Vital Farms, Inc. 10-K

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations The following discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results may differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including those set forth in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” and “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” included elsewhere in this Annual Report. The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our audited financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report. Overview Our mission is to bring ethical food to the table, and we are disrupting the U.S. food system by developing a framework that challenges the norms of the incumbent food model, allowing us to bring high-quality products from our network of family farms to a national audience. This framework has enabled us to become the leading U.S. brand of pasture-raised eggs and the second-largest U.S. egg brand by retail dollar sales. Our ethics are exemplified by our focus on animal welfare and sustainable farming practices. We believe our standards produce happy hens with varied diets, which produce better eggs. There is a seismic shift in consumer demand for natural, traceable, clean-label, great-tasting and nutritious foods. Supported by a steadfast adherence to the values on which we were founded, we have designed our brand and products to appeal to this consumer movement. Our purpose is rooted in a commitment to Conscious Capitalism, which prioritizes the long-term benefits of each of our stakeholders (farmers and suppliers, customers and consumers, communities and the environment, crew members and stockholders). We make decisions based on what is sustainable for all our stakeholders. Our collective sustainable business practices will enable us to fulfill our purpose of improving the lives of people, animals, and the planet through food, now and long into the future. For us, it is not about short-term outcomes or a trade-off between purpose and profit. We are fierce business competitors who believe that prioritizing the long-term viability of all stakeholders will produce stronger outcomes, for everyone, over time. These principles guide our day-to-day operations and, we believe, help us deliver a more sustainable and successful business. Our approach has been validated by our financial performance and our January 2022 recertification as a Certified B Corporation, a designation reserved for businesses that balance profit and purpose to meet the highest verified standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability. We source our eggs from a network of over 300 family farms. We have strategically designed our supply chain to ensure high production standards and optimal year-round operation. We are motivated by the positive impact we have on rural communities and enjoy a strong relationship and reputation with our network of farmers. We primarily work with our farms pursuant to buy-sell contracts. Under these arrangements, the farmer is responsible for all of the working capital and investments required to produce the eggs and manage the farm, including purchasing the birds and feed supply. During the last quarter of fiscal 2023, as a result of increasing construction costs associated with our new farms, we incurred incremental farm recruitment costs that will be required to be paid in advance of these farms beginning to produce eggs, and we expect such incremental costs to continue into fiscal 2024. These costs are expected to be recognized over the term of the related buy-sell contracts with the new farms, which are generally four to five years in length. We believe the unfavorable impact to our working capital resulting from these upfront costs could range from $10.0 million to $12.0 million during fiscal 2024. The impact to fiscal year 2023 working capital was immaterial, and the impact to our gross margin is also expected to be immaterial during the term of these agreements. We are contractually obligated to purchase all of the eggs produced by the farmer during the term of the contract at an agreed-upon price that depends upon pallet weight and is adjusted quarterly for changes in feed cost. We believe we are a strategic and valuable partner to retailers. We have continued to command premium prices for our products, including our shell eggs. Our loyal and growing consumer base has fueled the expansion of our brand from the natural channel to the mainstream channel. We believe the success of our brand demonstrates that consumers are demanding premium products that meet a higher ethical standard of food production. We have a strong presence at The Kroger Co., or Kroger, Sprouts Farmers Market, or Sprouts, Target Corporation and Whole Foods Market, Inc., or Whole Foods, and we also sell our products at Albertsons Companies, Inc., Publix Super Markets, Inc. and Walmart, Inc. We offer 23 retail stock keeping units, or SKUs, through a multi-channel retail distribution network. We believe we have significant room for growth within the retail and foodservice channels through growing brand awareness, gaining additional points of distribution and new product innovation. Our shell eggs are collected from farmers by a third-party freight carrier and placed in cold storage until we pack them for shipping to our customers at our state-of-the-art shell egg processing facility, Egg Central Station. Egg Central Station is approximately 153,000 square feet and utilizes highly automated equipment to grade and package our shell egg products. Egg Central Station is capable of packing approximately six million eggs per day and has an SQF Excellent rating, the highest level of such certification from the Global Food Safety Initiative. 49 Our products are distributed through a broker-distributor-retailer network whereby brokers represent our products to distributors and retailers who will in turn sell our products to consumers. We serve the majority of natural channel customers through food distributors, which purchase, store, sell and deliver our products to our customers. We serve mainstream retailers by arranging for delivery of our products directly through their distribution centers. We also leverage distributor relationships to fulfill orders for certain independent grocers and other customers. We have experienced consistent sales growth. We had net revenue of $471.9 million and $362.1 million, net income of $25.6 million and $1.2 million, and Adjusted EBITDA of $48.3 million and $16.2 million in the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022, respectively. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. See the section titled “—Non-GAAP Financial Measures—Adjusted EBITDA” below for the definition of Adjusted EBITDA, as well as a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income, the most directly comparable financial measure stated in accordance with GAAP. Known Trends, Events and Uncertainties Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Since the initial outbreaks of HPAI in early 2022, we have been closely following the progression of the virus and working with our farmers, veterinarians, government health officials and animal welfare auditors to ensure that our flocks are kept as safe as possible. To date, we have experienced outbreaks at four of our farms, one located in Missouri, one in Tennessee and two in Kansas. While we have not experienced material disruptions to our egg supply due to HPAI outbreaks, if a substantial portion of our farms or production facilities were affected, this could materially and negatively affect our supply chain and operating results. Additionally, HPAI has at times resulted in supply shortages and price increases across the egg market. We are confident in the measures we have taken to reduce the risk of HPAI on our farms and production facilities, as well as our ability to mitigate impacts on supply. However, given continued uncertainty about future outbreaks and governmental responses to such outbreaks, we cannot predict the ultimate impact that HPAI will have on our business. Economic Uncertainties The current inflationary environment may affect our business and corresponding financial position and cash flows. Inflationary factors, such as increases in the cost of materials and supplies, interest rates and overhead costs, may adversely affect our operating results. Elevated interest rates also present a recent challenge impacting the U.S. economy and could make it more difficult for us to obtain traditional financing on acceptable terms, if at all, in the future. Additionally, some economic observers suggest that we should expect a higher recession risk to continue over the next year, which, together with the foregoing, could result in further economic uncertainty and volatility in the capital markets in the near term, and could negatively affect our operations. Furthermore, such economic conditions have at times produced downward pressure on share prices. We have experienced and may continue to experience increases in our operating costs, including our labor costs and research and development costs, due to supply chain constraints, consequences associated with global health pandemics, geopolitical tensions, and employee availability and wage increases, all of which may result in additional stress on our working capital resources. We work closely with our farmers, suppliers and third-party manufacturers to manage our supply chain activities and mitigate potential disruptions to our product supplies as a result of supply chain disruptions associated with such uncertainties. We currently expect to have an adequate supply of our products, packaging, and freight through fiscal year 2024. However, while we are currently ramping up capacity with our new supplier of butter, recent volatility in the markets for raw materials could affect supply of our butter products in fiscal year 2024. Liquidity and Capital Resources Overview With cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $116.8 million as of December 31, 2023 and $20.0 million available under our credit facility agreement with PNC Bank, National Association, or the Credit Facility, we anticipate having sufficient liquidity to make investments in our business to support our long-term growth strategy. We expect that our cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of December 31, 2023, together with cash provided by our operating activities and availability of borrowings under our Credit Facility, will be sufficient to fund our operating expenses for at least the next 12 months and to make investments in our business in support of our long-term growth strategy. 50 Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including our pace of new and existing customer growth, our investments in innovation, our investments in acquisitions or other growth opportunities, our investments in partnerships and unexplored channels and ongoing costs associated with expansions of our production capacity. We may be required to seek additional equity or debt financing. However, a significant disruption of global financial markets (including a disruption due to public health pandemics, geopolitical tensions and wars, inflation or other factors) may result in our inability to access additional capital, which could in the future negatively affect our operations. In the event that we require additional financing, we may not be able to raise such financing on terms acceptable to us or at all. If we are unable to raise additional capital or generate cash flows necessary to expand our operations and invest in continued innovation and product expansion, we may not be able to compete successfully, which would harm our business, operations and results of operations. For additional information, see the section titled “Liquidity and Capital Resources” below. Our Fiscal Year We report on a 52-week or 53-week fiscal year, ending on the last Sunday in December. In a 52-week fiscal year, each fiscal quarter consists of 13 weeks. The additional week in a 53-week fiscal year is added to the fourth quarter, making such quarter consist of 14 weeks. Our first 53-week fiscal year as a public company occurred in fiscal 2023, which began on December 26, 2022 and ended on December 31, 2023. See “Nature of the Business and Basis of Presentation” in Note 1 to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report for additional details related to our fiscal calendar. Key Factors Affecting Our Business We believe that the growth of our business and our future success are dependent upon many factors. While each of these factors presents significant opportunities for us, they also pose important challenges that we must successfully address to enable us to sustain the growth of our business and improve our results of operations. Expand Household Penetration We have positioned our brand to capitalize on growing consumer interest in natural, clean-label, traceable, ethical, great-tasting and nutritious foods. We believe there is substantial opportunity to grow our consumer base and increase the velocity at which households purchase our products. U.S. household penetration for the shell egg category is approximately 96.5%, while the household penetration for our shell eggs is approximately 7.5%. We intend to increase household penetration by continuing to invest significantly in sales and marketing to educate consumers about our brand, our values and the premium quality of our products. We believe these efforts will educate consumers on the attractive attributes of our products, generate further demand for our products and ultimately expand our consumer base. Our ability to attract new consumers will depend, among other things, on the perceived value and quality of our products, the offerings of our competitors and the effectiveness of our marketing efforts. Our performance depends significantly on factors that may affect the level and pattern of consumer spending in the U.S. natural food market in which we operate. Such factors include consumer preference, consumer confidence, consumer income, consumer perception of the safety and quality of our products and shifts in the perceived value for our products relative to alternatives. Grow Within the Retail Channel We believe that our ability to increase the number of customers that sell our products to consumers is an indicator of our market penetration and our future business opportunities. We define our customers as the entities that sell our products to consumers. With certain of our retail customers, like Whole Foods, we sell our products through distributors. We are not able to precisely attribute our net revenue to a specific retailer for products sold through such channels. We rely on third-party data to calculate the portion of retail sales attributable to such retailers, but this data is inherently imprecise because it is based on gross sales generated by our products sold at retailers, without accounting for price concessions, promotional activities or chargebacks, and because it measures retail sales for only the portion of our retailers serviced through distributors. Based on this third-party data and internal analysis, Whole Foods accounted for approximately 23% of our retail sales for each of the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022, respectively. 51 As of December 2023, there were approximately 24,000 stores selling our products. We expect the retail channel to be our largest source of net revenue for the foreseeable future. By capturing greater shelf space, driving higher product velocities and increasing our SKU count, we believe there is meaningful runway for further growth with existing retail customers. Additionally, we believe there is significant opportunity to gain incremental stores from existing customers as well as by adding new retail customers. We also believe there is significant further long-term opportunity in additional distribution channels, including the convenience, drugstore, club, military and international markets. Our ability to execute this strategy will increase our opportunities for incremental sales to consumers, and we also believe this growth will allow for margin expansion. To accomplish these objectives, we intend to continue leveraging consumer awareness of and demand for our brand, offering targeted sales incentives to our customers and utilizing customer-specific marketing tactics. Our ability to grow within the retail channel will depend on a number of factors, such as our customers’ satisfaction with the sales, product velocities and profitability of our products. Expand Footprint Across Foodservice We believe there is significant demand for our products in the foodservice channel since we offer versatile ingredients with high menu penetrations across commercial and non-commercial operator segments. We see considerable opportunity to continue to grow the channel in the medium- to long-term with our two-pronged sales approach to values-aligned foodservice operators and their distributors. We are working with Acxion Foodservice, a foodservice sales and marketing agency in the consumer packaged goods industry, to increase our category share in broad-line distribution and to get on national and regional restaurant menus. We are also leveraging foodservice as a critical consumer touchpoint to drive brand awareness, and we are investing in co-marketing to reach new households. We believe co-branding is mutually beneficial to foodservice operators because it helps to differentiate their brands, enhances their perceived customer value and drives loyalty. A multi-unit example from our successful foodservice program is True Food Kitchen, an award-winning restaurant brand and a pioneer of wellness-driven dining with locations across the United States that shares our values for improving the lives of people, animals, and the planet through ethically produced food. Expand Our Product Offerings We intend to continue to strengthen our product offerings by investing in innovation in new and existing categories. We have a history of product introductions and intend to continue to innovate by introducing new products from time to time. Eggs and egg-related products generated $449.0 million, or approximately 95%, of net revenue in fiscal 2023. We expect eggs and egg-related products to be our largest source of net revenue for the foreseeable future. We believe that investments in innovation will contribute to our long-term growth, including by reinforcing our efforts to increase household penetration. Our ability to successfully develop, market and sell new products will depend on a variety of factors, including the availability of capital to invest in innovation, as well as changing consumer preferences and demand for food products. Key Components of Results of Operations Net Revenue We generate net revenue primarily from sales of our products, including eggs and butter, to our customers, which include natural retailers, mainstream retailers and foodservice customers. We sell our products to customers on a purchase-order basis. We serve the majority of our natural channel customers and certain independent grocers and other customers through food distributors, which purchase, store, sell and deliver our products to these customers. We periodically offer promotional incentives to our customers, including rebates, temporary price reductions, off-invoice discounts, retailer advertisements, product coupons and other trade activities. At the end of each accounting period, we recognize a liability for an estimated promotional allowance reserve. We periodically provide credits or discounts to our customers in the event that products do not conform to customer expectations upon delivery or expire at a customer’s site. We treat these credits and discounts as a reduction of the sales price of the related transaction at the time of sale. We anticipate that these promotional activities, credits and discounts could materially impact our net revenue and that changes in such activities could impact period-over-period results. 52 Our shell eggs are sold to consumers at a premium price point, and when prices for commodity shell eggs fall relative to the price of our shell eggs (including due to any price increases we may implement), price-sensitive consumers may choose to purchase commodity shell eggs offered by our competitors instead of our eggs. As a result, low commodity shell egg prices may adversely affect our net revenue. We increased prices on certain of our products in each of fiscal year 2022, fiscal year 2023 and fiscal year 2024. While we have not seen significant decreases in sales volume due to previous price increases, if we further increase prices to offset higher commodity prices or other costs, we could experience lower demand for our products, decreased ability to attract new customers and lower sales volumes. Net revenue may also vary from period to period depending on the purchase orders we receive, the volume and mix of our products sold, and the channels through which our products are sold. Cost of Goods Sold Cost of goods sold consists of the costs directly attributable to producing our products which include labor, raw material and packaging costs as well as overhead. The labor cost is comprised of wages and related costs for our processing crew members. The raw material is comprised of those items necessary to process our finished egg and butter products and the packaging costs are the cost of the packaging materials our finished products are sold in. Overhead costs in cost of goods sold include utilities, insurance, inbound freight and storage fees related to our warehouse. Selling, General and Administrative Selling, general and administrative expenses consist primarily of broker and contractor fees for sales and marketing, as well as personnel costs for sales and marketing, finance, human resources and other administrative functions, including salaries, benefits, bonuses, stock-based compensation expense and sales commissions. Selling, general and administrative expenses also include advertising and digital media costs, agency fees, travel and entertainment costs, and costs associated with consumer promotions, product samples, sales aids incurred to acquire new customers, retain existing customers and build our brand awareness, overhead costs for facilities, including associated depreciation and amortization expenses, and information technology-related expenses. Shipping and Distribution Shipping and distribution expenses consist primarily of costs related to third-party freight for our products. Even though shipping and distribution expenses have decreased in absolute dollars in the short-term, we expect shipping and distribution expenses to increase in absolute dollars in the medium-to-long term as we continue to scale our business, and there is a risk that such expenses could continue to increase due to economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions or wars. 53 Result of Operations We report on a 52-week or 53-week fiscal year, ending on the last Sunday in December. In a 52-week fiscal year, each fiscal quarter consists of 13 weeks. The additional week in a 53-week fiscal year is added to the fourth quarter, making such quarter consist of 14 weeks. Fiscal year 2023 was a 53-week fiscal year as compared to a 52-week fiscal year for fiscal year 2022. Comparison of Fiscal Years Ended December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022 The following table sets forth our consolidated statements of income data expressed as a percentage of net revenue for the periods presented: Fiscal Year Ended² December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 Amount % of Revenue Amount % of Revenue (dollars in thousands) Net revenue $ 471,857 100 % $ 362,050 100 % Cost of goods sold (1) 309,531 66 % 252,606 70 % Gross profit 162,326 34 % 109,444 30 % Operating expenses: Selling, general and administrative (1) 101,728 22 % 77,236 21 % Shipping and distribution 27,344 6 % 30,104 8 % Total operating expenses 129,072 27 % 107,340 30 % Income from operations 33,254 7 % 2,104 1 % Other income (expense), net: Interest expense (782 ) — (114 ) — Interest income 2,542 1 % 992 — Other expense, net (2,813 ) (1 )% (151 ) — Total other income (expense), net (1,053 ) — 727 — Net income before income taxes 32,201 7 % 2,831 1 % Income tax provision 6,635 1 % 1,601 — Net income 25,566 5 % 1,230 — Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests — — (21 ) — Net income attributable to Vital Farms, Inc. stockholders $ 25,566 5 % $ 1,251 — (1) Includes stock-based compensation expense of $7,157 and $5,852 in selling, general and administrative for the fiscal years ended 2023 and 2022, respectively, and $260 and $188 in cost of goods sold for the fiscal years then ended, respectively. (2) As described in the notes to our financial statements elsewhere in this document, fiscal year 2023 was a 53-week fiscal year as compared to a 52-week fiscal year for fiscal year 2022. Net Revenue Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 $ Change % Change (in thousands) Net revenue $ 471,857 $ 362,050 $ 109,807 30 % The increase in net revenue of $109.8 million, or 30%, was primarily driven by price-related increases of $59.4 million and volume-related increases of $50.5 million. The volume favorability was primarily driven by increases at both new and existing customers. Net revenue from sales through our retail channel was $445.8 million and $348.9 million for fiscal years ended 2023 and 2022, respectively. 54 The extra week in fiscal year 2023, which was 53 weeks compared to 52 weeks in fiscal year 2022, contributed $8.5 million in net revenue, or 2.3%, to growth. Excluding the extra week, net revenue increased 28.0% in fiscal year 2023. Gross Profit and Gross Margin Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 $ Change % Change (in thousands) Gross profit $ 162,326 $ 109,444 $ 52,882 48 % Gross margin 34 % 30 % The increase in gross profit of $52.9 million, or 48%, was driven by higher net revenue generated during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. The increase in gross margin during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the fiscal year ended December 25, 2022 was primarily driven by volume increases, in addition to pricing increases across the entire shell egg portfolio in January 2023. The price increases offset an increase in input costs across our shell egg business (inclusive of commodity, packaging and labor impacts). Operating Expenses Selling, General and Administrative Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 $ Change % Change (in thousands) Selling, general and administrative $ 101,728 $ 77,236 $ 24,492 32 % Percentage of net revenue 22 % 21 % The increase in selling, general and administrative expenses of $24.5 million, or 32%, was primarily driven by: • an increase of $10.3 million in marketing-related expenses related to continued investment in brand and product marketing; • an increase of $10.2 million in employee-related costs, including stock-based compensation, driven by an overall increase in employee headcount to support our continued growth; • an increase of $2.4 million in legal and professional service expense to support increased operations and expansion of the business; • an increase of $900,000 in brokerage-related and selling-related expenses due to expansion of the business; • an increase of $600,000 in technology and software-related expenses to support increased operations and employee headcount Shipping and Distribution Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 $ Change % Change (in thousands) Shipping and distribution $ 27,344 $ 30,104 $ (2,760 ) (9 )% Percentage of net revenue 6 % 8 % The decrease in shipping and distribution costs of $2.8 million, or 9%, was driven by favorable freight rates and internal operational efficiency, partially offset by higher sales volumes. 55 Interest Expense Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 $ Change % Change Interest expense $ (782 ) $ (114 ) $ (668 ) 586 % The increase in interest expense of $0.7 million, or 586%, was primarily driven by an increase in finance leases which generated an increase in interest expense related to those leases. Interest Income Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 $ Change % Change (in thousands) Interest income $ 2,542 $ 992 $ 1,550 156 % The increase in interest income of $1.6 million, or 156%, was primarily driven by higher interest income on our available-for-sale securities portfolio. Other Expense, net Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 $ Change % Change (in thousands) Other expense, net $ (2,813 ) $ (151 ) $ (2,662 ) 1,763 % The change in other expense, net of $2.7 million was primarily driven by losses on our commodity derivative instruments during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. Income Tax Provision Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 $ Change % Change (in thousands) Income tax provision $ 6,635 $ 1,601 $ 5,034 314 % The change in the income tax provision of $5.0 million, or 314%, was primarily driven by the increase in net income before income taxes earned in the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. Comparison of Fiscal Years Ended December 25, 2022 and December 26, 2021 For the discussion of the financial condition and results of operations for the fiscal year ended December 25, 2022 compared to the fiscal year ended December 26, 2021, refer to “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Components of Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 25, 2022, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 9, 2023. 56 Non-GAAP Financial Measures Adjusted EBITDA We report our financial results in accordance with GAAP. However, management believes that Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure, provides investors with additional useful information in evaluating our performance. We calculate Adjusted EBITDA as net income, adjusted to exclude: • Depreciation and amortization; • Stock-based compensation expense; • Costs related to the discontinuation of our convenient breakfast product line (see Note 12 “Product Exit Costs” to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this report); • Costs related to the dissolution of the Ovabrite, Inc. variable interest entity; • Benefit or provision for income taxes, as applicable; • Interest expense; • Change in fair value of contingent consideration; and • Interest income. Adjusted EBITDA is a financial measure that is not required by, or presented in accordance with, GAAP. We believe that Adjusted EBITDA, when taken together with our financial results presented in accordance with GAAP, provides meaningful supplemental information regarding our operating performance and facilitates internal comparisons of our historical operating performance on a more consistent basis by excluding certain items that may not be indicative of our business, results of operations or outlook. In particular, we believe that the use of Adjusted EBITDA is helpful to our investors as it is a measure used by management in assessing the health of our business, determining incentive compensation and evaluating our operating performance, as well as for internal planning and forecasting purposes. Adjusted EBITDA is presented for supplemental informational purposes only, has limitations as an analytical tool and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for financial information presented in accordance with GAAP. Some of the limitations of Adjusted EBITDA include the following: • It does not properly reflect capital commitments to be paid in the future; • Although depreciation and amortization are non-cash charges, the underlying assets may need to be replaced and Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect these capital expenditures; • It does not consider the impact of stock-based compensation expense, as such expenses in any specific period may not directly correlate to the underlying performance of our business operations and can vary significantly between periods as a result of the timing of grants of new stock-based awards; • It does not include the costs related to the discontinuation of our convenient breakfast product line as these costs are infrequent, unusual and we do not anticipate that we will incur similar significant costs for product exits in the foreseeable future; • It does not reflect the dissolution of the Ovabrite, Inc. variable interest entity due to the infrequent nature of this transaction and we do not expect to experience similar dissolutions in the foreseeable future; • It does not reflect other non-operating expenses, including interest expense; • It does not consider the impact of any contingent consideration liability valuation adjustments; and • It does not reflect tax payments that may represent a reduction in cash available to us. In addition, our use of Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies because they may not calculate Adjusted EBITDA in the same manner, limiting its usefulness as a comparative measure. Because of these limitations, when evaluating our performance, you should consider Adjusted EBITDA alongside other financial measures, including our net income and other results stated in accordance with GAAP. 57 The following table presents a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income, the most directly comparable financial measure stated in accordance with GAAP, for the periods presented: Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 (in thousands) Net income $ 25,566 $ 1,230 Depreciation and amortization 1 10,490 5,761 Stock-based compensation expense 7,417 6,040 Costs related to our exit of the convenient breakfast product line — 2,341 Dissolution of Ovabrite, Inc. — 122 Income tax provision 6,635 1,601 Interest expense 782 114 Change in fair value of contingent consideration 2 — 19 Interest income (2,542 ) (992 ) Adjusted EBITDA $ 48,348 $ 16,236 1 Amount also includes finance lease amortization. 2 Amount reflects the change in fair value of a contingent consideration liability in connection with our 2014 acquisition of certain assets of Heartland Eggs. Liquidity and Capital Resources Since inception, we have funded our operations with proceeds from sales of our capital stock, proceeds from borrowings and cash flows from the sale of our products. We had net income of $25.6 million for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 and retained earnings of $29.7 million as of December 31, 2023. Funding Requirements We expect that our cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities, together with cash provided by our operating activities and available borrowings under our existing Credit Facility, will be sufficient to fund our operating expenses for at least the next 12 months. We further believe that we will be able to fund potential operating expenses and cash obligations beyond the next 12 months, through a combination of existing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities, cash provided by our operating activities and available borrowings under our Credit Facility. Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including our pace of new and existing customer growth, our investments in innovation, our investments in acquisitions, partnerships and unexplored channels and the potential costs associated with future expansion of our production capacity. As of December 31, 2023, future minimum lease payments under non-cancelable operating leases totaled $9.8 million and future minimum lease payments under non-cancelable finance leases totaled $15.6 million. In addition, as a result of increasing construction costs associated with our new farms, we incurred incremental farm recruitment costs that will be required to be paid in advance of these farms being able to produce eggs, and we expect such incremental costs to continue into fiscal 2024. These costs are expected to be recognized over the term of the related buy-sell contracts with the new farms, which are generally four to five years in length. Additionally, we are currently in the process of exploring potential sites and designs for an additional egg packing facility. We anticipate that we will incur approximately $10.0 million in capital expenditures related to this goal in fiscal 2024 (including capital expenditures initially planned for fiscal 2023) and will incur further expenditures in the years following. Finally, we anticipate increased expenditures in marketing during fiscal 2024 to support progress toward our long-term marketing goals. Credit Facility We originally entered into our Credit Facility with PNC Bank, National Association, or PNC Bank, in October 2017. The Credit Facility initially included a $4.7 million term loan, a $10.0 million revolving line of credit and an equipment loan with a maximum borrowing capacity of $1.5 million. 58 Subsequently, terms of the Credit Facility were modified at various times between fiscal 2018 and fiscal 2023. Such amendments (i) amended various definitions, (ii) waived a technical default in May 2020 which was triggered by exceeding the capital expenditure limit, (iii) increased borrowing capacity and (iv) extended the maturity date. The Ninth Amendment to the Credit Facility in April 2021 eliminated the term loan and equipment loan. The Tenth Amendment to the Credit Agreement in December 2022 modified certain covenants related to commodity hedging, consented to the dissolution of immaterial subsidiaries and implemented changes related to the discontinuation of LIBOR. The Eleventh Amendment to the Credit Facility, effective July 26, 2023, extended the maturity date by one year, from April 2, 2024 to April 2, 2025. The maximum borrowing capacity under the revolving line of credit is currently $20.0 million. Interest on borrowings under the revolving line of credit, as well as loan advances thereunder, accrues at a rate, at our election at the time of borrowing, equal to (i) the secured overnight financing rate as administered by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York plus 2.00% or (ii) 1.00% plus the alternate base rate, as defined in the Credit Facility. The Credit Facility is secured by all of our assets (other than real property and certain other property excluded pursuant to the terms of the Credit Facility) and requires us to maintain three financial covenants: a fixed charge coverage ratio, a leverage ratio and a minimum tangible net worth requirement. The Credit Facility also contains various covenants relating to limitations on indebtedness, acquisitions, mergers, consolidations, the sale of properties and liens. As a result of the limitations contained in the Credit Facility, certain of the net assets on our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2023 are restricted in use. The Credit Facility contains other customary covenants, representations and events of default. As of December 31, 2023, there was no outstanding balance under the Credit Facility, and we were in compliance with all covenants under the Credit Facility. See “Long-Term Debt” in Note 13 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report for additional details related to our Credit Facility. Cash Flows The following table summarizes our cash flows for the periods indicated: Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 (in thousands) Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities $ 50,906 $ (8,098 ) Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 22,383 (10,037 ) Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities (2,054 ) 83 Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents $ 71,235 $ (18,052 ) Operating Activities The increase in net cash provided by operating activities during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the fiscal year ended December 25, 2022 was due primarily to higher net income in the current fiscal year due to gross margin improvements and improving leverage our of selling, general and administrative costs. Increases in our accounts payable and accrued liabilities also contributed to the improved cash from operations, partially offset by an increase in our inventory. Our accrued liabilities were up across nearly all categories with the largest contributor being promotions and customer deductions. Investing Activities The increase in cash provided by investing activities during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 is primarily due to the continuing maturities of our available for sale securities and the reinvestment of these amounts into cash equivalents during the year ended December 31, 2023. Financing Activities The change in cash used in financing activities during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the fiscal year ended December 25, 2022 was primarily due to an increase of principal payments on our finance lease obligations. 59 Seasonality Demand for our products fluctuates in response to seasonal factors. Demand tends to increase with the start of the school year and is highest prior to holiday periods, particularly Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, and is lowest during the summer months. As a result of these seasonal and quarterly fluctuations, comparisons of our sales and results of operations between different quarters within a single fiscal year are not necessarily meaningful comparisons. Critical Accounting Estimates The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and related notes thereto. Critical accounting estimates are those estimates that, in accordance with GAAP, involve a significant level of estimation uncertainty and have had or are reasonably likely to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. Management has determined that our most critical accounting estimates are those relating to revenue recognition and trade promotions, income taxes, and contingencies. Although we believe that the estimates we use are reasonable, due to the inherent uncertainty involved in making these estimates, actual results reported in future periods could differ materially from those estimates. The following is a summary of certain accounting estimates we consider critical. For further discussion about our accounting policies, see Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements appearing elsewhere in this Annual Report. Revenue Recognition and Trade Promotions We recognize revenue for the sale of our product at the point in time when our performance obligation has been satisfied and control of the product has transferred to our customer, which generally occurs upon delivery to the customer based on terms of the sale. Revenue is measured by the transaction price, which is defined as the amount of consideration we expect to receive in exchange for providing goods to customers. The transaction price is adjusted for estimates of known or expected variable consideration, which include trade promotions as well as chargebacks such as coupons, discounts, rebates, spoils, and other programs. Variable consideration related to these programs is recorded as a reduction to revenue, at the time of sale, based on the amount we expect to incur. The transaction price contains estimates of known or expected variable consideration. We base these estimates on current forecasted activity and historical experience. We review our expected promotional rates and volumes each period, as well as our historical experience related to customer deductions for wrong, missing, damaged or aged product and update these estimates regularly until the incentives or product returns are realized. The impact of any adjustments is recognized in the period the adjustments are identified. We do not believe it is reasonably likely that there will be a material change in the estimates or assumptions used to recognize revenue. As noted above, estimates are made based on historical experience and other factors. Typically, programs that are offered have a short duration and historical differences between actual experience compared to estimated volumes, performance and redemptions have not been significant to the quarterly or annual financial statements. However, if the level of redemption rates, volumes or performance were to vary significantly from our estimates, we may be exposed to gains or losses that could be material. We have not made any material changes in the accounting methodology used to recognize revenue during the past three fiscal years. Income Taxes We determine our effective tax rate by estimating our permanent differences resulting from differing treatment of items for financial and income tax purposes. We are periodically audited by taxing authorities and consider any adjustments made as a result of the audits in computing our income tax expense. Any audit adjustments affecting permanent differences could have an impact on our effective tax rate. Deferred income taxes relate primarily to depreciation expense and share-based compensation programs accounted for differently for financial and income tax purposes. Changes in tax laws and rates could materially affect recorded deferred tax assets and liabilities in the future. Valuation allowances are recorded when it is more likely than not that a tax benefit will not be realized for a deferred tax asset. Changes in projected future earnings could affect our recorded valuation allowances, if any, in the future. We record unrecognized tax benefit liabilities for known or anticipated tax issues for which the benefit is more likely than not based on our analysis of whether, and the extent to which, additional taxes will be due. However, due to the complexity of some of these uncertainties, the ultimate resolution may result in a payment that is materially different from the current estimate of the tax liabilities. To the extent we prevail in matters for which unrecognized tax benefit liabilities have been established or are required to pay amounts in excess of our recorded liability, our effective tax rate in a given financial statement period could be materially affected. 60 Contingencies We recognize the costs of legal defense for the legal proceedings to which we are a party during the periods in which the costs are incurred. After considerable analysis of the facts and circumstances of each case, we determine the amount of reserves required, if any. We evaluate whether a loss contingency exists, and if the assessment of a contingency indicates it is probable that a material loss has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated, the estimated loss would be accrued. There were no loss contingency reserves for the past three fiscal years. In May 2021, the Company and certain of its current and former officers were named as defendants in a class action complaint captioned Nicholas A. Usler et al. v. Vital Farms, Inc. et al. in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas. The plaintiffs alleged false advertising claims on behalf of themselves and a putative class of alleged consumers of the Company’s shell egg products. The named officers of the Company were subsequently dismissed as defendants in this matter. In September 2023, the parties engaged in mediation to discuss potential settlement of remaining claims, but no agreement was reached and the lawsuit is ongoing. The Company believes the claims are without merit and is vigorously defending itself in this matter. Given the uncertainty of the litigation, the stage of the case, and the legal standards that must be met for, among other things, class certification and success on the merits, the Company is unable to reasonably estimate the possible loss or range of loss, if any, that may result from the claim. Future reserves may be required if losses are deemed reasonably estimable and probable due to changes in our assumptions, the effectiveness of legal strategies, or other factors beyond our control. Future results of operations may be materially affected by the creation of reserves or by accruals of losses to reflect any adverse determinations in these legal proceedings. Recent Accounting Pronouncements See the sections titled “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies—Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements” and “—Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted” in Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report for a discussion of recent accounting pronouncements. Emerging Growth Company Status In April 2012, the JOBS Act was enacted. Section 107 of the JOBS Act provides that an “emerging growth company” may take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. Therefore, an emerging growth company can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have elected to use the extended transition period under the JOBS Act. Accordingly, our financial statements may not be comparable to the financial statements of public companies that comply with such new or revised accounting standards. Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitat ive Disclosures About Market Risk We are exposed to market risks in the ordinary course of our business. Market risk represents the risk of loss that may impact our financial position due to adverse changes in financial market prices and rates. Our market risk exposure is primarily the result of fluctuations in commodity prices and interest rates. Commodity Price Risk We source our eggs and cream for our butter products from our network of family farms. The price we pay to purchase shell eggs from farmers fluctuates based on pallet weight, and under our buy-sell contracts, which account for all of the laying hens in our network of family farms as of December 31, 2023, the price we pay is also adjusted quarterly for changes in feed cost, which may cause our agreed-upon pricing under these contracts to fluctuate on a quarterly basis. Our buy-sell contracts subject us to risk of price fluctuations in feed ingredients, primarily consisting of corn and soy. The price we pay for cream is subject to butter commodity fluctuations. A hypothetical 10% increase or decrease in the weighted-average cost of these ingredients across our product lines as of December 31, 2023 would have resulted in an increase or decrease to cost of sales for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 of approximately $8.8 million. We strive to offset the impact of ingredient cost increases with a combination of cost savings initiatives and efficiencies and price increases to our customers. Costs of packaging are volatile and can fluctuate due to conditions that are difficult to predict creating price risk. A hypothetical 10% increase or decrease in the weighted-average cost of packaging raw materials as of December 31, 2023 would have resulted in an increase or decrease to cost of sales for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 of approximately $3.5 million. We seek to mitigate the impact of raw materials cost increases with a combination of negotiated pricing agreements, cost savings initiatives and efficiencies and price increases to our customers. 61 Interest Rate Risk We are subject to interest rate risk in connection with our credit facility agreement with PNC Bank, National Association, or the Credit Facility. See the section titled “—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Credit Facility” above for additional details related to our Credit Facility. Based on the average interest rate on the instruments under the Credit Facility during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, and to the extent that borrowings were outstanding, we do not believe that a hypothetical 10% change in the interest rate would have a material effect on our results of operations or financial condition for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. Our interest-earning instruments also carry a degree of interest rate risk. As of December 31, 2023, we had cash and cash equivalents of $84.1 million and investments in available for sale securities of $32.7 million. As of December 31, 2023, the effective maturity of our investment securities available for sale was approximately 4 months and the composite credit rating of the holdings is Aa3 on the Moody's rating scale. We do not enter into investments for trading or speculative purposes and have not used any derivative financial instruments to manage our interest rate risk exposure during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. 62 Item 8. Financial Statemen ts and Supplementary Data Index to Financial Statements Report of Independent Registered Accounting Firm (KPMG LLP, Austin, TX, PCAOB ID: 185 ) 64 Consolidated Balance Sheets 65 Consolidated Statements of Income 66 Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income 67 Consolidated Statements of Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest and Stockholders’ Equity 68 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows 69 Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements 71 63 Report of Independent Regis tered Public Accounting Firm To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors Vital Farms, Inc.: Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Vital Farms, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, redeemable noncontrolling interest and stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2023, and the related notes (collectively, the consolidated financial statements). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2023, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Basis for Opinion These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (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 audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion. /s/ KPMG LLP We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2019. Austin, Texas March 7, 2024 64 VITAL FARMS, INC. CONSOLIDA TED BALANCE SHEETS (Amounts in thousands, except share amounts) December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 84,149 $ 12,914 Investment securities, available-for-sale 32,667 65,814 Accounts receivable, net of allowance for credit losses of $ 550 and $ 699 as of December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022, respectively 39,699 38,895 Inventories 32,895 26,849 Prepaid expenses and other current assets, net of allowance for credit losses of $ 227 and $ 206 as of December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022, respectively 6,114 5,142 Total current assets 195,524 149,614 Property, plant and equipment, net 66,839 59,155 Operating lease right-of-use assets 8,911 1,895 Goodwill and other assets 3,904 4,002 Total assets $ 275,178 $ 214,666 Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 33,485 $ 25,972 Accrued liabilities 24,218 18,477 Operating lease liabilities, current 3,057 1,208 Finance lease liabilities, current 3,255 1,570 Income taxes payable 1,206 425 Total current liabilities 65,221 47,652 Operating lease liabilities, non-current 5,771 892 Finance lease liabilities, non-current 10,481 7,023 Other liabilities 1,028 767 Total liabilities $ 82,501 $ 56,334 Commitments and contingencies (Note 20) Stockholders’ equity: Preferred stock, $ 0.0001 par value per share, 10,000,000 shares authorized as of December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022; no shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022, respectively — — Common stock, $ 0.0001 par value per share, 310,000,000 shares authorized as of December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022; 41,684,649 and 40,746,990 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022, respectively 4 4 Additional paid-in capital 163,325 155,716 Retained earnings 29,725 4,159 Accumulated other comprehensive loss ( 377 ) ( 1,547 ) Total stockholders’ equity $ 192,677 $ 158,332 Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 275,178 $ 214,666 See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements. 65 VITAL FARMS, INC. CONSOLIDATED STAT EMENTS OF INCOME (Amounts in thousands, except share and per share data) Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 December 26, 2021 Net revenue $ 471,857 $ 362,050 $ 260,901 Cost of goods sold 309,531 252,606 178,002 Gross profit 162,326 109,444 82,899 Operating expenses: Selling, general and administrative 101,728 77,236 57,868 Shipping and distribution 27,344 30,104 24,979 Total operating expenses 129,072 107,340 82,847 Income from operations 33,254 2,104 52 Other income (expense), net: Interest expense ( 782 ) ( 114 ) ( 52 ) Interest income 2,542 992 381 Other expense, net ( 2,813 ) ( 151 ) ( 27 ) Total other (expense) income, net ( 1,053 ) 727 302 Net income before income taxes 32,201 2,831 354 Income tax provision (benefit) 6,635 1,601 ( 2,028 ) Net income 25,566 1,230 2,382 Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests — ( 21 ) ( 47 ) Net income attributable to Vital Farms, Inc. common stockholders $ 25,566 $ 1,251 $ 2,429 Net income per share attributable to Vital Farms, Inc. stockholders: Basic: $ 0.62 $ 0.03 $ 0.06 Diluted: $ 0.59 $ 0.03 $ 0.06 Weighted average common shares outstanding: Basic: 41,192,544 40,648,592 40,027,278 Diluted: 43,312,836 43,469,586 43,321,733 See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements. 66 VITAL FARMS, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEM ENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (Amounts in thousands) Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 December 26, 2021 Net income $ 25,566 $ 1,230 $ 2,382 Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax: Available-for-sale debt securities: Unrealized net holding gain (loss) 1,371 ( 1,745 ) ( 385 ) Amounts reclassified for realized losses to earnings 182 96 55 Available-for-sale debt securities, before tax 1,553 ( 1,649 ) ( 330 ) Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax 1,553 ( 1,649 ) ( 330 ) Income tax (expense) benefit related to items of other comprehensive income (loss) ( 383 ) 383 80 Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax 1,170 ( 1,266 ) ( 250 ) Comprehensive income (loss) 26,736 ( 36 ) 2,132 Less: Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests — ( 21 ) ( 47 ) Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Vital Farms, Inc. common stockholders $ 26,736 $ ( 15 ) $ 2,179 See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements. 67 VITAL FARMS, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTEREST AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (Amounts in thousands, except share amounts) Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest Common Stock Treasury Stock Additional Paid-In Retained Accumulated Other Comprehensive Total Stockholders’ Equity Attributable to Vital Farms, Inc. Noncontrolling Total Stockholders’ Amount Shares Amount Shares Amount Capital Earnings Loss Stockholders Interests Equity Balances at December 27, 2020 $ 175 44,938,958 $ 5 ( 5,494,918 ) $ ( 16,276 ) $ 144,311 $ 14,039 $ ( 31 ) $ 142,048 $ 162 $ 142,210 Exercise of stock options — 1,034,929 — — — 2,803 — — 2,803 — 2,803 Vesting of restricted stock units — 15,000 — — — — — — — — — Stock-based compensation expense — — — — — 4,440 — — 4,440 — 4,440 Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests - stockholders — — — — — — — — — ( 47 ) ( 47 ) Retirement of treasury stock — ( 5,494,918 ) — 5,494,918 16,276 ( 2,554 ) ( 13,722 ) — — — — Other comprehensive loss, net — — — — — — — ( 250 ) ( 250 ) — ( 250 ) Net income attributable to Vital Farms, Inc. stockholders — — — — — — 2,429 — 2,429 — 2,429 Balances at December 26, 2021 $ 175 40,493,969 $ 5 — $ — $ 149,000 $ 2,746 $ ( 281 ) $ 151,470 $ 115 $ 151,585 Exercise of stock options — 180,835 — — — 685 — — 685 — 685 Vesting of restricted stock units — 51,852 — — — ( 9 ) — — ( 9 ) — ( 9 ) Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan — 20,334 — — — — — — — — Stock-based compensation expense — — — — — 6,040 — — 6,040 — 6,040 Dissolution of noncontrolling interest ( 175 ) — ( 1 ) — — — — — ( 1 ) 68 67 Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests - stockholders — — — — — — 162 — 162 ( 183 ) ( 21 ) Other comprehensive loss, net — — — — — — — ( 1,266 ) ( 1,266 ) — ( 1,266 ) Net income attributable to Vital Farms, Inc. stockholders — — — — — — 1,251 — 1,251 — 1,251 Balances at December 25, 2022 $ — 40,746,990 $ 4 — $ — $ 155,716 $ 4,159 $ ( 1,547 ) $ 158,332 $ — $ 158,332 Exercise of stock options — 737,000 — — — 692 — — 692 — 692 Vesting of restricted stock units — 217,347 — — — — — — — — — Shares withheld for tax liability on vested restricted stock units — ( 42,566 ) — — — ( 796 ) — — ( 796 ) — ( 796 ) Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan — 25,878 — — — 296 — — 296 — 296 Stock-based compensation expense — — — — — 7,417 — — 7,417 — 7,417 Other comprehensive income, net — — — — — — — 1,170 1,170 — 1,170 Net income attributable to Vital Farms, Inc. stockholders — — — — — — 25,566 — 25,566 — 25,566 Balances at December 31, 2023 $ — 41,684,649 $ 4 — $ — $ 163,325 $ 29,725 $ ( 377 ) $ 192,677 $ — $ 192,677 See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements. 68 VITAL FARMS, INC. CONSOLIDATED S TATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Amounts in thousands) Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 December 26, 2021 Cash flows from operating activities: Net income $ 25,566 $ 1,230 $ 2,382 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 7,925 5,441 3,540 Reduction in the carrying amount of right-of-use assets 4,129 1,840 — Amortization of available-for-sale debt securities 348 711 1,301 Stock-based compensation expense 7,417 6,040 4,440 Uncertain tax positions 58 405 — Deferred taxes ( 179 ) 227 ( 2,536 ) Net realized losses on derivative instruments 2,711 — — Other 438 184 341 Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable ( 862 ) ( 13,858 ) ( 6,078 ) Inventories ( 6,443 ) ( 15,574 ) 1,733 Income taxes receivable — 199 1,354 Prepaid expenses and other current assets ( 1,151 ) ( 131 ) 426 Deposits and other assets 98 45 ( 46 ) Income taxes payable 782 425 — Accounts payable 6,671 2,352 6,796 Accrued liabilities 5,157 3,843 4,029 Operating lease liabilities ( 1,759 ) ( 1,477 ) — Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities $ 50,906 $ ( 8,098 ) $ 17,682 Cash flows from investing activities: Purchases of property, plant and equipment ( 11,538 ) ( 10,468 ) ( 16,711 ) Purchases of leasehold improvements — ( 89 ) — Purchases of available-for-sale debt securities ( 982 ) ( 33,817 ) ( 51,688 ) Purchases of derivative instruments ( 1,971 ) — — Sales of available-for-sale debt securities 2,895 — 1,436 Settlements of derivative instruments 106 — — Maturities and call redemptions of available-for-sale debt securities 32,265 34,345 48,523 Proceeds from the sale of property, plant and equipment 1,056 100 — Return of investment in variable interest entity 552 — — Dissolution of equity investment — ( 108 ) — Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities $ 22,383 $ ( 10,037 ) $ ( 18,440 ) See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements 69 VITAL FARMS, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Amounts in thousands) Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 December 26, 2021 Cash flows from financing activities: Proceeds from borrowing under revolving line of credit 7,500 — — Proceeds from exercise of stock options 692 675 2,803 Proceeds from issuance of common stock under employee stock purchase plan 296 — — Repayment of revolving line of credit ( 7,500 ) — — Payment of tax withholding obligation on vested RSU shares ( 796 ) — — Principal payments under finance lease obligations ( 2,246 ) ( 554 ) ( 471 ) Payment of contingent consideration — ( 38 ) ( 152 ) Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities $ ( 2,054 ) $ 83 $ 2,180 Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 71,235 ( 18,052 ) 1,422 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period 12,914 30,966 29,544 Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period $ 84,149 $ 12,914 $ 30,966 Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: Cash paid for interest $ 775 $ 114 $ 43 Cash paid for income taxes $ 5,996 $ 99 $ 102 Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities: Purchases of property, plant and equipment included in accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 187 $ 1,143 $ 1,493 See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements 70 VITAL FARMS, INC. NOTES TO CONSOLID ATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Amounts in thousands, except share and per share amounts) 1. Nature of the Business and Basis of Presentation Vital Farms, Inc. (the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our”) was incorporated in Delaware on June 6, 2013 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas. The Company packages, markets and distributes shell eggs, butter and other products. These products are principally sold under the name Vital Farms in addition to other trade names, primarily to retail and foodservice channels in the United States. Vital Farms of Missouri, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Vital Farms. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in the audited consolidated financial statements. The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP” or “GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. In the opinion of management, the included disclosures are adequate, and the accompanying consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of our consolidated financial position as of December 31, 2023, consolidated results of operations and the consolidated cash flows for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022 and December 26, 2021 . Such adjustments are of a normal and recurring nature and certain reclassifications of previously reported amounts have been made to conform to the current year presentation. A reclassification of $ 1,539 has been made from accounts receivable, net to prepaids and other current assets, net in the consolidated balance sheet as of December 25, 2022 to conform to the current year presentation of our accounts receivable from the Company's network of farms. Fiscal Year: The Company’s fiscal year ends on the last Sunday in December and contains either 52 or 53 weeks. Therefore, the financial results of certain 53-week fiscal years will not be exactly comparable to the prior and subsequent 52-week fiscal years. The fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 contains operating results for 53 weeks, while the fiscal years ended December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021 contain operating results for 52 weeks. 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Use of Estimates: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Such estimates principally include revenue recognition, determination of useful lives for property and equipment, trade spend accruals, goodwill, allowance for credit losses, inventory obsolescence, stock option valuations, accrued liabilities, income taxes and contingencies. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Concentrations of Customers and Risk: A substantial amount of our shell egg processing occurs at our Egg Central Station shell egg processing facility. Any shutdown or period of reduced production at Egg Central Station, which may be caused by regulatory noncompliance or other issues, as well as factors beyond our control, such as natural disaster, weather, fire, power interruption, work stoppage, disease outbreaks or pandemics, equipment failure or delay in raw materials delivery, would significantly disrupt our ability to deliver our products in a timely manner, meet our contractual obligations and operate our business. Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash and cash equivalents, investments, accounts receivable and derivative instruments. The Company maintains deposits with large financial institutions that the Company believes are of high credit quality. At times the Company’s cash and cash equivalents balances with individual banking institutions are in excess of federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses related to its cash and cash equivalents balances. The Company's customer concentration for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 was as follows: 71 Net Revenue Year Ended December 31, 2023 Net Revenue Year Ended December 25, 2022 Net Revenue Year Ended December 26, 2021 Accounts Receivable, Net as of December 31, 2023 Accounts Receivable, Net as of December 25, 2022 Customer A 25 % 26 % 18 % 18 % 23 % Customer B * 11 % 12 % 12 % 12 % Customer C * * 14 % * * Customer D * * 10 % * * Customer E * * * 11 % 13 % Customer F * * * 11 % * * Denotes percentage less than 10% Cash and Cash Equivalents: The Company considers all short-term, highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents. Cash deposits are all in financial institutions in the United States. As of December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022 , cash and cash equivalents consisted of cash on deposit with balances denominated in U.S. dollars and investments in money market funds. Investment Securities: The Company accounts for its investment securities in accordance with ASC 320, Investments-Debt and Equity Securities . The Company considers all of its debt securities for which there is a determinable fair market value, and there are no restrictions on the Company’s ability to sell within the next 12 months, as available-for-sale. The Company classifies these securities as current, because the amounts invested are available for current operations. Available-for-sale securities are carried at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, recorded in other comprehensive income until the security is settled or sold, except for changes in allowance for expected credit losses, which are reported on a gross basis in other expense. The amortized cost of debt securities is adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity. Such amortization is recorded in interest income. The cost of securities sold is based on the specific identification method with realized gains and losses on the sale of debt securities and declines in value due to credit-related factors, reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income when sold and recorded in other income. Income tax effects related to realized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities are released from accumulated other comprehensive income quarterly with the recognition of the Company’s tax provision. Interest and dividends on securities classified as available-for-sale are recorded in interest income. Variable Interest Entity: The Company consolidates all entities where a controlling financial interest exists. The Company has considered its relationship with Ovabrite, Inc. to determine whether the Company has a variable interest in that entity, and if so, whether the Company is the primary beneficiary of the relationship. GAAP requires variable interest entities (“VIEs”) to be consolidated if an entity’s interest in the VIE is a controlling financial interest. Under the variable model, a controlling financial interest is determined based on which entity, if any, has (i) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impacts the VIE’s economic performance and (ii) the obligations to absorb losses that could potentially be significant to the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. Management performs ongoing reassessments of whether changes in the facts and circumstances regarding the Company’s involvement with a VIE will cause the consolidation conclusion to change. The consolidation status of a VIE may change as a result of such reassessments. Changes in consolidation status are applied prospectively in accordance with GAAP. Segment Information: The Company operates and manages its business as one reportable and operating segment. The Company’s Chief Executive Officer, who is the chief operating decision maker, reviews financial information on an aggregate basis for purposes of evaluating financial performance and allocating resources. All of the Company’s long-lived assets and customers are located in the United States. Fair Value of Financial Instruments: Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value are defined below: • Level 1 - Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. • Level 2 - Inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities. • Level 3 - Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity that are significant to determining the fair value of the assets or liabilities, including pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies and similar techniques. 72 The carrying values of cash, trade receivables, other non-trade receivables within prepaid expenses and other current assets, accounts payable, accrued expenses and other current liabilities approximate their fair value due to the short-term nature of these assets and liabilities. Accounts Receivable: Accounts receivable are stated at amounts due from customers net of any allowance for credit losses. The Company generally does not have collateral for its receivables, but the Company does periodically evaluate the creditworthiness of its customers. Allowance for Credit Losses: The allowance for expected credit losses related to trade receivables is estimated based on the trade receivable aging category, credit risk of specific customers, past collection history, and management’s evaluation of accounts receivable. The evaluation is inherently subjective, as it requires estimates that are susceptible to significant revision as more information becomes available. The provision for expected credit losses is charged within selling, general and administrative costs. These losses have been immaterial to date. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the allowance. The allowance for expected credit losses related to other non-trade receivables are estimated based on the aging category and the probability of default. Provisions for current estimated credit losses are classified within selling, general and administrative costs. Inventories: Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (determined under the weighted average cost method) or net realizable value. In addi tion to product cost, inventory costs include expenditures such as in-bound shipping and handling and warehousing costs incurred in bringing the inventory to its existing condition and location. Inventory includes eggs and egg-related products, butter and butter-related products, packaging, feed, laying hens, pullets, and equipment parts. A reduction in the carrying value of an inventory item from cost to net realizable value is recorded in cost of goods sold with the offset to inventory. Any inventory that does not meet the quality control standards of the Company is separated and written down to its net realizable value. Derivative Financial Instruments: The Company uses derivative instruments as part of its risk management activities to reduce its exposure to commodity price risk. Business operations give rise to certain market exposures, mostly due to changes in commodity prices of corn and soybean meal. Credit risks associated with derivative contracts are not significant, as the Company minimizes counterparty exposure by dealing with creditworthy counterparties and collateralized insurers and by utilizing exchange traded instruments and insurance backed commodity settlement contracts. While the Company may be exposed to potential losses due to the credit risk of non-performance by these counterparties, losses are not anticipated. The Company does not hold derivative instruments for trading purposes. Additionally, the Company’s derivative contracts are short-term in duration and do not make use of credit-risk-related contingent features. Derivatives used to manage commodity price risk are not designated for hedge accounting treatment. Therefore, the changes in fair value of these derivatives are recorded as incurred within other expense, net. Net realized gains and losses on derivative instruments are reported as a reconciling item from net income to cash from operating activities in our consolidated statements of cash flows. Cash flows related to settlements and purchases of derivative instruments are reported as investing activities within the consolidated statements of cash flows. Property, Plant and Equipment: Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization are computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives. The general range of useful lives of other property, plant and equipment is as follows: Estimated Useful Life Land N/A Land improvements 15 to 20 years Buildings and improvements 15 to 39 years Vehicles 5 years Machinery and equipment 2 to 7 years Furniture and fixtures 5 years Leasehold improvements Lesser of lease term or 5 years When assets are sold or retired, the cost and related accumulated depreciation or amortization of assets disposed of are removed from the accounts, with any resulting gain or loss recorded in operations in the consolidated statements of income. Normal repairs and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred to operations. 73 Goodwill: Goodwill represents the excess of cost over the fair value of the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired in a business combination. Goodwill is not amortized but is tested for impairment annually on the first day of the fourth fiscal quarter or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the asset may be impaired. The Company’s goodwill impairment test is performed at the enterprise level given the single reporting unit. The Company first assesses qualitative factors to determine whether events or circumstances existed that would lead the Company to conclude that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is below its carrying amount. If the Company determines that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is below the carrying amount based on qualitative factors or if significant changes to macro-economic factors related to the reporting unit have occurred that could materially impact fair value, a quantitative goodwill assessment would be required. In the quantitative evaluation, the fair value of the reporting unit is determined and compared to the carrying value. If the fair value is greater than the carrying value, then the carrying value is deemed to be recoverable and no further action is required. If the fair value estimate is less than the carrying value, goodwill is considered impaired for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value and a charge is reported as impairment of goodwill in the consolidated statements of income. To date, the Company has not recorded any impairment charges associated with its goodwill. Leases: The Company determines if an arrangement is or contains a lease at inception, which is the date on which the terms of the contract are agreed to and the agreement creates enforceable rights and obligations. Under ASC 842, Leases (“Topic 842”), a contract is or contains a lease when (i) explicitly or implicitly identified assets have been deployed in the contract and (ii) the customer obtains substantially all of the economic benefits from the use of that underlying asset and directs how and for what purpose the asset is used during the term of the contract. The Company also considers whether its service arrangements include the right to control the use of an asset. The Company has made an accounting policy election not to recognize right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and lease liabilities for leases with a term of 12 months or less. For all other leases, the Company recognizes ROU assets and lease liabilities based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term at the commencement date of the lease. The Company’s recognized ROU assets also include any initial direct costs incurred and lease payments made at or before the commencement date, which are reduced by any lease incentives. Future lease payments may include fixed rent escalation clauses or payments that depend on an index (such as the Consumer Price Index measured by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Subsequent index changes and other periodic market-rate adjustments to base rent are recorded as variable lease expense during the period in which they are incurred. Residual value guarantees or payments for terminating the lease are included in the lease payments only when it is probable they will be incurred. The Company has made an accounting policy election to account for lease and non-lease components in its contracts as a single lease component for all asset classes. The non-lease components typically represent additional services transferred to the Company, such as common area maintenance for real estate, which are variable in nature and recorded in variable lease expense in the period incurred. Impairment of Long-Lived Assets: The Company reviews the carrying value of property, plant and equipment for impairment whenever events and circumstances indicate the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable from the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from its use and eventual disposition. In cases where undiscounted expected future cash flows are less than the carrying value, an impairment loss is recognized equal to an amount by which the carrying value exceeds the fair value of assets. The factors considered by management in performing this assessment include current operating results, trends and prospects and the effects of obsolescence, demand, competition and other economic factors. The Company did no t recognize an impairment loss during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021 . Noncontrolling Interest: The Company recognizes noncontrolling interest related to VIEs, in which the Company is the primary beneficiary, as equity in the consolidated financial statements separate from the parent entity’s equity. The amount of net income or loss attributable to noncontrolling interests is included in consolidated net income on the face of the consolidated statements of income. Changes in the parent entity’s ownership interest in a subsidiary that do not result in deconsolidation are treated as equity transactions if the parent entity retains its controlling financial interest. In addition, when a subsidiary is deconsolidated, any retained noncontrolling equity investment in the former subsidiary will be initially measured at fair value and the difference between the carrying value and fair value of the retained interest will be recorded as a gain or loss. Affiliate equity interests where the Company has certain rights to demand settlement are presented at their current redemption values, as redeemable noncontrolling interest in the consolidated balance sheet. Because these transactions take place between entities under common control, any gains or losses attributable to these transactions are required to be included within additional paid-in-capital on the consolidated balance sheets. Income Taxes: Income taxes are computed using the asset and liability approach that requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been recognized in the consolidated financial statements. In estimating future tax consequences, the Company considers all expected future events other than enactment of changes in tax laws or rates. A valuation allowance is recorded, if necessary, to reduce net deferred tax assets to their realizable values if management does not believe it is more likely than not that the net deferred tax assets will be realized. 74 The Company recognizes the benefit of an income tax position only if it is more likely than not (greater than 50%) that the tax position will be sustained upon tax examination, based solely on the technical merits of the tax position. Otherwise, no benefit can be recognized. Assessing an uncertain tax position begins with the initial determination of the sustainability of the position and is measured at the largest amount of benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. As of each balance sheet date, unresolved uncertain tax positions must be reassessed. Additionally, the Company must accrue interest and related penalties, if applicable, on all tax exposures for which reserves have been established consistent with jurisdictional tax laws. The Company’s policy is to recognize interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in the provision for income taxes. As of December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022 the Company had accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions of $ 171 and $ 85 . Net Income per Share Attributable to Vital Farms, Inc. Common Stockholders: The Company applies the two-class method to compute basic and diluted net income per share attributable to the Company’s common stockholders when shares meet the definition of participating securities. The two-class method determines net income per share for each class of the Company’s common stock and preferred stock according to dividends declared or accumulated and participation rights in undistributed earnings. The two-class method requires income available to common stockholders for the period to be allocated between the Company’s common stock and preferred stock based upon their respective rights to share in the earnings as if all income for the period had been distributed. During periods of loss, there is no allocation required under the two-class method since the preferred stock does not have a contractual obligation to share in the Company’s losses. Basic net income per share attributable to the Company’s stockholders is computed by dividing net income by the weighted-average number of shares outstanding during the period without consideration of potentially dilutive common stock. Diluted net income per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue shares of the Company’s common stock were exercised or converted into common stock or resulted in the issuance of common stock that then shared in the earnings of the Company unless inclusion of such shares would be anti-dilutive. For periods in which the Company reports net losses, diluted net loss per common share attributable to the Company’s common stockholders is the same as basic net loss, because potentially dilutive common shares are not assumed to have been issued if their effect is anti-dilutive. Revenue Recognition: The Company generates revenue primarily through sales of products to its customers, which include natural channel retailers, mainstream channel retailers and foodservice customers. The Company sells its products to customers on a purchase-order basis. Revenue is recognized when control of the product is transferred to the customer and the related performance obligation is satisfied, which typically occurs upon delivery of the product to the customer, for an amount that reflects the net consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for delivering the product. The Company offers sales incentives through various programs to customers and allow deductions from its customers, which may include credits or discounts to customers in the event that products do not conform to customer specifications or expire at a customer’s site. The cost associated with promotions and chargebacks is estimated and recorded as a reduction in revenue and is recognized at the time the related revenue is recorded, which normally precedes the actual cash expenditure. The recognition of this cost therefore requires management judgment regarding the volume of promotional offers that will be redeemed. Differences between estimated cost and actual redemptions are recognized as a change in management estimate in a subsequent period. In many cases, key sales terms such as pricing and quantities ordered are established on a regular basis such that most customer arrangements and related incentives have a duration of less than one year. Amounts billed and due from customers are short-term in nature and are classified as receivables since payments are unconditional and only the passage of time is required before payments are due. Treasury Stock: The Company records treasury stock activities under the cost method whereby the cost of the acquired stock is recorded as treasury stock. The Company’s accounting policy upon the formal retirement of treasury stock is to deduct the par value from the Company’s common stock and to reflect any excess of cost over par value as a reduction to additional paid-in capital (to the extent created by previous issuances of the shares). Shipping and Distribution: The Company’s shipping and distribution costs include costs incurred with third-party carriers to transport products to customers and salaries and overhead costs related to activities to prepare the Company’s products for shipment. Shipping and distribution costs were $ 27,344 , $ 30,104 , and $ 24,979 during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021, respectively. Freight-in costs are included within cost of goods sold and were $ 4,823 , $ 9,610 , and $ 7,623 during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021 , respectively. 75 Stock-Based Compensation: The Company measures all stock-based awards granted to employees and directors based on the estimated fair value on the date of the grant and recognizes compensation expense for those awards, over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the respective award. Stock options generally vest ratably over three years from the date of grant and expire 10 years from the date of grant. Restricted stock awards generally vest ratably over three years from the date of grant and contain no other service or performance conditions. The Company recognizes stock-based compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service or vesting period. Forfeitures for stock options and restricted stock awards are recognized as they occur. The fair value of each stock option grant is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing valuation model, which requires inputs based on certain subjective assumptions, including the fair market value of the Company’s common stock, expected stock price volatility, the expected term of the option, the risk-free interest rate for a period that approximates the expected term of the option, and the Company’s expected dividend yield. The Company classifies stock-based compensation expense in its consolidated statements of income in the same manner in which the award recipient’s payroll costs are classified or in which the award recipient’s service payments are classified. Advertising and Promotion Expenses: Advertising and promotion expenses consist primarily of production costs and the costs to communicate the advertisements to promote and market the Company’s products. Production costs such as idea development, artwork, audio and video crews and other upfront development costs are expensed the first time the associated advertising campaign is launched or aired. The costs to communicate the advertisements such as airtime and distribution costs are expensed as incurred. During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021, the Company incurred advertising and promotion expenses of approximately $ 23,625 , $ 13,301 , and $ 11,469 , respectively. Emerging Growth Company Status: The Company is an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (“JOBS Act”). Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can delay adopting new or revised financial accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies. Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements: In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments — Credit Losses (Topic 326), Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASU 2016-13”) and also issued subsequent amendments to the initial guidance, ASU 2018-19, ASU 2019-04, ASU 2019-05, ASU 2019-10, ASU 2019-11, ASU 2020-02, ASU 2020-03 and ASU 2022-02 (collectively, “Topic 326”), to introduce a new impairment model for recognizing credit losses on financial instruments based on an estimate of current expected credit losses. Topic 326 requires financial assets measured at amortized cost to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. The measurement of expected credit losses is based on relevant information about past events, including historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amounts. An entity must use judgment in determining the relevant information and estimation methods that are appropriate in its circumstances. The Company adopted ASU 2016-13 on December 26, 2022. Entities will apply the standard’s provisions as a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is effective. There was no impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements at adoption. In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740), Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (“ASU 2019-12”), which intends to simplify the guidance by removing certain exceptions to the general principles and clarifying or amending existing guidance. ASU 2019-12 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. The Company adopted ASU 2019-12 during fiscal year 2022 and there was no material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 25, 2022 and December 31, 2023 . Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted: In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280) — Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures (“ASU 2023-07”) in order to improve stockholders’ understanding of an entity’s business activities through enhanced disclosures around reportable segments. ASU 2023-07 will require incremental and more detailed disclosure regarding segment expenses on both an annual and interim basis. For public companies ASU 2023-07 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023 and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. The Company expects to adopt the standard for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2024. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of its pending adoption of ASU 2023-07 on its consolidated financial statements. In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740) — Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures (“ASU 2023-09” ) in order to enhance the transparency and usefulness of income tax disclosures. The guidance is applicable to all entities subject to income tax and it will require disclosure of certain categories within the rate reconciliation to improve consistency as well as disclosure of reconciling items which meet a certain quantitative threshold which will improve transparency. Additionally, entities must disclose the amount of taxes paid to federal, state and foreign municipalities. For public business entities ASU 2023-09 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. The Company expects to adopt the standard for the fiscal year beginning December 30, 2024. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of its pending adoption of ASU 2023-09 on its consolidated financial statements. 76 3. Investment Securities The following table summarizes the Company’s available-for-sale investment securities as of December 31, 2023: Amortized Cost Gross Unrealized Gains Gross Unrealized Losses Allowance for Credit Losses Fair Value U.S. corporate bonds and U.S. dollar denominated foreign bonds $ 33,134 $ 10 $ ( 477 ) $ — $ 32,667 Total $ 33,134 $ 10 $ ( 477 ) $ — $ 32,667 The following table summarizes the Company’s available-for-sale investment securities as of December 25, 2022: Amortized Cost Gross Unrealized Gains Gross Unrealized Losses Allowance for Credit Losses Fair Value U.S. corporate bonds and U.S. dollar denominated foreign bonds $ 66,658 $ 4 $ ( 2,000 ) $ — $ 64,662 U.S. Treasury 1,176 — ( 24 ) — 1,152 Total $ 67,834 $ 4 $ ( 2,024 ) $ — $ 65,814 The following table presents the Company’s proceeds, gross realized gains and losses from the sale of available-for-sale securities for the periods presented: Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 December 26, 2021 Proceeds $ 2,895 $ — $ 1,436 Gross realized gains — 9 — Gross realized losses ( 183 ) ( 105 ) ( 55 ) Net realized losses $ ( 183 ) $ ( 96 ) $ ( 55 ) Actual maturities may differ from contractual maturities because some borrowers have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties. The amortized cost and fair value of the Company’s investments in available-for-sale securities as of December 31, 2023 by contractual maturity are as follows: Amortized Cost Fair Value Due within one year $ 23,478 $ 23,157 Due after one year through five years 9,656 9,510 Total available-for-sale $ 33,134 $ 32,667 The following tables present the Company’s unrealized loss aging for available-for-sale securities by type and length of time the security was in a continuous unrealized loss position as of the periods presented: December 31, 2023 Less than 12 months 12 months or longer Total Fair Value Unrealized Losses Fair Value Unrealized Losses Fair Value Unrealized Losses U.S. corporate bonds and U.S. dollar denominated foreign bonds $ 699 $ ( 3 ) $ 29,247 $ ( 474 ) $ 29,946 $ ( 477 ) Total $ 699 $ ( 3 ) $ 29,247 $ ( 474 ) $ 29,946 $ ( 477 ) 77 December 25, 2022 Less than 12 months 12 months or longer Total Fair Value Unrealized Losses Fair Value Unrealized Losses Fair Value Unrealized Losses U.S. corporate bonds and U.S. dollar denominated foreign bonds $ 31,657 $ ( 888 ) $ 32,406 $ ( 1,112 ) $ 64,063 $ ( 2,000 ) U.S. Treasury — — 1,176 ( 24 ) 1,176 ( 24 ) Total $ 31,657 $ ( 888 ) $ 33,582 $ ( 1,136 ) $ 65,239 $ ( 2,024 ) As of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, there were 47 diversified issuances in the Company’s securities portfolio in an unrealized loss position, with credit ratings from BBB- to AAA. As of December 31, 2023, there are no individual bonds with unrealized losses exceeding $ 46 , and 46 issuances have been in a loss position greater than 12 months. The decline in fair value has resulted primarily from rising interest rates over the last 12 months, and the Company does not believe there has been any significant decline in the creditworthiness of the issuers. The Company also does not believe it is likely that a significant number of bonds will be called early, and it does not have liquidity needs that would necessitate a sale of any material investments prior to maturity. Therefore, the Company has no t recorded an allowance for credit losses on the investment securities as of December 31, 2023. The fair value and location of all investment securities are included in “Fair Value Measurements” in Note 5 below. 4. Derivative Financial Instruments The Company enters into derivative instruments to mitigate the impact of commodity price volatility. Such instruments may include call options on commodity price contracts. Realized and unrealized gains and losses on the Company’s commodity derivatives not designated as hedging instruments are recorded in other expense, net. The Company recognizes all derivative instruments as either assets or liabilities. The following table presents the aggregated outstanding notional amounts related to the Company’s derivative financial instruments for the periods presented: Metric December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 Commodity: Corn Bushels (in thousands) 2,351 — Soybean Meal Tons 25 — For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021, the pre-tax amount of commodity contract derivative losses recognized in other expense, net was $ 2,435, $ 0 , and $ 0 , respectively. The fair value and location of all outstanding derivative financial instruments are included in “Fair Value Measurements” in Note 5 below. 5. Fair Value Measurements Assets Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis The fair value hierarchy requires the use of observable market data when available. In instances where the inputs used to measure fair value fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy, the fair value measurement has been determined based on the lowest level input significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular item to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, including the consideration of inputs specific to the asset or liability. 78 The following tables present information about the Company’s financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis for the periods presented: Fair Value Measurements as of December 31, 2023, Using: Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Assets: Cash and cash equivalents: Money market $ 64,498 $ — $ — $ 64,498 Investment securities, available-for-sale: U.S. corporate bonds and U.S. dollar denominated foreign bonds — 32,667 — 32,667 Prepaid expenses and other current assets: Derivative financial instruments — 394 — 394 Total assets measured at fair value $ 64,498 $ 33,061 $ — $ 97,559 Fair Value Measurements as of December 25, 2022, Using: Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Assets: Cash and cash equivalents: Money market $ 6,740 $ — $ — $ 6,740 Investment securities, available-for-sale: U.S. corporate bonds and U.S. dollar denominated foreign bonds — 64,662 — 64,662 U.S. Treasury — 1,152 — 1,152 Total assets measured at fair value $ 6,740 $ 65,814 $ — $ 72,554 During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 , there were no transfers between fair value measurement levels. For additional information on concentrations of credit risk for the Company’s financial instruments, refer to “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” in Note 2 and “Investment Securities” in Note 3 above. Fair Value of Other Financial Instruments The carrying values of the Company’s short-term financial instruments not included above, including cash, trade receivables, other non-trade receivables included in prepaid expense and other current assets, accounts payable, accrued expenses and other current liabilities approximate their fair value due to their short-term nature. 6. Revenue Recognition The following table summarizes the Company’s net revenue by primary product for the periods presented: Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 December 26, 2021 Net Revenue: Eggs and egg-related products $ 449,045 $ 339,214 $ 239,967 Butter and butter-related products 22,812 22,836 20,934 Net Revenue $ 471,857 $ 362,050 $ 260,901 Net revenue is primarily generated from the sale of eggs and butter. The Company’s product offerings include shell eggs, hard-boiled eggs, liquid whole eggs, and stick butter. The Company’s previous convenient breakfast product line (including egg bites and egg-based breakfast bars) was discontinued in 2022, and the Company’s ghee and spreadable tub butter offerings were discontinued during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 . The revenues related to the discontinued product lines were immaterial. 79 7. Allowance for Credit Losses As of December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022, the Company had an allowance for credit losses of $ 777 and $ 699 , respectively. The Company recognizes current estimated credit losses (“CECL”) for accounts receivable. The CECL for trade receivables are estimated based on the trade receivable aging category, credit risk of specific customers, past collection history, and management’s evaluation of accounts receivable. The Company also has other receivables which are classified within prepaid expenses and other current assets. The CECL for other receivables are estimated based on the other receivables aging category and the probability of default. Provisions for CECL are classified within selling, general and administrative costs. Changes in the allowance for credit losses for the periods presented were as follows: Accounts Receivable Prepaid Expenses and other Current Assets Total As of December 27, 2020 $ ( 196 ) $ — $ ( 196 ) Provisions charged to operating results ( 184 ) — ( 184 ) Account write-offs 111 — 111 As of December 26, 2021 $ ( 269 ) $ — $ ( 269 ) Provisions charged to operating results ( 546 ) ( 206 ) ( 752 ) Account write-offs 322 — 322 As of December 25, 2022 $ ( 493 ) $ ( 206 ) $ ( 699 ) Provisions charged to operating results ( 364 ) ( 148 ) ( 512 ) Account write-offs 307 127 434 As of December 31, 2023 $ ( 550 ) $ ( 227 ) $ ( 777 ) 8. Inventories Inventory consisted of the following as of the periods presented: December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 Eggs and egg-related products $ 25,521 $ 13,675 Butter and butter-related products 1,697 5,718 Packaging 4,988 5,452 Pullets 289 981 Other 896 1,121 Reserve for inventory obsolescence ( 496 ) ( 98 ) Inventories $ 32,895 $ 26,849 On a periodic basis, the Company compares the amount of inventory on hand with its latest forecasted requirements to determine whether charges for excess or obsolete inventory reserves are required. 80 9. Property, Plant and Equipment Property, plant and equipment consisted of the following as of the periods presented: December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 Land $ 552 $ 552 Land improvements 818 835 Buildings and improvements 30,532 29,667 Vehicles 1,055 894 Machinery and equipment 50,979 34,978 Leasehold improvements 492 919 Furniture and fixtures 461 685 Construction in progress 3,001 3,312 87,890 71,842 Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization ( 21,051 ) ( 12,687 ) Property, plant and equipment, net $ 66,839 $ 59,155 During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021, depreciation and amortization of property, plant and equipment was approximately $ 7,925 , $ 5,441 , and $ 3,540 , respectively. 10. Leases The Company leases office facilities, warehouses, office equipment and vehicles for delivery of products under lease agreements with initial terms approximating one to five years. The Company's finance leases include leases on a transportation fleet as well as office equipment and its operating leases primarily consist of leases on its buildings, including its corporate headquarters. In addition, substantially all the Company’s long-term supply contracts with farms contain components that meet the definition of embedded leases within the scope of Topic 842. These arrangements convey to the Company the right to control implicitly identified property, plant and equipment as it takes substantially all the utility generated by these assets over the term of the arrangements at a variable price. The initial term of these supply agreements ranges from one to seven years . Excluding upfront leasing costs discussed below, the total purchase commitments contained in these arrangements are variable and represent rentals; there are no minimum purchase commitments associated with these long-term supply contracts. During December 2023, the Company executed two long-term supply contracts with farms to provide an upfront lease payment to offset farm construction costs, loans and other startup costs. The upfront leasing costs have been classified within our operating lease right-of-use assets on the consolidated balance sheet for the year ended December 31, 2023 and will be amortized to cost of goods sold over the term of the long term supply arrangements. As the classification and timing of recognition of costs attributable to the eggs and embedded cost of the lease rentals are identical, the Company does not allocate the total purchase cost of eggs between the cost of the eggs and the embedded cost of the lease rentals or distinguish between them in its accounting records. The Company records the total purchase cost of eggs, which includes costs associated with the eggs and the corresponding cost of embedded lease rentals from the same arrangement, into inventory. These costs are expensed to cost of goods sold when the associated eggs are sold to customers and are also reported as part of our variable lease cost. The Company’s office lease for its corporate headquarters facility in Austin, Texas includes an option to renew, generally at the Company's sole discretion, with renewal terms that can extend the lease term up to five years. In addition, certain leases contain termination options, where the rights to terminate are held by the Company, the lessor, or both parties. These options to extend or terminate a lease are included in the lease terms when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise that option. As of December 31, 2023, it is not reasonably certain that the Company will exercise the right to extend its office lease and therefore, the Company has not included the extended term in the calculation of its ROU assets or liabilities. The Company’s leases do not contain any material restrictive covenants or residual value guarantees. Operating lease cost is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term and finance lease cost is recognized as amortization expense for ROU assets and interest expense associated with finance lease liabilities. Amortization expense associated with our finance leases during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022 was $ 2,565 and $ 439 , respectively, and is recorded within costs of goods sold and selling, general and administrative costs in the consolidated statement of income. 81 The components of lease cost consisted of the following for the periods presented: Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 December 26, 2021 Operating lease cost $ 1,714 $ 1,445 $ — Finance lease cost – amortization of right-of-use assets 2,565 439 — Finance lease cost – interest on lease liabilities 740 87 28 Short-term lease cost 771 67 — Variable lease cost 7,533 2,967 — Variable lease cost – long-term supply contracts 200,050 143,696 — Total lease cost $ 213,373 $ 148,701 $ 28 Supplemental balance sheet information related to leases is as follows: As of December 31, 2023 As of December 25, 2022 Finance Leases Machinery and equipment $ 16,321 $ 8,931 Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization ( 2,837 ) ( 272 ) Property, plant and equipment, net $ 13,484 $ 8,659 As of December 31, 2023 As of December 25, 2022 Weighted-average remaining lease term (years) Operating leases 2.97 2.18 Finance leases 3.83 4.85 Weighted-average discount rate Operating leases 7.38 % 3.32 % Finance leases 7.12 % 6.34 % Future undiscounted cash flows are as follows: As of December 31, 2023 Operating Leases Finance Leases 2024 $ 3,579 $ 4,103 2025 3,170 4,103 2026 3,017 4,095 2027 — 3,332 2028 — — Thereafter — — Total lease payments 9,766 15,633 Less imputed interest ( 938 ) ( 1,897 ) Total present value of lease liabilities $ 8,828 $ 13,736 82 Supplemental cash flow information related to leases is as follows: Cash paid for amounts included in measurement of lease liabilities: Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 Operating cash outflows - payments on operating leases $ 1,759 $ 1,477 Operating cash outflows - interest payments on finance leases 740 87 Financing cash outflows - principal payments on finance leases 2,246 554 Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new lease obligations: As of December 31, 2023 As of December 25, 2022 Operating leases $ 8,583 $ — Finance leases 7,390 8,931 11. Accrued Liabilities Accrued liabilities consisted of the following as of the periods presented: December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 Employee-related costs $ 9,131 $ 7,453 Promotions and customer deductions 6,982 4,414 Distribution fees and freight 2,876 2,351 Marketing and broker commissions 3,627 1,598 Purchases of inventory 525 1,349 Professional fees 1,066 761 Other 11 551 Accrued liabilities $ 24,218 $ 18,477 12. Product Exit Costs During the fiscal year ended December 25, 2022, the Company made the decision to exit its convenient breakfast product category due to a shift in focus to product offerings that are core to the Company’s operations. Charges incurred in connection with these product exits were substantially complete by December 25, 2022, and the Company believes the actual charges as shown below approximate fair value. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Company made the decision to exit its ghee and spreadable tub butter product offerings. Charges incurred in connection with these product exits were immaterial. As of December 25, 2022 , the ending liability balance related to the convenience breakfast category exit was $ 119 . As of December 31, 2023, remaining liabilities of $ 45 are expected to be settled or released by the end of the 13-week period ending March 31, 2024 . 83 The following table summarizes the activity related to the exit of the Company’s convenient breakfast products during the periods presented: For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 Description Statement of Income Classification Beginning Liability Balance Charges Incurred Amounts Paid or Settled Amounts Released as Unutilized Ending Liability Balance Asset write-downs Cost of goods sold $ 119 $ — $ ( 74 ) $ — $ 45 Total $ 119 $ — $ ( 74 ) $ — $ 45 For the Fiscal Year Ended December 25, 2022 Description Statement of Income Classification Charges Incurred Amounts Paid or Settled Amounts Released as Unutilized Ending Liability Balance Contract terminations Selling, general and administrative $ 1,126 $ ( 1,126 ) $ — $ — Inventory obsolescence Cost of goods sold 749 ( 749 ) — — Customer allowances Net revenue 146 ( 111 ) ( 35 ) — Asset write-downs Cost of goods sold 119 — — 119 Co-manufacturer charges Cost of goods sold 135 ( 135 ) — — Asset disposals Selling, general and administrative 66 ( 66 ) — — Total $ 2,341 $ ( 2,187 ) $ ( 35 ) $ 119 13. Long-Term Debt In October 2017, the Company entered into a credit facility agreement with PNC Bank, National Association (the “Credit Facility”) that initially included a $ 4.7 million term a loan, a $ 10.0 million revolving line of credit and an equipment loan with a maximum borrowing capacity of $ 1.5 million. Subsequently, the terms of the Credit Facility were modified at various times between fiscal 2018 and fiscal 2023 . Such amendments (i) amended various definitions, (ii) waived a technical default in May 2020 which was triggered by exceeding the capital expenditure limit, (iii) increased borrowing capacity and (iv) extended the maturity date. The Ninth Amendment to the Credit Facility in April 2021 eliminated the term loan and equipment loan. The Tenth Amendment to the Credit Facility in December 2022 modified certain covenants related to commodity hedging, consented to the dissolution of immaterial subsidiaries and implemented changes related to the discontinuation of LIBOR. The Eleventh Amendment to the Credit Facility, effective July 26, 2023 extended the maturity date by one year, from April 2, 2024 to April 2, 2025 . The maximum borrowing capacity under the revolving line of credit is currently $ 20.0 million . Interest on borrowings under the revolving line of credit, as well as loan advances thereunder, accrues at a rate, at the Company’s election at the time of borrowing, equal to (i) the secured overnight financing rate as administered by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York plus 2.00 % or (ii) 1.00 % plus the alternate base rate, as defined in the Credit Facility. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Company borrowed and repaid $ 7.5 million under the revolving line of credit. As of December 31, 2023 , there were no outstanding amounts under the revolving line of credit. The Credit Facility is secured by all of the Company’s assets (other than real property and certain other property excluded pursuant to the terms of the Credit Facility) and requires the Company to maintain three financial covenants: a fixed charge coverage ratio, a leverage ratio and a minimum tangible net worth requirement. The Credit Facility also contains various covenants relating to limitations on indebtedness, acquisitions, mergers, consolidations and the sale of properties and liens. As a result of the limitations contained in the Credit Facility, certain of the net assets on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2023 are restricted in use. The Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries are non-operating and have no restricted net assets within the meaning of Rule 4-08(e)(3) or Rule 12-04 of Regulation S-X. The Credit Facility also contains other customary covenants, representations and events of default. As of December 31, 2023 , the Company was in compliance with all covenants under the Credit Facility. 84 During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021, the Company recognized interest expense related to draws on the revolving line of credit of $ 7 , $ 0 , and $ 52 , respectively. 14. Preferred Stock As of December 31, 2023 , the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorized the Company to issue 10,000,000 shares, par value $ 0.0001 per share, of preferred stock, in one or more series and with such designation, rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time (collectively, the “preferred stock”) by the Company ’s Board of Directors. As of December 31, 2023 , there were no shares of preferred stock issued or outstanding. 15. Common Stock Common Stock: As of December 31, 2023 , the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorized the Company to issue 310,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $ 0.0001 per share, of which 41,684,649 shares were issued and outstanding. The voting, dividend and liquidation rights of the holders of the Company’s common stock are subject to and qualified by the rights, powers and preferences of the holders of the preferred stock, if any. Each share of the Company’s common stock is entitled to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of the Company’s stockholders . Holders of the Company’s common stock are entitled to receive dividends as may be declared by the Board of Directors, if any, subject to the preferential dividend rights of preferred stock, if any. No cash dividends were declared or paid during the periods presented. As of each balance sheet date, the Company had reserved shares of common stock for issuance in connection with the following: December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 Options to purchase common stock 3,920,485 4,634,205 Restricted stock units 565,376 505,504 Shares available for grant under the 2020 Equity Incentive Plan and 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan 13,313,326 11,503,459 Total 17,799,187 16,643,168 Treasury Stock : In August 2021, the Company retired an aggregate of 5,494,918 shares of its common stock held in treasury. Upon retirement, the shares were redesignated as authorized but unissued shares of the Company’s common stock. 16. Stock-Based Compensation The Company recognized stock-based compensation expense and the related tax benefit as follows for the periods presented: Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 December 26, 2021 Cost of goods sold 1 $ 260 $ 188 $ 133 Selling, general and administrative expense 2 7,157 5,852 4,307 Total $ 7,417 $ 6,040 $ 4,440 Tax benefit $ 2,998 $ 970 $ 3,872 1. Includes $ 7 , $ 6 and $ 0 of expense related to the 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan as of December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021 , respectively. 2. Includes $ 97 , $ 57 and $ 0 of expense related to the 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan as of December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021 , respectively. 85 Stock Option Activity The following table summarizes the Company’s stock option activity since December 25, 2022: Number of Options Weighted- Average Exercise Price Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Term (Years) Aggregate Intrinsic Value Outstanding as of December 25, 2022 4,634,205 $ 9.35 $ 38,520 Granted 520,154 $ 15.00 Exercised ( 737,000 ) $ 1.05 $ 9,091 Cancelled/Forfeited ( 496,874 ) $ 21.89 $ 61 Outstanding as of December 31, 2023 3,920,485 $ 10.07 5.8 $ 28,749 Options exercisable as of December 31, 2023 2,793,016 $ 8.31 5.0 $ 25,215 Options vested and expected to vest as of December 31, 2023 3,920,485 $ 10.07 5.8 $ 28,749 The Company estimates the fair value of stock options on the date of grant using a Black-Scholes option-pricing valuation model, which uses the expected option term, stock price volatility, and the risk-free interest rate. The expected option term assumption reflects the period for which the Company believes the option will remain outstanding. The Company elected to use the simplified method to determine the expected option term, for all periods presented, which is the average of the option’s vesting and contractual term. The Company ’s computation of expected volatility is based on the historical volatility of selected comparable publicly traded companies over a period equal to the expected term of the option. The risk-free interest rate reflects the U.S. Treasury yield curve for a similar instrument with the same expected term in effect at the time of the grant. The following table summarizes the valuation model assumptions, fair values and intrinsic values of stock options during the fiscal years indicated: December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 December 26, 2021 Expected term (in years) 6.0 6.0 6.0 - 6.5 Expected stock price volatility 27.8 % - 29.2 % 27.6 % - 28.6 % 28.5 % - 29.4 % Risk-free interest rate 3.63 % - 4.45 % 1.64 % - 4.16 % 0.57 % - 1.36 % Expected dividend yield 0 % 0 % 0 % Weighted average fair value at grant date $ 5.33 $ 3.97 $ 7.31 Fair value of stock options vested $ 3,160 $ 3,245 $ 2,694 Intrinsic value of stock options exercised $ 9,091 $ 1,827 $ 20,343 Proceeds from stock options exercised $ 776 $ 568 $ 2,776 As of December 31, 2023, total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to unvested stock options was $ 3,412 , which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.62 years. 86 Restricted Stock Unit Activity The following table summarizes the restricted stock units ("RSU") activity since December 25, 2022: Number of RSUs Weighted- Average Grant Date Fair Value Unvested as of December 25, 2022 505,504 $ 13.58 Granted 350,497 $ 15.04 Vested 1 ( 217,347 ) $ 14.03 Forfeited ( 73,278 ) $ 14.10 Unvested as of December 31, 2023 565,376 $ 14.24 1. Shares of common stock that were withheld to cover taxes on the release of vested RSUs and became available for future grants pursuant to the 2020 Equity Incentive Plan As of December 31, 2023, total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to the Company’s unvested RSU activity was $ 5,220 , which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.76 years. The fair value of RSU shares vested during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021 was $ 3,044 , $ 1,549 , and $ 564 , respectively. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan: In July 2020, the Board of Directors adopted the Vital Farms, Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (“2020 Incentive Plan”), which was subsequently approved by the Company’s stockholders and became effective on July 30, 2020. Initially, the maximum number of shares of the Company’s common stock that may be issued under the 2020 Incentive Plan was 8,595,871 shares. The 2020 Incentive Plan provides that the number of shares reserved and available for issuance under the 2020 Incentive Plan will automatically increase each January 1, beginning on January 1, 2021 and ending on (and including) January 1, 2030, by an amount equal to 4 % of the outstanding number of shares of common stock on the immediately preceding December 31 or such lesser number of shares as determined by the Board of Directors . As of December 31, 2023, 11,200,932 shares were available for future grants of the Company’s common stock, which excludes 1,667,385 shares of common stock that were automatically added to the available reserve on January 1, 2024. Employee Stock Purchase Plan: In July 2020, the Board of Directors adopted the 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“2020 ESPP”), which was subsequently approved by the Company’s stockholders and became effective on July 30, 2020. The 2020 ESPP authorizes the initial issuance of up to 900,000 shares of the Company’s common stock to certain eligible employees or, as designated by the Board of Directors, employees of a related company. The 2020 ESPP provides that the number of shares reserved and available for issuance under the 2020 ESPP will automatically increase each January 1, beginning on January 1, 2021 and ending on (and including) January 1, 2030, by an amount equal to the lesser of (i) 1 % of the outstanding number of shares of common stock on the immediately preceding December 31 and (ii) 900,000 , or such lesser number of shares as determined by the Board of Directors. As of December 31, 2023, 2,112,394 shares of the Company’s common stock were available for future issuance, which excludes 416,846 shares of common stock that were automatically added to the available reserve on January 1, 2024. The Board of Directors authorizes six-month offering periods, with the most recent beginning on November 16, 2023. 87 17. Income Taxes For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021, the provision for income taxes consisted of the following: December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 December 26, 2021 Current: Federal $ 5,136 $ 384 $ 225 State 1,678 539 282 Deferred: Federal 28 803 ( 2,164 ) State ( 207 ) ( 125 ) ( 371 ) Provision (benefit) for income taxes $ 6,635 $ 1,601 $ ( 2,028 ) The Company’s income before income taxes is entirely derived from domestic sources for all periods presented. The reconciliation of the federal statutory income tax provision to the Company’s effective income tax provision is as follows: December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 December 26, 2021 Provision at statutory rate of 21 % $ 6,762 $ 594 $ 74 State income taxes 1,117 51 ( 416 ) Stock-based compensation ( 1,636 ) 225 ( 2,846 ) Non-deductible costs 574 279 12 Charitable deduction ( 95 ) 634 ( 88 ) Change in deferred tax asset valuation allowance 84 ( 774 ) 774 Revisions to prior year 4 212 — Changes in uncertain tax positions 58 347 — Tax credits ( 238 ) — — Other, net 5 33 462 Provision (benefit) for income taxes $ 6,635 $ 1,601 $ ( 2,028 ) 88 Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of loss and credit carryforwards and temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. The Company’s deferred income tax assets and liabilities at December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022 were comprised of the following: 3 December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 Deferred tax assets: Accrued expenses $ 3,716 $ 2,594 Allowances and other reserves 191 171 Inventory 1,498 963 Net operating loss carryforwards 110 1,503 Charitable contributions — 230 Stock-based compensation 1,465 1,046 Lease liability 5,558 2,624 Other 467 581 Total deferred tax assets 13,005 9,712 Less: Valuation allowance ( 84 ) — Net deferred tax assets $ 12,921 $ 9,712 Deferred tax liabilities: Prepaid expenses $ 490 $ 590 Property and equipment 6,778 6,273 Operating and finance lease right of use assets 5,517 2,589 Intangibles 507 430 Total deferred tax liabilities $ 13,292 $ 9,882 Net deferred tax liabilities $ ( 371 ) $ ( 170 ) A valuation allowance is required to be established when it is more likely than not that all or a portion of a deferred tax asset will not be realized. Realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon future earnings, the timing and amount of which are uncertain. A full review of all positive and negative evidence needs to be considered, including the Company’s current and past performance, the market environments in which the Company operates, the utilization of past tax credits, the length of carry back and carry forward periods and tax planning strategies that might be implemented. Management considered the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities and projected future taxable income in making this assessment. The activity in the Company’s deferred tax asset valuation allowance for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022 was as follows: December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 Valuation allowance as of beginning of year $ — $ 774 Increases recorded to income tax provision 84 — Decreases recorded as benefit to income tax provision — ( 774 ) Valuation allowance as of end of year $ 84 $ — As of December 31, 2023, the Company had unrecognized tax benefits, which represent the aggregate tax effect of the differences between tax return positions and the benefits recognized in the Company’s financial statements. At December 31, 2023, all of the unrecognized tax benefits, if recognized, would affect the Company’s annual effective tax rate. The unrecognized tax benefits are long-term in nature and the Company does not anticipate the balance of the unrecognized tax benefits to change materially in the next 12 months. 89 The following table reflects changes in gross unrecognized tax benefits: December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 Gross tax contingencies as of beginning of year $ 511 $ 219 Increase in gross tax contingencies 165 320 Decrease in gross tax contingencies ( 22 ) ( 28 ) Gross tax contingencies as of end of year $ 654 $ 511 As of December 31, 2023, the Company had state net operating loss carryforwards of $ 0.4 million which begin to expire in funding re 2035 . The Company files a U.S. federal income tax return, as well as income tax returns in various states. Tax years 2020 and forward remain open to examination by the tax jurisdictions to which the Company is subject, with certain state taxing jurisdictions being open back to 2017. 18. Net Income Per Share Basic and diluted net income per share attributable to the Company’s common stockholders were calculated as follows: Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 December 26, 2021 Numerator: Net income $ 25,566 $ 1,230 $ 2,382 Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests — ( 21 ) ( 47 ) Net income attributable to Vital Farms, Inc. stockholders’ — basic and diluted $ 25,566 $ 1,251 $ 2,429 Denominator: Weighted average common shares outstanding — basic 41,192,544 40,648,592 40,027,278 Weighted average effect of potentially dilutive securities: Effect of potentially dilutive stock options 1,994,774 2,745,161 3,290,615 Effect of potentially dilutive restricted stock units 107,577 64,455 3,840 Effect of potentially dilutive common stock issuable pursuant to the ESPP 17,941 11,378 — Weighted average common shares outstanding — diluted 43,312,836 43,469,586 43,321,733 Net income per share attributable to Vital Farms, Inc. stockholders Basic $ 0.62 $ 0.03 $ 0.06 Diluted $ 0.59 $ 0.03 $ 0.06 The Company excluded the following shares of common stock, outstanding at each period end, from the computation of diluted net income per share attributable to Vital Farms, Inc. common stockholders for the periods indicated because including them would have had an anti-dilutive effect: Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 December 26, 2021 Options to purchase common stock 15,429 27,954 4,817 Unvested restricted stock 8,362 45,386 18,927 23,791 73,340 23,744 90 19. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) The amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (“AOCI”) to the statements of income were as follows: Amounts Reclassified from AOCI Fiscal Year Ended AOCI Component Statement of Income Classification December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 December 26, 2021 Gains on available-for-sale securities Other income, net $ 182 $ 96 $ 55 Total before tax 182 96 55 Tax expense ( 45 ) ( 22 ) ( 13 ) Net of tax $ 137 $ 74 $ 42 The gross amount and related tax expense recorded in, and associated with, each component of other comprehensive income (loss) were as follows: Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 25, 2022 December 26, 2021 Before Tax Tax After Tax Before Tax Tax After Tax Before Tax Tax After Tax Available-for-sale debt securities: Unrealized net holding gain (loss) $ 1,371 $ ( 338 ) $ 1,033 $ ( 1,745 ) $ 405 $ ( 1,340 ) $ ( 385 ) $ 93 $ ( 292 ) Amounts reclassified for realized losses to earnings 182 ( 45 ) 137 96 ( 22 ) 74 55 ( 13 ) $ 42 Total other comprehensive income (loss) $ 1,553 $ ( 383 ) $ 1,170 $ ( 1,649 ) $ 383 $ ( 1,266 ) $ ( 330 ) $ 80 $ ( 250 ) 20. Commitments and Contingencies Supplier Contracts: The Company purchases its egg inventories under long-term supply contracts with farms. Purchase commitments contained in these arrangements are variable dependent upon the quantity of eggs produced by the farms. Accordingly, there are no estimable future purchase commitments associated with these supplier contracts and there are no minimum payments associated with these long-term supply contracts. The Company records the total cost of eggs into inventory and they are expensed to cost of goods sold when the associated eggs are sold to customers and are also reported as part of the Company’s variable lease cost. During December 2023, the Company executed two long-term supply contracts with farms to provide a one-time payment of $ 200,000 each at lease inception as an incremental cost of obtaining the lease. Indemnification Agreements: In the ordinary course of business, the Company may provide indemnification of varying scope and terms to vendors, lessors, business partners and other parties with respect to certain matters including, but not limited to, losses arising out of breach of such agreements or from intellectual property infringement claims made by third parties. In addition, the Company has entered into indemnification agreements with members of its Board of Directors and its executive officers that will require the Company, among other things, to indemnify them against certain liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service as directors or officers. The maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these indemnification agreements is, in many cases, unlimited. As of December 31, 2023, the Company has not incurred any material costs as a result of such indemnification agreements. 91 Litigation: The Company is subject to various claims and contingencies that are in the scope of ordinary and routine litigation incidental to its business, including those related to regulation, litigation, business transactions, employee-related matters and taxes, among others. When the Company becomes aware of a claim or potential claim, the likelihood of any loss or exposure is assessed. Based on these assessments and estimates, we may establish reserves, as appropriate. These assessments and estimates are based on the information available to management at the time and involve a significant amount of management judgment. Actual outcomes or losses may differ materially from our assessments and estimates. On May 20, 2021, the Company and certain of its current and former officers were named as defendants in a class action complaint captioned Nicholas A. Usler et al. v. Vital Farms, Inc. et al. in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas. The plaintiffs alleged false advertising claims on behalf of themselves and a putative class of alleged consumers of the Company’s eggs. The named officers of the Company were subsequently dismissed as defendants in this matter. In September 2023, the parties engaged in mediation to discuss potential settlement of remaining claims, but no agreement was reached and the lawsuit is ongoing. The Company believes the claims are without merit and is vigorously defending itself in this matter. Given the uncertainty of the litigation, the stage of the case, and the legal standards that must be met for, among other things, class certification and success on the merits, the Company is unable to reasonably estimate the possible loss or range of loss, if any, that may result from the claim. Although the Company maintains insurance for certain potential liabilities, such insurance does not cover all types and amounts of potential liabilities and is subject to various exclusions and caps on amounts recoverable. Even if the Company believes a claim is covered by insurance, insurers may dispute its entitlement to recovery for a variety of potential reasons, which may affect the timing and, if the insurers prevail, the amount of the Company's recovery. If it is probable that a loss will result and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated, the Company records a liability for the loss. If the loss is not probable or the amount of the loss cannot be reasonably estimated, the Company discloses the claim if the likelihood of a potential loss is reasonably possible. 21. Related Party Transactions Ovabrite: Ovabrite, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Ovabrite”), has been deemed a related party because its founders were stockholders of the Company, with the majority stockholder in Ovabrite also serving as the Company’s executive chairperson and member of the Board of Directors. Since Ovabrite’s incorporation in November 2016, the Company has been deemed to have had a variable interest in Ovabrite, and Ovabrite has been deemed to have been a VIE, of which the Company has been the primary beneficiary. Accordingly, the Company has consolidated the results of Ovabrite since November 2016. All significant intercompany transactions between the Company and Ovabrite have been eliminated in consolidation. Effective August 30, 2022, Ovabrite’s Board of Directors and the holders of the majority of its outstanding capital stock consented to dissolving the entity, and a Certificate of Dissolution was filed with the Delaware Secretary of State. As of December 31, 2023, Ovabrite had completed its business activities and liquidated its remaining assets. The results of operations of the Ovabrite entity were immaterial for all periods presented. Sandpebble Builders Preconstruction, Inc.: The Company utilizes Sandpebble Builders Preconstruction, Inc. and Sandpebble South, Inc. (collectively “Sandpebble”) for project management and related services associated with the construction and expansion of our egg processing facilities, including site selection, project management and related services for the Company’s potential future egg packing facility. The Company's contract with Sandpebble for services related to the Company's next egg packing facility was awarded after a competitive bidding process. Victor Canseco, the owner and principal of Sandpebble, is the father of Russell Diez-Canseco, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors. In connection with the services described above, the Company paid Sandpebble $ 631 , $ 962 , and $ 1,037 during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021, respectively. Amounts paid to Sandpebble are included in property, plant and equipment, net and selling, general and administrative costs. As of the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and December 25, 2022, amounts owed to Sandpebble were $ 0 and $ 51 , respectively, and are included in accounts payable. Whole Foods Market, Inc: A member of the Board of Directors was, until February 2022, an executive vice president and senior advisor at Whole Foods. The Company serves the majority of its natural channel retail customers through food distributors, such as US Foods Inc. and United Natural Foods, Inc., who purchase, store, sell and deliver products to Whole Foods. While the Company cannot precisely determine its specific revenue attributable to Whole Foods, it is a significant customer. 22. 401(k) Savings Plan The Company established a defined contribution savings plan in 2017 under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. This plan covers substantially all employees who meet minimum age and service requirements and allows participants to defer a portion of their annual compensation on a pre-tax basis. Company contributions to the plan may be made at the discretion of the Board of Directors. During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, December 25, 2022, and December 26, 2021, the Company made contributions totaling $ 1,185 , $ 861 , and $ 651 respectively, to the plan. 92 Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Acco untants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure None.