Vital Farms Inc

NOTES TO CONSOLID ATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands, except share and per share amounts)

1. Nature of the Business and Basis of Presentation

Vital Farms, Inc. (the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our”) was incorporated in Delaware on June 6, 2013 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas. The Company packages, markets and distributes shell eggs, butter and other products. These products are principally sold under the name Vital Farms in addition to other trade names, primarily to retail and foodservice channels in the United States.

Vital Farms of Missouri, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Vital Farms. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in the audited consolidated financial statements.

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP” or “GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. In the opinion of management, the included disclosures are adequate, and the accompanying consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of our consolidated financial position as of December 31, 2023, consolidated results of operations and the consolidated cash flows for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022 and December 26, 2021. Such adjustments are of a normal and recurring nature and certain reclassifications of previously reported amounts have been made to conform to the current year presentation. A reclassification of $1,539 has been made from accounts receivable, net to prepaids and other current assets, net in the consolidated balance sheet as of December 25, 2022 to conform to the current year presentation of our accounts receivable from the Company's network of farms.

Fiscal Year: The Company’s fiscal year ends on the last Sunday in December and contains either 52 or 53 weeks. Therefore, the financial results of certain 53-week fiscal years will not be exactly comparable to the prior and subsequent 52-week fiscal years. The fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 contains operating results for 53 weeks, while the fiscal years ended December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021 contain operating results for 52 weeks.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Use of Estimates: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Such estimates principally include revenue recognition, determination of useful lives for property and equipment, trade spend accruals, goodwill, allowance for credit losses, inventory obsolescence, stock option valuations, accrued liabilities, income taxes and contingencies. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Concentrations of Customers and Risk: A substantial amount of our shell egg processing occurs at our Egg Central Station shell egg processing facility. Any shutdown or period of reduced production at Egg Central Station, which may be caused by regulatory noncompliance or other issues, as well as factors beyond our control, such as natural disaster, weather, fire, power interruption, work stoppage, disease outbreaks or pandemics, equipment failure or delay in raw materials delivery, would significantly disrupt our ability to deliver our products in a timely manner, meet our contractual obligations and operate our business.

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash and cash equivalents, investments, accounts receivable and derivative instruments. The Company maintains deposits with large financial institutions that the Company believes are of high credit quality. At times the Company’s cash and cash equivalents balances with individual banking institutions are in excess of federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses related to its cash and cash equivalents balances.

The Company's customer concentration for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 was as follows:

• Denotes percentage less than 10%

Cash and Cash Equivalents: The Company considers all short-term, highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents. Cash deposits are all in financial institutions in the United States. As of December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022, cash and cash equivalents consisted of cash on deposit with balances denominated in U.S. dollars and investments in money market funds.

Investment Securities: The Company accounts for its investment securities in accordance with ASC 320, Investments-Debt and Equity Securities. The Company considers all of its debt securities for which there is a determinable fair market value, and there are no restrictions on the Company’s ability to sell within the next 12 months, as available-for-sale. The Company classifies these securities as current, because the amounts invested are available for current operations. Available-for-sale securities are carried at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, recorded in other comprehensive income until the security is settled or sold, except for changes in allowance for expected credit losses, which are reported on a gross basis in other expense.

The amortized cost of debt securities is adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity. Such amortization is recorded in interest income. The cost of securities sold is based on the specific identification method with realized gains and losses on the sale of debt securities and declines in value due to credit-related factors, reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income when sold and recorded in other income. Income tax effects related to realized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities are released from accumulated other comprehensive income quarterly with the recognition of the Company’s tax provision. Interest and dividends on securities classified as available-for-sale are recorded in interest income.

Variable Interest Entity: The Company consolidates all entities where a controlling financial interest exists. The Company has considered its relationship with Ovabrite, Inc. to determine whether the Company has a variable interest in that entity, and if so, whether the Company is the primary beneficiary of the relationship. GAAP requires variable interest entities (“VIEs”) to be consolidated if an entity’s interest in the VIE is a controlling financial interest. Under the variable model, a controlling financial interest is determined based on which entity, if any, has (i) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impacts the VIE’s economic performance and (ii) the obligations to absorb losses that could potentially be significant to the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

Management performs ongoing reassessments of whether changes in the facts and circumstances regarding the Company’s involvement with a VIE will cause the consolidation conclusion to change. The consolidation status of a VIE may change as a result of such reassessments. Changes in consolidation status are applied prospectively in accordance with GAAP.

Segment Information: The Company operates and manages its business asone reportable and operating segment. The Company’s Chief Executive Officer, who is the chief operating decision maker, reviews financial information on an aggregate basis for purposes of evaluating financial performance and allocating resources. All of the Company’s long-lived assets and customers are located in the United States.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments: 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 measurement date. The three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value are defined below:

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Level 1 - Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

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Level 2 - Inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

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Level 3 - Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity that are significant to determining the fair value of the assets or liabilities, including pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies and similar techniques.

The carrying values of cash, trade receivables, other non-trade receivables within prepaid expenses and other current assets, accounts payable, accrued expenses and other current liabilities approximate their fair value due to the short-term nature of these assets and liabilities.

Accounts Receivable: Accounts receivable are stated at amounts due from customers net of any allowance for credit losses. The Company generally does not have collateral for its receivables, but the Company does periodically evaluate the creditworthiness of its customers.

Allowance for Credit Losses: The allowance for expected credit losses related to trade receivables is estimated based on the trade receivable aging category, credit risk of specific customers, past collection history, and management’s evaluation of accounts receivable. The evaluation is inherently subjective, as it requires estimates that are susceptible to significant revision as more information becomes available. The provision for expected credit losses is charged within selling, general and administrative costs. These losses have been immaterial to date. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the allowance.

The allowance for expected credit losses related to other non-trade receivables are estimated based onthe aging category and the probability of default. Provisions for current estimated credit losses are classified within selling, general and administrative costs.

Inventories: Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (determined under the weighted average cost method) or net realizable value. In addi tion to product cost, inventory costs include expenditures such as in-bound shipping and handling and warehousing costs incurred in bringing the inventory to its existing condition and location. Inventory includes eggs and egg-related products, butter and butter-related products, packaging, feed, laying hens, pullets, and equipment parts. A reduction in the carrying value of an inventory item from cost to net realizable value is recorded in cost of goods sold with the offset to inventory. Any inventory that does not meet the quality control standards of the Company is separated and written down to its net realizable value.

Derivative Financial Instruments: The Company uses derivative instruments as part of its risk management activities to reduce its exposure to commodity price risk. Business operations give rise to certain market exposures, mostly due to changes in commodity prices of corn and soybean meal. Credit risks associated with derivative contracts are not significant, as the Company minimizes counterparty exposure by dealing with creditworthy counterparties and collateralized insurers and by utilizing exchange traded instruments and insurance backed commodity settlement contracts. While the Company may be exposed to potential losses due to the credit risk of non-performance by these counterparties, losses are not anticipated. The Company does not hold derivative instruments for trading purposes. Additionally, the Company’s derivative contracts are short-term in duration and do not make use of credit-risk-related contingent features.

Derivatives used to manage commodity price risk are not designated for hedge accounting treatment. Therefore, the changes in fair value of these derivatives are recorded as incurred within other expense, net. Net realized gains and losses on derivative instruments are reported as a reconciling item from net income to cash from operating activities in our consolidated statements of cash flows. Cash flows related to settlements and purchases of derivative instruments are reported as investing activities within the consolidated statements of cash flows.

Property, Plant and Equipment: Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization are computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives. The general range of useful lives of other property, plant and equipment is as follows:

When assets are sold or retired, the cost and related accumulated depreciation or amortization of assets disposed of are removed from the accounts, with any resulting gain or loss recorded in operations in the consolidated statements of income. Normal repairs and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred to operations.

Goodwill: Goodwill represents the excess of cost over the fair value of the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired in a business combination. Goodwill is not amortized but is tested for impairment annually on the first day of the fourth fiscal quarter or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the asset may be impaired. The Company’s goodwill impairment test is performed at the enterprise level given the single reporting unit.

The Company first assesses qualitative factors to determine whether events or circumstances existed that would lead the Company to conclude that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is below its carrying amount. If the Company determines that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is below the carrying amount based on qualitative factors or if significant changes to macro-economic factors related to the reporting unit have occurred that could materially impact fair value, a quantitative goodwill assessment would be required. In the quantitative evaluation, the fair value of the reporting unit is determined and compared to the carrying value. If the fair value is greater than the carrying value, then the carrying value is deemed to be recoverable and no further action is required. If the fair value estimate is less than the carrying value, goodwill is considered impaired for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value and a charge is reported as impairment of goodwill in the consolidated statements of income. To date, the Company has not recorded any impairment charges associated with its goodwill.

Leases: The Company determines if an arrangement is or contains a lease at inception, which is the date on which the terms of the contract are agreed to and the agreement creates enforceable rights and obligations. Under ASC 842, Leases(“Topic 842”), a contract is or contains a lease when (i) explicitly or implicitly identified assets have been deployed in the contract and (ii) the customer obtains substantially all of the economic benefits from the use of that underlying asset and directs how and for what purpose the asset is used during the term of the contract. The Company also considers whether its service arrangements include the right to control the use of an asset.

The Company has made an accounting policy election not to recognize right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and lease liabilities for leases with a term of 12 months or less. For all other leases, the Company recognizes ROU assets and lease liabilities based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term at the commencement date of the lease. The Company’s recognized ROU assets also include any initial direct costs incurred and lease payments made at or before the commencement date, which are reduced by any lease incentives.

Future lease payments may include fixed rent escalation clauses or payments that depend on an index (such as the Consumer Price Index measured by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Subsequent index changes and other periodic market-rate adjustments to base rent are recorded as variable lease expense during the period in which they are incurred. Residual value guarantees or payments for terminating the lease are included in the lease payments only when it is probable they will be incurred.

The Company has made an accounting policy election to account for lease and non-lease components in its contracts as a single lease component for all asset classes. The non-lease components typically represent additional services transferred to the Company, such as common area maintenance for real estate, which are variable in nature and recorded in variable lease expense in the period incurred.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets: The Company reviews the carrying value of property, plant and equipment for impairment whenever events and circumstances indicate the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable from the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from its use and eventual disposition. In cases where undiscounted expected future cash flows are less than the carrying value, an impairment loss is recognized equal to an amount by which the carrying value exceeds the fair value of assets. The factors considered by management in performing this assessment include current operating results, trends and prospects and the effects of obsolescence, demand, competition and other economic factors. The Company didnot recognize an impairment loss during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021.

Noncontrolling Interest: The Company recognizes noncontrolling interest related to VIEs, in which the Company is the primary beneficiary, as equity in the consolidated financial statements separate from the parent entity’s equity. The amount of net income or loss attributable to noncontrolling interests is included in consolidated net income on the face of the consolidated statements of income. Changes in the parent entity’s ownership interest in a subsidiary that do not result in deconsolidation are treated as equity transactions if the parent entity retains its controlling financial interest. In addition, when a subsidiary is deconsolidated, any retained noncontrolling equity investment in the former subsidiary will be initially measured at fair value and the difference between the carrying value and fair value of the retained interest will be recorded as a gain or loss. Affiliate equity interests where the Company has certain rights to demand settlement are presented at their current redemption values, as redeemable noncontrolling interest in the consolidated balance sheet. Because these transactions take place between entities under common control, any gains or losses attributable to these transactions are required to be included within additional paid-in-capital on the consolidated balance sheets.

Income Taxes: Income taxes are computed using the asset and liability approach that requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been recognized in the consolidated financial statements. In estimating future tax consequences, the Company considers all expected future events other than enactment of changes in tax laws or rates. A valuation allowance is recorded, if necessary, to reduce net deferred tax assets to their realizable values if management does not believe it is more likely than not that the net deferred tax assets will be realized.

The Company recognizes the benefit of an income tax position only if it is more likely than not (greater than 50%) that the tax position will be sustained upon tax examination, based solely on the technical merits of the tax position. Otherwise, no benefit can be recognized. Assessing an uncertain tax position begins with the initial determination of the sustainability of the position and is measured at the largest amount of benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. As of each balance sheet date, unresolved uncertain tax positions must be reassessed. Additionally, the Company must accrue interest and related penalties, if applicable, on all tax exposures for which reserves have been established consistent with jurisdictional tax laws.

The Company’s policy is to recognize interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in the provision for income taxes. As of December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022 the Company had accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions of$171 and$85.

Net Income per Share Attributable to Vital Farms, Inc. Common Stockholders: The Company applies the two-class method to compute basic and diluted net income per share attributable to the Company’s common stockholders when shares meet the definition of participating securities. The two-class method determines net income per share for each class of the Company’s common stock and preferred stock according to dividends declared or accumulated and participation rights in undistributed earnings. The two-class method requires income available to common stockholders for the period to be allocated between the Company’s common stock and preferred stock based upon their respective rights to share in the earnings as if all income for the period had been distributed. During periods of loss, there is no allocation required under the two-class method since the preferred stock does not have a contractual obligation to share in the Company’s losses.

Basic net income per share attributable to the Company’s stockholders is computed by dividing net income by the weighted-average number of shares outstanding during the period without consideration of potentially dilutive common stock. Diluted net income per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue shares of the Company’s common stock were exercised or converted into common stock or resulted in the issuance of common stock that then shared in the earnings of the Company unless inclusion of such shares would be anti-dilutive. For periods in which the Company reports net losses, diluted net loss per common share attributable to the Company’s common stockholders is the same as basic net loss, because potentially dilutive common shares are not assumed to have been issued if their effect is anti-dilutive.

Revenue Recognition: The Company generates revenue primarily through sales of products to its customers, which include natural channel retailers, mainstream channel retailers and foodservice customers. The Company sells its products to customers on a purchase-order basis.

Revenue is recognized when control of the product is transferred to the customer and the related performance obligation is satisfied, which typically occurs upon delivery of the product to the customer, for an amount that reflects the net consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for delivering the product. The Company offers sales incentives through various programs to customers and allow deductions from its customers, which may include credits or discounts to customers in the event that products do not conform to customer specifications or expire at a customer’s site. The cost associated with promotions and chargebacks is estimated and recorded as a reduction in revenue and is recognized at the time the related revenue is recorded, which normally precedes the actual cash expenditure. The recognition of this cost therefore requires management judgment regarding the volume of promotional offers that will be redeemed. Differences between estimated cost and actual redemptions are recognized as a change in management estimate in a subsequent period.

In many cases, key sales terms such as pricing and quantities ordered are established on a regular basis such that most customer arrangements and related incentives have a duration of less than one year. Amounts billed and due from customers are short-term in nature and are classified as receivables since payments are unconditional and only the passage of time is required before payments are due.

Treasury Stock: The Company records treasury stock activities under the cost method whereby the cost of the acquired stock is recorded as treasury stock. The Company’s accounting policy upon the formal retirement of treasury stock is to deduct the par value from the Company’s common stock and to reflect any excess of cost over par value as a reduction to additional paid-in capital (to the extent created by previous issuances of the shares).

Shipping and Distribution: The Company’s shipping and distribution costs include costs incurred with third-party carriers to transport products to customers and salaries and overhead costs related to activities to prepare the Company’s products for shipment. Shipping and distribution costs were$27,344,$30,104, and$24,979 during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021, respectively. Freight-in costs are included within cost of goods sold and were$4,823,$9,610, and$7,623 during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021, respectively.

Stock-Based Compensation: The Company measures all stock-based awards granted to employees and directors based on the estimated fair value on the date of the grant and recognizes compensation expense for those awards, over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the respective award. Stock options generally vest ratably over three years from the date of grant and expire 10 years from the date of grant. Restricted stock awards generally vest ratably over three years from the date of grant and contain no other service or performance conditions. The Company recognizes stock-based compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service or vesting period. Forfeitures for stock options and restricted stock awards are recognized as they occur. The fair value of each stock option grant is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing valuation model, which requires inputs based on certain subjective assumptions, including the fair market value of the Company’s common stock, expected stock price volatility, the expected term of the option, the risk-free interest rate for a period that approximates the expected term of the option, and the Company’s expected dividend yield. The Company classifies stock-based compensation expense in its consolidated statements of income in the same manner in which the award recipient’s payroll costs are classified or in which the award recipient’s service payments are classified.

Advertising and Promotion Expenses: Advertising and promotion expenses consist primarily of production costs and the costs to communicate the advertisements to promote and market the Company’s products. Production costs such as idea development, artwork, audio and video crews and other upfront development costs are expensed the first time the associated advertising campaign is launched or aired. The costs to communicate the advertisements such as airtime and distribution costs are expensed as incurred. During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021, the Company incurred advertising and promotion expenses of approximately$23,625,$13,301, and$11,469, respectively.

Emerging Growth Company Status: The Company is an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (“JOBS Act”). Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can delay adopting new or revised financial accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements: 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”) and also issued subsequent amendments to the initial guidance, ASU 2018-19, ASU 2019-04, ASU 2019-05, ASU 2019-10, ASU 2019-11, ASU 2020-02, ASU 2020-03 and ASU 2022-02 (collectively, “Topic 326”), to introduce a new impairment model for recognizing credit losses on financial instruments based on an estimate of current expected credit losses. Topic 326 requires financial assets measured at amortized cost to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. The measurement of expected credit losses is based on relevant information about past events, including historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amounts. An entity must use judgment in determining the relevant information and estimation methods that are appropriate in its circumstances. The Company adopted ASU 2016-13 on December 26, 2022. Entities will apply the standard’s provisions as a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is effective. There was no impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements at adoption.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740), Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (“ASU 2019-12”), which intends to simplify the guidance by removing certain exceptions to the general principles and clarifying or amending existing guidance. ASU 2019-12 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. The Company adopted ASU 2019-12 during fiscal year 2022 and there was no material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 25, 2022 and December 31, 2023.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted: In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280) — Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures (“ASU 2023-07”) in order to improve stockholders’ understanding of an entity’s business activities through enhanced disclosures around reportable segments. ASU 2023-07 will require incremental and more detailed disclosure regarding segment expenses on both an annual and interim basis. For public companies ASU 2023-07 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023 and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. The Company expects to adopt the standard for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2024. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of its pending adoption of ASU 2023-07 on its consolidated financial statements.

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740) — Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures (“ASU 2023-09”) in order to enhance the transparency and usefulness of income tax disclosures. The guidance is applicable to all entities subject to income tax and it will require disclosure of certain categories within the rate reconciliation to improve consistency as well as disclosure of reconciling items which meet a certain quantitative threshold which will improve transparency. Additionally, entities must disclose the amount of taxes paid to federal, state and foreign municipalities. For public business entities ASU 2023-09 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. The Company expects to adopt the standard for the fiscal year beginning December 30, 2024. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of its pending adoption of ASU 2023-09 on its consolidated financial statements.

3. Investment Securities

The following table summarizes the Company’s available-for-sale investment securities as of December 31, 2023:

The following table summarizes the Company’s available-for-sale investment securities as of December 25, 2022:

The following table presents the Company’s proceeds, gross realized gains and losses from the sale of available-for-sale securities for the periods presented:

Actual maturities may differ from contractual maturities because some borrowers have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties. The amortized cost and fair value of the Company’s investments in available-for-sale securities as of December 31, 2023 by contractual maturity are as follows:

The following tables present the Company’s unrealized loss aging for available-for-sale securities by type and length of time the security was in a continuous unrealized loss position as of the periods presented:

As of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, there were 47 diversified issuances in the Company’s securities portfolio in an unrealized loss position, with credit ratings from BBB- to AAA. As of December 31, 2023, there are no individual bonds with unrealized losses exceeding$46, and 46 issuances have been in a loss position greater than 12 months.

The decline in fair value has resulted primarily from rising interest rates over the last 12 months, and the Company does not believe there has been any significant decline in the creditworthiness of the issuers. The Company also does not believe it is likely that a significant number of bonds will be called early, and it does not have liquidity needs that would necessitate a sale of any material investments prior to maturity. Therefore, the Company hasnot recorded an allowance for credit losses on the investment securities as of December 31, 2023.

The fair value and location of all investment securities are included in “Fair Value Measurements” in Note 5 below.

4. Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company enters into derivative instruments to mitigate the impact of commodity price volatility. Such instruments may include call options on commodity price contracts. Realized and unrealized gains and losses on the Company’s commodity derivatives not designated as hedging instruments are recorded in other expense, net. The Company recognizes all derivative instruments as either assets or liabilities.

The following table presents the aggregated outstanding notional amounts related to the Company’s derivative financial instruments for the periods presented:

For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021, the pre-tax amount of commodity contract derivative losses recognized in other expense, net was$2,435, $0, and$0, respectively.

The fair value and location of all outstanding derivative financial instruments are included in “Fair Value Measurements” in Note 5 below.

5. Fair Value Measurements

Assets Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

The fair value hierarchy requires the use of observable market data when available. In instances where the inputs used to measure fair value fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy, the fair value measurement has been determined based on the lowest level input significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular item to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, including the consideration of inputs specific to the asset or liability.

The following tables present information about the Company’s financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis for the periods presented:

During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, there wereno transfers between fair value measurement levels. For additional information on concentrations of credit risk for the Company’s financial instruments, refer to “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” in Note 2 and “Investment Securities” in Note 3 above.

Fair Value of Other Financial Instruments

The carrying values of the Company’s short-term financial instruments not included above, including cash, trade receivables, other non-trade receivables included in prepaid expense and other current assets, accounts payable, accrued expenses and other current liabilities approximate their fair value due to their short-term nature.

6. Revenue Recognition

The following table summarizes the Company’s net revenue by primary product for the periods presented:

Net revenue is primarily generated from the sale of eggs and butter. The Company’s product offerings include shell eggs, hard-boiled eggs, liquid whole eggs, and stick butter. The Company’s previous convenient breakfast product line (including egg bites and egg-based breakfast bars) was discontinued in 2022, and the Company’s ghee and spreadable tub butter offerings were discontinued during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. The revenues related to the discontinued product lines were immaterial.

7. Allowance for Credit Losses

As of December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022, the Company had an allowance for credit losses of$777 and$699, respectively.

The Company recognizes current estimated credit losses (“CECL”) for accounts receivable. The CECL for trade receivables are estimated based on the trade receivable aging category, credit risk of specific customers, past collection history, and management’s evaluation of accounts receivable. The Company also has other receivables which are classified within prepaid expenses and other current assets. The CECL for other receivables are estimated based on the other receivables aging category and the probability of default. Provisions for CECL are classified within selling, general and administrative costs.

Changes in the allowance for credit losses for the periods presented were as follows:

8. Inventories

Inventory consisted of the following as of the periods presented:

On a periodic basis, the Company compares the amount of inventory on hand with its latest forecasted requirements to determine whether charges for excess or obsolete inventory reserves are required.

9. Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment consisted of the following as of the periods presented:

During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021, depreciation and amortization of property, plant and equipment was approximately$7,925,$5,441, and$3,540, respectively.

10. Leases

The Company leases office facilities, warehouses, office equipment and vehicles for delivery of products under lease agreements with initial terms approximating one to five years. The Company's finance leases include leases on a transportation fleet as well as office equipment and its operating leases primarily consist of leases on its buildings, including its corporate headquarters.

In addition, substantially all the Company’s long-term supply contracts with farms contain components that meet the definition of embedded leases within the scope of Topic 842. These arrangements convey to the Company the right to control implicitly identified property, plant and equipment as it takes substantially all the utility generated by these assets over the term of the arrangements at a variable price. The initial term of these supply agreements ranges fromone toseven years. Excluding upfront leasing costs discussed below, the total purchase commitments contained in these arrangements are variable and represent rentals; there are no minimum purchase commitments associated with these long-term supply contracts. During December 2023, the Company executedtwo long-term supply contracts with farms to provide an upfront lease payment to offset farm construction costs, loans and other startup costs. The upfront leasing costs have been classified within our operating lease right-of-use assets on the consolidated balance sheet for the year ended December 31, 2023 and will be amortized to cost of goods sold over the term of the long term supply arrangements.

As the classification and timing of recognition of costs attributable to the eggs and embedded cost of the lease rentals are identical, the Company does not allocate the total purchase cost of eggs between the cost of the eggs and the embedded cost of the lease rentals or distinguish between them in its accounting records. The Company records the total purchase cost of eggs, which includes costs associated with the eggs and the corresponding cost of embedded lease rentals from the same arrangement, into inventory. These costs are expensed to cost of goods sold when the associated eggs are sold to customers and are also reported as part of our variable lease cost.

The Company’s office lease for its corporate headquarters facility in Austin, Texas includes an option to renew, generally at the Company's sole discretion, with renewal terms that can extend the lease term up to five years. In addition, certain leases contain termination options, where the rights to terminate are held by the Company, the lessor, or both parties. These options toextend orterminate a lease are included in the lease terms when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise that option. As of December 31, 2023, it is not reasonably certain that the Company will exercise the right to extend its office lease and therefore, the Company has not included the extended term in the calculation of its ROU assets or liabilities. The Company’s leases do not contain any material restrictive covenants or residual value guarantees.

Operating lease cost is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term and finance lease cost is recognized as amortization expense for ROU assets and interest expense associated with finance lease liabilities. Amortization expense associated with our finance leases during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022 was$2,565 and$439, respectively, and is recorded within costs of goods sold and selling, general and administrative costs in the consolidated statement of income.

The components of lease cost consisted of the following for the periods presented:

Supplemental balance sheet information related to leases is as follows:

Future undiscounted cash flows are as follows:

Supplemental cash flow information related to leases is as follows:

Cash paid for amounts included in measurement of lease liabilities:

Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new lease obligations:

11. Accrued Liabilities

Accrued liabilities consisted of the following as of the periods presented:

12. Product Exit Costs

During the fiscal year ended December 25, 2022, the Company made the decision to exit its convenient breakfast product category due to a shift in focus to product offerings that are core to the Company’s operations. Charges incurred in connection with these product exits were substantially complete by December 25, 2022, and the Company believes the actual charges as shown below approximate fair value.

During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Company made the decision to exit its ghee and spreadable tub butter product offerings. Charges incurred in connection with these product exits were immaterial.

As of December 25, 2022, the ending liability balance related to the convenience breakfast category exit was $119. As of December 31, 2023, remaining liabilities of$45 are expected to be settled or released by the end of the 13-week period ending March 31, 2024.

The following table summarizes the activity related to the exit of the Company’s convenient breakfast products during the periods presented:

13. Long-Term Debt

In October 2017, the Company entered into a credit facility agreement with PNC Bank, National Association (the “Credit Facility”) that initially included a $4.7 million term a loan, a $10.0 million revolving line of credit and an equipment loan with a maximum borrowing capacity of $1.5 million.

Subsequently, the terms of the Credit Facility were modified at various times between fiscal 2018 and fiscal 2023. Such amendments (i) amended various definitions, (ii) waived a technical default in May 2020 which was triggered by exceeding the capital expenditure limit, (iii) increased borrowing capacity and (iv) extended the maturity date. The Ninth Amendment to the Credit Facility in April 2021 eliminated the term loan and equipment loan. The Tenth Amendment to the Credit Facility in December 2022 modified certain covenants related to commodity hedging, consented to the dissolution of immaterial subsidiaries and implemented changes related to the discontinuation of LIBOR. The Eleventh Amendment to the Credit Facility, effective July 26, 2023 extended the maturity date by one year, from April 2, 2024 to April 2, 2025.

The maximum borrowing capacity under the revolving line of credit is currently$20.0 million. Interest on borrowings under the revolving line of credit, as well as loan advances thereunder, accrues at a rate, at the Company’s election at the time of borrowing, equal to (i) the secured overnight financing rate as administered by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York plus 2.00% or (ii)1.00% plus the alternate base rate, as defined in the Credit Facility. During thefiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Company borrowed and repaid$7.5 million under the revolving line of credit. As of December 31, 2023, there wereno outstanding amounts under the revolving line of credit.

The Credit Facility is secured by all of the Company’s assets (other than real property and certain other property excluded pursuant to the terms of the Credit Facility) and requires the Company to maintain three financial covenants: a fixed charge coverage ratio, a leverage ratio and a minimum tangible net worth requirement. The Credit Facility also contains various covenants relating to limitations on indebtedness, acquisitions, mergers, consolidations and the sale of properties and liens. As a result of the limitations contained in the Credit Facility, certain of the net assets on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2023 are restricted in use. The Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries are non-operating and have no restricted net assets within the meaning of Rule 4-08(e)(3) or Rule 12-04 of Regulation S-X. The Credit Facility also contains other customary covenants, representations and events of default. As of December 31, 2023, the Company was in compliance with all covenants under the Credit Facility.

During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021, the Company recognized interest expense related to draws on the revolving line of credit of$7,$0, and$52, respectively.

14. Preferred Stock

As of December 31, 2023, the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorized the Company to issue 10,000,000 shares, par value $0.0001 per share, of preferred stock, in one or more series and with such designation, rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time (collectively, the “preferred stock”) by the Company’s Board of Directors. As of December 31, 2023, there wereno shares of preferred stock issued or outstanding.

15. Common Stock

Common Stock: As of December 31, 2023, the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorized the Company to issue 310,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of which 41,684,649 shares were issued and outstanding.

The voting, dividend and liquidation rights of the holders of the Company’s common stock are subject to and qualified by the rights, powers and preferences of the holders of the preferred stock, if any. Each share of the Company’s common stock is entitled to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of the Company’s stockholders. Holders of the Company’s common stock are entitled to receive dividends as may be declared by the Board of Directors, if any, subject to the preferential dividend rights of preferred stock, if any. No cash dividends were declared or paid during the periods presented.

As of each balance sheet date, the Company had reserved shares of common stock for issuance in connection with the following:

Treasury Stock: In August 2021, the Company retired an aggregate of 5,494,918 shares of its common stock held in treasury. Upon retirement, the shares were redesignated as authorized but unissued shares of the Company’s common stock.

16. Stock-Based Compensation

The Company recognized stock-based compensation expense and the related tax benefit as follows for the periods presented:

Includes$7,$6 and$0 of expense related to the 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan as of December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021, respectively.

Includes$97,$57 and$0 of expense related to the 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan as of December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021, respectively.

Stock Option Activity

The following table summarizes the Company’s stock option activity since December 25, 2022:

The Company estimates the fair value of stock options on the date of grant using a Black-Scholes option-pricing valuation model, which uses the expected option term, stock price volatility, and the risk-free interest rate. The expected option term assumption reflects the period for which the Company believes the option will remain outstanding. The Company elected to use the simplified method to determine the expected option term, for all periods presented, which is the average of the option’s vesting and contractual term. The Company’s computation of expected volatility is based on the historical volatility of selected comparable publicly traded companies over a period equal to the expected term of the option. The risk-free interest rate reflects the U.S. Treasury yield curve for a similar instrument with the same expected term in effect at the time of the grant.

The following table summarizes the valuation model assumptions, fair values and intrinsic values of stock options during the fiscal years indicated:

As of December 31, 2023, total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to unvested stock options was$3,412, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.62 years.

Restricted Stock Unit Activity

The following table summarizes the restricted stock units ("RSU") activity since December 25, 2022:

Shares of common stock that were withheld to cover taxes on the release of vested RSUs and became available for future grants pursuant to the 2020 Equity Incentive Plan

As of December 31, 2023, total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to the Company’s unvested RSU activity was$5,220, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.76 years.

The fair value of RSU shares vested during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021 was$3,044,$1,549, and$564, respectively.

2020 Equity Incentive Plan: In July 2020, the Board of Directors adopted the Vital Farms, Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (“2020 Incentive Plan”), which was subsequently approved by the Company’s stockholders and became effective on July 30, 2020. Initially, the maximum number of shares of the Company’s common stock that may be issued under the 2020 Incentive Plan was 8,595,871 shares. The 2020 Incentive Plan provides that the number of shares reserved and available for issuance under the 2020 Incentive Plan will automatically increase each January 1, beginning on January 1, 2021 and ending on (and including) January 1, 2030, by an amount equal to 4% of the outstanding number of shares of common stock on the immediately preceding December 31 or such lesser number of shares as determined by the Board of Directors. As of December 31, 2023,11,200,932 shares were available for future grants of the Company’s common stock, which excludes 1,667,385 shares of common stock that were automatically added to the available reserve on January 1, 2024.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan: In July 2020, the Board of Directors adopted the 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“2020 ESPP”), which was subsequently approved by the Company’s stockholders and became effective on July 30, 2020. The 2020 ESPP authorizes the initial issuance of up to 900,000 shares of the Company’s common stock to certain eligible employees or, as designated by the Board of Directors, employees of a related company. The 2020 ESPP provides that the number of shares reserved and available for issuance under the 2020 ESPP will automatically increase each January 1, beginning on January 1, 2021 and ending on (and including) January 1, 2030, by an amount equal to the lesser of (i)1% of the outstanding number of shares of common stock on the immediately preceding December 31 and (ii)900,000, or such lesser number of shares as determined by the Board of Directors. As of December 31, 2023,2,112,394 shares of the Company’s common stock were available for future issuance, which excludes 416,846 shares of common stock that were automatically added to the available reserve on January 1, 2024. The Board of Directors authorizes six-month offering periods, with the most recent beginning on November 16, 2023.

17. Income Taxes

For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021, the provision for income taxes consisted of the following:

The Company’s income before income taxes is entirely derived from domestic sources for all periods presented. The reconciliation of the federal statutory income tax provision to the Company’s effective income tax provision is as follows:

Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of loss and credit carryforwards and temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. The Company’s deferred income tax assets and liabilities at December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022 were comprised of the following:

A valuation allowance is required to be established when it is more likely than not that all or a portion of a deferred tax asset will not be realized. Realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon future earnings, the timing and amount of which are uncertain. A full review of all positive and negative evidence needs to be considered, including the Company’s current and past performance, the market environments in which the Company operates, the utilization of past tax credits, the length of carry back and carry forward periods and tax planning strategies that might be implemented. Management considered the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities and projected future taxable income in making this assessment.

The activity in the Company’s deferred tax asset valuation allowance for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022 was as follows:

As of December 31, 2023, the Company had unrecognized tax benefits, which represent the aggregate tax effect of the differences between tax return positions and the benefits recognized in the Company’s financial statements. At December 31, 2023, all of the unrecognized tax benefits, if recognized, would affect the Company’s annual effective tax rate. The unrecognized tax benefits are long-term in nature and the Company does not anticipate the balance of the unrecognized tax benefits to change materially in the next 12 months.

The following table reflects changes in gross unrecognized tax benefits:

As of December 31, 2023, the Company had state net operating loss carryforwards of$0.4 million which begin to expire in funding re 2035.

The Company files a U.S. federal income tax return, as well as income tax returns in various states. Tax years 2020 and forward remain open to examination by the tax jurisdictions to which the Company is subject, with certain state taxing jurisdictions being open back to 2017.

18. Net Income Per Share

Basic and diluted net income per share attributable to the Company’s common stockholders were calculated as follows:

The Company excluded the following shares of common stock, outstanding at each period end, from the computation of diluted net income per share attributable to Vital Farms, Inc. common stockholders for the periods indicated because including them would have had an anti-dilutive effect:

19. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

The amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (“AOCI”) to the statements of income were as follows:

The gross amount and related tax expense recorded in, and associated with, each component of other comprehensive income (loss) were as follows:

20. Commitments and Contingencies

Supplier Contracts: The Company purchases its egg inventories under long-term supply contracts with farms. Purchase commitments contained in these arrangements are variable dependent upon the quantity of eggs produced by the farms. Accordingly, there are no estimable future purchase commitments associated with these supplier contracts and there are no minimum payments associated with these long-term supply contracts. The Company records the total cost of eggs into inventory and they are expensed to cost of goods sold when the associated eggs are sold to customers and are also reported as part of the Company’s variable lease cost. During December 2023, the Company executed two long-term supply contracts with farms to provide a one-time payment of $200,000 each at lease inception as an incremental cost of obtaining the lease.

Indemnification Agreements: In the ordinary course of business, the Company may provide indemnification of varying scope and terms to vendors, lessors, business partners and other parties with respect to certain matters including, but not limited to, losses arising out of breach of such agreements or from intellectual property infringement claims made by third parties. In addition, the Company has entered into indemnification agreements with members of its Board of Directors and its executive officers that will require the Company, among other things, to indemnify them against certain liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service as directors or officers. The maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these indemnification agreements is, in many cases, unlimited. As of December 31, 2023, the Company has not incurred any material costs as a result of such indemnification agreements.

Litigation: The Company is subject to various claims and contingencies that are in the scope of ordinary and routine litigation incidental to its business, including those related to regulation, litigation, business transactions, employee-related matters and taxes, among others. When the Company becomes aware of a claim or potential claim, the likelihood of any loss or exposure is assessed. Based on these assessments and estimates, we may establish reserves, as appropriate. These assessments and estimates are based on the information available to management at the time and involve a significant amount of management judgment. Actual outcomes or losses may differ materially from our assessments and estimates.

On May 20, 2021, the Company and certain of its current and former officers were named as defendants in a class action complaint captioned Nicholas A. Usler et al. v. Vital Farms, Inc. et al. in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas. The plaintiffs alleged false advertising claims on behalf of themselves and a putative class of alleged consumers of the Company’s eggs. The named officers of the Company were subsequently dismissed as defendants in this matter. In September 2023, the parties engaged in mediation to discuss potential settlement of remaining claims, but no agreement was reached and the lawsuit is ongoing. The Company believes the claims are without merit and is vigorously defending itself in this matter. Given the uncertainty of the litigation, the stage of the case, and the legal standards that must be met for, among other things, class certification and success on the merits, the Company is unable to reasonably estimate the possible loss or range of loss, if any, that may result from the claim.

Although the Company maintains insurance for certain potential liabilities, such insurance does not cover all types and amounts of potential liabilities and is subject to various exclusions and caps on amounts recoverable. Even if the Company believes a claim is covered by insurance, insurers may dispute its entitlement to recovery for a variety of potential reasons, which may affect the timing and, if the insurers prevail, the amount of the Company's recovery. If it is probable that a loss will result and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated, the Company records a liability for the loss. If the loss is not probable or the amount of the loss cannot be reasonably estimated, the Company discloses the claim if the likelihood of a potential loss is reasonably possible.

21. Related Party Transactions

Ovabrite: Ovabrite, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Ovabrite”), has been deemed a related party because its founders were stockholders of the Company, with the majority stockholder in Ovabrite also serving as the Company’s executive chairperson and member of the Board of Directors. Since Ovabrite’s incorporation in November 2016, the Company has been deemed to have had a variable interest in Ovabrite, and Ovabrite has been deemed to have been a VIE, of which the Company has been the primary beneficiary. Accordingly, the Company has consolidated the results of Ovabrite since November 2016. All significant intercompany transactions between the Company and Ovabrite have been eliminated in consolidation.

Effective August 30, 2022, Ovabrite’s Board of Directors and the holders of the majority of its outstanding capital stock consented to dissolving the entity, and a Certificate of Dissolution was filed with the Delaware Secretary of State. As of December 31, 2023, Ovabrite had completed its business activities and liquidated its remaining assets. The results of operations of the Ovabrite entity were immaterial for all periods presented.

Sandpebble Builders Preconstruction, Inc.: The Company utilizes Sandpebble Builders Preconstruction, Inc. and Sandpebble South, Inc. (collectively “Sandpebble”) for project management and related services associated with the construction and expansion of our egg processing facilities, including site selection, project management and related services for the Company’s potential future egg packing facility. The Company's contract with Sandpebble for services related to the Company's next egg packing facility was awarded after a competitive bidding process. Victor Canseco, the owner and principal of Sandpebble, is the father of Russell Diez-Canseco, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors. In connection with the services described above, the Company paid Sandpebble$631,$962, and$1,037 during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021, respectively. Amounts paid to Sandpebble are included in property, plant and equipment, net and selling, general and administrative costs. As of the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022, amounts owed to Sandpebble were$0 and$51, respectively, and are included in accounts payable.

Whole Foods Market, Inc: A member of the Board of Directors was, until February 2022, an executive vice president and senior advisor at Whole Foods. The Company serves the majority of its natural channel retail customers through food distributors, such as US Foods Inc. and United Natural Foods, Inc., who purchase, store, sell and deliver products to Whole Foods. While the Company cannot precisely determine its specific revenue attributable to Whole Foods, it is a significant customer.

22. 401(k) Savings Plan

The Company established a defined contribution savings plan in 2017 under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. This plan covers substantially all employees who meet minimum age and service requirements and allows participants to defer a portion of their annual compensation on a pre-tax basis. Company contributions to the plan may be made at the discretion of the Board of Directors. During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021, the Company made contributions totaling$1,185,$861, and$651 respectively, to the plan.