Note 1 - Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Notes to Financial Statements

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure and Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Description of Business

Broadwind, Inc. (the “Company”) is a precision manufacturer of structures, equipment and components for clean tech and other specialized applications. The Company provides technologically advanced high value products to customers with complex systems and stringent quality standards that operate in energy, mining and infrastructure sectors, primarily in the United States of America (the “U.S.”). The Company’s most significant presence is within the U.S. wind energy industry, although the Company has increasingly diversified into other industrial markets. Within the U.S. wind energy industry, the Company provides products primarily to turbine manufacturers. The Company also provides precision gearing and heavy fabrications to a broad range of industrial customers for oil and gas (“O&G”), mining, steel and other industrial applications, in addition to supplying components for natural gas turbines. The Company has three reportable operating segments: Heavy Fabrications, Gearing, and Industrial Solutions.

Heavy Fabrications

The Company provides large, complex and precision fabrications to customers in a broad range of industrial markets. The Company’s most significant presence is within the U.S. wind energy industry, although it has diversified into other industrial markets in order to improve capacity utilization, reduce customer concentrations, and reduce exposure to uncertainty related to governmental policies currently impacting the U.S. wind energy industry. Within the U.S. wind energy industry, the Company provides steel towers and adapters primarily to wind turbine manufacturers. Production facilities, located in Manitowoc, Wisconsin and Abilene, Texas, are situated in close proximity to the primary U.S. domestic wind energy and equipment manufacturing hubs. The two facilities have a combined annual tower production capacity of up to approximately 550 towers (1650 tower sections), sufficient to support turbines generating more than 1,100 MW of power. The Company has expanded its production capabilities and leveraged manufacturing competencies, including welding, lifting capacity and stringent quality practices, into aftermarket and original equipment manufacturer (“OEM”) components utilized in surface and underground mining, construction, material handling, O&G and other infrastructure markets. The Company has designed and manufactures a mobile, modular pressure reducing system for the compressed natural gas virtual pipeline market. The Company manufactures components for buckets, shovels, car bodies, drill masts and other products that support mining and construction markets. In other industrial markets, the Company provides crane components, pressure vessels, frames and other structures.

Gearing

The Company provides gearing, gearboxes and precision machined components to a broad set of customers in diverse markets including; surface and underground mining, wind energy, steel, material handling, infrastructure, onshore and offshore O&G fracking and drilling, marine, and other industrial markets. The Company has manufactured loose gearing, gearboxes and systems, and provided heat treat services for aftermarket and OEM applications for a century. The Company uses an integrated manufacturing process, which includes machining and finishing processes in addition to gearbox repair in Cicero, Illinois, and heat treatment and gearbox repair in Neville Island, Pennsylvania.

Industrial Solutions

The Company provides supply chain solutions, light fabrication, inventory management, kitting and assembly services, primarily serving the combined cycle natural gas turbine market. The Company has recently expanded into the U.S. wind power generation market, by providing tower internals kitting solutions for on-site installations, as OEMs domesticate their supply chain due to lead time and reliability issues. The Company leverages a global supply chain to provide instrumentation & controls, valve assemblies, sensor devices, fuel system components, electrical junction boxes & wiring, energy storage services and electromechanical devices. The Company also provides packaging solutions and fabricates panels and sub-assemblies to reduce customers’ costs, improve manufacturing velocity and reliability.

Liquidity

The Company meets its short term liquidity needs through cash generated from operations, its available cash balances, through its 2022 Credit Facility (as defined and further discussed in Note 10 “Debt and Credit Agreements” of these consolidated financial statements), equipment financing, access to the public and private debt and/or equity markets, and has the option to raise capital under the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3 (as discussed below), and proceeds from sales of Advanced Manufacturing Production tax credits (“AMP credits”) (discussed in Note 7 “AMP Credits” of these consolidated financial statements). The Company uses the 2022 Credit Facility to fund working capital requirements. Under the 2022 Credit Facility, borrowings are continuous and all cash receipts are usually applied to the outstanding borrowed balance. As of December 31, 2023, cash totaled $1,099, a decrease of $11,633 from December 31, 2022. The Company had the ability to borrow up to $21,714 under the 2022 Credit Facility as of December 31, 2023.

The Company also utilizes supply chain financing arrangements as a component of its funding for working capital, which accelerates receivable collections and helps to better manage cash flow. Under these agreements, the Company has agreed to sell certain of its accounts receivable balances to banking institutions who have agreed to advance amounts equal to the net accounts receivable balances due, less a discount as set forth in the respective agreements. The balances under these agreements are accounted for as sales of accounts receivable, as they are sold without recourse. Cash proceeds from these agreements are reflected as operating activities included in the change in accounts receivable in the Company's consolidated statements of cash flows. Fees incurred in connection with the agreements are recorded as interest expense by the Company.

During the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company sold account receivables totaling $40,343 and $93,245, respectively, related to supply chain financing arrangements, of which customers’ financial institutions applied discount fees totaling $858 and $1,431, respectively. 

Debt and finance lease obligations at December 31, 2023 totaled $17,678, which includes current outstanding debt and finance lease obligations totaling $8,056. The Company's outstanding debt includes $6,135 outstanding from the senior secured term loan under the 2022 Credit Facility. The Company had $4,657 drawn on the senior secured revolving credit facility as of December 31, 2023. 

On September 22, 2023, the Company filed a shelf registration statement on Form S-3, which was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on October 12, 2023 (the “Form S-3”), replacing a prior shelf registration statement which expired on October 12, 2023. This shelf registration statement, which includes a base prospectus, allows the Company to offer any combination of securities described in the prospectus in one or more offerings. Unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement accompanying the base prospectus, the Company would use the net proceeds from the sale of any securities offered pursuant to the shelf registration statement for general corporate purposes.

On September 12, 2022, the Company entered into a Sales Agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with Roth Capital Partners, LLC and HC Wainwright & Co., LLC (collectively, the “Agents”). Pursuant to the terms of the Sales Agreement, the Company may sell from time to time through the Agents shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share with an aggregate sales price of up to $12,000. The Company will pay a commission to the Agents of 2.75% of the gross proceeds of the sale of the shares sold under the Sales Agreement and reimburse the Agents for the expenses incident to the performance of their obligations under the Sales Agreement. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company issued 100,379 shares of the Company’s common stock under the Sales Agreement and the net proceeds (before upfront costs) to the Company from the sale of the Company’s common stock were approximately $323 after deducting commissions paid of approximately $9 and before deducting other expenses of $93. No shares of the Company’s common stock were issued under the Sales Agreement during the year ended December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2023, shares of the Company’s common stock having a value of approximately $11,667 remained available for issuance under the Sales Agreement. Any additional shares offered and sold under the Sales Agreement are to be issued pursuant to the Form S-3 and a 424(b) prospectus supplement.

In January 2023, the Company announced that it had entered into a supply agreement for wind tower purchases valued at approximately $175 million with a leading global wind turbine manufacturer.  Under the terms of the supply agreement, order fulfillment is to occur beginning in 2023 through year-end 2024. In early November 2023, the parties discussed their joint intent to shift approximately half of the contracted tower section orders initially planned for 2024 into 2025, while maintaining the total number of tower sections stipulated under the supply agreement.

The Company anticipates that current cash resources, amounts available under the 2022 Credit Facility, sales of shares under the Sales Agreement, cash to be generated from operations and equipment financing, any potential proceeds from the sale of further Company securities under the Form S-3, and proceeds from sales of AMP credits will be adequate to meet the Company’s liquidity needs for at least the next twelve months.

Reclassifications

Certain prior year amounts, which are not material, have been reclassified to conform to current year presentation in the consolidated financial statements and the notes to the consolidated financial statements.  

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Management’s Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“GAAP”) requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reported period. Significant estimates, among others, include inventory reserves, warranty reserves, impairment of long-lived assets, allowance for doubtful accounts, and valuation allowances on deferred taxes. Although these estimates are based upon management’s best knowledge of current events and actions that the Company may undertake in the future, actual results could differ from these estimates. 

Cash 

As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, cash totaled $1,099 and $12,732, respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, interest income was $8 and $0, respectively.

Revenue Recognition

Revenues are recognized when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. Customer deposits, deferred revenue and other receipts are deferred and recognized when the revenue is realized and earned. Cash payments to customers are presumed to be classified as reductions of revenue in the Company’s statement of operations.

For substantially all tower sales within the Company’s Heavy Fabrications segment, as well as certain 2023 sales within our Gearing segment, products are sold under terms included in bill and hold sales arrangements that result in different timing for revenue recognition versus shipment. The Company recognizes revenue under these arrangements only when there is a substantive reason for the agreement, the ordered goods are identified separately as belonging to the customer and not available to fill other orders, the goods are currently ready for physical transfer to the customer, and the Company does not have the ability to use the product or to direct it to another customer. Assuming these required revenue recognition criteria are met, revenue is recognized upon completion of product manufacture and customer acceptance.

During 2023 and 2022, the Company also recognized revenue over time, versus point in time, when products in the Heavy Fabrications segments had no alternative use to the Company and the Company had an enforceable right to payment, including profit, upon termination of the contract by the customer. Since the projects are labor intensive, the Company uses labor hours as the input measure of progress for the contract. Contract assets are recorded when performance obligations are satisfied but the Company is not yet entitled to payment. The Company recognizes contract assets associated with this revenue which represents its rights to consideration for work completed but not billed at the end of the period. 

Cost of Sales

Cost of sales represents all direct and indirect costs associated with the production of products for sale to customers. These costs include operation, repair and maintenance of equipment, materials, direct and indirect labor and benefit costs, rent and utilities, maintenance, insurance, equipment rentals, freight, and depreciation. AMP credits and related discounts and administrative fees are also recognized in cost of sales. See “AMP Credits” discussion below in this “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” for further details. 

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses include all corporate and administrative functions such as sales and marketing, legal, human resource management, finance, investor and public relations, information technology and senior management. These functions serve to support the Company’s current and future operations and provide an infrastructure to support future growth. Major expense items in this category include management and staff wages and benefits, share-based compensation and professional services.

Accounts Receivable (A/R)

The Company generally grants uncollateralized credit to customers on an individual basis based upon the customer’s financial condition and credit history. Credit is typically on net 30 day terms and customer deposits are frequently required at various stages of the production process to finance customized products and minimize credit risk.

Historically, the Company’s A/R is highly concentrated with a select number of customers. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company’s five largest customers accounted for 65% of its consolidated revenues and 27% of outstanding A/R balances, compared to the year ended December 31, 2022 when the Company’s five largest customers accounted for 69% of its consolidated revenues and 43% of its outstanding A/R balances.

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

 Beginning January 1, 2023, the Company assessed and recorded an allowance for credit losses using the current expected credit loss (“CECL”) model. The adjustment for credit losses to management’s current estimate is recorded in net income as credit loss expense. All credit losses were on trade receivables and/or contract assets arising from the Company’s contracts with customers.  

The Company selected a loss-rate method for the CECL model based on the relationship between historical write-offs of receivables and the underlying sales by major customers. Utilizing this model, a historical loss-rate is applied against the amortized cost of applicable assets, at the time the asset is established. The loss rate reflects the Company’s current estimate of the risk of loss (even when that risk is remote) over the expected remaining contractual life of the assets. The Company’s policy is to deduct write-offs from the allowance for credit losses account in the period in which the financial assets are deemed uncollectible. The adjustment for credit losses using this CECL model on accounts receivable and contract assets during the year ended December 31, 2023 was not material.  

The allowance for credit losses for prior periods was prepared in accordance with legacy GAAP. Based upon past experience and judgment, the Company established an allowance for doubtful accounts with respect to accounts receivable. The Company’s standard allowance estimation methodology considered a number of factors that, based on its collections experience, the Company believed would have an impact on its credit risk and the collectability of its accounts receivable. These factors included individual customer circumstances, history with the Company, the length of the time period during which the account receivable had been past due and other relevant criteria.  

The Company monitors its collections and write-off experience to assess whether or not adjustments to its allowance estimates are necessary. Changes in trends in any of the factors that the Company believes may impact the collectability of its accounts receivable, as noted above, or modifications to its credit standards, collection practices and other related policies may impact the Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts and its financial results.

AMP Credits

The Company accounts for government assistance that is not subject to the scope of ASC 740 using a grant accounting model, by analogy to International Accounting Standards 20, Accounting for Government Grants and Disclosure of Government Assistance, and recognizes such grants when it has reasonable assurance that it will comply with the grant’s conditions and that the grant will be received. Income-based grants are initially recognized as “AMP credit receivable” and as a reduction to cost of sales. The Company recognizes grants expected to be received directly from a government entity at their stated value. When the Company expects to transfer grants to a third party, it recognizes the grants at, or adjusts their carrying value to, the amount expected to be received from the transaction. Proceeds received from income-based grants are presented as cash inflows from operating activities.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Net realizable value is the value that can be realized upon the sale of the inventory less a reasonable estimate of selling costs. Cost is determined either based on the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method, or on a standard cost basis that approximates the FIFO method. Any excess of cost over net realizable value is included in the Company’s inventory allowance. Net realizable value of inventory, and management’s judgment of the need for reserves, encompasses consideration of other business factors including physical condition, inventory holding period, contract terms and usefulness.

Inventories consist of raw materials, work-in-process and finished goods. Raw materials consist of components and parts for general production use. Work-in-process consists of labor and overhead, processing costs, purchased subcomponents and materials purchased for specific customer orders. Finished goods consist of components purchased from third parties as well as components manufactured by the Company that will be used to produce final customer products.

Long-Lived Assets

Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment is recognized using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the related assets for financial reporting purposes, and generally using an accelerated method for income tax reporting purposes. Depreciation expense related to property and equipment for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $5,719 and $5,335, respectively. Expenditures for additions and improvements are capitalized, while replacements, maintenance and repairs that do not improve or extend the useful lives of the respective assets are expensed as incurred.  Property or equipment sold or disposed of is removed from the respective property accounts, with any corresponding gains and losses recorded within the operating results of the Company’s consolidated statement of operations.

The Company reviews property and equipment and other long-lived assets (“long-lived assets”) for impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate that carrying amounts may not be recoverable. Asset recoverability is first measured by comparing the assets’ carrying amounts to their expected future undiscounted net cash flows to determine if the assets are impaired.

In evaluating the recoverability of long-lived assets, the Company must make assumptions regarding estimated future cash flows and other factors to determine the fair value of such assets. If the Company’s fair value estimates or related assumptions change in the future, the Company may be required to record impairment charges related to property and equipment and other long-lived assets. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment recognized is measured based on the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value. See Note 8, “Long-Lived Assets” of these consolidated financial statements for further discussion of long-lived assets.

Leases

The Company leases various property and equipment under operating lease arrangements. The Company recognizes operating lease assets and liabilities on the balance sheet. Rent expense for these types of leases is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. In addition, the Company has entered into finance lease arrangements to finance property and equipment and assumed finance lease obligations in connection with certain acquisitions. The cost basis and accumulated amortization of assets recorded under finance leases are included in property and equipment, while the liabilities are included in finance lease obligations.

Warranty Liability

The Company provides warranty terms that generally range from one to five years for various products and services relating to workmanship and materials supplied by the Company. In certain contracts, the Company has recourse provisions for items that would enable the Company to pursue recovery from third parties for amounts paid to customers under warranty provisions. Warranty liability is recorded in accrued liabilities within the consolidated balance sheet. The Company estimates the warranty accrual based on various factors, including historical warranty costs, current trends, product mix and sales. The changes in the carrying amount of the Company’s total product warranty liability for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 were as follows:

	As of December 31,
	2023			2022
Balance, beginning of period	$	149		$	125
Increase of warranty reserve		206			23
Warranty claims		(19	)		—
Other adjustments		(14	)		1
Balance, end of period	$	322		$	149

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes based upon an asset and liability approach. Deferred tax assets and liabilities represent the future tax consequences of the differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of assets and liabilities versus the tax basis of assets and liabilities. Under this method, deferred tax assets are recognized for deductible temporary differences, and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax liabilities are recognized for taxable temporary differences. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The impact of tax rate changes on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in the year that the change is enacted.

In connection with the preparation of its consolidated financial statements, the Company is required to estimate its income tax liability for each of the tax jurisdictions in which the Company operates. This process involves estimating the Company’s actual current income tax expense and assessing temporary differences resulting from differing treatment of certain income or expense items for income tax reporting and financial reporting purposes. The Company also recognizes as deferred income tax assets the expected future income tax benefits of net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards. In evaluating the realizability of deferred income tax assets associated with NOL carryforwards, the Company considers, among other things, expected future taxable income, the expected timing of the reversals of existing temporary reporting differences and the expected impact of tax planning strategies that may be implemented to prevent the potential loss of future income tax benefits. Changes in, among other things, income tax legislation, statutory income tax rates or future taxable income levels could materially impact the Company’s valuation of income tax assets and liabilities and could cause its income tax provision to vary significantly among financial reporting periods.

The Company also accounts for the uncertainty in income taxes related to the recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in an income tax return. The Company follows the applicable pronouncement guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition related to the uncertainty in these income tax positions.

Share-Based Compensation

The Company grants incentive stock options, restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and/or performance awards (“PSUs”) to certain officers, directors, and employees. The Company accounts for share-based compensation related to these awards based on the estimated fair value of the equity award and recognizes expense ratably over the required vesting term of the award. The expense associated with PSUs is also based on the probability of achieving embedded targets. Awards that are based on a fixed number of shares are treated as equity while awards that are based on a fixed amount of dollars are treated as liabilities. See Note 15 “Share-Based Compensation” of these consolidated financial statements for further discussion of the Company’s share-based compensation plans, the nature of share-based awards issued and the Company’s accounting for share-based compensation.

Net Income Per Share

The Company presents both basic and diluted net income (loss) per share. Basic net income (loss) per share is based solely upon the weighted average number of common shares outstanding and excludes any dilutive effects of restricted stock, options, warrants and convertible securities. Diluted net income (loss) per share is based upon the weighted average number of common shares and common-share equivalents outstanding during the year excluding those common-share equivalents where the impact to basic net income (loss) per share would be anti-dilutive.