FTC Solar, Inc.

Previous wording

FTC Solar, Inc. (the “Company”, “we”, “our”, or “us”) was founded in 2017 and is incorporated in the state of Delaware. In April 2021, we completed an initial public offering ("IPO"), and our common stock currently trades on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “FTCI”.

Current wording

FTC Solar, Inc. (the “Company”, “we”, “our”, or “us”) was founded in 2017 and is incorporated in the state of Delaware. In April 2021, we completed an initial public offering ("IPO"), and our common stock currently trades on the Nasdaq Capital Market ("Nasdaq") under the symbol “FTCI”.

Previous wording

We are a global provider of solar tracker systems, supported by proprietary software and value-added engineering services. Solar tracker systems move solar panels throughout the day to maintain an optimal orientation relative to the sun, thereby increasing the amount of solar energy produced at a solar installation. Our original two-panel in-portrait solar tracker system is currently marketed under the Voyager brand name (“Voyager”) and our one module-in-portrait ("1P") solar tracker system, which became certified in 2023, is marketed under the Pioneer brand name ("Pioneer"). We also have a mounting solution to support the installation and use of U.S.-manufactured thin-film modules by project owners. Our primary software offerings include SUNPATH which is intended to help customers optimize solar tracking for increased energy production, our SUNOPS real-time operations management platform and our web-based ATLAS portfolio management software. In addition, we have a team of renewable energy professionals available to assist our U.S. and worldwide clients in site layout, structural design, pile testing and other needs across the solar project development and construction cycle. The Company is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and has international subsidiaries in Australia, China, India, South Africa and Spain.

Current wording

We are a global provider of solar tracker systems, supported by proprietary software and value-added engineering services. Solar tracker systems move solar panels throughout the day to maintain an optimal orientation relative to the sun, thereby increasing the amount of solar energy produced at a solar installation. Our original two modules-in-portrait ("2P") solar tracker system is marketed under the Voyager brand name (“Voyager”) and our one module-in-portrait ("1P") solar tracker system is marketed under the Pioneer brand name ("Pioneer"). We also have a mounting solution to support the installation and use of U.S.-manufactured thin-film modules. Our primary software offerings include SUNPATH, which helps customers optimize solar tracking for increased energy production, and our SUNOPS real-time operations management platform. In addition, we have a team of renewable energy professionals available to assist our U.S. and worldwide clients in site layout, structural design, pile testing and other needs across the solar project development and construction cycle. Our products and services provide tracker solutions for large utility-scale solar and distributed generation projects around the world. Our customers are primarily engineering, procurement and construction companies ("EPCs") and we also contract with developers and owners. The Company is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and has international subsidiaries in Australia, China, India, South Africa and Spain.

Previous wording

Government Regulations. Changes in the U.S. trade environment, including the imposition of import tariffs, increases in existing tariffs, AD/CVD investigations and the UFLPA, which became effective in June 2022, can have an impact on the timing of developer projects. The UFLPA resulted in new rules for module importers and reviews by CBP. There is currently uncertainty in the market around achieving full compliance with UFLPA, whether related to sufficient traceability of materials or other factors. Escalating trade tensions, particularly between the United States and China, have led to increased tariffs and trade restrictions, including tariffs applicable to certain raw materials and components for our products. We have taken measures with the intention of mitigating the effect of tariffs and the impact of AD/CVD and UFLPA on our business by reducing our reliance on China and enhancing our U.S.-based supply chain, including through our investment in Alpha Steel, as described further in Note 3, "Equity method investment" in Part I, Item 1 of this Form 10-Q. As an example, we have reduced our reliance on suppliers in China in terms of meeting our supply chain requirements from 90% in 2019 to less than 20% as of the date of this Quarterly Report. As of September 30, 2024, we have qualified suppliers outside of China for certain of our commodities and we continue to work to have second-source capability for all Chinese-manufactured components to help reduce the extent to which our supply chain for U.S.-based projects is subject to existing tariffs and to be able to quickly address potential future regulatory and governmental policy changes. We have entered into partnerships with manufacturers based in the United States, India, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, Thailand and Vietnam to diversify our supply chain and optimize costs. On June 6, 2022, President Biden issued an Executive Order allowing U.S. solar deployers to import solar modules and cells from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam free from certain duties for 24 months, along with other incentives designed to accelerate U.S. domestic production of clean energy technologies. However, on December 29, 2023, Auxin Solar, Inc. and Concept Clean Energy, Inc. filed suit in the U.S. Court of International Trade challenging the legal basis for the moratorium and implementing regulations. If the suit proves successful, solar module importers could owe retroactive duties on goods that have already cleared customs.

Current wording

Government Regulations. Changes in the U.S. trade environment, including the imposition of import tariffs, AD/CVD investigations and the UFLPA, which became effective in June 2022, can have an impact on the timing of developer projects. The UFLPA resulted in new rules for module importers and reviews by CBP. There continues to be some uncertainty in the market around achieving full compliance with UFLPA, whether related to sufficient traceability of materials or other factors. Escalating trade tensions, particularly between the United States and China, have led to increased tariffs and trade restrictions, including tariffs applicable to certain raw materials and components for our products. We have taken measures with the intention of mitigating the effect of tariffs and the impact of AD/CVD and UFLPA on our business by reducing our reliance on China and enhancing our U.S.-based supply chain, including through our investment in Alpha Steel, as described further in Note 9, "Equity method investment" in Part I, Item 1 of this Form 10-Q. In 2019, 90% of our supply chain was sourced from China. As of March 31, 2025, we have qualified suppliers outside of China for certain of our commodities and we continue to work to have second-source capability for all Chinese-manufactured components to help reduce the extent to which our supply chain for U.S.-based projects is subject to existing tariffs and to be able to quickly address potential future regulatory and governmental policy changes. We have entered into partnerships with manufacturers based in the United States, India, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, Thailand and Vietnam to diversify our supply chain and optimize costs. On June 6, 2022, President Biden issued an Executive Order allowing U.S. solar deployers to import solar modules and cells from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam free from certain duties for 24 months, along with other incentives designed to accelerate U.S. domestic production of clean energy technologies. This moratorium ended in June 2024 and China-wide anti-dumping duties are now nearly 240% and countervailing duties for all other countries are over 15%. Additionally, on December 29, 2023, Auxin and Concept Clean Energy, Inc. filed suit in the U.S. Court of International Trade challenging the legal basis for the moratorium and implementing regulations. Several motions have been filed to date, including a motion to dismiss by the U.S. government, which the court rejected. If the suit proves successful, solar module importers could owe retroactive duties on goods that have already cleared customs. In addition, the U.S. Department of Commerce is currently conducting an antidumping and countervailing duty investigation into imports of Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells from Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia, which may result in additional duties imposed on imports from those nations.

Previous wording

The most notable incentive program impacting our U.S. business has historically been the ITC for solar energy projects, which allows taxpayers to offset their U.S. federal income tax liability by a certain percentage of their cost basis in solar energy systems placed in service for commercial use. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Biden on August 16, 2022, expanded and extended the tax credits and other tax benefits available to solar energy projects and the solar energy supply chain. ITCs have been extended for such projects through at least 2032 and, depending on the location of a particular project and its ability to satisfy certain labor and domestic content requirements, the ITC percentage can range between 30% and 50%. U.S. manufacturers of specific solar components are now eligible to claim production tax credits as an alternative to the ITC. Implementing regulations for this law are, in certain cases, still being finalized and the impact of these regulations continue to be evaluated by developers of new solar projects and manufacturers of solar components. We believe our investment in and commitments made to Alpha Steel will allow us to obtain certain benefits as a result of the production tax credit program, subject to our level of purchases from Alpha Steel. We believe this law will bolster and extend future demand for our products in the United States, however as the implementing regulations for this law are not completely finalized, this creates uncertainty about the extent of its impact on our Company and the solar energy industry.

Current wording

The most notable incentive program impacting our U.S. business has historically been the ITC for solar energy projects, which allows taxpayers to offset their U.S. federal income tax liability by a certain percentage of their cost basis in solar energy systems placed in service for commercial use. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 ("IRA"), passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by then-President Biden on August 16, 2022, expanded and extended the tax credits and other tax benefits available to solar energy projects and the solar energy supply chain. ITCs are currently available at a base rate of 30% for projects that begin construction by the end of 2032, and decline to 26% and 22% for projects beginning construction in 2033 and 2034, respectively. Bonus credits are additionally available for projects that meet applicable domestic content and prevailing wage and apprenticeship rules. U.S. manufacturers of specific solar components are now eligible to claim production tax credits under Section 45X of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, which was established as part of the IRA and is a per-unit tax credit earned for each clean energy component manufactured domestically and sold by a manufacturer. Our investment in, and commitments made to Alpha Steel allow us to obtain benefits of lower product costs from Alpha Steel as a result of the production tax credit program, subject to our level of purchases from Alpha Steel.

Previous wording

Disruptions in Transportation and Supply Chain. Our costs are affected by the costs of certain components and materials, such as steel, motors and micro-chips, as well as transportation costs. Current market conditions and international conflicts that constrain the supply of materials and disrupt the flow of materials from international vendors can impact the cost of our products and services, along with overall rates of inflation in the global economy, which have been higher than pre-COVID 19 pandemic historical rates. While certain costs have moderated compared to pre-pandemic rates, domestic fuel prices continue to be elevated. Although we don't believe inflation has had a material impact on our results as presented in this report, such cost increases and decreases could impact our future operating margins, if material.

Current wording

Disruptions in Transportation and Supply Chain. Our costs are affected by the costs of certain components and materials, such as steel, motors and micro-chips, as well as transportation costs. Current market conditions and international conflicts that constrain the supply of materials and disrupt the flow of materials from international vendors can impact the cost of our products and services, along with overall rates of inflation in the global economy. While certain costs have moderated compared to pre-pandemic rates, domestic fuel prices continue to be elevated. Although we don't believe inflation has had a material impact on our results as presented in this report, such cost increases and decreases could impact our future operating margins, if material.

Previous wording

We have taken steps to expand and diversify our manufacturing partnerships and have adjusted our modes of transportation to mitigate the impact of headwinds that might arise in the global supply chain and logistics markets. As an example, we modified our ocean freight from previously using charter shipments to now using containerized shipments as costs in the container market began to decrease starting in 2022, but more recently have begun to increase. However, we have been able to mitigate some of this increase as a result of increasing our domestic production capabilities. We continue to monitor the logistics markets and will continue to evaluate our use of various modes of transportation when warranted to optimize our transportation costs. Additionally, from February 2022 to September 2023, we utilized a related-party consulting firm to support us in making improvements to our processes and performance in various areas, including design, sourcing, logistics, pricing, software and our distributed generation business. For further information regarding this consulting firm, see Note 16, "Related party transactions" included in our condensed consolidated financial statements in Part I, Item 1 of this Quarterly Report. We also intend to maintain a sharp focus on our design-to-value initiative to continue to improve margins by reducing manufacturing and material costs of our products.

Current wording

We have taken steps to expand and diversify our manufacturing partnerships and have adjusted our modes of transportation to mitigate the impact of headwinds that might arise in the global supply chain and logistics markets. As an example, we modified our ocean freight from previously using charter shipments to now using containerized shipments due to declining costs in the container market starting in 2022, but container shipping rates have since increased. We have been able to mitigate some of this increase as a result of increasing our domestic production capabilities. We continue to monitor the logistics markets and will continue to evaluate our use of various modes of transportation when warranted to optimize our transportation costs. Additionally, from February 2022 to September 2023, we utilized a related-party consulting firm to support us in making improvements to our processes and performance in various areas, including design, sourcing, logistics, pricing, software and our distributed generation business. We also intend to maintain our focus on our design-to-value initiative to continue to improve margins by reducing the manufacturing and material costs of our products.

Previous wording

Megawatts ("MW") Produced and MW Shipped and Average Selling Price ("ASP"). The primary operating metrics we use to evaluate our sales performance and to track market acceptance of our products are the change in quantity of MW produced and MW shipped from period to period. MW are measured for each individual project and are calculated based on the expected output of that project once installed and fully operational. We also utilize metrics related to price and cost of goods sold per watt, including the change in ASP from period to period and cost per watt. ASP is calculated by dividing product and service revenue by total watts produced or shipped and product and service cost per watt is calculated by dividing product or service costs of goods sold by total watts produced or shipped. These metrics enable us to evaluate trends in pricing, manufacturing and logistics costs and profitability. Events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, global inflation rates, high interest rates and international conflicts have in the past impacted and may continue to impact the U.S. economy, global supply chains, and our business. These impacts can cause significant project development and shipping delays and cost increases, as well as offsetting ASP increases, and also raise the price of inputs like steel and logistics, affecting our cost per watt.

Current wording

Megawatts ("MW") Produced and MW Shipped and Average Selling Price ("ASP"). The primary operating metrics we use to evaluate our sales performance and to track market acceptance of our products are the change in quantity of MW produced and MW shipped from period to period. MW are measured for each individual project and are calculated based on the expected output of that project once installed and fully operational. We also utilize metrics related to price and cost of goods sold per watt, including the change in ASP from period to period and cost per watt. ASP is calculated by dividing product and service revenue by total watts produced or shipped and product and service cost per watt is calculated by dividing product or service costs of revenue by total watts produced or shipped. These metrics enable us to evaluate trends in pricing, manufacturing and logistics costs and profitability. Events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, global inflation rates, high interest rates and international conflicts have in the past impacted and may continue to impact the U.S. economy, global supply chains, and our business. These impacts can cause significant project development and shipping delays and cost increases, as well as offsetting ASP increases, and also raise the price of inputs like steel and logistics, affecting our cost per watt. Competitive tracker pricing pressures can also impact our ASP, and thus our profitability, by limiting our ability to raise prices to offset cost increases.

Previous wording

Investment in Technology and Personnel. We invest in both the people and technology behind our products. We intend to continue making significant investments in the technology for our products and expansion of our patent portfolio to attract and retain customers, expand the capabilities and scope of our products, and enhance user experience. As an example, in August 2023, we introduced SUNOPS, a cloud-based, tracker-agnostic solar asset monitoring solution allowing asset owners and managers to evaluate the operation and performance of their solar deployments. Additionally, in May 2024, we announced the launch of our Automated Hail Stow Solution, aimed at minimizing solar panel damage caused by hail storms. This solution integrates advanced technology with meteorological data to automatically adjust the positioning of solar panels, reducing the risk of hail-related damage.

Current wording

Investment in Technology and Personnel. We invest in both the people and technology behind our products. We intend to continue making investments in the technology for our products and expansion of our patent portfolio to attract and retain customers, expand the capabilities and scope of our products, and enhance user experience. As an example, in August 2023, we introduced SUNOPS, a cloud-based solar asset monitoring solution, allowing asset owners and managers to evaluate the operation and performance of their solar deployments. Additionally, in May 2024, we announced the launch of our Automated Hail Stow Solution, aimed at minimizing solar panel damage caused by hailstorms. This solution integrates advanced technology with meteorological data to automatically adjust the positioning of solar panels, reducing the risk of hail-related damage.

Previous wording

We also intend over time to make significant investments to attract and retain employees in key positions, including sales leads, engineers, software developers, quality assurance personnel, supply chain personnel, product management, and operations personnel, to help us drive additional efficiencies across our marketplace and, in the case of sales leads, to continue to enhance and diversify our sales capabilities, including international expansion. For example, in May 2024, we announced the appointment of Tamara Mullings, a former member of our Board of Directors, to be our Senior Vice President, North American Sales and Alberto Echeverria, a tracker industry veteran and the former Chief Executive Officer and Executive Member of the Board of STI Norland, to be our Senior Vice President, International Sales. Additionally, effective August 19, 2024, we hired Yann Brandt as our new President and Chief Executive Officer and as a new member of our Board of Directors.

Current wording

In addition, we intend over time to make additional investments to attract and retain employees in key positions, including sales leads, engineers, software developers, quality assurance personnel, supply chain personnel, product management, and operations personnel, to help us drive further efficiencies across our marketplace and, in the case of sales leads, to continue to enhance and diversify our sales capabilities, including international expansion.

Previous wording

Impact of Climate Change. Climate change has primarily impacted our business operations by increasing demand for solar power generation and, as a result, for use of our products. According to the August 2024 Short-Term Energy Outlook published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, solar power is the fastest-growing source of electricity in the United States.

Current wording

Impact of Climate Change. Climate change has primarily impacted our business operations by increasing demand for solar power generation and, as a result, for use of our products. The U.S. Energy Information Administration, in its January 2025 Short-Term Energy Outlook, estimates that solar generation, as a result of capacity additions, will increase in the United States by 34% in 2025 and 17% in 2026 and will supply most of the increase in electrical generation during those years.

Previous wording

While climate change has not resulted in any material negative impact to our operations to date, we recognize the risk of disruptions to our supply chain due to extreme weather events. This, among other things, has led us to expand the diversity of our supplier base and to partner with more local suppliers to reduce shipping and transportation needs. We are also increasingly partnering with larger scale steel producers rather than smaller suppliers to facilitate scaling of our operations while remaining conscious of the environmental impacts of steel manufacturing as the regulatory landscape around these high-emitting industries evolves. An example of this strategy is our investment in Alpha Steel, a U.S.-based manufacturing partnership with Taihua, a leading steel fabricator.

Current wording

While climate change has not resulted in any material negative impact to our operations to date, we recognize the risk of disruptions to our supply chain due to extreme weather events. This, among other things, has led us to expand the diversity of our supplier base and to partner with more local suppliers to reduce shipping and transportation needs. We are also increasingly partnering with larger scale steel producers rather than smaller suppliers to facilitate scaling of our operations while remaining conscious of the environmental impacts of steel manufacturing as the regulatory landscape around these high-emitting industries evolves. An example of this strategy is our investment in Alpha Steel, a U.S.-based manufacturing partnership with a leading steel fabricator.

Previous wording

Our customers include project developers, solar asset owners and EPC contractors that design and build solar energy projects. For each individual solar project, we enter into a contract with our customers covering the price, specifications, delivery dates and warranty for the products being purchased, among other things. Our contractual delivery period for our solar tracker systems and related parts can vary depending on size of the project and availability of vessels and other means of delivery. Contracts can range in value from tens of thousands to tens of millions of dollars.

Current wording

Our customers include project developers, solar asset owners and EPCs that design and build solar energy projects. For each individual solar project, we enter into a contract with our customers covering the price, specifications, delivery dates and warranty for the products being purchased, among other things. Our contractual delivery period for our solar tracker systems and related parts can vary depending on the size of the project and availability of vessels and other means of delivery. Contracts can range in value from tens of thousands to tens of millions of dollars.

Previous wording

Our revenue is affected by changes in the volume and ASP of our solar tracking systems purchased by our customers and volume of sales of software products and engineering services, among other things. The ASP of our solar tracker systems and quarterly volume of sales is driven by the supply of, and demand for, our products, changes in product mix, geographic mix of our customers, strength of competitors’ product offerings, tariff and import restrictions, supply chain issues and availability of government incentives to the end-users of our products. Additionally, our revenue may be impacted by seasonality due to cold weather, which can cause variability in site construction activity.

Current wording

Our revenue is affected by changes in the volume and ASP of our solar tracking systems purchased by our customers and volume of sales of software products and engineering services, among other things. The ASP of our solar tracker systems and volume of sales is driven by the supply of, and demand for, our products, changes in product mix, geographic mix of our customers, strength of competitors’ product offerings, import tariffs and other import restrictions, supply chain issues and availability of government incentives to the end-users of our products. Additionally, our revenue may be impacted by seasonality due to cold weather, which can cause variability in site construction activity.

Previous wording

For the periods included in this Quarterly Report, no company locations other than those in the United States accounted for more than 10% of our consolidated revenue. Our revenue growth is dependent on continued growth in the number of solar tracker projects and engineering services we win in competitive bidding processes and growth in our software sales each year, as well as our ability to increase our market share in each of the geographies in which we currently compete, expand our global footprint to new emerging markets, grow our sources of production to meet demand and continue to develop and introduce new and innovative products that address the changing technology and performance requirements of our customers, among other things.

Current wording

For the periods included in this Quarterly Report, no company locations other than those in the United States and Australia accounted for more than 10% of our consolidated revenue. Our revenue growth is dependent on continued growth in the number of solar tracker projects and engineering services we win in competitive bidding processes and growth in our software sales each year, as well as our ability to increase our market share in each of the geographies in which we currently compete, expand our global footprint to new emerging markets, grow our production capabilities to meet demand and continue to develop and introduce new and innovative products that address the changing technology and performance requirements of our customers, among other things.

Previous wording

We subcontract with third-party companies to manufacture and deliver our products directly to our customers. Our product costs are affected by the underlying cost of raw materials procured by these contract manufacturers, including steel and aluminum; component costs, including electric motors and gearboxes; technological innovation in manufacturing processes; and our ability to achieve economies of scale resulting in lower component costs. We do not currently hedge against changes in the price of raw materials, but we continue to explore opportunities to mitigate the risks of foreign currency and commodity fluctuations through the use of hedges and foreign exchange lines of credit. Some of these costs, primarily personnel, are not directly affected by sales volume.

Current wording

We subcontract with third-party manufacturers to manufacture and deliver our products directly to our customers. Our product costs are affected by the underlying cost of raw materials procured by these contract manufacturers, including steel and aluminum; component costs, including electric motors and gearboxes; technological innovation in manufacturing processes; and our ability to achieve economies of scale resulting in lower component costs. We do not currently hedge against changes in the price of raw materials, but we continue to explore opportunities to mitigate the risks of foreign currency and commodity fluctuations through the use of hedges and foreign exchange lines of credit. Some of these costs, primarily personnel, are not directly affected by sales volume.

Previous wording

We implemented reductions in our global workforce at the end of 2022 and in August 2023, in response to regulatory and other issues that were negatively impacting our solar project activity levels. We also had certain executive departures near the end of 2023, as well as additions of certain new executives during 2024, including a new Chief Executive Officer. In addition, our operating costs have been impacted by (i) our level of research activities to originate, develop and enhance our products, (ii) our sales and marketing efforts as we expand our development activities in other parts of the world, and (iii) variations in legal and professional fees, compliance costs, insurance, facility costs and other costs associated with strategic changes in response to changing market conditions and other matters.

Current wording

Our operating costs have been impacted by (i) changes in headcount as described above, (ii) our level of research activities to originate, develop and enhance our products, (iii) our sales and marketing efforts as we expand our outreach to existing customers and seek to identify new opportunities domestically and internationally, (iv) changes in our estimates of credit losses relating to certain specific customers, and (v) variations in legal and professional fees, compliance costs, insurance, facility costs and other costs associated with strategic changes in response to changing market conditions and other matters.

Previous wording

The decrease in product revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to the three months ended September 30, 2023, was primarily due to a decrease of 82% in the amount of MW produced as activity has been adversely impacted by customer project delays. This was partially offset by an increase in ASP for the three months ended September 30, 2024, as a result of better pricing and project mix changes as compared to the three months ended September 30, 2023.

Current wording

The increase in product revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2025, as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2024, was primarily due to an increase of 147% in the amount of MW produced as activity has been positively impacted by recent project wins. This was partially offset by a decrease of 32% in ASP for the three months ended March 31, 2025, as a result of project mix changes as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2024.

Previous wording

The decrease in service revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to the three months ended September 30, 2023, primarily resulted from (i) a decrease of 29% in ASP as compared to the three months ended September 30, 2023 and (ii) lower engineering consulting revenues. This was partially offset by an increase of 18% in the amount of MW delivered as a result of timing of project deliveries.

Current wording

The increase in service revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2025, as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2024, primarily resulted from an increase of 103% in logistics activity levels. This was partially offset by (i) a decrease of 24% in ASP as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2024 as a result of project size and pricing and (ii) lower engineering consulting and software revenues.

Previous wording

Cost of revenue consists primarily of costs related to raw materials, equipment manufacturing activities, freight and delivery, product warranty, remediation and personnel costs (salaries, bonuses, benefits, and stock-based compensation). Personnel costs in cost of revenue include both direct labor costs, as well as costs attributable to any individuals whose activities relate to the procurement, installment and delivery of the finished product and services.

Current wording

Cost of revenue consists primarily of costs related to raw materials, equipment manufacturing activities, net of incentives earned, freight and delivery, product warranty, remediation and personnel costs (salaries, bonuses, benefits, and stock-based compensation). Personnel costs in cost of revenue include both direct labor costs, as well as costs attributable to any individuals whose activities relate to the procurement, installment and delivery of the finished product and services.

Previous wording

The decrease in cost of revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to the three months ended September 30, 2023, was primarily driven by (i) a decrease of 82% in MW produced. This was partially offset by higher remediation costs.

Current wording

The increase in cost of revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2025, as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2024, was primarily driven by (i) an increase of 147% in MW produced and (ii) an increase of 103% in logistics activity levels.

Previous wording

Our gross margin percentage of revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2024 was a negative 42.5%, as compared to a positive 11.1% for the three months ended September 30, 2023.

Current wording

Our gross margin percentage of revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2025 was a negative 16.6%, which was relatively flat compared to a negative 16.7% for the three months ended March 31, 2024.

Previous wording

We had negative gross margin for the three months ended September 30, 2024 primarily due to the impact of lower revenue levels on our ability to cover certain relatively fixed overhead costs.

Current wording

We had negative gross margin for the three months ended March 31, 2025 as revenue levels were not sufficient to cover certain overhead costs, and due to the impact of increased tariffs and freight costs.

Previous wording

We had negative gross margin for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 as (i) production volumes were not sufficient to cover certain relatively fixed overhead costs, and (ii) our service revenue was not sufficient to fully cover our warehousing and certain other costs.

Current wording

We had negative gross margin for the three months ended March 31, 2024 as production volumes were not sufficient to cover certain overhead costs and our service revenue was not sufficient to fully cover our related shipping, transportation and warehousing costs.

Previous wording

The decrease in research and development expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to the three months ended September 30, 2023, was primarily attributable to (i) lower spending on lab and other research activities of $0.2 million, (ii) lower payroll costs of $0.2 million due to severance costs recognized during the three months ended September 30, 2023, and (iii) lower professional service costs of $0.1 million resulting from cost reduction initiatives. Research and development expenses as a percentage of revenue were 14.5% for the three months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to 6.3% for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The increase in the percentage research and development costs to revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2024, is largely a function of the lower level of revenue.

Current wording

The decrease in research and development expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2025, as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2024, was primarily attributable to (i) lower payroll costs of $0.3 million, (ii) lower spending on lab and other research activities of $0.1 million, and (iii) lower professional service costs of $0.1 million resulting from cost reduction initiatives. Research and development expenses as a percentage of revenue were 4.4% for the three months ended March 31, 2025, as compared to 11.4% for the three months ended March 31, 2024.

Previous wording

The decrease in selling and marketing expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to the three months ended September 30, 2023, was primarily attributable to (i) lower provisions for credit losses of $3.4 million, mainly related to charges associated with specific individual customer accounts during each period, (ii) lower marketing costs of $0.2 million associated with reduced trade show attendance and advertising, and (iii) lower payroll costs of $0.1 million due to severance costs recognized during the three months ended September 30, 2023. Lower travel and stock-based compensation expense accounted for the remaining decrease. Selling and marketing costs as a percentage of revenue were 23.7% for the three months ended September 30, 2024, compared to 20.7% for the three months ended September 30, 2023.

Current wording

The decrease in selling and marketing expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2025, as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2024, was primarily attributable to (i) lower provisions for credit losses of $0.8 million, mainly related to charges associated with specific individual customer accounts during 2024, and (ii) lower payroll costs of $0.3 million. Lower travel and professional service costs accounted for the remaining decrease. Selling and marketing costs as a percentage of revenue were 5.5% for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to 19.0% for the three months ended March 31, 2024.

Previous wording

Interest income earned on our cash equivalents and interest expense incurred during the three months ended September 30, 2024 were not significant. Interest income and interest expense for the three months ended September 30, 2023 was approximately $0.2 million and nearly $0.4 million, respectively. Interest expense during the three months ended September 30, 2023, primarily consisted of letter of credit and commitment fees on our Credit Facility, along with associated debt issue cost amortization.

Current wording

Interest expense incurred during the three months ended March 31, 2025 was primarily related to paid-in-kind interest added to the principal amount of our Senior Notes, as well as amortization of the discount and deferred loan costs on the Senior Notes. Interest expense during the three months ended March 31, 2024, primarily consisted of letter of credit and commitment fees on our Credit Facility that expired unused in April 2024, along with associated debt issue cost amortization.

Previous wording

We sold our interest in our unconsolidated subsidiary, Dimension Energy LLC ("Dimension"), on June 24, 2021. Dimension is a community solar developer based in Atlanta, Georgia that provides renewable energy solutions for local communities in the United States. The sales agreement with Dimension included an earnout provision which provides the potential to receive additional contingent consideration of up to approximately $14.0 million through December 2024, based on Dimension achieving certain performance milestones. The sales agreement also includes a projects escrow release which is an additional contingent consideration to receive $7 million based on Dimension’s completion of certain construction projects in progress at the time of the sale. We made an accounting policy election to account for the contingent gains arising from earnout payments and project escrow releases only when those amounts become realizable in the periods subsequent to the disposal date. During the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, we received earnout and escrow release payments of $4.1 million and $0.9 million, respectively, that were recognized in accordance with our policy election. Since the sale of our interest in Dimension, we have received a total of $7.4 million in contingent earnout and escrow release payments through September 30, 2024.

Current wording

We sold our 23% equity interest in our unconsolidated subsidiary, Dimension Energy LLC ("Dimension"), on June 24, 2021. Dimension is a community solar developer based in Atlanta, Georgia that provides renewable energy solutions for local communities in the United States.

Previous wording

Since our inception, we have financed our operations primarily through sales of shares of common stock, including our IPO in April 2021, issuance of debt and payments from our customers. Our ability to generate positive cash flow from operations is dependent on our level of production, contract payment terms, timely collections from our customers and the strength of our gross margins.

Current wording

Since our inception, we have financed our operations primarily through sales of shares of common stock, including our IPO in April 2021, issuance of debt and payments from our customers and others. Our ability to generate positive cash flow from operations is dependent on our level of production, contract payment terms, timely collections from our customers and the strength of our gross margins.

Previous wording

We have incurred cumulative losses since inception and have a history of cash outflows from operations. As of September 30, 2024, we had $8.3 million of cash on hand, $18.9 million of working capital and approximately $64.9 million of remaining capacity available for future sales of our common stock under our ATM program as defined and described further in Note 4, "ATM program" in the notes to condensed consolidated financial statements in Part I, Item 1 of this Quarterly Report. There can be no assurance that we will be able to sell any additional shares of our common stock under the ATM program and no assurance regarding the price at which we will be able to sell such shares, and any sales of our common stock under the ATM program may be at prices that result in additional dilution to our existing stockholders.

Current wording

As of March 31, 2025, in addition to our cash on hand and working capital, we had approximately $64.9 million of remaining capacity available for future sales of our common stock under our ATM program as defined and described further in Note 14, "ATM Program" below. Our ability to use the ATM program may be constrained by the size of our non-affiliate market capitalization, our trading volume and other factors, and there can be no assurance regarding the price at which we will be able to sell such shares, and any sales of our common stock under the ATM program may be at prices that result in additional dilution to our existing stockholders.

Previous wording

At September 30, 2024, we had a contractual obligation that could require us to make additional capital contributions of up to $0.8 million to Alpha Steel, as well as make a minimum level of purchases from Alpha Steel, as described further in Note 3, "Equity method investment" in the notes to condensed consolidated financial statements in Part I, Item 1 of this Quarterly Report. In the event we were to fail to meet our minimum required purchase commitments during a specified period, including the current period from January 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, we may be required to make a cash payment for the net profit attributable to any unfilled requirements, calculated as specified in the agreement, in an amount not to exceed $4.0 million in the aggregate.

Current wording

At March 31, 2025, we had a contractual obligation that could require us to make additional capital contributions of up to $0.8 million to Alpha Steel, as well as make a minimum level of purchases from Alpha Steel, as described further in Note 9, "Equity method investment" below. In the event we were to fail to meet our minimum required purchase commitments during a specified period, including the current period from January 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, we may be required to make a cash payment for the net profit attributable to any unfilled requirements, calculated as specified in the agreement, in an amount not to exceed $4.0 million in the aggregate.

Previous wording

During the nine months ended September 30, 2024, we used approximately $26.3 million of cash to fund a portion of our current period expenditures for personnel and facilities, legal and professional fees, insurance, research and development and various other operating activities. This compares to approximately $18.6 million of cash used during the nine months ended September 30, 2023, also to fund a portion of our prior period expenditures for various operating activities as described above.

Current wording

During the three months ended March 31, 2025, we used approximately $8.4 million of cash to fund a portion of our current period expenditures for personnel and facilities, legal and professional fees, insurance, research and development and various other operating activities. This compares to approximately $8.1 million of cash used during the three months ended March 31, 2024, also to fund a portion of our prior period expenditures for various operating activities as described above.

Previous wording

Approximately $8.3 million of cash was generated from working capital and other decreases during the nine months ended September 30, 2024, primarily as a result of production activity levels and the timing of customer receipts, including the settlement reached with a major customer as described further in Note 5, "Accounts receivable, net" in the notes to condensed consolidated financial statements in Part I, Item 1 of this Quarterly Report, and payments to our vendors. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, we used approximately $27.8 million of cash for working capital and other increases as a result of production activity and the timing of customer receipts and vendor payments, net of inventory utilization.

Current wording

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, we used approximately $3.8 million of cash for working capital and other increases as a result of production activity and the timing of customer receipts and vendor payments.

Previous wording

Our working capital decreased by approximately $35.0 million from $53.8 million at December 31, 2023 to $18.9 million at September 30, 2024. The decrease was largely attributable to (i) the use of cash to fund current period expenditures as described above and (ii) the impact of lower activity levels on the amount of billed and unbilled accounts receivables during the nine months ended September 30, 2024.

Current wording

Our working capital decreased by approximately $6.9 million from almost $27.1 million at December 31, 2024 to $20.2 million at March 31, 2025. The decrease was largely attributable to (i) the use of cash to fund current period expenditures as described above and (ii) the impact of higher activity levels on the amount of billed and unbilled accounts receivable during the three months ended March 31, 2025.

Previous wording

During the nine months ended September 30, 2024, we made additional equity investments of $1.8 million in Alpha Steel, a manufacturing partnership with Taihua, in which we hold a 45% interest. Pursuant to our agreement with Alpha Steel, we could be required to make up to $0.8 million in future additional capital contributions as Alpha Steel continues to expand production. We also spent nearly $1.4 million, mainly for tooling and new computer and IT equipment, as well as leasehold improvements, during the nine months ended September 30, 2024. In addition, we received $4.1 million of contingent earnout payments in connection with the June 2021 sale of our equity interest in Dimension.

Current wording

During the three months ended March 31, 2025, we received $3.2 million of contingent earnout payments in connection with the June 2021 sale of our equity interest in Dimension. We also had capital expenditures of approximately $0.1 million, primarily for tooling.

Previous wording

During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, we made (i) an initial equity investment of $0.9 million in Alpha Steel, (ii) received $0.9 million in contingent payments from escrow in connection with the sale of our equity interest in Dimension as described above, and (iii) spent nearly $0.5 million for leasehold improvements, tooling, software, and new computer and IT equipment.

Current wording

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, we received $4.1 million of contingent earnout payments from Dimension. We also made an additional equity investment of $1.0 million in Alpha Steel and spent nearly $0.4 million, mainly for tooling and new computer and IT equipment.

Previous wording

Preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported revenue and expenses during the period. Estimates are used for calculating the measure of progress of our solar tracker projects and deriving the standalone selling prices of the individual performance obligations when determining amounts to recognize for revenue, estimating allowances for credit losses and slow-moving and obsolete inventory, determining useful lives of long-lived assets and the estimated fair value of those assets for impairment assessments, and estimating the fair value of investments, stock compensation awards, warranty liabilities and federal and state taxes, including tax valuation allowances, as well as other contingencies. We base our estimates on historical experience and anticipated results, trends, and various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, including assumptions as to future events. Actual results could differ from those estimates due to risks and uncertainties.

Current wording

Preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported revenue and expenses during the period. Estimates are used for calculating the measure of progress of our solar tracker projects and deriving the standalone selling prices of the individual performance obligations when determining amounts to recognize for revenue, estimating allowances for credit losses and slow-moving and obsolete inventory, determining useful lives of long-lived assets and the estimated fair value of those assets for impairment assessments, and estimating the fair value of investments, warrants, stock compensation awards, warranty liabilities and federal and state taxes, including tax valuation allowances, as well as other contingencies. We base our estimates on historical experience and anticipated results, trends, and various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, including assumptions as to future events. Actual results could differ from those estimates due to risks and uncertainties.

Previous wording

The allowance for credit losses is based on the lifetime expected credit loss of our customer accounts. To assess the lifetime expected credit loss, we utilize a loss rate method that takes into consideration historical experience and certain other factors, as appropriate, such as credit quality and current economic or other conditions that may affect a customer's ability to pay. This method accelerates the recognition of expected credit losses as compared to the incurred loss model used prior to 2023 and may result in material differences between our estimates and actual collection results. We may also have greater fluctuations in our credit loss expense over time based on changes in our historical experience or changes in estimates of future economic conditions which may not adequately reflect future actual customer payment activity.

Current wording

The allowance for credit losses is based on the lifetime expected credit loss of our customer accounts. To assess the lifetime expected credit loss, we utilize a loss rate method that takes into consideration historical experience and certain other factors, as appropriate, such as credit quality, current economic or other conditions and changes in project status that may affect a customer's ability to pay. This method accelerates the recognition of expected credit losses as compared to the incurred loss model used prior to 2023 and may result in material differences between our estimates and actual collection results. We may also have greater fluctuations in our credit loss expense over time based on changes in our historical experience or changes in estimates of future economic conditions which may not adequately reflect future actual customer payment activity.

Previous wording

Adjustments to the allowance are largely dependent on historical experience involving amounts previously collected from our customers in recent years or based on specific changes in a customer's ability to pay. As an example, during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, we recognized credit loss provisions of $1.3 million and $4.3 million, respectively, in our selling and marketing expenses, primarily related to a specific customer's inability to fully pay amounts owed. Historical experience, when used in making such adjustments, may not reflect current actual experience.

Current wording

Adjustments to the allowance are largely dependent on historical experience involving amounts previously collected from our customers in recent years or based on specific changes in a customer's ability to pay. As an example, during the three months ended March 31, 2025, we recognized a reduction of $0.1 million in our allowance for credit losses compared to an additional credit loss provision of $0.7 million during the three months ended March 31, 2024, with the change primarily related to our assessment in 2024 as to a specific customer's inability to fully pay amounts owed. Historical experience, when used in making such adjustments, may not reflect current actual experience.

Previous wording

While we periodically monitor our warranty activities and claims, if actual costs incurred were to be different from our estimates, we would recognize adjustments to our warranty reserves in the period in which those differences arise or are identified. Such adjustments could be material to cost of revenue in our results of operations in the period the adjustments are made.

Current wording

While we periodically monitor our warranty activities and claims, if actual costs incurred were to be different from our estimates, we would recognize adjustments to our warranty reserves in the period in which those differences arise or are identified. Such adjustments could be material to the cost of revenue in our results of operations in the period the adjustments are made.

Previous wording

Our accounting policy relating to ourstock-based compensation may be found in Note 2, "Summary of significant accounting policies" in our condensed consolidated financial statements in Part I, Item 1 of this Quarterly Report.

Current wording

Our accounting policies relating to ourstock-based compensation and our outstanding Warrants may be found in Note 2, "Summary of significant accounting policies" in our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in Part I, Item 1 of this Quarterly Report.