AMERICAN SUPERCONDUCTOR CORP /DE/ (AMSC)

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

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). For this purpose, any statements contained herein that relate to future events or conditions, including without limitation, the statements in Part II, “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and in Part I under “Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and located elsewhere herein regarding industry prospects, our addressable markets, our competitive position, macroeconomic conditions and their anticipated effect on our business, the benefits of our acquisitions, financial results and financial condition, expectations for our products, capabilities and potential uses of our products, steps taken to enhance liquidity, or our prospective results of operations or financial position, may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, the words “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements represent management’s current expectations and are inherently uncertain. There are a number of important factors that could materially impact the value of our common stock or cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These important factors include, but are not limited to:
If we fail to implement our business strategy successfully, our financial performance could be harmed; We may not realize all of the sales expected from our backlog of orders and contracts; We rely upon third-party suppliers for the components and subassemblies of many of our Grid and Wind products, making us vulnerable to supply shortages and price fluctuations, which could harm our business; We may acquire additional complementary businesses or technologies, which may require us to incur substantial costs for which we may never realize the anticipated benefits; Our business and operations may be materially adversely impacted in the event of a failure or security breach of our or any critical third parties'
IT Systems or Confidential Information; Our contracts with the U.S. and Canadian governments are subject to audit, modification or termination by such governments and include certain other provisions in favor of the governments. The continued funding of such contracts may remain subject to annual legislative appropriation, which, if not approved, could reduce our revenue and lower or eliminate our profit; Changes in U.S. government defense spending could negatively impact our financial position, results of operations, liquidity and overall business; Our performance on contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense may result in restrictions to our ability to repurchase our common stock or U.S. government denial of Foreign Military Sales or ceasing of assistance for international Direct Commercial Sales; Failure to comply with evolving data privacy and data protection laws, regulations, and other obligations, or to otherwise protect personal data, may adversely impact our business and financial results; Our success is dependent upon attracting and retaining qualified personnel and our inability to do so could significantly damage our business and prospects; A significant portion of our Wind segment revenues are derived from a single customer. If this customer'
s business is negatively affected, it could adversely impact our business; Our success in addressing the wind energy market is dependent on the manufacturers that license our designs; Many of our revenue opportunities are dependent upon subcontractors and other business collaborators; Problems with product quality or product performance may cause us to incur warranty expenses or product liability charges and may damage our market reputation and prevent us from achieving increased sales and market share; Many of our customers outside of the United States may be either directly or indirectly related to governmental entities, and we could be adversely affected by violations of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and similar worldwide anti-bribery laws outside the United States; We have had limited success marketing and selling our superconductor products and system-level solutions, including our REG system, and our failure to more broadly market and sell our products and solutions could lower our revenue and cash flow; We or third parties on whom we depend may be adversely affected by natural disasters, including events resulting from climate change, and our business continuity and disaster recovery plans may not adequately protect us or our value chain from such events; Uncertainty surrounding our prospects and financial condition may have an adverse effect on our customer and supplier relationships; Pandemics, epidemics, or other public health crises may adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations; Changes in valuation allowance of deferred tax assets may affect our future operating results; If we fail to maintain proper and effective internal control over financial reporting on business acquisitions, our ability to produce accurate and timely financial statements could be impaired and may lead investors and other users to lose confidence in our financial data; We have not been historically profitable, and there can be no assurance that we will sustain our recent profitability; we have a history of negative operating cash flows, and we may require additional financing in the future, which may not be available to us; Changes in exchange rates could adversely affect our results of operations; We may be required to issue performance bonds, which restricts our ability to access any cash used as collateral for the bonds; Adverse changes in domestic and global economic conditions could adversely affect our operating results; The ongoing conflicts between the United States, Israel, and Iran has disrupted global energy markets and supply chains and could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations; Our international operations are subject to risks that we do not face in the United States, which could have an adverse effect on our operating results; Our products face competition, which could limit our ability to acquire or retain customers; We have operations in, and depend on sales in, emerging markets, including Latin America and India, and global conditions could negatively affect our operating results or limit our ability to expand our operations outside of these markets. Changes in Brazil'
s or India'
s political, social, regulatory and economic environment may affect our financial performance; Industry consolidation could result in more powerful competitors and fewer customers; Evolving and varied expectations on environmental sustainability and social initiatives could adversely impact our business and financial results; Growth of the wind energy market depends largely on the availability and size of government subsidies, economic incentives and legislative programs designed to support the growth of wind energy; Lower prices for other energy sources may reduce the demand for wind energy development, which could have a material adverse effect on our ability to grow our Wind business; Our technology and products could infringe intellectual property rights of others, which may require costly litigation and, if we are not successful, could cause us to pay substantial damages and disrupt our business; We may be unable to adequately prevent disclosure of trade secrets and other proprietary information; Our patents may not provide meaningful or long-term protection for our technology, which could result in us losing some or all of our market position; Third parties have or may acquire patents that cover the materials, processes and technologies we use or may use in the future to manufacture our Amperium products, and our success depends on our ability to license such patents or other proprietary rights; There are a number of technological challenges that must be successfully addressed before our superconductor products can gain widespread commercial acceptance, and our inability to address such technological challenges could adversely affect our ability to acquire customers for our products; Our common stock has experienced, and may continue to experience, market price and volume fluctuations, which may prevent our stockholders from selling our common stock at a profit and could lead to costly litigation against us that could divert our management'
s attention; Unfavorable results of legal proceedings could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition;
and the other important factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in Part 1. Item 1A of our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, and our other reports filed with the SEC. These important factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by forward-looking statements made herein and presented elsewhere by management from time to time. Any such forward-looking statements represent management's estimates as of the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

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American Superconductor®, AMSC®, Comtrafo™, Neeltran®, NEPSI™, NWL®, to the next power™, think inside the box™, Smarter, Cleaner...Better Energy™, orchestrate the rhythm and harmony of power on the grid™, Amperium®, D-VAR®, PowerModule™, D-VAR VVO®, PQ-IVR®, SeaTitan®, Gridtec™, Mairnetec™, Windtec™, actiVAR®, armorVAR™, SafetyLOCK™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of American Superconductor Corporation or our subsidiaries. We reserve all of our rights with respect to our trademarks or registered trademarks regardless of whether they are so designated in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q by an ® or ™ symbol. All other brand names, product names, trademarks or service marks appearing in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are the property of their respective holders.

Executive Overview

Guided by a belief in the power of next, we are a leading provider of power control solutions that apply innovation and creativity to address today’s challenges and enable a more resilient and sustainable energy future. Driven by our purpose “to power progress,” we integrate future-facing technologies to balance the growing global demand for power with the need for reliable, and efficient power delivery. Our advanced grid systems, engineering services, power electronics, software controls, and superconductor-based solutions help the traditional and renewable energy sectors, electric utilities, the materials and mining sector, industrial facilities, and other critical infrastructure operators optimize network reliability, improve power quality, alleviate grid constraints, and scale operations without added complexity or size.

We also deliver ship protection and power management solutions that enhance fleet efficiency, survivability, and operational readiness for the U.S. Navy and allied fleets. In the wind power market, we provide advanced electrical control systems, engineering, and support services that help manufacturers lower the cost of wind energy and improve turbine performance. Beyond these markets, we provide industrial process, environmental and emission control capabilities that support operational efficiency across the broader energy infrastructu

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Item 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Executive Overview

Guided by a belief in the power of next, we are a leading provider of power control solutions that apply innovation and creativity to address today’s challenges and enable a more resilient and sustainable energy future. Driven by our purpose “to power progress,” we integrate future-facing technologies to balance the growing global demand for power with the need for reliable, and efficient power delivery. Our advanced grid systems, engineering services, power electronics, software controls, and superconductor-based solutions help the traditional and renewable energy sectors, electric utilities, the materials and mining sector, industrial facilities, and other critical infrastructure operators optimize network reliability, improve power quality, alleviate grid constraints, and scale operations without added complexity or size.

We also deliver ship protection and power management solutions that enhance fleet efficiency, survivability, and operational readiness for the U.S. Navy and allied fleets. In the wind power market, we provide advanced electrical control systems, engineering, and support services that help manufacturers lower the cost of wind energy and improve turbine performance. Beyond these markets, we provide industrial process, environmental and emission control capabilities that support operational efficiency across the broader energy infrastructure. Across our businesses, our solutions are helping optimize power networks, strengthen naval capabilities, and support gigawatts of renewable energy generation worldwide as governments and industries continue investing in more resilient, secure, and sustainable power systems.

We operate our business under two market-facing business segments: Grid and Wind. We believe this market centric structure enables us to more effectively anticipate and meet the needs of power generators, power utilities, industrial manufacturers, the military and renewable energy companies.

Our fiscal year begins on April 1 and ends on March 31. When we refer to a particular fiscal year, we are referring to the fiscal year that began on April 1 of that same year. For example, fiscal 2025 refers to the fiscal year that began on April 1, 2025. Other fiscal years follow similarly.

Changes in macroeconomic conditions arising from various reasons, such as the ongoing wars between Russia and Ukraine, and in the Middle East, tariffs, trade restrictions and resulting trade conflicts, labor force availability, sourcing, material delays and global supply chain disruptions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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On December 5, 2025 (the "Comtrafo Acquisition Date"), we entered into a Stock Exchange Agreement (the "Stock Exchange Agreement") with the selling stockholders named therein. Pursuant to the terms of the Stock Exchange Agreement, Mardin Participações Ltda., an entity incorporated in Brazil (“AMSC Brazil”) and our wholly-owned subsidiary, directly or indirectly, purchased all of the issued and outstanding shares of Comtrafo Indústria de Transformadores Elétricos S.A. ("Comtrafo") (the "Comtrafo Acquisition") for (a) (i) 300.0 million Brazilian Real in cash; and (b) 2,417,142 restricted shares of our common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the "AMSC Shares") that were paid and issued, respectively, at closing. In addition, pursuant to certain additional real property agreements, AMSC Brazil through Comtrafo purchased certain real estate assets and transportation assets of Comtrafo for 155.6 million Brazilian Real and 13.4 million Brazilian Real, respectively, in cash. Additionally, AMSC Brazil has agreed to pay the selling stockholders up to an additional 382.5 million Brazilian Real in cash (the "Earnout") upon the achievement of specified earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization ("EBITDA") objectives during the three years following the closing. On May 15, 2026, pursuant to the terms of the Stock Exchange Agreement, Comtrafo purchased a certain real estate asset from the selling stockholders that Comtrafo was leasing and using for administrative and manufacturing operations for 37.2 million Brazilian Real in cash. Comtrafo is a Brazil-based manufacturer of large power and distribution transformers primarily for utility customers and also for industrial customers.

On August 1, 2024, we entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement (the “Stock Purchase Agreement”) with the selling stockholders named therein. Pursuant to the terms of the Stock Purchase Agreement and concurrently with entering into such agreement, we acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of Megatran, Industries, Inc. ("Megatran"), for aggregate consideration in an amount equal to $61.4 million, as may be adjusted pursuant to the Stock Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Price”), including a cash payment after closing of $5.0 million, as adjusted pursuant to Sections 5.6(c), (d), and (f) of the Stock Purchase Agreement (the “Additional Cash Purchase Price”). At closing, we paid to Megatran's selling stockholders $25.0 million in cash on hand, and 1,297,600 restricted shares of our common stock. On September 23, 2024, we paid the Additional Cash Purchase Price to the selling stockholders, which was calculated based on the agreed upon formula set forth in the Stock Purchase Agreement, in the amount of $8.3 million which includes the Additional Cash Purchase Price and the make whole payment. Megatran's wholly-owned subsidiary, NWL, Inc. (together with Megatran, "NWL"), is a U.S.-based global provider of engineered power conversion solutions for demanding industrial and military applications.  As a result of this transaction, Megatran became a wholly-owned subsidiary and is operated by our Grid business segment. We refer to this transaction as the "acquisition of NWL".

Results of Operations

A discussion regarding our financial condition and results of operations for the year ended March 31, 2026 compared to the year ended March 31, 2025 is presented below. A discussion regarding our financial condition and results of operations for year ended  March 31, 2025 compared to March 31, 2024 is included under "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2025 filed with the SEC on May 21, 2025.

Fiscal Years Ended March 31, 2026 and March 31, 2025

Revenues

Total revenues increased by 34% to $299.2 million in fiscal 2025 from $222.8 million in fiscal 2024. Our revenues are summarized as follows (in thousands):

Revenues in our Grid business segment are derived from our D-VAR product sales, Northeast Power Systems, Inc. ("NEPSI") product sales, Neeltran, Inc. ("Neeltran") product sales, NWL product sales, Comtrafo product sales, HTS wire sales, ship protection systems ("SPS"), government-sponsored electric utility projects and other prototype development contracts. We also engineer, install and commission our products on a turnkey-basis for some customers. The Grid business segment accounted for 84% of total revenues in both fiscal 2025 and 2024. Grid revenues increased 34% to $251.3 million in fiscal 2025 from $187.2 million in fiscal 2024. The increase in revenues was driven by higher new energy power systems revenues, higher ship protection systems revenues, and the contribution from the acquisition of Comtrafo in fiscal 2025.

Revenues in our Wind business segment are derived from wind turbine electrical control systems and core components, wind turbine license and development contracts, service contracts and consulting arrangements. Our Wind business segment accounted for 16% of total revenues in both fiscal 2025 and 2024. Revenues in the Wind business segment increased 34% to $47.8 million in fiscal 2025 from $35.6 million in fiscal 2024. The increase over the prior year period was driven by additional shipments of electrical control systems ("ECS") in fiscal 2025.

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Cost of Revenues and Gross Margin

Cost of revenues increased by 29% to $207.8 million in fiscal 2025, compared to $161.0 million in fiscal 2024. Gross margin increased to 31% in fiscal 2025 from 28% in fiscal 2024. Cost of revenues include total amortization expense of $0.6 million in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026 as a result of Comtrafo acquired backlog intangible assets. In addition, $0.8 million related to a fair value adjustment for the step-up basis assigned to acquired inventory to properly reflect the fair value in purchase accounting was charged to cost of revenues in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026. The increase in gross margin in fiscal 2025 was due to higher revenues and a beneficial product mix in the Grid and Wind business segments.

Operating Expenses

Research and development

Research and development (“R&D”) expenses increased by 38% to $15.7 million, or 5% of revenue in fiscal 2025, compared to $11.4 million, or 5% of revenue, in fiscal 2024. The increase in R&D expenses is primarily a result of additional compensation and stock compensation expenses in fiscal 2025.

Selling, general, and administrative

Selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses increased by 34% to $57.6 million, or 19% of revenue in fiscal 2025 from $43.1 million, or 19% of revenue, in fiscal 2024. The increase in SG&A expenses is primarily a result of the addition of Comtrafo operating expenses and additional compensation and stock compensation expenses in fiscal 2025.

Amortization of acquisition related intangibles

We recorded $2.4 million in fiscal 2025 and $1.7 million in fiscal 2024 in amortization expense related to our core technology and know-how, customer relationships, and other intangible assets. The increase in amortization expense is primarily a result of additional amortization related to the Comtrafo acquisition.

Change in fair value of contingent consideration

The change in fair value of our contingent consideration for the earnout payment on the acquisition of Comtrafo resulted in a lo

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