Organization, Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Organization, business and summary of significant accounting policies

Note 1 – Organization, business and summary of significant accounting policies

Organization

KLDiscovery Inc. (the “Company,” “we” or “us”) is a leading global provider of eDiscovery, information governance and data recovery solutions to corporations, law firms, insurance companies and individuals in 16 countries around the world. We provide technology solutions to help our clients solve complex data challenges. The Company’s headquarters are located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The Company has 25 locations in 16 countries, as well as 9 data centers and 13 data recovery labs globally.

The Company was originally incorporated under the name Pivotal Acquisition Corp. (“Pivotal”) as a blank check company on August 2, 2018 under the laws of the State of Delaware for the purpose of entering into a merger, capital stock exchange, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities.

On December 19, 2019 (the “Closing Date”), Pivotal acquired the outstanding shares of LD Topco, Inc. via a reverse capitalization (the “Business Combination”) and was renamed KLDiscovery Inc.

Principles of consolidation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared on the accrual basis of accounting in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of KLDiscovery and all its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions were eliminated upon consolidation. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial and risk factor information included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, which we previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

Liquidity and going concern evaluation

Under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 205-40, Going Concern, the Company is required to evaluate each reporting period, including interim periods, whether there is substantial doubt regarding its ability to meet its obligations when they come due within one year from the financial statement issuance date.

On February 8, 2021, certain subsidiaries of the Company (the “Loan Parties”), entered into a new secured credit agreement (the “2021 Credit Agreement”) and on March 3, 2023, the Loan Parties entered into the First Amendment to the 2021 Credit Agreement (as amended, the “Amended 2021 Credit Agreement”). In addition, on December 19, 2019, the Company issued Convertible Debentures, which mature in 2024, in an aggregate principal amount of $200 million (the “Debentures” or the “Convertible Debentures”).

The Amended 2021 Credit Agreement provides for (i) initial term loans in an aggregate principal amount of $300 million (the “Initial Term Loans”), (ii) delayed draw term loans in an aggregate principal amount of $50 million (the “Delayed Draw Term Loans”), and (iii) revolving credit loans in an aggregate principal amount of $40 million, with a letter of credit sublimit of $10 million (the Revolving Credit Loans”).

The Initial Term Loans and Revolving Credit Loans are each scheduled to mature on February 8, 2026, unless the Convertible Debentures are outstanding six months prior to the December 19, 2024 maturity date thereof, in which case the Amended 2021 Credit Agreement matures on June 19, 2024.

The Company has historically incurred losses and in certain years cash flows have been negative. As of September 30, 2023, the Company’s cash balance was $25.4 million and the Company’s debt balance was $544.8 million, including a balance of $252.3 million under the Convertible Debentures and a balance of $292.5 million in Initial Term Loans under the Amended 2021 Credit Agreement (no amounts were outstanding under the Delayed Draw Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans). As of September 30, 2023, the Company does not anticipate repaying the Convertible Debentures by June 19, 2024 and as such, the Initial Term Loans debt of $292.5 million is included in the current portion of long-term debt in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet at September 30, 2023. As of September 30, 2023, the Company does not have sufficient cash on hand, and does not expect to generate sufficient liquidity from forecasted future cash flows to repay its current obligations including the Initial Term Loans, at the accelerated maturity date.

The Company is reviewing potential alternatives, including renegotiating the terms of the Convertible Debentures and/or the Amended 2021 Credit Agreement and identifying alternative sources for cash or additional financing. The Company's current debt structure, however, raises substantial doubt regarding the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern because these or other alternatives may not be achievable on favorable terms and conditions or at all. The Company’s condensed financial statements do

not include any adjustments that may result from the outcome of this uncertainty and have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern.

Use of estimates

The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and disclosures in the condensed consolidated financial statements. Although actual results could differ from those estimates, management does not believe that such differences would be material.

Significant estimates include, but are not limited to, the allowance for doubtful accounts, determining the fair values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed, including the recoverability and useful lives of property and equipment, intangible assets, and other long-lived assets, the evaluation of goodwill for impairment, the valuation and realization of deferred income taxes, the fair value of the Company’s common stock, and stock option awards.

Segments, concentration of credit risk and major customers

The Company operates in one business segment, providing technology-based litigation support solutions and services.

Financial instruments, which potentially expose the Company to concentrations of credit risk, consist principally of cash and accounts receivable. The Company places its cash with a banking institution where the balances, at times, exceed federally insured limits. Management believes the risks associated with these deposits are limited.

With respect to accounts receivable, the Company performs ongoing evaluations of its customers, generally grants uncollateralized credit terms to its customers, and maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts based on historical experience and management’s expectations of future losses. As of and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, the Company did not have any single customer that represented five percent (5%) or more of its consolidated revenues or accounts receivable. The Company believes that the geographic and industry diversity of the Company’s customer base throughout the U.S. and internationally minimizes the risk of incurring material losses due to concentrations of credit risk. The Company’s foreign revenues, principally from businesses in the UK and Germany, totaled approximately $11.5 million and $10.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively; and $40.6 million and $36.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, and 2022, respectively. The Company’s long-lived assets in foreign countries, principally in the UK and Germany, totaled approximately $25.8 million and $25.9 million as of September 30, 2023, and December 31, 2022, respectively.

Foreign currency

Results of operations for the Company’s non-U.S. subsidiaries are translated from the designated functional currency to the reporting currency of the U.S. dollar. Revenues and expenses are translated at average exchange rates for each month, while assets and liabilities are translated at balance sheet date exchange rates. Resulting net translation adjustments are recorded as a component of stockholders’ equity in “Accumulated other comprehensive income” in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Transaction gains and losses arising from currency exchange rate fluctuations on transactions denominated in a currency other than the local functional currency are included in “Other (income) expense” in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss. Such transaction gains and losses may be realized or unrealized depending upon whether the transaction settled during the period or remains outstanding at the balance sheet date.

Cash and cash equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid financial instruments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents.

Accounts receivable

Accounts receivable are recorded at the original invoice amount less an estimate for doubtful receivables based on a review of outstanding amounts monthly. Management determines the allowance for doubtful accounts by regularly evaluating individual customer receivables, considering a customer’s financial condition, and evaluating historical experience and management's expectations of future losses. Accounts receivable are written off when deemed uncollectible. Recoveries of trade accounts receivable previously written off are recorded when received.

Fixed Assets

Computer software, property and equipment are recorded at cost. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method over the following estimated useful lives of the assets:

Computer software and hardware	3 to 5 years
Leasehold improvements	Shorter of lease term or useful life
Furniture, fixtures and other equipment	3 to 5 years

Gains or losses on disposals are included in results of operations at amounts equal to the difference between the net book value of the disposed assets and the proceeds received upon disposal. Costs for replacements and betterments are capitalized, while the costs of maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred. Finance leases right of use assets are included in Property and equipment and are stated at the present value of minimum lease payments and subsequently amortized using the straight-line method over the earlier of the end of the asset's useful life or the end of the lease term.

Depreciation expense totaled $2.5 million and $2.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and includes amortization of assets recorded under finance leases. Depreciation expense totaled $7.2 million and $7.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and includes amortization of assets recorded under finance leases. For additional information on leases, refer to Note 3 – Leases.

Internal-use software development costs

The Company capitalizes certain internal computer software costs incurred during the application development stage. The application development stage generally includes software design and configuration, coding, testing and installation activities. Training and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred, while upgrades and enhancements are capitalized if it is probable that such expenditure will result in additional functionality. Capitalized software costs are amortized over the estimated useful life of the underlying project on a straight-line basis. The Company’s estimated useful life of capitalized software costs varies between three and five years, depending on management’s expectation of the economic life of various software. Capitalized software amortization costs are recorded as a component of cost of revenue.

Capitalized software costs are reflected as part of “Intangible assets, net” in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and totaled $19.5 million and $17.5 million, net of accumulated amortization, as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively.

Intangible assets and other long-lived assets

The Company evaluates the recoverability of its long-lived assets, including finite-lived intangible assets, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of any asset to future net undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured as the difference between the fair value of the asset compared to its carrying amount.

Amortization expense totaled $4.0 million and $5.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively; $1.5 million and $2.5 million of which, respectively, was classified as part of the “Cost of revenues” line in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss. Amortization expense totaled $11.9 million and $15.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively; $4.2 million and $7.6 million of which, respectively, was classified as part of the “Cost of revenues” line in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss.

The Company allocates the purchase price of an acquisition to the tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values at the acquisition date. The Company recognizes as goodwill the amount by which the purchase price of an acquired entity exceeds the net of the fair values assigned to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. In determining the fair values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed, the Company uses various recognized valuation methods including the income and market approaches. Further, the Company makes assumptions within certain valuation techniques, including discount rates, royalty rates, and the amount and timing of future cash flows. The Company records the net assets and results of operations of an acquired entity in the financial statements from the acquisition date. The Company initially performs these valuations based upon preliminary estimates and assumptions by management or independent valuation specialists under its supervision, where appropriate, and make revisions as estimates and assumptions are finalized. The Company expenses acquisition-related costs as they are incurred.

Goodwill

Goodwill represents the excess of the total consideration paid over identified intangible and tangible assets of the Company and its acquisitions. The Company tests its goodwill for impairment at the reporting unit level on an annual basis on October 1, and between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying value. These events or circumstances could include a significant change in the business climate, legal factors, operating performance indicators, competition, or sale or disposition of a significant portion of a reporting unit. As of the October 1, 2022 testing date, the Company determined there is one reporting unit.

Management concluded that there are no triggering events in impairment of goodwill and intangible assets during the nine months ended September 30, 2023. Our goodwill balance is subject to fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.

Debt issuance costs

Debt issuance costs are stated at cost, net of accumulated amortization, and are amortized over the term of the debt using both the straight-line and the effective yield methods. U.S. GAAP requires that the effective yield method be used to amortize debt acquisition costs; however, if the effect of using the straight-line method is not materially different from the results that would have been obtained under the effective yield method, the straight-line method may be used. The amortization for funded term debt is calculated according to the effective yield method and revolving and unfunded term debt is calculated according to the straight-line method. Debt issuance costs related to funded term debt are presented in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the debt liability, consistent with debt discounts or premiums. Debt issuance costs related to revolving and unfunded term debt are presented in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets within “Other assets.”

Revenue recognition

Revenues are recognized when the Company satisfies a performance obligation by transferring goods or services promised in a contract to a customer, in an amount that reflects the consideration that the Company expects to receive in exchange for those services. Performance obligations in the Company's contracts represent distinct or separate service streams that the Company provides to its customers.

The Company evaluates its revenue contracts with customers based on the five-step model under ASC 606, Revenue Recognition: (1) identify the contract with the customer; (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (3) determine the transaction price; (4) allocate the transaction price to separate performance obligations; and (5) recognize revenues when (or as) each performance obligation is satisfied.

The Company provides Legal Technology services to its clients through several technology solutions including Nebula Ecosystem (“Nebula”), its internally developed end-to-end fully integrated proprietary solution. The Company also provides Data Recovery solutions.

The following tables summarize revenue from contracts with customers for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands):

	2023 Q23						2022 Q3
	Technology Solutions		Nebula		Consolidated		Technology Solutions		Nebula		Consolidated
Legal Technology	$	58,077	$	12,982	$	71,059	$	59,966	$	6,478	$	66,444
Data Recovery		8,277		—		8,277		8,100		—		8,100
Total revenue	$	66,354	$	12,982	$	79,336	$	68,066	$	6,478	$	74,544
	2023 YTD						2022 YTD
	Technology Solutions		Nebula		Consolidated		Technology Solutions		Nebula		Consolidated
Legal Technology	$	202,619	$	32,011	$	234,630	$	185,105	$	20,346	$	205,451
Data Recovery		25,372		—		25,372		26,182		—		26,182
Total revenue	$	227,991	$	32,011	$	260,002	$	211,287	$	20,346	$	231,633

Performance Obligations and Timing of Revenue Recognition

The Company primarily sells services and products that fall into the categories discussed below. Each category contains one or more performance obligations that are either (1) capable of being distinct (i.e., the customer can benefit from the product or service on its own or together with readily available resources, including those purchased separately from us) and distinct within the context of the contract (i.e., separately identified from other promises in the contract) or (2) a series of distinct products or services that are substantially the same and have the same pattern of transfer to the customer.

(1)Legal Technology, including Nebula and the Company's expansive suite of technology solutions, such as its end-to-end eDiscovery technology solutions, managed review solutions, collections, processing, analytics, hosting, production and professional services, and

(2)Data Recovery solutions, which provides data restoration, data erasure and data management services.

The Company generates the majority of its revenues by providing Legal Technology services to its clients. Most of the Company’s eDiscovery service contracts are time and materials types of arrangements.

Time and materials arrangements are based on units of data stored or processed. Unit-based revenues are recognized as services are provided, based on either the amount of data stored or processed, the number of concurrent users accessing the information, or the number of pages or images processed for a client, at agreed upon per unit rates. We recognize revenues for these arrangements at a point in time utilizing a right-to-invoice practical expedient because we have a right to consideration for services completed to date.

Certain other eDiscovery contracts are subscription-based, fixed-fee arrangements, which have tiered pricing based on the quantity of data hosted. For a fixed monthly fee, our clients receive a variety of optional eDiscovery services, which are included in addition to the data hosting. The Company recognizes revenues for these arrangements at a point in time based on predetermined monthly fees as determined in our contractual agreements, utilizing a right-to-invoice practical expedient because the Company has a right to consideration for services completed to date.

Other eDiscovery agreements are time and material arrangements that require the client to pay us based on the number of hours worked at contractually agreed-upon rates. The Company recognizes revenues for these arrangements at a point in time based on hours incurred and contracted rates utilizing a right-to-invoice practical expedient because it has a contractual right to consideration for services completed to date.

Data recovery services are mainly fixed fee arrangements requiring the client to pay a pre-established fee in exchange for the successful completion of a data recovery on a predetermined device. For the recovery services performed by the Company’s technicians, the revenue is recognized at a point in time, when the recovered data is sent to the customer.

Data erasure services are fixed fee arrangements for which revenue is recognized at a point in time, when the certificate of erasure is sent to the customer.

The Company offers term license subscriptions to Ontrack PowerControls software to customers with on-premises installations of the software pursuant to contracts that are historically one to four years in length. The term license subscriptions include maintenance and support, as well as access to future software upgrades and patches. The license and the additional support services are deemed to be one performance obligation, and thus revenue for these arrangements is recognized ratably over the term of the agreement.

Net loss per common share

Basic net loss per common share is determined by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net loss per common share is determined by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period, plus the dilutive effect of common stock equivalents, including stock options and restricted shares. Common stock and common stock equivalents included in the computation represent shares issuable upon assumed exercise of outstanding stock options and release of restricted shares, except when the effect of their inclusion would be antidilutive.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

The Company is an Emerging Growth Company, as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”) and has elected to take advantage of the extended transition period of delaying the adoption of new or revised accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies. This may make the comparison of the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements to other public companies not meaningful due to the differences in accounting standards being applied.

In June 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (“ASC 326”): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASU 2016-13”). This guidance is intended to introduce a revised approach to the recognition and measurement of credit losses, emphasizing an updated model based on expected losses rather than incurred losses. On January 1, 2023, the Company adopted ASU 2016-13 using a modified retrospective approach. The adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.