Summary
Bloom Energy Corporation's (BE) 2018 10-K filing reveals significant revenue growth of 97.4%, reaching $742 million, driven by a substantial increase in product acceptances and the reinstatement of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC). Despite this top-line growth, the company reported a net loss of $241.8 million for the year, though this was an improvement from the prior year's net loss of $262.6 million. The company's strategy relies heavily on financing solutions like Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) to facilitate customer adoption of its fuel cell technology. The reinstatement of the ITC in February 2018 significantly boosted billings and revenue, but also led to increased product costs due to supplier repayments. Key operational highlights include a 30.1% increase in product accepted (809 systems) and a growing service revenue stream from its expanding installed base. However, the company continues to invest heavily in R&D and sales/marketing, leading to a significant increase in operating expenses, particularly driven by stock-based compensation following its IPO. The company ended 2018 with $220.7 million in cash and cash equivalents, indicating a strong liquidity position, but also carrying substantial debt of $741.3 million, with significant covenants that could impact future financial flexibility.
Financial Highlights
51 data points| Revenue | $632.65M |
| Cost of Revenue | $526.90M |
| Gross Profit | $105.75M |
| R&D Expenses | $89.14M |
| Operating Expenses | $270.76M |
| Operating Income | -$165.01M |
| Interest Expense | $97.02M |
| Net Income | -$273.54M |
| EPS (Basic) | $-5.14 |
| Shares Outstanding (Basic) | 53.27M |
| Shares Outstanding (Diluted) | 53.27M |
Key Highlights
- 1Total revenue grew by 97.4% to $742 million in 2018, compared to $376 million in 2017, driven by increased product acceptances and the reinstatement of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC).
- 2The company reported a net loss of $241.8 million in 2018, an improvement from $262.6 million in 2017, indicating progress towards profitability.
- 3Product acceptances increased by 30.1% to 809 systems in 2018, reflecting growing market adoption of Bloom Energy Servers.
- 4Operating expenses increased significantly by 94.6% to $270.9 million in 2018, largely due to a substantial rise in stock-based compensation following the IPO, impacting profitability.
- 5The company ended 2018 with $220.7 million in cash and cash equivalents, providing a solid liquidity foundation, while total debt stood at $741.3 million.
- 6The reinstatement of the ITC in February 2018 provided a significant boost to billings and revenue but also increased product costs due to one-time supplier repayments.