Note 2 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

Notes to Financial Statements

Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

Investments

In 2022, the Board of Directors approved a plan to invest up to $20,000 of excess capital in debt securities, or held in money market funds until such investments can be made, with BMO Harris Bank N.A (BMO Harris). A portion of the funds invested are restricted as collateral under the Investment Collateral Security agreement (see Note 10). At September 30, 2023, the amount of funds collateralized under the Investment Collateral Security agreement is $1,488 relating to existing standby letters of credit that is comprised of $1,197 with varying maturity dates and expire no later than September 30, 2024 and $291 with the latest maturity date no later than  November 30, 2025.

We consider all highly liquid debt investments with original maturities from the date of purchase of three months or less as cash equivalents. Cash equivalents include investments in money market funds. Carrying value of cash equivalents approximates fair value due to the maturities of three months or less.

Our investments in debt securities consist of United States (US) Treasury securities, including Notes, Bonds, and Bills, and US Government Agency securities, which are designated as held-to-maturity (HTM) and stated at amortized cost. The Company has the positive intent and ability to hold these investments to maturity and does not expect to sell any debt securities before maturity to settle an obligation under the Investment Collateral Security agreement. The maturities of our HTM investments range from three to thirty-six months. HTM debt investments with original maturities of approximately three months or less from the date of purchase are classified within cash and cash equivalents. HTM debt investments with original maturities at the date of purchase greater than approximately three months and remaining maturities of less than one year are classified as short-term investments. HTM debt investments with remaining maturities beyond one year are classified as long-term investments. Interest income, including amortization of premium and accretion of discount, are included on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations in Interest income under the effective yield method. Accrued interest is included in Prepaid expenses and other current assets on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. 

Our investments in debt securities consist of United States (US) Treasury securities, including Notes, Bonds, and Bills, and US Government Agency securities. Due to the creditworthiness of the entities issuing these securities, there is no impairment recorded related to the unrealized losses.

The following table provides the amortized cost, gross unrealized gains and losses, and fair value of our HTM debt securities:

	As of
Held-to-maturity debt securities:	September 30, 2023			December 31, 2022
Amortized cost	$	19,685		$	9,341
Gross unrecognized gains		—			—
Gross unrecognized losses		(187	)		(168	)
Fair value	$	19,498		$	9,173

The following table provides the amortized cost and fair value of debt securities by maturities at September 30, 2023:

	Amortized Cost		Fair Value
Within one year	$	14,802	$	14,694
After one year through two years		4,883		4,804
Total	$	19,685	$	19,498

Inventories

Inventories consist primarily of equipment constructed for resale and spare parts and are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value, using the weighted-average cost method. At  September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, inventory included equipment constructed for resale of $207 and $207, respectively, and spare parts, net of reserves of $118 and $185, respectively. Usage is recorded in cost of sales in the period that parts were issued to a project, used to service equipment, or sold to customers. Equipment constructed for resale that is in process is recorded in Other assets. In process equipment for inventory recorded as Other assets was $619 and $634 as of  September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. Inventories are periodically evaluated to identify obsolete or otherwise impaired parts and are written off when management determines usage is not probable. The Company estimates the balance of excess and obsolete inventory by analyzing inventory by age using last used and original purchase date and existing sales pipeline for which the inventory could be used. 

Allowance for Credit Losses

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, and in November 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-10, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326), Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815), and Leases (Topic 842). This guidance requires the measurement of all expected losses based on historical experience, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts. For trade receivables and other financial instruments, we are required to use a forward-looking expected loss model rather than the incurred loss model for recognizing credit losses which reflects losses that are probable. The Company adopted these ASUs on January 1, 2023 using the prospective method. Application of the amendments did not require a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the effective date and did not have a material impact on our financial statements. Beginning on January 1, 2023, Fuel Tech will use the caption Allowance for Credit Losses and our expected credit loss model to calculate the allowance.

For the general risk categories, the Company uses historical losses over a fixed period, excluding certain write-off activity that was not considered credit loss events, to determine the historical credit loss. Historical loss rates are then adjusted to consider current economic conditions, and past, current, and future events and circumstances when determining expected credit losses. Investments in financial assets issued by US Government and Government Agency are considered as having zero expected credit losses and are excluded from the allowance for credit loss calculation.

The following table provides the roll forward of the allowance for credit loss:

At January 1, 2022	$	223
Provision charged to expense		(19	)
(Write-offs) / Recoveries		(94	)
At December 31, 2022	$	110
Provision charged to expense		—
(Write-offs) / Recoveries		—
At September 30, 2023	$	110