Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement our unaudited consolidated financial statements presented on a basis consistent with GAAP, we disclose certain non-GAAP financial measures, including non-GAAP net income, gross margin, operating expenses, operating expenses as a percentage of revenue, operating margins and earnings per share. These supplemental measures exclude the effects of (i) stock-based compensation expense and its related tax effect, if any; (ii) an accrual related to our performance based bonus plan for 2016, which we currently intend to settle in shares of our class A common stock; (iii) an accrual related to our performance based bonus plan for 2015, which we settled in shares of our class A common stock in 2015 and 2016; (iv) amortization of purchased intangible assets and inventory step up; (v) restricted merger proceeds and contingent consideration and incentive award; (vi) acquisition and integration costs related to our recently completed acquisitions; (vii) professional fees and settlement costs related to our previously disclosed IP and commercial litigation matters; (viii) IPR&D and production mask impairment losses; (ix) severance and restructuring charges; and (x) release of valuation allowance due to net deferred tax liability acquired. These non-GAAP measures are not in accordance with and do not serve as an alternative for GAAP. We believe that these non-GAAP measures have limitations in that they do not reflect all of the amounts associated with our GAAP results of operations. These non-GAAP measures should only be viewed in conjunction with corresponding GAAP measures. We compensate for the limitations of non-GAAP financial measures by relying upon GAAP results to gain a complete picture of our performance.

We believe that non-GAAP financial measures can provide useful information to both management and investors by excluding certain non-cash and other one-time expenses that are not indicative of our core operating results. Among other uses, our management uses non-GAAP measures to compare our performance relative to forecasts and strategic plans and to benchmark our performance externally against competitors. In addition, management’s incentive compensation will be determined in part using these non-GAAP measures because we believe non-GAAP measures better reflect our core operating performance.

The following are explanations of each type of adjustment that we incorporate into non-GAAP financial measures:

Stock-based compensation expense relates to equity incentive awards granted to our employees, directors, and consultants. Our equity incentive plans are important components of our employee incentive compensation arrangements and are reflected as expenses in our GAAP results. Stock-based compensation expense has been and will continue to be a significant recurring expense for MaxLinear.

Bonuses under our executive and non-executive bonus programs have been excluded from our non-GAAP net income for all periods reported. Bonus payments for the first and second half of the 2015 performance periods were settled through the issuance of shares of Class A common stock under our equity incentive plans in August 2015 and May 2016. Bonus payments for the first half of the 2016 performance periods were settled through the issuance of shares of Class A common stock under our equity incentive plans in August 2016 and we currently expect that bonus payments under our 2016 programs for the second half of 2016 will also be settled in Class A common stock in February 2017. While we include the dilutive impact of equity awards in weighted average shares outstanding, the expense associated with stock-based awards reflects a non-cash charge that we exclude from non-GAAP net income.

Restricted stock units granted under our equity incentive plan to Physpeed continuing employees if certain 2015 and 2016 revenue targets are met contingent upon continued employment reflect a non-cash charge that we exclude from non-GAAP net income.

Expenses incurred in relation to acquisitions include amortization of purchased intangible assets and step-up of inventory to fair value, acquisition and integration costs primarily consisting of professional and consulting fees, restricted merger proceeds which represent merger proceeds held back from the former principal shareholders of Physpeed which were paid on a quarterly basis through October 31, 2016 and contingent consideration.

IPR&D and production mask impairment losses relate to our abandonment of IPR&D technology assets and capitalized costs for masks that have no future use.

Restructuring charges incurred are related to our restructuring plan which addresses issues primarily relating to the integration of the Company and acquired businesses or internal operations. Severance charges incurred relate primarily to our exit of research and development activities and other non-recurring charges related to the termination of employees.

Expenses incurred in relation to our intellectual property and commercial litigation include professional fees incurred.

The acquisitions of Entropic and Physpeed resulted in a net deferred tax liability, which led to the release of valuation allowance and a benefit for income taxes.

The tax impact of total non-GAAP measures at the effective tax rate that would be in effect considering the non-GAAP measures is included in non-GAAP income tax expense and non-GAAP net income.  The amounts presented for non-GAAP income tax expense, non-GAAP net income, and non-GAAP basic and diluted earnings per share for the three months and year ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 have been adjusted to conform with current period presentation.

Reconciliations of non-GAAP measures for the historic periods disclosed in this press release appear below. Because of the inherent uncertainty associated with our ability to project future charges, particularly related to stock-based compensation and its related tax effects as well as potential impairments, we have not provided a reconciliation for non-GAAP guidance provided for the first quarter 2017.

About MaxLinear, Inc.

MaxLinear, Inc. (NYSE:MXL) is a leading provider of radio frequency (RF) and mixed-signal integrated circuits for cable and satellite broadband communications, the connected home, data center, metro, long-haul fiber networks, and wireless infrastructure markets.  MaxLinear is headquartered in Carlsbad, California. For more information, please visit www.maxlinear.com.

MXL is MaxLinear’s registered trademark. Other trademarks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners.