Services","29.1","%","","26.7","%","","","","2.4 points"],["Display","5.8","%","","13.1","%","","","","(7.3) points"]]
[[/GREPCENT_TABLE]]

Semiconductor Systems’ operating margin for fiscal 2024 increased primarily driven by lower material, freight, logistics and manufacturing costs, favorable changes in customer and product mix and lower depreciation expense as a result of changes in certain assets’ useful lives effective as of the beginning of fiscal 2024, partially offset by increased RD&E expenses.

AGS’ operating margin for fiscal 2024 increased primarily due to the increase in net revenue and a favorable change in product mix.

Display’s operating margin for fiscal 2024 decreased primarily due to unfavorable changes in product mix.

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Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted

Disaggregation of Income Statements Expenses. In November 2024, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued an accounting standard update to improve income statement expenses disclosures (Subtopic 220-40). The standard requires more detailed information related to the types of expenses, including (among other items) the amounts of purchases of inventory, employee compensation, depreciation and intangible asset amortization included within each interim and annual income statement’s expense caption, as applicable. This authoritative guidance can be applied prospectively or retrospectively and will be effective for us in fiscal 2028 for annual periods and in the first quarter of fiscal 2029 for interim periods, with early adoption permitted. We are evaluating the effect of this guidance on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures. In December 2023, the FASB issued an accounting standard update to improve income tax disclosures (Topic 740). The standard prescribes specific categories for the components of the effective tax rate reconciliation, requires disclosure of income taxes paid by jurisdiction, and modifies other income tax-related disclosures. This authoritative guidance will be effective for us beginning with our annual reporting for fiscal year 2026, with early adoption permitted. We are evaluating the effect of this guidance on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures. In November 2023, the FASB issued an accounting standard update to improve reportable segment disclosure requirements, primarily through enhanced disclosures about significant segment expenses (Topic 280). The standard requires interim and annual disclosure of significant segment expenses that are regularly provided to the chief operating decision-maker (CODM) and included within the reported measure of a segment’s profit or loss, requires interim disclosures about a reportable segment’s profit or loss and assets that are currently required annually, requires disclosure of the position and title of the CODM, clarifies circumstances in which an entity can disclose multiple segment measures of profit or loss and contains other disclosure requirements. This authoritative guidance will be effective for us in fiscal 2025 for annual periods and in the first quarter of fiscal 2026 for interim periods, with early adoption permitted. We are evaluating the effect of this guidance on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

Fair Value Measurement of Equity Securities Subject to Contractual Sale Restrictions. In June 2022, the FASB issued an accounting standard update which clarifies how the fair value of equity securities subject to contractual sale restrictions is determined (Topic 820). The amendment clarifies that a contractual sale restriction should not be considered in measuring fair value. It also requires certain qualitative and quantitative disclosures related to equity securities subject to contractual sale restrictions. We will adopt this guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2025. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Accounting Standards Adopted

For a description of recently adopted accounting standards, including the date of adoption and the effect, if any, on our consolidated financial statements, see Note 1, “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

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Financial Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources

Our cash, cash equivalents and investments consist of the following:

[[GREPCENT_TABLE]]
[["","October 27, 2024","","October 29, 2023"],["","(In millions)"],["Cash and cash equivalents","$","8,022","","","$","6,132"],["Short-term investments","1,449","","","737"],["Long-term investments","2,787","","","2,281"],["Total cash, cash-equivalents and investments","$","12,258","","","$","9,150"]]
[[/GREPCENT_TABLE]]

Sources and Uses of Cash

A summary of cash provided by (used in) operating, investing, and financing activities is as follows:

[[GREPCENT_TABLE]]
[["","2024","","2023"],["","(In millions)"],["Cash provided by operating activities","$","8,677","","","$","8,700"],["Cash used in investing activities","$","(2,327)","","","$","(1,535)"],["Cash used in financing activities","$","(4,470)","","","$","(3,032)"]]
[[/GREPCENT_TABLE]]

Operating Activities

Cash from operating activities for fiscal 2024 was $8.7 billion, which reflects net income adjusted for the effect of non-cash charges and changes in working capital components. Significant non-cash charges included depreciation, amortization, share-based compensation and deferred income taxes. Cash provided by operating activities in fiscal 2024 remained relatively flat primarily due to lower collections of customer receivable balances, partially offset by lower payments to vendors and higher net income.

We have agreements with various financial institutions to sell accounts receivable and discount promissory notes from selected customers. We sell our accounts receivable generally without recourse. From time to time, we also discount letters of credit issued by customers through various financial institutions. The discounting of letters of credit depends on many factors, including the willingness of financial institutions to discount the letters of credit and the cost of such arrangements. We sold $0.4 billion and $0.7 billion of accounts receivable during fiscal 2024 and 2023, respectively. We did not discount letters of credit issued by customers in fiscal 2024 and 2023. There was no discounting of promissory notes in each of fiscal 2024 and 2023.

Our working capital was $12.8 billion at October 27, 2024 and $11.8 billion at October 29, 2023.

Days sales outstanding of our accounts receivable at the end of fiscal 2024 and 2023 was 68 days and 70 days, respectively. Days sales outstanding varies due to the timing of shipments and payment terms. The decrease in days sales outstanding was primarily due to favorable revenue linearity.

Investing Activities

We used $2.3 billion and $1.5 billion of cash in investing activities in fiscal 2024 and 2023, respectively. Capital expenditures in fiscal 2024 and 2023 were $1.2 billion and $1.1 billion, respectively. Capital expenditures were primarily for investments in real property acquisitions and improvements, demonstration and testing equipment, manufacturing and network equipment. Purchases of investments, net of proceeds from sales and maturities of investments, for 2024 and 2023 was $1.1 billion and $404 million, respectively. Net cash paid for acquisitions in fiscal 2023 was $25 million. Investing activities also included investments in technology to allow us to access new market opportunities or emerging technologies.

Our investment portfolio consists principally of investment grade money market mutual funds, U.S. Treasury and agency securities, municipal bonds, corporate bonds and mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities, as well as equity securities. We regularly monitor the credit risk in our investment portfolio and take appropriate measures, which may include the sale of certain securities, to manage such risks prudently in accordance with our investment policies.

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Financing Activities

We used $4.5 billion of cash in financing activities in fiscal 2024, consisting primarily of repurchases of common stock of $3.8 billion, cash dividends to stockholders of $1.2 billion, tax withholding payments for vested equity awards of $291 million, and net payments of principal on financing leases of $102 million, partially offset by net proceeds received from the issuance of senior unsecured notes of $694 million and proceeds received from common stock issuances of $243 million.

We used $3.0 billion of cash in financing activities in fiscal 2023, consisting primarily of repurchases of common stock of $2.2 billion, cash dividends to stockholders of $975 million and tax withholding payments for vested equity awards of $179 million, offset by proceeds received from common stock issuances of $227 million and net proceeds from issuances of commercial paper of $91 million.

In March 2023, our Board of Directors approved a common stock repurchase program authorizing $10.0 billion in repurchases, which supplemented the previously existing $6.0 billion authorization approved in March 2022. At October 27, 2024, approximately $8.9 billion remained available for future stock repurchases under the repurchase program.

During each of fiscal 2024 and 2023 we paid four quarterly cash dividends, totaling $1.2 billion and $975 million, respectively. We currently anticipate that cash dividends will continue to be paid on a quarterly basis, although the declaration of any future cash dividend is at the discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend on our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, business conditions and other factors, as well as a determination by the Board of Directors that cash dividends are in the best interests of our stockholders.

We have credit facilities for unsecured borrowings in various currencies of up to $1.6 billion, of which $1.5 billion is comprised of a committed revolving credit agreement (Revolving Credit Agreement) with a group of banks. The Revolving Credit Agreement is scheduled to expire in February 2026, unless extended as permitted under the Revolving Credit Agreement. The Revolving Credit Agreement includes financial and other covenants with which we were in compliance as of October 27, 2024. No amounts were outstanding under the Revolving Credit Agreement as of October 27, 2024 and October 29, 2023. See Note 9, Borrowing Facilities and Debt, of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion related to our Revolving Credit Agreement and other credit facilities.

We have a short-term commercial paper program under which we may from time to time issue unsecured commercial paper notes of up to a total amount of $1.5 billion. The proceeds from the issuances of commercial paper are used for general corporate purposes. At October 27, 2024, we had $100 million of commercial paper notes outstanding. The commercial paper program is backstopped by the Revolving Credit Agreement and borrowings under the Revolving Credit Agreement reduce the amount of commercial paper notes we can issue.

In June 2024, we issued $700 million aggregate principal amount of 4.800% senior unsecured notes due 2029 in a registered public offering. The proceeds from the issuance of the senior unsecured notes are intended for general corporate purposes.

We had senior unsecured notes in the aggregate principal amount of $6.2 billion outstanding as of October 27, 2024. See Note 9 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional discussion of existing debt. We may seek to refinance our existing debt and may incur additional indebtedness depending on our capital requirements and the availability of financing.

Others

On December 22, 2017, the U.S. government enacted the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Tax Act). The Tax Act requires a one-time transition tax on certain unrepatriated earnings of foreign subsidiaries. The transition tax expense is payable in installments over eight years, with eight percent due in each of the first five years starting with fiscal 2018. As of October 27, 2024, we had $459 million of total payments remaining, payable in installments in the next two years.

On August 9, 2022, the U.S. government enacted the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act (“CHIPS Act”). The CHIPS Act creates a 25% investment tax credit for certain investments in domestic semiconductor manufacturing. The credit is provided for qualifying property, which is placed in service after December 31, 2022, for which construction begins before January 1, 2027, and is treated as a government grant. We recognize this investment tax credit when there is reasonable assurance that we will qualify for the credit and the benefit will be received. Investments related to the 25% investment tax credit reduced our income taxes payable by $170 million as of October 27, 2024.

On August 16, 2022, the U.S. government enacted the Inflation Reduction Act. The Inflation Reduction Act introduced a new 15% corporate minimum tax, based on adjusted financial statement income of certain large corporations. Applicable corporations are allowed to claim a credit for the minimum tax paid against regular tax in future years. We are subject to the minimum tax in fiscal 2024 and expect to claim a credit for the minimum tax in future years.

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Several countries where we do business have enacted global minimum tax regimes based on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (“OECD”) Base Erosion and Profit Shifting Project. This will change various aspects of the existing framework under which our global tax obligations are determined and is expected to increase our tax liabilities beginning in fiscal 2025. The OECD continues to release additional guidance on this new global minimum tax framework. We will continue to monitor these developments, as each jurisdiction incorporates changes into its tax laws.

Our conditional reduced tax rates in Singapore will expire in fiscal 2025, excluding potential renewal and subject to certain conditions with which we expect to comply.

Although cash requirements will fluctuate based on the timing and extent of factors such as those discussed above, our management believes that cash generated from operations, together with the liquidity provided by existing cash balances and borrowing capability, will be sufficient to satisfy our liquidity requirements for the next 12 months. For further details regarding our operating, investing and financing activities, see the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows in this report.

For details on standby letters of credit, guarantee instruments and other agreements with banks, see Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements below.

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Contractual Obligations and Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We have certain on-balance sheet and off-balance sheet obligation arrangements to make future payments under various contracts. Certain contractual arrangements which are recorded on our balance sheet include borrowing facilities and debts and lease obligations.

Borrowing Facilities and Debt Obligations

As of October 27, 2024, we had $6.2 billion in aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes with varying maturities, of which $700 million is due within 12 months and the remaining notes are due beyond 12 months. Future interest payments associated with these unsecured notes were $2.8 billion, of which $239 million is due within 12 months and the remaining interest payments are due beyond 12 months. See Note 9, Borrowing Facilities and Debt, of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion related to our borrowing facilities and debt obligations.

Lease Obligations

As of October 27, 2024, our operating lease obligation was $384 million related to various operating lease arrangements for certain facilities, of which $96 million is payable within 12 months and the remaining amount is payable beyond 12 months.

Purchase Obligations

As of October 27, 2024, we had $8.1 billion of purchase obligations for goods and services, of which $4.2 billion is payable within 12 months and the remaining amount is payable beyond 12 months.

Deemed Repatriation Tax Payable

As of October 27, 2024, we had $459 million of transition tax liability, of which $204 million is payable within 12 months and the remaining amount is payable beyond 12 months. This transition tax liability is associated with the deemed repatriation of accumulated foreign earnings as a result of the enactment of the Tax Act.

Other Long-term Liabilities

We also have the obligation to fund our pension, postretirement and deferred compensation plans. We evaluate the need to make contributions to our pension and postretirement benefit plans after considering the funded status of the plans, movements in the discount rate, performance of the plan assets and related tax consequences. Payments to the plans would be dependent on these factors and could vary across a wide range of amounts and time periods. Payments for deferred compensation plans are dependent on activity by participants, making the timing of payments uncertain. As of October 27, 2024, the total of our future expected benefit payments for the pension plans and the postretirement plan over the next ten fiscal years were $214 million, of which $14 million is payable within 12 months and the remaining amount is payable beyond 12 months.

As of October 27, 2024, the gross liability for unrecognized tax benefits that was not expected to result in payment of cash within one year was $521 million. Interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions that were not expected to result in payment of cash within one year of October 27, 2024 was $181 million. At this time, we are unable to reliably estimate the timing of payments due to uncertainties in the timing of tax audit outcomes.    

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

In the ordinary course of business, we provide standby letters of credit or other guarantee instruments to third parties as required for certain transactions initiated by either us or our subsidiaries. These include agreements with various banks to facilitate subsidiary banking operations worldwide, including overdraft arrangements. We also have agreements with various banks to facilitate subsidiary banking operations worldwide, including overdraft arrangements, issuance of bank guarantees, and letters of credit. See Note 13, Guarantees, Commitments and Contingencies, of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion relating to these arrangements.

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Critical Accounting Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make judgments, assumptions and estimates that affect the amounts reported.

Estimates and assumptions about future events and their effects cannot be determined with certainty. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions believed to be applicable and reasonable under the circumstances. These estimates may change as new events occur, as additional information is obtained and as our operating environment changes. These changes have historically been minor and have been included in the consolidated financial statements as soon as they became known. In addition, management is periodically faced with uncertainties, the outcomes of which are not within our control and will not be known for prolonged periods of time. These uncertainties include those discussed in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors.”

Management believes that the following is a critical accounting estimate:

Income Taxes

We are subject to income taxes in the U.S. and numerous foreign jurisdictions. The calculation of our provision for income taxes and effective tax rate involves significant judgment in estimating the impact of uncertainties in the application of complex and evolving tax laws. Resolution of these uncertainties in a manner inconsistent with our expectations could have a material impact on our results of operations and financial condition. We recognize a current tax liability for the estimated amount of income taxes payable on tax returns for the current fiscal year. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax effects of events that have been recognized in our financial statements or tax returns. These estimates consider future operational results including realizability of our deferred tax assets. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted to reflect the effects of enacted changes in tax rates, laws and status, including changes in tax incentives.

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