UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

Commission File Number: 001-34112

Energy Recovery, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(510) 483-7370

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, including area code)

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 and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted 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 and post such files).  Yes ☑ No ☐

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

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

As of August 3, 2015, there were 52,231,186 shares of the registrant’s common stock outstanding.

ENERGY RECOVERY, INC.

QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q FOR THE PERIOD ENDED JUNE 30, 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I — FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. Financial Statements (unaudited)

ENERGY RECOVERY, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, except share data and par value)

(unaudited)

See Accompanying Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

ENERGY RECOVERY, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(in thousands, except per share data)

(unaudited)

See Accompanying Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

ENERGY RECOVERY, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

See Accompanying Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

ENERGY RECOVERY, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

See Accompanying Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

ENERGY RECOVERY, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(unaudited)

Note 1 — The Company and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The Company

Energy Recovery, Inc. (the “Company”, “Energy Recovery”, “we”, “our”, or “us”) is an energy solutions provider. We convert wasted pressure energy into a reusable asset and preserve or eliminate pumping technology in hostile processing environments. Our core competencies are fluid dynamics and advanced material science. Our products are marketed and sold in fluid flow markets, such as desalination and oil & gas, under the trademarks ERI^®, PX^®, Pressure Exchanger^®, PX Pressure Exchanger^®, IsoBoost^®, IsoGen^®, and VorTeq ^®. Our products are developed and manufactured in the United States of America (“U.S.”) at our headquarters in San Leandro, California, and we have five wholly-owned subsidiaries: Energy Recovery Iberia, S.L., Energy Recovery Canada Corp., ERI Energy Recovery Ireland Ltd., Energy Recovery (Cayman) Ltd., and ERI Energy Recovery Holdings Ireland Limited. We also have sales offices in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Shanghai, Peoples Republic of China.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) requires our management to make judgments, assumptions, and estimates that affect the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Our more significant estimates and judgments that we believe are the most critical to aid in fully understanding and evaluating our reported financial results are revenue recognition; allowance for doubtful accounts; allowance for product warranty; valuation of stock options; valuation and impairment of goodwill, long-lived assets, and acquired intangible assets; useful lives for depreciation and amortization; valuation adjustments for excess and obsolete inventory; and deferred taxes and valuation allowances on deferred tax assets. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

Basis of Presentation

The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Energy Recovery, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared by us, without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. The December 31, 2014 condensed consolidated balance sheet was derived from audited financial statements, and may not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP; however, we believe that the disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 6, 2015.

In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting of only normal recurring adjustments that are necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows for the interim periods, have been made. The results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for the full fiscal year or any future periods.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The amendment requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. ASU 2014-09 will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance in U.S. GAAP when it becomes effective. ASU 2014-09 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period. We expect to adopt this guidance as of January 1, 2017. Early application is not permitted. ASU 2014-09 permits the use of either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. We are currently evaluating the effect that ASU 2014-09 will have on our financial statements and related disclosures. We have not yet selected a transition method nor have we determined the effect of the standard on our ongoing financial reporting.

On July 9, 2015, the FASB voted to approve a one-year deferral of the effective date of ASU 2014-09. Based on the FASB’s decision, ASU 2014-09 will apply to us for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods within annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Additionally, the FASB decided to permit early adoption, but not before the original effective date (that is, annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016). The FASB expects to issue its final update formally amending the effective date by the end of the third quarter of 2015.

In January 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-01, Income Statement – Extraordinary and Unusual Items. ASU 2015-01 eliminates from GAAP the concept of extraordinary items. As a result, an entity will no longer be required to separately present an extraordinary item on its statement of operations, net of tax, after income from continuing operations, or disclose income taxes and net income per share data applicable to an extraordinary item. However, ASU 2015-01 will still retain the presentation and disclosure guidance for items that are unusual in nature and occur infrequently. ASU 2015-01 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted provided the guidance is applied from the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. We do not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on our financial statements, absent any material transactions in future periods that would qualify for extraordinary item presentation under the prior guidance.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Interest – Imputation of Interest. ASU 2015-03 require that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. The recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs are not affected by the amendments in this update. For public entities, ASU 2015-03 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015. We do not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on our financial statements.

Also in April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-05, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other- Internal-Use Software. ASU 2015-05 provides guidance to customers about whether a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license. If a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license, then the customer should account for the software license element of the arrangement consistent with the acquisition of other software licenses. If a cloud computing arrangement does not include a software license, the customer should account for the arrangement as a service contract. ASU 2015-05 does not change GAAP for customer’s accounting for service contracts. For public entities, ASU 2015-05 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015. We do not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on our financial statements.

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, Inventory – Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory. ASU 2015-11 does not apply only to inventory that is measured using last-in, first-our (“LIFO”) or to the retail inventory method. ASU 2015-11 applies to all other inventory, which includes inventory that is measured using first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) or average cost. ASU 2015-11 provides that inventory be measured at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Net realizable value is the estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. For public entities, ASU 2015-11 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016 and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early application is permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. We do not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on our financial statements.

Note 2 — Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill as of June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014 of $12.8 million was the result of our acquisition of Pump Engineering, LLC in December 2009. During the three and six months ended June 30, 2015, there were no changes in the recognized amount of goodwill, and there has been no impairment of goodwill to date.

The components of identifiable other intangible assets, all of which are finite-lived, as of the dates indicated were as follows (in thousands):

Accumulated impairment losses at June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, include a $1.0 million impairment loss from 2012 for trademarks, a $31,000 loss for patents from 2007, and an $11,000 loss for patents from 2010.

Note 3 — Loss per Share

Basic and diluted net loss per share is based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Potential dilutive securities are excluded from the calculation of loss per share, as their inclusion would be anti-dilutive.

The following table shows the computation of basic and diluted loss per share (in thousands, except per share data):

The following potential common shares were not considered in the computation of diluted loss per share because their effect would have been anti-dilutive (in thousands):

Note 4 — Other Financial Information

Restricted Cash

We have pledged cash in connection with stand-by letters of credit. We have deposited a corresponding amount into a non-interest bearing account at one financial institution for these items as follows (in thousands):

Inventories

Our inventories are stated at the lower of cost (using the first-in, first out “FIFO” method) or market and consisted of the following (in thousands):

Prepaid and Other Current Assets

Prepaid expenses and other current assets consisted of the following (in thousands):

Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities consisted of the following (in thousands):

Other Non- Current Liabilities

Other non- current liabilities consisted of the following (in thousands):

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss

Changes in accumulated other comprehensive loss by component for the six months ended June 30, 2015 were as follows (in thousands):

There were no reclassifications of amounts out of accumulated other comprehensive loss, as there have been no sales of securities or translation adjustments that impacted other comprehensive loss during the quarter. The tax impact of the changes in accumulated other comprehensive loss were not material.

Note 5 — Investments

Our short-term and long-term investments are all classified as available-for-sale. There were no sales of available-for-sale securities during the quarter ended June 30, 2015.

Available-for-sale securities as of the dates indicated consisted of the following (in thousands):

Gross unrealized losses and fair values of our investments in an unrealized loss position as of the dates indicated, aggregated by investment category and length of time that the security has been in a continuous loss position, were as follows (in thousands):

Expected maturities can differ from contractual maturities because borrowers may have the right to prepay obligations without prepayment penalties. The amortized cost and fair value of available-for-sale securities that had stated maturities as of June 30, 2015 are shown below by contractual maturity (in thousands):

Note 6 — Long-Term Debt and Lines of Credit

Debt

In March 2015, we entered into a loan agreement with a financial institution for a $55,000 fixed-rate installment loan with an annual interest rate of 6.35%. The loan is payable in equal monthly installments and matures on April 2, 2020. The note is secured by the asset purchased.

Long-term debt consisted of the following (in thousands)

Future minimum principal payments due under long-term debt arrangements consist of the following (in thousands):

Lines of Credit

In June 2012, we entered into a loan agreement (the “2012 Agreement”) with a financial institution. The 2012 Agreement matured in June 2015 and was amended in June 2015. The 2012 Agreement, as amended, provides for a total available credit line of $16.0 million. Under the 2012 Agreement, we are allowed to draw advances not to exceed, at any time, $10.0 million as revolving loans. The total stand-by letters of credit issued under the 2012 Agreement may not exceed the lesser of the $16.0 million credit line or the credit line minus all outstanding revolving loans. At no time may the aggregate of the revolving loans and stand-by letters of credit exceed the total available credit line of $16.0 million. Revolving loans may be in the form of a base rate loan that bears interest equal to the prime rate plus 0% or a Eurodollar loan that bears interest equal to the adjusted LIBOR rate plus 1.25%. Stand-by letters of credit are subject to customary fees and expenses for issuance or renewal. The unused portion of the credit facility is subject to a facility fee in an amount equal to 0.25% per annum of the average unused portion of the revolving line. The 2012 Agreement, as amended, also requires us to maintain a cash collateral balance equal to 101% of all outstanding advances and all outstanding stand-by letters of credit collateralized by the line of credit. The 2012 Agreement, as amended, matures in June 2018 and is collateralized by substantially all of our assets. As of June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, there were no advances drawn under the 2012 Agreement, as amended. Remaining stand-by letters of credit collateralized under the 2012 Agreement, as amended, totaled $3.0 million and $3.1 million as of June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively. Total cash restricted related to these stand-by letters of credit totaled $3.1 million as of June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014.

We are subject to certain financial and administrative covenants under the 2012 Agreement, as amended. As of June 30, 2015, we were in compliance with these covenants.

In 2009, we entered into a loan and security agreement (the “2009 Agreement”) with another financial institution. The 2009 Agreement, as amended, provided a total available credit line of $16.0 million. Under the 2009 Agreement, we were allowed to draw advances of up to $10.0 million on a revolving line of credit or utilize up to $15.9 million as collateral for stand-by letters of credit, provided that the aggregate of the outstanding advances and collateral did not exceed the total available credit line of $16.0 million. Advances under the revolving line of credit incurred interest based on a prime rate index or LIBOR plus 1.375%. The 2009 Agreement, as amended, also required us to maintain cash collateral balances equal to at least 101% of the face amount of all outstanding stand-by letters of credit collateralized by the line of credit and 100% of the amount of all outstanding advances. The amended 2009 Agreement expired in May 2012, at which time we became required to maintain a cash collateral balance equal to at least 105% of the face amount of all outstanding stand-by letters of credit collateralized by the line of credit. There were no advances drawn under the 2009 Agreement’s credit line at the time it expired. Remaining stand-by letters of credit issued under the 2009 Agreement totaled zero and $2.3 million as of June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively. Total cash restricted related to these stand-by letters of credit totaled zero and $2.4 million as of June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively.

Note 7 — Equity

Share-Based Compensation Expense

For the three and six months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, we recognized share-based compensation expense related to employees and consultants as follows (in thousands):

As of June 30, 2015, total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested share-based awards, net of estimated forfeitures, was $3.9 million, which is expected to be recognized as expense over a weighted average period of approximately 2.77 years.

In February 2015, we granted 344,090 stock options to our non-employee directors. The vesting start date for options granted to incumbent non-employee directors was June 20, 2014, the date of our last annual meeting. The vesting start date for options granted to newly appointed non-employee directors was the date of grant. The options became fully vested on June 19, 2015, the date of our annual meeting; had an exercise price of $3.53 per share, as determined on the date of grant; and expire 10 years from the grant date. The total compensation cost associated with these option grants was recognized over the period from the grant date in February 2015 (which was determined to be the service inception date) to the vesting end date in June 2015. Accordingly, the six months ended June 30, 2015 includes compensation expense from the service inception date through the vesting end date of June 19, 2015.

In March 2015, we granted 1,415,739 stock options to certain officers and other employees. The options vest over a four-year period, have an exercise price of $2.75 per share, and expire 10 years from the grant date.

In connection with the resignation of Mr. Thomas S. Rooney, Jr. as President and Chief Executive Officer, additional stock based compensation of approximately $170,000 was recorded in the first quarter of 2015 related to the accelerated vesting of options previously granted to Mr. Rooney.

In June 2015, we entered into a consulting agreement with Mr. Rooney, under which his unvested options outstanding on the first day of consultancy continue to vest for the period of consultancy and all vested options continue to be exercisable through the 90 day period following the last day of the consultancy. In connection with this modification, we recorded additional stock based compensation of approximately $1.1 million related to the additional vesting and extended exercise period in the three months ended June 30, 2015.

In April 2015, Ms. Audrey Bold resigned as our Chief Marketing Officer. In connection with her resignation and the providing of a general release, the Company agreed to provide her with continued vesting of granted options during the six month period following her termination and the ability to exercise the vested options through the 90 days following this six month period. In connection with this modification, we recorded additional stock based compensation of approximately $43,000 related to the additional vesting and extended exercise period in the three months ended June 30, 2015.

In June 2015, we granted 300,000 stock options to our new Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Strategy. These options vest over a four year period, have an exercise price of $2.61 per share, and expire 10 years from the grant date.

In June 2015, we granted 16,000 stock options to an employee. The options vest over a four year period, have an exercise price of $2.60 per share, and expire 10 years from the grant date.

In June 2015, we granted 373,744 stock options to our non-employee directors. The vesting start date was June 23, 2015, the date of grant. The options will become fully vested on June 17, 2016, the anticipated date of our next annual meeting. The options have an exercise price of $2.92 per share, as determined on the date of grant, and expire 10 years from the grant date.

Note 8 — Income Taxes

The effective tax rate for the six months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014 was (1.23%) and (1.5%), respectively. As of December 31, 2014, a full valuation allowance of approximately $20.4 million had been established to reduce our deferred income tax assets to the amount expected to be realized. As such, no tax benefit related to our pre-tax loss was recognized for the six months ended June 30, 2015, as there was no change in our assessment of the amount of deferred income tax assets expected to be realized.

Note 9 — Commitments and Contingencies

Operating Lease Obligations

We lease facilities under fixed non-cancellable operating leases that expire on various dates through November 2019. Future minimum lease payments consist of the following (in thousands):

Product Warranty

The following table summarizes the activity related to the product warranty liability during the three months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014 (in thousands):

Purchase Obligations

We enter into purchase order arrangements with our vendors. As of June 30, 2015, there were open purchase orders for which we had not yet received the related goods or services. These arrangements are subject to change based on our sales demand forecasts, and we have the right to cancel the arrangements prior to the date of delivery. As of June 30, 2015, we had approximately $1.6 million of cancellable open purchase order arrangements related primarily to materials and parts.

Guarantees 

We enter into indemnification provisions under our agreements with other companies in the ordinary course of business, typically with customers. Under these provisions, we generally indemnify and hold harmless the indemnified party for losses suffered or incurred by the indemnified party as a result of our activities, generally limited to personal injury and property damage caused by our employees at a customer’s desalination plant in proportion to the employee’s percentage of fault for the accident. Damages incurred for these indemnifications would be covered by our general liability insurance to the extent provided by the policy limitations. We have not incurred material costs to defend lawsuits or settle claims related to these indemnification agreements. As a result, the estimated fair value of these agreements is not material. Accordingly, we have no liabilities recorded for these agreements as of June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014.

In certain cases, we issue warranty and product performance guarantees to our customers for amounts ranging from 5% to 10% of the total sales agreement to endorse the execution of product delivery and the warranty of design work, fabrication, and operating performance. These guarantees, generally in the form of stand-by letters of credit or bank guarantees secured by stand-by letters of credit, typically remain in place for periods ranging up to 24 months and in some cases up to 65 months, and relate to the underlying product warranty period. The stand-by letters of credit are collateralized by restricted cash and our credit facility. All of the $3.0 million in outstanding stand-by letters of credit at June 30, 2015 was issued under the 2012 Agreement. The stand-by letters of credit outstanding at June 30, 2015 were collateralized by restricted cash of $3.1 million.

Litigation

On September 10, 2014, the Company terminated the employment of its Senior Vice President, Sales, Borja Blanco, on the basis of breach of duty of trust and conduct leading to conflict of interest. On October 3, 2014, Mr. Blanco filed a labor claim against ERI Iberia in Madrid, Spain alleging breach of contract and termination without cause. The claim seeks wages (salary and bonus) of €567,000 and alleged stock option gains of €630,000. The matter has been delayed until November 2015. At this time, the Company has not determined that an award to Mr. Blanco is probable.

In January 2015, two stockholder class action complaints were filed against the Company in the Northern District of California, on behalf of Energy Recovery stockholders under the captions, Joseph Sabatino v. Energy Recovery, Inc. et al. and Thomas C. Mowdy v. Energy Recovery, Inc. et al. The complaints have now been consolidated under the caption In Re Energy Recovery Inc. Securities Litigation. The complaint alleges violations of Section 10(b), Rule 10b-5, and Section 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and seeks the recovery of unspecified monetary damages. We are not able to estimate the possible loss, if any, due to the early state of this matter.

On May 8, 2015, we entered into a post-judgment settlement and mutual general release agreement (the “Agreement”) in the matter entitled “Morgan Technical Ceramics, Inc v. Energy Recovery, Inc” in the County of Alameda, State of California. Under the Agreement, the Company in exchange for a general release paid $1.7 million to the plaintiffs. The Company had reserved the full amount of the judgment entered against it in the amount of approximately $1.9 million and consequently released $0.2 million from its legal reserve.

Note 10 — Business Segment and Geographic Information

We manufacture and sell high-efficiency energy recovery devices and pumps as well as related services under one reportable segment. Our chief operating decision-maker is the chief executive officer (“CEO”). The CEO reviews financial information presented on a consolidated basis for purposes of making operating decisions and assessing financial performance. Accordingly, we have concluded that we have one reportable segment.

The following geographic information includes net revenue to our domestic and international customers based on the customers’ requested delivery locations, except for certain cases in which the customer directed us to deliver our products to a location that differs from the known ultimate location of use. In such cases, the ultimate location of use, rather than the delivery location, is reflected in the table below (in thousands, except percentages):

All of our long-lived assets were located in the United States at June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014.

Note 11 — Concentrations

Customers accounting for 10% or more of our accounts receivable and unbilled receivables were as follows:

Revenue from customers representing 10% or more of net revenue varies from period to period. For the periods indicated, customers representing 10% or more of net revenue were:

Note 12 — Fair Value Measurements

The authoritative guidance for measuring fair value provides a hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used in measuring fair value as follows:

Level 1 — Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;

Level 2 — Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are either directly or indirectly observable; and

Level 3 — Unobservable inputs in which little or no market activity exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions that market participants would use in pricing.

The carrying values of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, accounts receivable, unbilled receivables, accounts payable, and other accrued expenses approximate fair value due to the short-term maturity of those instruments. For our investments in available-for-sale securities, if quoted prices in active markets for identical investments are not available to determine fair value (Level 1), then we use quoted prices for similar assets or inputs other than quoted prices that are observable either directly or indirectly (Level 2). The investments included in Level 2 consist primarily of corporate, and agency obligations.

The fair value of financial assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis for the indicated periods was as follows (in thousands):

Note 13 — Subsequent Events

On July 1, 2015, warrants to purchase 200,000 shares of our common stock were exercised for cash at a price of $1.00 per share. The proceeds from this exercise totaled $200,000. This exercise represents the last outstanding warrant issued in 2005. 

Subsequent to June 30, 2015, the Company adopted a new organizational structure based on the operating segments Water and Oil & Gas. In accordance with GAAP, segment information on this basis will be presented commencing in the period of change and will be included for the quarter ended September 30, 2015.

ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The discussion in this item and in other items of this Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements within the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements in this report include, but are not limited to, statements about our expectations, objectives, anticipations, plans, hopes, beliefs, intentions, or strategies regarding the future.

Forward-looking statements that represent our current expectations about future events are based on assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties. If the risks or uncertainties occur or the assumptions prove incorrect, then our results may differ materially from those set forth or implied by the forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events.

Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” variations of such words, and similar expressions are also intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict; therefore, actual results may differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this report include, without limitation, statements about the following:

You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s opinions only as of the date of the filing of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. All forward-looking statements included in this document are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, as disclosed from time to time in our reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K as well as in our Annual Reports to Stockholders and, if necessary, updated in “Part II, Item 1A: Risk Factors.” We assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. It is important to note that our actual results could differ materially from the results set forth or implied by our forward-looking statements.

Overview

We are an energy solutions provider. We convert wasted pressure energy into a reusable asset and preserve or eliminate pumping technology in hostile processing environments. Our core competencies are fluid dynamics and advanced material science. Our company was founded in 1992, and we introduced the initial version of our Pressure Exchanger^® energy recovery device in early 1997. In December 2009, we acquired Pump Engineering, LLC, which manufactured centrifugal energy recovery devices known as turbochargers as well as high-pressure pumps.

Our energy recovery devices are primarily used in seawater reverse osmosis desalination. In the past several years, we have invested significant research and development costs to expand into other pressurized fluid flow industries such as oil & gas. In 2014, we introduced a new product for the fracking industry, the VorTeq ^TM hydraulic pumping solution.

Our revenue is principally derived from the sale of our energy recovery devices. We also derive revenue from the sale of our high-pressure and circulation pumps which we manufacture and sell in connection with our energy recovery devices for use in desalination plants. Additionally, we receive revenue from the sale of spare parts and services, including start-up and commissioning services that we provide to our customers. In 2014, we recognized oil & gas revenue of $784,000 from the operating lease and lease buy-out of an IsoGen ^®system. In the first quarter of 2015, we recognized oil & gas revenue of $60,000 from commissioning services and $81,000 from fees related to the cancellation of a ConocoPhillips sales order.

A significant portion of our net revenue typically has been generated from sales to a limited number of large engineering, procurement, and construction, or EPC, firms that are involved with the design and construction of large desalination plants. Sales to these firms often involve a long sales cycle that can range from 6 to 16 months, and in some cases, up to 24 months. A single large desalination project can generate an order for numerous energy recovery devices and generally represents a significant revenue opportunity. We also sell our devices to many small- to medium-sized original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs, which commission smaller desalination plants, order fewer energy recovery devices per plant, and have shorter sales cycles.

We often experience substantial fluctuations in net revenue from quarter to quarter and from year to year because a single order for our energy recovery devices by a large EPC firm for a particular plant may represent significant revenue. In addition, historically our EPC customers tend to order a significant amount of equipment for delivery in the fourth quarter, and as a consequence, a significant portion of our annual sales typically occurs during that quarter. This historical trend was reflected in the fourth quarter of the last several years. Normal seasonality trends also generally show our lowest revenue in the first quarter of the year.

A limited number of our customers account for a substantial portion of our net revenue and of our accounts receivable and unbilled receivables. Revenue from customers representing 10% or more of net revenue varies from period to period. For the three months ended June 30, 2015, one customer accounted for 30% of our net revenue. For the three months ended June 30, 2014, one customer accounted for 14% of our net revenue. For the six months ended June 30, 2015, two customers accounted for 22% and 10%, respectively, of our net revenue. For the six months ended June 30, 2014, no customer accounted for 10% or more of our net revenue. No other customer accounted for more than 10% of our net revenue during any of these periods. At June 30, 2015, three customers accounted for 31%, 15%, and 10%, respectively, of our accounts receivable and unbilled receivable balance. At December 31, 2014, two customers accounted for 32% and 11%, respectively, of our accounts receivable and unbilled receivable balance.

During the three and six months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, most of our net revenue was attributable to sales outside of the United States. We expect sales outside of the United States to remain a significant portion of our net revenue for the next few years.

Our condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or GAAP. These accounting principles require us to make estimates and judgments that can affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements as well as the reported amounts of revenue and expense during the periods presented. We believe that the estimates and judgments upon which we rely are reasonable based upon information available to us at the time that we make these estimates and judgments. To the extent that there are material differences between these estimates and actual results, our consolidated financial results will be affected. The accounting policies that reflect our more significant estimates and judgments and which we believe are the most critical to aid in fully understanding and evaluating our reported financial results are revenue recognition; allowance for doubtful accounts; allowance for product warranty; valuation of stock options; valuation and impairment of goodwill, long-lived assets, and acquired intangible assets; useful lives for depreciation and amortization; valuation adjustments for excess and obsolete inventory; and deferred taxes and valuation allowances on deferred tax assets.

On January 12, 2015, Mr. Thomas S. Rooney, Jr., President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director, announced his intent to resign to allow the Company to facilitate a transition during which the Company would identify and appoint a successor. To facilitate this transition the Company entered into an amendment to Mr. Rooney’s offer letter dated February 14, 2011 (the “Amendment”). Under the terms of the Amendment, Mr. Rooney resigned as a member of the Board of Directors and its subsidiaries effective January 13, 2015. Mr. Rooney continued to serve as Chief Executive Officer until the appointment of Mr. Gay as Chief Executive Officer on April 24, 2015.

On February 6, 2015, the Board of Directors appointed Mr. Ole Peter Lorentzen and Mr. Alexander J. Buehler as directors. The addition increased the number of directors on the Board to nine, following the resignation of Mr. Rooney on January 13, 2015.

On April 24, 2015, the Board of Directors appointed Mr. Joel Gay as President and Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board of Directors effective immediately. Mr. Gay served as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer from June 2014 until his appointment as President.

In June 2015, the Board of Directors appointed Mr. Chris Gannon as Chief Financial Officer.

At the annual meeting of stockholders, our stockholders elected Mr. Olav Fjell, Mr. Lorentzen, and Mr. Gay as Class I directors. Incumbent Class I directors, Mr. Johannessen, Mr. Cook, and Ms. Pate-Cornell, decided not to stand for re-election.

Second Quarter of 2015 Compared to Second Quarter of 2014

Results of Operations

The following table sets forth certain data from our operating results as a percentage of net revenue for the periods indicated (in thousands, except percentages):

*     Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

Net Revenue 

Our net revenue increased by $4.1 million, or 64%, to $10.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2015 from $6.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2014. The increase was primarily due to increased mega project shipments of $3.8 million, higher OEM shipments of $0.2 million, and higher aftermarket shipments of $0.3 million. The increases were offset by lower oil & gas revenue of $0.2 million.

Although we operate under one segment, we categorize revenue based on the type of energy recovery device and its related products and services. The following table reflects revenue by product category and as a percentage of total net revenue (in thousands, except percentages):

During the three months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, a significant portion of our net revenue was attributable to sales outside of the United States. Revenue attributable to domestic and international sales as a percentage of net revenue was as follows:

Gross Profit

Gross profit represents our net revenue less our cost of revenue. Our cost of revenue consists primarily of raw materials, personnel costs (including share-based compensation), manufacturing overhead, warranty costs, depreciation expense, and manufactured components. For the three months ended June 30, 2015, gross profit as a percentage of net revenue was 54%. For the three months ended June 30, 2014, gross profit as a percentage of net revenue was 48%. The increase was attributable to a favorable shift in product mix.

Future gross profit is highly dependent on the product and customer mix of our net revenues, overall market demand and competition, and the volume of production in our manufacturing plant that determines our operating leverage. Accordingly, we are not able to predict our future gross profit levels with certainty. We believe that the current levels of gross profit margin are sustainable to the extent that volume remains healthy, our product mix favors PX devices, and we continue to realize cost savings through production efficiencies and enhanced yields.

Manufacturing headcount decreased to 36 at the end of the second quarter of 2015 from 37 at the end of the second quarter of 2014.

Share-based compensation expense included in cost of revenue was $37,000 and $26,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

General and Administrative Expense

General and administrative expense increased by $2.4 million, or 79%, to $5.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2015 from $3.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2014. As a percentage of net revenue, general and administrative expense increased to 51% for the three months ended June 30, 2015 from 47% for the three months ended June 30, 2014.

General and administrative headcount decreased to 24 at the end of the second quarter of 2015 from 28 at the end of the second quarter of 2014.  

Of the $2.4 million increase in general and administrative expense for the three months ended June 30, 2015 compared to the same quarter of 2014, $1.3 million related to stock based compensation expense primarily associated with the resignation of the Chief Executive Officer and the modification of his vested options, $1.0 million related to professional and legal costs, and $0.3 million related to occupancy costs, compensation and employee related benefits, other taxes, and bad debt expense. These changes were offset by a decrease of approximately $0.2 million primarily in other administrative costs.

Share-based compensation expense included in general and administrative expense was $1.7 million and $365,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The increase in share-based compensation is primarily related to the modification of vested options associated with the resignation of the Chief Executive Officer.

Sales and Marketing Expense

Sales and marketing expense decreased by $0.7 million, or 26%, to $2.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2015 from $2.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2014. As a percentage of net revenue, sales and marketing expense decreased to 19% for the three months ended June 30, 2015 from 42% for the three months ended June 30, 2014.

Sales and marketing headcount decreased to 29 at the end of the second quarter of 2015 from 35 at the end of the second quarter of 2014.

Of the $0.7 million decrease in sales and marketing expense for the three months ended June 30, 2015 compared to the same quarter of 2014, $0.4 million related to compensation and employee related benefits associated with decreased stock-based compensation expense and lower annual incentive bonus accruals, $0.2 million related to marketing costs, and $0.1 million related to professional and other sales and marketing services.

Share-based compensation expense included in sales and marketing expense was $106,000 and $155,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Research and Development Expense

Research and development expense decreased by $0.3 million, or 18%, to $1.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2015 from $1.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2014. As a percentage of net revenue, research and development expense decreased to 13% for the three months ended June 30, 2015 from 27% for the three months ended June 30, 2014.

Research and development headcount decreased to 16 at the end of the second quarter of 2015 from 19 at the end of the second quarter of 2014.

Of the $0.3 million decrease in research and development expense for the three months ended June 30, 2015 compared to the same quarter of 2014, $0.2 million related to costs associated with the Company’s investment in product development for oil & gas applications, and $0.1 million related to outside consulting and professional fees.

Share-based compensation expense included in research and development expense was $91,000 and $88,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

As we continue to advance our existing technologies and develop new energy recovery and efficiency-enhancing solutions for markets outside of seawater desalination, we anticipate that our research and development expenses may increase in the future.

Amortization of Intangible Assets

Amortization of intangible assets is primarily related to finite-lived intangible assets acquired as a result of our purchase of Pump Engineering, LLC in December 2009. Amortization expense decreased by $57,000, or 27%, to $158,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2015 from $215,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2014. The decrease was due to the full amortization of all intangibles, except developed technology, in the fourth quarter of 2014.

Non-Operating Income (Expense), Net

Non-operating income (expense), net, including interest expense, increased by $12,000 to income of $20,000 in the three months ended June 30, 2015 from income of $8,000 in the three months ended June 30, 2014. The increase was primarily due to $28,000 higher net foreign currency gains offset by a $16,000 decrease in interest income related to interest receivable on investments.

Income Taxes

The income tax provision was $71,000 in the three months ended June 30, 2015 compared to $58,000 in the three months ended June 30, 2014. The tax expense for the three months ended June 30, 2015 and June 30, 2014 primarily relate to the tax basis amortization of goodwill and state and other taxes. The three months ended June 30, 2015 also includes a tax true-up of approximately $3,000.

Six Months Ended June 30, 2015 Compared to Six Months Ended June 30, 2014

Results of Operations

The following table sets forth certain data from our operating results as a percentage of net revenue for the periods indicated (in thousands, except percentages):

*     Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

**     Not meaningful

Net Revenue

Our net revenue increased by $6.0 million, or 59%, to $16.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2015 from $10.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2014. The increase was primarily due to increased mega project shipments of $3.8 million, increased OEM shipments of $2.1million, and higher aftermarket shipments of $0.3 million.  The increases were offset by a decrease in oil & gas revenue of $0.2 million.

Although we operate under one segment, we categorize revenue based on the type of energy recovery device and its related products and services. The following table reflects revenue by product category and as a percentage of total net revenue (in thousands, except percentages):

During the six months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, a significant portion of our net revenue was attributable to sales outside of the United States. Revenue attributable to domestic and international sales as a percentage of net revenue was as follows:

Gross Profit

Gross profit represents our net revenue less our cost of revenue. Our cost of revenue consists primarily of raw materials, personnel costs (including share-based compensation), manufacturing overhead, warranty costs, depreciation expense, and manufactured components. For the six months ended June 30, 2015, gross profit as a percentage of net revenue was 55%. For the six months ended June 30, 2014, gross profit as a percentage of net revenue was 52%. The increase was attributable to a favorable shift in product mix.

Future gross profit is highly dependent on the product and customer mix of our net revenues, overall market demand and competition, and the volume of production in our manufacturing plant that determines our operating leverage. Accordingly, we are not able to predict our future gross profit levels with certainty. We believe that the current levels of gross profit margin are sustainable to the extent that volume remains healthy, our product mix favors PX devices, and we continue to realize cost savings through production efficiencies and enhanced yields.

Manufacturing headcount decreased to 36 at June 30, 2015 from 37 at June 30, 2014.

Share-based compensation expense included in cost of revenue was $72,000 and $48,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

General and Administrative Expense

General and administrative expense increased by $6.6 million, or 131%, to $11.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2015 from $5.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2014. As a percentage of net revenue, general and administrative expense increased to 71% for the six months ended June 30, 2015 from 49% for the six months ended June 30, 2014.

General and administrative headcount decreased to 24 at June 30, 2015 from 28 at June 30, 2014.

Of the $6.6 million increase in general and administrative expense for the six months ended June 30, 2015 compared to the same period of 2014, $2.9 million related to professional, legal and other administrative costs, including that related to the termination of the former Senior Vice President of Sales in 2014, $1.9 million related to increased stock based compensation expense, $850,000 related to the reversal of VAT in the first quarter of 2014 that was expensed in 2011 and in prior years, $0.7 million related to compensation and employee related benefits primarily associated with the resignation of the Chief Executive Officer and termination benefits associated with a reduction in force in the first quarter of 2015, and $0.3 million related to other administrative costs.

Share-based compensation expense included in general and administrative expense was $2.6 million and $694,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The increase in share-based compensation is related to increased value of options granted to non-employee directors in February 2015 (see Note 7 – Equity), the full vesting of restricted shares granted to a non-employee director on December 31, 2014, and the accelerated vesting and modification of options associated with the resignation of the Chief Executive Officer.

Sales and Marketing Expense

Sales and marketing expense decreased by $0.8 million, or 15%, to $4.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2015 from $5.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2014. As a percentage of net revenue, sales and marketing expense decreased to 27% for the six months ended June 30, 2015 from 50% for the six months ended June 30, 2014.

Sales and marketing headcount decreased to 29 at June 30, 2015 from 35 at June 30, 2014.

Of the $0.8 million decrease in sales and marketing expense for the six months ended June 30, 2015 compared to the same period of 2014, $0.5 million related to compensation and employee related benefits associated with decreased stock-based compensation expense and lower annual incentive bonus accruals, $0.4 million related to marketing costs, and $0.1 million related to professional and other sales and marketing services. The decreases were offset by increases of $0.2 million primarily related to commissions to certain sales representatives accrued at premium rates and occupancy costs and $0.1 million in termination benefits associated with a reduction in force in the first quarter of 2015.

Share-based compensation expense included in sales and marketing expense was $207,000 and $308,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Research and Development Expense

Research and development expense increased by $0.9 million, or 33%, to $3.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2015 from $3.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2014. As a percentage of net revenue, research and development expense decreased to 24% for the six months ended June 30, 2015 from 29% for the six months ended June 30, 2014.

Research and development headcount decreased to 16 at June 30, 2015 from 19 at June 30, 2014.

Of the $0.9 million increase in research and development expense for the six months ended June 30, 2015 compared to the same period of 2014, $0.7 million related to costs associated with the Company’s investment in product development for oil & gas applications, $0.5 million related to compensation and employee-related benefits, including $81,000 in termination benefits associated with a reduction in force in the first quarter of 2015, and $22,000 primarily related to occupancy cost. The increases were offset by a decrease of $0.2 million related to outside consulting and professional fees.