Note 6. Revenue

 

The following table represents the Company’s revenues for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, disaggregated, by sales channel.

 

Disaggregation of revenue:

 

   2021   2020   2019 
             
Revenue from the sale of Power Drives:            
Revenue direct to customers  $1,373   $4,013   $3,263 
Revenue through channel partners   1,466    16,325    3,952 
                
Revenue from the sale of XL Grid solutions – which are sold direct to customers   12,761    -    - 
Total revenue  $15,600   $20,338   $7,215 

 

Remaining performance obligations: At December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, there was approximately $237, $305 and $133 in deferred revenue related to unsatisfied extended warranty performance obligations, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company recognized revenue of $128 from the December 31, 2020 deferred revenue balance. There was no deferred warranty revenue recognized for the years ended December 2020 and 2019, respectively.

 

Contract Balances: The timing of revenue recognition, billings and cash collections results in billed trade accounts receivable, and deferred revenue (contract liabilities) on the consolidated balance sheets. In addition, the Company defers certain costs incurred to obtain a contract (contract costs).

 

Costs to obtain a contract: Sales commissions paid to internal sales personnel, as well as associated payroll taxes and retirement plan contributions (together, sales commissions and associated costs) that are incremental to the acquisition of customer contracts, are capitalized as contract acquisition cost on the balance sheet when the period of benefit is determined to be greater than one year. In instances where an extended warranty is sold, the period of benefit would extend beyond 12 months and therefore, the practical expedient would not be met for those contracts and require capitalization of the related costs to obtain those contracts. The Company has elected to allocate the capitalized commissions to performance obligations on a relative basis (i.e., in proportion to the transaction price allocated to each performance obligation) to determine the period of amortization. As a result, substantially all of the commission is allocated to the combined equipment and installation performance obligation and is amortized upon transfer of control of this performance obligation, which typically occurs in the same period in which commission liability is incurred. Total commission expense recognized during the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 was $834, $105 and $226, respectively. There were no capitalized commissions during the periods ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

 

Warranties: The Company accrues estimated warranty costs at the time of sale related to its assurance- type warranties. In general, for the sales of Power Drives, manufactured products are warranted for the shorter of three years or 75,000 miles against defects in material and workmanship when properly used for their intended purpose, installed correctly and appropriately maintained. For the XL Grid solutions, projects are warranted for one year. The amount of the accrued warranty liability is estimated based on historical claims rates and warranty fulfillments costs adjusted for any expected changes in fulfillment costs. Warranty charges in 2021 include a charge of $965 related to faults identified in certain Power Drive products based on the Company’s review of data gathered on the performance of its existing systems on the road.

 

The following is a roll-forward of the Company’s accrued warranty liability:

   2021   2020 
Balance at the beginning of the period  $1,735   $1,009 
Acquisition date accrual for World Energy acquisition   25    - 
Accrual for warranties issued   346    912 
Accrual of additional warranty obligations   965    - 
Warranty fulfillment charges   (524)   (186)
Balance at the end of the period  $2,547   $1,735 

 

The warranty liability is included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2021Mar 1, 2022Showing above
2020Mar 31, 2021

About Revenue Disclosures

Revenue disclosures under ASC 606 explain how a company identifies performance obligations, allocates transaction prices, and determines when revenue is recognized. This section is essential for understanding whether reported revenue reflects genuine economic activity or aggressive accounting choices. Analysts examine the mix of point-in-time versus over-time recognition, which directly affects revenue timing and comparability.

Key signals: rising contract liabilities (deferred revenue) suggest strong future revenue visibility, while declining contract assets may indicate slowing project milestones. Watch for variable consideration estimates — rebates, returns, and performance bonuses that require management judgment. Significant changes in disaggregated revenue by geography or product line can reveal shifting business mix before it appears in headline numbers. Compare revenue growth against contract liability growth to assess sustainability, and scrutinize any changes in the timing of recognition that coincide with earnings pressure.