Fluence Energy (FLNC) 10-Q2023 Q1 Quarterly report

Certain statements in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three-months ended December 31, 2022 (this “Report”), excluding historical information, contain or may contain forward-looking statements. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, business strategy and plans, and objectives of management for future operations, including, among others, statements regarding expected growth, introduction of new products and services, future capital expenditures and debt service obligations, are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you may identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “seeks,” “intends,” “targets,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “grows,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. Accordingly, we caution you that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, assumptions, and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date made, actual results may prove to be materially different from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

Factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated in any forward-looking statements, include, but are not limited to, the following:

The foregoing factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read together with the other cautionary statements included in this Report. If one or more events related to these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may differ materially from what we anticipate. Many of the important factors that will determine these results are beyond our ability to control or predict. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. We qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this Report by these cautionary statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and, except as otherwise required by law, we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict which will arise. In addition, we cannot assess the impact of each factor on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

Fluence Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“the Company”), was formed on June 21, 2021. We conduct our business operations through Fluence Energy, LLC, and its direct and indirect subsidiaries. Fluence Energy, LLC was formed on June 30, 2017 as a joint venture between Siemens Industry, Inc. (“Siemens Industry”), an indirect subsidiary of Siemens AG (“Siemens”), and AES Grid Stability, LLC (“AES Grid Stability”), an indirect subsidiary of the AES Corporation (“AES”), and commenced operations on January 1, 2018. We refer to Siemens Industry and AES Grid Stability as the “Founders” in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (this “Report”).

Upon the completion of our initial public offering (“IPO”) on November 1, 2021, Fluence Energy, Inc. became a holding company whose sole material assets are the limited liability company interests (the “LLC Interests”) in Fluence Energy, LLC. All of our business is conducted through Fluence Energy, LLC, together with its subsidiaries, and the financial results of Fluence Energy, LLC will be consolidated in our financial statements. Fluence Energy, LLC is taxed as a partnership for federal income tax purposes and, as a result, its members, including Fluence Energy, Inc. will pay income taxes with respect to their allocable shares of its net taxable income. As of December 31, 2022, Fluence Energy, LLC had subsidiaries operating in Germany, Australia, Philippines, Chile, the Netherlands, the United States, India, Singapore, and Switzerland. Except where the context clearly indicates otherwise, “Fluence,” “we,” “us,” “our” or the “Company” refers to Fluence Energy, Inc. and all of its direct and indirect subsidiaries, including Fluence Energy, LLC. When used in a historical context that is prior to the completion of the IPO, “we,” “us,” “our” or “the Company” refers to Fluence Energy, LLC and its subsidiaries.

Our fiscal year begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. References to “fiscal year 2021” and “fiscal year 2022” refer to the fiscal years ended September 30, 2021 and September 30, 2022, respectively.

The Company’s chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) is its Chief Executive Officer. The Company’s CODM reviews financial information on a condensed consolidated basis for purposes of making operating decisions, allocating resources, and evaluating financial performance. As such, the Company has determined that it operates in one operating segment, which corresponds to one reportable segment.

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2022, and for the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 are unaudited. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited financial statements included in our 2022 Annual Report. In our opinion, such unaudited financial statements reflect all adjustments, including normal recurring items, that are necessary for the fair statement of the Company’s financial position as of December 31, 2022, the results of its operations for the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, and its cash flows for the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. The financial data and other information disclosed in these notes related to the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 are also unaudited. The results for the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year ending September 30, 2023 and 2022, any other interim periods, or any future year or period. The balance sheet as of September 30, 2022 included herein was derived from the audited financial statements as of that date. Certain disclosures have been condensed or omitted from the interim financial statements.

Cash and cash equivalents include cash on-hand and highly liquid investments readily convertible to cash, with an original maturity of 90 days or less when purchased.

Restricted cash consisted of the following:

The Company’s revenue recognition policy included herein is based on the application of ASC 606. As of December 31, 2022, the Company’s revenue was generated primarily from sale of energy storage products and solutions, providing operational services, and digital applications and solutions.

The Company recognizes revenue over time as a result of the continuous transfer of control of our product to the customer. This continuous transfer of control to the customer is supported by clauses in the contracts that provide enforceable rights to payment of the transaction price associated with work performed to date for products that do not have an alternative use to the Company and/or the project is built on customer’s land that is under the customer’s control.

Our contracts generally provide our customers the right to liquidated damages (“LDs”) against Fluence in the event specified milestones are not met on time or equipment is not delivered according to contract specifications. LDs are accounted for as variable consideration, and the contract price is reduced by the expected penalty or LD amount when recognizing revenue. Variable consideration is included in the transaction price only to the extent that it is probable that a significant reversal in the amount of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur when the uncertainty is resolved.

Some of the agreements also provide a commitment to perform augmentation activities which would typically be represented by installation of additional batteries, and other components as needed, to compensate for partially lost capacity due to degradation of batteries over time. The obligation to perform augmentation activities can take the form of either maintaining battery capacity above a given threshold for a stated term while others provide a fixed number of augmentations over a contract term. Augmentation arrangements that require us to maintain battery capacity above an established threshold for a given term are considered service-type warranties. These represent a stand-ready obligation in which the customer benefits evenly overtime, of which we recognize revenue for these arrangements using a straight-line recognition method. Alternatively, augmentation arrangements that require us to perform a fixed number of augmentations over a contract term follow the percentage of completion revenue recognition method. Since these arrangements require a fixed number of augmentations we must perform, we use the pattern of cost as a proxy to identify when our obligations are satisfied and to recognize revenue.

The Fluence Trading Platform is technology- and vendor-agnostic (i.e., it can be utilized for wind and solar assets as well as non-Fluence systems). The Fluence Trading Platform is separately identifiable from other services that the Company offers to its customers (i.e., it is not highly interrelated or integrated with other solutions). As such, we determined that the Fluence Trading Platform is accounted for as a separate performance obligation. Revenue from the Fluence Trading Platform includes an integration fee and a monthly subscription fee. We consider the access to the Fluence Trading Platform and related support services in a customer contract to be a series of distinct services which comprise a single performance obligation because they are substantially the same and have the same pattern of transfer. We recognize revenue over time using a straight-line recognition method.

For our sale of energy storage products, services, and digital applications and solutions contracts where there are multiple performance obligations in a single contract, the Company allocates the consideration to the various obligations in the contract based on the relative standalone selling price method. Standalone selling prices are estimated based on estimated costs plus margin. Revenue is recorded net of any taxes assessed on and collected from customers, which are remitted to the governmental authorities.

Inventory consists of batteries and equipment, cases, inverters, and spare parts which are used in ongoing battery storage projects for sale. Inventory is stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value with cost being determined by the specific identification method. Costs include cost of purchase, costs of conversion and other costs incurred in bringing the inventories to their present location and condition. The Company periodically reviews its inventory for potential obsolescence and write down of its inventory, as appropriate, to net realizable value based on its assessment of market conditions.

Level 1—Quoted prices are available in active markets for identical assets or liabilities as of the reporting date. Active markets are those in which transactions for the asset or liability occur in sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis.

Level 2—Pricing inputs are other than quoted prices in active markets included in Level 1, which are either directly or indirectly observable as of the reporting date. Level 2 inputs include those financial instruments that are valued using models or other valuation methodologies. These models are primarily industry-standard models that consider various assumptions, including quoted prices, time value, volatility factors, and current market and contractual prices for the underlying instruments, as well as other relevant economic measures. Substantially all of these assumptions are observable in the marketplace throughout the full term of the instrument, can be derived from observable data or are supported by observable levels at which transactions are executed in the marketplace.

Level 3—Pricing inputs include significant inputs that are generally less observable from objective sources. These inputs may be used with internally developed methodologies that result in management’s best estimate of fair value from the perspective of a market participant. The Company does not have significant recurring Level 3 fair value measurements.

The Company’s cash equivalents include term deposits with original maturity of less than three months and are recorded at amortized cost. Fair value of cash equivalents approximates the carrying amount. The carrying amounts of trade receivables, accounts payable and short-term debt obligations approximate fair values due to their short maturities.

Short-term Investments and Marketable Securities: We obtain pricing from Level 1 inputs which includes information from quoted market prices, pricing vendors or quotes from brokers/dealers. We conduct reviews of our primary pricing vendors to determine whether the inputs used in the vendor’s pricing processes are deemed to be observable. The fair value

As of December 31, 2022, three suppliers were actively participating in the supply chain financing program, and we had $97.8 million of payables outstanding subject to the program. All outstanding payments owed under the program are recorded within “Accounts payable” on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

As of December 31, 2022, the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes three classes of common stock: Class A, Class B-1 and Class B-2. Loss per share is calculated and reported under the “two-class” method. The “two-class” method is an earnings allocation method under which earnings (loss) per share is calculated for each class of common stock considering both distributions declared or accumulated and participation rights in undistributed earnings as if all such loss had been distributed during the period.

Basic net loss per share of Class A common stock is computed by dividing net loss attributable to Class A common stockholders by the weighted average number of shares of Class A common stock outstanding during the period. Diluted net loss per share of Class A common stock is computed by adjusting the net loss available to Class A common stockholders and the weighted average shares of Class A common stock outstanding to give effect to potentially dilutive securities. Shares of our Class B-1 and Class B-2 common stock are not entitled to receive any distributions or dividends. When a common unit of Fluence Energy, LLC is redeemed, at the Company’s election, for cash or Class A common stock by a Founder who holds shares of our Class B-1 or Class B-2 common stock, as applicable, such Founder will be required to surrender a share of Class B-1 or Class B-2 common stock, as the case may be, which we will cancel for no consideration. In the event of cash settlement, the Company is required to issue new shares of Class A common stock and use the proceeds from the sale of these newly-issued shares of Class A common stock to fully fund the cash settlement. Therefore, we did not include shares of our Class B-1 or Class B-2 common stock in the computation of basic loss per share. As we have incurred losses for all periods presented, diluted loss per share is equal to basic loss per share because the effect of potentially dilutive securities would be antidilutive.

The following table presents the potentially dilutive securities that were excluded from the computation of diluted loss per share:

Our revenue is primarily derived from sales of our energy storage products and solutions.

The following table presents the Company’s revenue disaggregated by geographical region. Revenues are attributed to regions based on location of customers:

For the three months ended December 31, 2022, our top two customers, in the aggregate, accounted for approximately 51% of total revenue.

For the three months ended December 31, 2021, the Company had one customer that accounted for 84% of total revenue.

Deferred revenue represents the excess billings over the amount of revenue recognized to date. Deferred revenue from related parties is included in payables and deferred revenue with related parties on the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets. The following table provides information about deferred revenue from contracts with customers:

The Company’s remaining performance obligations (“backlog”) represent the unrecognized revenue value of its contract commitments, which include deferred revenue and amounts that will be billed and recognized as revenue in future periods. The Company’s backlog may vary significantly each reporting period based on the timing of major new contract commitments and the backlog may fluctuate with currency movements. In addition, the Company’s customers have the right, under some circumstances, to terminate contracts or defer the timing of its services and their payments to the Company.

As of December 31, 2022 and September 30, 2022, our transaction prices have been reduced to reflect variable consideration of $70.8 million and $75.5 million, respectively. Variable consideration primarily relates to our customers’ rights to liquidated damages in the event a specified milestone has not been met or equipment is not delivered to contract specifications. Variable consideration is estimated using the expected-value method which computes a weighted average amount based on a range of potential outcomes. In contracts in which a significant reversal may occur, we use constraint in recognizing revenue on variable consideration.

Intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives on a straight-line basis. Total amortization expense for the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 was $1.5 million and $0.9 million, respectively.

Accruals mainly represent not yet invoiced milestones for inventory such as batteries, cubes, and inverters. According to master supply agreements between the Company and suppliers of the inventory, vendor bills are issued according to contracted billing schedules with some milestones invoiced after delivery, upon full installation and commissioning of the equipment at substantial completion and final completion project stages. Current accruals and provisions consisted of the following:

On November 1, 2021, we entered into a credit agreement for a revolving credit facility (the “Revolver”), by and among Fluence Energy, LLC, as the borrower, Fluence Energy, Inc., as a parent guarantor, the subsidiary guarantors party thereto, the lenders party thereto and JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent (the “Credit Agreement”). The Revolver is secured by a (i) first priority pledge of the equity securities of Fluence Energy, LLC and its subsidiaries and (ii) first priority security interests in, and mortgages on, substantially all tangible and intangible personal property and material fee-owned real property of Fluence Energy, LLC, the parent guarantor and each subsidiary guarantor party thereto, in each case, subject to customary exceptions and limitations. The initial aggregate amount of commitments was $190.0 million from the lenders party thereto including JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC, and five other banks. On June 30, 2022, the Company increased the revolving commitment available under the Revolver by $10.0 million to an aggregate of $200.0 million with the addition of UBS AG, Stamford Branch as an additional lender under the Revolver. The maturity date of the Revolver is November 1, 2025.

The Revolver bears interest at either (i) the Adjusted LIBOR or Adjusted EURIBO Rate (each as defined in the Credit Agreement) plus 3.0% or (ii) the Alternate Base Rate (as defined in the Credit Agreement) plus 2.0% (subject to customary LIBOR replacement provisions and alternative benchmark rates including customary spread adjustments with respect to borrowings in foreign currency), at the option of Fluence Energy, LLC. Fluence Energy, LLC is required to pay to the lenders a commitment fee of 0.55% per annum on the average daily unused portion of the revolving commitments through maturity. The Revolver also provides for up to $200.0 million in letter of credit issuances, which will require customary issuance and administration fees, as well as a fronting fee payable to each issuer thereof and a letter of credit participation fee of 2.75% per annum payable to the lenders.

In addition, we are required to maintain (i) minimum liquidity and gross revenue requirements, in each case, until consolidated EBITDA reaches $150.0 million for the most recent four fiscal quarters and we make an election, and (ii) thereafter, a maximum total leverage ratio and a minimum interest coverage ratio. Such covenants will be tested on a quarterly basis. As of December 31, 2022, we were in compliance with all such covenants or maintained availability above such covenant triggers.

The Company’s provision for income taxes is based on the estimated annual effective tax rate, plus discrete items.

Income tax expense (benefit) was $(0.6) million and $0.4 million for the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The effective tax rate for the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 was 1.6% and (0.3)%, respectively. For the three months ended December 31, 2022, the Company’s effective tax rate differs from the U.S. statutory tax rate of 21% primarily due to flow-through losses attributable to the Founders, valuation allowances and foreign exchange gains. For the three months ended December 31, 2021, the Company’s effective tax rate differs from the U.S. statutory tax rate of 21% primarily due to flow-through losses incurred prior to the IPO on November 1, 2021, flow-through losses attributable to the Founders, and valuation allowances.

As of each of December 31, 2022 and September 30, 2022, the Company does not believe it has any significant uncertain tax positions and therefore, has not recorded any unrecognized tax benefits.

The Company evaluates the realizability of its deferred tax assets on a quarterly basis and establishes valuation allowances when it is more-likely-than-not that all or a portion of a deferred tax asset may not be realized. As of December 31, 2022 and September 30, 2022, the Company had recorded a full valuation allowance against deferred tax assets on Fluence Energy, Inc. primarily related to its investment in Fluence Energy, LLC, as well as on certain foreign subsidiaries based on the weight of available evidence, including cumulative losses.

As of December 31, 2022, the Company had outstanding bank guarantees, parent guarantees and surety bonds issued as performance security arrangements for several projects. Performance security is a precondition to receive any payment from the customer and is reduced in stages according to the project completion status.

Typical turn-key contracts and long-term service agreements contain provisions for performance liquidated damages payments if the solution fails to meet the guaranteed performance thresholds at completion of the project or throughout the service agreement period.

In December 2021, we entered negotiations with our largest battery module vendor to amend our battery supply agreement. As part of the discussions the vendor sought to renegotiate the price, we were to pay for battery modules purchased in calendar year 2022 as well as those expected to be purchased during the remainder of calendar year 2022 and calendar year 2023. As part of these negotiations, we also discussed settlement of contractual claims by Fluence to the vendor. These negotiations continued throughout calendar year 2022.

The Company is party to both assurance and service-type warranties for various lengths of time. The Company recognizes revenue for service-type warranties using either a straight-line or cost to cost method depending on the contract. Extended warranties that customers purchase separately from the related products and services are accounted for as separate performance obligations.

From time to time, the Company may be involved in litigation relating to claims that arise out of our operations and businesses and that cover a wide range of matters, including, among others, intellectual property matters, contract and employment claims, personal injury claims, product liability claims, and warranty claims. The Company accrues for litigation and claims when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. It is reasonably possible that some matters could be decided unfavorably to the Company and could require the Company to pay damages or make expenditures in amounts that could be material.

The following discussion covers the Company’s potential loss contingencies as of December 31, 2022:

On April 28, 2021, the Company was notified of an emergency aboard a vessel carrying Fluence inventory. This incident (the “Cargo Loss Incident”) resulted in damage to a portion of our cargo aboard the vessel. The Company had recorded $13.0 million provision to its inventory as of September 30, 2021 based on the net realizable value of cargo that was destroyed. During fiscal year 2022, $13.0 million of inventory was written off against the provision. In addition to the inventory losses, we incurred incremental expenses related to the incident, primarily consisting of inspection costs, project cost overruns due to logistical changes, legal fees, fees to dispose of the damaged cargo, and additional cost to replace the damaged cargo. We expect to continue to incur legal fees related to the incident. We received an aggregate of $10.0 million insurance proceeds related to non-disputed claims, $7.5 million of which was collected in October 2021 and the remaining $2.5 million was collected in April 2022.

On September 4, 2021, a 300 MW energy storage facility owned by one of our customers experienced an overheating event. Fluence served as the energy storage technology provider and designed and installed portions of the facility, which was completed in fiscal year 2021. No injuries were reported from the incident. The facility was taken offline as teams from Fluence, our customer, and the battery designer/manufacturer investigated the incident. Our customer released initial findings in the second fiscal quarter of 2022 on what it contends is the root cause of the incident. The customer’s stated findings, if ultimately confirmed and proven, could relate to certain scopes of work for which Fluence or its subcontractors could be responsible. The customer’s stated findings, however, could also relate to certain scopes of work for which other parties were responsible and/or relate to other causes, including the design and installation of portions of the facility over which Fluence did not have responsibility or control. The customer has alleged that Fluence is liable for the incident but has not yet demanded a specific amount of compensation nor alleged a particular level of responsibility. At this time, Fluence cannot accept the customer’s stated findings and has denied liability. No formal legal proceedings have been commenced, but it is reasonably possible that litigation may result from this matter if a resolution cannot be achieved. Any such dispute would also likely include claims by Fluence and counterclaims by the customer relating to disputed costs arising from the original design and construction of the facility. The customer announced in July of 2022 that a large portion of the facility was back online. We are currently not able to estimate the impact that this incident may have on our financial results. To date, we do not believe that this incident has impacted the market’s adoption of our products and solutions.

On April 18, 2022, a 10 MW energy storage facility in Chandler, Arizona owned by AES experienced an overheating event. Fluence served as the energy storage technology provider for the facility, which was completed in 2019, and Fluence currently provides maintenance services for the facility. There were no injuries. The facility has been taken offline as teams from Fluence, AES, and the battery manufacturer investigate the incident. We are currently not able to estimate the impact, if any, that this incident may have on our reputation or financial results, or on market adoption of our products and solutions.

Related parties are represented by AES and Siemens, their respective subsidiaries and other entities under common control. As of December 31, 2022, AES Grid Stability, a wholly owned subsidiary of AES, holds 58,586,695 shares of Class B-1 common stock of Fluence Energy, Inc. and Siemens holds an aggregate of 58,586,695 of Class A common stock of Fluence Energy, Inc.

On August 11, 2021, the Company borrowed $25.0 million and $25.0 million from AES Grid Stability and Siemens Industry, respectively, in the form of subordinated promissory notes, each bearing an annual interest at 2.86%. The promissory notes were paid off in full on November 1, 2021 using proceeds from the IPO. All related party borrowings were for general working capital needs.

There were no new related party borrowings during the three months ended December 31, 2022.

The Company signs back-to-back battery-based energy storage product and related service contracts with AES, Siemens, and their subsidiaries (collectively referred to as affiliates) in relation to execution of the affiliates’ contracts with external customers and also direct contracts signed with affiliates. Revenue from contracts with affiliates is included in “Revenue from related parties” on the Company’s condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.

In addition, the Company purchases materials and supplies from its affiliates and records the costs in “Cost of goods and services” on the Company’s condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.

Fluence and its affiliates have signed service agreements under which the affiliates provide certain administrative services to Fluence. The services include but are not limited to, treasury, information technology services, sales services, payroll, and research and development. Cost of services are accrued monthly and included in “Payables and deferred revenue with related parties”, and “General and administrative”, “Sales and marketing”, or “Research and development” on the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets and statements of operations and comprehensive loss, respectively.

Fluence paid performance guarantee fees to its affiliates in exchange for guaranteeing Fluence’s performance obligation under certain contracts with Fluence’s customers, which are based on the affiliates’ weighted average cost for bank guarantees and their per annum cost of surety bonds with a reasonable markup. The guarantee fees are included in “Costs of goods and services” on Fluence’s condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.

The following table presents the components of receivables from related parties and payables to related parties on the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets:

Unbilled receivables represent the excess of revenues recognized over billings to date on sales or service contracts with related parties. Deferred revenue represents the excess billings to date over the amount of revenue recognized to date on sales or service contracts with related parties. Receivables from related parties and payables and deferred revenue with related parties are unsecured and settlement of these balances occurs in cash. No provision has been made related to the receivables from related parties.

The following table presents the related party transactions that are included the Company’s condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss for the periods indicated:

In 2020, the Company established the 2020 Unit Option Plan (the “Option Plan”) whereby employees, directors, and consultants, were originally granted non-qualified options to purchase Class A-1 units of Fluence Energy, LLC. As of September 30, 2021, the Company determined that achievement of the performance conditions related to awards granted under the Option Plan was not probable and therefore, no expense was recognized for the non-qualified options during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021. The completion of the IPO on November 1, 2021 resulted in achievement of the performance condition for the majority of the underlying awards granted under the option plan. In connection with the IPO, the non-qualified options were converted into non-qualified stock options to purchase shares of Class A common stock of Fluence Energy, Inc. Non-qualified stock options under the Option Plan have a contractual term of ten years from the date of grant. The Company estimated the fair value of the awards using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The outstanding awards will continue to be governed by their existing terms under the Option Plan. The Option Plan is accounted for as an equity plan. We do not expect to make any further awards under the Option Plan.

As of December 31, 2022, 7,835,243 stock options with an exercise price of $2.45 remain outstanding. The Option Plan has unrecognized stock compensation expense of $1.1 million as of December 31, 2022.

Employees, directors, and consultants were granted compensation under the Phantom Equity Incentive Plan (the “Phantom Incentive Plan”). As of September 30, 2021, the Company determined that achievement of the performance conditions related to awards granted under the Phantom Incentive Plan was not probable and therefore, no expense was recognized for the phantom units during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021. The completion of the IPO on November 1, 2021 resulted in achievement of the performance condition for the majority of the underlying awards granted under the Phantom Incentive Plan. The outstanding awards relate to a modification previously made at the time of the IPO related to awards granted to the Company’s executive officers. We do not expect to make any further awards under the Phantom Incentive Plan.

As of December 31, 2022, 513,865 phantom unit awards previously issued remained outstanding. The Phantom Incentive Plan has unrecognized stock compensation expense of $5.3 million as of December 31, 2022.

The following Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations provides information that management believes is relevant to an assessment and understanding of the consolidated financial condition and results of operations of Fluence and should be read in conjunction with the accompanying consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (this “Report”) as well in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on December 14, 2022 (“2022 Annual Report”).

Upon the completion of our initial public offering (the “IPO”) and a series of organization transactions (collectively with the IPO, the “Transactions”) on November 1, 2021, Fluence Energy, Inc. became a holding company whose sole material assets are the limited liability interests in Fluence Energy, LLC (the “LLC Interests”). All of our business is conducted through Fluence Energy, LLC, together with its subsidiaries, and the financial results of Fluence Energy, LLC are consolidated in our financial statements. Except where the context clearly indicates otherwise, “Fluence,” “we,” “us,” “our” or the “Company” refers to Fluence Energy, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

As of December 31, 2022, we deployed cumulative 1.9 GW of energy storage products and solutions, compared to 1.8 GW as of September 30, 2022. New energy storage product and solutions contracts executed during the three months ended December 31, 2022 represented total contracted power of approximately 0.6 GW compared to 0.6 GW for the three months ended December 31, 2021. We recognized total revenue of $310.5 million for the three months ended December 31, 2022, representing an increase of $135.6 million, or 77.5%, compared to the three months ended December 31, 2021 as we expanded our sales in terms of the number of energy storage products and solutions sold as well as geographic footprint.

In December 2021, we entered negotiations with our largest battery module vendor to amend our battery supply agreement. As part of the discussions the vendor sought to renegotiate the price, we were to pay for battery modules purchased in calendar year 2022 as well as those expected to be purchased during the remainder of calendar year 2022 and calendar year 2023. As part of these negotiations, we also discussed settlement of contractual claims by Fluence to the vendor. These negotiations continued throughout calendar year 2022.

On April 28, 2021, the Company was notified of an emergency aboard a vessel carrying Fluence inventory. This incident (the “Cargo Loss Incident”) resulted in damage to a portion of our cargo aboard the vessel. The Company has recorded $13.0 million provision to its inventory as of September 30, 2021, based on the net realizable value of cargo that was destroyed. During the twelve months ended September 30, 2022, $13.0 million of inventory was written off against the provision. In addition to the inventory losses, we incurred incremental expenses related to the incident, primarily consisting of inspection costs, project cost overruns due to logistical changes, legal fees, fees to dispose of the damaged cargo, and additional cost to replace the damaged cargo. We expect to continue to incur legal fees related to the incident. As of December 31, 2022, our total losses and costs to date arising from the incident are approximately $25.4 million. We also received an aggregate of $10.0 million insurance proceeds related to non-disputed claims, $7.5 million of which was collected in October 2021 and the remaining $2.5 million was collected in April 2022.

On September 4, 2021, a 300 MW energy storage facility owned by one of our customers experienced an overheating event. Fluence served as the energy storage technology provider and designed and installed portions of the facility, which was completed in fiscal year 2021. No injuries were reported from the incident. The facility was taken offline as teams from Fluence, our customer, and the battery designer/manufacturer investigated the incident. Our customer released initial findings in the second fiscal quarter of 2022 on what it contends is the root cause of the incident. The customer’s stated findings, if ultimately confirmed and proven, could relate to certain scopes of work for which Fluence or its subcontractors could be responsible. The customer’s stated findings, however, could also relate to certain scopes of work for which other parties were responsible and/or relate to other causes, including the design and installation of portions of the facility over which Fluence did not have responsibility or control. The customer has alleged that Fluence is liable for the incident but has not yet demanded a specific amount of compensation nor alleged a particular level of responsibility. At this time, Fluence cannot accept the customer’s stated findings and has denied liability. No formal legal proceedings have been commenced, but it is reasonably possible that litigation may result from this matter if a resolution cannot be achieved. Any such dispute would also likely include claims by Fluence and counterclaims by the customer relating to disputed costs arising from the original design and construction of the facility. The customer announced in July of 2022 that a large portion of the facility was back online. We are currently not able to estimate the impact, that this incident may have on our financial results. To date, we do not believe that this incident has impacted the market’s adoption of our products and solutions.

On April 18, 2022, a 10 MW energy storage facility in Chandler, Arizona owned by AES experienced an overheating event. Fluence served as the energy storage technology provider for the facility, which was completed in 2019, and Fluence currently provides maintenance services for the facility. There were no injuries. The facility has been taken offline as teams from Fluence, AES, and the battery manufacturer investigate the incident. We are currently not able to estimate the impact, if any, that this incident may have on our reputation or financial results, or on market adoption of our products and solutions.

The Company’s chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) is its Chief Executive Officer. The Company’s CODM reviews financial information on a consolidated basis for purposes of making operating decisions, allocating resources, and evaluating financial performance. As such, the Company has determined that it operates in one operating segment, which corresponds to one reportable segment.

We believe that our performance and future success depend on several factors that present significant opportunities for us but also pose risks and challenges, including those discussed below and those in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in our 2022 Annual Report.

Our revenue growth is directly tied to the continued adoption of energy storage products and solutions by our customers. The cost of lithium-ion energy storage hardware has declined significantly in the last decade and has resulted in a large addressable market today.

Deployment of renewable energy resources has accelerated over the last decade, and solar and wind have become a low-cost energy source. BloombergNEF estimates that renewable energy is expected to represent 70% of all new global capacity installations over the next ten years. Energy storage is critical to reducing the intermittency and volatility of renewable energy generation. However, there is no guarantee that the deployment of renewable energy will occur at the rate estimated by BloombergNEF. Inflationary pressures, supply chain disruptions, geo-political stresses such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and other factors could result in fluctuations in demand for and deployment of renewable energy resources, adversely affecting our revenue and ability to generate profits in the future.

The market for our products and solutions is competitive and we may face increased competition as new and existing competitors introduce energy storage solutions and components. Furthermore, as we expand our services and digital applications in the future, we may face other competitors including software providers and some hardware manufacturers that offer software solutions. If our market share declines due to increased competition or if we are not able to compete as we expect, our revenue and ability to generate profits in the future may be adversely affected.

We have historically experienced seasonality and see increased order intake in our third and fourth fiscal quarters (April – September), driven by demand in the Northern Hemisphere to install energy storage products and solutions before the summer of the following year. Combined third and fourth fiscal quarter order intake have historically accounted for 80% or more of our total intake each year. However, as we and the market mature we are seeing less seasonality. For fiscal year 2022 third and fourth quarter order intake accounted for only 48% of our total intake for the year. Revenue generation is typically significantly stronger in our third and fourth fiscal quarters as we provide the majority of our products and solutions to customers during these periods. Cash flows historically have been negative in our first and second fiscal quarters, neutral to positive in our third fiscal quarter, and positive in our fourth fiscal quarter. Our services and digital applications and solutions offerings do not experience the same seasonality given their recurring nature.

In the markets in which we operate, there have been higher rates of inflation in recent months. If inflation continues to increase in our markets, it may increase our expenses that we may not be able to pass through to customers. It may also increase the costs of our products and solutions that could negatively impact their competitiveness.

The following discussion describes certain line items in our condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.

Our revenue is affected by changes in the price, volume, and mix of products and services purchased by our customers, which is driven by the demand for our products, geographic mix of our customers, strength of competitors’ product offerings, and availability of government incentives to the end-users of our products.

Cost of goods and services consists primarily of product costs, including purchased materials and supplies, as well as costs related to shipping, customer support, product warranty, and personnel. Personnel costs in cost of goods and services includes both direct labor costs as well as costs attributable to any individuals whose activities relate to the transformation of raw materials or component parts into finished goods or the transportation of materials to the customer.

Our product costs are affected by the underlying cost of raw materials, including steel and aluminum supply costs, including inverters, casings, fuses, and cable; technological innovation; economies of scale resulting in lower supply costs; and improvements in production processes and automation. We do not currently hedge against changes in the price of raw materials as we don’t purchase raw materials but the components of energy storage products from our suppliers, and we rely on our suppliers to hedge the underlying raw materials. We generally expect the ratio of cost of goods and services to revenue to decrease as sales volumes increase due to economies of scale, however, some of these costs, primarily personnel related costs, are not directly affected by sales volume.

Gross profit (loss) and gross profit margin may vary from quarter to quarter and are primarily affected by our sales volume, product prices, product costs, product mix, customer mix, geographical mix, shipping method, and seasonality.

Operating expenses consist of research and development, sales and marketing and general and administrative expenses as well as depreciation and amortization. Personnel-related expenses are the most significant component of our operating expenses and include salaries, stock-based compensation, and employee benefits. We expect to invest in additional resources to support our growth which will increase our operating expenses in the near future.

Research and development expenses consist of personnel-related costs across our global R&D centers for engineers engaged in the design and development and testing of our integrated products and technologies. Engineering competencies include data science, software development, network and cyber security, battery systems engineering, industrial controls, UI / UX, mechanical design, and more. R&D expenses also support three product testing labs located across the globe, including a new system-level testing facility in Pennsylvania that will be used for quality assurance and the rapid iteration, testing, and launching of new Fluence energy storage technology and products. We expect research and development expenses to increase in future periods to support our growth and as we continue to invest in research and development activities that are necessary to achieve our technology and product roadmap goals. These expenses may vary from period to period as a percentage of revenue, depending primarily upon when we choose to make more significant investments.

Sales and marketing expenses consist primarily of personnel-related expenses, including salaries, stock-based compensation, and employee benefits. We intend to expand our sales presence and marketing efforts to additional countries in the future.

Depreciation consists of costs associated with property, plant and equipment (“PP&E”) and amortization of intangibles consisting of patents, licenses, and developed technology over their expected period of use. We expect that as we increase both our revenues and the number of our general and administrative personnel, we will invest in additional PP&E to support our growth resulting in additional depreciation and amortization.

Interest expense consists primarily of interest previously incurred on our now extinguished Line of Credit and Promissory Notes (each as defined below), unused line fees related to the revolving credit facility (the “Revolver”) pursuant to a credit agreement by and among Fluence Energy, LLC, as the borrower, Fluence Energy, Inc., as a parent guarantor, the subsidiary guarantors party thereto, the lenders party thereto and JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent (the “Credit Agreement”), and amortization of debt issuance costs.

Other income (expense), net consists of income (expense) from foreign currency exchange adjustments for monetary assets and liabilities.

Historically, prior to our IPO, Fluence Energy, LLC was not subject to U.S. federal or state income tax. As such, Fluence Energy, LLC did not pay U.S. federal or state income tax, as taxable income or loss will be included in the U.S. tax returns of its members. Fluence Energy, LLC was subject to income taxes, including withholding taxes, outside the U.S. and our income tax expense (benefit) on the consolidated statements of operations primarily relates to income taxes from foreign operations, withholding taxes on intercompany royalties and changes in valuation allowances related to deferred tax assets of certain foreign subsidiaries. After our IPO, we are now subject to U.S. federal and state income taxes with respect to our allocable share of any taxable income or loss of Fluence Energy, LLC, and are taxed at the prevailing corporate tax rates. We will continue to be subject to foreign income taxes with respect to our foreign subsidiaries and our expectations are valuation allowances will be needed in certain tax jurisdictions. In addition to tax expenses, we also will incur expenses related to our operations, as well as payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement, which we expect could be significant over time. We will receive a portion of any distributions made by Fluence Energy, LLC. Any cash received from such distributions from our subsidiaries will be first used by us to satisfy any tax liability and then to make payments required under the Tax Receivable Agreement.

Deployed represents cumulative energy storage products and solutions that have achieved substantial completion and are not decommissioned.

Assets under management for service contracts represents our long-term service contracts with customers associated with our completed energy storage system products and solutions. We start providing maintenance, monitoring, or other operational services after the storage product projects are completed.

Assets under management for digital software represents contracts signed and active (post go live).

For our energy storage products and solutions contracts, contracted backlog includes signed customer orders or contracts under execution prior to when substantial completion is achieved. For service contracts, contracted backlog includes signed service agreements associated with our storage product projects that have not been completed and the associated service has not started. For digital applications contracts, contracted backlog includes signed agreements where the associated subscription has not started.

Contracted represents new energy storage product contracts, new service contracts and new digital contracts signed during each fiscal period presented.

We cannot guarantee that our contracted backlog or pipeline will result in actual revenue in the originally anticipated period or at all. Contracted backlog and pipeline may not generate margins equal to our historical operating results. We have only recently begun to track our contracted backlog and pipelines on a consistent basis as performance measures, and as a result, we do not have significant experience in determining the level of realization that we will achieve on these contracts. Our customers may experience project delays or cancel orders as a result of external market factors and economic or other factors beyond our control. If our contracted backlog and pipeline fail to result in revenue at all or in a timely manner, we could experience a reduction in revenue, profitability, and liquidity. Pipeline is an internal management metric that we construct from market information reported by our global sales force.

This section contains references to certain non-GAAP financial measures, including Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Gross Profit (Loss), Adjusted Gross Profit Margin, Adjusted Net Loss, and Free Cash Flow.

Adjusted EBITDA is calculated from the consolidated statements of operations using net income (loss) adjusted for (i) interest income (expense), net, (ii) income taxes, (iii) depreciation and amortization, (iv) stock-based compensation, and (v) other income or expenses. Adjusted EBITDA may in the future also be adjusted for amounts impacting net income related to the Tax Receivable Agreement liability.

Adjusted Gross Profit (Loss) is calculated using gross profit (loss), adjusted to exclude (i) stock-based compensation expenses and (ii) certain other income or expenses. Adjusted Gross Profit Margin is calculated using Adjusted Gross Profit (Loss) divided by total revenue.

Adjusted Net Loss is calculated using net loss, adjusted to exclude (i) amortization of intangibles, (ii) stock-based compensation, (iii) other income or expenses, and (iv) tax impact of these adjustments.

Free Cash Flow is calculated from the consolidated statements of cash flows and is defined as net cash provided by operating activities, less purchase of property and equipment made in the period. We expect our Free Cash Flow to fluctuate in future periods as we invest in our business to support our plans for growth. Limitations on the use of Free Cash Flow include (i) it should not be inferred that the entire Free Cash Flow amount is available for discretionary expenditures. For example, cash is still required to satisfy other working capital needs, including short-term investment policy, restricted cash, and intangible assets; (ii) Free Cash Flow has limitations as an analytical tool, and it should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of other GAAP financial measures, such as net cash provided by operating activities; and (iii) this metric does not reflect our future contractual commitments.

The following tables present our non-GAAP measures for the periods indicated.

Depreciation and amortization increased from $1.4 million for the three months ended December 31, 2021 to $2.4 million for the three months ended December 31, 2022. The increase of $1.0 million was attributable to an increase of $0.6 million amortization related to intangible assets acquired in April 2022 and $0.4 million depreciation from increased fixed assets.

Interest expense was $0.8 million for the three months ended December 31, 2022, compared to $0.7 million for the three months ended December 31, 2021. The increase of $0.1 million was primarily due to the increased amortization of Revolver deferred financing costs, partially offset by a decrease in interest expense on our Line of Credit which was repaid in November 2021.

Other income, net was $12.6 million for the three months ended December 31, 2022, compared to other expense, net of $(0.8) million for the three months ended December 31, 2021. The $13.4 million increase, or 1627%, was mainly a result of foreign currency exchange adjustments for monetary assets and liabilities.

Income tax expense (benefit) was $(0.6) million for the three months ended December 31, 2022 and $0.4 million for the three months ended December 31, 2021. The effective income tax rate was 1.6% and (0.3)% for the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The increase in income tax benefit and change in effective tax rate were primarily due to changes in valuation allowances and foreign exchange gains and losses.

Since inception and through December 31, 2022, our principal sources of liquidity were the proceeds from our IPO, our cash and cash equivalents, short-term borrowings, capital contributions from AES Grid Stability and Siemens Industry, and proceeds from the QFH investment. We believe the proceeds received from our IPO, cash flows from operations, along with short-term borrowing will be sufficient to meet our expense and capital requirements for at least the next twelve months following the filing of this Report.

Additionally, prior to the IPO, we funded our liquidity through borrowings from AES Grid Stability and Siemens Industry. On August 11, 2021, Fluence Energy, LLC entered into a promissory note with each of Siemens Industry and AES Grid Stability, under which Fluence Energy, LLC received a bridge financing of an aggregate of $50.0 million. In connection with the bridge financing, Fluence Energy, LLC issued a $25.0 million promissory note to each of Siemens Industry and AES Grid Stability (together, the “Promissory Notes”). The Promissory Notes bore interest at a rate of 2.86%. The Promissory Notes were repaid in full on November 1, 2021 using proceeds from the IPO.

As of December 31, 2022, three suppliers were actively participating in the supply chain financing program, and we had $97.8 million of payables outstanding subject to the program. All outstanding payments owed under the program are recorded within “Accounts payable” on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

On November 1, 2021, we entered into the Credit Agreement, by and among Fluence Energy, LLC, as the borrower, Fluence Energy, Inc., as a parent guarantor, the subsidiary guarantors party thereto, the lenders party thereto and JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent. The Revolver is secured by a (i) first priority pledge of the equity securities of Fluence Energy, LLC and its subsidiaries and (ii) first priority security interests in, and mortgages on, substantially all tangible and intangible personal property and material fee-owned real property of Fluence Energy, LLC, the parent guarantor and each subsidiary guarantor party thereto, in each case, subject to customary exceptions and limitations. The initial aggregate amount of commitments was $190.0 million from the lenders party thereto including JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC, and five other banks. On June 30, 2022, the Company increased the revolving commitment available under the Revolver by $10.0 million to an aggregate of $200.0 million and added UBS AG, Stamford Branch as an additional lender under the Revolver. As of December 31, 2022, the aggregate amount of commitments is $200.0 million from the lenders party including JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC, and six other banks. The maturity date of the Revolver is November 1, 2025.

The Revolver bears interest at either (i) the Adjusted LIBOR or Adjusted EURIBO Rate (each as defined in the Credit Agreement) plus 3.0% or (ii) the Alternate Base Rate (as defined in the Credit Agreement) plus 2.0% (subject to customary LIBOR replacement provisions and alternative benchmark rates including customary spread adjustments with respect to borrowings in foreign currency), at the option of Fluence Energy, LLC. Fluence Energy, LLC is required to pay to the lenders a commitment fee of 0.55% per annum on the average daily unused portion of the revolving commitments through maturity, which will be the four-year anniversary of the closing date of the Revolver. The Revolver also provides for up to $200.0 million in letter of credit issuances, which will require customary issuance and administration fees, as well as a fronting fee payable to each issuer thereof and a letter of credit participation fee of 2.75% per annum payable to the lenders.

As of December 31, 2022, we had no borrowings under the Revolver and availability under the facility of $156.4 million, net of letters of credit issued of $43.6 million.

The following table summarizes our cash flows from operating, investing, and financing activities for the periods presented.