Note 15. Commitments and contingencies

We may become involved in various claims, lawsuits, investigations, and other proceedings arising in the normal course of business. We accrue a liability when information available prior to the issuance of financial statements indicates it is probable a loss has been incurred as of the date of the financial statements and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. If the reasonable estimate of the probable loss is a range, we record an accrual for the most likely estimate of the loss, or the low end of the range if there is not one best estimate. We adjust our accruals to reflect the impact of negotiation, settlements, rulings, advice of legal counsel and other information and events pertaining to a particular case. Legal costs are expensed as incurred.

United States Customs and Border Protection assessment

In March of 2023, United States Customs and Border Protection ("CBP") issued notices of tariff assessment that indicated an action taken at the Import Specialist (i.e., the port) level with respect to merchandise imported from Thailand under entry number 004-1058562-5 (the “625 Assessment”) and entry number 004-1063793-9 (the “Original 939 Assessment”, and collectively with the 625 Assessment, the “Original CBP Assessments”). The Original CBP Assessments related to certain torque beams that are used in our Voyager+ product that were imported in 2022. In the Original CBP Assessments, CBP asserted that Section 301 China tariffs, Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs, and antidumping and countervailing duties applied to the merchandise. Based on correspondence received to date from CBP, including a recent partial acceptance by CBP of our protest on the 625 Assessment as described below, and our calculations based on applicable duty and tariff rates, the 625 Assessment is currently estimated at approximately $0.07 million. In September of 2023, CBP informed us that the amount owed under the Original 939 Assessment was being revised downward to approximately $2.01 million (the "Revised 939 Assessment", and together with the 625 Assessment, the "Revised CBP Assessments"). In particular, CBP accepted our position that the Section 301 tariffs of 25% or 7.5% of the value of the merchandise, depending on tariff classification, as well as the antidumping and countervailing duties, previously assessed under the Original 939 Assessment are not applicable as they are only applicable to articles that are products of China and that, in this case, the finished goods are products of Thailand.

CBP has legally finalized both Revised CBP Assessments. We filed a formal protest for the 625 Assessment in September of 2023 and for the Revised 939 Assessment in March of 2024. On February 11, 2026, CBP partially approved our protest of the 625 Assessment, which reduced our estimated exposure down to $0.07 million. We were notified on March 18, 2026, that CBP had denied our protest of the Revised 939 Assessment. Based on the denial by CBP, we accrued approximately $2.7 million, inclusive of interest, in our consolidated financial results for the year ended December 31, 2025 and expect to pay that amount to CBP, as required. We are currently evaluating our options to challenge this decision by CBP in the U.S. Court of International Trade (the "Court") as to the merits of the disputed tariff classifications. However, because matters of this nature are subject to inherent uncertainties, and unfavorable rulings or developments, including future assessments of additional duties or tariffs owed in respect of other shipments or other materials beyond what is presently included in the Revised CBP Assessments, there can be no certainty that the Company might ultimately prevail in the Court and we could also be subject to future assessments of additional duties or tariffs owed in respect of other shipments or other materials beyond what is presently included in the Revised CBP Assessments, or incur charges that are not currently recorded as liabilities which could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations, financial position, or liquidity

Customer litigation

On June 11, 2025, FTC Solar, Inc. filed a lawsuit against BayWa r.e. Power Solutions, Inc. ("BayWa") in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas (Civil Action No. 25-cv-00905-DAE). The complaint alleges breach of contract arising from BayWa’s purported cancellation of a large equipment supply agreement and purchase order for custom solar tracking systems intended for a Texas-based solar energy project. The parties engaged in a formal dispute resolution process, including pre-suit mediation without success. On August 25, 2025, BayWa filed an answer to FTC's complaint and asserted certain counterclaims against FTC. On September 15, 2025, FTC

filed a response to BayWa's counterclaims. The parties are now engaged in discovery. While FTC believes it has meritorious claims and intends to vigorously pursue recovery, the outcome of litigation is inherently uncertain, and it is unclear at this time whether FTC or BayWa will recover the amounts sought in their respective claims or whether the outcome would materially affect FTC's financial condition or results of operations.

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Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Mar 24, 2026Showing above
2024Mar 31, 2025
2023Mar 15, 2024
2022Feb 28, 2023
2021Mar 21, 2022

About Commitments Disclosures

Commitments and contingencies disclosures catalog a company's off-balance-sheet obligations and legal exposures — purchase commitments, guarantee arrangements, pending litigation, and regulatory proceedings. These items represent potential future cash outflows that may not appear as liabilities on the balance sheet until they become probable and estimable.

Key signals: litigation reserves and disclosed loss ranges quantify management's estimate of legal exposure, but unquantified "reasonably possible" losses often represent the larger risk. Watch for changes in language around pending cases — shifts from "remote" to "reasonably possible" or increases in estimated loss ranges signal deteriorating outcomes. Unconditional purchase obligations and take-or-pay contracts create fixed cost structures that reduce operational flexibility. Guarantee arrangements for subsidiaries or joint ventures can create cascading obligations. Compare the total commitment schedule against projected free cash flow to assess whether the company can meet its obligations without additional financing.