Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis
ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes. This discussion contains forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements for many reasons, including the risks faced by us described in “Risk Factors” section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and elsewhere in the Quarterly Report. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” section to “we,” “us,” “our,” and “the Company” are intended to mean the business and operations of Volato Group, Inc.
Overview of Our Business
Our historical mission has been to provide our customers more time for the rest of their lives by providing convenient and high-quality travel by using the right aircraft for the mission and by developing proprietary technology designed to make the travel experience more seamless. Our revenue is generated through airplane sales and software-as-a-service subscriptions.
In September 2024, we entered into an agreement with flyExclusive, a leading provider of private jet charter services, to transition our aircraft ownership program fleet operations to flyExclusive. This move was intended to bring substantial cost savings and provide Volato with the opportunity to focus on what it believes to be its high-growth areas, including aircraft sales and products and services utilizing our proprietary software. Volato expects to benefit from the margins on aircraft sales without the burden of operational costs, while also generating revenue from its proprietary software, including the Vaunt platform, Volato’s empty leg consumer app. In the fourth quarter of 2024, we transferred the aircraft lease agreements to flyExclusive and have no further obligations under the aircraft lease agreements or control over such flight operations. Items related to our aircraft ownership program fleet operations are now included in discontinued operations.
Financial highlights for the three months ended September 30, 2025 include:
• Net income from continuing operations was $2.3 million compared to a net loss of $1.1 million in the third quarter of 2024. Net income from continuing operations was primarily the result of settlements of member deposits at a gain, that are reflected as other income in the statement of operations.
• We generated total net income of $7.1 million, representing a $11.6 million improvement over the same quarter of the prior year.
Financial highlights for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 include:
• We generated total revenue of $50.7 million, an increase of $12.0 million compared to the 2024 period, primarily related to an increase in aircraft sales of $11.5 million as we took delivery of our second and third Gulfstream G280 during the 2025 period.
• Net income from continuing operations was $5.4 million compared to a net loss of $14.2 million in the third quarter of 2024. The net income from continuing operations was the result of higher plane sales revenue as mentioned above.
• We generated a net income of $11.2 million, representing a $49.9 million improvement over the same period in the prior year.
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Recent Developments
On July 28, 2025, the Company entered into the Merger Agreement with Merger Sub and M2i, pursuant to which Merger Sub will merge with and into M2i, with M2i surviving the Merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Volato. The Merger is subject to approval by the Company’s stockholders and various other customary closing conditions. M2i’s business focuses on providing its partners with access to turnkey solutions, facilitating expanded business opportunities, securing offtake agreements, influencing strategic government policy, and engaging with aligned organizations and laboratories. M2i specializes in the development and execution of a complete global value supply chain for critical minerals, including the creation of a U.S. Strategic Mineral Reserve, a Public/Private Partnership to collaborate with the U.S. government. Upon consummation of the Merger it is currently expected that M2i’s stockholders will own approximately 85% of the combined company.
In July 2025, the Company began development of an AI (“Artificial Intelligence”) based software platform designed to enhance the reliability of leading large language models (“LLM’s”) when analyzing contracts, SEC filings and other structured documents.
Key Factors Affecting Results of Operations
We believe that the following factors have affected our financial condition and results of operations and are expected to continue to have a significant effect:
Airplane Sales
During 2024, we took delivery of one Gulfstream G280 aircraft, which was delivered and sold to a third party in the third quarter of 2024. In January 2025, we took delivery of one Gulfstream G280 aircraft, which was delivered and sold to a third party in February 2025. In April 2025, we took delivery of one Gulfstream G280 aircraft, which was delivered and sold to a third party in June 2025. We expect to take delivery of the additional Gulfstream G280 in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Costs and Expense Management
In 2022 and 2023, we invested in the core business systems, processes and people required to safely operate a growing, publicly traded private aviation company. In September 2024, we entered into an agreement with flyExclusive to transition our fleet operations to flyExclusive. This move has resulted in substantial cost savings and provided us with the opportunity to focus on what we believe to be our high-growth areas, including aircraft sales and proprietary software. We have benefited from the margins on aircraft sales without the burden of operational costs, while also generating revenue from our proprietary software, including the Vaunt platform, our empty leg consumer app.
Economic Conditions
The private aviation industry is volatile and affected by economic cycles and trends. Our financial performance is susceptible to economically driven changes in demand particularly for our discretionary charter and deposit products. Our cost structure and private aviation demand levels had been greatly impacted by the price of jet fuel, pilot salaries and availability, changes in government regulations, consumer confidence, safety concerns, and other factors.
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Results of Operations
Comparison of three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024
The following table sets forth our results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024 (in thousands, except percentages):
Three Months Ended September 30, Change In Nine Months Ended September 30, Change In
2025 2024 $ % 2025 2024 $ %
Revenue $ 381 $ 38,466 $ (38,085) N/M $ 50,719 $ 38,695 $ 12,024 31 %
Costs and expenses:
Cost of revenue 123 32,071 (31,948) N/M 42,198 32,157 10,041 31 %
Selling, general and administrative 2,822 4,262 (1,440) (34) % 7,687 12,390 (4,703) (38) %
Total costs and expenses 2,945 36,333 (33,388) (92) % 49,885 44,547 5,338 12 %
Operating (loss) income (2,564) 2,133 (4,697) (220) % 834 (5,852) 6,686 (114) %
Other income (expenses):
Other income, net 5,679 56 5,623 N/M 9,990 214 9,776 N/M
Loss from change in fair value of financial instruments (539) — (539) N/M (1,289) (2,982) 1,693 (57) %
Interest income (expense), net 27 (3,234) 3,261 (101) % (3,602) (5,603) 2,001 (36) %
Other income (expenses), net 5,167 (3,178) 8,345 (263) % 5,099 (8,371) 13,470 (161) %
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes and discontinued operations 2,603 (1,045) 3,648 (349) % 5,933 (14,223) 20,156 (142) %
Provision for incomes taxes 272 11 261 N/M 559 26 533 N/M
Net income (loss) from continuing operations 2,331 (1,056) 3,387 (321) % 5,374 (14,249) 19,623 (138) %
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes 4,814 (3,379) 8,193 (242) % 5,828 (24,495) 30,323 (124) %
Net income (loss) $ 7,145 $ (4,435) $ 11,580 (261) % $ 11,202 $ (38,744) $ 49,946 (129) %
N/M - the percentage change is not meaningful
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Revenue
Revenue consists of the following (in thousands, except percentages):
Three Months Ended September 30, Change In Nine Months Ended September 30, Change In
2025 2024 $ % 2025 2024 $ %
Aircraft sales $ — $ 38,150 $ (38,150) 100 % $ 49,600 $ 38,150 $ 11,450 30 %
Subscription 381 316 65 21 % 1,119 545 574 105 %
Total $ 381 $ 38,466 $ (38,085) (99) % $ 50,719 $ 38,695 $ 12,024 31 %
Revenue decreased by $38.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2025 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2024. The decrease in revenue was the result of a decrease in aircraft sales of $38.1 million, as we did not take delivery of an aircraft during the quarter (but did take delivery of an aircraft in the 2024 period), partially offset by an increase in subscription based revenue of $65 thousand during the three months ended September 30, 2025 compared to the prior year period. The increase in subscription based revenues is attributable to our Vaunt platform which began to generate revenue during the 2024 fiscal year and continuing through the quarter ended September 30, 2025.
Revenue increased by $12.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2024. The increase in revenue was the result of an increase in aircraft sales of $11.5 million and subscription based revenue of $0.6 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared to the prior year. The increase in revenue from aircraft sales was the result of the delivery and sale of our second and third Gulfstream G280 during the 2025 period. We have an order for one additional Gulfstream G280 and expect delivery in the fourth quarter of 2025. The increase in subscription based revenues is attributable to our Vaunt platform which began to generate revenue during the 2024 fiscal year and continuing through the quarter ended September 30, 2025.
Cost of Revenue
Cost of revenue comprises expenses tied to the associated revenue streams: aircraft sales and subscription based revenue. Aircraft sales cost of revenue is our purchase price of the aircraft. Subscription cost include costs we incur related to our proprietary software, the Vaunt platform.
Cost of revenue consists of the following (in thousands, except percentages):
Three Months Ended September 30, Change In Nine Months Ended September 30, Change In
2025 2024 $ % 2025 2024 $ %
Aircraft sales $ — $ 32,037 $ (32,037) 100 % $ 41,963 $ 32,037 $ 9,926 31 %
Subscription 123 34 89 262 % 235 120 115 96 %
Total $ 123 $ 32,071 $ (31,948) (100) % $ 42,198 $ 32,157 $ 10,041 31 %
Cost of revenue decreased by $31.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2025 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2024. The decrease in cost of revenue was primarily a result of a decrease in aircraft sales as we did not take delivery of aircraft during the third quarter of 2025.
Cost of revenue increased by $10.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2024. The increase in cost of revenue was primarily a result of an increase in aircraft sales as we took delivery of our second and third Gulfstream G280 aircraft during the year.
Selling, general and administrative
Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased by $1.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2025, compared to the three months ended September 30, 2024. The decrease in selling, general and administrative is primarily related to the cost savings initiatives implemented during the second half of 2024.
Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased by $4.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2024. The decrease in selling, general and administrative is primarily related to the cost savings initiatives implemented during the second half of 2024.
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Loss on change in fair value of financial instruments
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, the loss on change in fair value of financial instruments relates to the fair value adjustment on the 2024 Convertible Notes resulting in a non-cash loss of $384 thousand and a non-cash loss of $1.1 million, respectively. The loss also includes a loss on the Investment in M2i share exchange of $155 thousand for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the loss on change in fair value of $3.0 million was the result of the fair value adjustment on the Forward Purchase Agreement. In July 2024, the Forward Purchase Agreement was terminated.
Interest Income (Expense), Net
Interest income (expense), net primarily consists of interest related to our aircraft brokerage and services agreement with OgaraJets LLC and the pre-delivery payment agreement with SAC Leasing G280 LLC, offset by interest income on the note receivable related to our sale of GC Aviation, Inc. in March 2025.
Interest income (expense), net decreased $2.0 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2024 primarily as a result of the interest related to the pre-delivery payment agreement with SAC Leasing G280 LLC in 2024.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Overview
Our principal sources of liquidity have historically consisted of financing activities, including proceeds from the issuance of stock, borrowings under our credit facilities, and proceeds from sales of debt and equity securities. We additionally generate revenue through aircraft sales and sales subscriptions to our software application. As of September 30, 2025, we had $4.4 million of cash and cash equivalents.
Our primary needs for liquidity are to fund working capital, debt service requirements, and for general corporate purposes.
We believe the primary factors that could affect our liquidity include the ability of Gulfstream to meet our delivery schedule and our ability to sell those aircraft, whether the closing conditions under the Securities Purchase Agreement are met (or waived) such that we are able to issue one or more additional convertible notes under that arrangement, our ability to raise additional funds on favorable terms, the timing and extent of spending on software development and other growth initiatives, our ability to manage our expense, and overall economic conditions. To the extent that our current liquidity is insufficient to fund future activities, we will need to raise additional capital. We may attempt to raise additional capital through the sale of equity securities, through debt financing arrangements, or both. Raising additional capital by issuing equity securities will dilute the ownership of existing stockholders. The occurrence of additional debt financing would result in debt service obligations, and any future instruments governing such debt could provide for operating and financing covenants that could restrict our operations. In the event that additional capital is required from outside sources, we may not be able to raise it on terms acceptable to us or at all.
We have historically incurred negative cash flows from operating activities and significant losses from operations historically. Management believes that its current cash position, along with its anticipated margin from one (or more) additional aircraft sales and proceeds from future debt and/or equity financings, when combined with prudent expense management, will allow the Company to continue as a going concern and to fund its operations for at least one year from the date of this Quarterly Report. There are no assurances, however, that management will be able to raise capital or debt on terms acceptable to the Company. If the Company is unable to obtain sufficient additional capital or debt on terms acceptable to the Company, the Company may be required to reduce the near-term scope of its planned development and operations, which could delay implementation of the Company’s business plan and harm its business, financial condition, and operating results. These above matters raise substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern.
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Cash Flows
The following table summarizes our cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, and 2024 (in thousands):
Nine Months Ended September 30,
2025 2024
Net cash used in operating activities $ (2,442) $ (10,491)
Net cash used in investing activities (39) (145)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 2,831 (486)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and restricted cash $ 350 $ (11,122)
Cash Flow from Operating Activities
Net cash used in operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 was $2.4 million. The cash outflow from operating activities consisted of our net income of $11.2 million, non-cash items of $7.4 million, and a change in net operating assets and liabilities of $3.2 million. The change in net operating assets and liabilities was primarily a result of a decrease in customer deposits and deferred revenue of $0.9 million and accounts payable and accrued liabilities of $0.9 million, offset by a decrease in deposits of $5.2 million. The change in net assets and liabilities for discontinued operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 was $9.5 million.
Net cash used in operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $10.5 million. The cash outflow from operating activities consisted of our net loss of $38.7 million, non-cash items of $3.2 million and a change in net operating assets and liabilities of $18.8 million. The change in net assets and liabilities for discontinued operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $6.2 million.
Cash Flow from Investing Activities
Net cash used in investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 was $39 thousand. The cash flow from investing activities consisted of the sale of property and equipment, offset by the purchase of property and equipment.
Net cash used in investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $145 thousand.
Cash Flow from Financing Activities
Net cash provided by financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 was $2.8 million. Cash flow provided by financing activities consisted of the repayment on loans of $1.1 million, and the proceeds from the second and third tranche convertible notes totaling $4.1 million (as described in Notes 10).
Net cash used in financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $0.5 million. Cash flow used in financing activities consisted of the repayment on loans of $3.9 million, offset by proceeds from the issuance of term loan of $4.0 million. The cash used in financing from discontinued operations was $0.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024.
Sources of Liquidity
To date, we have financed our operations primarily as a result of the 2023 business combination, sales of preferred stock, borrowings of long-term and short-term debt, loans and convertible notes. As of September 30, 2025, we had a working capital of approximately $1.9 million. As of September 30, 2025, our primary source of liquidity was cash totaling $4.4 million. Based on our recent trends, we expect to fund our operations in 2025 from our cash on hand, cash from operations, one or more sales of convertible promissory notes in accordance with the Securities Purchase Agreement described in Note 2 and Note 10 to our unaudited financial statements in this Quarterly Report and potentially additional sales of equity or debt securities. The Company believes it has the ability to generate and obtain enough cash to meet its obligations for the next 12 months.
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During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company executed a series of purchase agreements with Gulfstream Aerospace, LP for the acquisition of four (4) Gulfstream G280 aircraft. The first Gulfstream G280 was delivered in the third quarter of 2024, the second Gulfstream G280 was delivered in the first quarter of 2025 and the third was delivered in second quarter of 2025. As of September 30, 2025, total consideration due on the remaining Gulfstream G280 was $18.0 million with expected delivery of the fourth aircraft in the fourth quarter of 2025.
The Company entered into the pre-delivery payment agreement on October 5, 2022, with SAC Leasing G280, LLC to obtain loans in the aggregate amount of $40.5 million for the purchase of four (4) Gulfstream G280 aircraft to be delivered in 2024 and 2025. The maturity date was the earlier of the delivery date of the aircraft or September 14, 2025, which is thirty-five (35) months from the date of funding. The purchase agreement contracts were assigned to SAC Leasing G280 LLC as collateral on this credit facility. In the third quarter of 2024, $9.0 million was repaid to SAC Leasing G280 LLC as a result of the delivery of the first Gulfstream G280. In the first quarter of 2025, an additional $19.5 million was repaid to SAC Leasing G280 LLC as a result of the delivery of the second Gulfstream G280 and the return of $9.0 million in deposits related to the fourth Gulfstream G280. After the delivery of the second Gulfstream G280 and the deposit return related to the fourth Gulfstream G280, the outstanding balance of the credit facility from SAC Leasing G280 was $8.5 million, net. In the second quarter of 2025, with the delivery of the third G280, the remaining outstanding balance of the SAC Leasing G280 credit facility was paid in full.
Contractual Obligations and Commitments
Our principal commitments consist of contractual cash obligations under our credit facilities, operating leases and the Securities Purchase Agreement. We have committed to acquire one (1) additional Gulfstream G280 aircraft for total consideration of $21.0 million with expected delivery in the fourth quarter of 2025, of which $3 million was funded and paid through September 30, 2025.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Our management’s discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of our operations is based on our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. Certain amounts included in or affecting the consolidated financial statements presented in this Quarterly Report and related disclosure must be estimated, requiring management to make assumptions with respect to values or conditions which cannot be known with certainty at the time the consolidated financial statements are prepared. Management believes that the accounting policies set forth below comprise the most important “critical accounting policies” for the company. A “critical accounting policy” is one which is both important to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations and that involves difficult, subjective, or complex judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. Management evaluates such policies on an ongoing basis, based upon historical results and experience, consultation with experts and other methods that management considers reasonable in the particular circumstances under which the judgments and estimates are made, as well as management’s forecasts as to the manner in which such circumstances may change in the future.
Revenue Recognition
Revenues are recognized on a gross basis and presented on the consolidated statements of operations net of rebates, discounts, and taxes collected concurrent with revenue-producing activities. The transaction price in the Company’s contracts with its customers is fixed at the time control of goods and services are transferred to the customer. Therefore, the Company does not estimate variable consideration or perform a constraint analysis for our contracts.
The Company determines revenue recognition pursuant to Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, through the following steps:
1. Identification of the contract, or contracts, with a customer.
2. Identification of the performance obligation(s) in the contract.
3. Determination of the transaction price.
4. Allocation of the transaction to the performance obligation(s) in the contract.
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The Company generates revenue primarily through: (i) the sale of aircraft and (ii) our Vaunt software-as-a-subscription platform. Revenue is recognized when control of the promised service is transferred to a customer, in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those services. At contract inception, the Company assesses the goods and services promised in its contracts with customers and identifies, as a performance obligation, each promise to transfer a good or service to a customer that is distinct. To identify its performance obligations, the Company considers all of the goods and services promised in the contract regardless of whether they are explicitly stated or are implied by customary business practices.
For each revenue stream, we evaluate whether our obligation is to provide the good or service itself, as the principal or to arrange for the good or service to be provided by the other party, as the agent, using the control model. In such circumstances, the Company is primarily responsible for satisfying the overall performance obligation with the customer and is considered the principal in the relationship.
Revenue from aircraft sales is recognized upon the delivery of the aircraft.
Stock-Based Compensation
The Company accounts for stock-based compensation costs under the provisions of ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”), which requires the measurement and recognition of compensation expense related to the fair value of stock-based compensation awards that are ultimately expected to vest. The Company recognizes the cost of services received in exchange for awards of equity instruments based on the grant-date fair value of equity awards. This cost is recognized as expense over the employee’s requisite vesting period or over the nonemployee’s period of providing goods or services. Any forfeitures of stock-based compensation are recorded as they occur.
The Company utilizes the Black Scholes valuation model to value the issuance of stock-based compensation. See Note 14, “Shareholders’ Equity (Deficit)” of the accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
JOBS Act
We are an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act. The JOBS Act permits emerging growth companies to take advantage of an extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards, delaying the adoption of these accounting standards until they would apply to private companies. We have elected to use this extended transition period under the JOBS Act until the earlier of the date we (i) are no longer an emerging growth company or (ii) affirmatively and irrevocably opt out of the extended transition period provided in the JOBS Act. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates. The Company’s financial statements have not been impacted by the JOBS Act as of September 30, 2025.
We have chosen to rely on the other exemptions and reduced reporting requirements provided by the JOBS Act. Subject to certain conditions set forth in the JOBS Act, as an “emerging growth company” we are not required to, among other things, (i) provide an auditor’s attestation report on our system of internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of SOX, (ii) provide all of the compensation disclosure that may be required of non-emerging growth public companies, (iii) comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the consolidated financial statements (auditor discussion and analysis) and (iv) disclose certain executive compensation-related items, such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the chief executive officer’s compensation to median employee compensation. We may remain an emerging growth company until the last day of the fiscal year ending after the fifth anniversary of our IPO, although circumstances could cause us to lose that status earlier, including if we become a “large accelerated filer” as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act or if we have total annual gross revenue of $1.235 billion or more during any fiscal year before that time, in which cases we would no longer be an emerging growth company as of the following December 31 or, if we issue more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during any three year period before that time, we would cease to be an emerging growth company immediately.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
For further information on recent accounting pronouncements, see Note 2 “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” of the accompanying consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report.
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ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
The Company is not required to provide the information required by this Item as it is a “smaller reporting company,” as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.