| Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Description of Business, Background and Nature of Operations Velodyne Lidar, Inc. (the Company, Velodyne or Velodyne Lidar) provides smart vision solutions that are advancing the development of safe automated systems throughout the world. The Company’s technology, which is used in various automotive and non- automotive applications, is empowering the autonomous revolution by allowing machines to see their surroundings in real-time and in 3D. Graf Industrial Corp. (Graf), the Company’s predecessor, was originally incorporated in Delaware as a special purpose acquisition company. On September 29, 2020 (the Closing Date), Graf consummated a business combination (the Business Combination) pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of July 2, 2020, as amended on August 20, 2020 and clarified in an Acknowledgement Letter dated as of the same day (the Merger Agreement) by and among Graf, VL Merger Sub Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Graf, and Velodyne Lidar, Inc. (the pre-combination Velodyne). Immediately upon the consummation of the Business Combination, VL Merger Sub Inc. merged with and into the pre-combination Velodyne, with the pre-combination Velodyne surviving the merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. Graf changed its name to Velodyne Lidar, Inc. and the pre-combination Velodyne changed its name to Velodyne Lidar USA, Inc. On September 30, 2020, Velodyne Lidar’s common stock and warrants began trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “VLDR” and “VLDRW,” respectively. Unless the context otherwise requires, “we,” “us,” “our,” “Velodyne,” “Velodyne Lidar” and the “Company” refers to Velodyne Lidar Inc., the combined company and its subsidiaries following the Business Combination. Refer to Note 2 for further discussion of the Business Combination. The Company has evaluated how it is organized and managed and has identified only one operating segment. Basis of Presentation The Business Combination is accounted for as a reverse recapitalization as the pre-combination Velodyne was determined to be the accounting acquirer under Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)’s Accounting Standards Codification Topic 805, Business Combinations (ASC 805). The determination is primarily based on the evaluation of the following facts and circumstances: • the equity holders of the pre-combination Velodyne hold the majority of voting rights in the Company; • the board of directors of the pre-combination Velodyne represent majority of the board of directors of the Company; • the senior management of the pre-combination Velodyne became the senior management of the Company; and • the operations of the pre-combination Velodyne comprise the ongoing operations of the Company. In connection with the Business Combination, outstanding capital stock of the pre-combination Velodyne was converted into common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share, representing a recapitalization, and the net assets of the Company were acquired at historical cost, with no goodwill or intangible assets recorded. The pre-combination Velodyne was deemed to be the predecessor of the Company, and the consolidated assets and liabilities and results of operations prior to the Closing Date are those of the pre-combination Velodyne. The shares and corresponding capital amounts and net loss per share available to common stockholders, prior to the Business Combination, have been retroactively restated as shares reflecting the exchange ratio established in the Merger Agreement. The number of shares of preferred stock was also retroactively restated in shares reflecting the exchange ratio, and the carrying amounts of preferred stock are based on the fair value of its redemption amount on each reporting date. All preferred stock was converted into shares of the Company’s common stock on the Closing Date. Refer to Note 9, Stockholders’ Equity, and Note 11, Net Loss Per Share, for further discussion of the recapitalization and share adjustments. Principles of Consolidation and Liquidity The consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP). The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The Company has funded its operations primarily through the Business Combination, issuances of preferred stock and sales to customers. As of December 31, 2020, the Company’s existing sources of liquidity included cash and cash equivalents of $350.3 million and available borrowing capacity of $25.0 million under a revolving credit facility. The Company has incurred losses and negative cash flows from operations. If the Company incurs additional losses in the future, it may need to raise additional capital through issuances of equity and debt. However, management believes that the Company’s existing sources of liquidity are adequate to fund its operations for at least one year from the date the audited consolidated financial statements were available for issuance. Emerging Growth Company The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the JOBS Act), and it may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has opted to take advantage of such extended transition period available to emerging growth companies which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company’s financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used. Concentration of Risk Financial instruments that subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, and accounts receivable. The Company maintains its cash and cash equivalents, and short-term investments with high-quality financial institutes with investment-grade ratings. A majority of the cash balances are with U.S. banks and are insured to the extent defined by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The Company’s accounts receivable are derived from customers located both inside and outside the U.S. The Company mitigates its credit risks by performing ongoing credit evaluations of its customers’ financial conditions and requires customer advance payments in certain circumstances. The Company does not require collateral. The Company’s concentration of risk related to accounts receivable and accounts payable was as follows: December 31, 2020 2019 Number of customers accounted for 10% or more of accounts receivable 3 3 Number of vendors accounted for 10% or more of accounts payable 3 2 Two customers accounted for 47% of the Company’s accounts receivable as of December 31, 2020. One vendor accounted for 34% and 36% of accounts payable as of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019. Use of Estimates The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include standalone selling price (SSP) for each distinct performance obligation in its customer contracts, total estimated future patents and their corresponding estimated development costs, total estimated costs and related progress towards complete satisfaction of performance obligation in certain services arrangements, allowances for doubtful accounts, inventory reserves, warranty reserves, valuation allowance for deferred tax assets, stock-based compensation, useful lives of property, plant, and equipment and intangible assets, income tax uncertainties, and other loss contingencies. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and also on assumptions that it believes are reasonable. Actual results could differ from those estimates, and such differences could be material to the Company’s consolidated financial condition and results of operations. Reclassification Certain prior year balance sheet amounts have been reclassified to conform with current year presentation. Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments The Company considers all highly liquid investments with original maturity of three months or less at date of purchase to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents were $129.4 million and $44.7 million as of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. Short-term investments generally consist of commercial paper and corporate debt securities. Short-term investments were $145.6 million and $2.2 million as of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. They are classified as available-for-sale securities and are recognized at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, are reported as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive loss within the stockholders’ equity. Unrealized gains and losses on the Company’s short-term investments were not significant as of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 and therefore, the amortized cost of the Company’s short-term investments approximated their fair value. Accounts Receivable Trade accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. Accounts receivable are reduced by an allowance for doubtful accounts, which is the Company’s best estimate of the amount of credit losses inherent in its existing accounts receivable. In establishing the required allowance, management considers historical losses adjusted to take into account current market conditions and customers’ financial condition, the amount of receivables in dispute, and the current receivables aging and current payment patterns. The Company writes off accounts receivable against the allowance after all means of collection have been exhausted and the potential for recovery is considered remote. Changes in the Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts were as follows (in thousands): December 31, 2020 2019 Beginning balance $ 467 $ 357 Charged to costs and expenses 511 110 Uncollectible accounts written off, net of recoveries (102) — Ending balance $ 876 $ 467 The Company does not have any off-balance-sheet credit exposure related to its customers. Inventories Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or estimated net realizable value. Costs are computed under the standard cost method, which approximates actual costs determined on the first-in, first-out basis. The Company charges cost of revenue for write-downs of inventories which are obsolete or in excess of anticipated demand based on a consideration of marketability and product life cycle stage, product development plans, component cost trends, demand forecasts, historical revenue, and assumptions about future demand and market conditions. The net change in the Company’s inventory reserve was $(0.7) million, $(1.8) million and $1.2 million, respectively, for 2020, 2019 and 2018. The estimated cost of inventories not expected to be used in production within one year is reflected in other assets in the consolidated balance sheets. Property, Plant, and Equipment Property, plant, and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization is calculated based on the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets. Additions, major improvements and betterments are capitalized, and maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred. Assets are held in asset under construction until placed in service, upon which date, the Company begins to depreciate the assets over their estimated useful lives. The estimated useful lives of the assets are as follows: buildings, 15-30 years; building improvements, 7-15 years, leasehold improvements, the lesser of 5 years or the lease term; machinery and equipment, furniture and fixtures, vehicles and software, 3-5 years. Assets Held for Sale The Company considers assets to be held for sale when management approves and commits to a plan to actively market the assets for sale at a reasonable price in relation to its fair value, the assets are available for immediate sale in their present condition, an active program to locate a buyer and other actions required to complete the sale have been initiated, the sale of the assets is expected to be completed within one year and it is unlikely that significant changes will be made to the plan. Upon designation as held for sale, the Company ceases to record deprecation expenses and measures the assets at the lower of their carrying value or estimated fair value less costs to sell. Assets held for sale are included as other current assets in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets and the gain or loss from sale of assets held for sale is included in the Company's operating expenses. Business Combinations For acquisitions meeting the definition of a business combination, the acquisition method of accounting is used. The acquisition date is the date on which the Company obtains operating control over the acquired business. The consideration paid is determined on the acquisition date and the acquisition-related costs, such as professional fees, are excluded from the consideration transferred and are expensed as incurred. Assets acquired and liabilities assumed by the Company are recorded at their estimated fair values, while goodwill is measured as the excess of the consideration transferred over the fair value of the net identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed. Goodwill Goodwill represents the difference between the purchase price and the fair value of the identifiable tangible and intangible net assets acquired and liabilities assumed when accounted for using the purchase method of accounting. Goodwill is not amortized, but reviewed for impairment. Goodwill is reviewed annually in the fourth quarter, and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the goodwill may not be recoverable. When evaluating recoverability, the Company compares the fair value of the reporting unit to its carrying value. If the carrying value of the net assets assigned to the reporting unit exceeds the fair value of our reporting unit, the Company would record an impairment loss equal to the difference. Long-Lived Assets Long-lived assets, such as property, plant and equipment, intangible assets and other long-term assets, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. If circumstances require a long-lived asset or asset group be tested for possible impairment, the Company first compares undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by that asset or asset group to its carrying amount. If the carrying amount of the long-lived asset or asset group is not recoverable on an undiscounted cash flow basis, an impairment is recognized to the extent that the carrying amount exceeds its fair value. Fair value is determined using various valuation techniques including discounted cash flow models, quoted market values, as considered necessary. No impairment loss was recognized for all years presented. Foreign Currency The U.S. dollar is the functional currency of the Company’s consolidated entities operating in the U.S. and certain of its subsidiaries operating outside of the U.S. For transactions entered into a currency other than its functional currency, the monetary assets and liabilities are re-measured into U.S. dollars at the current exchange rate as of the applicable balance sheet date, and all non-monetary assets and liabilities are re-measured at historical rates. Income and expenses are re-measured at the average exchange rate prevailing during the period. Gains and losses resulting from the re-measurement of these subsidiaries’ financial statements are included in the consolidated statements of operations. For foreign subsidiaries whose functional currency is the local currency, assets and liabilities are translated at the local current exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date, and income and expense accounts are translated at the average exchange rates during the period. The resulting translation adjustments are included in accumulated other comprehensive loss. Gains and losses resulting from foreign exchange transactions and revaluation of monetary assets and liabilities in non-functional currencies are included in other income (expense) in the consolidated statements of operations. Net foreign exchange gain (loss) recorded in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations was insignificant for all periods presented. Revenue Recognition The Company accounts for a contract with a customer when both parties have approved the contract and are committed to perform their respective obligations, each party’s rights can be identified, payment terms can be identified, the contract has commercial substance, and it is probable that the Company will collect substantially all of the consideration it is entitled to. Revenue is recognized when, or as, performance obligations are satisfied by transferring control of a promised product or service to a customer. Nature of Products and Services and Revenue Recognition The majority of the Company’s revenue comes from product sales of lidar sensors to direct customers and distributors. Revenue is recognized at a point in time when control of the goods are transferred to the customer, generally occurring upon shipment or delivery dependent upon the terms of the underlying contract. Product sales to certain customers may require customer acceptance due to performance acceptance criteria that is considered more than a formality. For these product sales, revenue is recognized upon the expiration of the customer acceptance period. For custom products that require engineering and development based on customer requirements, the Company recognizes revenue over time using an output method based on units of product shipped to date relative to total production units under the contract. Amounts billed to customers for shipping and handling are included in revenue. Taxes collected from customers and remitted to governmental authorities are excluded from revenue on the net basis of accounting. Accounts receivable are due under normal trade terms, typically 60 days or less. The Company’s license and services revenue consist primarily of product development, validation and repair services, intellectual property (IP) license and royalties revenue. The obligation to provide services is generally satisfied over time, with the customer simultaneously receiving and consuming the benefits as the Company satisfies its performance obligations. For product development and validation service projects, the Company bills and recognizes revenue as the services are performed. For these arrangements, control is transferred over as the Company’s inputs incurred to complete the project; therefore, revenue is recognized over the service period with the measure of progress using the input method based on labor costs incurred to total labor cost (cost-to-cost) as the services are provided. For product repair service, revenue is recognized when the repair services are complete and repaired products are shipped to customer. The Company licenses rights to its IP to certain customers and collects royalties based on customer’s product sales. IP revenue recognition is dependent on the nature and terms of each agreement. The Company recognizes license revenue upon delivery of the IP if there are no substantive future obligations to perform under the arrangement. Contract liabilities are recorded when license payments received from licensees relating to long-term license contracts for which the Company has future obligations under the license agreements. The Company classifies contract liabilities as current if the Company expects to recognize the related revenue over the next 12 months from the balance sheet date. Royalties from the license of IP are recognized at the later of the period the sales occur or the satisfaction of the performance obligation to which some or all of the royalties have been allocated. Arrangements with Multiple Performance Obligations When a contract involves multiple performance obligations, the Company accounts for individual products and services separately if the customer can benefit from the product or service on its own or with other resources that are readily available to the customer and the product or service is separately identifiable from other promises in the arrangement. The consideration is allocated between separate performance obligations in proportion to their estimated standalone selling price (SSP). The SSP reflects the price the Company would charge for a specific product or service if it were sold separately in similar circumstances and to similar customers. If the selling price is not directly observable, the Company generally uses the cost plus margin approach to estimate SSP. For patent cross-license arrangements, the Company estimates the SSP of the patents based on historical or forecasted development costs for existing and future patents granted or to be granted to customers. Costs related to products delivered are recognized in the period revenue is recognized. The Company provides standard product warranties for a term of typically one year to ensure that its products comply with agreed-upon specifications. Standard warranties are considered to be assurance type warranties and are not accounted for as separate performance obligations. Please see Product Warranty for accounting policy on standard warranties. The Company also provides service type extended warranties for an additional term ranging up to two Other Policies, Judgments and Practical Expedients Costs to obtain a contract. The Company generally expenses the incremental costs of obtaining a contract when incurred because the amortization period for these costs would be less than one year. These costs primarily relate to sales commissions and are recorded at the time of the customer order or product shipment in sales and marketing expense in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations. Commission expense was $0.7 million, $0.5 million and $0.5 million, respectively, for 2020, 2019 and 2018. Right of return. The Company’s general terms and conditions for its contracts do not contain a right of return that allows the customer to return products and receive a credit. Therefore the Company does not estimate returns and generally recognizes revenue at contract price upon product shipment or delivery. Remaining performance obligations. Revenue allocated to remaining performance obligations represents the transaction price allocated to the performance obligations that are unsatisfied, or partially unsatisfied. It includes unearned revenue and amounts that will be invoiced and recognized as revenue in future periods and does not include contracts where the customer is not committed. The customer is not considered committed where they are able to terminate for convenience without payment of a substantive penalty under the contract. Additionally, as a practical expedient, the Company has not disclosed the value of unsatisfied performance obligations for contracts with an original expected length of one year or less. The amount of the transaction price allocated to unsatisfied performance obligations with a duration of more than 12 months is recorded in long-term contract liability. Significant financing component. In certain arrangements, the Company receives payment from a customer either before or after the performance obligation has been satisfied. The expected timing difference between the payment and satisfaction of performance obligations for the vast majority of the Company’s contracts is one year or less; therefore, the Company applies a practical expedient and does not consider the effects of the time value of money. The Company’s contracts with customer prepayment terms do not include a significant financing component because the primary purpose is not to receive financing from the customers. For arrangements with licenses of intellectual property that include subsequent minimum royalty payments more than one year, the Company adjusts the amount of recorded revenue to reflect the effects of the time value of money if the timing of payments agreed to by the parties to the contract (either explicitly or implicitly) provides the customer with a significant benefit of financing. The effect of the significant financing component will be recognized as interest income separately from revenue from contracts with customers. Contract modifications. The Company may modify contracts to offer customers additional products or services. Each of the additional products and services are generally considered distinct from those products or services transferred to the customer before the modification. The Company evaluates whether the contract price for the additional products and services reflects the standalone selling price as adjusted for facts and circumstances applicable to that contract. In these cases, the Company accounts for the additional products or services as a separate contract. In other cases where the pricing in the modification does not reflect the standalone selling price as adjusted for facts and circumstances applicable to that contract, the Company accounts for the additional products or services as part of the existing contract primarily on a prospective basis. Judgments and estimates. Accounting for contracts recognized over time under ASC 606 involves the use of various techniques to estimate total contract revenue and costs. Due to uncertainties inherent in the estimation process, it is possible that estimates of costs to complete a performance obligation will be revised in the near-term. The Company reviews and updates its contract-related estimates regularly, and records adjustments as needed. For those performance obligations for which revenue is recognized using a cost-to-cost input method, changes in total estimated costs, and related progress towards complete satisfaction of the performance obligation, are recognized in the period in which the revisions to the estimates are made. Research and Development Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Advertising Advertising costs are expensed as incurred and were $1.4 million, $2.3 million and $1.7 million, respectively, for 2020, 2019 and 2018. Stock-Based Compensation Expense Stock-based compensation consists of expense for stock options, RSAs and RSUs granted to employees and nonemployees based on the stock award’s grant date fair value. The Company uses the fair market value of its common stock to estimate the fair value of its RSAs and RSUs and uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model to estimate the fair value of its stock options. For market-based performance RSUs (PRSUs), the Company uses the Monte Carlo simulation model (a binomial lattice-based valuation model) to determine the fair value. Stock-based compensation expense for stock options and service-condition awards that are expected to vest is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period. For performance-based awards, expense is recognized when it is probable the performance goal will be achieved, however if the likelihood becomes improbable, that expense is reversed. The Company recognizes forfeitures as they occur. As a result of the Business Combination, on October 30, 2020, the Board waived the liquidity event vesting condition applicable to outstanding shares of pre-combination Velodyne's RSUs. As such, the Company's outstanding RSUs vested to the extent the applicable service condition was satisfied as of such date. The Company accounted for the modification as an exchange of the original award, that was not expected to vest, for a new award.The fair value of the RSUs were re-measured based on the fair market value of the underlying Velodyne common stock on the modification date. The compensation expenses resulting from the modification are recognized ratably over the remaining requisite service period or recognized immediately to the extent the RSU’s service condition has been satisfied as of the modification date. Income Taxes Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rate is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. The Company recognizes the effect of income tax positions only if those positions are more likely than not of being sustained. Recognized income tax positions are measured at the largest amount that is greater than 50% likely of being realized. Changes in recognition or measurement are reflected in the period in which the change in judgment occurs. Commitments and Contingencies Liabilities for loss contingencies arising from claims, assessments, litigation, fines, and penalties and other sources are recorded when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of loss or the amount within a range of loss can be reasonably estimated. When no amount within the range is a better estimate than any other amount, the Company accrues for the minimum amount within the range. Legal costs incurred in connection with loss contingencies are expensed as incurred. No significant liabilities for loss contingencies were accrued as of December 31, 2020 and 2019. Product Warranties The Company typically provides a one-year warranty on its products. Estimated future warranty costs are accrued and charged to cost of revenue in the period that the related revenue is recognized. These estimates are based on historical warranty experience and any known or expected changes in warranty exposure, such as trends of product reliability and costs of repairing and replacing defective products. The Company periodically assesses the adequacy of its recorded warranty liabilities and adjusts the amounts as necessary. Changes in the Company’s accrued warranty liability, which is included as a component of other accrued expenses was as follows (in thousands): Year Ended December 31, 2020 2019 2018 Balance as of the beginning of the period $ 4,322 $ 3,531 $ 1,317 Warranty provision 4,316 6,531 5,469 Consumption (2,700) (4,939) (4,055) Changes in p |
