Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes and other financial information included in Part I, “Item 1. Financial Statements” of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (this “Quarterly Report”), as well as our audited financial statements and notes thereto as of and for the year ended December 31, 2023, and the related Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 (“2023 Annual Report”). Each of the terms the “Company,” “Array,” “we,” or “us” as used herein refers collectively to Array Technologies, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries, unless otherwise stated. In addition to historical financial information, the following discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Our actual results and timing of selected events may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of many factors, including those discussed under the sections captioned “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in this Quarterly Report and our 2023 Annual Report.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This report contains forward-looking statements that are based on our management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to our management. Forward-looking statements include information concerning our possible or assumed future results of operations, business strategies, technology developments, financing and investment plans, dividend policy, competitive position, industry and regulatory environment, potential growth opportunities and the effects of competition. Forward-looking statements include statements that are not historical facts and can be identified by terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” “would” or similar expressions and the negatives of those terms.
Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Also, forward-looking statements represent our management’s beliefs and assumptions only as of the date of this report. You should read this report with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect.
Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations include factors in “Summary Risk Factors” and the “Risk Factors” sections of this Quarterly Report. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.
Summary Risk Factors
Our business is subject to a number of risks that if realized could materially and adversely affect our business, financial conditions, results of operations, cash flows and access to liquidity. These risks are discussed more fully in the “Risk Factors” section of this Quarterly Report and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. Our principal risks include the following:
• if demand for solar energy projects does not continue to grow or grows at a slower rate than we anticipate, our business will suffer;
• the viability and demand for solar energy are impacted by many factors outside of our control, including but not limited to, the retail price of electricity, availability of in-demand components like high voltage
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breakers, various policies related to the permitting and interconnection costs of solar plants, and the availability of incentives for solar energy and products, which makes it difficult to predict our future prospects;
• competitive pressures within our industry may harm our business, revenues, growth rates and market share;
• a loss of one or more of our significant customers, their inability to perform under their contracts, or their default in payment, could harm our business and negatively impact revenue, results of operations and cash flow;
• a drop in the price of electricity derived from the utility grid or from alternative energy sources may harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects;
• a failure to maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting may negatively affect our ability to timely report our financial condition or results of operations, which may adversely affect our business;
• a further increase in interest rates, or a reduction in the availability of tax equity or project debt capital in the global financial markets could make it difficult for customers to finance the cost of a solar energy system and could reduce the demand for our products;
• electric utility industry policies and regulations, and any subsequent changes, may present technical, regulatory and economic barriers to the purchase and use of solar energy systems, which may significantly reduce demand for our products or harm our ability to compete;
• the interruption of the flow of materials from international vendors could disrupt our supply chain, including as a result of the imposition of additional duties, tariffs and other charges or restrictions on imports and exports;
• geopolitical, macroeconomic and other market conditions unrelated to our operating performance including the COVID-19 pandemic, the military conflict in Ukraine and Russia, the Israel-Hamas war, attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and rising inflation and interest rates;
• changes in the global trade environment, including the imposition of import tariffs or other import restrictions, could adversely affect the amount or timing of our revenues, results of operations or cash flows;
• we may not be able to convert our orders in backlog into revenue;
• our results of operations fluctuate from quarter to quarter, which could make our future performance difficult to predict and could cause our results of operations for a particular period to fall below expectations;
• the reduction, elimination or expiration, or our failure to optimize the benefits of government incentives for, or regulations mandating the use of, renewable energy and solar energy, particularly in relation to our competitors, could reduce demand for solar energy systems and harm our business;
• if we fail to, or incur significant costs in order to obtain, maintain, protect, defend or enforce, our intellectual property and other proprietary rights, our business and results of operations could be materially harmed;
• significant changes in the cost of raw materials could adversely affect our financial performance;
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• defects or performance problems in our products could result in loss of customers, reputational damage and decreased revenue, and we may experience delays, disruptions or quality control problems in our product development operations;
• if we fail to retain our key personnel or if we fail to attract additional qualified personnel, we may not be able to achieve our anticipated level of growth and our business could suffer;
• our continued planned expansion into new markets could subject us to additional business, financial, regulatory and competitive risks;
• cybersecurity or other data incidents, including unauthorized disclosure of personal or sensitive data or theft of confidential information could harm our business;
• internal control deficiencies have been identified that constituted material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. If we fail to implement and maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting, we may be unable to accurately or timely report our financial condition or results of operations, which may adversely affect our business
• our substantial indebtedness could adversely affect our financial condition;
• we face risks related to actual or threatened public health epidemics, pandemics, outbreaks or crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition; and
• changes to tax laws and regulations that are applied adversely to us or our customers could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, including our ability to optimize those changes brought about by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act.
Overview
We are one of the world’s largest manufacturers of ground-mounting tracking systems used in solar energy projects at utility scale. Our principal products are a portfolio of integrated solar tracking systems comprised of steel supports, electric motors, gearboxes and electronic controllers commonly referred to as a single-axis “tracker.” Trackers move solar panels throughout the day to maintain an optimal orientation to the sun, which significantly increases their energy production. Solar energy projects that use trackers typically generate more energy and deliver a lower Levelized Cost of Energy (“LCOE”) than projects that use “fixed tilt” mounting systems, which do not move. The vast majority of ground mounted solar systems in the U.S. use trackers.
Our flagship tracker uses a patented design that allows one motor to drive multiple rows of solar panels through articulated driveline joints. To avoid infringing on our U.S. patent, our competitors must use designs that we believe are inherently less efficient and reliable. For example, our largest competitor’s design requires one motor for each row of solar panels. As a result, we believe our products have greater reliability, lower installation costs, reduced maintenance requirements and competitive manufacturing costs. Our core U.S. patent is on a linked-row, single-driving apparatus that rotates a plurality of tracker rows connected by an articulating drive shaft. This patent does not expire until February 5, 2030.
With our acquisition of STI in January of 2022, we added a dual-row tracker design to our product portfolio. This tracker uses one motor to drive two connected rows and is ideally suited for sites with irregular and highly angled boundaries or fragmented project areas. To offer a comprehensive set of solutions to the growing market, in September of 2022, we also introduced a third tracker product requiring significantly less grading and civil works permitting prior to installation in addition to accommodating uneven terrain. This suite of
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products extends our target applications and ability to deliver the best utility-scale solar tracker solutions to the market.
We sell our products to engineering, procurement and construction firms (“EPCs”) that build solar energy projects and to large solar developers, independent power producers and utilities, often under master supply agreements or multi-year procurement contracts. During the three months ended March 31, 2024, we derived 73% and 27% of our revenues from customers in the U.S. and the rest of the world, respectively. As of March 31, 2024, we had shipped more than 74.8 gigawatts of trackers to customers worldwide.
Our corporate headquarters are located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As of March 31, 2024, we had 975 full-time employees.
Research and Development
The Company incurs research and development (“R&D”) costs during its process of researching and developing new products and significant enhancements to existing products. R&D costs are a subset of our total engineering spend and consist primarily of personnel-related costs associated with our team of internal engineers, third-party consultants, materials and overhead. The Company expenses these costs as incurred prior to a respective product being ready for commercial production. Total engineering expense was $4.3 million and $3.9 million during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, of which $1.9 million and $2.1 million were related to R&D activities performed by the Company during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
Acquisition of STI Norland
On January 11, 2022, we completed our acquisition of STI, which resulted in the Company owning 100% of the equity interests in STI. Similar to Array Legacy operations, STI generates revenue through the design, manufacture and sale of its utility-scale solar tracker systems to customers in global markets that include Spain, Brazil, the U.S. and South Africa. The integration of STI has allowed us to accelerate our international expansion and better address rising global demand for utility-scale solar projects, particularly in developing countries in Latin America and Africa.
Reversal of Out-of-Period Adjustment Recorded during the three months ended March 31, 2023
Capped Calls and Put Option
During the three months ended December 31, 2023, the Company consulted with the staff of the Office of the Chief Accountant of the SEC, and after consultation with the staff, the Company concluded that the change from its historical accounting treatment for its Capped Calls and its Put Option that were made during the three months ended March 31, 2023, was not required. As a result, the Company has chosen to revert to its historical accounting and reverse the initial cumulative catch-up recorded during the three months ended March 31, 2023. as well as any subsequent fair value adjusting entries recorded during the interim periods in 2023. See Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies .
Factors Affecting Results of Operations
Project Timing
Because we recognize revenue on projects as legal title to equipment is transferred from us to the customer, any delays in large projects from one quarter to another for any reason may cause our results of operations for a particular period to fall below expectations. Our end-users’ ability to install solar energy systems has been affected by a number of factors including:
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• Weather . Inclement weather can affect our customers’ ability to install their systems, particularly in the northeastern United States and in Europe. In addition, weather delays can adversely affect our logistics and operations by causing delays in the shipping and delivery of our materials.
• The interest rate environment . As interest rates have risen, we have seen customers looking to renegotiate power purchase agreements to improve project returns. Any unexpected or protracted negotiation can cause installation delays and delay our ability to recognize revenue relating to the relevant projects. In addition, we have had customers delay planned installations in anticipation of interest reductions and more favorable project financing conditions later in 2024.
• Availability of necessary equipment . We have a broad portfolio of customer relationships including presence with every Tier 1 utility in the United States. Each utility has unique specifications for access to its grid, which is generally not consistent across the industry. As the supply of renewables projects has increased, severe shortages and long lead-times in the supply of switches, transformers and HV breakers used in the interconnection of utility scale solar power plants to the grid, has affected the timing and completion of these projects, including for some of our customers.
• Local permitting . If our customers cannot receive permitting for their projects, they are unable to begin and ultimately complete them in a timely manner. A dramatic increase in solar and battery storage sites has increased the average permitting time in many geographies in which our customers operate.
Impact of IRA
While solar power is cost-competitive with conventional forms of generation in many U.S. states even without the ITC, we believe step-downs in the ITC have influenced the timing and quantity of some customers’ orders. With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA”) in August 2022, the ITC was raised to 30% with no step downs before 2032. Accordingly, we do not anticipate the ITC rate to impact our seasonality during that timeframe.
After a period of uncertainty, in December the IRS published proposed regulations on 45X manufacturing credit benefits that largely confirmed our previous understanding around the eligibility of our torque tube. Beginning in late 2023 and continuing into 2024, we have and continue to successfully negotiate agreements with key suppliers around 45X manufacturing credit benefits associated with the torque tube.
The 45X proposed regulations published in December did not further clarify what would be considered a structural fastener; however, we do continue to expect that there will be additional credits we can monetize for a number of our components under the existing law and proposed regulations. We are actively working on multiple initiatives to obtain additional clarity regarding the eligibility and in parallel are negotiating the split of the 45X benefits with our suppliers for parts we do not manufacture internally.
Structured Cost Management
We actively manage the risk from certain types of customer contracts, including, for example, multi-year contracts that require fixed pricing or pricing tied to certain commodity indices. Depending on the totality of the circumstances and our ability to mitigate risk, we may or may not pursue such contractual arrangements. Where we decline, this may have the effect of driving certain customers or projects to our competitors. We believe this is the right way to manage a high-quality portfolio and drive consistent margins over time.
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Impact of Attacks on Shipping in the Red Sea
Houthi rebels in Yemen have significantly stepped-up attacks against commercial vessels in the Bab-el-Mandeb strait between the Arabian peninsula and the Horn of Africa since late November 2023, which has led many shipping companies to pause shipments through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. Many of these shipments are being redirected around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, adding between 3,000 to 3,500 nautical miles to routes connecting Europe with Asia. As an additional result of the reroute, certain ports could see crowding and delays in unloading shipments. We do not yet know the duration of these disruptions or the severity of their impact on our operations, but we continue to monitor the situation and evaluate our procurement strategy and supply chain as to reduce any negative impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Inflation
Inflationary pressures may continue to impact, at least in the near-term, and may continue to negatively impact our results of operations. To mitigate the inflationary pressures on our business, despite our ASPs decreasing, we have continued to accelerate our productivity initiatives, expanded our supplier base, and continued to execute on our overhead cost containment practices.
Impact of AD/CVD Petitions and Determinations
In June 2022, the U.S. President authorized the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to provide a 24-month AD/CVD tariff exemption for imported solar modules from certain Southeast Asian countries. The USDOC previously issued regulations implementing the AD/CVD moratorium in the event that it found circumvention with respect to such Southeast Asian countries. In August 2023, the USDOC issued final affirmative circumvention rulings, finding that solar modules completed in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam using parts and components produced in China circumvent pre-existing AD/CVD orders on China. At this time, it is expected that duties will apply to such solar modules unless they are imported, used, and installed by June 2024.
While we do not sell solar modules, the degree of our exposure is dependent on, among other things, the impact of the investigation on the projects that are also intended to use our products, with such impact being largely out of our control. We have seen a number of projects in our order book delayed as a result of the USDOC investigation. The repeal of the 24-month exemption, and any affirmative determinations made once the exemption expires in any event, would have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. More broadly, legislation has been proposed that would make it easier for domestic companies to obtain affirmative determinations in antidumping and countervailing duty investigations. The proposed USICA/America COMPETES Act, if enacted, could result in future successful petitions that limit imports from Asia and other regions.
On April 24, 2024, the American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade Committee, an ad hoc coalition of domestic producers of crystalline silicon photovoltaic (CSPV) solar cells and modules, filed a petition with the USDOC and the U.S. International Trade Commission (the “USITC”) seeking the imposition of AD/CVD tariffs on imports of CSPV cells and modules from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. If the USDOC or USITC make preliminary affirmative determinations, could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Additionally, in October 2023, a coalition of U.S. aluminum extruders and a labor union filed AD/CVD cases on aluminum extrusions from fifteen countries. The USDOC has initiated investigations based on the petitions. Certain components in our trackers, including certain clamps, U-joints, and bearing housings are made using extruded aluminum. Our operating results could be adversely impacted if the USDOC imposes duties on such imports. We continue to monitor developments in the above petition and investigation processes and work to
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mitigate their impact on our supply chain, but if we are unable to do so, the imposition of AD/CVD orders could negatively impact our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
The possibility of additional tariffs and duties in the future like those described above have created uncertainty in the industry. If the price of solar systems in the U.S. increases, the use of solar systems could become less economically feasible and could reduce our gross margins or reduce the demand of solar systems manufactured and sold, which in turn may decrease demand for our products. Additionally, existing or future tariffs may negatively affect key customers, suppliers, and manufacturing partners. Such outcomes could adversely affect the amount or timing of our revenues, results of operations or cash flows, and continuing uncertainty could cause sales volatility, price fluctuations or supply shortages or cause our customers to advance or delay their purchase of our products. It is difficult to predict what further trade-related actions governments may take, which may include additional or increased tariffs and trade restrictions, and we may be unable to quickly and effectively react to such actions.
Foreign Currency Translation
For non-U.S. subsidiaries that operate in a local currency environment, assets and liabilities are translated into U.S. dollars at period-end exchange rates. Income, expense, and cash flow items are translated at average exchange rates prevailing during the period. For non-U.S. subsidiaries that operate in a U.S. dollar functional currency, local currency inventories and property, plant and equipment are translated into U.S. dollars at rates prevailing when acquired, and all other assets and liabilities are translated at period-end exchange rates. Income and expense items are translated at average exchange rates prevailing during the period. Gains and losses which result from remeasurement are included in earnings.
Performance Measures
In managing our business and assessing financial performance, we supplement the information provided by the financial statements with other operating metrics. These operating metrics are utilized by our management to evaluate our business, measure our performance, identify trends affecting our business, and formulate projections. The primary operating metric we use to evaluate our sales performance and to track market acceptance of our products is megawatts (“MWs”) shipped and specifically the change in MW shipped from period to period. MWs are measured for each individual project and are calculated based on the respective project’s expected megawatt output once installed and fully operational.
We also utilize metrics related to price and cost of goods sold per MW, including average selling price (“ASP”) and cost per watt (“CPW”). ASP is calculated by dividing total applicable revenues by total applicable MWs, whereas CPW is calculated by dividing total applicable costs of goods sold by total applicable MWs. These metrics enable us to evaluate trends in pricing, manufacturing cost, and customer profitability.
Key Components of Our Results of Operations
The following discussion describes certain line items in our consolidated statements of operations.
Revenue
We generate revenue from the sale of solar tracking systems, parts, software, and services. Our customers include EPCs, utilities, solar developers, and independent power producers. 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 the tracker system and parts can vary from days to several months. Contracts can range in value from hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of dollars.
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Our revenue is affected by changes in the volume and ASPs of solar tracking systems purchased by our customers. The quarterly volume and ASP of our systems is driven by the supply of, and demand for, our products, changes in project mix between module type and wattage, geographic mix of our customers, strength of competitors’ product offerings, and availability of government incentives to the end-users of our products.
Our revenue growth is dependent on continued growth in the size and number of solar energy projects installed each year, as well as our ability to maintain market share in each geography where we compete, expand our global footprint to new and evolving markets, grow our production capabilities to satisfy demand, and continue to develop and introduce new innovative products that integrate emerging technologies and the performance requirements of our customers.
Cost of Revenue and Gross Profit
Cost of revenue consists primarily of product costs, including raw materials, purchased components, salaries, wages and benefits of manufacturing personnel, freight, tariffs, customer support, product warranty, amortization of developed technology, and depreciation of manufacturing and testing equipment. Our product costs are affected by (i) the underlying cost of raw materials, including steel and aluminum, (ii) component costs, including electric motors and gearboxes, (iii) technological innovation, and (iv) economies of scale and improvements in production processes and automation. We may experience disruptions to our supply chain and increased material and freight costs like those experienced in 2021 and 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. When possible, we modify our production schedules and processes to mitigate the impact of these disruptions and cost increases on our margins. We do not currently hedge against changes in the price of our raw materials.
Gross profit may vary from quarter to quarter and is primarily affected by our volume, ASPs, product costs, project mix, customer mix, geographical mix, commodity prices, logistics rates, warranty costs, and seasonality.
Inflation Reduction Act Vendor Rebates
On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (“IRA”) was enacted into law, which includes numerous green energy credits. The 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Tax Credit (“45X Credit”) was established as part of the IRA. The 45X Credit is a per-unit tax credit that is earned over time for each clean energy component domestically produced and sold by a manufacturer. We have, and will continue to, enter into arrangements with manufacturing vendors that produce 45X Credit eligible parts, in which the vendors agree to share a portion of the benefit received related to our purchases, in the form of “Vendor Rebates”.
We account for these Vendor Rebates as a reduction of the purchase prices of the vendors’ products and therefore a reduction in the cost of inventory until the inventory is sold, at which time we recognize such rebates as a reduction of cost of revenues on the condensed consolidated statements of operations. Rebates related to purchases that were made prior to the execution of the agreements are deferred and recognized as a reduction of the prices of future purchases.
Operating Expenses
General and administrative expense consists primarily of salaries, benefits, and equity-based compensation related to our executive, sales, engineering, finance, human resources, information technology, and legal personnel, as well as travel, facility costs, marketing, bad debt provision, and professional fees. The majority of our sales in the first quarter of 2024 and 2023, were in the U.S.; however, in January 2022, we expanded our international operations with the STI Acquisition. We currently have a sales presence in the U.S., Spain, Brazil, South Africa, Australia, and the U.K. We intend to continue to expand our sales presence and marketing efforts to additional countries.
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Contingent consideration consists of the changes in fair value of the tax receivable agreement (“TRA”) entered into with a former indirect stockholder, concurrent with the acquisition of Patent LLC by Former Parent. The TRA liability was recorded at fair value as of July 8, 2016 (the “Patent Acquisition Date”) and subsequent changes in the fair value are recognized in earnings. For discussion and analysis of the TRA see Note 11 – Commitments and Contingencies .
Depreciation consists of costs associated with property, plant and equipment not used in manufacturing of our products. We expect that as we continue to grow both our revenue and our general and administrative personnel, we may require some additional property, plant and equipment to support this growth resulting in additional depreciation expense.
Amortization consists of the expense recognized over the expected period of use of our customer relationships, contractual backlog, and STI trade name intangible assets. Amortization related to certain acquired intangible assets is recorded as Total cost of revenue under the caption "Amortization of developed technology".
Non-Operating Expenses
Interest income consists of interest earned on our cash and cash equivalents balance.
Interest expense consists of interest and other charges paid in connection with our Senior Secured Credit Facility, the Convertible Notes, and Other Debt held by our STI Operations.
We are subject to U.S. federal, state and non-U.S. income taxes. As we expand into additional foreign markets, we may be subject to additional foreign tax.
Reportable Segments
Subsequent to the acquisition of STI, the Company began reporting its results of operations in two segments; the Array Legacy operating segment and the newly acquired STI Legacy operating segment (“STI Legacy Operations”) pertaining to legacy STI operations. The segment amounts included in this Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis are presented on a basis consistent with our internal management reporting. Additional information on our reportable segments is contained in Note 14 – Segment Reporting in the accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements.
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Results of Operations
The following table sets forth our consolidated statement of operations (dollars in thousands):
Three Months Ended March 31, Increase/(Decrease)
2024 2023 $ %
Revenue $ 153,403 $ 376,773 $ (223,370) (59) %
Cost of revenue
Cost of product and service revenue 94,674 275,594 (180,920) (66) %
Amortization of developed technology 3,639 3,639 — — %
Total cost of revenue 98,313 279,233 (180,920) (65) %
Gross profit 55,090 97,540 (42,450) (44) %
Operating expenses
General and administrative 37,784 38,142 (358) (1) %
Change in fair value of contingent consideration (735) 1,338 (2,073) (155) %
Depreciation and amortization 9,627 10,602 (975) (9) %
Total operating expenses 46,676 50,082 (3,406) (7) %
Income from operations 8,414 47,458 (39,044) (82) %
Other income, net 814 194 620 320 %
Interest income 3,680 1,231 2,449 199 %
Foreign currency loss (499) (194) 305 157 %
Interest expense (8,940) (10,731) (1,791) (17) %
Total other expense, net (4,945) (9,500) (4,555) (48) %
Income before income tax expense 3,469 37,958 (34,489) (91) %
Income tax expense 1,304 8,323 (7,019) (84) %
Net income $ 2,165 $ 29,635 $ (27,470) (93) %
The following table provides details on our operating results by reportable segment for the respective periods (dollars in thousands):
Three Months Ended March 31, Increase/(Decrease)
2024 2023 $ %
Revenue
Array Legacy Operations $ 114,381 $ 305,204 $ (190,823) (63) %
STI Operations 39,022 71,569 (32,547) (45) %
Total $ 153,403 $ 376,773 $ (223,370) (59) %
Gross Profit
Array Legacy Operations $ 49,086 $ 79,835 $ (30,749) (39) %
STI Operations 6,004 17,705 (11,701) (66) %
Total $ 55,090 $ 97,540 $ (42,450) (44) %
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Comparison of the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023
Revenue
Consolidated revenue decreased, $223.4 million, or 59%, driven by a decrease at STI Operations of $32.5 million and a decrease at Array Legacy Operations of $190.8 million.
The $32.5 million, or 45%, revenue decrease at STI Operations was driven by a volume decrease of 41% and an ASP decrease on lower input costs of 4%.
The $190.8 million, or 63%, revenue decrease at Array Legacy Operations was driven by a volume decrease of 60% and an ASP decrease on lower input costs of 2%.
Cost of Revenue and Gross Profit
Consolidated cost of revenue decreased by $180.9 million, or 65%, driven primarily by the reduction in volume combined with a decrease in input costs.
Consolidated gross profit decreased by $42.5 million, or 44%. As a percentage of revenue, consolidated gross profit increased to 36% for the three months ended March 31, 2024, as compared to 26% during the same period in the prior year. The increase in gross profit as a percent of revenue was driven by structural cost enhancements and the realization of 45X benefits associated with our torque tube. The Company also recognized a one-time $4.0 million settlement with one of its vendors during the first quarter as a reduction of Cost of revenue.
Array Legacy Operations gross profit decreased by $30.7 million, or 39%. As a percentage of revenue, gross profit at Array Legacy Operations increased to 43% from 26% for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The increase in gross profit as a percent of revenue was driven by structural cost enhancements and the realization of 45X benefits associated with our torque tube. The Company also recognized a one-time $4.0 million settlement with one of its vendors during the first quarter as a reduction of Cost of revenue.
STI Operations gross profit decreased by $11.7 million, or 66%. As a percentage of revenue, gross profit for STI Operations decreased to 15% from 25% for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, driven primarily by changes in statutory reductions from incentive tax credits in Brazil, as well as expedite fees we incurred to meet customer delivery schedules.
Operating Expenses
Consolidated general and administrative expenses decreased by $0.4 million, or 1%. The decrease was was primarily due to lower professional and consulting fees primarily driven by our initiative to internalize activities that were historically outsourced in an effort to reduce fees.
Change in the fair value of contingent consideration resulted in a gain of $0.7 million, for the three months ended March 31, 2024, due to the fair value remeasurement of the TRA liability, primarily driven by an increase in the discount rate used in the valuation.
Consolidated depreciation and amortization expense decreased by $1.0 million, or 9%, due to the decrease in the amortization of intangibles of $1.0 million, driven by a subset of intangible assets acquired in January 2022, becoming fully amortized during the first quarter of 2023.
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Interest Income
Consolidated interest income increased by $2.4 million, or 199%, as compared to the prior year, due to higher
cash on hand during the first quarter of 2024, coupled with higher interest rates.
Interest Expense
Consolidated interest expense decreased by $1.8 million, or 17%, primarily due to $74.3 million of principal pay downs on our Term Loan during 2023, as a result of focused efforts to decrease our outstanding debt balance with free cash flows from operations.
Income Tax Expense
Consolidated income tax decreased by $7.0 million, or 84%. The Company recorded income tax expense of $1.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to an expense of $8.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023. Our effective tax rate was 37.6% and 21.9% for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The income tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2024, was impacted by legislation in Brazil which resulted in a local tax incentive no longer being exempt from federal income tax beginning in 2024. Additionally, tax expense of $0.4 million was recorded discretely during the quarter related to equity-based compensation. The tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2023, was unfavorably impacted by higher income reported in non-U.S. jurisdictions, offset by a tax benefit of $0.4 million related to excess equity-based compensation deductions recorded discretely during the quarter.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Cash Flows (in thousands)
Three Months Ended March 31,
2024 2023
Net cash provided by operating activities
$ 47,502 $ 45,816
Net cash used in investing activities (2,386) (3,883)
Net cash used in financing activities
(4,575) (23,762)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents (2,001) (4,316)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents $ 38,540 $ 13,855
We have historically financed our operations primarily with the proceeds from contributions, operating cash flows and short and long-term borrowings. Our ability to generate positive cash flow from operations is dependent on the strength our gross margins as well as our ability to quickly turn our working capital. Based on our past performance and current expectations, we believe that operating cash flows will be sufficient to meet our future cash needs.
As of March 31, 2024, our cash balance was $287.6 million, of which $69.2 million was held outside the U.S., and net working capital was $490.8 million. We had outstanding borrowings of $237.1 million under our $575 million Term Loan Facility and $179.0 million available to us under our $200 million Revolving Credit Facility.
The Company continually monitors and reviews its liquidity position and funding needs. Management believes that the Company’s ability to generate operating cash flows in the future and available borrowing capacity under its Senior Secured Credit Facility will be sufficient to meet its future liquidity needs.
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Operating Activities
For the three months ended March 31, 2024, cash provided by operating activities was $47.5 million, of which $21.0 million was generated from net income as adjusted for the impact of non-cash expenses, consisting primarily of depreciation and amortization, equity-based compensation, and amortization of developed technology.
For the three months ended March 31, 2023, cash provided by operating activities was $45.8 million, of which $57.2 million was generated from net income as adjusted for the impact of non-cash expenses, consisting primarily of depreciation and amortization, deferred tax expense and equity-based compensation.
Investing Activities
For the three months ended March 31, 2024, net cash used in investing activities was $2.4 million, all of which was related to the purchase of property, plant and equipment, net of dispositions.
For the three months ended March 31, 2023, net cash used in investing activities was $3.9 million, all of which was related to the purchase of property, plant and equipment.
Financing Activities
For the three months ended March 31, 2024, net cash used in financing activities was $4.6 million, driven primarily by a $3.8 million net reduction of other debt and $1.1 million in payments on our Term Loan, as well as a $1.4 million TRA payment issued during the first quarter of 2024.
For the three months ended March 31, 2023, net cash used in financing activities was $23.8 million, driven primarily by $11.1 million in payments on our Term Loan and a $10.7 million net reduction of other debt.
Series A Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock
On August 10, 2021, we entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”) with certain investors (the “Purchasers”). Pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, on August 11, 2021, we issued and sold to the Purchaser 350,000 shares of a newly designated Series A Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Series A Shares”), having the powers, designations, preferences, and other rights set forth in the Certificate of Designations, and 7,098,765 shares of our common stock, par value $0.001 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of $346.0 million. Further, pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, and subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, as amended, we have issued and sold to the Purchasers 776,235 shares of common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $776.
In January 2022, we issued 50,000 of Series A Shares, and 1,125,000 shares of our common stock in the Additional Closing for an aggregate purchase price of $49.4 million.
For more information related to the Series A Shares, see Note 8 – Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock ,” to the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements.
Debt Obligations
For a discussion of our debt obligations see Note 7 – Debt to our condensed consolidated financial statements included in this Quarterly Report.
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Surety Bonds
We are required to provide surety bonds to various parties as required for certain transactions initiated during the ordinary course of business to guarantee our performance in accordance with contractual or legal obligations. As of March 31, 2024, we posted surety bonds in the total amount of approximately $173.5 million. These off-balance sheet arrangements do not adversely impact our liquidity or capital resources.
Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Management Estimates
Our condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the (“U.S. GAAP”). In connection with the preparation of our condensed consolidated financial statements, we are required to make assumptions and estimates about future events and apply judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue, expenses and related disclosures. We base our assumptions, estimates and judgments on historical experience, current trends and other factors that management believes to be relevant at the time our condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared. On a regular basis, we review the accounting policies, assumptions, estimates and judgments to ensure that our condensed consolidated financial statements are presented fairly and in accordance with U.S. GAAP. However, because future events and their effects cannot be determined with certainty, actual results could differ from our assumptions and estimates. To the extent that there are material differences between these estimates and actual results, our future financial statement presentation, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows will be affected.
We consider an accounting policy to be critical if it requires an accounting estimate to be made based on assumptions about matters that are highly uncertain at the time the estimate is made, and if different estimates that reasonably could have been used, or changes in the accounting estimates that are reasonably likely to occur periodically, could materially impact the condensed consolidated financial statements.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The capped call option agreements associated with conversion of the Convertible Notes (the “Capped Calls”) are accounted for as an asset that is recorded at fair value within Derivative assets in the consolidated balance sheets. The changes in fair value to Derivative assets are recorded within change in fair value of derivative assets in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. See Note 1 – Organization, Business and Out of Period Adjustments , and Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies , of the condensed consolidated financial statements for further information regarding the accounting of these instruments.
The Capped Calls are valued using a Black-Scholes model, with the most judgmental non-observable input being the volatility measure. Changes in the assumptions around the volatility can cause significant changes in the estimated fair value of the Capped Call.
Adoption of New and Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
Refer to Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies to our condensed consolidated financial statements for a discussion of adoption of new and recently issued accounting pronouncements.
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