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Nature of Business, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2022
Nature of Business, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies  
Nature of Business, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies

Note 1. Nature of Business, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies

Nature of Business and Basis of Presentation

Headquartered in Danbury, Connecticut, FuelCell Energy, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company,” “FuelCell Energy,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) has leveraged five decades of research and development to become a global leader in delivering environmentally responsible distributed baseload power platform solutions through our proprietary fuel cell technology. Our current commercial technology produces electricity, heat, hydrogen, and water while separating carbon for utilization and/or sequestration.  We continue to invest in developing and commercializing future technologies expected to add new capabilities to our platforms’ abilities to deliver hydrogen and long duration hydrogen-based energy storage through our solid oxide technologies, as well as further enhance our existing platforms’ carbon capture solutions.

FuelCell Energy is a global leader in sustainable clean energy technologies that address some of the world’s most critical challenges around energy access, security, safety and environmental stewardship. As a leading global manufacturer of proprietary fuel cell technology platforms, FuelCell Energy is uniquely positioned to serve customers worldwide with sustainable products and solutions for industrial and commercial businesses, utilities, governments, and municipalities.

The consolidated financial statements include our accounts, those of our wholly-owned subsidiaries, and those of our consolidated variable interest entities. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Liquidity

Our principal sources of cash have been sales of our common stock through public equity offerings, proceeds from debt, project financing and tax monetization transactions, proceeds from the sale of our products and projects, as well as research and development and service agreements with third parties. We have utilized this cash to develop and construct project assets, invest in capital improvements and expansion of our operations, perform research and development on Advanced Technologies, pay down existing outstanding indebtedness, and meet our other cash and liquidity needs.

As of October 31, 2022, unrestricted cash and cash equivalents totaled $458.1 million compared to $432.2 million as of October 31, 2021.

In February 2021, the Company further reduced its debt by repaying the outstanding $6.5 million Paycheck Protection Program Promissory Note from Liberty Bank under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

On July 12, 2022, the Company entered into an Open Market Sale Agreement with Jefferies LLC, B. Riley Securities, Inc., Barclays Capital Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., BofA Securities, Inc., Canaccord Genuity LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Loop Capital Markets LLC (the “Open Market Sale Agreement”) with respect to an at the market offering program under which the Company may, from time to time, offer and sell up to 95.0 million shares of the Company’s common stock. From the date of the Open Market Sale Agreement through October 31, 2022, the Company sold approximately 18.5 million shares under the Open Market Sale Agreement at an average sale price of $3.63 per share, resulting in gross proceeds of approximately $67.2 million before deducting sales commissions and fees. There were no sales during the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2022, but there were sales in the third quarter of fiscal year 2022 that settled in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2022 (as described in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended July 31, 2022). The Company currently intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to accelerate the development and commercialization of its product platforms (including, but not limited to, its solid oxide and carbon capture platforms), for project development, market development, and internal research and development, to invest in capacity expansion for solid oxide and carbonate fuel cell manufacturing, and for project financing, working capital support, and general corporate purposes. The Company may also use the net proceeds from this offering to invest in joint ventures, acquisitions, and strategic growth investments and to acquire, license or invest in products, technologies or businesses that complement its business. See Note 11. “Stockholders’ Equity and Warrant Liabilities” for additional information regarding the Open Market Sale Agreement.

On June 11, 2021, the Company entered into an Open Market Sale Agreement with Jefferies LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. (the “2021 Sales Agreement”) with respect to an at the market offering program under which the Company could, from time to time, offer and sell shares of the Company’s common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $500 million. From the date of the 2021 Sales Agreement through April 30, 2022, approximately 64.0 million shares of the Company’s common stock were sold under the 2021 Sales Agreement, resulting in aggregate gross proceeds of

approximately $498.1 million before deducting sales commissions. Commissions of approximately $10.0 million in the aggregate were paid to Jefferies LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. in connection with these sales, resulting in aggregate net proceeds to the Company of approximately $488.1 million. No sales of common stock were made under the 2021 Sales Agreement after April 30, 2022, and no additional sales of common stock can or will be made under the 2021 Sales Agreement, as the Company, Jefferies LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. mutually agreed to terminate the 2021 Sales Agreement as of July 12, 2022.

We believe that our unrestricted cash and cash equivalents, expected receipts from our contracted backlog, and release of short-term restricted cash less expected disbursements over the next twelve months will be sufficient to allow the Company to meet its obligations for at least one year from the date of issuance of these financial statements.

To date, we have not achieved profitable operations or sustained positive cash flow from operations. The Company’s future liquidity, for fiscal year 2023 and in the long-term, will depend on its ability to (i) timely complete current projects in process within budget, (ii) increase cash flows from its generation operating portfolio, including by meeting conditions required to timely commence operation of new projects, operating its generation operating portfolio in compliance with minimum performance guarantees and operating its generation operating portfolio in accordance with revenue expectations, (iii) obtain financing for project construction and manufacturing expansion, (iv) obtain permanent financing for its projects once constructed, (v) increase order and contract volumes, which would lead to additional product sales, service agreements and generation revenues, (vi) obtain funding for and receive payment for research and development under current and future Advanced Technologies contracts, (vii) successfully commercialize its Advanced Technologies platforms, including its solid oxide, hydrogen and carbon capture platforms, (viii) implement capacity expansion for solid oxide product manufacturing, (ix) implement the product cost reductions necessary to achieve profitable operations, (x) manage working capital and the Company’s unrestricted cash balance and (xi) access the capital markets to raise funds through the sale of debt and equity securities, convertible notes, and other equity-linked instruments.

We are continually assessing different means by which to accelerate the Company’s growth, enter new markets, commercialize new products, and enable capacity expansion. Therefore, from time to time, the Company may consider and enter into agreements for one or more of the following: negotiated financial transactions, minority investments, collaborative ventures, technology sharing, transfer or other technology license arrangements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions or other business transactions for the purpose(s) of geographic or manufacturing expansion and/or new product or technology development and commercialization, including hydrogen production and storage and carbon capture, sequestration and utilization technologies.

Our business model requires substantial outside financing arrangements and satisfaction of the conditions of such arrangements to construct and deploy our projects to facilitate the growth of our business. The Company has invested capital raised from sales of its common stock to build out its project portfolio. The Company has also utilized and expects to continue to utilize a combination of long-term debt and tax equity financing (e.g., sale-leaseback and partnership transactions) to finance its project asset portfolio as these projects commence commercial operations. The Company may also seek to undertake private placements of debt securities of a portfolio of assets to finance its project asset portfolio. The proceeds of any such financing, if obtained, may allow the Company to reinvest capital back into the business and to fund other projects. We may also seek to obtain additional financing in both the debt and equity markets in the future. If financing is not available to us on acceptable terms if and when needed, or on terms acceptable to us or our lenders, if we do not satisfy the conditions of our financing arrangements, if we spend more than the financing approved for projects, if project costs exceed an amount that the Company can finance, or if we do not generate sufficient revenues or obtain capital sufficient for our corporate needs, we may be required to reduce or slow planned spending, reduce staffing, sell assets, seek alternative financing and take other measures, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and operations.

Significant Accounting Policies

Cash and Cash Equivalents

All cash equivalents consist of investments in money market funds with original maturities of three months or less at the date of acquisition. We place our temporary cash investments with high credit quality financial institutions.

Inventories and Advance Payments to Vendors

Inventories consist principally of raw materials and work-in-process. Cost is determined using the first-in, first-out cost method. Included in our inventory balance are used modules that are brought back into inventory upon installation of new modules. When a new module is installed, a determination is made as to whether the used module has remaining useful life or should be scrapped and materials recycled. Modules that are deemed to have remaining useful life are put into inventory at an estimated value based on the expected remaining life of the module and its projected output. In certain circumstances, we will make advance payments to vendors for future inventory deliveries. These advance payments are recorded as Other current assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Inventories are reviewed to determine net realizable value. This review includes analyzing inventory levels of individual parts considering the current design of our products and production requirements as well as the expected inventory requirements for maintenance on installed power platforms.

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts and Credit Losses

The Company had no allowance for doubtful accounts or credit losses as of October 31, 2022 and 2021. Uncollectible accounts receivable are charged against the allowance for doubtful accounts when all collection efforts have failed and it is deemed unlikely that the amount will be recovered. The Company would record a specific reserve for individual accounts when the Company becomes aware of specific customer circumstances such as in the case of a bankruptcy filing or the deterioration in the customer’s operating results or financial position.

Project Assets

Project assets consist of capitalized costs for fuel cell projects in various stages of development, including those projects with respect to which we have entered into power purchase agreements (“PPAs”), those projects with respect to which we expect to secure long-term contracts and those projects retained by the Company under a merchant model. Such development costs are generally incurred prior to entering into a definitive sales or long-term financing agreement for the project. Project assets also include capitalized costs for fuel cell projects which are the subject of a sale-leaseback transaction with PNC Energy Capital, LLC (“PNC”) or Crestmark Equipment Finance, a division of MetaBank (“Crestmark”). Project asset costs include costs for developing and constructing a complete turn-key fuel cell project. Development costs can include legal, consulting, permitting, interconnect, and other similar costs. To the extent we enter into a definitive sales agreement, we expense project assets to cost of sales after the respective project asset is sold to a customer and all revenue recognition criteria have been met.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation which is recorded based on the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets. Leasehold improvements are amortized on the straight-line method over the shorter of the estimated useful lives of the assets or the term of the lease. When property is sold or otherwise disposed of, the cost and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and any resulting gain or loss is reflected in operations for the period.

Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangibles

Goodwill represents the excess of the aggregate purchase price over the fair value of the net assets acquired in a business combination and is reviewed for impairment at least annually. The intangible asset represents indefinite-lived in-process research and development for cumulative research and development efforts associated with the development of solid oxide fuel cell stationary power generation and is also reviewed at least annually for impairment.

Accounting Standards Codification Topic 350, "Intangibles - Goodwill and Other" (“ASC 350”) permits the assessment of qualitative factors to determine whether events and circumstances lead to the conclusion that it is necessary to perform the goodwill impairment test required under ASC 350.

The Company completed its annual impairment analysis of goodwill and the in-process research & development asset (“IPR&D”) as of July 31, 2022. The goodwill and IPR&D asset are both held by the Company’s Versa Power Systems, Inc. (“Versa”) reporting unit. Goodwill and the IPR&D asset are also reviewed for possible impairment whenever changes in

conditions indicate that the fair value of a reporting unit or IPR&D asset is more likely than not below its carrying value. No impairment charges were recorded with respect to goodwill or the IPR&D asset during the fiscal years ended October 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets (including Project Assets)

Long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset group which pertains to specific projects may not be recoverable. If events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset group may not be recoverable, we compare the carrying amount of an asset group to future undiscounted net cash flows, excluding debt service costs, expected to be generated by the asset group and their ultimate disposition. If the sum of the undiscounted cash flows is less than the carrying value, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset group exceeds the fair value of the asset group.

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenue in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 606: Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“Topic 606”). Under Topic 606: Revenue from Contracts with Customers, the amount of revenue recognized for any goods or services reflects the consideration that the Company expects to be entitled to receive in exchange for those goods and services. To achieve this core principle, the Company applies the following five-step approach: (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 performance obligations in the contract; and (5) recognize revenue when or as a performance obligation is satisfied.

A contract is accounted for when there has been approval and commitment from both parties, the rights of the parties are identified, payment terms are identified, the contract has commercial substance and collectability of consideration is probable. Performance obligations under a contract are identified based on the goods or services that will be transferred to the customer that are both capable of being distinct and are distinct in the context of the contract. In certain instances, the Company has concluded distinct goods or services should be accounted for as a single performance obligation that is a series of distinct goods or services that have the same pattern of transfer to the customer. To the extent a contract includes multiple promised goods or services, the Company must apply judgment to determine whether the customer can benefit from the goods or services either on their own or together with other resources that are readily available to the customer (the goods or services are distinct) and if the promise to transfer the goods or services to the customer is separately identifiable from other promises in the contract (the goods or services are distinct in the context of the contract). If these criteria are not met, the promised services are accounted for as a single performance obligation. The transaction price is determined based on the consideration that the Company will be entitled to in exchange for transferring goods or services to the customer. To the extent the transaction price includes variable consideration, the Company estimates the amount of variable consideration that should be included in the transaction price, generally utilizing the expected value method. Determining the transaction price requires judgment. If the contract contains a single performance obligation, the entire transaction price is allocated to the single performance obligation. Contracts that contain multiple performance obligations require an allocation of the transaction price to each performance obligation based on a relative standalone selling price basis. Standalone selling price is determined by the price at which the performance obligation is sold separately. If the standalone selling price is not observable through past transactions, the Company estimates the standalone selling price by taking into account available information such as market conditions and internally approved pricing guidelines related to the performance obligations. Performance obligations are satisfied either over time or at a point in time as discussed in further detail below. In addition, the Company’s contracts with customers generally do not include significant financing components or non-cash consideration. The Company has elected practical expedients in the accounting guidance that allow for revenue to be recorded in the amount that the Company has a right to invoice, if that amount corresponds directly with the value to the customer of the Company’s performance to date, and that allow the Company not to disclose related unsatisfied performance obligations. The Company records any amounts that are billed to customers in excess of revenue recognized as deferred revenue and revenue recognized in excess of amounts billed to customers as unbilled receivables.

Revenue streams are classified as follows:

Product. Includes the sale of completed project assets, sale and installation of fuel cell power platforms including site engineering and construction services, and the sale of modules, balance of plant (“BOP”) components and spare parts to customers.

Service. Includes performance under long-term service agreements for power platforms owned by third parties.

License and royalty. Includes license fees and royalty income from the licensure of intellectual property.

Generation. Includes the sale of electricity under PPAs and utility tariffs from project assets retained by the Company. This also includes revenue received from the sale of other value streams from these assets including the sale of heat, steam, capacity and renewable energy credits.

Advanced Technologies. Includes revenue from customer-sponsored and government-sponsored Advanced Technologies projects.

See below for a discussion of revenue recognition under Topic 606 by disaggregated revenue stream.

Completed project assets

Contracts for the sale of completed project assets include the sale of the project asset, the assignment of the service agreement, and the assignment of the PPA. The relative stand-alone selling price is estimated and is used as the basis for allocation of the contract consideration. Revenue is recognized upon the satisfaction of the performance obligations, which includes the transfer of control of the project asset to the customer, which is when the contract is signed and the PPA is assigned to the customer. See below for further discussion regarding revenue recognition for service agreements.

Contractual payments related to the sale of the project asset and assignment of the PPA are generally received up-front. Payment terms for service agreements are generally ratable over the term of the agreement.

Module Sales

Contracts for module sales represent the sale of a completed fuel cell module at a contracted selling price. These contracts are on a per unit basis and revenue is recognized as each unit is completed and ready to ship and the performance obligation is satisfied. Payment terms for the module sale are based on milestones achieved through the manufacturing timeline of the module.

Service agreements

Service agreements represent a single performance obligation whereby the Company performs all required maintenance and monitoring functions, including replacement of modules, to ensure the power platform(s) under the service agreement generate a minimum power output. To the extent the power platform(s) under service agreements do not achieve the minimum power output, certain service agreements include a performance guarantee penalty. Performance guarantee penalties represent variable consideration, which is estimated for each service agreement based on past experience, using the expected value method. The consideration for each service agreement is recognized over time using costs incurred to date relative to total estimated costs at completion to measure progress.

The Company reviews its cost estimates on service agreements on a quarterly basis and records any changes in estimates on a cumulative catch-up basis.

Loss accruals for service agreements are recognized to the extent that the estimated remaining costs to satisfy the performance obligation exceed the estimated remaining unrecognized consideration. Estimated losses are recognized in the period in which losses are identified.

Payment terms for service agreements are generally ratable over the term of the agreement.

Advanced Technologies contracts

Advanced Technologies contracts include the promise to perform research and development services and, as such, this represents one performance obligation. Revenue from most government sponsored Advanced Technologies projects is recognized as direct costs are incurred plus allowable overhead less cost share requirements, if any. Revenue is only recognized to the extent the contracts are funded. Revenue from previous fixed price Advanced Technologies projects is recognized using the cost-to-cost input method. Revenue recognition for research performed under the EMTEC Joint

Development Agreement (as defined elsewhere herein) also falls into the practical expedient category where revenue is recorded consistent with the amounts that are to be invoiced.

Payments are based on costs incurred for government sponsored Advanced Technologies projects and upon completion of milestones for previous fixed-price Advanced Technologies projects. Payments under the EMTEC Joint Development Agreement are based on time spent and material costs incurred.

License agreements

The Company entered into the License Agreements (as defined elsewhere herein) with POSCO Energy Co., Ltd. (“POSCO Energy”) in 2007, 2009 and 2012. In June 2020, the Company notified POSCO Energy that it was terminating the License Agreements and POSCO Energy disputed such termination (for more information, refer to Note 18. “Commitments and Contingencies”).

Prior to the date of the Company’s notice of termination, in connection with the adoption of Topic 606, several performance obligations were identified under the License Agreements, including previously satisfied performance obligations for the transfer of licensed intellectual property, two performance obligations for specified upgrades of the previously licensed intellectual property, a performance obligation to deliver unspecified upgrades to the previously licensed intellectual property on a when-and-if-available basis, and a performance obligation to provide technical support for previously delivered intellectual property.

The performance obligations related to the specified upgrades would have been satisfied and the related consideration recognized as revenue upon the delivery of the specified upgrades. The Company did not recognize any revenue in fiscal years 2021 and 2020 related to specified upgrades.
The performance obligations for unspecified upgrades and technical support were being recognized on a straight-line basis over the license term on the basis that this represented the method that best depicted the progress towards completion of the related performance obligations. The Company recognized revenue totaling $0.8 million for the year ended October 31, 2020 related to unspecified upgrades and technical support.

All fixed consideration for the License Agreements was previously collected. The Company discontinued revenue recognition of the deferred license revenue related to the License Agreements in July 2020 given the then pending arbitrations.

The Company entered into the EMTEC Joint Development Agreement on November 5, 2019. The Company recorded license revenue of $4.0 million in association with this agreement for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020 which revenue was considered at a point-in-time upon the signing of the contract as the license is considered functional intellectual property because it has standalone functionality. The customer can use this intellectual property as it exists at a point in time and no further services are required from the Company.

Generation revenue

For certain project assets where customers purchase electricity from the Company under PPAs, the Company has determined that these agreements should be accounted for as operating leases pursuant to ASC 842, Leases. Revenue is recognized when electricity has been delivered based on the amount of electricity delivered at rates specified under the contracts, assuming all other revenue recognition criteria are met. Generation sales, to the extent the related PPAs are within the scope of Topic 606, are recognized as revenue in the period in which the Company provides the electricity and completes the performance obligation, which is the same as the monthly amount billed to customers.

Variable Interest Entities and Noncontrolling Interests

The Company closed on a tax equity financing transaction in August 2021 for the 7.4 MW fuel cell project (the “Groton Project”) located on the U.S. Navy Submarine Base in Groton, CT, which has been structured as a “partnership flip.” A partnership (the “Groton Partnership”) was organized with East West Bancorp, Inc. (“East West Bank”) to acquire from FuelCell Energy Finance II, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, all of the outstanding equity interests in Groton Station Fuel Cell, LLC (the “Groton Project Company”). East West Bank has a conditional withdrawal right which

they can exercise and which would require the Company to pay 101% of the amount contributed by East West Bank to date. In addition, under this partnership flip structure, the Company has an option to acquire all of the equity interests that East West Bank holds in the Groton Partnership starting approximately five and a half years after the Groton Project is operational. If the Company exercises this option, the exercise price to be paid by the Company will be the greater of (1) the fair market value of East West Bank’s equity interest at the time the option is exercised, (2) five percent of the $15 million tax equity commitment and (3) East West Bank’s claim in liquidation determined using the hypothetical liquidation at book value method.

The Groton Partnership is a Variable Interest Entity (“VIE”) under U.S. GAAP. The Company has determined that it is the primary beneficiary in the Groton Partnership for accounting purposes. The Company has considered the provisions within the financing-related agreements (including the limited liability company agreement for the Groton Partnership) which grant the Company power to manage and make decisions affecting the operations of the Groton Partnership. The Company considers the rights granted to East West Bank under the agreements to be more protective in nature than participatory. Therefore, the Company has determined under the power and benefits criterion of Accounting Standards Codification 810, Consolidations (“ASC 810”) that it is the primary beneficiary of the Groton Partnership. As the primary beneficiary, the Company consolidates in its consolidated financial statements the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Groton Partnership, and all intercompany balances and transactions between the Company and the Groton Partnership are eliminated in the consolidated financial statements. The Company recognized East West Bank’s share of the net assets of the Groton Partnership, which was $3.0 million as of each of October 31, 2022 and 2021, as a noncontrolling interest in mezzanine equity on its Consolidated Balance Sheets and will continue to do so until the conditional withdrawal period lapses upon commencement of operations. Upon commencement of operations of the related project asset, the Company expects to allocate profits and losses to the noncontrolling interest under the hypothetical liquidation at book value ("HLBV") method. HLBV is a balance sheet-oriented approach for allocating net income or loss to the noncontrolling interest when there is a complex structure, such as the partnership flip structure.

The Company closed on a tax equity financing transaction in November 2021 with Renewable Energy Investors, LLC (“REI”), a subsidiary of Franklin Park Infrastructure, LLC, for the 7.4 MW fuel cell project (the “LIPA Yaphank Project”) located in Yaphank Long Island. REI’s tax equity commitment totaled $12.4 million. This transaction was structured as a “partnership flip,” which is a structure commonly used by tax equity investors in the financing of renewable energy projects. Under this partnership flip structure, a partnership, in this case YTBFC Holdco, LLC (the “Yaphank Partnership”), was organized to acquire from FuelCell Energy Finance II, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, all outstanding equity interests in Yaphank Fuel Cell Park, LLC, which in turn owns the LIPA Yaphank Project and is the party to the power purchase agreement and all project agreements. REI holds Class A Units in the Yaphank Partnership and a subsidiary of the Company holds the Class B Units. Under a partnership flip structure, tax equity investors agree to receive a minimum target rate of return, typically on an after-tax basis. Prior to receiving a contractual rate of return or a date specified in the contractual arrangements, REI will receive substantially all of the non-cash value attributable to the LIPA Yaphank Project, which includes accelerated depreciation and Section 48(a) investment tax credits; however, the Company will receive a majority of the cash distributions (based on the operating income of the LIPA Yaphank Project), which are paid quarterly. After REI receives its contractual rate of return, the Company will receive approximately 95% of the cash and tax allocations. The Company may enter into a back leverage debt financing transaction and use the cash distributions from the Yaphank Partnership to service the debt.  

The Yaphank Partnership is a VIE under U.S. GAAP. The Company has considered the provisions within the financing-related agreements (including the limited liability company agreement for the Yaphank Partnership) which grant us power to manage and make decisions affecting the operations of the Yaphank Partnership. We consider the rights granted to REI under the agreements to be more protective in nature than participatory. Therefore, we have determined under the power and benefits criterion of ASC 810 that we are the primary beneficiary of the Yaphank Partnership. As the primary beneficiary, we consolidate the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Yaphank Partnership in our consolidated financial statements, and all intercompany balances and transactions between us and the Yaphank Partnership are eliminated. The Company recognized REI’s share of the net assets of the Yaphank Partnership as noncontrolling interests in its Consolidated Balance Sheets. The income or loss allocations reflected in our Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss may create volatility in our reported results of operations, including potentially changing net loss attributable to stockholders to net income attributable to stockholders, or vice versa, from quarter to quarter. The Company allocates profits and losses to REI’s noncontrolling interest under the HLBV method.

Sale-Leaseback Accounting

The Company, through certain wholly-owned subsidiaries, has entered into sale-leaseback transactions for commissioned project assets where we have entered into a PPA with a customer who is both the site host and end user of the power. Due to the Company not meeting criteria to account for the transfer of the project assets as a sale, sale accounting is precluded. Accordingly, the Company uses the financing method to account for these transactions.

Under the financing method of accounting for a sale-leaseback, the Company does not derecognize the project assets and does not recognize as revenue any of the sale proceeds received from the lessor that contractually constitutes payment to acquire the assets subject to these arrangements. Instead, the sale proceeds received are accounted for as finance obligations and leaseback payments made by the Company are allocated between interest expense and a reduction to the finance obligation. Interest on the finance obligation is calculated using the Company’s incremental borrowing rate at the inception of the arrangement on the outstanding finance obligation.

Lease Accounting

Right-of-use (“ROU”) assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the present value of the Company’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease over the lease term at the commencement date of the lease. As most of the Company’s leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company estimated the incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at the date of adoption in determining the present value of lease payments and used the implicit rate when readily determinable. The Company determined incremental borrowing rates through market sources for secured borrowings including relevant industry rates. The Company’s operating lease ROU assets also include any lease pre-payments and exclude lease incentives. Certain of the Company’s leases include variable payments, which may vary based upon changes in facts or circumstances after the start of the lease. The Company excludes variable payments from lease ROU assets and lease liabilities to the extent not considered in-substance fixed, and instead, expenses variable payments as incurred. Variable lease expense and lease expense for short term contracts are not material components of lease expense. The Company’s leases generally have remaining lease terms of 1 to 26 years, some of which include options to extend leases. The exercise of lease renewal options is at the Company’s sole discretion and the Company’s lease ROU assets and liabilities reflect only the options the Company is reasonably certain that it will exercise. We do not have leases with residual value guarantees or similar covenants.

Service Expense Recognition

We warranty our products for a specific period of time against manufacturing or performance defects. Our U.S. warranty is generally limited to a term of 15 months after shipment or 12 months after acceptance of our products. We accrue for estimated future warranty costs based on historical experience. We also provide for a specific accrual if there is a known issue requiring repair during the warranty period. Estimates used to record warranty accruals are updated as we gain further operating experience.

In addition to the standard product warranty, we have entered into service agreements with certain customers to provide monitoring, maintenance and repair services for fuel cell power platforms. Under the terms of these service agreements, the power platform must meet a minimum operating output during the term. If the minimum output falls below the contract requirement, we may be subject to performance penalties or may be required to repair and/or replace the customer’s fuel cell module(s).

The Company records loss accruals for service agreements when the estimated cost of future module exchanges and maintenance and monitoring activities exceeds the remaining unrecognized contract value. Estimates for future costs on service agreements are determined by a number of factors including the estimated remaining life of the module(s), used replacement modules available and future operating plans for the power platform. Our estimates are performed on a contract by contract basis and include cost assumptions based on what we anticipate the service requirements will be to fulfill obligations for each contract.

At the end of our service agreements, customers are expected to either renew the service agreement or, based on the Company’s rights to title of the module, the module will be returned to the Company as the platform is no longer being maintained.

Research and Development Costs

We perform both customer-sponsored research and development projects based on contractual agreements with customers and company-sponsored research and development projects.

Costs incurred for customer-sponsored projects include manufacturing and engineering labor, applicable overhead expenses, materials to build and test prototype units and other costs associated with customer-sponsored research and development contracts. Costs incurred for customer-sponsored projects are recorded as cost of Advanced Technologies contract revenues in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss.

Costs incurred for company-sponsored research and development projects consist primarily of labor, overhead, materials to build and test prototype units and consulting fees. These costs are recorded as research and development expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss.

Concentrations

We contract with a concentrated number of customers for the sale of our products, for service agreement contracts and for Advanced Technologies contracts. For the years ended October 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, our top customers accounted for 87%, 79% and 80%, respectively, of our total annual consolidated revenue.

The percent of consolidated revenues from each customer for the years ended October 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively, are presented below.

    

2022

    

2021

    

2020

    

Korea Fuel Cell Co., Ltd (KFC)

46

%  

%  

%  

Connecticut Light and Power

 

14

%  

20

%  

17

%  

ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company (f/k/a ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company) (EMTEC)

 

8

%  

29

%  

32

%  

Korea Southern Power Company (KOSPO)

6

%  

12

%  

%  

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

 

6

%  

8

%  

9

%  

Long Island Power Authority (LIPA)

5

%  

%  

%  

Pfizer, Inc.

 

2

%  

5

%  

4

%  

UIL Holdings Corporation

 

%  

5

%  

18

%  

Total

 

87

%  

79

%  

80

%  

Derivatives

We do not use derivatives for speculative or trading purposes. The Company has an interest rate swap that is adjusted to fair value on a quarterly basis. The fair value adjustment is based on Level 2 inputs including primarily the forward LIBOR curve available to swap dealers. The fair value methodology involves comparison of (i) the sum of the present value of all monthly variable rate payments based on a reset rate using the forward LIBOR curve and (ii) the sum of the present value of all monthly fixed rate payments on the notional amount which is equivalent to the outstanding principal amount of the loan. On August 1, 2022, the Company entered into an amendment to its interest rate swap agreement that replaced LIBOR with Term Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) effective as of June 2023. Refer to Note 10. “Debt” for further details.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“U.S. GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Estimates are used in accounting for, among other things, revenue recognition, lease right-of-use assets and liabilities, contract loss accruals, excess, slow-moving and obsolete inventories, product warranty accruals, loss accruals on service agreements, share-based compensation expense, allowance for doubtful accounts, depreciation and amortization, impairment of goodwill and in-process research and development intangible assets, impairment of long-lived assets (including project assets), and contingencies. Estimates and assumptions are reviewed periodically, and the effects of revisions are reflected in the

consolidated financial statements in the period they are determined to be necessary. Due to the inherent uncertainty involved in making estimates, actual results in future periods may differ from those estimates.

Foreign Currency Translation

The translation of the financial statements of FCE Korea Ltd., FCES GmbH and Versa Power Systems Ltd. results in translation gains or losses, which are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss within stockholders’ equity.

Our Canadian subsidiary, FCE FuelCell Energy Ltd., is financially and operationally integrated and the functional currency is the U.S. dollar. We are also subject to foreign currency transaction gains and losses as certain transactions are denominated in foreign currencies. We recognized net foreign currency transaction (losses) gains of $(0.9) million, $(0.9) million and $0.2 million for the years ended October 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. These amounts have been included in Other income (expense), net in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss.

Recently Adopted Accounting Guidance

There is no recently adopted accounting guidance applicable to the Company’s financial statements.

Recent Accounting Guidance Not Yet Effective

There is no recent accounting guidance not yet effective that is expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements when adopted.