Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
Disclosure Controls and Procedures
As of the end of the period covered by this report, an evaluation was carried out under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s management, including its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of its disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”)). Based upon that evaluation, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that these disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of and for the period covered by this report.
Management's Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Our internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Our internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that: pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect our transactions and our dispositions of assets; provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that our receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of our management and directors; and provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition and use or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
On December 1, 2023, we completed the acquisition of QuickTurn. Our management is in the process of reviewing the operations of QuickTurn and integrating its controls into our internal control structure. In accordance with SEC guidance permitting a company to exclude an acquired business from management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting for the year in which the acquisition is completed, we have excluded QuickTurn from our assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023. QuickTurn represented 1.9% of our total assets and less than 0.2% of our total revenues as of and for the year ended December 31, 2023. S ee Note 4 to the consolidated financial statements for additional information about the acquisition of QuickTurn.
Management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023. In making this assessment, management used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013). Based on management’s assessment using this framework, management concluded that, as of December 31, 2023, our internal control over financial reporting was effective.
The effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023 has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report included herein.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There was no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during its most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, its internal control over financial reporting.
89
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of FTAI Aviation Ltd.
Opinion on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
We have audited FTAI Aviation Ltd.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023, based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) (the COSO criteria). In our opinion, FTAI Aviation Ltd. (the Company) maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023, based on the COSO criteria.
As indicated in the accompanying Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting, management’s assessment of and conclusion on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting did not include the internal controls of Quick Turn Engine Center LLC, which is included in the 2023 consolidated financial statements of the Company and constituted 1.9% of total assets as of December 31, 2023 and 0.2% of total revenues for the year then ended. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting of the Company also did not include an evaluation of the internal control over financial reporting of Quick Turn Engine Center LLC.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the consolidated balance sheets of the Company as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), changes in equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2023, and the related notes and our report dated February 26, 2024 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
Basis for Opinion
The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management's Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.
Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
New York, New York
February 26, 2024
90
Item 9B. Other Information
None.
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections
Not applicable.
PART III—OTHER INFORMATION
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
Any information required by this Item 10 is incorporated by reference to our definitive proxy statement for the 2024 annual meeting of shareholders to be filed with the SEC pursuant to Regulation 14A within 120 days after the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 (our “Definitive Proxy Statement”) under the headings “Proposal No. 1 Election of Directors”, “Executive Officers” and if applicable, “Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports.”
Item 11. Executive Compensation
The information required by this Item 11 is incorporated by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement under the headings “Executive and Manager Compensation” and “Compensation Committee Report.”
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
The following table summarizes the total number of outstanding securities in the Incentive Plan and the number of securities remaining for future issuance, as well as the weighted average strike price of all outstanding securities as of December 31, 2023.
Equity Compensation Plan Information
Plan category Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants, and rights Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants, and rights Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (1)
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders 616,177 $ 23.78 29,801,656
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders — — —
Total 616,177 29,801,656
______________________________________________________________________________________
(1) Excludes 15,000 stock options and 183,344 ordinary shares issued to directors as compensation.
The additional information required by this Item 12 is incorporated by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement under the heading “Security Ownership of Management and Certain Beneficial Owners.” See also “Nonqualified Stock Option and Incentive Award Plan” in Part II, Item 5, “Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters, and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities” which is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
The information required by this Item 13 is incorporated by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement under the headings “Proposal No. 1 Election of Directors—Determination of Director Independence” and “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions.”
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services
The information required by this Item 14 is incorporated by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement under the heading “Proposal No. 2 Approval of Appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm—Principal Accountant Fees and Services.”
PART IV
Item 15. Exhibits
Exhibit No. Description
2.1
Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of August 12, 2022, by and among, FTAI, the Company and FTAI Aviation Merger Sub LLC (incorporated by reference to Annex A to FTAI’s Registration Statement on Form S-4, filed on October 11, 2022).
2.2
Separation and Distribution Agreement, dated as of August 1, 2022, between FTAI Infrastructure Inc. and the Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on August 1, 2022).
3.1
Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on November 14, 2022).
3.2
Share Designation with respect to the 8.25% Fixed-to-Floating Series A Cumulative Perpetual Redeemable Preferred Shares (included as part of Exhibit 3.1 hereto).
91
Exhibit No. Description
3.3
Share Designation with respect to the 8.00% Fixed-to-Floating Series B Cumulative Perpetual Redeemable Preferred Shares (included as part of Exhibit 3.1 hereto).
3.4
Share Designation with respect to the 8.25% Fixed-Rate Reset Series C Cumulative Perpetual Redeemable Preferred Shares (included as part of Exhibit 3.1 hereto).
3.5
Share Designation with respect to the 9.500% Fixed-Rate Reset Series D Cumulative Perpetual Redeemable Preferred Shares of FTAI Aviation Ltd. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Company’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed on March 15, 2023).
3.6
Form of Certificate representing the 8.25% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Series A Cumulative Perpetual Redeemable Preferred Shares of FTAI Aviation Ltd. (included as part of Exhibit 3.1 hereto).
3.7
Form of Certificate representing the 8.00% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Series B Cumulative Perpetual Redeemable Preferred Shares of FTAI Aviation Ltd. (included as part of Exhibit 3.1 hereto).
3.8
Form of Certificate representing the 8.25% Fixed-Rate Reset Series C Cumulative Perpetual Redeemable Preferred Shares of FTAI Aviation Ltd. (included as part of Exhibit 3.1 hereto).
3.9
Form of certificate representing the 9.500% Fixed-Rate Reset Series D Cumulative Perpetual Redeemable Preferred Shares of FTAI Aviation Ltd. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the Company’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed on March 15, 2023).
4.1
Indenture, dated September 18, 2018, between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, relating to the Company’s 6.50% senior unsecured notes due 2025 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on September 18, 2018).
4.2
Form of global note representing the Company’s 6.50% senior unsecured notes due 2025 (included in Exhibit 4.1).
4.3
First Supplemental Indenture, dated May 21, 2019, between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, relating to the Company’s 6.50% senior unsecured notes due 2025 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on May 21, 2019).
4.4
Second Supplemental Indenture, dated December 23, 2020, between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, relating to the Company’s 6.50% senior unsecured notes due 2025 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on December 23, 2020).
4.5
2025 Notes Guarantee, dated November 10, 2022 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on November 14, 2022).
4.6
Indenture, dated July 28, 2020, between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, relating to the Company’s 9.75% senior unsecured notes due 2027 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Company’s Form 8-K, filed on July 28, 2020).
4.7
Form of global note representing the Company’s 9.75% senior unsecured notes due 2027 (included in Exhibit 4.10).
4.8
2027 Notes Guarantee, dated November 10, 2022 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on November 14, 2022).
4.9
Indenture, dated April 12, 2021, between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, relating to the Company’s 5.50% senior unsecured notes due 2028 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K, filed April 12, 2021).
4.10
Form of global note representing the Company’s 5.50% senior unsecured notes due 2028 (included in Exhibit 4.6).
4.11
First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of September 24, 2021, between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, relating to the Company’s 5.50% senior unsecured notes due 2028 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on September 24, 2021).
4.12
2028 Notes Guarantee, dated November 10, 2022 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on November 14, 2022).
4.13
Indenture, dated November 21, 2023, between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, relating to the Company’s 7.875% senior unsecured notes due 2030 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on November 22, 2023).
4.14
Form of global note representing the Company’s 7.875% senior unsecured notes due 2030 (included in Exhibit 4.1).
4.15
Description of Securities Registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.
† 10.1
Management and Advisory Agreement, dated as of July 31, 2022, between the Company, FTAI Aviation Ltd., the Subsidiaries that are party thereto and FIG LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on August 1, 2022).
† 10.2
Services and Profit Sharing Agreement, dated November 10, 2022, by and among FTAI Aviation Holdco Ltd., the Company and Fortress Worldwide Transportation and Infrastructure Master GP LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on November 14, 2022).
† 10.3
Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated November 10, 2022, by and among FTAI Aviation Ltd., the Company, Fortress Worldwide Transportation and Infrastructure Master GP LLC and FIG LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on November 14, 2022).
† 10.4
FTAI Aviation Ltd. Nonqualified Stock Option and Incentive Award Plan, dated as of February 23, 2023.
† 10.5
Form of FTAI Aviation Ltd. Director and Officer Indemnification Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4, filed on October 4, 2022).
† 10.6
Form of Director Award Agreement pursuant to the FTAI Aviation Ltd. Nonqualified Stock Option and Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.7 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4, filed on October 4, 2022).
† 10.7
Form of Award Agreement under the FTAI Aviation Ltd. Nonqualified Stock Option and Incentive Award Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4, filed on October 4, 2022).
92
Exhibit No. Description
10.8
Trademark License Agreement, dated as of August 1, 2022, between Fortress Transportation and Infrastructure Investors LLC and FTAI Infrastructure Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed August 1, 2022).
10.9
Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of September 20, 2022, between the Company, the lenders and issuing banks from time to time party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed September 21, 2022).
10.10
Amendment No. 1 to the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of November 22, 2022, between the Company, the lenders and issuing banks from time to time party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed February 27, 2023).
10.11
Amendment No. 2 to the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of April 10, 2023, between the Company, the lenders and issuing banks from time to time party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.11 of the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed April 27, 2023).
10.12
Revolver Guarantee, dated November 10, 2022 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.4 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on November 14, 2022).
21.1
Subsidiaries of FTAI Aviation Ltd.
23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
31.1
Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a), as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
31.2
Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a), as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
32.1
Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
32.2
Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
97.1
FTAI Aviation Ltd. Clawback Policy effective as of December 1, 2023.
101 The following financial information from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, formatted in iXBRL (Inline Extensible Business Reporting Language): (i) Consolidated Balance Sheets; (ii) Consolidated Statements of Operations; (iii) Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive (Loss) Income; (iv) Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity; (v) Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows; and (vi) Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101).
† Management contracts and compensatory plans or arrangements.
Item 16. Form 10-K Summary
None.
93
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized:
FTAI AVIATION LTD.
By: /s/ Joseph P. Adams, Jr. Date: February 26, 2024
Joseph P. Adams, Jr.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
By: /s/ Joseph P. Adams, Jr. Date: February 26, 2024
Joseph P. Adams, Jr.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
By: /s/ Eun (Angela) Nam Date: February 26, 2024
Eun (Angela) Nam
Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer
By: /s/ Paul R. Goodwin Date: February 26, 2024
Paul R. Goodwin
Director
By: /s/ Judith A. Hannaway Date: February 26, 2024
Judith A. Hannaway
Director
By:
/s/ A. Andrew Levison
Date: February 26, 2024
A. Andrew Levison
Director
By: /s/ Kenneth J. Nicholson Date: February 26, 2024
Kenneth J. Nicholson
Director
By: /s/ Ray M. Robinson Date: February 26, 2024
Ray M. Robinson
Director
By: /s/ Martin Tuchman Date: February 26, 2024
Martin Tuchman
Director
94