# Remitly Global, Inc. (RELY) FY 2021 MD&A Verbatim Item 7 Management's Discussion and Analysis from Remitly Global, Inc.'s 10-K for fiscal year 2021. SEC filing source: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1782170/000178217022000048/rely-20211231.htm Accession: 0001782170-22-000048 Filing date: 2022-03-29 Report date: 2021-12-31 Extracted structurally from real Item 7 body heading to real Item 7A/8 boundary. Confidence: high Company profile: /company/RELY/ All MD&A years: /company/RELY/mda/ Next year: /company/RELY/mda/fy2022/ (FY 2022) Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes appearing elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and our audited consolidated financial statements and the related notes. You should read the sections titled “Risk Factors” and “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” for a discussion of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis. Overview Remitly is a leading digital financial services provider for immigrants and their families in over 150 countries around the world. The combination of our differentiated approach and our relentless focus on meeting the financial services needs of our immigrant communities has resulted in significant customer growth, high customer engagement, rapid send volume and transaction growth, and attractive customer economics built on top of an expansive global network. Our Revenue Model For our remittance business, which represents the vast majority of our revenue today, we generate revenue from transaction fees charged to customers and foreign exchange spreads applied to the customer’s principal. Transaction fees vary based on the corridor, the currency in which funds are delivered to the recipient, the funding method a customer chooses (e.g., ACH, credit card, debit card, etc.), and the amount of the customer’s principal. Foreign exchange spreads represent the difference between the foreign exchange rate offered to customers and the foreign exchange rate on the Company's currency purchases. They are an output of proprietary and dynamic models that are designed to provide fair and competitive rates to our customers, while generating a spread for the Company based on our ability to buy foreign currency at generally advantageous rates. Revenue from transaction fees and foreign exchange spreads is reduced by customer promotions. For example, we may, from time to time, waive transaction fees for first-time customers, or provide customers with better foreign exchange rates on their first transaction. These incentives are accounted for as reductions to revenue, up to the point where net historical cumulative revenue, at the customer level, is reduced to zero. We consider these incentives as an investment in our long-term relationship with customers. The trusted relationships we foster with our customers and the repeat nature of their sending behavior has resulted in strong revenue retention rates. This provides a highly predictable reoccurring revenue stream. Initial Public Offering and Private Placement In September 2021, the Company completed its IPO, in which the Company issued and sold 7,000,000 shares of its common stock at $43.00 per share. Concurrently, 5,162,777 shares were sold by certain of our existing stockholders. In addition, the Company issued 581,395 shares of common stock to an existing stockholder in a private placement at the same offering price as the IPO. The Company received net proceeds of $305.2 million for the IPO and private placement, after deducting underwriting discounts and other fees of $20.8 million. In connection with the IPO, 127,410,631 shares of outstanding redeemable convertible preferred stock automatically converted into an equivalent number of shares of common stock on a one-to-one basis. Components of Results of Operations Revenue The Company’s revenue is generated on transaction fees charged to customers and foreign exchange spreads between the foreign exchange rate offered to customers and the foreign exchange rate on the Company's currency purchases. Revenue is recognized when control of these services is transferred to the Company’s customers, which is the time the funds have been delivered to the intended recipient in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for services provided. Costs and expenses Transaction Expenses Transaction expenses include fees paid to disbursement partners for paying funds to the recipient, provisions for transaction losses, fees paid to payment processors for funding transactions, bad debt expense, chargebacks, fraud prevention and compliance tools. Reserve for Transaction Losses The Company is exposed to transaction losses including chargebacks, unauthorized credit card use, fraud associated with customer transactions and other non-fraud related losses. The Company establishes reserves for such losses based on historical trends and any specific risks identified in 43 Table of Contents processing customer transactions. This reserve is included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets. The provision for transaction losses is included as a component of transaction expenses on the consolidated statements of operations. Customer Support and Operations Customer support and operations expenses consist primarily of personnel-related expenses associated with the Company’s customer support and operations organization, including salaries, benefits, and stock-based compensation expense, as well as third-party costs for customer support services, and travel and related office expenses. This includes our customer service teams which directly support our customers, consisting of online support and call centers, and other costs incurred to support our customers, including related telephony costs to support these teams, customer protection and risk teams, investments in tools to effectively service our customers, and increased customer self-service capabilities. Customer support and operations expenses also include corporate communication costs and professional services fees. Marketing Marketing expenses consist primarily of advertising costs used to attract new customers, including branding-related expenses. Marketing expenses also include personnel-related expenses associated with the Company’s marketing organization staff, including salaries, benefits and stock-based compensation expense, promotions, software subscription services dedicated for use by the Company’s marketing functions, and outside services contracted for marketing purposes. Technology and Development Technology and development expenses consist primarily of personnel-related expenses for employees involved in the research, design, development and maintenance of both new and existing products and services, including salaries, benefits and stock-based compensation expense. Technology and development expenses also include professional services fees and costs for software subscription services, predominantly for use by the Company’s technology and development teams. We believe delivering new functionality is critical to attract new customers and expand our relationship with existing customers. We expect to continue to make investments to expand our solutions in order to enhance our customers’ experience and satisfaction, and to attract new customers. We expect our technology and development expenses to increase in absolute dollars, but they may fluctuate as a percentage of total revenue from period to period as we expand our technology and development team to develop new solutions and enhancements to existing solutions. In fiscal year 2022, as we invest in our platform including expanding our offerings, improving the user experience and driving geographic expansion, we expect technology and development expense to increase as a percentage of revenue. General and Administrative General and administrative expenses consist primarily of personnel-related expenses for the Company’s finance, legal, human resources, facilities, and administrative personnel, including salaries, benefits and stock-based compensation expense. General and administrative expenses also include professional services fees, software subscriptions, facilities, indirect taxes, and other corporate expenses. As a result of the closing of our IPO, we have incurred and expect to continue to incur additional expenses as a result of operating as a public company, including costs to comply with the rules and regulations applicable to companies listed on a national securities exchange, costs related to compliance and reporting obligations, and increased expenses for insurance, investor relations, and professional services. We expect general and administrative expenses to increase as a result of these costs to operate as a public company and invest in the long-term growth of the Company. Depreciation and Amortization Depreciation and amortization expense includes depreciation on property and equipment and leasehold improvements, as well as the amortization of internal-use software costs and amortization of intangible assets. Interest Income Interest income consists primarily of interest income earned on our cash and cash equivalents. Interest Expense Interest expense consists primarily of the interest expense on our borrowings. Other Income (Expense), Net Other income (expense), net primarily consists of foreign exchange gains and losses. Provision for Income Taxes Provision for income taxes consists primarily of income taxes in certain foreign jurisdictions in which we conduct business and state income taxes in the United States. We maintain a full valuation allowance for U.S. deferred tax assets, which includes net operating loss carryforwards. We expect to 44 Table of Contents maintain this full valuation allowance for the foreseeable future as it is more likely than not that the assets will not be realized based on our history of losses. Results of Operations Comparison of the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 Revenue [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2021","","2020","","Amount","","Percent"],["Revenue","$","458,605","","","$","256,956","","","$","201,649","","","78","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] Revenue increased $201.6 million, or 78%, to $458.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to $257.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. This increase was driven primarily by the growth in send volume for the same time period, which increased $8.4 billion, or 70%, to over $20.4 billion for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to $12.1 billion for the year ended December 31, 2020, along with an increase in active customers and average revenue per active customer. Transaction Expenses [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2021","","2020","","Amount","","Percent"],["Transaction expenses","$","191,606","","","$","110,414","","","$","81,192","","","74","%"],["Percentage of total revenue","42","%","","43","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] Transaction expenses increased $81.2 million, or 74%, to $191.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to $110.4 million, for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase was primarily due to a $66.4 million increase in direct costs associated with processing a higher volume of our customers’ remittance transactions and the disbursement of our customers’ funds to their recipients, a $10.6 million increase in fraud and other losses largely driven by growth in new customers and send volume, and a $4.2 million increase in other transaction expenses, primarily software and tools that support our compliance and risk operations. As a percentage of revenue, transaction expenses decreased to 42% for the year ended December 31, 2021, from 43% for the year ended December 31, 2020, primarily as a result of lower fraud and other losses, relative to the increase in revenue. Customer Support and Operations Expenses [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2021","","2020","","Amount","","Percent"],["Customer support and operations","$","45,525","","","$","25,428","","","$","20,097","","","79","%"],["Percentage of total revenue","10","%","","10","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] Customer support and operations expenses increased $20.1 million, or 79%, for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to the year ended December 31, 2020, primarily due to increased costs as a result of supporting more active users. The increase was primarily driven by a $9.4 million increase in third-party customer support costs, a $5.8 million increase in internal personnel costs at our sites in the Philippines, Nicaragua, and Ireland that support customer operations, a $3.2 million increase in software and telephony costs as we supported more active customers, and a $1.7 million increase in other operating expenses including customer set up fees and other costs. As a percentage of revenue, customer support and operations expenses remained flat at 10% for the year ended December 31, 2021 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. Marketing Expenses [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2021","","2020","","Amount","","Percent"],["Marketing","$","120,906","","","$","73,804","","","$","47,102","","","64","%"],["Percentage of total revenue","26","%","","29","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] Marketing expenses increased $47.1 million, or 64%, for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to the year ended December 31, 2020, due primarily to an increase of $40.1 million in direct marketing expense, including online and offline marketing spend and promotion costs to acquire new customers. Personnel-related costs increased by $3.8 million driven by a 34% increase in marketing headcount compared to the same period in 2020, as well as a $1.5 million increase in stock-based compensation expense. The increase in marketing expenses was also driven by a $0.7 million 45 Table of Contents increase in other indirect marketing costs, a $0.4 million increase in other expenses including professional fees, a $0.3 million increase in software, and a $0.3 million increase in other employee-related costs. As a percent of revenue, marketing expenses decreased to 26% for the year ended December 31, 2021, from 29% for the year ended December 31, 2020, as our existing customer base became a larger portion of revenue while our marketing spend was mostly dedicated to acquiring new customers. Technology and Development Expenses [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2021","","2020","","Amount","","Percent"],["Technology and development","$","64,093","","","$","40,777","","","$","23,316","","","57","%"],["Percentage of total revenue","14","%","","16","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] Technology and development expenses increased $23.3 million, or 57%, for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase was driven by a $13.4 million increase in personnel related expenses resulting from a 30% increase in headcount compared to the same period in 2020, as well as a $4.8 million increase in stock-based compensation expense. The increase in technology and development expense was also driven by a $3.7 million increase in software costs for employee tools and cloud services due to growth in headcount and volume of transactions, as well as a $0.6 million increase in other employee-related expenses, a $0.4 million increase in professional fees and a $0.4 million increase in facility costs. As a percentage of revenue, technology and development expenses decreased to 14% for the year ended December 31, 2021, from 16% for the year ended December 31, 2020, as we leveraged our technology platform and infrastructure over a larger revenue and customer base. General and Administrative Expenses [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2021","","2020","","Amount","","Percent"],["General and administrative","$","70,941","","","$","31,656","","","$","39,285","","","124","%"],["Percentage of total revenue","15","%","","12","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] General and administrative expenses increased $39.3 million, or 124%, for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. Personnel-related expenses increased by $10.0 million, primarily driven by a 56% increase in general and administrative headcount compared to the same period in 2020, as well as a $5.4 million increase in stock-based compensation expense. The increase in our general and administrative headcount over the last year is primarily due to the investments we have made in our human resources, legal, and finance teams to prepare to become a public company. The increase in general and administrative expense was also due to a $7.9 million increase in professional, regulatory, and corporate fees to support the Company in preparing for its IPO, as well as ongoing public company costs, a $6.9 million donation of common stock in September 2021, a $4.9 million increase to other taxes, a $1.9 million increase to other employee-related expenses, a $1.2 million increase in software expense, a $0.8 million increase in facilities expense, and $0.3 million of other costs. As a percentage of revenue, general and administrative expenses increased to 15% for the year ended December 31, 2021, from 12% for the year ended December 31, 2020, due primarily to the September 2021 donation of common stock in connection with our Pledge 1% and costs related to operating as a public company. Depreciation and Amortization [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2021","","2020","","Amount","","Percent"],["Depreciation and Amortization","$","5,256","","","$","4,060","","","$","1,196","","","30","%"],["Percentage of revenue","1","%","","2","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] Depreciation and amortization increased $1.2 million, or 30%, for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. This increase is mostly due to an increase in depreciation for internally developed software, computers, and leasehold improvements. Interest Income [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2021","","2020","","Amount","","Percent"],["Interest income","$","140","","","$","273","","","$","(133)","","","(49)","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] Interest income decreased by an immaterial amount for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to the year ended December 31, 2020 due to lower yields on interest-bearing accounts. 46 Table of Contents Interest Expense [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2021","","2020","","Amount","","Percent"],["Interest expense","$","(1,256)","","","$","(1,189)","","","$","(67)","","","6","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] Interest expense decreased by an immaterial amount for the year ended December 31, 2021, as compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. Other Income (Expense), Net [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2021","","2020","","Amount","","Percent"],["Other income (expense), net","$","3,125","","","$","(1,302)","","","$","4,427","","","(340)","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] Other income (expense), net, increased $4.4 million from other (expense), net, for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to the year ended December 31, 2020, primarily due to foreign exchange remeasurements on transactions associated with high-volume balance sheet balances, and volatility in related currencies including the Mexican peso, Philippine peso, and Colombian peso. Provision for Income Taxes [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2021","","2020","","Amount","","Percent"],["Provision for income taxes","$","1,043","","","$","1,163","","","$","(120)","","","(10)","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] The provision for income taxes decreased by an immaterial amount for the year ended December 31, 2021, as compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. Comparison of the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 Revenue [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2020","","2019","","Amount","","Percent"],["Revenue","$","256,956","","","$","126,567","","","$","130,389","","","103","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] Revenue increased $130.4 million, or 103%, to $257.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, compared to 2019. This increase was primarily driven by growth in active customers, which doubled compared to 2019. Transaction Expenses [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2020","","2019","","Amount","","Percent"],["Transaction expenses","$","110,414","","","$","55,858","","","$","54,556","","","98","%"],["Percentage of total revenue","43","%","","44","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] Transaction expenses increased $54.6 million, or 98%, for 2020, compared to 2019. The increase was driven by a $37.3 million increase in direct costs associated with processing a higher volume of our customers’ remittance transactions and the disbursement of our customers’ funds to their recipients, a $12.0 million increase in fraud and other losses largely driven by growth in new customers and send volume, and a $5.3 million increase in software and tools that support our compliance and risk operations.      As a percentage of revenue, transaction expenses decreased to 43% for 2020, from 44% for 2019, which was driven primarily by scale benefits as we grew send volume. Customer Support and Operations Expenses [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2020","","2019","","Amount","","Percent"],["Customer support and operations","$","25,428","","","$","17,445","","","$","7,983","","","46","%"],["Percentage of total revenue","10","%","","14","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] 47 Table of Contents Customer support and operations expenses increased $8.0 million, or 46%, for 2020, compared to 2019. This increase was primarily driven by a $5.5 million increase in third-party customer support costs, a $1.7 million increase in internal personnel costs at our sites in the Philippines and Nicaragua that support customer operations, and approximately $1.0 million increase in software and telephony costs, partially offset by $0.2 million lower travel and office expenses. Although customer support and operations expense growth is typically tied to new customer and active customer growth, these costs grew slower than active customers for 2020, as we experienced absenteeism and delays in hiring due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We also invested in tools to increase customer self-service capabilities, which helped to reduce customer contact rates and drove operational efficiencies. As a percentage of revenue, customer support and operations expenses decreased to 10% for 2020, from 14% for 2019, which was driven primarily by operational efficiencies coupled with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our ability to service customer demand. Marketing Expenses [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2020","","2019","","Amount","","Percent"],["Marketing","$","73,804","","","$","43,542","","","$","30,262","","","70","%"],["Percentage of total revenue","29","%","","34","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] Marketing expenses increased $30.3 million, or 70%, for 2020, compared to 2019, due primarily to an increase of $28.1 million in direct marketing expenses, including online and offline marketing spend and promotion costs to acquire new customers. Personnel-related costs, including stock-based compensation expense, increased by $2.1 million, driven by a 41% year-over-year increase in marketing headcount, partially offset by a $0.2 million decrease in compensation expense in 2020, as compared to 2019, due to compensation expenses incurred for our 2019 tender offer. The remaining increase was driven by a $0.3 million increase in other marketing operating expense, primarily indirect marketing. As a percentage of revenue, marketing expenses decreased to 29% for 2020, from 34% for 2019, as our existing customer base became a larger portion of revenue while our marketing spend was mostly dedicated to acquiring new customers. Technology and Development Expenses [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2020","","2019","","Amount","","Percent"],["Technology and development","$","40,777","","","$","32,008","","","$","8,769","","","27","%"],["Percentage of total revenue","16","%","","25","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] Technology and development expenses increased $8.8 million, or 27%, for 2020, compared to 2019. This increase was driven by a $7.3 million increase in personnel-related expenses, including stock-based compensation expense, resulting from a 27% year-over-year increase in technology and development headcount, partially offset by a $2.0 million decrease in compensation expense in 2020, as compared to 2019, due to compensation expenses incurred for our 2019 tender offer. The increase in technology and development expenses was also driven by $3.5 million in software costs for employee tools and cloud services due to growth in both headcount and the volume of transactions. As a percentage of revenue, technology and development expenses decreased to 16% for 2020, from 25% for 2019, as we leveraged our technology platform and infrastructure over a larger revenue and customer base. General and Administrative Expenses [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2020","","2019","","Amount","","Percent"],["General and administrative","$","31,656","","","$","25,658","","","$","5,998","","","23","%"],["Percentage of total revenue","12","%","","20","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] General and administrative expenses increased $6.0 million, or 23%, for 2020, compared to 2019. This increase was primarily driven by a $6.2 million increase in personnel-related expenses, including stock-based compensation expense, driven by a 52% increase in general and administrative headcount. This increase was partially offset by a $1.8 million decrease in compensation expense in 2020, as compared to 2019, due to compensation expenses incurred for our 2019 tender offer. The growth in general and administrative expenses was also due to an increase of $1.1 million in facilities costs as we expanded our office space in the United Kingdom and Nicaragua, and an increase of $0.5 million in other general and administrative expenses, primarily professional fees and bank fees. As a percentage of revenue, general and administrative expenses decreased to 12% for 2020, from 20% for 2019, due to economies of scale as our revenue grew faster than our general and administrative expenses. 48 Table of Contents Depreciation and Amortization [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2020","","2019","","Amount","","Percent"],["Depreciation and Amortization","$","4,060","","","$","2,658","","","$","1,402","","","53","%"],["Percentage of revenue","2","%","","2","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] Depreciation and amortization increased $1.4 million, or 53%, for 2020, compared to 2019. This increase was primarily driven by an increase in depreciation for internally developed software. Interest Income [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2020","","2019","","Amount","","Percent"],["Interest income","$","273","","","$","1,111","","","$","(838)","","","(75)","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] Interest income decreased $0.8 million, for 2020, compared to 2019, primarily due to a lower interest rate earned on interest-bearing accounts. Interest Expense [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2020","","2019","","Amount","","Percent"],["Interest expense","$","(1,189)","","","$","(1,608)","","","$","419","","","(26)","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] Interest expense decreased $0.4 million, for 2020, compared to 2019, primarily due to lower interest expense on our revolving credit facility as a result of lower outstanding borrowings, given the close of our Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock financing in 2020. Other Expense, Net [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2020","","2019","","Amount","","Percent"],["Other expense, net","$","(1,302)","","","$","(34)","","","$","(1,268)","","","nm*"],["*not meaningful"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] Other expense, net, increased $1.3 million for 2020, compared to 2019, primarily due to foreign exchange remeasurements on transactions associated with high volume balance sheet balances and volatility in related currencies, including the Indian rupee and Mexican peso. Provision for Income Taxes [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,","","Change"],["(dollars in thousands)","2020","","2019","","Amount","","Percent"],["Provision for income taxes","$","1,163","","","$","259","","","$","904","","","349","%"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] The provision for income taxes increased $0.9 million, for 2020, compared to 2019, primarily due to an increase in foreign taxable income in line with business growth in these jurisdictions and changes in U.S. state income tax laws. Key Business Metrics We regularly review the following key business metrics to evaluate our performance, identify trends affecting our business, prepare financial projections, and make strategic decisions. We believe that these key business metrics provide meaningful supplemental information for management 49 Table of Contents and investors in assessing our historical and future operating performance. The calculation of these key business metrics discussed below may differ from other similarly titled metrics used by other companies, analysts, or investors. Active Customers Active customers, measured as of the three months ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019 were as follows: [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,"],["(in thousands)","2021","","2020","","2019"],["Active customers","2,836","","","1,891","","","948"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] We believe that the number of our active customers is an important indicator of customer engagement and the overall growth of our business. Active customers increased to approximately 2.8 million, or 50% growth, year over year. Similar to the increase in 2020, this continued growth in 2021 was primarily due to a continued increase in new customers driven by investments in marketing spend, our seamless user experience, and network expansion. Active customers increased to 1.9 million for the three months ended December 31, 2020, or 100% growth, compared to the three months ended December 31, 2019. This increase was primarily due to an increase in new customers driven by investments in marketing spend, our seamless user experience, network expansion, and new corridor rollouts, as well as the accelerated digital adoption of remittances as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Send Volume [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,"],["(in millions)","2021","","2020","","2019"],["Send volume","$","20,448","","","$","12,055","","","$","7,087"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] We measure send volume to assess the scale of remittances sent using our platform. Our customers mostly send from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, other countries in Europe, and Australia. The recipients are located in over 135 countries across the globe; the largest receive countries include Mexico, the Philippines, and India. Send volume increased $8.4 billion, or 70%, to over $20.4 billion for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to $12.1 billion for the year ended December 31, 2020, largely due to higher transaction volumes from new and existing customers. Send volume increased to $12.1 billion for 2020, compared to $7.1 billion for 2019, largely due to higher transaction volumes from new and existing customers, partially offset by lower average send amount per active customers. Lower average send amount per active customer in 2020, as compared to 2019, was a result of increasing geographic diversification, and in particular, a mix shift toward corridors with lower average send amounts. Key Factors Affecting Our Performance Ability to Retain Our Customers and Maintain High Customer Engagement Our send volume is primarily driven by existing customers who regularly use our remittance product to send money home. We believe our mobile-first products and superior customer experience encourage high retention and repeat usage, which are important drivers of our performance. We measure active customers to monitor the growth and performance of our customer base. During the fourth quarter of 2021, 2.8 million customers used Remitly to send money abroad, up 50% from the fourth quarter of 2020. The majority of our active customers send money for recurring, non-discretionary needs multiple times per month, providing a reoccurring revenue stream with high visibility and predictability. Ability to Attract New Customers Our long-term growth will depend, in part, on our continued ability to attract new customers to our platform. We intend to expand our customer base by launching new send and receive corridors, by continuing to innovate, and by providing the most trusted financial services for immigrants. We plan to continue to acquire new customers through digital marketing channels and word-of-mouth referrals from existing customers. We will also explore new customer acquisition channels. Given the nature of our business, new customer acquisition may negatively impact net loss and Adjusted EBITDA in the initial period, while positively impacting net loss and Adjusted EBITDA in subsequent periods. Ability to Maintain Efficient Customer Acquisition Our ability to efficiently acquire customers is critical to our growth and attractive customer economics. Online marketing competition, our ability to effectively target the right demographic, and competitor pricing will impact our customer acquisition strategy. 50 Table of Contents We have a history of successfully monitoring customer acquisitions costs and will continue to be strategic and disciplined toward customer acquisition. For example, for performance marketing, we set rigorous customer acquisition targets that we continuously monitor to ensure a high return on investment over the long term, and we can increase or decrease this investment as desired. Customer acquisition costs refer to direct marketing expenses deployed to acquire new customers and primarily includes digital advertising costs. Corridor Mix Our business is global and certain attributes of our business vary by corridor such as send amount, customer funding sources, payment options, and transaction frequency. We analyze our business at the corridor level because customer behavior and needs, fees and exchange rates, distribution partners and a variety of other factors are specific to the pairing of particular countries and cannot be generalized across other broader groupings. For example, a period of high growth in receive corridors with large average send amounts, such as India, could disproportionately impact send volume while impacting active customers to a lesser extent. While shifts in our corridor mix could impact the trends in our global business, including send volume and customer economics, our strategy is to manage and optimize each of these corridors over the long term based on their specific dynamics. Seasonality Our operating results and metrics are subject to seasonality, which may result in fluctuations in our quarterly revenues and operating results. For example, active customers and send volume generally peak as customers send gifts for regional and global holidays including, most notably, in the fourth quarter around the Christmas holiday. This seasonality typically drives higher fourth quarter customer acquisition, which generally results in higher fourth quarter marketing costs and transaction losses. It also results in higher transactions and transaction expenses, along with higher working capital needs. Other periods of seasonality include Ramadan/Eid, Lunar New Year/Tết and Mother's Day, although the impact is generally lower than in the fourth quarter. The number of business days in a quarter and the day of week that the last day of the quarter falls on may also introduce variability in our results, balance sheet, or cash flows. Ability to Invest in Our Technology Platform and Introduce New Products We will continue to invest significant resources in our technology platform. These investments will allow us to introduce new and innovative products, add features to current products, enhance the customer and recipient experience, grow our payment and disbursement network, invest in our risk and security infrastructure, and continue to secure data in accordance with changing best practices and legal requirements. While we expect our expenses related to technology and development to increase, which may impact short-term profitability, we believe these investments will ultimately contribute to our long term growth. Ability to Manage Risk and Fraud We manage fraud (e.g., through identity theft) and other illegitimate activity (e.g., money laundering) by utilizing our proprietary risk models built on machine learning processes, early warning systems, bespoke rules, and manual investigation processes. Our models and processes enable us to identify and address complex and evolving risks in these unwanted activities, while maintaining a differentiated customer experience. In addition, we integrate historical fraud loss data and other transaction data into our risk models which helps us identify emerging patterns and quantify fraud and regulatory and compliance risks across all aspects of our customer interactions. This allows us to achieve and maintain fraud loss rates within desired guardrails. Macroeconomic and Geopolitical Changes Global macroeconomic and geopolitical factors, including immigration, trade and regulatory policies, unemployment, inflation, foreign currency fluctuations, and the rate of digital remittance adoption impact demand for our services and the options that we can offer. These factors evolve over time and periods of significant currency appreciation or depreciation, whether in send or receive currencies, changes to global migration patterns, and changes to digital adoption trends may shift the timing and volume of transactions using our service. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, our business, and the digital financial services industry in general, has seen accelerated growth, as digital remittances increasingly became the choice of senders and receivers; however, we have also experienced disruptions. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, government authorities and businesses globally have implemented varying levels of travel restrictions, border closures, quarantines, shelter-in-place and lockdown orders, mask and social distancing requirements, and business limitations and shutdowns. which have contributed to a variety of changes to consumer behavior as well as to government and business practices. Consumer behavior has evolved rapidly to favor forms of commerce that do not require in-person interactions, with acceleration in the shift to digital and contactless forms of payment since the pandemic began in 2020. This has led to rapid customer, transaction, and revenue growth for many financial technology companies including Remitly. These trends have also benefited our business as many new and existing customers were unable or unwilling to travel to countries of origin or physical agents to deliver remittances to loved ones abroad, and as digital remittances have become the choice of senders and receivers. In spite of these trends, there is uncertainty about recent macroeconomic conditions caused, in part, by the pandemic, such as labor shortages and inflation. It remains unclear to what extent these conditions will impact our customers’ behavior. In some cases, pandemic related measures have also negatively impacted Remitly, including disruptions to workforce stability. Pandemic-related lockdowns have required us to transition part of our workforce to work from home and establish strict health and safety protocols for our offices. Our customer support and operations teams, both internal and third-party, have at times been severely impacted, which affected our ability to service 51 Table of Contents customer needs due to longer wait times during 2021. While operational resiliency measures have evolved and become more mature over the course of the pandemic, financial services support requires secure technology that can be harder to access using work from home technologies and successive lockdowns may still create operational challenges. However, certain operating expenses have grown more slowly than usual due to reduced business travel and the virtualization or cancellation of events. These operating expenses may return to normal growth levels as pandemic restrictions are lifted and we expect that our operating costs will increase in 2022 as business travel and other events resume. The full extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic will directly or indirectly impact our business, results of operations, cash flows, and financial condition will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain and cannot be accurately predicted, particularly if new variants of the virus emerge. While we expect the trend towards increased use of digital payments to continue, its velocity may also abate as conditions change. In addition, the impact from new variants and other factors arising from the COVID-19 pandemic could adversely impact the use of our services by our customers, the ability of our employees to perform work, and our business generally, which could have a material adverse impact on our operating and financial results. We will continue to actively monitor the situation and may take further actions that may alter our business practices as may be required by federal, state, or local authorities or that we determine are in the best interests of our employees, customers, or business partners. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company has remained focused on serving its customers and communities, as well as the well-being of its employees. Non-GAAP Financial Measures We regularly review the following non-GAAP measure to evaluate our performance, identify trends affecting our business, prepare financial projections, and make strategic decisions. We believe that this non-GAAP measure provides meaningful supplemental information for management and investors in assessing our historical and future operating performance. The calculation of the non-GAAP measure discussed below may differ from other similarly titled metrics used by other companies, analysts, or investors. We use Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure to supplement net loss. Adjusted EBITDA is calculated as net loss adjusted by i) interest expense, net; ii) provision for income taxes; iii) non-cash charge of depreciation and amortization; iv) other expense (income), net, including gains and losses from the remeasurement of foreign currency assets and liabilities into their functional currency and v) non-cash stock-based compensation expense, net, as well as vi) non-cash charges associated with our donation of common stock in connection with our Pledge 1% commitment. Our goal is not to maximize Adjusted EBITDA in any given quarter, but to drive revenue growth with investments that generate long-term value. Adjusted EBITDA is a key output measure used by our management to evaluate our operating performance, inform future operating plans, and make strategic long term decisions, including those relating to operating expenses and the allocation of internal resources. Adjusted EBITDA has limitations as a financial measure, should be considered as supplemental in nature, and is not meant as a substitute for the related financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. These limitations include the following: •although depreciation and amortization are non-cash charges, the assets being depreciated and amortized may have to be replaced in the future, and Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect cash capital expenditure requirements for such replacements or for new capital expenditures or other capital commitments; •Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, our working capital needs; •Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the effect of income taxes that may represent a reduction in cash available to us; •Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the effect of gains and losses from the remeasurement of foreign currency assets and liabilities into their functional currency; •Adjusted EBITDA excludes non-cash charges associated with the donation of our common stock in connection with our Pledge 1% commitment, which is recorded in general and administrative expense; •Adjusted EBITDA excludes stock-based compensation expense, which has recently been, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future, a significant recurring expense for our business and an important part of our compensation strategy; and •other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate Adjusted EBITDA differently from how we calculate this measure or not at all, which reduces its usefulness as a comparative measure. 52 Table of Contents The following table sets forth a reconciliation of net loss to Adjusted EBITDA, the most directly comparable financial measure prepared in accordance with GAAP, for each of the periods indicated: [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,"],["(in thousands)","2021","","2020","","2019"],["Net loss","$","(38,756)","","","$","(32,564)","","","$","(51,392)"],["Add:"],["Interest expense, net","1,116","","","916","","","497"],["Provision for income taxes","1,043","","","1,163","","","259"],["Depreciation and amortization expenses","5,256","","","4,060","","","2,658"],["Foreign exchange (gain) loss","(3,125)","","","1,302","","","34"],["Donation of common stock","6,933","","","\u2014","","","\u2014"],["Stock-based compensation expense, net","17,016","","","5,264","","","3,648"],["Adjusted EBITDA","$","(10,517)","","","$","(19,859)","","","$","(44,296)"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] Adjusted EBITDA improved to $(10.5) million for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to $(19.9) million for the year ended December 31, 2020, driven by continued acceleration in revenue, as a result of our growing customer base and corresponding increase in send volume, partially offset by higher processing and customer support costs, investments in customer acquisition and our technology platform, and other general and administrative expenses during 2021. Adjusted EBITDA improved to $(19.9) million for 2020 compared to $(44.3) million for 2019. This improvement was largely due to higher revenue driven by an acceleration in new customer acquisition partially offset by higher transaction and customer support costs, investments in new customer acquisition and our technology platform, other general and administrative expenses, and an increase in expenses that are adjusted from net loss. Liquidity and Capital Resources We have financed our operations and capital expenditures primarily through cash generated from operations including transaction fees and foreign exchange spreads, sales of our redeemable convertible preferred stock, proceeds from our IPO and concurrent private placement, and our $250.0 million New Revolving Credit Facility, which we entered into in September 2021, as well as our prior 2020 Credit Agreement. We had unused borrowing capacity of $231.1 million on our New Revolving Credit Facility as of December 31, 2021. As of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, our principal sources of liquidity were cash and cash equivalents of $403.3 million and $186.7 million, respectively, and funds available under the New Revolving Credit Facility and our previous revolving credit facility, respectively. We believe that our cash, cash equivalents, and funds available under the New Revolving Credit Facility will be sufficient to meet our working capital requirements for at least the next twelve months. Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including our rate of revenue growth, the expansion of our sales and marketing activities, the timing and extent of expansion into new corridors, and the timing of introductions of new products and enhancements of existing products. Furthermore, certain jurisdictions where we operate require us to hold eligible liquid assets, based on regulatory or legal requirements, equal to the aggregate amount of all customer balances. In addition, in the future, we may attempt to raise additional capital through the sale of equity securities or through equity-linked securities, and the ownership of our existing stockholders would be diluted. If we raise additional financing by incurring additional indebtedness, we may be subject to increased fixed payment obligations and could also be subject to additional restrictive covenants, such as limitations on our ability to incur additional debt, and other operating restrictions that could adversely impact our ability to conduct our business. Any future indebtedness we incur may result in terms that are unfavorable to equity investors. There can be no assurances that we will be able to raise additional capital. The inability to raise capital would adversely affect our ability to achieve our business objectives. Cash Flows The following table summarizes our consolidated statements of cash flows for the periods presented: [[GREPCENT_TABLE]] [["","Year Ended December 31,"],["(in thousands)","2021","","2020","","2019"],["Net cash provided by (used in):"],["Operating activities","$","(18,391)","","","$","(114,209)","","","$","8,435"],["Investing activities","(4,534)","","","(4,370)","","","(7,209)"],["Financing activities","238,203","","","122,216","","","117,017"]] [[/GREPCENT_TABLE]] Operating Activities Our main sources of operating cash are transaction fees charged to customers and foreign exchange spreads on transactions. Our primary uses of cash from operating activities have been for advertising expenses used to attract new customers, transaction expenses that include fees paid to payment processors and disbursement partners, personnel-related expenses, technology and analytics, and other general corporate expenditures. 53 Table of Contents Net cash used in operating activities mainly consists of our net loss adjusted for certain non-cash items, including stock-based compensation expense, depreciation and amortization, amortization of operating lease right-of-use assets, and changes in operating assets and liabilities during each period. For the year ended December 31, 2021, net cash used in operating activities was $18.4 million, which primarily consisted of a net loss of $38.8 million, as well as unfavorable changes in our operating assets and liabilities of $9.3 million, partially offset by excluding approximately $29.7 million of non-cash charges included within net loss for the period. The main drivers for the unfavorable change in operating assets and liabilities were an increase in disbursement prefunding of $18.1 million, in line with the growth in our business and related to funding disbursement partners for expected send volume over a long holiday weekend, as well as an increase of $17.3 million in customer funds receivable, partially offset by an increase in accrued expenses and other liabilities of $26.1 million due to the timing of cash payments to vendors. For the year ended December 31, 2020, net cash used in operating activities was $114.2 million, which primarily consisted of changes in our operating assets and liabilities of $91.0 million, as well as a net loss of $32.6 million, excluding $9.3 million of non-cash charges included within net loss for the period. The main drivers for the change in operating assets and liabilities were an increase in disbursement prefunding of $69.7 million related to funding disbursement partners for expected send volume over a long holiday weekend, an increase in customer funds receivable of $20.0 million due to an increase in volume and growth in our business and decrease of customer liabilities of $29.1 million due to timing of disbursements offset by an increase in accrued expenses and other current liabilities of $25.9 million due to timing of settlement of trade liabilities as well as increase in operating expense accruals in line with the growth of the business. For the year ended December 31, 2019, net cash provided by operating activities was $8.4 million, which primarily consisted of net loss of $51.4 million adjusted for non-cash charges of $6.3 million and net cash inflows of $53.5 million due to changes in our operating assets and liabilities. The main drivers for the change in operating assets and liabilities were a decrease in disbursement prefunding of $17.1 million and an increase in customer liabilities of $54.2 million related to transactions processed from customers but not yet disbursed to recipients, offset by an increase in customer funds receivable of $17.4 million. The changes in these operating assets and liabilities are inline with the growth of the business and were impacted by timing and volume of funding needs and disbursements at the end of 2019. Investing Activities Cash used in investing activities consists primarily of purchases of property and equipment and capitalization of internal-use software. Net cash used in investing activities was $4.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 and $4.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, primarily related to purchases of property and equipment to support the increase in headcount, and capitalization of internal use software costs. Net cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2019 was $7.2 million, which was primarily related to purchases of property and equipment to support the increase in headcount, expansion and improvement of our facilities, and capitalized internal use software costs. Financing Activities Cash provided by financing activities consists primarily of proceeds from our IPO and concurrent private placement, as well as previous issuances of redeemable convertible preferred stock, and proceeds from the exercise of stock options. Cash used in financing activities consists primarily of repayments of our revolving credit facility borrowings. In 2019, cash used in financing activities also included repurchases and retirement of common stock and redeemable convertible preferred stock in connection with a tender offer. Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2021 of $238.2 million was primarily driven by proceeds from the issuance of common stock upon our IPO and concurrent private placement, net of underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering costs of $305.2 million, as well as proceeds from: the exercise of stock options of $8.3 million, the repayment of a non-recourse promissory note of $3.1 million, and the issuance of Series F redeemable convertible preferred stock, net of issuance costs of $3.0 million. These proceeds were partially offset by repayments of our prior revolving credit facility borrowings of $80.0 million and payments of debt issuance costs on our New Revolving Credit Facility of $1.4 million. Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2020 of $122.2 million was primarily driven by proceeds from the issuance of Series F convertible preferred stock of $84.8 million, net of issuance costs, and $35.0 million of proceeds from our revolving credit facility to meet our working capital needs, as well as $2.4 million in proceeds from the exercise of stock options. Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2019 of $117.0 million was primarily driven by $129.8 million from the issuance of Series E redeemable convertible preferred stock, net of issuance costs and $9.0 million of net proceeds from our revolving credit facility borrowings to meet our working capital requirements, offset by $2.8 million of cash used to repay our term loan, and further offset by $20.0 million cash used for the repurchase and retirement of common and redeemable convertible preferred stock in connection with a tender offer. Contractual Obligations and Commitments Our principal commitments consist of standby letters of credits, long-term leases, and other purchase commitments entered into in the normal course of business. In addition, we routinely enter into marketing and advertising contracts that contractually obligate us to purchase services in the near term, including minimum service quantities, unless we give notice of cancellation based on the applicable terms of the agreements. Most contracts are typically cancelable within a period of less than one year. As of December 31, 2021, we had approximately $3.0 million in total purchase commitments under these arrangements, which includes one multi-year commitment through 2023. For further information on our material 54 Table of Contents commitments refer to Note 6. Debt , Note 14. Commitments and Contingencies and Note 17. Leases in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements As of December 31, 2021, we had no off-balance sheet arrangements that have, or are reasonably likely to have, a current or future material effect on our consolidated financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, or capital resources. From time to time we do enter into short-term leases that have lease terms of less than 12 months, and are typically month-to-month in nature. As described in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, we elected not to record leases on our consolidated balance sheet if the lease term is 12 months or less. For further information on our lease arrangements refer to Note 17. Leases in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements, as well as the revenue generated and expenses incurred during the reporting periods. Our estimates are based on our historical experience and on various other factors that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. While our significant accounting policies are described in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we believe that the following critical accounting policies involve a greater degree of judgment and complexity. Accordingly, these are the policies we believe are the most important to aid in fully understanding and evaluating our reported financial results. Revenue Recognition Our revenue is generated on transaction fees charged to customers and foreign exchange spreads between the foreign exchange rate offered to customers and the foreign exchange rate on the Company's currency purchases. Revenue is recognized when control of these services is transferred to our customers, which is the time the funds have been delivered to the intended recipient in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for services provided. We account for revenue in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which includes the following steps: (i)identification of the contract with a customer; (ii)identification of the performance obligations in the contract; (iii)determination of the transaction price; (iv)allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (v)recognition of revenue when, or as, we satisfy a performance obligation. Revenue is derived from each transaction and varies based on the funding method chosen by the customer, the size of the transaction, the currency to be ultimately disbursed, the rate at which the currency was purchased, and the countries to which the funds are transferred. Our contract with customers can be terminated by the customer without a termination penalty up until the time the funds have been delivered to the intended recipient. Therefore, our contracts are defined at the transaction level and do not extend beyond the service already provided. Our service comprises a single performance obligation to complete transactions for our customers. Using compliance and risk assessment tools, we perform a transaction risk assessment on individual transactions to determine whether a transaction should be accepted. When we accept a transaction and process the designated payment method of the customer, we become obligated to our customer to complete the payment transaction. We recognize transaction revenue on a gross basis as we are the principal for fulfilling payment transactions. As the principal to the transaction, we control the service of completing payments on our payment platform. We bear primary responsibility for the fulfillment of the payment service, are the merchant of record, contract directly with our customers, control the product specifications, and define the value proposition of our services. We are also responsible for providing customer support. Further, we have full discretion over determining the fee charged to our customers, which is independent of the cost we incur in instances where we may utilize payment processors or other financial institutions to perform services on our behalf. These fees paid to payment processors and other financial institutions are recognized as transaction expenses in the consolidated statements of operations. We do not have any deferred contract acquisition costs. Stock-Based Compensation We account for stock-based compensation expense by calculating the estimated fair value of each employee and nonemployee award at the grant date or modification date by applying the Black-Scholes option pricing model. Stock-based compensation expense is generally recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is typically the vesting period of the respective award. Forfeitures are recognized in the period in which they occur. The model utilizes the estimated value of our underlying common stock at the measurement date based on the following assumptions: 55 Table of Contents Expected term. We calculate the expected term based on the average period the options are expected to remain outstanding using the simplified method, generally calculated as the midpoint of the requisite service period and the contractual term of the award. Expected volatility. We base our estimate of expected volatility on the historical volatility of comparable companies from a representative peer group selected based on industry, financial, and market capitalization data. Risk-free interest rate. The risk-free interest rate used in the model is based on the implied yield currently available for the U.S. Treasury securities at maturity with an equivalent term. Expected dividend yield. Our expected dividend yield is zero as we have never declared nor paid any dividends and do not currently expect to do so in the future. Common Stock Valuation Prior to the completion of our IPO, the fair values of the shares of common stock underlying our stock-based awards were determined by our board of directors, considering numerous objective and subjective factors to determine the fair value of the Company’s common stock at each meeting in which awards were approved. The values of stock-based awards granted were determined in accordance with the guidelines outlined in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Practice Aid, Valuation of Privately-Held-Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation. The assumptions we used in the valuation model are based on future expectations combined with management judgment. In the absence of a public trading market for our common stock, our board of directors, with input from management, exercised significant judgment and considered numerous objective and subjective factors to determine the best estimate of the fair value of our common stock for financial reporting purposes as of the grant date of each stock option award, including the following factors: •contemporaneous valuations of our common stock performed by unrelated third-party specialists; •secondary sales; •the prices, rights, preferences, and privileges of our redeemable convertible preferred stock relative to those of our common stock; •the lack of marketability of our common stock; •our actual operating results and financial performance; •current business projections; •hiring of key personnel and the experience of management; •our history and the introduction of new services; •our stage of development; •the likelihood and potential timing of achieving a liquidity event, such as an initial public offering or a merger or acquisition, given prevailing market conditions; •liquidity of stock-based awards involving securities in a private company; •the market performance of comparable publicly traded companies; and •United States and global capital market conditions. In valuing our common stock, the fair value of our business was determined using the market approach with input from management. The market approach estimates value based on a comparison of us to comparable public companies in a similar line of business. From the comparable companies, a representative market value multiple is determined and then applied to our financial forecasts to estimate the value of the subject company. In December 2020, we started using a hybrid method utilizing a combination of the option pricing method or OPM and the probability-weighted expected return method or PWERM, to estimate the value of our common stock. Under the PWERM, the value of a company’s particular equity class is estimated based upon an analysis of future values for the entire enterprise assuming various future outcomes. Share value is based upon the probability-weighted present value of these expected outcomes, as well as the rights of each class of preferred and common stock. We also applied a discount for lack of marketability to account for a lack of access to an active public market. In addition, we considered any secondary transactions involving our capital stock. In our evaluation of those transactions, we considered the facts and circumstances of each transaction to determine the extent to which they represented a fair value exchange and assigned the transactions an appropriate weighting in the valuation of our common stock. Factors considered include the number of different buyers and sellers, transaction volume, frequency, and timing relative to the valuation date. In some cases, we considered the amount of time between the valuation date and the grant date to determine whether to use the latest common stock valuation determined pursuant to one of the methods described above or a straight-line interpolation between the two valuation dates. This determination included an evaluation of whether the subsequent valuation indicated that any significant change in valuation had occurred between the previous valuation and the grant date. We utilized this methodology for equity awards which were granted in 2021 up until the completion of our IPO, using the most recent valuation of our common stock, for which contemporaneous valuations were obtained throughout 2021. 56 Table of Contents Application of these approaches and methodologies involves the use of estimates, judgments, and assumptions that are highly complex and subjective, such as those regarding our expected future revenue, expenses, and future cash flows, discount rates, market multiples, the selection of comparable public companies, and the probability of and timing associated with possible future events. After the completion of the IPO, the fair value of our common stock is determined by the closing price, on the date of grant, of its common stock, which is traded on the NASDAQ. Future expense amounts for any particular period could be affected by changes in our assumptions or market conditions. For further disclosure of the assumptions used in determining the grant date fair value of stock-based awards, refer to Note 10. Stock-Based Compensation in the notes to the Company’s consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements See Note 2., Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, in the notes to the Company’s consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a discussion of recent accounting pronouncements. JOBS Act We are an “emerging growth company”, as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can delay adopting new or revised accounting standards issued subsequent to the enactment of the JOBS Act until such time as those standards apply to private companies. We elected to use this extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies until the earlier of the date that we (1) are no longer an emerging growth company or (2) affirmatively and irrevocably opt out of the extended transition period provided in the JOBS Act. As a result, our consolidated financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with the new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates. We expect to use the extended transition period for any new or revised accounting standards during the period in which we remain an emerging growth company.