UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 10-Q

 

(Mark One)

 

QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the quarterly period ended

SeptemberJune 30, 20202021

or 

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from ______ to______.

Commission file number: 001-33059

 

FUEL TECH, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

20-5657551

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation of organization)

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

 

Fuel Tech, Inc.

27601 Bella Vista Parkway

Warrenville, IL 60555-1617

630-845-4500

www.ftek.com

(Address and telephone number of principal executive offices)

  ________________________________

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

Trading Symbol(s)

Name of each exchange on which registered

Common Stock

 FTEK

NASDAQ

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

 

Large accelerated filer

 

Accelerated filer

 

Non-accelerated filer

 

Smaller reporting company

 

   

Emerging growth company

 

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  ☐    No  ☒

 

On OctoberJuly 31, 20202021 there were outstanding 24,701,15930,263,791 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the registrant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

FUEL TECH, INC.

Form 10-Q for the nine-monthsix-month period ended SeptemberJune 30, 20202021

 

INDEX

 

  

Page

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

Item 1.

Financial Statements (Unaudited)

1
 

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 and December 31, 20192020

1

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Three-Three and Nine-Month PeriodsSix Months Ended SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 and 20192020

2

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)Loss for the Three-Three and Nine-Month PeriodsSix Months Ended SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 and 20192020

23

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity for the Three-Three and Nine-Month PeriodsSix Months Ended SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 and 20192020

4

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Three-Six Months Ended June 30, 2021 and Nine-Month Periods Ended September 30, 2020 and 2019

5

 

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

6

Item 2.

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

20

Item 3.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

22

Item 4.

Controls and Procedures

22

PART II.

OTHER INFORMATION

23

Item 1.

Legal Proceedings

23

Item 1A.

Risk Factors

23

Item 2.

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

23

Item 6.

Exhibits

24

SIGNATURES

25

 

 

 

 

PART I.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

Item 1.

Financial Statements

 

FUEL TECH, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Unaudited)(in thousands, except share and per share data)

 

 

June 30,

 

December 31,

 
 

September 30,
2020

  

December 31,
2019

  

2021

 

2020

 

ASSETS

            

Current assets:

         

Cash and cash equivalents

 $9,418  $10,914  $36,194  $10,640 

Restricted cash

  2,025   2,080  98  1,595 

Accounts receivable, net

  5,989   6,473  3,403  6,548 

Insurance Receivable

  2,589    

Inventories, net

  337   264  194  97 

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

  1,678   1,879   1,555  2,193 

Income taxes receivable

  69    

Total current assets

  22,105   21,610  41,444  21,073 

Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $26,692 and $26,174, respectively

  5,347   5,662 

Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $18,459 and $26,889, respectively

 5,087  5,220 

Goodwill

  2,116   2,116  2,116  2,116 

Other intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $6,810 and $6,671, respectively

  794   906 

Other intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $828 and $757, respectively

 516  553 

Restricted cash

  367   507  270  371 

Right-of-use operating lease assets

  430   362  311  394 

Other assets

  366   443   317  361 

Total assets

 $31,525  $31,606  $50,061  $30,088 

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

            

Current liabilities:

         

Accounts payable

 $2,963  $2,117  $1,400  $2,353 

Current portion of long-term borrowings

  945    

Accrued liabilities:

         

Operating lease liabilities - current

  175   182  132  149 

Employee compensation

  687   519  681  930 

Income taxes payable

  36    

Other accrued liabilities

  1,566   1,976   1,339  2,099 

Total current liabilities

  6,372   4,794  3,552  5,531 

Operating lease liabilities - non-current

  247   180  171  237 

Long-term borrowings, net of current portion

  611    

Long-term borrowings

 0  1,556 

Deferred income taxes, net

  172   171  134  134 

Other liabilities

  292   286   306  309 

Total liabilities

  7,694   5,431   4,163  7,767 

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Note 13)

        

Stockholders’ equity:

         

Common stock, $.01 par value, 40,000,000 shares authorized, 25,509,298 and 25,053,480 shares issued, and 24,701,159 and 24,592,578 shares outstanding, respectively

  255   254 

Common stock, $.01 par value, 40,000,000 shares authorized, 31,227,300 and 25,639,702 shares issued, and 30,263,791 and 25,228,951 shares outstanding, respectively

 312  262 

Additional paid-in capital

  139,767   139,560  164,157  140,138 

Accumulated deficit

  (113,060

)

  (110,325

)

 (114,983) (114,603)

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

  (1,589

)

  (1,778

)

 (1,430) (1,370)

Nil coupon perpetual loan notes

  76   76  76  76 

Treasury stock, at cost

  (1,618

)

  (1,612

)

  (2,234) (2,182)

Total stockholders’ equity

  23,831   26,175   45,898  22,321 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

 $31,525  $31,606  $50,061  $30,088 

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

 

1

 

                                        

FUEL TECH, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(Unaudited)

(in thousands, except share and per-share data)

 

  

Three Months Ended
September 30,

  

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 
  

2020

  

2019

  

2020

  

2019

 

Revenues

 $8,155  $6,452  $16,334  $25,555 

Costs and expenses:

                

Cost of sales

  2,249   3,563   8,299   14,754 

Selling, general and administrative

  3,184   3,822   9,825   12,735 

Restructuring charge

           625 

Research and development

  285   352   880   823 

Intangible assets abandonment

     76      127 
   5,718   7,813   19,004   29,064 

Operating income (loss) from continuing operations

  2,437

 

  (1,361

)

  (2,670

)

  (3,509

)

Interest expense

  (9

)

  (4

)

  (15

)

  (8

)

Interest income

  3   19   16   30 

Other income (expense), net

  (55

)

  71

 

  83   (1

)

Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes

  2,376

 

  (1,275

)

  (2,586

)

  (3,488

)

Income tax expense

     (21

)

  (149

)

  (23

)

Net income (loss) from continuing operations

  2,376

 

  (1,296

)

  (2,735

)

  (3,511

)

Income (Loss) from discontinued operations

     18

 

     (1

)

Net income (loss)

 $2,376

 

 $(1,278

)

 $(2,735

)

 $(3,512

)

Net income (loss) per common share:

                

Basic

                

Continuing operations

 $0.10

 

 $(0.05

)

 $(0.11

)

 $(0.15

)

Discontinued operations

 $  $  $  $ 

Basic net income (loss) per common share

 $0.10

 

 $(0.05

)

 $(0.11

)

 $(0.15

)

Diluted

                

Continuing operations

 $0.09

 

 $(0.05

)

 $(0.11

)

 $(0.15

)

Discontinued operations

 $  $  $  $ 

Diluted net income (loss) per common share

 $0.09  $(0.05) $(0.11

)

 $(0.15

)

Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding:

                

Basic

  24,701,000   24,187,000   24,656,000   24,183,000 

Diluted

  25,120,000   24,187,000   24,656,000   24,183,000 
  

Three Months Ended

  

Six Months Ended

 
  

June 30,

  

June 30,

 
  

2021

  

2020

  

2021

  

2020

 

Revenues

 $5,218  $4,401  $10,251  $8,179 

Costs and expenses:

                

Cost of sales

  2,635   3,799   5,310   6,050 

Selling, general and administrative

  2,957   2,755   6,057   6,641 

Research and development

  315   271   730   595 
   5,907   6,825   12,097   13,286 

Operating loss

  (689)  (2,424)  (1,846)  (5,107)

Interest expense

  (5)  (3)  (9)  (6)

Interest income

  2   2   3   13 

Other (expense) income, net

  (76)  (88)  1,482   138 

Loss before income taxes

  (768)  (2,513)  (370)  (4,962)

Income tax expense

  (10)  (31)  (10)  (149)

Net loss

 $(778) $(2,544) $(380) $(5,111)

Net loss per common share:

                

Basic net loss per common share

 $(0.03) $(0.10) $(0.01) $(0.21)

Diluted net loss per common share

 $(0.03) $(0.10) $(0.01) $(0.21)

Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding:

                

Basic

  30,264,000   24,668,000   28,895,000   24,633,000 

Diluted

  30,264,000   24,668,000   28,895,000   24,633,000 

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

2

 

 

FUEL TECH, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)LOSS

(Unaudited)

(in thousands)

 

 

Three Months Ended
September 30,

  

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

  

Three Months Ended

 

Six Months Ended

 
 

2020

  

2019

  

2020

  

2019

  

June 30,

 

June 30,

 

Net income (loss)

 $2,376

 

 $(1,278

)

 $(2,735

)

 $(3,512

)

 

2021

 

2020

 

2021

 

2020

 

Net loss

 $(778) $(2,544) $(380) $(5,111)

Other comprehensive income (loss):

                 

Foreign currency translation adjustments

  268   (337

)

  189

 

  (276)  133  152  (60) (79)

Comprehensive income (loss)

 $2,644

 

 $(1,615

)

 $(2,546) $(3,788

)

Comprehensive loss

 $(645) $(2,392) $(440) $(5,190)

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

3

 

 

Fuel Tech, Inc.

Condensed Statements of Stockholders’ Equity

(in thousands of dollars or shares, as appropriate)

 

The following summarizes the changes in total stockholders' equity for the three and ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2019:2020:

 

 

Common Stock

  

Additional
Paid-in

  

Accumulated

  

Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive

  

Nil
Coupon
Perpetual

  

Treasury

  

 

          

Accumulated

 

Nil

     
 

Shares

  

Amount

  Capital  Deficit  Income (Loss)  Loan Notes  Stock  Total     

Additional

   

Other

 

Coupon

     

Balance at December 31, 2018

  24,170  $248  $138,992  $(102,495

)

 $(1,285

)

 $76  $(1,484

)

 $34,052 

Common Stock

Paid-in

Accumulated

 

Comprehensive

 

Perpetual

Treasury

   

Shares

 

Amount

Capital

Deficit

 

Loss

 

Loan Notes

Stock

 

Total

 

Balance at December 31, 2019

 24,592 $254$139,560$(110,325)$(1,778)$76$(1,612)$26,175 

Net loss

           (1,289

)

           (1,289

)

   0 0 (2,567) 0  0 0  (2,567)

Foreign currency translation adjustments

              104         104    0 0 0  (231) 0 0  (231)

Stock compensation expense

        96               96    0 81 0  0  0 0  81 

Common shares issued upon vesting of restricted stock units

  18                       55  0 0 0  0  0 0  0 

Treasury shares withheld

  (2

)

                 (2

)

  (2

)

 (11) 0 0 0  0  0 (5) (5)

Adoption of ASC 842

           22            22 

Balance at March 31, 2019

  24,186  $248  $139,088  $(103,762

)

 $(1,181

)

 $76  $(1,486

)

 $32,983 

Net Loss

           (945

)

           (945

)

Balance at March 31, 2020

 24,636 $254$139,641$(112,892)$(2,009)$76$(1,617)$23,453 

Net loss

  0 0 (2,544) 0 0 0 (2,544)

Foreign currency translation adjustments

              (43

)

        (43

)

  0 0 0 152 0 0 152 

Stock compensation expense

        123               123    0 69 0  0  0 0  69 

Balance at June 30, 2019

  24,186  $248  $139,211  $(104,707

)

 $(1,224

)

 $76  $(1,486

)

 $32,118 
Net Loss          (1,278)           (1,278)
Foreign currency translation adjustments             (337)        (337)
Stock compensation expense        138               138 
Balance at September 30, 2019  24,186  $248  $139,349  $(105,985) $(1,561) $76  $(1,486) $30,641 

Common shares issued upon vesting of restricted stock units

 66 1 0 0 0 0 (1) 0 

Treasury shares withheld

 (1) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Balance at June 30, 2020

 24,701 $255$139,710$(115,436)$(1,857)$76$(1,618)$21,130 

 

The following summarizes the changes in total stockholders' equity for the three and ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2020:2021:

 

 

Common Stock

  

Additional
Paid-in

  

Accumulated

  

Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive

  

Nil
Coupon
Perpetual

  

Treasury

              

Accumulated

 

Nil

     
 

Shares

  

Amount

  Capital  Deficit  Income (Loss)  Loan Notes  Stock  Total      

Additional

   

Other

 

Coupon

     

Balance at December 31, 2019

  24,592  $254  $139,560  $(110,325

)

 $(1,778

)

 $76  $(1,612

)

 $26,175 
 

Common Stock

 

Paid-in

 

Accumulated

 

Comprehensive

 

Perpetual

 

Treasury

   
 

Shares

  

Amount

  

Capital

  

Deficit

  

Loss

  

Loan Notes

  

Stock

  

Total

 

Balance at December 31, 2020

  25,229  $262  $140,138  $(114,603) $(1,370) $76  $(2,182) $22,321 

Net income

   0  0  398  0  0  0  398 

Foreign currency translation adjustments

   0  0  0  (193) 0  0  (193)

Stock compensation expense

   0  20  0  0  0  0  20 

Common stock issued in connection with private placement, net

 5,000  50  23,979  0  0  0  0  24,029 

Common shares issued upon vesting of restricted stock units

 50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Treasury shares withheld

  (15)  0  0  0  0  0  (52)  (52)

Balance at March 31, 2021

  30,264  $312  $164,137  $(114,205) $(1,563) $76  $(2,234) $46,523 

Net loss

           (2,567

)

           (2,567

)

  0 0 (778) 0 0 0 (778)

Foreign currency translation adjustments

              (231

)

        (231

)

  0 0 0 133 0 0 133 

Stock compensation expense

        81               81   0 20 0 0 0 0 20 

Common shares issued upon vesting of restricted stock units

  55                      

Treasury shares withheld

  (11

)

                 (5

)

  (5

)

Balance at March 31, 2020

  24,636  $254  $139,641  $(112,892

)

 $(2,009

)

 $76  $(1,617

)

 $23,453 

Net Loss

           (2,544

)

           (2,544

)

Foreign currency translation adjustments

              152         152 

Stock compensation expense

        69               69 

Common shares issued upon vesting of restricted stock units

  66   1               (1

)

   

Treasury shares withheld

  (1

)

                     

Balance at June 30, 2020

  24,701  $255  $139,710  $(115,436

)

 $(1,857

)

 $76  $(1,618

)

 $21,130 
Net Income           2,376            2,376 
Foreign currency translation adjustments              268         268 
Stock compensation expense        57               57 
Balance at September 30, 2020  24,701  $255  $139,767  $(113,060) $(1,589) $76  $(1,618) $23,831 

Balance at June 30, 2021

  30,264 $312 $164,157 $(114,983) $(1,430) $76 $(2,234) $45,898 

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

4

 

 

FUEL TECH, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited)

(in thousands)

 

 

Six Months Ended

 
 

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

  

June 30,

 
 

2020

  

2019

  

2021

 

2020

 

Operating Activities

            

Net loss

 $(2,735

)

 $(3,512

)

 $(380) $(5,111)

Loss from discontinued operations

     1 

Net loss from continuing operations

  (2,735

)

  (3,511

)

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:

        

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:

 

Depreciation

  495   644  319  329 

Amortization

  139   118  71  85 

(Gain) loss on disposal of equipment

  (3)  4 

Loss on disposal of equipment

 13  0 

Provision for doubtful accounts, net of recoveries

  (1,144

)

    23  (1,082)

Adjustment for Operating Lease (Note 2)

  (11

)

   

Intangible assets abandonment

     127 

Stock-based compensation, net of forfeitures

  208   357  40  150 

Gain on forgiveness of Paycheck Protection Plan Loan

 (1,556) 0 

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

         

Accounts receivable

  (863

)

  8,601  3,079  1,863 

Inventories

  (71

)

  654  (97) (78)

Prepaid expenses, other current assets and other non-current assets

  250   1,804  681  424 

Accounts payable

  820   (6,812

)

 (943) (531)

Accrued liabilities and other non-current liabilities

  (376)  (4,306

)

  (1,021) 537 

Net cash used in operating activities - continuing operations

  (3,291

)

  (2,320

)

Net cash used in operating activities - discontinued operations

     (21

)

Net cash used in operating activities

  (3,291

)

  (2,341

)

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

  229  (3,414)

Investing Activities

            

Purchases of equipment and patents

  (206

)

  (431

)

  (237) (122)

Net cash used in investing activities - continuing operations

  (206

)

  (431

)

Net cash provided by investing activities - discontinued operations

     505 

Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities

  (206

)

  74 

Net cash used in investing activities

  (237) (122)

Financing Activities

            

Proceeds from borrowings

  1,556     0 1,556 

Proceeds from sale of common stock issued in connection with private placement

 25,812  0 

Costs related to sale of common stock issued in connection with private placement

 (1,783) 0 

Taxes paid on behalf of equity award participants

  (6

)

  (2

)

  (52) (6)

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

  1,550   (2

)

Net cash provided by financing activities

  23,977  1,550 

Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash

  256   (458

)

  (13) (258)

Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

  (1,691

)

  (2,727

)

Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

 23,956  (2,244)

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period (Note 2)

  13,501   18,059   12,606  13,501 

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period (Note 2)

 $11,810  $15,332  $36,562  $11,257 

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

5

 

FUEL TECH, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

SeptemberJune 30, 20202021

(Unaudited)

(in thousands, except share and per-share data)

 

 

1.     General

 

Organization

 

Fuel Tech, Inc. and subsidiaries ("Fuel Tech", the "Company", "we", "us" or "our") develops and provides proprietary technologies for air pollution control, process optimization, water treatment, and advanced engineered solutions for the optimization of combustion systemsengineering services. These technologies enable customers to operate in utilitya cost-effective and industrial applications. Our primary focus is on the worldwide marketing and sale of NOx reduction technologies as well as our FUEL CHEM program. environmentally sustainable manner.

The Company’s NOx reduction technologies reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from boilers, furnaces and other stationary combustion sources.

Our  To reduce NOx emissions, our technologies utilize advanced combustion modification techniques and post-combustion NOx control approaches including non-catalytic, catalytic and combined systems.  The Company also provides solutions for the mitigation of particulate matter, including particulate control with electrostatic precipitator products and services, and using flue gas conditioning systems which modify the ash properties of particulate for improved collection efficiency. The Company’s FUEL CHEM program is based on proprietary TIFI® Targeted In-Furnace™ InjectionCHEM® technology in combination with advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Chemical Kinetics Modeling (CKM) boiler modeling, in the unique application of specialty chemicals to improveimproves the efficiency, reliability, fuel flexibility, boiler heat rate, and environmental status of combustion units by controlling slagging, fouling, corrosion, opacityand opacity. Water treatment technologies include DGI™ Dissolved Gas Infusion Systems which utilize a patented nozzle to deliver supersaturated oxygen solutions and other sulfur trioxide-related issuesgas-water combinations to target process applications or environmental issues. This infusion process has a variety of applications in the boiler.water and wastewater industries, including remediation, aeration, biological treatment, and wastewater odor management.

 

Our business is materially dependentMany of Fuel Tech’s products and services rely heavily on the continued existence and enforcement of air quality regulations, particularly in the United States. We have expended significant resources in the research and development of new technologies in building our proprietary portfolio of air pollution control, fuel and boiler treatment chemicals, computerCompany’s Computational Fluid Dynamics modeling and advancedcapabilities, which are enhanced by internally developed, high-end visualization technologies.software.

 

Basis of Presentation

 

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP") for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-XS-X of the Exchange Act. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, the financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation of the statements for the periods presented. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. The results of operations for the three and ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year ending December 31, 2020.2021. For further information, refer to the audited consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in Fuel Tech’s Annual Report on Form 10-K10-K for the year ended December 31, 20192020 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

COVID-19COVID-19 Pandemic

 

The emergenceeffects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) around the world presents(COVID-19) global pandemic has presented significant risks to the Company, not all of which the Company is able to fully evaluate or even foresee at the current time. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the Company’s operations in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, althoughAlthough the impact of the pandemic is difficult to quantify, and may continue to do so indefinitely thereafter. Thethe Company has experienced, and may continue to experience, reductions in demand for certain of our products as several accounts remained offline due to soft electric demand and unplanned outage activities and due to the delay or abandonment of ongoing or anticipated projects due to our customers’, suppliers’ and other third parties’ financial distress or concern regarding the volatility of global markets.

 

Management cannot predict the full impact of the COVID-19COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s sales and marketing channels and supply chain, and as a result, the ultimate extent of the effects of the COVID-19COVID-19 pandemic on the Company is highly uncertain and will depend on future developments. Such effects could exist for an extended period of time even after the pandemic might end.

 

Private Placement Offering

On February 11, 2021, Fuel Tech entered into a securities purchase agreement to issue and sell, in a private placement, 5,000,000 shares of Common Stock and 2,500,000 warrants exercisable for a total of 2,500,000 shares of Common Stock with an exercise price of $5.10 per Warrant Share, at a purchase price of $5.1625 per Share and associated warrant. The gross proceeds to the Company from the Private Placement were $25,812, before deducting placement agent fees and offering expenses of $1,783. Subject to certain ownership limitations, the Warrants are immediately exercisable upon issuance and expire on the five and one-half year anniversary of the effective date of the registration statement registering the Warrant Shares for resale.  In addition, the Company issued to the placement agent Warrants to purchase up to 350,000 shares of Common Stock.  The Placement Agent Warrants are exercisable at an exercise price of $6.45 per share of Common Stock and expire on the five and one-half year anniversary of the effective date of the registration statement registering the Shares and the Warrant Shares for resale.

6

 

 

2.     Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

Restricted cash

 

Restricted cash as of SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 represents funds that are restricted to satisfy any amount borrowed against the Company's Cash Collateral Security agreement with BMO Harris Bank N.A. The balance of restricted cash totaling $2,392$368 is comprised of $2,025$98 in current assets relating to existing standby letters of credit with varying maturity dates and expire no later than September June 30, 20212022 and $367$270 in long-term assets will remain through the expiration dates of the underlying standby letter of credits (the latest maturity date is February 1, 2023) with BMO Harris Bank N.A. Refer to Note 910 Debt Financing for further information on the Cash Collateral Security agreement with BMO Harris Bank N.A.

 

The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash reported within the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets that sum to the total of the same such amounts shown in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows:

 

 

June 30,

 

June 30,

 
 

September 30,
2020

  

September 30,
2019

  

2021

 

2020

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 $9,418  $12,850  $36,194  $8,254 

Restricted cash included in current assets

  2,025   988  98  2,639 

Restricted cash included in long-term assets

  367   1,494   270  364 

Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash shown in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

 $11,810  $15,332 

Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash shown in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

 $36,562  $11,257 

 

Leases

 

The Company applies the provisions of Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 842, Leases.  The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception by evaluating whether the arrangement conveys the right to use an identified asset and whether the Company obtains substantially all of the economic benefits from and has the ability to direct the use of the asset. Right-of-use ("ROU") assets and lease liabilities are recognized at the lease commencement date based on the present value of the future minimum lease payments over the lease term. Operating ROU assets also include the impact of any lease incentives. Operating leases are included in right-of-use ("ROU") operating lease assets, operating lease liabilities - current, and operating lease liabilities - non-current on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

 

Operating lease ROU assets and operating lease liabilities are recognized based on the present value of the future minimum lease payments over the lease term at commencement date. As most of our leases do not provide an implicit rate, we use our incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value of future payments. The operating lease ROU asset also includes any lease payments made and excludes lease incentives and initial direct costs incurred. Our lease terms may include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that we will exercise that option. Lease expense for minimum lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

 

We have lease agreements with lease and non-lease components, and we elected the practical expedient to not separate lease and non-lease components for the majority of our leases. For certain equipment leases, such as vehicles, we account for the lease and non-lease components as a single lease component. We also elected the practical expedient to keep leases with an initial term of 12 months or less off of the consolidated balance sheet.Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet.

 

During the quarter ending September 30, 2020, an error was detected in the calculation of the adoption of ASC 842. “Leases” made on January 1, 2019.  The calculation included an incorrect lease amount associated with one of our leases.   This error did not correctly present the Right of Use Operating Lease Asset and related Operating Lease Liability on the Company’s balance sheet.

We evaluated the revision in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 250, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections and evaluated the materiality of the revision on prior periods' financial statements in accordance with the Securities and Exchange Commission Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 108, Quantifying Financial Statement Errors. We concluded that the revision was not material to any prior period and therefore, amendments of previously filed reports are not required. In accordance with ASC 250, we have corrected the error in all prior periods presented by revising the consolidated financial statements appearing herein. Periods not presented herein will be revised, as applicable, in future filings. The revision did not have an impact on net loss or earnings per share data for the year ended December 31, 2019.

  

As Previously Reported Year Ended

December 31, 2019

  

Revision

  

As Revised

 

Right of Use Operating Lease Asset

  980   (618)  362 

Operating Lease Liabilities - current

  300   (118)  182 

Operating Lease Liabilities - non current

  680   (500)  180 

 

3.     Revenue

 

The Company recognizes revenue when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to our customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. Fuel Tech’s sales of products to customers generally represent single performance obligations. The majority of our contracts have a single performance obligation as the promise to transfer the individual goods or services is not separately identifiable from other promises in the contracts and, therefore, not distinct. Revenue is measured as the amount of consideration we expect to receive in exchange for transferring goods or providing services. Sales, value add, and other taxes we collect concurrent with revenue-producing activities are excluded from revenue.

 

7

 

We generally expense sales commissions on a ratable basis when incurred because the amortization period would have been one year or less. These costs are recorded within selling, general and administrative expenses within the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

 

Air Pollution Control Technology

 

Fuel Tech’s APC contracts are typically six to eighteen months in length. A typical contract will have three or four critical operational measurements that, when achieved, serve as the basis for us to invoice the customer via progress billings. At a minimum, these measurements will include the generation of engineering drawings, the shipment of equipment and the completion of a system performance test.

 

As part of most of its contractual APC project agreements, Fuel Tech will agree to customer-specific acceptance criteria that relate to the operational performance of the system that is being sold. These criteria are determined based on modeling that is performed by Fuel Tech personnel, which is based on operational inputs that are provided by the customer. The customer will warrant that these operational inputs are accurate as they are specified in the binding contractual agreement. Further, the customer is solely responsible for the accuracy of the operating condition information; typically all performance guarantees and equipment warranties granted by us are voidable if the operating condition information is inaccurate or is not met.

 

Since control transfers over time, revenue is recognized based on the extent of progress towards completion of the single performance obligation. Fuel Tech uses the cost-to-cost input measure of progress for our contracts since it best depicts the transfer of assets to the customer which occurs as we incur costs on our contracts. Under the cost-to-cost input measure of progress, the extent of progress towards completion is measured based on the ratio of costs incurred to date to the total estimated costs at completion of the performance obligation. Revenues are recorded proportionally as costs are incurred. Costs to fulfill include all internal and external engineering costs, equipment charges, inbound and outbound freight expenses, internal and site transfer costs, installation charges, purchasing and receiving costs, inspection costs, warehousing costs, project personnel travel expenses and other direct and indirect expenses specifically identified as project- or product-line related, as appropriate (e.g. test equipment depreciation and certain insurance expenses).

 

Fuel Tech’s APC product line also includes ancillary revenue for post contractual goods and services.  Revenue associated with these activities are recognized at point in time when delivery of goods or completion of the service obligation is performed.

 

Fuel Tech has installed over 1,1001,200 units with APC technology and normally provides performance guarantees to our customers based on the operating conditions for the project. As part of the project implementation process, we perform system start-up and optimization services that effectively serve as a test of actual project performance. We believe that this test, combined with the accuracy of the modeling that is performed, enables revenue to be recognized prior to the receipt of formal customer acceptance.

 

FUEL CHEM

 

Revenues from the sale of chemical products are recognized when control transfers to customer upon shipment or delivery of the product based on the applicable shipping terms. We generally recognize revenue for these arrangements at a point in time based on our evaluation of when the customer obtains control of the promised goods or services.

 

On occasion, Fuel Tech will engineer and sell its chemical pumping equipment.  These projects are similar in nature to the APC projects described above and for those project where control transfers over time, revenue is recognized based on the extent of progress towards completion of the single performance obligation. 

 

For projects containing multiple performance obligations, the Company allocates the transaction price based on the estimated standalone selling price. The Company must develop assumptions that require judgment to determine the stand-alone selling price for each performance obligation identified in the contract. The Company utilizes key assumptions to determine the stand-alone selling price, which may include other comparable transactions, pricing considered in negotiating the transaction and the estimated costs. Variable consideration is allocated specifically to one or more performance obligations in a contract when the terms of the variable consideration relate to the satisfaction of the performance obligation and the resulting amounts allocated are consistent with the amounts the Company would expect to receive for the satisfaction of each performance obligation.

The consideration allocated to each performance obligation is recognized as revenue when control is transferred for the related goods or services. For performance obligations which consist of licenses and other promises, the Company utilizes judgment to assess the nature of the combined performance obligation to determine whether the combined performance obligation is satisfied over time or at a point in time and, if over time, the appropriate method of measuring progress. The Company evaluates the measure of progress each reporting period and, if necessary, adjusts the measure of performance and related revenue recognition.

The Company receives payments from its customers based on billing schedules established in each contract. Up-front payments and fees are recorded as deferred revenue upon receipt or when due until the Company performs its obligations under these arrangements. Amounts are recorded as accounts receivable when the Company’s right to consideration is unconditional.

8

 

Disaggregated Revenue by Product Technology

 

The following table presents our revenues disaggregated by product technology:

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

Six Months Ended

 
 

Three Months Ended
September 30,

  

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

  

June 30,

 

June 30,

 
 

2020

  

2019

  

2020

  

2019

  

2021

 

2020

 

2021

 

2020

 

Air Pollution Control

                        

Technology solutions

 $2,326  $1,191  $4,524  $9,727  $223  $1,469  $596  $2,198 

Spare parts

  254   299   667   832  236  214  416  413 

Ancillary revenue

  306   326   828   1,849   527  254  881  522 

Total Air Pollution Control Technology revenues

  2,886   1,816   6,019   12,408  986  1,937  1,893  3,133 

FUEL CHEM

                        

FUEL CHEM technology solutions

  5,269   4,636   10,315   13,147   4,232  2,464  8,358  5,046 

Total Revenues

 $8,155  $6,452  $16,334  $25,555  $5,218  $4,401  $10,251  $8,179 

 

Disaggregated Revenue by Geography

 

The following table presents our revenues disaggregated by geography, based on the billing addresses of our customers:

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

Six Months Ended

 
 

Three Months Ended
September 30,

  

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

  

June 30,

 

June 30,

 
 

2020

  

2019

  

2020

  

2019

  

2021

 

2020

 

2021

 

2020

 

United States

 $6,473  $5,727  $12,880  $22,104  $4,588  $3,310  $9,051  $6,407 

Foreign Revenues

                        

Latin America

  195   282   400   474  142  59  217  205 

Europe

  904   283   1,494   1,568  301  197  676  590 

Asia

  583   160   1,560   1,409   187  835  307  977 

Total Foreign Revenues

  1,682   725   3,454   3,451   630  1,091  1,200  1,772 

Total Revenues

 $8,155  $6,452  $16,334  $25,555  $5,218  $4,401  $10,251  $8,179 

 

Timing of Revenue Recognition

 

The following table presents the timing of our revenue recognition:

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

Six Months Ended

 
 

Three Months Ended
September 30,

  

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

  

June 30,

 

June 30,

 
 

2020

  

2019

  

2020

  

2019

  

2021

 

2020

 

2021

 

2020

 

Products transferred at a point in time

 $5,108  $5,261  $11,089  $15,828  $4,995  $2,932  $9,655  $5,981 

Products and services transferred over time

  3,047   1,191   5,245   9,727   223  1,469  596  2,198 

Total Revenues

 $8,155  $6,452  $16,334  $25,555  $5,218  $4,401  $10,251  $8,179 

 

9

 

Contract Balances

 

The timing of revenue recognition, billings and cash collections results in billed accounts receivable, unbilled receivables (contract assets), and customer advances and deposits (contract liabilities) on the consolidated balance sheets. In our Air Pollution Control Technology segment, amounts are billed as work progresses in accordance with agreed-upon contractual terms. Generally, billing occurs subsequent to revenue recognition, resulting in contract assets. For the FUEL CHEM technology segment, deliveries made in the current period but billed in subsequent periods are also considered unbilled receivables (contract assets).  These assets are reported on the consolidated balance sheet on a contract-by-contract basis at the end of each reporting period.  At SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 and December 31, 2019,2020, contract assets for APC technology projects were approximately $1,929$406 and $1,857,$2,080, respectively, and $0 and $269, respectively, for the FUEL CHEM technology segment, and are included in accounts receivable on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

 

However, the Company will periodically bill in advance of costs incurred before revenue is recognized, resulting in contract liabilities. These liabilities are reported on the consolidated balance sheet on a contract-by-contract basis at the end of each reporting period. Contract liabilities were $357$694 and $712,$850, at SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 and December 31, 2019,2020, respectively, and are included in other accrued liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets.

 

Changes in the contract asset and liability balances during the ninesix month period ended SeptemberJune 30, 2020,2021, were not materially impacted by any other items other than amounts billed and revenue recognized as described previously. Revenue recognized that was included in the contract liability balance at the beginning of the period was $97$49 and $555$157 for the three and ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2020, respectively2021, and $302$210 and $1,059$458 for three and ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2019, respectively,2020, which represented primarily revenue from progress towards completion of our Air Pollution Control technology contracts.

 

As of SeptemberJune 30, 2020,2021, we had three1 construction contractscontract in progress that werewas identified as a loss contractscontract and a provision for losses of $3$11 was recorded in other accrued liabilities on the condensed consolidated balance sheet. Refer to Footnote 1314 for an accrual related to certain non-conformance issuesan equipment failure issue with a U.S. customer associated with equipmentCustomer that requires remedy under the warranty provision of the customer contract. As of December 31, 2019,2020, we had three1 construction contractscontract in progress that werewas identified as a loss contractscontract and a provision for losses in the amount of $26$176 was recorded in other accrued liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet.

 

Remaining Performance Obligations

 

Remaining performance obligations represents the transaction price of Air Pollution Control technology booked orders for which work has not been performed. As of SeptemberJune 30, 2020,2021, the aggregate amount of the transaction price allocated to remaining performance obligations was $6,417.$4,943. The Company expects to recognize revenue on approximately $4,130$2,825 of the remaining performance obligations over the next 12 months with the remaining recognized thereafter.

 

Accounts Receivable

 

The components of accounts receivable are as follows:

 

 

As of

  

As of

 
 

September 30, 2020

  

December 31, 2019

  

June 30, 2021

 

December 31, 2020

 

Trade receivables

 $4,731  $6,425  $3,700  $5,015 

Unbilled receivables

  1,929   1,857  406  2,348 

Other short-term receivables

  29   7  162  20 

Allowance for doubtful accounts

  (700

)

  (1,816

)

  (865) (835)

Total accounts receivable

 $5,989  $6,473  $3,403  $6,548 

 

10

 

 

4.     Restructuring Activities

 

On January 18, 2019, the Company announced a planned suspension of its Air Pollution Control (“APC”) business operation in China. This action iswas part of Fuel Tech’s ongoing operational improvement initiatives designed to prioritize resource allocation, reduce costs, and drive profitability for the Company on a global basis. The transition associated with the suspension of the APC business which has taken place through SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 includes staff rationalization and reduction, supplier and partner engagement, and the monetization of certain assets. The remaining transition activities include the execution of the remaining activities to satisfy the requirements for the remaining APC projects in China (with a backlog totaling approximately $25)$12) in addition to collection efforts for the remaining accounts receivable.

 

The following table presents our revenues and net lossincome (loss) which includes the Restructuring charge line item within the Condensed Statements of Operations for 20202021 and 20192020 in China as follows:

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

Six Months Ended

 
 

Three Months Ended
September 30,

  

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

  

June 30,

 

June 30,

 
 

2020

  

2019

  

2020

  

2019

  

2021

 

2020

 

2021

 

2020

 

Total revenues

 $6  $

 

 $11  $311  $4  $3  $15  $5 

Net loss

 $(73

)

 $(80

)

 $(31) $(1,469

)

Net income (loss)

 (63) (85) (38) 42 

 

Total assets primarily consist of cash, accounts receivable, contract assets, prepaid expenses and other current assets. Total liabilities consist of accounts payable and certain accrued liabilities.

 

The following table presents net assets in China as follows:

 

 

As of

  

As of

 
 

September 30, 2020

  

December 31, 2019

  

June 30, 2021

 

December 31, 2020

 

Total assets

 $3,134  $4,249  $1,428  $2,463 

Total liabilities

  380   399   292  396 

Total net assets

 $2,754  $3,850  $1,136  $2,067 

 

The Company incurred $0 in the three and nine month periods ending September 30, 2020 and $0 and $625 during the three and nine month periods ending September 30, 2019 for severance and lease cancellation costs related to the suspension of the APC business in China.

There is no liability for restructuring activities for the three and nine months ending September 30, 2020. The following is a reconciliation of the accrual for the workforce reduction that is included within the "Accrued Liabilities - Employee Compensation" line of the consolidated balance sheets for the three and nine months ending September 30, 2020 and 2019:

  

Three Months Ended September 30,

  

Nine Months Ended September 30,

 
  

2020

  

2019

  

2020

  

2019

 

Restructuring liability at beginning of period

 $  $155  $  $65 

Amounts expensed

           625 

Amounts paid

     (155

)

     (690

)

Restructuring liability at end of period

 $  $  $  $ 

 

11

 

 

5.     Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss

 

The changes in accumulated other comprehensive loss by component were as follows:

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

Six Months Ended

 
 

Three months ended

September 30,

  

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

  

June 30,

 

June 30,

 
 

2020

  

2019

  

2020

  

2019

  

2021

 

2020

 

2021

 

2020

 

Foreign currency translation

                        

Balance at beginning of period

 $(1,857

)

 $(1,224

)

 $(1,778

)

 $(1,285

)

 $(1,563) $(2,009) $(1,370) $(1,778)

Other comprehensive loss:

                

Other comprehensive income (loss):

 

Foreign currency translation adjustments (1)

  268   (337

)

  189

 

  (276)  133  152  (60) (79)

Total accumulated other comprehensive loss

 $(1,589

)

 $(1,561

)

 $(1,589

)

 $(1,561

)

 $(1,430) $(1,857) $(1,430) $(1,857)

 

(1)(1)

In all periods presented, there were no tax impacts related to rate changes and no amounts were reclassified to earnings.

 

 

6.     Treasury Stock

 

Common stock held in treasury totaled 808,139963,509 and 796,090948,347 with a cost of $1,618$2,234 and $1,612$2,182 at SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 and December 31, 2019,2020, respectively. These shares were withheld from employees to settle personal tax withholding obligations that arose as a result of restricted stock units that vested in the periods presented.

 

 

7.     Earnings per Share

 

Basic earnings per share excludes the dilutive effects of stock options, restricted stock units (RSUs), and the nil coupon non-redeemable convertible unsecured loan notes. Diluted earnings per share includes the dilutive effect of the nil coupon non-redeemable convertible unsecured loan notes, RSUs, and unexercised in-the-money stock options, except in periods of net loss where the effect of these instruments is anti-dilutive. Out-of-money stock options are excluded from diluted earnings per share because they are anti-dilutive.  For the ninethree and six months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2020 2021 and  2019,June 30, 2020, basic earnings per share is equal to diluted earnings per share because all outstanding stock awards and convertible loan notes are considered anti-dilutive during periods of net loss.

The following table sets forth the weighted-average shares used in calculating the earnings per share for the three and ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2020 2021 and 2019.2020.

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

Six Months Ended

 
 

Three Months Ended
September 30,

  

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

  

June 30,

 

June 30,

 
 

2020

  

2019

  

2020

  

2019

  

2021

 

2020

 

2021

 

2020

 

Basic weighted-average shares

  24,701,000   24,187,000   24,656,000   24,183,000  30,264,000  24,668,000  28,895,000  24,633,000 

Conversion of unsecured loan notes

             0  0  0  0 

Unexercised options and unvested RSUs

  419,000            0  0  0  0 

Diluted weighted-average shares

  25,120,000   24,187,000   24,656,000   24,183,000   30,264,000  24,668,000  28,895,000  24,633,000 

 

For the three month period ended September 30, 2020, there were 110,000 outstandingFuel Tech had 160,000 and 553,000 weighted average equity awards outstanding at June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively that were excluded fromnot dilutive for the computationpurposes of inclusion in the calculation of diluted EPS as the inclusion of such would have been anti-dilutive.  earnings per share but could potentially become dilutive in future periods.

 

12

 

 

8.     Stock-Based Compensation

 

Under our stock-based employee compensation plan, referred to as the Fuel Tech, Inc. 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan (Incentive Plan), awards may be granted to participants in the form of Non-Qualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units (“RSUs”), Performance Awards, Bonuses or other forms of share-based or non-share-based awards or combinations thereof. Participants in the Incentive Plan may be our directors, officers, employees, consultants or advisors (except consultants or advisors in capital-raising transactions) as the directors determine are key to the success of our business. There are a maximum of 5,600,676 shares that may be issued or reserved for awards to participants under the Incentive Plan. As of SeptemberJune 30, 2020,2021, Fuel Tech had 2,359,3332,603,801 shares available for share-based awards under the 2014 Plan.

 

We did not record any excess tax benefits within income tax expense for the three and ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2020.2021. Given the Company has a full valuation allowance on its deferred tax assets, there were no excess tax benefits to record for the three and ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2020.2021. In addition, we account for forfeitures of awards based on an estimate of the number of awards expected to be forfeited and adjusting the estimate when it is no longer probable that the employee will fulfill the service condition.

    

Stock-based compensation is included in selling, general, and administrative costs in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. The components of stock-based compensation for the three and ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2020 2021 and 20192020 were as follows:

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

Six Months Ended

 
 

Three Months Ended
September 30,

  

Nine Months Ended

September 30,

  

June 30,

 

June 30,

 
 

2020

  

2019

  

2020

  

2019

  

2021

 

2020

 

2021

 

2020

 

Stock options and restricted stock units, net of forfeited

 $57  $138  $207  $357  $20  $69  $40  $150 

Tax benefit of stock-based compensation expense

            

After-tax effect of stock-based compensation

 $57  $138  $207  $357  $20  $69  $40  $150 

 

Stock Options

 

Stock options granted to employees under the Incentive Plans have a 10-year life and they vest as follows: 50% after the second anniversary of the award date, 25% after the third anniversary, and the final 25% after the fourth anniversary of the award date. Fuel Tech calculates stock compensation expense for employee option awards based on the grant date fair value of the award, less expected annual forfeitures, and recognizes expense on a straight-line basis over the four-yearfour-year service period of the award. Stock options granted to members of our board of directors vest immediately. Stock compensation for these awards is based on the grant date fair value of the award and is recognized in expense immediately.

 

Fuel Tech uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model to estimate the grant date fair value of employee stock options. The principal variable assumptions utilized in valuing options and the methodology for estimating such model inputs include: (1)(1) risk-free interest rate – an estimate based on the yield of zero–coupon treasury securities with a maturity equal to the expected life of the option; (2)(2) expected volatility – an estimate based on the historical volatility of Fuel Tech’s Common Stock for a period equal to the expected life of the option; and (3)(3) expected life of the option – an estimate based on historical experience including the effect of employee terminations.

 

Stock option activity for Fuel Tech’s Incentive Plans for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 was as follows:

 

 

Number

of

Options

  

Weighted-

Average

Exercise Price

  

Weighted- Average

Remaining

Contractual

Term

  

Aggregate

Intrinsic

Value

      

Weighted- Average

   

Outstanding on January 1, 2020

  747,500  $3.33         
 

Number

 

Weighted-

 

Remaining

 

Aggregate

 
 

of

 

Average

 

Contractual

 

Intrinsic

 
 

Options

 

Exercise Price

 

Term

 

Value

 

Outstanding on January 1, 2021

 484,500  $3.57      

Granted

               0  0      

Exercised

               0  0      

Expired or forfeited

  (80,000

)

  5.79           (50,000) 8.16      

Outstanding on September 30, 2020

  667,500  $3.04   4.48  $ 

Exercisable on September 30, 2020

  667,500  $3.04   4.48  $ 

Outstanding on June 30, 2021

  434,500  $3.05  3.59  $142,670 

Exercisable on June 30, 2021

  434,500  $3.05  3.59  $142,670 

 

As of SeptemberJune 30, 2020,2021, there was no0 unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested stock options granted under the Incentive Plans.
 

13

 

Restricted Stock Units

 

Restricted stock units (RSUs) granted to employees vest over time based on continued service (typically vesting over a period between two and four years). Such time-vested RSUs are valued at the date of grant using the intrinsic value method based on the closing price of the Common Shares on the grant date. Compensation cost, adjusted for estimated forfeitures, is amortized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period.

 

In addition to the time vested RSUs, the Company entered into a 20202021 Executive Performance RSU Award Agreement (the “2020“2021 Agreement”) with certain officers, including its President and Chief Executive Officer pursuant to which each 20202021 Participating Executive will have the opportunity to earn a specified amount of restricted stock units (RSUs). The amount of RSUs awarded, if any, will be based on the Company’s achievement of varying levels of operating income before the impact of incentive pay (but including adjustments to reflect the payment of sales commissions) in fiscal 20202021 (“Operating Income”), as determined by the Company, in its sole discretion. Nevertheless, no Participating Executive will be entitled to any such RSUs unless the Company achieves a minimum of $1 million in Operating Income in 2020.2021. If awarded, such RSUs will vest in equal amounts (i.e., 1/3,1/3 and 1/3)3) over three years commencing one year after the grant date based on continued service. Such RSUs are valued at the date of grant using the intrinsic value method based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the grant date. Currently there is no expense reflected in the financial statements for these awards as the achievement is not considered probable. 

 

At SeptemberJune 30, 2020,2021, there is $151$59 of unrecognized compensation cost related to all non-vested share-based compensation arrangements granted under the Incentive Plan. That cost is expected to be recognized over the remaining requisite service period of 1.220.72 years.

 

A summary of restricted stock unit activity for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 is as follows:

 

 

Shares

  

Weighted Average

Grant Date

Fair Value

    

Weighted Average

 

Unvested restricted stock units at January 1, 2020

  775,635  $1.47 
   

Grant Date

 
 

Shares

 

Fair Value

 

Unvested restricted stock units at January 1, 2021

 100,005  $4.08 

Granted

       0  0 

Forfeited

  (60,000

)

  0.97  (5,000) 0.97 

Vested

  (120,630

)

  1.57   (50,002) 1.50 

Unvested restricted stock units at September 30, 2020

  595,005  $1.50 

Unvested restricted stock units at June 30, 2021

  45,003  $7.29 

 

The fair value of restricted stock that vested during the ninesix month period ending SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 was $190.$75.

 

Deferred Directors Fees

 

In addition to the Incentive Plans, Fuel Tech has a Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors (Deferred Plan). Under the terms of the Deferred Plan, Directors can elect to defer Directors’ fees for shares of Fuel Tech Common Stock that are issuable at a future date as defined in the agreement. In accordance with ASC 718, Fuel Tech accounts for these awards as equity awards as opposed to liability awards. During the ninesix month periods ended SeptemberJune 30, 2020 2021 and 2019,2020, Fuel Tech recorded no0 stock-based compensation expense under the Deferred Plan.

 

 

9.     Debt Financing      Warrants

 

On February 11, 2021, Fuel Tech entered into a securities purchase agreement to issue and sell, in a private placement, 5,000,000 shares of Common Stock and 2,500,000 warrants exercisable for a total of 2,500,000 shares of Common Stock with an exercise price of $5.10 per Warrant Share, at a purchase price of $5.1625 per Share and associated warrant. The gross proceeds to the Company from the Private Placement were $25,812, before deducting placement agent fees and offering expenses of $1,783. Subject to certain ownership limitations, the Warrants are immediately exercisable upon issuance and expire on the five and one-half year anniversary of the effective date of the registration statement registering the Warrant Shares for resale.  In addition, the Company issued to the placement agent Warrants to purchase up to 350,000 shares of Common Stock.  The Placement Agent Warrants are exercisable at an exercise price of $6.45 per share of Common Stock and expire on the five and one-half year anniversary of the effective date of the registration statement registering the Shares and the Warrant Shares for resale.

Fuel Tech uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model to estimate the grant date fair value of the warrants. The principal variable assumptions utilized in valuing warrants and the methodology for estimating such model inputs are: (1) risk-free interest rate of 0.59%, an estimate based on the yield of zero–coupon treasury securities with a maturity equal to the expected life of the warrant; (2) expected volatility of 94.66% – an estimate based on the historical volatility of Fuel Tech’s Common Stock for a period equal to the expected life of the warrant; and (3) expected life of the warrant of five and one-half years based on the term of the warrant. 

The calculated fair value allocated to the warrants is $7,337.  This amount has been recorded as Additional paid in capital - warrants and is shown net in the Additional paid in capital line of the condensed consolidated balance sheets.  

The issuance of warrants to purchase shares of the Company's common stock are summarized as follows:

Shares

Outstanding on December 31, 2020

0
Granted2,850,000
Exercised0
Outstanding as of June 30, 20212,850,000

The following table summarizes information about warrants outstanding and exercisable at June 30, 2021:

Range of Exercise Price  Number Outstanding/Exercisable  Weighted Average Remaining Life in Years  Weighted Average Exercise Price 
$5.10   2,500,000  5.12  $5.10 
$6.45   350,000  5.12  $6.45 
     2,850,000        

14

10.     Debt Financing

On April 17, 2020, the Company received $1,556 in loan proceeds from the Paycheck Protection Program (the “PPP”), established pursuant to the recently enacted Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) and administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”). The unsecured loan is evidenced by a promissory note of the Company dated April 15, 2020 (the(the “Note”) in the principal amount of $1,556, issued to BMO Harris Bank N.A. (the “Bank”), the lender.

 

Under the terms of the Note, interest will accrue on the outstanding principal at the rate of 1.0% per annum. The term of the Note is two years, though it may be payable sooner in connection with an event of default under the Note. To the extent the loan amount is not forgiven under the PPP, On January 8, 2021, the Company is obligated to make equal monthly payments of principal and interest, beginning seven monthsreceived full forgiveness from the date of the Note, until the maturity date. The Note contains covenants by the Company, including obtaining the written consent of the Bank prior to material changes in the management or ownership of the Company.

As of September 30, 2020 the Company has utilizedSBA for the entire balance of loan proceeds used to fund its qualified payroll expenses. As a result,The Company accounts for the PPP Loan as debt in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 470, Debt and accrues interest in accordance with the interest method under FASB ASC 835-30.  When the loan was forgiven, the Company believes it has metreduced the eligibility criteria for forgiveness.  Tonon-current liability by the extent any amount is deemed unforgiveable, such amount will be payable over the terms of the note.

On June 19, 2019, the Company entered into a Cash Collateral Security agreement with BMO Harris Bank, N.A. (the BMO Harris agreement) to use for the sole purpose of issuing standby letters of credit. The BMO Harris agreement requires us to pledge as cash collateral 105% of the aggregate face amount of outstanding standby letters of credit. The Company pays 250 basis points on the face values of outstanding letters of credit. There are no financial covenants set forthforgiven and recorded other income in the BMO Harris agreement. At September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively, the Company had outstanding standby lettersCondensed Consolidated Statement of credit totaling approximately $2,278 and $2,461 under the BMO Harris agreement. As of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 respectively, the Company held $2,392 and $2,587 in a separate restricted use designated BMO Harris Bank N.A. deposit account. Fuel Tech is committed to reimbursing the issuing bank for any payments made by the bank under these instruments.

In connection with the transition to BMO Harris Bank N.A., the Company canceled its U.S. credit facility with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. effective on September 25, 2019.Operations.  

 

14

10.11.     Business Segment and Geographic Financial Data

 

Business Segment Financial Data

We segregate our financial results into two2 reportable segments representing two broad technology segments as follows:

 

 

The Air Pollution Control technology segment includes technologies to reduce NOx emissions in flue gas from boilers, incinerators, furnaces and other stationary combustion sources. These include Low and Ultra Low NOx Burners (LNB and ULNB), Over-Fire Air (OFA) systems, NOxOUT® and HERT™ Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction (SNCR) systems, and Advanced Selective Catalytic Reduction (ASCR) systems. Our ASCR systems include ULNB, OFA, and SNCR components, along with a downsized SCR catalyst, Ammonia Injection Grid (AIG), and Graduated Straightening Grid GSG™ systems to provide high NOx reductions at significantly lower capital and operating costs than conventional SCR systems. The NOxOUT CASCADE® and HERT™ Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction (SNCR) systems,NOxOUT-SCR® processes are more basic, using just SNCR and Advanced Selective Catalytic Reduction (ASCR) systems. Our ASCR systems include ULNB, OFA, and SNCR components, along with a downsized SCR catalyst Ammonia Injection Grid (AIG), and Graduated Straightening Grid GSG™ systems to provide high NOx reductions at significantly lower capital and operating costs than conventional SCR systems. The NOxOUT CASCADE® and NOxOUT-SCR® processes are more basic, using just SNCR and SCR catalyst components. ULTRA™ technology creates ammonia at a plant site using safe urea for use with any SCR application. Flue Gas Conditioning systems are chemical injection systems offered in markets outside the U.S. and Canada to enhance electrostatic precipitator and fabric filter performance in controlling particulate emissions.

 

 

The FUEL CHEM® technology segment, which uses chemical processes in combination with advanced CFD and CKM boiler modeling, for the control of slagging, fouling, corrosion, opacity and other sulfur trioxide-related issues in furnaces and boilers through the addition of chemicals into the furnace using TIFI® Targeted In-Furnace Injection™ technology.

 

The “Other” classification includes those profit and loss items not allocated to either reportable segment. There are no inter-segment sales that require elimination.

 

We evaluate performance and allocate resources based on reviewing gross margin by reportable segment. The accounting policies of the reportable segments are the same as those described in the summary of significant accounting policies (Note 1 in our annual report on Form 10-K)10-K). We do not review assets by reportable segment, but rather, in aggregate for the Company as a whole.

 

Information about reporting segment net sales and gross margin from continuing operations are provided below:

 

Three months ended September 30, 2020

 

Air Pollution
Control Segment

  

FUEL CHEM
Segment

  

Other

  

Total

 
 

Air Pollution

 

FUEL CHEM

     

Three months ended June 30, 2021

 

Control Segment

 

Segment

 

Other

 

Total

 

Revenues from external customers

 $2,886  $5,269  $  $8,155  $986  $4,232  $0  $5,218 

Cost of sales

  304

 

  (2,553

)

     (2,249

)

  (507) (2,128) 0  (2,635)

Gross margin

  3,190   2,716      5,906  479  2,104  0  2,583 

Selling, general and administrative

        (3,184

)

  (3,184

)

 0  0  (2,957) (2,957)

Research and development

        (285

)

  (285

)

  0  0  (315) (315)

Operating income (loss) from continuing operations

 $3,190

 

 $2,716  $(3,469

)

 $2,437

 

Operating income (loss) from operations

 $479  $2,104  $(3,272) $(689)

  

Air Pollution

  

FUEL CHEM

         

Three months ended June 30, 2020

 

Control Segment

  

Segment

  

Other

  

Total

 

Revenues from external customers

 $1,937  $2,464  $0  $4,401 

Cost of sales

  (2,320)  (1,479)  0   (3,799)

Gross margin

  (383)  985   0   602 

Selling, general and administrative

  0   0   (2,755)  (2,755)

Research and development

  0   0   (271)  (271)

Operating (loss) income from operations

 $(383) $985  $(3,026) $(2,424)

 

Three months ended September 30, 2019

 

Air Pollution
Control Segment

  

FUEL CHEM
Segment

  

Other

  

Total

 

Revenues from external customers

 $1,816  $4,636  $  $6,452 

Cost of sales

  (1,197

)

  (2,366

)

     (3,563

)

Gross margin

  619   2,270      2,889 

Selling, general and administrative

        (3,822

)

  (3,822

)

Restructuring Charge

  

 

        

 

Research and development

        (352

)

  (352

)

Intangible assets abandonment

        (76

)

  (76

)

Operating income (loss) from continuing operations

 $619  $2,270  $(4,250

)

 $(1,361

)

15

 
  

Air Pollution

  

FUEL CHEM

         

Six months ended June 30, 2021

 

Control Segment

  

Segment

  

Other

  

Total

 

Revenues from external customers

 $1,893  $8,358  $0  $10,251 

Cost of sales

  (1,038)  (4,272)  0   (5,310)

Gross margin

  855   4,086   0   4,941 

Selling, general and administrative

  0   0   (6,057)  (6,057)

Research and development

  0   0   (730)  (730)

Operating income (loss) from operations

 $855  $4,086  $(6,787) $(1,846)

 

Nine months ended September 30, 2020

 

Air Pollution
Control Segment

  

FUEL CHEM
Segment

  

Other

  

Total

 

Revenues from external customers

 $6,019  $10,315  $  $16,334 

Cost of sales

  (2,782

)

  (5,517

)

     (8,299

)

Gross margin

  3,237   4,798      8,035 

Selling, general and administrative

        (9,825

)

  (9,825

)

Research and development

        (880

)

  (880

)

Operating income (loss) from continuing operations

 $3,237  $4,798  $(10,705

)

 $(2,670

)

Nine months ended September 30, 2019

 

Air Pollution
Control Segment

  

FUEL CHEM
Segment

  

Other

  

Total

 
 

Air Pollution

 

FUEL CHEM

      

Six months ended June 30, 2020

 

Control Segment

 

Segment

 

Other

 

Total

 

Revenues from external customers

 $12,408  $13,147  $  $25,555  $3,133  $5,046  $0  $8,179 

Cost of sales

  (8,061

)

  (6,693

)

     (14,754

)

  (3,086) (2,964)  0  (6,050)

Gross margin

  4,347   6,454      10,801  47  2,082   0  2,129 

Selling, general and administrative

        (12,735

)

  (12,735

)

 0  0   (6,641) (6,641)

Restructuring Charge

  

 

     (625)  (625

)

Research and development

        (823

)

  (823

)

 0  0   (595) (595)

Intangible assets abandonment

        (127

)

  (127

)

Operating income (loss) from continuing operations

 $4,347  $6,454  $(14,310

)

 $(3,509

)

Operating income (loss) from operations

 $47  $2,082  $(7,236) $(5,107)

 

Geographic Segment Financial Data

 

Information concerning our operations by geographic area is provided below. Revenues are attributed to countries based on the location of the customer. Assets are those directly associated with operations of the geographic area.

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

Six Months Ended

 
 

Three Months Ended
September 30,

  

Nine Months Ended

September 30,

  

June 30,

 

June 30,

 
 

2020

  

2019

  

2020

  

2019

  

2021

 

2020

 

2021

 

2020

 

Revenues:

                 

United States

 $6,473  $5,727  $12,880  $22,104  $4,588  $3,310  $9,051  $6,407 

Foreign

  1,682   725   3,454   3,451   630  1,091  1,200  1,772 
 $8,155  $6,452  $16,334  $25,555  $5,218  $4,401  $10,251  $8,179 

 

 

June 30,

 

December 31,

 
 

September 30,
2020

  

December 31,
2019

  

2021

 

2020

 

Assets:

         

United States

 $25,008  $23,460  $46,186  $24,524 

Foreign

  6,517   8,146   3,875  5,564 
 $31,525  $31,606  $50,061  $30,088 

 

16

 

 

11.12.     Leases

 

Leases

We have seven total operating leases which relate to both office space locations and certain office equipment. Our leases have remaining lease terms of 84 months to 54 years. Our leases do not contain any material residual value guarantees or material restricted covenants and we currently have no material sublease arrangements. We have no0 financing leases as defined under ASC 842.

 

Total operating lease expense for the three and ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2020 2021 and 2019, adjusted for correction referenced in Note 2,2020, is as follows:

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

Six Months Ended

 
 

Three Months Ended
September 30,

  

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

  

June 30,

 

June 30,

 
 

2020

  

2019

  

2020

  

2019

  

2021

 

2020

 

2021

 

2020

 

Operating lease cost

 $47  $136  $157  $419  $45  $47  $89  $103 

Short-term lease cost

  5   1   12   135   4  4  11  7 

Total lease cost

 $52  $137  $169  $554  $49  $51  $100  $110 

 

The weighted average remaining lease term was 3.232.67 years as of SeptemberJune 30, 2020.2021. The weighted average discount rate was 4.72%4.63% as of SeptemberJune 30, 2020.2021.

 

Remaining maturities of our existing lease liabilities as of SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 were as follows:

 

Year Ending December 31,

 

Operating Leases

  

Operating Leases

 

2020 (excluding the nine months ended September 30, 2020)

  44 

2021

  176 

2021 (excluding the six months ended June 30, 2021)

 87 

2022

  121  122 
2023 115  115 

2024

  26  29 

Thereafter

  10 

2025

  7 

Total lease payments

 $492  $360 

Less imputed interest

  (70

)

  (57)

Total

 $422  $303 

 

The following is the balance sheet classification of our existing lease liabilities as of SeptemberJune 30, 2020:2021:

 

 

As of

  

As of

 
 

September 30, 2020

  

December 31, 2019

  

June 30, 2021

 

December 31, 2020

 

Operating lease liabilities - current

 $175  $182  $132  $149 

Operating lease liabilities - non-current

  247   180   171  237 

Total operating lease liabilities

 $422  $362  $303  $386 

 

Supplemental cash flow information related to leases, adjusted for correction referenced in Note 2, was as follows:

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

Six Months Ended

 
 

Three Months Ended
September 30,

  

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

  

June 30,

 

June 30,

 
 

2020

  

2019

  

2020

  

2019

  

2021

 

2020

 

2021

 

2020

 

Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities

 $45  $133  $148  $411  $49  $51  $98  $110 

Leased assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities

  41   127   137   395  40  44  80  96 

 

17

  

 

12.13.     Accrued Liabilities

 

The components of other accrued liabilities are as follows:

 

 

As of

  

As of

 
 

September 30, 2020

  

December 31, 2019

  

June 30, 2021

 

December 31, 2020

 

Contract liabilities (Note 3)

 $357  $712  $694  $850 

Accrued remediation contingency (Note 13)

  238   146 

Accrued remediation contingency (Note 14)

 11  176 

Other accrued liabilities

  971   1,118   634  1,073 

Total other accrued liabilities

 $1,566  $1,976  $1,339  $2,099 

 

 

13.14.     Commitments and Contingencies

 

Fuel Tech is subject to various claims and contingencies related to, among other things, workers compensation, general liability (including product liability), and lawsuits. The Company records liabilities where a contingent loss is probable and can be reasonably estimated. If the reasonable estimate of a probable loss is a range, the Company records the most probable estimate of the loss or the minimum amount when no amount within the range is a better estimate than any other amount. The Company discloses a contingent liability even if the liability is not probable or the amount is not estimable, or both, if there is a reasonable possibility that a material loss may have been incurred.

 

From time to time we are involved in litigation with respect to matters arising from the ordinary conduct of our business. In the opinion of management, based upon presently available information, either adequate provision for anticipated costs have been accrued or the ultimate anticipated costs will not materially affect our consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.  We do not believe we have any pending loss contingencies that are probable or reasonably possible of having a material impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

 

During the fourththird quarter of 2018, the Company was notified of certain non-conformance issues with a U.S. customer associated with equipment that requires remedy under the warranty provision of the contract. During the second quarter of 2020, a charge of $1,150 to remedy this non-conformance issue was incurred. Offsetting this amount was a reversal of $499 of expense to reduce the allowance of doubtful accounts that had been previously reserved. The Company has completed all work associated with this issue. As of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, we have $0 and $146 of accrued liability associated with the completion of the non-conformance issues in the other accrued liabilities line of the Consolidated Balance Sheets.  During the third quarter of 2020, the Company settled an outstanding claim with our insurance provider for these remediation efforts and recorded a receivable in the amount of $2,589. The settlement is recorded in the cost of sales line on the Consolidated Statement of Operations and in the Insurance Receivable line in the current asset section of the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Collection of the funds was completed in October 2020.

During the third quarter of 2020, the Company was notified of an equipment component failure at a foreign customer location.  The failure is under investigation and will bebeing remedied under the warranty provision of the contractscontract that areis in place with the customer and supplier.  As of SeptemberJune 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020,respectively, a charge of $238$11 and $176 was recorded in the accounts payableother accrued liabilities line of the Consolidated Balance Sheets.condensed consolidated balance sheets.  

 

Fuel Tech issues a standard product warranty with the sale of its products to customers. Our recognition of warranty liability is based primarily on analyses of warranty claims experienced in the preceding years as the nature of our historical product sales for which we offer a warranty are substantially unchanged. This approach provides an aggregate warranty accrual that is historically aligned with actual warranty claims experienced.

 

There was no0 change in the warranty liability balance included in the other accrued liabilities line of the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets during the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2020 2021 and 2019.2020. The warranty liability balance was $159 at SeptemberJune 30, 2020 2021 and 2019.December 31, 2020.

 

14.15.     Income Taxes

 

The Company’s effective tax rate is approximately 5.8%2.6% and 0.7%3% for the nine-month periodsix-month periods ended SeptemberJune 30, 2020 2021 and 2019,2020, respectively.  The Company's effective tax rate differs from the statutory federal tax rate of 21% for the ninesix month period ended SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 primarily due to a full valuation allowance recorded on our United States, China and Italy deferred tax assets since we cannot anticipate when or if we will have sufficient taxable income to utilize the deferred tax assets in the future. Further, our effective tax rate differs from the statutory federal tax rate due to state taxes, differences between U.S. and foreign tax rates, foreign losses incurred with no related tax benefit, non-deductible commissions, and non-deductible meals and entertainment expenses for the ninesix month periods ended SeptemberJune 30, 2020 2021 and 2019.2020.  Income generated in the six months ended June 30, 2021 attributed to the gain on forgiveness of the Paycheck Protection Plan loan is tax exempt. 

 

Fuel Tech had no0 unrecognized tax benefits as of SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 and December 31, 2019.2020.

 

On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (H.R. 748) (the “CARES Act”). Among the changes to the U.S. federal income tax rules, the Cares Act restored net operating loss carryback rules that were eliminated by 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, restored 100 percent bonus depreciation for qualified improvement property, modified the limit on the deduction for net interest expense and accelerated the timeframe for refunds of AMT credits.   At this time we do not anticipate a material impact to the Company’s current or deferred income taxes as a result of the CARES Act.  We will continue to evaluate the effects of the CARES Act as additional legislative guidance become available.

 

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15.16.     Goodwill and Other Intangibles

 

Goodwill is allocated among and evaluated for impairment at the reporting unit level, which is defined as an operating segment or one level below an operating segment. Fuel Tech has two2 reporting units for goodwill evaluation purposes: the FUEL CHEM® technology segment and the APC technology segment. There is no0 goodwill associated with our APC segment.  At both SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 and December 31, 2019,2020, our entire goodwill balance of $2,116 was allocated to the FUEL CHEM® technology segment.

 

Goodwill is allocated to each of our reporting units after considering the nature of the net assets giving rise to the goodwill and how each reporting unit would enjoy the benefits and synergies of the net assets acquired. There were no0 indications of goodwill impairment in the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2020 2021 and 2019.2020.

 

Fuel Tech reviews other intangible assets, which include patent assets, for impairment on a recurring basis or when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. In the event that impairment indicators exist, a further analysis is performed and if the sum of the expected undiscounted future cash flows resulting from the use of the asset is less than the carrying amount of the asset, an impairment loss equal to the excess of the asset’s carrying value over its fair value is recorded. Management considers historical experience and all available information at the time the estimates of future cash flows are made, however, the actual cash values that could be realized may differ from those that are estimated.

 

There were no0 indications of intangible asset impairments for the ninesix month periods ended SeptemberJune 30, 2020 2021 and 2019.2020.

 

 

16.17.     Subsequent Events

 

The Company has evaluated subsequent events through the filing of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q,10-Q, and determined that there have been no events that have occurred that would require adjustments to our disclosures in the consolidated financial statements.

 

 

17.18     Liquidity

 

We continue to monitor our liquidity needs and in response to our continued losses have taken measures to reduce expenses and restructure operations which we feel are necessary to ensure we maintain sufficient working capital and liquidity to operate the business and invest in our future.

 

We have experienced continued declines in revenues and recurring losses.losses historically. As a result, we have evaluated our ongoing business needs, and considered the cash requirements of our base business of Air Pollution Control (APC) and Fuel Chem businesses. This evaluation included consideration of the following: a) customer and revenue trends in our APC and Fuel Chem business segments, b) current operating structure and expenditure levels, c) current availability of working capital, and d) support for our research and development initiatives. We continue to monitor our liquidity needs and have taken measures to reduce expenses and restructure operations which we feel are necessary to ensure we maintain sufficient working capital and liquidity to operate the business and invest in our future. We believe our current cash position and net cash flows expected to be generated from operations are adequate to fund planned operations of the Company for the next 12 months. In the event we determine we need to raise additional working capital, we may consider various financing alternatives which may include debt financing, common stock offerings, or financing involving convertible debt or other equity-linked securities; however, such financing alternatives may not be available on acceptable terms or at all and any such additional financing could be dilutive to our shareholders.

 

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FUEL TECH, INC.

 

Item 2.          Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations     

 

Results of Operations

 

Revenues for the three and ninesix month periods ending SeptemberJune 30, 2021 and 2020 were $5,218 and 2019 were $8,155$4,401, $10,251 and $6,452, $16,334 and $25,555$8,179, respectively, representing an increase of $1,703$817 or 26% for the quarter19% and a decrease of  $9,221$2,072 or 36%25% versus the same period last year.

 

The Air Pollution Control (APC) technology segment generated revenues of $2,886$986 and $6,019$1,893 for the three and ninesix month periods ending SeptemberJune 30, 2020,2021, representing an increase on the quarter of $1,070 or 59% and a decrease of $6,389$951 or 52%49% and $1,240 or 40% from the prior year amountsamount of $1,816$1,937 and $12,408.$3,133. The variancesdecrease in APC revenue werewas principally related to timing of project execution on existing projects and the decreasedecline in backlog resulting from lower new APC orders announced during 20192020 and continuing through the first ninesix months of 2020.2021.

 

Consolidated APC backlog at SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 was $6,417$4,943 versus backlog at December 31, 20192020 of $9,671.$5,268. Our current backlog consists of U.S. domestic projects totaling $5,959$4,558 and international projects totaling $458.$385.

 

The FUEL CHEM® technology segment generated revenues of $5,269$4,232 and $10,315$8,358 for the three and ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2020,2021, representing an increase of $633$1,768 or 14% for the quarter72% and a decrease of $2,832$3,312 or 22%66% from the prior year amounts of $4,636$2,464 and $13,147.$5,046. The increase in FUEL CHEM revenue for the three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 as compared to the same period of the prior year was due to the salesrevenue from new accounts, increased demand for power generation, and installation of equipment on three new units.  The decrease in revenues for the nine month period ending September 30, 2020 is due to a reduction in demandrecovery from power generation, extended unscheduled outages and significantly reduced operations which were largely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. pandemic in 2020.

 

Consolidated gross margin percentage for the three and ninesix month periods ended SeptemberJune 30, 2021 and 2020 was 50% and 2019 was 72% and 49%48%, and 45%14% and 42%,26% respectively. Gross margin forincreased versus the comparable periods have increasedperiod due to the settlement and recordingconcentration of an insurance claim for remediation efforts on the APC product line.mix that is heavily FUEL CHEM weighted.  FUEL CHEM margins increased to 52%50% from 49%40% in the current quarter due to the product mix largely attributed to the aforementioned new unit installations.increase in revenue volume.  Gross margins for the ninethree and six months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2021 and 2020 for the APC segment were 49% and 2019 remained flat at 49%.45%, and (20%) and 2% respectively.  The increase in APC gross margin to 110% and 54% in the three and ninesix months ending Septemberended June 30, 20202021 from 34% and 35%the same period in 20192020 is primarily due to the $2,589 insurance settlement recorded forhigher product mix of ancillary products and services and due to the non recurrence of $1,150 of charges incurred to remedy a non-conformance issueissues with a U.S. customer under a warranty provision of the contract.contract that was recorded in 2020.

 

Selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) were $3,184$2,957 and $9,825,$6,057, and $3,822$2,755 and $12,735$6,641, respectively for the three and ninesix month periods ended SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 and 2019.2020. For the three and ninesix month periodsperiod ended SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 the decreaseincrease of $638 and $2,910$202 is primarily the result of a reductionan increase in administrative costs relating to foreign subsidiaries of $52 and $1,000 (largely driven by the suspension of the APC business operation in China), a reduction in administrative costsemployee related to employees of $319 and $504, other administrative costs of $134$335 and $487, space rentalan increase in certain administrative overhead expenses of $64 and $171 and professional and consulting services of $73 and $264. The$40 offset by a reversal of a specific reserve of $499 forcharge to the allowance offor doubtful accounts related to the remedy of the aforementioned warranty nonconformityrecorded in the second quarter of 2020.   For the six month periods ending June 30, 2021 and 2020, also contributed to this reduction. SG&A as a percentage of revenues decreased to 39%59% from 59%81%.  The decrease versus the comparable period is primarily due to the increase in overall revenues in the three month periods ending September 30, 2020 and 2019.  For the nine month periods ending September 30, 2020 and 2019, SG&A as a percentage of revenues increased to 60% from 50%.  The increase and decrease in the comparable periods are primarily due timing of project execution and an overall decrease in revenue year overcurrent year.

On January 18, 2019, the Company announced a planned suspension of its APC business operation in China. This action is part of Fuel Tech’s ongoing operational improvement initiatives designed to prioritize resource allocation, reduce costs, and drive profitability for the Company on a global basis. The Company recorded restructuring charges of $0 and $0, and $0 and $625 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The charge in the nine months ended September 30, 2019 consisted primarily of one-time severance payments and the early termination penalty for our lease associated with the suspension of our APC business in China. For further information related to restructuring, refer to Note 4 - Restructuring Activities. The Company continues to engage in efforts to complete existing contracts.

 

Research and development expenses for the three and nine-monthsix-month periods ended SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 were $285$315 and $880,$730, and for the same periods in 2019 were $3522020 was $271 and $823$595 respectively. The expenditures in our research and development expenses were focused on new product development efforts in the pursuit of commercial applications for technologies outside of our traditional markets, and in the development and analysis of new technologies that could represent incremental market opportunities. This includes water treatment technologies and more specifically, our DGI™ Dissolved Gas Infusion Systems, an innovative alternative to current aeration technology. This technology has not yet met the criteria to be a separate operating segment under ASC 280 Segment Reporting. This infusion process has a variety of applications in the water and waste water industries, including remediation, treatment, biological activity and wastewater odor management. DGI technology benefits include reduced energy consumption, installation costs, and operating costs, while improving treatment performance.

 

Income tax expense for the three and ninesix month periods ended SeptemberJune 30, 2021 and 2020 was $10 and 2019 were $0$10, and $21,$31 and $149 and $23 respectively. The Company is projecting a consolidated effective tax rate of approximately 5.8%3% for 20202021 which is lower than the federal income tax rate of 21%. The Company's effective tax rate differs from the statutory federal tax rate of 21% for the three and ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 primarily due to a full valuation allowance recorded on our United States, China and Italy deferred tax assets since we cannot anticipate when or if we will have sufficient taxable income to utilize the deferred tax assets in the future. Further, our effective tax rate differs from the statutory federal tax rate due to state taxes, differences between U.S. and foreign tax rates, foreign losses incurred with no related tax benefit, non-deductible commissions, and non-deductible meals and entertainment expenses.

 

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Liquidity and Sources of Capital

We have sustained losses from continuing operations during the ninesix month period ended SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 totaling $2,736.$1,846. Our cash used from continuingprovided by operations for this same period totaled $3,291. We have taken measures to reduce our expense infrastructure and our ability to operate our base businesses prospectively is based on our ability to secure new orders in the APC business and our ability to successfully execute existing APC projects in line with our internal budgets.$229. 

 

Our cash balance as of SeptemberJune 30, 20202021 totaled $11,810$36,562 (including restricted cash of $2,392)$368), and our working capital totaled $15,733.$37,892. We have no outstanding debt obligations of $1,556 from a Paycheck Protection Program (the “PPP”) loan, and we haveother than our outstanding letters of credit, under our current credit agreement which does not have any financial covenants as we are currently in a Cash Collateral Security agreement with our lender.

 

We continue to monitor our liquidity needs and in response to our continued losses have taken measures to reduce expenses and restructure operations which we feel are necessary to ensure we maintain sufficient working capital and liquidity to operate the business and invest in our future.

We have evaluated our ongoing business needs, and considered the cash requirements of our base business of Air Pollution Control and FUEL CHEM, as well as our efforts to wind-down our APC operations in China. This evaluation included consideration of the following: a) customer and revenue trends in our APC and FUEL CHEM business segments, b) current operating structure and expenditure levels, and c) the costs of winding down our APC operations in China as well as other research and development initiatives.

Based on this analysis, management believes that currently we have sufficient cash and working capital to operate our base APC and FUEL CHEM businesses.

 

On June 19, 2019, the Company entered into a Cash Collateral Security agreement with BMO Harris Bank, N.A. (the BMO Harris agreement) to use for the sole purpose of issuing standby letters of credit. The BMO Harris agreement requires us to pledge as cash collateral 105% of the aggregate face amount of outstanding standby letters of credit. The Company pays 250 basis points on the face values of outstanding letters of credit. There are no financial covenants set forth in the BMO Harris agreement. At SeptemberJune 30, 2020,2021, the Company had outstanding standby letters of credit totaling approximately $2,278$351 under the BMO Harris agreement. As of SeptemberJune 30, 2020,2021, the Company held $2,392$368 in a separate restricted use designated BMO Harris Bank N.A. deposit account. Fuel Tech is committed to reimbursing the issuing bank for any payments made by the bank under these instruments.

 

In connection with the transition to BMO Harris Bank N.A., the Company canceled its U.S. credit facility with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. effective on September 25, 2019.

On April 15, 2020, the Company received $1,556 in loan proceeds from the Paycheck Protection Program (the “PPP”), established pursuant to the recently enacted Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) and administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”). The unsecured loan is evidenced by a promissory note ofOn January 8, 2021 the Company dated April 15, 2020 (the “Note”) in the principal amount of $1,556, issued to BMO Harris Bank N.A. (the “Bank”), the lender.

Under the terms of the Note, interest will accrue on the outstanding principal at the rate of 1.0% per annum. The term of the Note is two years, though it may be payable sooner in connection with an event of default under the Note. To the extent the loan amount is not forgiven under the PPP, the Company is obligated to make equal monthly payments of principal and interest, beginning seven monthsreceived full forgiveness from the date ofSBA for the Note, until the maturity date. The Note contains covenants by the Company, including obtaining the written consent of the Bank prior to material changes in the management or ownership of the Company.

The CARES Act and the PPP provide a mechanism for forgiveness of up to the full amount borrowed. Under the PPP, the Company may apply for and be granted forgiveness for all or part of the PPP Loan. The amount of loan proceeds eligible for forgiveness is based on a formula that takes into account a number of factors, including the amountentire balance of loan proceeds used to fund its qualified payroll expenses. When the loan was forgiven, the Company reduced the non-current liability by the Company duringamount forgiven and recorded other income in the eight-week period after the loan origination for certain purposes including payroll costs, rent payments on certain leases, and certain qualified utility payments, provided that at least 75%condensed consolidated statement of the loan amount is used for eligible payroll costs; maintaining or rehiring employees and maintaining salaries at certain levels; and other factors. Subject to the other requirements and limitations on loan forgiveness, only loan proceeds spent on payroll and other eligible costs during the covered eight-week period will qualify for forgiveness. The Company intends to use the entire PPP Loan amount for qualifying expenses, though no assurance is provided that the Company will obtain forgiveness of the PPP Loan in whole or in part.

The Note may be prepaid in part or in full, at any time, without penalty. The Note provides for certain customary events of default, including, but not limited to, failing to make a payment when due under the Note, failure to take actions required by the Note, the Company defaulting under certain agreements in favor of any third party, making false statements, the Company’s insolvency, and the commencement of creditor or forfeiture proceedings against the Company. Upon the occurrence of an event of default, the Bank has customary remedies and may, among other things, require immediate payment of all amounts owed under the Note, collect all amounts owing from the Company, and file suit and obtain judgment against the Company.operations.  

 

21

 

Contingencies and Contractual Obligations

 

Fuel Tech issues a standard product warranty with the sale of its products to customers as discussed in Note 13.14. There was no change in the warranty liability balance during the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2020.2021.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains “forward-looking statements,” as defined in Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and reflect Fuel Tech’s current expectations regarding future growth, results of operations, cash flows, performance and business prospects, and opportunities, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, our management. Fuel Tech has tried to identify forward-looking statements by using words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “plan,” “expect,” “estimate,” “intend,” “will,” and similar expressions, but these words are not the exclusive means of identifying forward-looking statements. These statements are based on information currently available to Fuel Tech and are subject to various risks, uncertainties, and other factors, including, but not limited to, those discussed in Fuel Tech’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 20192020 in Item 1A under the caption “Risk Factors,” which could cause Fuel Tech’s actual growth, results of operations, financial condition, cash flows, performance and business prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these statements. Fuel Tech undertakes no obligation to update such factors or to publicly announce the results of any of the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future events, developments, or changed circumstances or for any other reason. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including those detailed in Fuel Tech’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Item 3.          Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

 

Fuel Tech’s earnings and cash flow are subject to fluctuations due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates. We do not enter into foreign currency forward contracts nor into foreign currency option contracts to manage this risk due to the immaterial nature of the transactions involved.

 

Fuel Tech is also exposed to changes in interest rates primarily due to its debt facility (refer to Note 910 to the consolidated financial statements). A hypothetical 100 basis point adverse move in interest rates along the entire interest rate yield curve would not have a materially adverse effect on interest expense during the upcoming year ended December 31, 2020.2021.

 

Item 4.          Controls and Procedures

 

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

 

Fuel Tech maintains disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls designed to ensure (a) that information required to be disclosed in Fuel Tech’s filings under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms, and (b) that such information is accumulated and communicated to management, including the principal executive and financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Fuel Tech’s Chief Executive Officer and principal financial officer have evaluated the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rules 13a – 15(e) and 15d -15(e) of the Exchange Act, as of the end of the period covered by this report, and they have concluded that these controls and procedures are effective.

 

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

 

There has been no change in the Company's internal control over financial reporting during the quarter covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, its internal control over financial reporting.

 

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PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 1.     Legal Proceedings

 

We are from time to time involved in litigation incidental to our business. We are not currently involved in any litigation in which we believe an adverse outcome would have a material effect on our business, financial conditions, results of operations, or prospects.

 

Item 1A.          Risk Factors

 

The risk factors included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year ended December 31, 20192020 have not materially changed, except for as follows.

The current COVID-19 pandemic, or the future outbreak of other highly infectious or contagious diseases, could adversely impact or cause disruption to our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

The continued global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the responses thereto are complex and rapidly evolving, and the extent to which the pandemic impacts our business, financial condition and results of operations, including the duration and magnitude of such impacts, will depend on numerous evolving factors that we may not be able to accurately predict or assess, including, but not limited to, the following:

We have experienced, and may continue to experience, reductions in demand for certain of our products and the delay or abandonment of ongoing or anticipated projects due to our customers’, suppliers’ and other third parties’ financial distress or concern regarding the volatility of global markets. These impacts may continue or worsen if “stay-at-home”, “shelter-in-place”, social distancing, travel restrictions and other similar orders, measures or restrictions remain in place for an extended period of time or are re-imposed after being lifted or eased.

Illness, travel restrictions or other workforce disruptions could adversely affect our supply chain, our ability to timely and satisfactorily complete our customers’ projects, our ability to provide services to our customers or our other business processes.

In addition to existing travel restrictions implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, jurisdictions may continue to close borders, impose prolonged quarantines and further restrict travel and business activity, which could materially impair our ability to support our operations and customers (both domestic and international), to source supplies through the global supply chain and to identify, pursue and capture new business opportunities. We also face the possibility of increased overhead or other expenses resulting from compliance with any future government orders or other measures enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19, and the volatile regional and global economic conditions stemming from the pandemic, as well as reactions to future pandemics or resurgences of COVID-19, could also precipitate or aggravate the other risk factors that we identify in our 2019 Form 10-K, which in turn could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.changed.

 

Item 2.          Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

 

None

 

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Item 6.          Exhibits

 

a.

Exhibits (all filed herewith)

 

31.1

Certification of CEO pursuant to Section 302 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

 

31.2

Certification of principal financial officer pursuant to Section 302 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

 

32

Certification of CEO and principal financial officer pursuant to Section 906 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

 

101.1

Inline INSXBRL Instance Document - The Instance Document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its Inline XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document.

 

101.2

Inline SCHXBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document

 

101.3

Inline CALXBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document

 

101.4

Inline DEFXBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document

 

101.5

Inline LABXBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document

 

101.6

Inline PREXBRL Taxonomy Extension Prevention Linkbase Document

104Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101)

 

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FUEL TECH, INC.

 

Signatures

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 

 

Date: 11/10/2020

August 10, 2021

By:

/s/ Vincent J. Arnone

Vincent J. Arnone

  

Vincent J. ArnonePresident and Chief Executive Officer

  

President and Chief(Principal Executive OfficerOfficer)

Date: August 10, 2021

By:

/s/ Ellen T. Albrecht

  

(Principal Executive Officer)

Date: 11/10/2020

By:

/s/ Ellen T. Albrecht

  

Ellen T. Albrecht

Acting Treasurer and Controller

  

(Principal Financial Officer)

 

25