AEye, Inc. 10-K

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Please read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with “Note about Forward-Looking Statements,” Part I, Item 1 “Business,” Part I, Item 1A “Risk Factors,” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes included under Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Overview This overview provides a high-level discussion of our operating results and some of the trends that affect our business. We believe that an understanding of these trends is important to understanding our financial results for fiscal year 2021, as well as our future prospects. This summary is not intended to be exhaustive, nor is it intended to be a substitute for the detailed discussion and analysis provided elsewhere in this Annual Report, including our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. All dollar amounts expressed in this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations are in thousands of dollars, except for per share amounts and unless otherwise specified. Business Combination and Public Company Costs As a result of the Business Combination, which was closed on August 16, 2021, a subsidiary of CF Finance Acquisition Corp III, or CF III, Meliora Merger Sub, Inc., merged with and into AEye, Inc., then known as AEye Technologies, Inc., or AEye Technologies, with AEye Technologies continuing as the surviving entity as a wholly owned subsidiary of CF III, and CF III thereafter operating under the new name AEye, Inc., or AEye, or the combined entity. The Business Combination was accounted for as a reverse recapitalization, in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Under this method of accounting, AEye Technologies was treated as the accounting acquirer, meaning CF III was treated as the acquired company for financial reporting purposes. This determination is primarily based on AEye Technologies’ stockholders comprising a relative majority of the voting power of the combined entity and having the ability to nominate the majority of the governing body of the combined entity. Additionally, AEye Technologies’ senior management comprise the senior management of the combined entity and AEye Technologies’ operations comprise the ongoing operations of the combined entity. Accordingly, for accounting purposes, the financial statements of the combined entity will represent a continuation of the financial statements of AEye Technologies, and the Business Combination will be treated as the equivalent of AEye Technologies issuing stock for the net assets of CF III, accompanied by a recapitalization. The most significant change in AEye Technologies’ financial position and results of the business combination was an increase in cash of $256,811. Total non-recurring transaction costs incurred for this transaction were $52,661. Upon the closing of the Business Combination, AEye began trading under the symbols “LIDR” and “LIDRW” on the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, or Nasdaq. We anticipate that we will continue to hire additional personnel and implement procedures and processes to address public company regulatory requirements and customary practices. We have incurred and expect to incur additional annual expenses as a public company for, among other things, directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, director fees and additional internal and external accounting and legal and administrative resources, including increased audit and legal fees. COVID-19 Impact The extensive impact of the pandemic caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted and will likely continue to result in significant disruptions to the global economy, as well as businesses and capital markets around the world, despite the reports of declines in severity. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted and affected AEye’s business operations, which has led to business and supply chain disruptions, as well as broad changes in its supply and demand. For example, AEye’s offices and R&D and manufacturing have been, and from time-to-time may continue to be, impacted due to national and regional government declarations requiring closures, quarantines and travel restrictions. 43 To mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, AEye took several steps during 2020 to ensure its viability. We significantly reduced internal discretionary costs, reduced senior leadership salaries, furloughed and laid off a portion of the employees, and obtained a loan and rent deferral for a period of six months in 2020. We also applied for and were granted a Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, loan of $2.3 million with Silicon Valley Bank, or SVB, as part of the U.S. Small Business Administration program. This loan enabled us to bring back a portion of the furloughed employees. The continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on AEye’s operational and financial performance will depend on various future developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak and impact on its customers, suppliers, and employees, all of which is uncertain at this time. We expect the COVID-19 pandemic may adversely impact our future revenue and results of operations but we are unable to predict at this time the size and duration of this adverse impact. At the same time, we have seen some signs of positive effects for our long-term business prospects and partnerships as a result of the pandemic. We believe automakers perceive the incorporation of lidar solutions in new models as a long-term strategic initiative that will be necessary for future growth and are therefore beyond the direct impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, although the timing of the incorporation may be impacted by the pandemic. For more information on our operations and risks related to epidemics, including COVID-19, please see the section of this Annual Report on Form 10-K entitled “Risk Factors.” Key Factors Affecting AEye’s Operating Results AEye believes that its future performance and success depends to a substantial extent on its ability to capitalize on the following opportunities, which in turn is subject to significant risks and challenges, including those discussed below and the risk factors described in the section of this Annual Report on Form 10-K entitled “Risk Factors.” We are subject to those risks common in the technology industry and also those risks common to early stage companies including, but not limited to, the possibility of not being able to successfully develop or commercialize its products; attract new customers and retain existing customers; develop and protect intellectual property; comply with existing and new or modified laws and regulations applicable to its business; maintain and enhance the value of its reputation and brand; hire, integrate, and retain talented people at all levels of its organization;, and successfully develop new solutions to enhance the experience of customers. Market Trends and Uncertainties AEye anticipates growing demand for its 4Sight TM Intelligent Sensing Platform across three major markets, the Automotive, Industrial and Mobility markets. AEye anticipates the total addressable market for lidar-based perception technology to grow to $42 billion by 2030. Within those markets, AEye is targeting attractive segments including advanced driver-assistance systems, or ADAS, autonomous driving, commercial trucking, robo-taxis, and various Industrial and Mobility market segments such as mining, aviation, shuttles, railway, and intelligent transportation systems, or ITS. This provides AEye with multiple opportunities for sustained growth by enabling new applications and product features across these market segments. However, as our customers continue R&D projects to commercialize solutions that rely on lidar technology, it is difficult to estimate the timing of ultimate end market and customer adoption. In the Automotive market for example, which accounted for 76% and 79% of revenue in 2021 and 2020, respectively, AEye’s growth and financial performance will be heavily influenced by its ability to successfully integrate into OEM programs that require years of development, testing, and validation. Because of the size and complexity of these OEM programs, AEye sees its existing Tier 1 partnerships as a substantial competitive advantage given their large scale, mass-production capabilities, and existing OEM customer relationships. AEye’s primary focus in Automotive is on ADAS for passenger and commercial vehicle autonomy, particularly highway autonomy applications. We believe that growth in that market is driven by both more stringent safety regulations and consumer demand for vehicles offering increased safety. AEye will need to anticipate and adapt to any changes in the regulatory environment, as well as changes in consumer demand in order to take advantage of this opportunity. Additionally, AEye is increasing its investments in international operations and partnerships that will position the company to expand its business globally and meet growing demand in the international markets. This is an important part of AEye’s core strategy and may expose AEye to additional factors such as foreign currency risk, additional operating costs, and other risks and challenges that may impact the ability to meet projected sales and margins. 44 Partnerships and Commercialization AEye’s technology is designed to be a key enabler of autonomous solutions for Automotive, Industrial, and Mobility market applications. Because our technology must be integrated into a broader solution by our customers, it is critical that AEye achieves design wins with these customers. Achieving these design wins varies based on the market and application. Achieving a design win with an OEM within the Automotive market may take considerably longer than a design win with customers in the Industrial or Mobility markets. AEye considers design wins to be critical to its future success, although the revenue generated by each design win and the time necessary to achieve such a win can vary significantly, making it difficult to predict AEye’s financial performance. AEye’s revenue and profitability will be dependent upon our success in licensing our technology to Tier 1 automotive suppliers, such as Continental, which represented 55% of 2021 revenue, that intend to use our technology in volume production of lidar sensors for OEMs. Delays of autonomy programs from OEMs that AEye is currently or will be working with through our Tier 1 partners could result in AEye being unable to achieve its revenue targets and profitability in the time frame we anticipate. Our revenue and profitability will be further dependent upon both our success in selling our lidar solutions to customers in the Industrial and Mobility markets. Gross Margin Improvement Our gross margins will depend on numerous factors, including among others the selling price of our products, pricing of our development contracts with customers, royalty rates on licenses we grant to our customers, unit volumes, product mix, component costs, personnel costs, contract manufacturing costs, overhead costs, and product features. In the future, we expect to generate attractive gross margins from licensing our lidar technology and software to our Tier 1 partners in Automotive, and we expect those licenses will begin generating revenue for AEye in 2024. We also sell our own lidar solutions to customers in the Industrial and Mobility markets utilizing low-cost components that are sourced from the Tier 2 automotive supply chain and assembled by our contract manufacturing partners. If our Tier 1 partners in Automotive do not achieve the volumes that we expect, then the cost of the components we use to address the Industrial and Mobility markets may be higher than we currently anticipate and may impact our gross margins and our ability to achieve profitability. To date, our revenue has been generated through development and/or collaboration arrangements with OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers to the OEMs, as well as unit sales of our products. The development contracts primarily focus on customization of our proprietary 4Sight capabilities to the customers’ applications, typically involving software implementation to assist with sensor connection and control, customization of scan patterns, and enhancement of particular perception capabilities to meet specific customer needs. In general, development and/or collaboration arrangements that require more complex configurations have higher prices. We expect development contracts to represent a smaller share of our total revenue over time, as we increase our focus on technology licensing and product sales. We expect our gross margins from the sale of products to improve over time as we outsource volume production of our lidar sensors to contract manufacturers, which will both increase unit volumes and reduce the cost per unit. In September 2021, we commenced our transition process to contract manufacturers which we expect to be complete in mid-2022. Investment and Innovation Our proprietary adaptive, intelligent lidar technology delivers industry-leading performance that helps to solve the most difficult challenges in delivering partial or full autonomy. While traditional sensing systems passively collect data, AEye’s active 4Sight Intelligent Sensing Platform leverages principles from automated targeting systems and biomimicry to scan its environment, while intelligently focusing on what matters in order to enable safer, smarter, and faster decisions in complex scenarios. We believe our financial performance is significantly dependent on our ability to maintain a technology leadership position. This is further dependent on the investments we make in R&D. It is essential that we continually identify and respond to rapidly evolving customer requirements, develop and introduce innovative new products, enhance and service existing products, and generate strong market demand for our products. If we fail to do this, our leading market position and revenue may be adversely affected, and our investments in that area will not be recovered. Basis of Presentation AEye currently conducts its business through one operating segment. 45 Components of Results of Operations Total Revenues We categorize our revenue as (1) prototype sales and (2) development contracts. In 2021 and 2020, our prototype revenue primarily related to unit sales of the company’s 4Sight M product. Revenue from prototype sales is typically recognized at a point in time when the control of goods is transferred to the customer, generally upon delivery or shipment to the customer. Development contracts represented the majority of our total revenues in 2021 and 2020. Revenue from development and/or collaboration arrangement contracts are earned from R&D activities and collaboration with OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers to the OEMs. These contracts primarily focus on customization of our proprietary 4Sight capabilities to the customers’ applications, typically involving software implementation to assist with sensor connection and control, customization of scan patterns, and enhancement of perception capabilities to meet specific customer needs. Revenue from development and/or collaboration arrangement contracts is recognized when we satisfy performance obligations in the contract, which can result in recognition at either a point in time or over time. This assessment is made at the outset of the arrangement for each performance obligation. Cost of Revenue Cost of revenue includes the costs directly associated with the production of prototypes and certain costs associated with development arrangements. Such costs for prototypes are direct materials, direct labor, indirect labor, warranty expense, and allocation of overhead. Costs associated with development arrangements include the direct costs and allocation of overhead costs involved in the execution of the contract. Operating Expenses Research and Development Our R&D efforts are focused primarily on hardware, software, and system engineering related to the design and development of our advanced lidar solutions. R&D expenses include: • personnel-related expenses, including salaries, benefits, bonuses, and stock-based compensation expense; • third-party engineering and contractor costs; • lab equipment; • new hardware and software expenses; and • allocated overhead expenses. R&D costs are expensed as they are incurred. Our investment in R&D will continue to grow because we believe that investment is essential to maintain our position as a provider of one of the most advanced lidar solutions available. Sales and Marketing Our S&M efforts are focused primarily on sales, business development, and marketing programs in pursuit of revenue contracts from potential and existing customers. S&M expenses include: • personnel-related costs, including salaries, benefits, bonuses, and stock-based compensation; • trade shows expenses, advertising, and promotions expenses for press releases and other public relations services; and • allocated overhead expenses. We expect our S&M expenses to grow over time as we continue to expand our sales and marketing efforts to support the anticipated growth of our business. 46 General and Administrative Our G&A spending supports all business functions. G&A expenses include: • personnel-related costs, including salaries, benefits, bonuses, and stock-based compensation for executive, finance, legal, human resources, technical support, and other administrative personnel; • consulting, accounting, legal and professional fees; • insurance premiums, software and computer equipment costs, general office expenses; and • allocated overhead expenses. We expect our G&A expenses to increase for the foreseeable future as we increase our headcount to support the growth of our business, and as a result of operating as a public company, including additional costs and expenses associated with compliance with the rules and regulations of the SEC, legal, audit, insurance, investor relations, and other administrative and professional services. Change in Fair Value of Embedded Derivative and Warrant Liabilities Change in fair value of embedded derivative and warrant liabilities is the result of the change in fair value at each reporting date. The carrying amounts of the embedded derivative and warrant liabilities are recorded at fair value at issuance, marked-to-market as of each balance sheet date, and changes in fair value are reported as other income (expense) during the period. Upon the closing of the Business Combination, the embedded derivative was settled, the pre-combination common stock warrants and Series A preferred stock warrants were net settled and converted to Class A common stock and private placement warrants were acquired. See additional discussion of derivatives in Note 3 to our consolidated financial statements. Interest Income, Interest Expense and Other Interest income consists primarily of interest earned on our cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities. These amounts will vary based on our cash and cash equivalents balances and market rates. Interest expense consisted primarily of interest on our borrowings and convertible notes and amortization of debt issuance costs and discount. Upon the closing of the Business Combination, the borrowings were repaid with any remaining debt issuance costs and discounts expensed. The pre-combination convertible notes and accrued interest were settled and converted to Class A common stock. See additional discussion in Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements. 47 Results of Operations Comparison of the Years Ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 The results of operations presented below should be reviewed in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included elsewhere in this report. The following table sets forth our consolidated results of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 (in thousands, except for percentages): Year ended December 31, Change Change 2021 2020 $ % Prototype sales $ 1,004 $ 365 $ 639 175 % Development contracts 2,003 1,214 789 65 % Total revenues 3,007 1,579 1,428 90 % Cost of revenue 3,637 808 2,829 350 % Gross profit (630) 771 (1,401) (182) % Research and development 26,543 17,130 9,413 55 % Sales and marketing 10,548 3,408 7,140 210 % General and administrative 25,514 6,715 18,799 280 % Total operating expenses 62,605 27,253 35,352 130 % Loss from operations (63,235) (26,482) (36,753) 139 % Change in fair value of embedded derivative and warrant liabilities 223 1,410 (1,187) (84) % Gain on PPP loan forgiveness 2,297 — 2,297 100 % Interest income and other 561 23 538 2,339 % Interest expense and other (4,857) (1,502) (3,355) 223 % Total other income (expense), net (1,776) (69) (1,707) 2474 % Net loss $ (65,011) $ (26,551) $ (38,460) 145 % Revenue Prototype Sales Prototype sales increased by $639, or 175%, to $1,004 for the year ended December 31, 2021 from $365 for the year ended December 31, 2020. This increase was primarily due to an increase in 4Sight M unit sales. Development Contracts Development contracts increased by $789, or 65%, to $2,003 for the year ended December 31, 2021, from $1,214 for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase was primarily due to revenue recognized in the current year from a large Tier 1 Automotive Supplier contract. Cost of Revenue Cost of revenue increased by $2,829, or 350%, to $3,637 for the year ended December 31, 2021, from $808 for the year ended December 31, 2020. This increase was primarily due to the increase in prototype sales, the cost of revenue associated with the Tier 1 Automotive Supplier contract, and additional inventory reserves in the current period. Operating Expenses Research and Development Research and development expenses increased by $9,413, or 55%, to $26,543 for the year ended December 31, 2021, from $17,130 for the year ended December 31, 2020. This increase was primarily driven by increases in contract development of $2,359, consumption of parts from inventory of $1,120, stock-based compensation expense of $1,473, personnel costs of $3,276, and information technology expense of $619. 48 Sales and Marketing Total sales and marketing expenses increased by $7,140, or 210%, to $10,548 for the year ended December 31, 2021, from $3,408 for the year ended December 31, 2020. This increase was primarily due to increases in marketing program spend of $1,830, stock-based compensation expense of $1,132, and personnel costs of $3,284. General and Administrative Total general and administrative expenses increased by $18,799, or 280%, to $25,514 for the year ended December 31, 2021, from $6,715 for the year ended December 31, 2020. This increase was primarily due to an increase in administrative expense, including professional accounting and legal fees of $5,062, directors' and officers' insurance premium of $1,893, information technology expense of $609, stock-based compensation expense of $5,461, and personnel costs of $6,243. Change in Fair Value of Embedded Derivative and Warrant Liabilities Change in fair value of embedded derivative (See Note 3) and warrant liabilities decreased by $1,187, or 84%, to $223 for the year ended December 31, 2021, from $1,410 for the year ended December 31, 2020. This decrease was primarily due to the embedded derivative value decreasing by $1,503 for the year ended December 31, 2020 versus $17 for the year ended December 31, 2021, offset by the acquisition of private placement warrants resulting from the Business Combination. Gain on PPP Loan Forgiveness Gain on PPP loan forgiveness increased by $2,297, or 100%, for the year ended December 31, 2021. In June 2021 the full principal and interest of the PPP loan was forgiven. Interest Income and Other Interest income and other increased by $538, or 2,339%, to $561 for the year ended December 31, 2021, from $23 for the year ended December 31, 2020. This increase was primarily due to the interest earned on our marketable securities of $540. Interest Expense and Other Interest expense and other increased by $3,355, or 223%, to $4,857 for the year ended December 31, 2021, from $1,502 for the year ended December 31, 2020. This increase was primarily due to $1,583 of costs associated with the Tumim Stone Common Stock Purchase Agreement, and increases related to the SVB financing facility loan of $430, interest on convertible notes of $341, amortization of discounts on marketable securities of $456, and an increase in the amortization of debt discount and debt issuance costs of $550. Net Loss Net loss increased by $38,460, or 145%, to $65,011 for the year ended December 31, 2021, from $26,551 for the year ended December 31, 2020. This increase was primarily due to an increase in operating expenses. Liquidity and Capital Resources Sources of Liquidity AEye’s capital requirements will depend on many factors, including sales volume, the timing and extent of spending to support R&D efforts, investments in information technology systems, the expansion of sales and marketing activities, increased costs as we continue to hire additional personnel, and market adoption of new and enhanced products and features. As of December 31, 2021, our cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities totaled $164.0 million. 49 To date, AEye’s principal sources of liquidity have been proceeds received from the issuance of equity. In December 2021 the Company entered into a Common Stock Purchase Agreement, or CSPA, with Tumim Stone, whereby AEye will have the right, but not the obligation, to issue and sell to Tumim Stone over a 36-month period up to $125,000 of the Company’s common stock once AEye files the registration statement covering the resale of registrable securities under the CSPA. As of December 31, 2021 no shares were issued under this CSPA. AEye anticipates filing the registration statement in April 2022. Until AEye can generate sufficient revenue from the sale of its products to cover operating expenses, working capital, and capital expenditures, AEye expects the funds raised in the Business Combination, PIPE financing, as well as any future funds from the CSPA, to fund its near term cash needs. If we are required to raise additional funds by issuing equity securities, dilution of stockholders may result. Any debt securities issued may also have rights, preferences, and privileges senior to those of holders of AEye common stock. The terms of debt securities or borrowings could impose significant restrictions on AEye’s operations. The credit market and financial services industry have in the past, and may in the future, experience periods of uncertainty that could impact the availability and cost of equity and debt financing. For the year ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, we had a net loss of $65,011 and $26,551, respectively. We anticipate that we will continue to incur losses for at least the next several years. We expect that our research and development, selling and marketing, and general and administrative expenses will continue to be significant and, as a result, we may need additional capital resources to fund our operations. We believe that the net proceeds from the Business Combination and CSPA with Tumim Stone, together with our existing cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities will enable us to fund our operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements for a period of at least twelve months from the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our plans for the use of cash in the long-term (beyond twelve months from this Annual Report) are similarly related to funding operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements as we continue to scale the business. For additional information regarding our cash requirements from lease obligations and contractual obligations, see Note 18. “Commitments and Contingencies” in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of Part II of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Cash Flow Summary Year ended December 31, 2021 2020 (in thousands) Net cash provided by (used in): Operating activities $ (55,703) $ (19,689) Investing activities $ (151,546) $ (4,036) Financing activities $ 207,084 $ 32,018 Operating Activities For the year ended December 31, 2021, net cash used in operating activities were $55,703. Factors affecting our operating cash flows during this period were net loss of $65,011 and gain on PPP loan forgiveness of $2,297, offset by stock-based compensation of $10,018, and depreciation and amortization of $1,014. Within operating activities, the net changes in operating assets and liabilities were cash used of $4,064, primarily driven by increases in prepaids and other current assets of $3,655, accounts receivable of $4,066 and inventories of $2,633, partially offset by increases in accrued expenses and other current liabilities of $5,496, and accounts payable of $557. For the year ended December 31, 2020, net cash used in operating activities was $19,689. Factors affecting our operating cash flows during this period were net loss of $26,551 and change in fair value of embedded derivative (See Note 3) and warrant liabilities of $1,410, offset by stock-based compensation of $1,952 and depreciation and amortization of $922. Within operating activities net changes in operating assets and liabilities was cash provided of $4,371, primarily driven by decreases in prepaids and other current assets of $3,811 and increase in accrued expenses and other current liabilities of $1,377, partially offset by decreases in deferred rent of $496 and contract liabilities of $290. 50 Investing Activities For the year ended December 31, 2021, net cash used in investing activities was $151,546. The primary factor affecting net cash used in investing activities during this period was the purchase of available-for-sale debt securities of $150,525. For the year ended December 31, 2020, net cash used in investing activities was $4,036, due to the purchase of property and equipment of $4,036 associated with the leasehold improvement incentive for the new headquarters. Financing Activities For the year ended December 31, 2021, net cash provided by financing activities was $207,084. The primary factors affecting our financing cash flows during this period were the proceeds from the Business Combination and private offering of $256,811, partially offset by transaction costs related to the Business Combination of $52,372, proceeds from a bank loan of $10,000, offset by principal payments on bank loans of $13,333. For the year ended December 31, 2020, net cash provided by financing activities was $32,018. The primary factors affecting our financing cash flows during this period were the proceeds from the issuance of AEye Convertible Equity Instruments of $29,990, proceeds from PPP loan of $2,270, offset by principal payments on bank loans of $667. Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates Our consolidated financial statements are in accordance with GAAP. We are required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the consolidated financial statements, the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods, fair value measures, and the related disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. We believe that the following accounting policies described in Note 1: “Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” in the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2021 are critical because they involve a higher degree and judgment and uncertainty. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances. The results of our analysis form the basis for making assumptions about the carrying values of assets and liabilities and fair value measures that are not readily apparent from other sources. As a result, these accounting policies could materially affect our financial statements. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate these estimates and judgments based on historical experiences and various other factors that are believed to reflect the current circumstances. While we believe our estimates, assumptions and judgments are reasonable, they are based on information presently available. Actual results may differ significantly from these estimates due to changes in judgments, assumptions and conditions as a result of unforeseen events or otherwise, which could have a material impact on our financial position and results of operations. Revenue We recognize revenues from the sale of prototype products and from R&D and development arrangements with OEMs and suppliers to the OEMs. Revenue represents the amount of expected consideration we are entitled to receive upon the transfer of promised goods or services in the ordinary course of our activities and is recorded net of sales taxes. We recognize revenue when performance obligations are satisfied by transferring control of a promised good or service to a customer. For performance obligations that are satisfied at a point in time, we also consider the following indicators to assess whether control of a promised good or service is transferred to the customer: (i) right to payment; (ii) transfer of legal title; (iii) physical possession; (iv) significant risks and rewards of ownership; and (v) acceptance of the goods or service. For performance obligations satisfied over time, we recognize revenue over time by measuring the progress toward complete satisfaction of a performance obligation. 51 The application of various accounting principles related to the measurement and recognition of revenue requires us to make judgments and estimates. Specifically, complex development arrangements with nonstandard terms and conditions may require relevant contract interpretation to determine the appropriate accounting treatment, including whether the promised goods and services specified in a multiple element arrangement are capable of being distinct and accounted for as separate performance obligations. Determining whether products or services are considered distinct performance obligations that should be accounted for separately versus together may sometimes require significant judgment. 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. For multiple element arrangements, the transaction price is allocated to each performance obligation using the relative stand-alone selling price, or SSP. Judgment is required to determine SSP for each distinct performance obligation. We use a range of amounts to estimate SSP when products and services are sold separately. In instances where SSP is not directly observable, we determine SSP using information that may include other observable inputs, or use a residual approach to estimate the SSP for performance obligations where SSP is highly variable or uncertain. Changes in judgments with respect to these assumptions and estimates could impact the timing or amount of revenue recognition. Emerging Growth Company Status Section 102(b)(1) of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act, exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can choose not to take advantage of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies, and any such election to not take advantage of the extended transition period is irrevocable. AEye is an “emerging growth company” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, and has elected to take advantage of the benefits of the extended transition period for new or revised financial accounting standards. Following the closing of the Business Combination, our Post-Combination Company will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which the market value of common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter, (ii) the last day of the fiscal year in which the Company has total annual gross revenue of $1.07 billion or more during such fiscal year (as indexed for inflation), (iii) the date on which the Company has issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt in the prior three-year period, or (iv) December 31, 2025. AEye expects to continue to take advantage of the benefits of the extended transition period, although it may decide to early adopt such new or revised accounting standards to the extent permitted by such standards. This may make it difficult or impossible to compare the Company’s financial results with the financial results of another public company that is either not an emerging growth company or is an emerging growth company that has chosen not to take advantage of the extended transition period exemptions because of the potential differences in accounting standards used. Recent Accounting Pronouncements See Note 1 to AEye’s consolidated f inancial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for recently adopted accounting pronouncements and recently issued accounting pronouncements not yet adopted as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.