Cyngn Inc
For the period ended Sep 30, 2024. Filed Nov 7, 2024.
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Sep 30, 2024 · Filed Nov 7, 2024
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Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited)
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
1. Description of Business
Cyngn Inc., together with its subsidiaries (collectively, “Cyngn” or the “Company”), was incorporated in Delaware in 2013. The wholly owned subsidiaries are Cyngn Singapore PTE. LTD., a Singaporean limited company organized in 2015 and Cyngn Philippines, Inc., a Philippine corporation incorporated in 2018 and dissolved as of December 31, 2023. The Company is headquartered in Menlo Park, CA.
Cyngn develops and deploys scalable, differentiated autonomous vehicle technology for industrial organizations. Our full-stack autonomous driving software (“DriveMod”) can be integrated onto vehicles manufactured by Original Equipment Manufacturers (“OEM”) either via retrofit of existing vehicles or by integration directly into vehicle assembly. The Enterprise Autonomy Suite (“EAS”) is designed to be compatible with sensors and components from leading hardware technology providers and integrate our proprietary Autonomous Vehicle (“AV”) software to produce differentiated autonomous vehicles.
The Company has been operating autonomous vehicles in production environments and in 2023 began licensing EAS commercially. Built and tested in difficult and diverse real-world environments, DriveMod, the fleet management system and our proprietary Software Development Kit (“DriveMod Kit”) combine to create a full-stack advanced autonomy solution designed to be modular, extendable, and safe. The Company operates in one business segment.
Liquidity and Going Concern
The Company has incurred losses from operations since inception. The Company incurred net losses of approximately $17.2 million and $17.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Accumulated deficit amounted to approximately $177.2 million and $160.0 million as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. Net cash used in operating activities was $15.6 million and $14.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
The Company’s liquidity is based on its ability to increase its operating cash flow position, obtain capital financing from equity interest investors and borrow money to fund its general operations, research and development activities, and capital expenditures. The Company’s ability to continue as a going concern is dependent on management’s ability to successfully execute its business plan, which includes increasing revenue while controlling operating costs and expenses and obtaining funds from outside sources to generate positive financing cash flows. As of September 30, 2024, the Company’s unrestricted cash balance was $2.0 million, and its short-term investments balance was $0.8 million. As of December 31, 2023, the Company’s unrestricted cash balance was $3.6 million, and its short-term investments balance was $4.6 million.
Based on cash flow projections from operating, investing and financing activities and the existing balance of cash and short-term investments, management is of the opinion that the Company has insufficient funds for sustainable operations, and it may not be able to meet its payment obligations from operations and related commitments, if the Company is not able to complete the required funding transactions to allow the Company to continue as a going concern. Based on these factors, the Company has substantial doubt that it will continue as a going concern for the 12 months following the date these financial statements were issued. These condensed consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments to reflect the possible future effects on the recoverability and classification of assets and liabilities that may result in the Company not being able to continue as a going concern.
The Company’s plan to alleviate the going concern issue is to increase revenue while controlling operating costs and expenses and obtaining funds from outside sources of financing to generate positive financing cash flows. While management is optimistic about its ability to raise substantial funds to continue as a going concern for one year following the financial statement issuance date, there can be no assurance that any such measures will be successful. We currently do not generate substantial revenue from product sales. Accordingly, we expect to rely primarily on equity and/or debt financings to fund our continued operations. The Company’s ability to raise additional funds will depend, in part, on the success of our product development activities, and other events or conditions that may affect the share value or prospects, as well as factors related to financial, economic and market conditions, many of which are beyond our control. There can be no assurances that sufficient funds will be available to us when required or on acceptable terms, if at all. Accordingly, management has concluded that these plans do not alleviate substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements as of and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) and pursuant to applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, which was filed with the SEC on March 7, 2024.
The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a consistent basis with the audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, and 2022, and include all adjustments, consisting of only normal recurring adjustments, necessary to fairly state the information set forth herein. There have been no changes to the Company’s significant accounting policies described in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 that have had a material impact on the consolidated financial statements and the related notes.
The results reported for the interim period presented are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for any subsequent quarter or for the full year ending December 31, 2024. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments and accruals that are necessary for a fair statement of all interim periods reported herein.
Principles of Consolidation
The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Cyngn Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries, including the dissolved subsidiary Cyngn Philippines, Inc. The Company investigated economic viability in the Philippines and determined it cost more to operate the subsidiary than any profit it could generate. Consequently, the subsidiary was shut-down, which had minimal impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation.
Foreign Currency Translation
The functional and reporting currency for Cyngn is the U.S. dollar. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollar are translated into the U.S. dollar at period end rates, income and expenses are translated at the weighted average exchange rates for the period and equity is translated at the historical exchange rates. Foreign currency translation adjustments and transactional gains and losses are immaterial to the condensed consolidated financial statements.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the balance sheet date, as well as reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. The Company’s significant estimates and judgments include but are not limited to internal-use software and developed software to be sold, leased or marketed, warrants and share-based compensation. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions believed to be reasonable, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash, which is placed with high-credit-quality financial institutions and at times exceeds federally insured limits.
Cash maintained with domestic financial institutions generally exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurable limit. To date, the Company has not experienced any losses on its deposits of cash. Cyngn invests in U.S. Treasury securities and carries these at amortized cost and recognizes gains and losses when realized.
Concentration of Supplier Risk
The Company generally utilizes suppliers for outside development and engineering support. The Company does not believe that there is any significant supplier concentration risk as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023.
Cash and Short-term Investments
The Company considers its bank accounts and all highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to cash with minimal risk of changes in value due to changes in interest rates, to be cash. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had $2.0 million and $3.6 million of cash, respectively.
The Company considers short-term investments to include marketable U.S. government securities that it intends to hold until maturity and redeem within one year. The Company treated its U.S. government treasury bill placements as held-to-maturity securities in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic (“ASC”) 320, “Investments – Debt and Equity Securities”, and recorded these securities at amortized cost on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023.
Accounts Receivable
Accounts receivables are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. The Company provides for probable uncollectible amounts based upon its assessment of the current status of the individual receivables and after using reasonable collection efforts. The allowance for credit losses waszero as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023. In addition, the Company utilizes current and historical collection data as well as assesses current economic conditions in order to determine expected trade credit losses on a prospective basis. No credit losses were recorded as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023.
Fair Value Measurements
The accounting guidance under ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurement”, defines fair value, establishes a consistent framework for measuring fair value, and expands disclosure for each major asset and liability category measured at fair value on either a recurring or nonrecurring basis. Fair value is defined as an exit price representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in an orderly transaction between market participants. As such, fair value is considered a market-based measurement that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability.
The Company uses the following fair value hierarchy prescribed by U.S. GAAP, which prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value as follows:
Level 1—Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2—Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, 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.
Level 3—Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.
Assets and liabilities are considered to be fair valued on a recurring basis if fair value is measured regularly. However, if the fair value measurement of an instrument does not necessarily result in a change in the amount recorded on the condensed consolidated balance sheets, assets and liabilities are considered to be fair valued on a nonrecurring basis. This typically occurs when accounting guidance requires assets and liabilities to be recorded at the lower of cost or fair value, or on certain nonfinancial assets and liabilities. Nonfinancial assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis include certain long-lived assets, intangible assets, and share-based compensation measured at fair value upon initial recognition.
The carrying amounts of the Company’s cash and accounts payable are reasonable estimates of their fair values due to their short-term nature. The fair values of the Company’s share-based compensation and underwriter warrants were based on observable inputs and assumptions used in Black-Scholes valuation models derived from independent external valuations.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment is stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Construction work in progress includes production costs and costs of materials used in the development of the Company’s autonomous driving software. Assets are held as construction work in progress until placed into service, at which date depreciation commences over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets. Depreciation is recorded on a straight-line basis over each asset’s estimated useful life. Repair and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred.
| Property and Equipment | Useful life |
|---|---|
| Internal-use software | 3 to 5 years |
| Computer and equipment | 5 years |
| Furniture and fixtures | 7 years |
| Leasehold improvements | Shorter of 3 years or lease term |
| Vehicles | 5 years |
Leases
The Company accounts for leases in accordance with ASC Topic 842 (“ASC 842”), “Leases”. All contracts are evaluated to determine whether or not they represent a lease. A lease conveys the right to control the use of an identified asset for a period of time in exchange for consideration. Leases are classified as finance or operating in accordance with the guidance in ASC 842. The Company does not hold any finance leases. The Company recognized a right-of-use asset and lease liability in the condensed consolidated balance sheets under ASC 842 on the office space lease that was amended and renewed until May 2025. Lease expense will be recognized on a straight-line basis over the remaining term of the lease. Operating leases are recognized on the balance sheet as right-of-use assets, and operating lease liabilities.
Costs to Develop Software
The Company incurs costs related to internally developed software. Based on the nature of the software, the Company capitalizes software costs under the following guidance.
Internal-Use Software costs
The Company determined when to capitalize its internal-use software after planning and design efforts are successfully completed. Management has implicitly authorized funding and the software is expected to be completed and used as intended. The Company determines the amount of internal software costs to be capitalized based on the amount of time spent by the developers on projects in the application stage of development. There is judgment involved in estimating time allocated to a particular project in the application stage. Costs associated with building or significantly enhancing the internally built software platform for internal use are capitalized, while costs associated with planning new developments and maintaining the internally built software platforms are expensed as incurred. Capitalized costs include certain payroll and stock compensation costs, as well as subscription server and consulting costs.
Internal-use software is classified as property and equipment and is amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful life ofthree tofive years. There is judgment involved in the determination of the useful life. Amortization of the software asset will begin when the software is substantially complete and ready for its intended use. No amortization has begun for the internal use software, as the projects are still in the application development phase. Management evaluates the useful lives of these assets on a quarterly basis and tests for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances occur that could impact the recoverability of these assets. No impairment charges were associated with the Company’s internal-use software for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023.
Costs to Develop Software to be Sold, Leased or Otherwise Marketed
The Company accounts for research costs of computer software to be sold, leased or otherwise marketed as expense until technological feasibility has been established for the product. Once technological feasibility is established, certain payroll and stock compensation, occupancy, and professional service costs that are incurred to develop functionality for the Company’s software and internally built software platforms, as well as certain upgrades and enhancements that are expected to result in enhanced functionality are capitalized. Judgment is required in determining when technological feasibility of a product is established. Management has determined that technological feasibility is established when a working model is complete. After technological feasibility is established, judgement is required to determine the amount of payroll and stock-based compensation costs to be capitalized on the remaining development efforts. These costs will continue to be capitalized until such time as when the product or enhancement is available for general release to customers.
Computer software to be sold, leased or otherwise marketed is classified as an intangible asset. Capitalized software development costs are amortized using the greater of (a) the amount computed using the ratio that current gross revenue for a product bear to the total of current and anticipated future gross revenue for that product or (b) the straight-line method, beginning upon commercial release of the product, and continuing over the remaining estimated economic life of the product, not to exceed three years tofive years and recorded as cost of revenue. Amortization will begin when the product or enhancement is available for general release to customers. No amortization has begun for externally sold software, as the software enhancement is still in development. Management evaluates the useful lives of these assets on a quarterly basis and tests for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances occur that could impact the recoverability of these assets. No impairment charges were associated with the Company’s sold, leased or otherwise marketed software for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023.
Long-Lived Assets and Finite Lived Intangibles
The Company has finite-lived intangible assets consisting of patents and trademarks. These assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated remaining economic lives. The patents and trademarks are amortized over 15 years.
On April 1, 2022, the Company entered into an agreement for exclusive rights to certain hardware and software products and the rights to subsequently sell the software products and accompanying services. The Company paid a purchase price of $100,000 for these rights. The Company evaluated if substantially all of the assets acquired are concentrated in a single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets to determine if the transaction should be accounted for as an asset acquisition. Since the only substantive assets acquired pertained to rights to intellectual property, the entire purchase price was allocated to intellectual property and accounted for as intangible assets with a useful life of 15 years. In accordance with ASC 805-50, “Business Combination”, the agreement was treated as an asset acquisition rather than a business combination. For the year ended December 31, 2023 the Company determined the existence of an impairment associated with the Company’s intangible asset “Rights to intellectual property” and accordingly recorded an impairment charge of $30,000. As of September 30, 2024, right to intellectual property is zero.
The Company reviews its long-lived assets and finite-lived intangibles for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. The events and circumstances the Company monitors and considers include significant decreases in the market price of similar assets, significant adverse changes to the extent and manner in which the asset is used, an adverse change in legal factors or business climate, an accumulation of costs that exceed the estimated cost to acquire or develop a similar asset, and continuing losses that exceed forecasted costs. The Company assesses the recoverability of these assets by comparing the carrying amount of such assets or asset group to the future undiscounted cash flow it expects the assets or asset group to generate. The Company recognizes an impairment loss if the sum of the expected long-term undiscounted cash flows that the long-lived asset is expected to generate is less than the carrying amount of the long-lived asset being evaluated. An impairment charge would then be recognized equal to the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the fair value of the asset. For the period ended September 30, 2023, there were no impairment charges. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company determined the existence of an impairment associated with the Company’s intangible asset “Patents” and accordingly recorded an impairment charge of $0 and $118,831, respectively. (See Note 6. Intangible Assets).
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method, under which deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis.
A valuation allowance is provided when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of a deferred tax asset will not be realized. Due to the Company’s lack of earnings history, the net deferred tax assets have been fully offset by a valuation allowance as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 (see Note 11. Income Taxes).
There are no uncertain tax positions that would require recognition in the condensed consolidated financial statements. If the Company were to incur an income tax liability in the future, interest on any income tax liability would be reported as interest expense and penalties on any income tax would be reported as income taxes. Management’s conclusions regarding uncertain tax positions may be subject to review and adjustment at a later date based upon ongoing analysis of or changes in tax laws, regulations and interpretations thereof as well as other factors.
The Company issued to its lead underwriter in the Company’s IPO warrants to purchase up to 1,400(1) shares of the Company’s common stock. In addition, the Company issued 70,969(1) common stock warrants as a part of the private placement offering in April 2022. The Company accounts for warrants in accordance with ASC 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity”. The Company determined the fair value of the warrants using the Black-Scholes pricing model and treated the warrants as equity instruments in consideration of the cashless settlement provisions in the warrant agreements.
The Company also applied the guidance in ASC 340-10-S99-1, “Other Assets and Deferred Costs”, that states specific incremental costs directly attributable to a proposed or actual offering of equity securities may properly be deferred and charged against the gross proceeds of the offering. The Company treated the valuation of the warrants as directly attributable to the issuance of an equity contract and, accordingly, classified the warrants as additional paid-in capital.
Stock-based Compensation
The Company recognizes the cost of share-based awards granted to employees and directors based on the estimated grant-date fair value of the awards. Cost is recognized on a straight-line basis over the service period, which is generally the vesting period of the award. The Company recognizes stock-based compensation cost and reverses previously recognized costs for unvested awards in the period forfeitures occur, if any. The Company determines the fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, which is impacted by the fair value of common stock, expected price volatility of common stock, expected term, risk-free interest rates, and expected dividend yield (see Note 9. Stock-based Compensation Expense**)**.
Net Loss Per Share Attributable to Common Stockholders
The Company computes loss per share attributable to common shareholders by dividing net loss attributable to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted net loss per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue shares were exercised into shares. In calculating diluted net loss per share, the numerator is adjusted for the change in the fair value of the shares (only if dilutive) and the denominator is increased to include the number of potentially dilutive common shares assumed to be outstanding (see Note 8. Net Loss per Share Attributable to Common Stockholders).
| (1) | All information has been retroactively adjusted to reflect the 1-for-100 reverse stock split effected on July 3, 2024. See Note 7, Capital Structure for details. |
Research and Development Expense
Research and development expense consists primarily of outsourced engineering services, internal engineering and development expenses, materials, labor and stock-based compensation of Company personnel involved in the development of the Company’s products and services, and allocated lease costs based on the approximate square footage area used in research and development activities. Research and development costs are expensed as incurred.
Selling, General, and Administrative Expense
Selling, general, and administrative expense consist primarily of personnel costs, facilities expenses, depreciation and amortization, travel, and advertising costs. Advertising costs are expensed as incurred in accordance with ASC 720-35, “Other Expense – Advertising Costs”, other than trade show expenses which are deferred until occurrence of the future event.* Advertising costs for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 were $44,346 and $63,503, respectively. *Advertising costs for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 were $175,345 and $102,620, respectively.
Commitments
The Company recognizes a liability with regard to loss contingencies when it believes it is probable a liability has occurred and the amount can be reasonably estimated. If some amount within a range of loss appears at the time to be a better estimate than any other amount within the range, the Company accrues that amount. When no amount within the range is a better estimate than any other amount the Company accrues the minimum amount in the range. There have been no such liabilities recorded by the Company as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023.
Segment Reporting
The Company’s chief operating decision maker, its Chief Executive Officer, manages operations and business asone operating segment for the purposes of allocating resources, makes operating decisions and evaluates financial performance.
Revenue Recognition
Under ASC 606, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers”, the Company determines revenue recognition through the following steps:
| ● | Identifying the contract, or contracts, with the customer; |
| ● | Identifying the performance obligations in the contract; |
| ● | Determining the transaction price; |
| ● | Allocating the transaction price to performance obligations in the contract; and |
| ● | Recognizing revenue when, or as, the Company satisfies performance obligations by transferring the promised goods or services. |
Nature of Products and Services and Revenue Recognition from (a) subscription of our Enterprise Autonomy Service (“EAS”), (b) nonrecurring engineering services under fixed fee arrangements (“NRE services”), (c) product sales of hardware to customers and distributors, and (d) other. are recognized as follows:
Subscription
Subscription revenue primarily consists of the sale of SaaS offerings. Through the SaaS offerings and related support services, customers are granted access to a hosted software application over the contract period, generally ranging from one year to five years, without a contractual right to possession of the software.
SaaS and related support services: Revenues from the sale of hosted software applications and related support services are generally recognized ratably over the contractual period that the services are delivered, beginning on the date the service is made available to customers. Revenue is recognized ratably because the customer simultaneously receives and consumes the benefits of the services throughout the contract period. Contracts are generally fixed price the Company’s standard payment terms vary by customer and the products or services offered.
Revenue is measured based on considerations specified in a contract with a customer. Customer contracts for software subscriptions are generally represented by a sales contract or purchase order with contract durations typically ranging from three to five years.
For the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, subscription revenue was $6,892 and $7,370, respectively, and for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 was $11,162 and $9,870, respectively.** **
Non-Recurring Engineering (“NRE”)
The Company enters into Non-Recurring Engineering (“NRE”) contracts that are principally comprised of engineering services related to customer-specific configuration of the DriveMod. Generally, with respect to these NRE contracts, i) the determination of the contract price is based on labor and hardware costs estimated to achieve the required milestones specified in the contract; ii) payment under these arrangements are comprised of upfront payments due upon execution of the agreements as well as payments due upon the achievement of milestones specified in each arrangement; and iii) contain mutual termination clauses without penalty. The Company recognizes revenue from NRE contracts that are fully funded by customers and the sale of its products when promised goods or engineering services are transferred to customers. Each of the Company’s NRE arrangements are comprised of multi-phase deliverables recognized at a point in time upon completion and acceptance from the customer of each phase of the arrangement. The Company recognizes revenue in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services.
For the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, NRE revenue was $0, and for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 was $0 and $1,420,000, respectively.
Hardware
Hardware Revenue generally consists of sale or lease of industrial vehicles modified with a proprietary autonomous hardware kit, known as a DriveMod Kit. Revenue is recognized at a point in time when title and risks and rewards of ownership have transferred to the customer. For customers that lease the hardware, revenue is recognized over time as the customer simultaneously receives and consumes the benefits provided by the hardware. Customer contracts for product sales of hardware are generally represented by a sales contract or purchase order.
For the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, hardware revenue was $7,622 and $10,755, respectively, and for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 was $15,450 and $10,755, respectively.
Other:
Other revenues generally consist of fees associated with the sale of distinct professional services, either in support of deploying hardware and subscription support. Professional service offerings are typically sold as part of an arrangement for products or services included within subscription revenue. Professional services associated with subscription revenue generally relate to standard implementation, configuration, installation or training services applied to SaaS deployment models. Professional service revenue is recognized over time as the services are performed, as the customer simultaneously receives and consumes the benefit of these services. Professional service contracts are offered at either a fixed or a variable price and may be invoiced in advance or arrears of the services being provided.
The Company’s standard payment terms vary by customer and the products or services offered. Contract terms for other revenue arrangements are generally short-term, with stated contract terms that are less than one year.
The Company collects and remits taxes assessed by different governmental authorities that are both imposed on and concurrent with a revenue-producing transaction between the Company and the Company’s customers. These taxes may include, but are not limited to, sales, use, value-added, and some excise taxes. The Company reports the collection of these taxes on a net basis (excluded from revenues). Shipping and handling fees billed to customers are included in net sales, while costs of shipping and handling are included in cost of revenue.
For the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, other revenue was $33,069 and $7,085, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 other revenue was $35,150 and $8,336, respectively.
Arrangements with Multiple Performance Obligations
When a contract involves multiple performance obligations, the Company accounts for individual products and services separately if the customer can benefit from the product or service on its own or with other resources that are readily available to the customer and the product or service is separately identifiable from other promises in the arrangement. The consideration is allocated between separate performance obligations in proportion to their estimated stand-alone selling price. The transactions to which the Company had to estimate stand-alone selling prices and allocate the arrangement consideration to multiple performance obligations were immaterial.
The Company’s contracts may include standard warranty or service level provisions that state promised goods and services will perform and operate in all material respects as defined in the respective agreements. The Company has determined that these represent assurance-type warranties, and the Company has not incurred any material costs as a result of such commitments.
Cost to Obtain and Fulfill a Contract. The Company incurs certain costs to obtain contracts, principally third-party fulfillment fees, which the Company capitalizes when the liability has been incurred if they are (i) incremental costs of obtaining a contract, (ii) expected to be recovered and (iii) have an expected amortization period that is greater than one year (as the Company has elected the practical expedient to expense any costs to obtain a contract when the liability is incurred if the amortization period of such costs would be one year or less).
Material Rights:
The Company’s contracts with customers may include renewal or other options at stated prices. Determining whether these options provide the customer with a material right and therefore need to be accounted for as separate performance obligations requires judgment. The price of each option must be assessed to determine whether it is reflective of the stand-alone selling price or is reflective of a discount that the customer only received as a result of its prior purchase (a material right).
Other Policies, Judgments and Practical Expedients
*Contract balances.*Contract assets and liabilities represent the differences in the timing of revenue recognition from the receipt of cash from the Company’s customers and billings. Contract assets reflect revenue recognized and performance obligations satisfied in advance of customer billing. Contract liabilities relate to payments received in advance of the satisfaction of performance under the contract. Receivable represents right to consideration that is unconditional. Such rights are considered unconditional if only the passage of time is required before payment of that consideration is due.
*Remaining performance obligations.*Revenue allocated to remaining performance obligations represents the transaction price allocated to the performance obligations that are unsatisfied, or partially unsatisfied. It includes unearned revenue and amounts that will be invoiced and recognized as revenue in future periods and does not include contracts where the customer is not committed. The customer is not considered committed where they are able to terminate for convenience without payment of a substantive penalty under the contract. The Company has elected the optional exemption, which allows for the exclusion of the amounts for remaining performance obligations that are part of contracts with an original expected duration of one year or less.
Significant financing component. In certain arrangements, the Company receives payment from a customer either before or after the performance obligation has been satisfied. The Company’s contracts with customer prepayment terms do not include a significant financing component because the primary purpose is not to receive or provide financing from or to the customers.
*Contract modifications.*The Company may modify contracts to offer customers additional products or services. Each of the additional products and services are generally considered distinct from those products or services transferred to the customer before the modification. The Company evaluates whether the contract price for the additional products and services reflects the stand-alone selling price as adjusted for facts and circumstances applicable to that contract. In these cases, the Company accounts for the additional products or services as a separate contract. In other cases where the pricing in the modification does not reflect the stand-alone selling price as adjusted for facts and circumstances applicable to that contract, the Company accounts on a prospective basis where the remaining goods and services are distinct from the original items and on a cumulative catch-up basis when the remaining goods and services are not distinct from the original items.
Principal vs. Agent Considerations
Judgment is required in determining whether we are the principal or agent in transactions with dealers, OEMs and end-users. We evaluate the presentation of revenue on a gross or net basis based on whether we control the service provided to the end-user and are the principal (i.e., “gross”), or we arrange for other parties to provide the service to the end-user and are an agent (i.e., “net”). This determination also impacts the presentation of incentives provided to dealers and OEMs and discounts and promotions offered to end-users to the extent they are not customers.
In dealer transactions where our role is to provide the hardware to the dealer, we do not control and are not primarily responsible for the good or service provided by the dealer to end-users. In these transactions, hardware revenue is recorded on a net basis.
In dealer and OEM transactions where our role is to provide the software subscription to the end-user, we are primarily responsible for the services and present the respective subscription revenue on a gross basis. Payments to dealers in exchange for their services are recorded as cost of revenue.
*Judgments and estimates.*Accounting for contracts recognized over time involves the use of various techniques to estimate total contract revenue and costs. Due to uncertainties inherent in the estimation process, it is possible that estimates of costs to complete a performance obligation will be revised in the near term. The Company reviews and updates its contract-related estimates regularly, and records adjustments as needed. For those performance obligations for which revenue is recognized using a cost-to-cost input method and residual method, changes in total estimated costs, and related progress towards complete satisfaction of the performance obligation, are recognized on a cumulative catch-up basis in the period in which the revisions to the estimates are made.
Concentration of Credit Risk
The following table sets forth the percentages of total revenue for customers that represents 10% or more of the respective amounts for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Customer A | 60.6% | * |
| Customer B | 28.9% | 29.8% |
| Customer C | * | 23% |
| Customer D | 10.5% | 47.3% |
| * | Below 10% |
|---|
The following table sets forth the percentages of total revenue for customers that represents 10% or more of the respective amounts for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Customer A | 46.7% | 60% |
| Customer B | 23.4% | * |
| Customer C | * | * |
| Customer D | 26.7% | * |
| Customer E | * | 38% |
| * | Below 10% |
|---|
There was $29,042 from these customers in accounts receivable at September 30, 2024 and $1,300 from these customers in accounts receivable at December 31, 2023.
Cost of Revenue
Cost of revenue consists primarily of direct labor and related fringe benefits for internal engineering resources costs incurred for the completion of the contracts and hardware costs.
3. Revenue and Contracts with Customers
Contract Balances
Timing differences between revenue recognized, billings, and customer payments result in contract assets and liabilities. Contract assets represent revenue recognized in excess of customer billings. Contract liabilities represent payments received from customers in advance of satisfying performance obligations. The Company’s contract assets or liabilities as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 arenot material.
Deferred Contract Costs
The Company defers costs associated with fulfilling its contracts if those costs meet all of the following criteria: (i) the costs relate directly to a contract, (ii) the costs generate or enhance resources of the Company that will be used in satisfying performance obligations in the future, and (iii) the costs are expected to be recovered. Deferred contract costs are included in prepaid and other current assets in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. The Company had $196,805 and $0 deferred contract costs as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.
4. Balance Sheet Components
Financial Instruments
The Company’s short-term investments consisted of U.S. government treasury bills, which are accounted for as held-to-maturity (“HTM”) securities. HTM securities are carried at amortized cost and, as a result, are not remeasured to fair value on a recurring basis. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the amortized cost of the Company’s U.S. government treasury bills totaled $0.8 million and $4.6 million, respectively, which approximated its fair value based on Level 1 inputs. All of the Company’s short-term investments will mature within one year of September 30, 2024. The Company does not expect a credit loss for its short-term investments.
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Prepaid expenses and other current assets are comprised of the following:
| September 30, 2024 · December 31, 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory | $375,603 | $ | - |
| Prepaid expenses | 118,572 | 385,474 | |
| Security deposits | 160,149 | 155,729 | |
| Tax receivables | 763,624 | 765,697 | |
| Receivables and current assets | 246,115 | 9,526 | |
| Total prepaid and expenses and other current assets | $1,664,063 | $1,316,426 | |
Property and Equipment, Net
Property and equipment is comprised of the following:
| September 30, | December 31, | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| Automobiles | $747,060 | $616,947 |
| Furniture and fixtures | 178,491 | 178,491 |
| Computer and equipment | 588,268 | 517,181 |
| Capitalized software | 773,338 | 342,136 |
| Leasehold improvements | 208,848 | 458,406 |
| Construction work in progress | 563,437 | 208,848 |
| Property and equipment, gross | 3,059,442 | 2,322,009 |
| Less: accumulated depreciation | (992,031) | (835,337) |
| Total property and equipment, net | $2,067,411 | $1,486,672 |
Depreciation expense for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 was $54,762 and $89,625, respectively, and for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 was $151,647 and $264,127, respectively.
Accounts Payable
Accounts payable includes independent director fees payable of $42,500 and $41,250 as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities are comprised of the following:
| September 30, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Credit card payable | $135,197 | $1,103 |
| Accrued expenses | 457,275 | 214,286 |
| Accrued payroll | 543,786 | 985,753 |
| Total accrued expenses and other current liabilities | $1,136,258 | $1,201,142 |
5. Operating Leases
The Company leases its office space in Menlo Park, California, under an operating lease agreement dated August 18, 2017, that was originally signed for a term of five years. The lease has been amended and extended several times since the original signing and currently expires in May 2025. Monthly payments are approximately $81,000. The lease includes common area maintenance costs that are paid separately from rent based on actual costs incurred.
The Company’s future lease payments under the non-cancellable lease as of September 30, 2024, which are presented as lease liabilities on the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheet, are as follows:
| Period | Operating Lease |
|---|---|
| Remainder of 2024 | $192,316 |
| 2025 | 320,526 |
| Total lease payments | 512,842 |
| Less: imputed interest | (7,611) |
| Present value of lease liability | $505,231 |
| September 30, | December 31, | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| Weighted-average remaining lease term (in years) | 0.67 | 1.42 |
| Weighted -average discount rate | 4.39% | 3.05% |
Lease expense under the Company’s operating lease was $159,140 and $100,251 for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively and $519,105 and $393,162 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The amortization of the operating lease right-of-use assets totaled $174,364 and $149,051 for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively and $518,142 and $431,250 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The weighted average discount rate is based on the incremental borrowing rate that is utilized to present value the remaining lease payments over the lease term.
6. Intangible Assets, Net
The gross carrying amount and accumulated amortization of separately identifiable intangible assets are as follows:
| Gross Carrying Amount · Accumulated Amortization · Impairment · Net Carrying Amount | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Developed software | $1,033,533 | $ | - | $ | - | $1,033,533 |
| Patents | 589,755 | (35,879) | (118,831) | 435,045 | ||
| Trademark | 45,000 | (25,250) | - | 19,750 | ||
| Total intangible assets | $1,668,287 | $(61,129) | $(118,831) | $1,488,328 | ||
| Gross Carrying Amount · Accumulated Amortization · Fair Market Value Adjustment · Impairment · Net Carrying Amount | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Developed software | $542,692 | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $542,692 |
| Patents | 539,840 | (20,117) | - | - | 519,723 | |||
| Trademark | 45,000 | (23,000) | - | - | 22,000 | |||
| Rights to intellectual property | 100,000 | (20,000) | (50,000) | (30,000) | - | |||
| Total intangible assets | $1,227,532 | $(63,117) | $(50,000) | $(30,000) | $1,084,415 | |||
Amortization expense for each of the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 was $6,185 and $4,751, respectively, and for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 was $18,012 and $11,960, respectively.
ASC 360, “Property, Plant, and Equipment”, defines a multi-step process to test long-lived assets, including intangible assets, for recoverability that if failed would indicate impairment. First, the Company must consider whether indicators of impairment of long-lived assets are present. The Company determined the Triggering Events in conjunction with preparation of its financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 provided such indication.
Next, the Company must review the long-lived assets to define asset group(s) that would reflect the lowest level of assets to which discrete cash flows are identifiable, and test these asset groups for impairment.
In performing this review, the Company identified that the long-lived asset “Patents”, which have international and U.S. based patents, as the asset group. The Company evaluated its patents and identified expired international patent applications (“expired assets”) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024. The Company determined there were no further plans to put resources toward these international patent applications. The group of expired patents carrying value was set to its salvage value which is zero given no future cash flows.
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company recorded a $0 and $118,831, respectively, impairment charge under gain (loss) on disposal assets, which is included in other income (expense) on its condensed consolidated statement of operations, to adjust the expiring assets salvage value ofzero. There wereno impairment charges for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023.
The Company identified that the long-lived asset “Rights to intellectual property”, all of which relate to the Infinitracker, should be classified as abandoned (the “Abandoned Asset”) with the Company determining that it no longer has plans to provide support and sale of the product. The Abandoned Asset’s carrying value was set to its salvage value which is zero given no future cash flows. In addition, the Company abandoned the use of the associated inventory and recorded a loss of $66,690 to impair the inventory to $0 as of December 31, 2023.
The impairment charges as of December 31, 2023, the Company recorded a fair market value adjustment of $50,000 and a $30,000 impairment charge under amortization expense on its condensed consolidated statement of operations to adjust the Abandoned Asset to its salvage value ofzero.
It was determined for all remaining long-lived assets (excluding the Abandoned Asset) that there were no triggering events, and therefore, no further impairment charges to long-lived assets were necessary as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023.
Estimated amortization expense for all intangible assets subject to amortization in future years is expected to be:
| Amortization | |
|---|---|
| Remainder 2024 | $6,727 |
| 2025 | 26,909 |
| 2026 | 26,909 |
| 2027 | 26,909 |
| 2028 | 26,909 |
| Thereafter | 1,373,965 |
| Total | $1,488,328 |
7. Capital Structure
Common Stock
As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company is authorized to issue 200,000,000 of common stock with a par value of $0.00001 per share. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had 2,026,575 and 759,831(1) shares of common stock issued and outstanding, respectively. Holders of common stock have no pre-emptive, conversion or subscription rights and there is no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. The rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock that the Company may designate in the future.
Preferred Stock
In October 2021, the Company amended its Certificate of Incorporation and revised the number of preferred stock shares authorized for issuance to 10,000,000 shares at a par value of $0.00001. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, there wereno shares of preferred stock issued and outstanding.
Common Stock Offerings
On April 23, 2024, the Company entered into an underwritten Agreement with Aegis Capital Corp. (“Aegis”), pursuant to which Aegis acted as the Company’s underwriter on a firm commitment basis in connection with the sale by the Company of an aggregate of 500,000(1) shares of common stock in a public offering, which included: (i)198,000(1) shares of common stock, and (ii) pre-funded warrants to purchase 302,000(1) shares of common stock. The Pre-Funded Warrants had a nominal exercise price of $0.00001. Each share of common stock was sold at an offering price of $0.10, and each Pre-Funded Warrant was sold at an offering price of $0.09999. The Pre-Funded Warrants are classified as a component of permanent stockholders’ equity within additional paid-in capital and were recorded at the issuance date concluding the purchase price approximated the fair value. The offering closed on April 25, 2024.
On May 3, the Company closed on the sale of an additional 20,400(1) shares of common stock, upon exercise by the underwriter of the over-allotment option.
The Company received gross proceeds of approximately $5.2 million before deducting transaction related expenses payable by the Company. All commissions, qualified legal, accounting, registration and other direct costs of $0.6 million related to the public offering were offset against the gross proceeds. The Company is using the net proceeds to fund its cash needs.
On December 8, 2023, the Company entered into a Placement Agent Agreement with Aegis Capital Corp. (“Aegis”), pursuant to which Aegis acted as the Company’s placement agent, on a reasonable best efforts basis, in connection with the sale by the Company of an aggregate of 333,334(1) shares of common stock in a public offering, which included: (i)114,668(1) shares of common stock, and (ii) pre-funded warrants to purchase 218,666(1)shares of common stock. The Pre-Funded Warrants had a nominal exercise price of $0.00001. Each share of common stock was sold at an offering price of $0.15, and each Pre-Funded Warrant was sold at an offering price of $0.14999. The Pre-Funded Warrants are classified as a component of permanent stockholders’ equity within additional paid-in capital and were recorded at the issuance date concluding the purchase price approximated the fair value.
The public offering closed on December 12, 2023. The Company received gross proceeds of approximately $5 million before deducting transaction related expenses payable by the Company. All commissions, qualified legal, accounting, registration and other direct costs of $0.5 million related to the public offering were offset against the gross proceeds. The Company is using the net proceeds to fund its cash needs.
At the Market Equity Financing
On May 31, 2023, the Company entered into an ATM Sales Agreement with Virtu Americas LLC (the “ATM Sales Agreement”), under which the Company may, from time to time, sell shares of the Company’s common stock at market prices by methods deemed to be an “at-the-market offering” as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The ATM Sales Agreement and related prospectus is limited to sales of up to an aggregate maximum $8.8 million of shares of the Company’s common stock. The Company pays Virtu Americas LLC up to 3.0% of the gross proceeds as a commission. For the three and nine months ended as of September 30, 2024, a total of 2,565 and 387,283(1), respectively, shares of common stock were sold through Virtu Americas LLC under the ATM Sales Agreement. As of September 30, 2024, the Company has received net proceeds of $8,597,957 after payment of commission fees of $175,468 and other related expenses of $60,465.
The following warrants were outstanding as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, all of which contain standard anti-dilution protections in the event of subsequent rights offerings, stock splits, stock dividends or other extraordinary dividends, or other similar changes in the Company’s common stock or capital structure, and none of which have any participating rights for any losses:
| Securities into which warrants are convertible | Warrants outstanding(1) | Exercise Price(1) | Expiration Date | Fair value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common stock (Initial Public Offering) | 1,400 | $937.50 | October 2026 | $170,397 |
| Common stock (Private Placement) | 70,969 | $271 | April 2027 | 6,745,681 |
| Total | 72,369 | $6,916,078 | ||
The Company accounts for warrants in accordance with ASC 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity”, depending on the specific terms of the warrant agreement. The Company determined the fair value of the warrants using the Black-Scholes pricing model and treated the valuation as equity instruments in consideration of the cashless settlement provisions in the warrant agreements. The warrants are not marked-to-market each reporting period, and thus there is no impact to earnings. Any future exercises of the warrants will be recorded as cash received and recorded in cash, with a corresponding increase to common stock and additional paid-in capital in stockholders’ equity.
| (1) | All information has been retroactively adjusted to reflect the 1-for-100 reverse stock split effected on July 3, 2024. See Note 7, Capital Structure for details. |
The Company used the following assumptions:
| Initial Public Offering Warrants | Private Placement Warrants | |
|---|---|---|
| Fair value of underlying securities | $2.88 | $1.37 |
| Expected volatility | 51.0% | 45.0% |
| Expected term (in years) | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Risk-free interest rate | 1.13% | 2.92% |
Reverse Stock Split
On June 25, 2024, the Company’s stockholders voted to authorize the Company’s Board of Directors to effect a reverse stock split of the outstanding shares of common stock within a range of 1-for-5 to 1-for-100. On June 25, 2024, the Company’s Board of Directors determined to effect the reverse stock split of the common stock at a 1-for-100 ratio, which reverse split became effective in the market on July 5, 2024.
The Company’s primary reasons for effecting the reverse stock split was to increase the per share price of our common stock to meet Nasdaq’s minimum bid price requirement for continued listing on Nasdaq.
8. Net Loss Per Share Attributable to Common Stockholders
In accordance with ASC 260, basic and diluted earnings per shares amounts, and weighted-average shares outstanding have been restated for all periods presented to reflect the effect of the stock dividends and reverse stock split. The following table summarizes the computation of basic and diluted loss per share:
| Three months Ended September 30, | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 · 2023 | |||
| Net loss attributable to common stockholders | $(5,427,399) | $(5,471,512) | |
| Basic and diluted weighted average common shares outstanding | 1,981,907 | 496,009 | (1) |
| Loss per share: | |||
| Basic and diluted | $(2.74) | $(11.03) | |
| Nine months Ended September 30, | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 · 2023 | |||
| Net loss attributable to common stockholders | $(17,216,430) | $(17,453,669) | |
| Basic and diluted weighted average common shares outstanding | 1,333,255 | 491,656 | (1) |
| Loss per share: | |||
| Basic and diluted | $(12.91) | $(35.50) | |
Basic loss per share is based upon the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Diluted loss per share would include the effect of unvested restricted stock awards and the convertible preferred stock; however, such items were not considered in the calculation of the diluted weighted average common shares outstanding since they would be anti-dilutive.
| (1) | All information has been retroactively adjusted to reflect the 1-for-100 reverse stock split effected on July 3, 2024. See Note 7, Capital Structure for details. |
9. Stock-based Compensation Expense
Stock-Based Compensation
The Company uses stock-based compensation, including restricted stock units, to provide long-term performance incentives for its employees and board directors. The Company measures employee and director stock-based compensation awards based on the award’s estimated fair value on the date of grant. Forfeitures are recognized as they occur. Expense associated with these awards is recognized using the straight-line attribution method over the requisite service period for stock options, restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and restricted stock and is reported in our condensed consolidated statements of stockholders’ equity.
The fair value of the Company’s stock options is estimated, using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The resulting fair value is recognized on a straight-line basis over the period during which an employee is required to provide service in exchange for the award. The Company has elected to recognize forfeitures as they occur. Stock options generally vest over four years and have a contractual term of ten years.
Determining the grant date fair value of options requires management to make assumptions and judgments. These estimates involve inherent uncertainties and if different assumptions had been used, stock-based compensation expense could have been materially different from the amounts recorded.
The assumptions and estimates for valuing stock options are as follows:
| ● | Fair value per share of Company’s common stock. Because there was no public market for Cyngn’s common stock prior to the IPO, its Board of Directors, with the assistance of a third-party valuation specialist, determined the common stock fair value at the time of the grant of stock options by considering a number of objective and subjective factors, including its actual operating and financial performance, market conditions and performance of comparable publicly traded companies, developments and milestones in the Company, and the likelihood of achieving a liquidity event among other factors. Since the Company’s common stock began publicly trading on the Nasdaq, the value of its common stock underlying stock options or RSUs has been valued based on prevailing market prices. |
| ● | Expected volatility. Because the Company’s common stock had no publicly traded history prior to the IPO, it estimated the expected volatility using a combination of its stock price volatility and the stock price volatility of peer companies, for a period equal to the expected term of the options. |
| ● | Expected term. The expected term of employee stock options represents the weighted-average period that the stock options are expected to remain outstanding. The Company estimates the expected term of options granted based upon the “simplified method” provided under Staff Accounting Bulletin, Topic 14, or SAB Topic 14. |
| ● | Risk-free interest rate. The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect during the period the options were granted corresponding to the expected term of the awards. |
| ● | Estimated dividend yield. The estimated dividend yield is zero, as the Company does not currently intend to declare dividends in the foreseeable future. |
Equity Incentive Plans
In February 2013, the Company’s Board of Directors adopted the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan (“2013 Plan”). The 2013 Plan authorizes the award of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, stock appreciation rights, RSUs, performance awards, and other stock or cash awards.
In October 2021, the Company’s Board of Directors adopted the Cyngn Inc. 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”). The 2021 Plan replaces the 2013 Plan. However, awards outstanding under the 2013 Plan will continue to be governed by their existing terms.
In November 2023, the shareholders of the Company approved an amendment to the Company’s 2021 Equity Incentive Plan to increase the number of shares authorized for issuance by 50,000(1) shares of common stock. In June 2024, the shareholders of the Company approved an amendment to allow an annual increase to the 2021 Plan equal to the least of (i)15% of the outstanding common stock on a fully diluted basis as of the end of the Company’s immediately preceding fiscal year, or (ii) such lesser amount as determined by the Board.
As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, approximately 86,438 and 6,565(1) shares of common stock were reserved and available for issuance under the 2021 Plan, respectively. Options issued under the Plans generally vest based on continuous service provided by the option holder over a four-year period. Compensation expense related to these options is recognized on a straight-line basis over the four-year period based upon the fair value at the grant date.
The following table summarizes information about the Company’s stock options outstanding as well as stock options vested and exercisable as of September 30, 2024, and activity during the three month period then ended(1):
| Shares · Weighted- average exercise price · Weighted- average remaining contractual term (years) · Aggregate intrinsic value | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outstanding as of June 30, 2024 | 167,430 | $100.13 | 6.83 | $ | - |
| Granted | 3,550 | 4.73 | |||
| Exercised | - | - | - | ||
| Cancelled/forfeited | (2,950) | $142.36 | |||
| Outstanding as of September 30, 2024 | 168,030 | $97.38 | 6.61 | $ | - |
| Vested and expected to vest at September 30, 2024 | 168,030 | $97.38 | 6.61 | $ | - |
| Vested and exercisable at September 30, 2024 | 104,994 | $96.23 | 5.56 | $ | - |
The following table summarizes information about the Company’s stock options outstanding as well as stock options vested and exercisable as of September 30, 2024, and activity during the nine month period then ended(1):
| Shares · Weighted- average exercise price · Weighted- average remaining contractual term (years) · Aggregate intrinsic value | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outstanding as of December 31, 2023 | 175,063 | $104.27 | 7.37 | $42,530 | |
| Granted | 6,716 | 10.92 | |||
| Exercised | - | - | - | ||
| Cancelled/forfeited | (13,749) | $142.89 | |||
| Outstanding as of September 30, 2024 | 168,030 | $97.38 | 6.61 | $ | - |
| Vested and expected to vest at September 30, 2024 | 168,030 | $97.38 | 6.61 | $ | - |
| Vested and exercisable at September 30, 2024 | 104,994 | $96.23 | 5.56 | $ | - |
The following table summarizes information about the Company’s RSUs as of September 30, 2024, and activity during the three months then ended(1):
| Shares | Weighted- average grant date fair value | |
|---|---|---|
| Unvested Shares at June 30, 2024 | 2,610 | $104.42 |
| RSUs granted | - | |
| RSUs vested | (126) | 552.00 |
| RSUs forfeited | - | - |
| Unvested Shares at September 30, 2024 | 2,484 | $81.72 |
The following table summarizes information about the Company’s RSUs as of September 30, 2024, and activity during the nine months then ended(1):
| Shares | Weighted- average grant date fair value | |
|---|---|---|
| Unvested Shares at December 31, 2023 | 1,764 | $278.33 |
| RSUs granted | 2,160 | 11.18 |
| RSUs vested | (1,440) | 216.75 |
| RSUs forfeited | - | - |
| Unvested Shares at September 30, 2024 | 2,484 | $81.72 |
The fair value of a stock option is estimated using an option-pricing model that takes into account as of the grant date the exercise price and expected life of the option, the current price of the underlying stock and its expected volatility, expected dividends on the stock, and the risk-free interest rate for the expected term of the option. The Company has used the simplified method in calculating the expected term of all option grants based on the vesting period and contractual term. Compensation costs related to share-based payment transactions are recognized in the financial statements upon satisfaction of the requisite service or vesting requirements.
The weighted average per share grant-date fair value of options granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 was $5.99 and $55.13(1), respectively.
The following weighted average assumptions were used in estimating the grant date fair values on September 30, 2024 and 2023(1):
| September 30, | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| Fair value of common stock | $10.92 | $102.40 |
| Expected term (in years) | 6.02 | 6.02 |
| Risk-free rate | 3.94% | 3.63% |
| Expected volatility | 53.60% | 52.74% |
| Dividend yield | 0% | 0% |
The Company recorded stock-based compensation expense from stock options and RSUs of approximately $601,791 and $719,283, for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively and $1,871,466 and $2,517,890, during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
As of September 30, 2024, total stock-based compensation cost related to outstanding unvested stock options that are expected to vest was $4.2 million. This unrecognized stock-based compensation cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 2.2 years. Income tax benefits recognized from stock-based compensation expense recognized for the year ended September 30, 2024 were immaterial due to cumulative losses and valuation allowances.
| (1) | All information has been retroactively adjusted to reflect the 1-for-100 reverse stock split effected on July 3, 2024. See Note 7, Capital Structure for details. |
10. Retirement Savings Plan
Effective November 17, 2017, the Company established the Cyngn Inc. 401(k) Plan for the exclusive benefit of all eligible employees and their beneficiaries with the intention to provide a measure of retirement security for the future. This plan is subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and qualifies under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. Cyngn Inc. did not offer and has not provided a company match for its 401(k) Plan.
11. Income Taxes
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, the Company recorded income tax expense of $0. The effective tax rate is 0% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023.
For financial reporting purposes, the Company’s effective tax rate used for the interim periods is based on the estimated full-year income tax rate. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company’s effective tax rate differs from the statutory rate, primarily due to a valuation allowance recorded against the net deferred tax asset balance.
Currently, the Company is not under examination by any taxing authority.
12. Commitments and Contingencies
Legal Proceedings
The Company is subject to legal and regulatory actions that arise from time to time. The assessment as to whether a loss is probable or reasonably possible, and as to whether such loss or a range of such loss is estimable, often involves significant judgment about future events, and the outcome of litigation is inherently uncertain. There is no material pending or threatened litigation against the Company that remains outstanding as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023.
13. Risks and Uncertainties
The Company’s business operations, operating results, and financial condition are vulnerable to certain risks and uncertainties including:
| ● | Inflation and its related impact on costs and expenditures on domestic and foreign-sourced materials and services; |
| ● | Rising interest rates and its impact on the equity markets, investment valuations, and interest rate-sensitive calculations such as discount rate assumptions used in cash flow projections and going-concern assessments; |
| ● | Effects of the Russia-Ukraine and Israeli-Palestine conflicts such as possible cyberattacks and potential disruptions in the banking systems and capital markets and the supply chain; and |
| ● | Other factors beyond its control such as natural disasters, terrorism, civil unrest, infectious diseases and pandemics including COVID-19 and its variants. |
The Company is unable to predict and quantify at this time the extent of the related potential adverse effects but continuously monitors these risks and uncertainties on its future operations and financial performance.
14. Subsequent Events
The Company performed a review of events subsequent to the balance sheet date through the date the consolidated financial statements were issued and determined that there were no such events requiring recognition or disclosure in the consolidated financial statements.
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.